No Oppo Supporters General AFL discussion and other club news

[Tall poppy Syndrome]

Thoughts on the AFL pondering shorter games or extra byes to help combat the large number of injuries floating around at the moment?

For me, it's nice to see the AFL potentially thinking about things to improve player welfare, but I can't help but feel like we're missing the point a fair bit.

As a Physio who spends his time actively trying to solve the underlying reasons behind why common injuries and conditions occur, it has become clear to me that a lot of what we focus on, while important to consider in its own right, isn't the underlying cause of injury.

Clearly, game length, ground surface quality, fatigue, collisions, bad luck etc can all play their role, but it's often the quality and robustness of someone's basic mechanics that either stands up or gets exposed by these things.

FWIW, I find that the #1 reason why an athlete gets injured is almost exclusively a reflection of what the modern world does to them before they even put on a pair of footy boots in the first place.

Shortening games may help reduce the incidence of those critical moments that test out an athlete's robustness, but it may not be the long-term fix the powers that be are hoping for.

I could go on, but I'm always wary of being that annoying guy who comes across like he thinks he knows better.

Having said that I've always wanted to do a deep dive on our players and try to shed some light on why I'd expect them to be getting injured or re-injured - potentially unnecessarily.

Anyway, what do others think of what the AFL may do/be doing to mitigate injuries?

My thoughts on shortening games before last Sunday:
OVER MY DEAD F..KIN BODY!

My thoughts on shortening games at 5.30 that afternoon.
Yes please.

 

[CHUBBSS]

53 man list and 8-10 player benches would do more to limit fatigue, if they shorten games it will make things more explosive not less. Everything balances out after rule changes but the only thing not is the game is getting faster and faster, give clubs and coaches more players and the standard will increase, and more softcap.

The seconds national comp will need to be brought forward and a rethink of the FIXture would need to occur to create more efficiency in player game management and travel.

You can’t expect with the level the game is played at now to not have injuries, pretty much a ridiculous thought

 

[Cleavy]

‘Both arms tied behind your back’: Why the Dons want change at the tribunal

Essendon coach and former AFL football boss Brad Scott is unhappy with the league’s “guilty-unless-you-can-prove-your-innocence system”.

www.theage.com.au

now the other Scott twin opens his mouth...

 

[MasterSamurai]

Have 24 players to pick without a sub . No need to shorten games , the COVID season was a botch up , can't remember anything good during that period that makes me excited about the game. We have enough low scores already and goals are a huge reason why we love the game. Not many top end players miss finals as well so obviously it's not as big a problem as it's made out to be.

 

[Baz_hawk]

16 minute quarters sucked in 2020 and the idea of bringing those back is dumb. Players gonna take a 20% pay cut for this change?

 

[Hodgey 15]

Sydney appealing Parker's 6 week ban.

On SM-S906E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DogDaySonny]

Sydney appealing Parker's 6 week ban.

On SM-S906E using BigFooty.com mobile app

They will win.

 

[play2win]

What impact has the interchange cap had on injuries? Pretty simple mechanism to adjust if there is any relationship.
Increase list sizes, combined with a cap on H&A games for each player, a mandated break so to speak instead of adding more byes. Makes player management over the course of the season more interesting.

 

[Cleavy]

Sydney appealing Parker's 6 week ban.

On SM-S906E using BigFooty.com mobile app

on the grounds that the punishment was excessive and he didn't get the 'good bloke' discount?

 

[Crankyhawk]

The rule the umpire is supposed to follow is the post you replied to. Idiot.

The umpire is supposed to be the one enforcing the rule When the player receives the ball the umpire is SUPPOSED to blow time back on. he didn't do that, he disobeyed the rule, he gave your team the win through either incompetence or by design, either way you probably need someone to read this to you, and they may skim over stuff.

However umpire error (given it happens a bit eg free kicks) is more palatable/ acceptable than timekeeper error (rare, can only think of sirengate)

 

[H00t]

Thoughts on the AFL pondering shorter games or extra byes to help combat the large number of injuries floating around at the moment?

For me, it's nice to see the AFL potentially thinking about things to improve player welfare, but I can't help but feel like we're missing the point a fair bit.

As a Physio who spends his time actively trying to solve the underlying reasons behind why common injuries and conditions occur, it has become clear to me that a lot of what we focus on, while important to consider in its own right, isn't the underlying cause of injury.

Clearly, game length, ground surface quality, fatigue, collisions, bad luck etc can all play their role, but it's often the quality and robustness of someone's basic mechanics that either stands up or gets exposed by these things.

FWIW, I find that the #1 reason why an athlete gets injured is almost exclusively a reflection of what the modern world does to them before they even put on a pair of footy boots in the first place.

Shortening games may help reduce the incidence of those critical moments that test out an athlete's robustness, but it may not be the long-term fix the powers that be are hoping for.

I could go on, but I'm always wary of being that annoying guy who comes across like he thinks he knows better.

Having said that I've always wanted to do a deep dive on our players and try to shed some light on why I'd expect them to be getting injured or re-injured - potentially unnecessarily.

Anyway, what do others think of what the AFL may do/be doing to mitigate injuries?

I’m not sure shortened games would have much effect.

Players would still be pushing themselves to the absolute limit each game. They will go a lot harder during games rather than pacing themselves more.

Saying that though teams monitor distances covered so closely now that there’s not many injuries right at the end of games and instead they are occurring all throughout the game.

That would seem to suggest it’s more linked to biomechanics placing undue stress on muscles/ligaments causing the injuries.

At least in my 100% uninformed view

 

[I got the outside word]

Port have more to worry about than we do.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Thoughts on the AFL pondering

My thoughts on the AFL pondering anything is frightening. They’ve clearly demonstrated themselves inept on any kind of thought. I wouldn’t trust them with a blunt pair of scissors

 

[HedgeFund]

Still 15th before the first bounce? I can’t remember.

They know, they always know it’s sent to them via a chip implanted in their brain and they all know exactly when the AFL want the umps to screw us over.

EvErY SiNgLe WeEk.

Gowers knows it too and the reason he says nothing is he’s actually a Lizard Person who is masquerading as our President and former half forward flank.

 

[killerspud]

Port have more to worry about than we do.

Yep - we are considerably younger, their window is now and closing. Boak, Wines, Dixon must be close to the end. Other than the three gun mids they have nothing else (Maybe Rioli up forward but he's too inconsistent).

Crossing fingers that Sic comes back with Scrim - CJ better for the run can do a full game. Smitch stays back - Amon moves to the wing and Hardwick can stay permanent forward (for all the hype on Watson - who will be a gun - and Ginni - whose work rate is great - neither of them really hit the scoreboard like a small forward should - would love to see Breust start forward with Moore and Hardwick and really try and ****ing kick a score to nail a game by three quarter time

Chol and Dear together up forward was awesome to see

 

[moginie]

Yep - we are considerably younger, their window is now and closing. Boak, Wines, Dixon must be close to the end. Other than the three gun mids they have nothing else (Maybe Rioli up forward but he's too inconsistent).

Crossing fingers that Sic comes back with Scrim - CJ better for the run can do a full game. Smitch stays back - Amon moves to the wing and Hardwick can stay permanent forward (for all the hype on Watson - who will be a gun - and Ginni - whose work rate is great - neither of them really hit the scoreboard like a small forward should - would love to see Breust start forward with Moore and Hardwick and really try and ******* kick a score to nail a game by three quarter time

Chol and Dear together up forward was awesome to see

Dear reads the ball in the air as well as, if not better than, any 18 year old kpp I've seen.

 

[Brishawk]

I found it telling that Chris Scott, coach of a famously old team, wants to see the game shortened. While Sam Mitchell, coach who has built a team of powerful endurance runners, wants to see it stay the same length.

I think the constant pursuit of high performance is going to result in injuries regardless of what aspects of the game change. And coaches will do their best to have their players be fit and available within whatever that looks like, but ultimately they’ll advocate for the result that suits the direction they’re taking their club.

They could make the game shorter by getting rid of the goal reviews or just calling time back on when they are supposed to

 

[bindas12]

Thoughts on the AFL pondering shorter games or extra byes to help combat the large number of injuries floating around at the moment?

For me, it's nice to see the AFL potentially thinking about things to improve player welfare, but I can't help but feel like we're missing the point a fair bit.

As a Physio who spends his time actively trying to solve the underlying reasons behind why common injuries and conditions occur, it has become clear to me that a lot of what we focus on, while important to consider in its own right, isn't the underlying cause of injury.

Clearly, game length, ground surface quality, fatigue, collisions, bad luck etc can all play their role, but it's often the quality and robustness of someone's basic mechanics that either stands up or gets exposed by these things.

FWIW, I find that the #1 reason why an athlete gets injured is almost exclusively a reflection of what the modern world does to them before they even put on a pair of footy boots in the first place.

Shortening games may help reduce the incidence of those critical moments that test out an athlete's robustness, but it may not be the long-term fix the powers that be are hoping for.

I could go on, but I'm always wary of being that annoying guy who comes across like he thinks he knows better.

Having said that I've always wanted to do a deep dive on our players and try to shed some light on why I'd expect them to be getting injured or re-injured - potentially unnecessarily.

Anyway, what do others think of what the AFL may do/be doing to mitigate injuries?

I have always thought the players that play 300 games or long stretches without injury should be credited with impeccable conditioning and time they spend on getting their bodies fit rather than putting it mostly down to luck. And players who get injured often should take some blame for potentially not doing everything they could have in preparation/gym rather than it just being put down to the poor guys bad luck.
Would you agree ?

 

[sven_inc]

I have always thought the players that play 300 games or long stretches without injury should be credited with impeccable conditioning and time they spend on getting their bodies fit rather than putting it mostly down to luck. And players who get injured often should take some blame for potentially not doing everything they could have in preparation/gym rather than it just being put down to the poor guys bad luck.
Would you agree ?

I hear what you’re saying. It’s a bit both ways. Those that make it to 300 need a bit of luck, but I’d imagine they’d trend toward being better mechanically. And those who become hampered by injuries probably also need a dose of bad luck, but that can be mitigated against with more robust mechanics and function.

It’s important to get across that it’s not such much “not working hard enough” as plenty need to to make the grade. But it’s more “he’s working really hard at strengthening his knee, but his back and hip don’t function normally so his knee remains set up to fail under the wrong circumstances.”

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Yep - we are considerably younger, their window is now and closing. Boak, Wines, Dixon must be close to the end. Other than the three gun mids they have nothing else (Maybe Rioli up forward but he's too inconsistent).

Crossing fingers that Sic comes back with Scrim - CJ better for the run can do a full game. Smitch stays back - Amon moves to the wing and Hardwick can stay permanent forward (for all the hype on Watson - who will be a gun - and Ginni - whose work rate is great - neither of them really hit the scoreboard like a small forward should - would love to see Breust start forward with Moore and Hardwick and really try and ******* kick a score to nail a game by three quarter time

Chol and Dear together up forward was awesome to see

I don't think Port are near the end, neither list are in a bad position moving forward.

By the start of next season their aging senior players will be:

36 - Boak
34 - Dixon
32 - McKenzie
31 - Clurey
30 - Aliir, Wines
29 - DBJ, Rioli, Finlayson
28 - Soldo, Burton

You'd expect Boak and maybe Dixon to finish up at the end of the season, and they aren't using McKenzie or Clurey currently.

They have a pretty solid core to build around for years to come:

27 - Houston
26 - Ratugolea, Marshall, Drew, BZT, Farrell
25 - Rozee
24 - Butters
23 - Georgiades, Bergman, Lord, Mead
22 - Jones, Visentini, Sinn
21 - JHF, Burgoyne

Most key posts covered by serviceable to good players and a ridiculous midfield unit.

For comparison's sake:

Spoiler

Our old heads:

34 - Breust
33 - Gunston
31 - Wingard
30 - Frost, Sicily
29 - Impey, Amon
28 - Chol, Hardwick

I imagine Breust and Gunston may be done at the end of the season. We aren't relying on either of them, or Wingard at this stage, which is a good thing IMO.

Our core moving forward (few players missed out on the list below that will probably get a chance over the next year or two):

26 - Lewis, Nash, Meek, Scrimshaw, Worpel
25 - CJ
24 - Blanck, Maginess
23 - Day, Newcombe
22 - Ginnivan, MacDonald, Mitchell
21 - D'Ambrosio, Mackenzie, Ward
20 - Weddle, Watson, Hustwaite
19 - Dear

We are in a pretty good place, but we could use a superstar talent or two like Rozee, Butters and JHF. Hopefully Day and Newcombe become these players.

 

[FB19]

I hadn’t paid attention to the tigers other than the injuries. They have 26 to pick from and Kozi is playing VFL. Not having a go at him I liked him thought he tried hard and had a chance to make it but seemingly it’s not going to work out if you can’t get a game with no one to choose from.

 

[peetoo]

I hear what you’re saying. It’s a bit both ways. Those that make it to 300 need a bit of luck, but I’d imagine they’d trend toward being better mechanically. And those who become hampered by injuries probably also need a dose of bad luck, but that can be mitigated against with more robust mechanics and function.

It’s important to get across that it’s not such much “not working hard enough” as plenty need to to make the grade. But it’s more “he’s working really hard at strengthening his knee, but his back and hip don’t function normally so his knee remains set up to fail under the wrong circumstances.”

Too much of the wrong training is a risk factor for injuries

 

[Changa10]

So, the AFL reduce interchanges from what, unlimited to 120, and on and on until we get to the current amount which is capped at what 75? The reason being they wanted the players to fatigue to try and stop all the defensive running wasn’t it? During this period they also introduced the 6-6-6 rule to try and enable more scoring. Along with not having to wait for flags to be waived before restarting after a behind, no third man up at ruck contests etc etc etc.

Now, players are getting too fatigued and injured too often, so their answer is to reduce game time.

**** me this game is run by a bunch of amateur ****wits.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

I hadn’t paid attention to the tigers other than the injuries. They have 26 to pick from and Kozi is playing VFL. Not having a go at him I liked him thought he tried hard and had a chance to make it but seemingly it’s not going to work out if you can’t get a game with no one to choose from.

Last year we had the worst forward line Ive ever seen in my time supporting the Hawks and he couldn't get a game then either.

Not sure what the Tigers saw in him that made them think he was an AFL standard player. He tries his best but honestly he's just not that good.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Dear reads the ball in the air as well as, if not better than, any 18 year old kpp I've seen.

Plus he puts the dukes straight up and marks the ball at the point of the apex.
Or something.
Seems to really enjoy his footy too, he’s like a kid, having a bit of a laugh with his how do I this banana kick thing.