Sttew
Brownlow Medallist
Cats were so dominant in second half of 2022 that I was completely unaware!! You know the point I was making, though... don't you?
Is this the worst season of AFL in many a long while?
- Thread starter Aristotle Pickett
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Wasn't it? (talent spread, a problem from 2017-2020).
If you haven't been living under a rock you would have heard the constant bollocks about how the RFC 2017 premiership team was 'the worst in history'.
I never said the talent spread was good.
We had great stars, great role players, great game plan and a great culture/team effort.
Generally speaking I'd have said that our bottom few players wouldn't have been guaranteed games at every other club.
When we make inter-era comparisons between RFC and other dynasties (usually Hawks, Lions and Cats) I personally think they'd give them a run for their money based on the above - not based on pure player-by-player talent though.
- Sep 3, 2019
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The comp is so even this year the best team finished 9th?
I guess it all depends on what you consider an entertaining season. For me, having one dominant team doesn’t really come into the equation. And as someone pointed out, if the Finals series is incredibly one-sided (which often comes when there is such a dominant team), it will be a bit of a bummer. But in terms of the home and away season so far, I think it’s been fantastic! And it even had that “dominant team” for the first two-thirds of the season that you like.
One thing I will agree with is that we haven’t seen as many massive marks this year, but that’s obviously been a bit of a trend for a while now. There’s still been some incredible grabs, but not as many of iconic grabs as years gone by.
In terms of the quality of games, people often talk about talent being spread too thin and it not being as highly-skilled as past eras, but that is just rose-coloured glasses. There has always been a massive range in quality of games, it’s just no-one goes back and watches the shitty ones. And going back far enough, a lot of the crap games weren’t even televised - people just remember watching The Winners on a Sunday night and thinking of games as just being highlight reels, because that’s all they were shown! They definitely still existed though and I’d argue the skills on display of modern footballers far outstrip what previous eras provided.
But back to this year specifically, we’ve had so much going on:
And finally, umpires always make howlers. It’s not any better or worse in 2024 than it was in 2014 or 2004 or 1964, it’s just recent so it sticks in your mind.
BRING ON THE FINALS!!!
One thing I will agree with is that we haven’t seen as many massive marks this year, but that’s obviously been a bit of a trend for a while now. There’s still been some incredible grabs, but not as many of iconic grabs as years gone by.
In terms of the quality of games, people often talk about talent being spread too thin and it not being as highly-skilled as past eras, but that is just rose-coloured glasses. There has always been a massive range in quality of games, it’s just no-one goes back and watches the shitty ones. And going back far enough, a lot of the crap games weren’t even televised - people just remember watching The Winners on a Sunday night and thinking of games as just being highlight reels, because that’s all they were shown! They definitely still existed though and I’d argue the skills on display of modern footballers far outstrip what previous eras provided.
But back to this year specifically, we’ve had so much going on:
- Swans dominating early on marked with big wins over then-Premiership fancies (Collingwood and Melbourne)
- Carlton playing electric football where they could go on unstoppable runs, piling on goals in quick succession
- The excitement of Essendon playing great football, but no-one outside the club willing to trust them considering it was a soft start to the year
- Last year’s 17th-placed North Melbourne getting out to a 54-point lead over the reigning premiers, before an insane comeback (and wild ending)
- The Hawks picking up from a horror start to build into a fantastic season and qualifying for finals
- Port Adelaide absolutely thumping the ladder-leaders by over 100 points (scoring 80 points before the Swans even got on the scoreboard … via a rushed behind)
- An incredible number of come-from-behind wins AND games won by less than a kick
- The celebration of an absolute champion of the game - Dusty Martin - who kicked the opening goal of his 300th in what felt like a script rather than reality
- The ladder changing every week based on outcomes of multiple games over the back end of the season
- One of the best individual quarters of football I’ve ever seen (Heeney’s fourth quarter
- Seeing the form teams of the competition come up against each other to see who is the real deal (most recently GWS vs Bulldogs)
- Collingwood knocked out of their Premiership defence before the H&A season was even finished
And finally, umpires always make howlers. It’s not any better or worse in 2024 than it was in 2014 or 2004 or 1964, it’s just recent so it sticks in your mind.
BRING ON THE FINALS!!!
- Feb 5, 2018
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I beg you to go and watch some games from the 90's on YouTube, like I've been doing lately when off work crook.
I grew up as a kid during that time and have always viewed it through rose-coloured glasses. However, you could insert 2 or 3 country footballers from 2024 into those games and you wouldn't even be able to tell the difference.
The game is of FAR better quality now than it was during that 'golden' era.
WesternSydneyHawk
Debutant
- Mar 19, 2023
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TBH, I'd say the home and away season was pretty good.
Having so little separating 2 and 10 meant the stakes were high in most games.
A surefire top four contender like Essendon or Freeo (at various points in the season) was just a couple of poor performances away from missing finals altogether.
On any given week, any team could win. We even saw Richmond, the club that won the wooden spoon beat the eventual minor premiers, Sydney.
Many close games with high stakes decided in the last two minutes.
And the style of footy is much more free flowing than it was 10 years ago.
Not perfect, but a good season overall.
Having so little separating 2 and 10 meant the stakes were high in most games.
A surefire top four contender like Essendon or Freeo (at various points in the season) was just a couple of poor performances away from missing finals altogether.
On any given week, any team could win. We even saw Richmond, the club that won the wooden spoon beat the eventual minor premiers, Sydney.
Many close games with high stakes decided in the last two minutes.
And the style of footy is much more free flowing than it was 10 years ago.
Not perfect, but a good season overall.
hawkman
Hall of Famer
As always Carlton and Essendon by their own ineptitude putting an end to AFL House's fairytale dreams
Percel
Victorian’s love a good potato scallop
No mate, it has to turn.
- Apr 9, 2019
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Quality of footy is still pretty "meh", but it's a whole lot better than it was a few years ago. I don't miss the endless sideways kicks, rolling mauls and painfully low scores of 2019 at all.
2020 was arguably even worse, but it was during COVID so I felt grateful to have footy at all.
2020 was arguably even worse, but it was during COVID so I felt grateful to have footy at all.
- Sep 7, 2009
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2020 and 2021 were bad. The former had 16 minute quarters and forced the West Coast Eagles premiers 2 seasons earlier to relocate to a hub and they were never the same since.
Scoring dropped and we saw scores like 36-36 and 46-40 during the season making footy unwatchable that year
Scoring dropped and we saw scores like 36-36 and 46-40 during the season making footy unwatchable that year
- Oct 19, 2020
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- Thread starter
- #213
If Lachy Neale wins the Brownlow again that will really make the year a stinker.
It's a pity Hawthorn play Bulldogs in an elimination final, both could have made it to a GF imo.
It's a pity Hawthorn play Bulldogs in an elimination final, both could have made it to a GF imo.
- Mar 2, 2015
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2024 has been one of the most unpredictable, topsy-turvy, entertaining seasons of AFL footy that I have ever seen. And I'm an old campaigner who's been following the footy for decades! So many close games. So many thrilling finishes.
Thursday night footy on Channel 7 delivered big time. I was a sceptic, but it's been a really good evolution in the TV coverage.
The early pacesetters: Sydney, Geelong, Giants, Melbourne, Port, Carlton and Essendon all lost form at various times during the middle of the season and created a concertina effect on the AFL ladder.
Collingwood, the reigning premiers overcame a slow start to push their way back into the top 4 before falling away again.
Likewise, Carlton rose from 10th to 2nd and equal flag favouritism before dropping out of the top 8 after Round 22, but somehow salvaging 8th place in the final round.
The Giants were on top of the ladder early in the year, but fell to 10th after Round 17 when a 7-game win streak got them back into the top 4 thanks to the Jesse Hogan dominating up forward like a modern day Wayne Carey and providing the feel-good comeback story of the season.
Fremantle were not so lucky, some injuries to key players saw them fall from 3rd to 9th over the final month.
Meanwhile, the Lions, Port, Hawks and Bulldogs all looked dusted and done for... Written off by everyone... before all of them went on a tear over the final months, gate-crashing the top 8 and booking their places in this year's finals series.
I doubt there has ever been an AFL season with such wildly fluctuating fortunes. Which speaks to the closeness of the competition. The AFL finally achieved their dream of NFL-style parity thanks to their equalisation measures such as the draft, salary cap, the soft cap on coaches' salaries and the seeded fixtures.
There has rarely been such a narrow gap between the top teams and the mid-table teams and the cellar dwellers. Even the bottom 4 basket cases showed some pretty good form late in the season.
Who are the top teams anyway? The Swans, I suppose... But we haven't seen the usual gap between dominant top 4 flag contenders vs the rest... Nobody can predict who'll win the 2024 flag with any degree of confidence. Which makes this year's finals series all the more enticing for us fans
However, this is the Big Footy main board... a forum with the biggest per capita collection of negative clowns, dropkicks and clueless nuffies you'll find anywhere in the world. Probably the only place where people will seriously argue that the sun won't come up tomorrow...
It's only natural we have a thread titled "Is this the worst season of AFL in many a long while?" with the usual suspects trolls & twits supporting the notion.
Don't go changing Big Footy.
Thursday night footy on Channel 7 delivered big time. I was a sceptic, but it's been a really good evolution in the TV coverage.
The early pacesetters: Sydney, Geelong, Giants, Melbourne, Port, Carlton and Essendon all lost form at various times during the middle of the season and created a concertina effect on the AFL ladder.
Collingwood, the reigning premiers overcame a slow start to push their way back into the top 4 before falling away again.
Likewise, Carlton rose from 10th to 2nd and equal flag favouritism before dropping out of the top 8 after Round 22, but somehow salvaging 8th place in the final round.
The Giants were on top of the ladder early in the year, but fell to 10th after Round 17 when a 7-game win streak got them back into the top 4 thanks to the Jesse Hogan dominating up forward like a modern day Wayne Carey and providing the feel-good comeback story of the season.
Fremantle were not so lucky, some injuries to key players saw them fall from 3rd to 9th over the final month.
Meanwhile, the Lions, Port, Hawks and Bulldogs all looked dusted and done for... Written off by everyone... before all of them went on a tear over the final months, gate-crashing the top 8 and booking their places in this year's finals series.
I doubt there has ever been an AFL season with such wildly fluctuating fortunes. Which speaks to the closeness of the competition. The AFL finally achieved their dream of NFL-style parity thanks to their equalisation measures such as the draft, salary cap, the soft cap on coaches' salaries and the seeded fixtures.
There has rarely been such a narrow gap between the top teams and the mid-table teams and the cellar dwellers. Even the bottom 4 basket cases showed some pretty good form late in the season.
Who are the top teams anyway? The Swans, I suppose... But we haven't seen the usual gap between dominant top 4 flag contenders vs the rest... Nobody can predict who'll win the 2024 flag with any degree of confidence. Which makes this year's finals series all the more enticing for us fans
However, this is the Big Footy main board... a forum with the biggest per capita collection of negative clowns, dropkicks and clueless nuffies you'll find anywhere in the world. Probably the only place where people will seriously argue that the sun won't come up tomorrow...
It's only natural we have a thread titled "Is this the worst season of AFL in many a long while?" with the usual suspects trolls & twits supporting the notion.
Don't go changing Big Footy.
Last edited:
Excellent post.2024 has been one of the most unpredictable, topsy-turvy, entertaining seasons of AFL footy that I have ever seen. And I'm an old campaigner who's been following the footy for decades! So many close games. So many thrilling finishes.
Thursday night footy on Channel 7 delivered big time. I was a sceptic, but it's been a really good evolution the TV coverage.
The early pacesetters: Sydney, Geelong, Giants, Melbourne, Port, Carlton and Essendon all lost form at various times during the middle of the season and created a concertina effect on the AFL ladder.
Collingwood, the reigning premiers overcame a slow start to push their way back into the top 4 before falling away again.
Likewise, Carlton rose from 10th to 2nd and equal flag favouritism before dropping out of the top 8 after Round 22, but somehow salvaging 8th place in the final round.
The Giants were on top of the ladder early in the year, but fell to 10th after Round 17 when a 7-game win streak got them back into the top 4 thanks to the Jesse Hogan dominating up forward like a modern day Wayne Carey and providing the feel-good comeback story of the season.
Fremantle were not so lucky, some injuries to key players saw them fall from 3rd to 9th over the final month.
Meanwhile, the Lions, Port, Hawks and Bulldogs all looked dusted and done for... Written off by everyone... before all of them went on a tear over the final months, gate-crashing the top 8 and booking their places in this year's finals series.
I doubt there has ever been an AFL season with such wildly fluctuating fortunes. Which speaks to the closeness of the competition. The AFL finally achieved their dream of NFL-style parity thanks to their equalisation measures such as the draft, salary cap, the soft cap on coaches' salaries and the seeded fixtures.
There has rarely been such a narrow gap between the top teams and the mid-table teams and the cellar dwellers. Even the bottom 4 basket cases showed some pretty good form late in the season.
Who are top teams anyway? The Swans, I suppose... But we haven't seen the usual gap between dominant top 4 flag contenders vs the rest... Nobody can predict who'll win the 2024 flag with any degree of confidence. Which makes this year's finals series all the more enticing for us fans
However, this is the Big Footy main board... a forum with the biggest per capita collection of negative clowns, dropkicks and clueless nuffies you'll find anywhere in the world. Probably the only place where people will seriously argue that the sun won't come up tomorrow...
It's only natural we have a thread titled "Is this the worst season of AFL in many a long while?" with the usual suspects trolls & twits supporting the notion.
Don't go changing Big Footy.
Best post I’ve read in a while. Very measured and perfectly captured the vibe of most footy fans.
May i introduce you to the Scottish Premier League? Seriously, you’ll love it!
- Mar 4, 2015
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Well, to be fair, at the time of writing that, rd15, Blues were 2nd and Bombers were 3rd with the Vic media frothing at the prospects.Jeez the afl left the blues/bombers script till the last second
I dont think anyone could predict Carltons injuries, but Essendons capitulation was always in play I'll give you that.
- Sep 7, 2009
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The finals will be underwhelming without Collingwood, Richmond, Melbourne or Essendon in it and seeing Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong in September for the first time in 8 years makes it unwatchable.
Lachie Neale with another Brownlow or another Sydney-Geelong or worst a Hawthorn-GWS Grand Final will make it an anti-climactic finale to the season.
Lachie Neale with another Brownlow or another Sydney-Geelong or worst a Hawthorn-GWS Grand Final will make it an anti-climactic finale to the season.
- Mar 2, 2015
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Richmond fans not coping so well with their newfound status as the wooden-spoon chopping block of the AFL comp. 
“Footy sucks!”
“The standard is terrible!”
“The talent is diluted too thinly…”
Blah blah blah
Amazing how much the Tigers fans enjoyed their footy from 2017-2021 and had no such complaints.
You would think they’d have the self-awareness to realise that AFL footy sucks when your teams falls from 1st to 18th and all your talent deserts like rats leaving a sinking ship.
Richmond’s current state is a bit like the 1980’s after the dynasty they enjoyed from 1967-1980 with Tom Hafey coaching them to 4 premierships (1967, 1969, 1973-74) plus Tony Jewell’s flag in 1980 and a GF appearance in 1982… This was immediately followed by a decade of bottom four crapola and wooden spoons.
“Footy sucks!”
“The standard is terrible!”
“The talent is diluted too thinly…”
Blah blah blah
Amazing how much the Tigers fans enjoyed their footy from 2017-2021 and had no such complaints.
You would think they’d have the self-awareness to realise that AFL footy sucks when your teams falls from 1st to 18th and all your talent deserts like rats leaving a sinking ship.
Richmond’s current state is a bit like the 1980’s after the dynasty they enjoyed from 1967-1980 with Tom Hafey coaching them to 4 premierships (1967, 1969, 1973-74) plus Tony Jewell’s flag in 1980 and a GF appearance in 1982… This was immediately followed by a decade of bottom four crapola and wooden spoons.
- Mar 2, 2015
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Nah, it's going to be a great finals series without all their bogan flog supporters stinking up the joint
- Dec 20, 2023
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- #223
I don’t.
But funny how Geelong supporters rate it when they are top 4 but say 2012-2021 were the weakest seasons in the history of football.
The guys playing the game have produced on a whole a good season.
The guys officiating it on the other hand have tried to destroy it. Inconsistent umpiring and MRO decisions are just a mystery and undoing all the good work put in by the guys actually playing the game.
The guys officiating it on the other hand have tried to destroy it. Inconsistent umpiring and MRO decisions are just a mystery and undoing all the good work put in by the guys actually playing the game.
- Sep 3, 2019
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We can still be flogs watching all you flogsNah, it's going to be a great finals series without all their bogan flog supporters stinking up the joint
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