Roast State of the modern game; Clarkson

[Lsta062]

When Richmond were good, I was fine just watching Richmond games and watching other games hoping that the one we're in competition with would lose (no matter how bad the game itself was). Now that Richmond have been playing like crap since the restart, I did what I used to do in the 2000s/early 2010s/2016 and tried to source my entertainment from other games played in the week. It is then that I realised how bad things have gotten. What in the world has happened to this game?! There are hardly any good teams to watch in this competition. Port Adelaide and Brisbane are the only traditionally good sides from what I have seen this season. Gold Coast and Collingwood are OK, but their struggles in the forward line is not reminiscent of the past top teams. Those blaming COVID-19 and its effects would need to look at 2019 and see how bad the competition was then too (I didn't really realise because, you know, Richmond).

Echoing what Alastair Clarkson said after the North Melbourne game yesterday, "our game is in a dreadful space". What is the solution? How can we inject more talent in this competition so that we can see teams be as good as years like 2011 and 2016 again? Should the AFL introduce a reward system for teams that implement skill-based game styles rather than pressure-based ones? Or is the adjudication of this game that's the major problem like what Clarkson alluded to?

 

[1990crow]

When Richmond were good, I was fine just watching Richmond games and watching other games hoping that the one we're in competition with would lose (no matter how bad the game itself was). Now that Richmond have been playing like crap since the restart, I did what I used to do in the 2000s/early 2010s/2016 and tried to source my entertainment from other games played in the week. It is then that I realised how bad things have gotten. What in the world has happened to this game?! There are hardly any good teams to watch in this competition. Port Adelaide and Brisbane are the only traditionally good sides from what I have seen this season. Gold Coast and Collingwood are OK, but their struggles in the forward line is not reminiscent of the past top teams. Those blaming COVID-19 and its effects would need to look at 2019 and see how bad the competition was then too (I didn't really realise because, you know, Richmond).

Echoing what Alastair Clarkson said after the North Melbourne game yesterday, "our game is in a dreadful space". What is the solution? How can we inject more talent in this competition so that we can see teams be as good as years like 2011 and 2016 again? Should the AFL introduce a reward system for teams that implement skill-based game styles rather than pressure-based ones? Or is the adjudication of this game that's the major problem like what Clarkson alluded to?

Richmond winning in 2017 did bad things for the game

 

[PowerBaz]

Port is great defensively and playing exciting attacking footy, but let’s listen to Alistair.... it’s the coaches doing nobody else.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Saw the second half of Hawthorn/North and though it was a decent contest, even with Hawthorn in control for most of it.

Reckon Clarkson's comments were more a crack at the umpires. You can't do it these days without couching it in something else. I'm sure Clarkson's quite content with the "state of the game" at present. It's working for him.

 

[Hirsty23]

Was the game great last year? Not really. Shorter quarters definitely not helping though, these games that are 53-52 or whatever are probably games where both teams score in the 70's if the games were regular length. Teams also are taking less risks as a turnover and goal to the opposition is a far bigger penalty considering the shortened match times. A lot of the league is playing conservative football. I think it could open up as the season goes on though, probably the 3 highest risk taking teams who take that kick into the middle are Port, us and the Gold Coast and that's the top 3 on the ladder at the moment. Good teams have already thrown away points due to playing risk free football so far this season. I think it will improve as teams get more desperate to win games to make up ground due to the shorter season. Also think with the even nature of the competition that % will be a big factor come the end of the home and away season, 9 teams on 2 wins at the moment.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Richmond winning in 2017 did bad things for the Crows

Agree.

Richmond doesn't look for stoppages and doesn't engage in slow play. Nankervis is a 199cm brawler/negater, not a dominant ruck.

 

[RUNVS]

The AFL tried to bring in proper change to fix the game 2 years ago. People in the media and here got up in arms over it so much so that Gil tucked his tail between his legs and introduced an extremely watered down version of the rule changes that didn't work because they were extremely watered down.

People who complained about the ideas, or even the very concept of rule changes to make the game better and contributed to the AFL not making any of those changes have no right to be upset at the state of the game right now.

 

[Rich01]

The AFL tried to bring in proper change to fix the game 2 years ago. People in the media and here got up in arms over it so much so that Gil tucked his tail between his legs and introduced an extremely watered down version of the rule changes that didn't work because they were extremely watered down.

People who complained about the ideas, or even the very concept of rule changes to make the game better and contributed to the AFL not making any of those changes have no right to be upset at the state of the game right now.

What were the rule changes you are referring to?

 

[FRUMPY]

it’s the coaches doing nobody else.

End of thread

 

[Ron The Bear]

It is then that I realised how bad things have gotten.

The simple fact is that the game as a spectacle is a far cry from what it was in the mid-90's and has been for a long time.

 

[FRUMPY]

The simple fact is that the game is a far cry from what it was in the mid-90's and has been for a long time.

25 years?

 

[RUNVS]

What were the rule changes you are referring to?

One of the big ones was 6-6-6 at all stoppages, not just centre bounces, as this would mean players can't stray too far from their area because if a stoppage happens they would not have enough time to get back.

 

[Maylandsman]

Richmond winning in 2017 did bad things for the game

For the crows you mean. What sort of spectacle do they provide other than steaming up like a pile of dog crap.

 

[Rich01]

One of the big ones was 6-6-6 at all stoppages, not just centre bounces, as this would mean players can't stray too far from their area because if a stoppage happens they would not have enough time to get back.

Ahhh zoning, like netball. You were for that rule change? That’s the only thing they thought of?

 

[Ron The Bear]

25 years?

Closer to 15.

 

[PowerBaz]

For the crows you mean. What sort of spectacle do they provide other than steaming up like a pile of dog crap.

Standing like a PowerRanger?

 

[iameviljez]

Port is great defensively and playing exciting attacking footy, but let’s listen to Alistair.... it’s the coaches doing nobody else

It's not about any one specific team - it's a trend across the entire competition. And as a Geelong fan, I'm ashamed to admit that our team is at the vanguard of terrible, terrible football.

It is coaching, but it's coaches waking up to the fact that it's far harder to move the ball through 18 people than it is to move it through 6. Ron is entirely correct that footy peaked as a spectacle in the 90s and has gone downhill since - but there's unfortunately a good reason for that:

90s footy was fun, dumb footy.

If you took a combined North/West Coast best-of side out of the 1990s and teleported them to the MCG, 2pm next Saturday to play any AFL team, they would get absolutely spanked. Not necessarily because of the skills, but because one side would be trying to attack through a one-on-one system and the other would be trying to move the footy through a flood of bodies.

There are really three ways to go through a zone. One is to try and run around it like GWS. The second is to try and carefully pick your way through it like Geelong and Fremantle under Ross Lyon. The third way is to try and keep the ball moving through it so that it spills out to the back of the zone a la Richmond. None of them are particularly effective and the latter two are horrible to watch.

 

[PowerBaz]

So Port dont get a peep from the AFL re wearing the prison bars for two lousy games, yet Alistair may as well have a coffee with Gill this morning and reinvent the rules by round 7, then have a quick catch up with Eddie for dessert...

 

[Lsta062]

Richmond winning in 2017 did bad things for the game

I don’t like saying this, but Bulldogs winning in 2016 and Richmond winning in 2017 led the game down this path. Teams emulate the Premiership-winning sides, and that meant pressure taking a higher priority than skills for the up-and-coming sides.

 

[PowerBaz]

It's not about any one specific team - it's a trend across the entire competition. And as a Geelong fan, I'm ashamed to admit that our team is at the vanguard of terrible, terrible football.

It is coaching, but it's coaches waking up to the fact that it's far harder to move the ball through 18 people than it is to move it through 6. Ron is entirely correct that footy peaked as a spectacle in the 90s and has gone downhill since - but there's unfortunately a good reason for that:

90s footy was fun, dumb footy.

If you took a combined North/West Coast best-of side out of the 1990s and teleported them to the MCG, 2pm next Saturday to play any AFL team, they would get absolutely spanked. Not necessarily because of the skills, but because one side would be trying to attack through a one-on-one system and the other would be trying to move the footy through a flood of bodies.

There are really three ways to go through a zone. One is to try and run around it like GWS. The second is to try and carefully pick your way through it like Geelong and Fremantle under Ross Lyon. The third way is to try and keep the ball moving through it so that it spills out to the back of the zone a la Richmond. None of them are particularly effective and the latter two are horrible to watch.

Well it can be done going both ways, look at points for and against.




There is too much of a defensive mindset without the attacking mindset. Port and the coaches have been on the trajectory for a few years but this year more of those repeated entries are hitting the scoreboard, it’s a game plan that’s taken I reckon 2-3 years to get right with some major draft plays.

 

[74561347]

Ahhh zoning, like netball. You were for that rule change? That’s the only thing they thought of?

You're being a dick. Stop doing that. If you you have nothing to contribute just piss off.

 

[RUNVS]

Ahhh zoning, like netball. You were for that rule change? That’s the only thing they thought of?

No, they were planning on trying many different things, seeing what worked.

I personally like the idea of a team holding the ball decision.

Right now player A can be under a lot of pressure and he passes it to player B who is immediately tackled. Due to player B not having time to dispose of the ball it is called a ball up.

I am in favour of the idea that if player A has time to dispose of it and he picks player B, who is immediately tackled that is a team holding the ball. Player B should have a free kick paid against as player A chose to pass it to a guy who was going to be immediately tackled.

I think this new rule would convince players to get the ball out of packs faster. There would be a lot more risk in small handballs in packs with this new rule.

 

[iameviljez]

There is too much of a defensive mindset without the attacking mindset. Port and the coaches have been on the trajectory for a few years but this year more of those repeated entries are hitting the scoreboard, it’s a game plan that’s taken I reckon 2-3 years to get right with some major draft plays.

Looking at what's seemingly the best side in the comp at the moment and saying that "they can do it, see it's not impossible" isn't a realistic pattern for most sides, though.

 

[Lsta062]

The simple fact is that the game as a spectacle is a far cry from what it was in the mid-90's and has been for a long time.

I wasn’t following football in the 90s so I can’t comment on it, but I remember enjoying footy as late as 2016 (as a spectacle) with some good offensive teams. That’s just gone now. The earliest signs of the competition degrading started in 2014 I think.

 

[Giant Pete]

I reckon they should have less players on the field