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Roast The Brownlow has no credibility left
- Thread starter BigVic
- Start date
- Tagged users None
imagine running up and down an oval for 2 hours, constantly stopping to stare at guys' feet to make sure they don't take even the slightest step off the mark, honing your mind-reading powers to judge "intent," juggling the 3 new rule interpretations the officials drummed into you during the week, trying to make sure you don't botch the bounces and throws too badly, constantly mentally steeling yourself against the 20-30k rabid flogs screaming insults at you, and then being asked who played well. you wouldn't know! you'd just default to the big name who you saw marching it out of your stoppages. why do they still make the umpires vote on it?
Like, it's not a slight or an insult or taking anything away from them. This isn't a suburban league anymore, they can employ full time officials who can focus on who's playing well and assign votes for the league B&F. It doesn't have to be the umpires medal, I think it's honestly unfair to put that extra strain on them. 45 votes for Cripps is beyond ridiculous but honestly 38 for Daicos is too, getting 30 votes used to be a crazy blowout and it's not like the league was just way more even 10-20 years ago. These are the numbers you get when the umpire isn't sure who to give votes to so they just pick the most obvious players that get the most media attention.
Like, it's not a slight or an insult or taking anything away from them. This isn't a suburban league anymore, they can employ full time officials who can focus on who's playing well and assign votes for the league B&F. It doesn't have to be the umpires medal, I think it's honestly unfair to put that extra strain on them. 45 votes for Cripps is beyond ridiculous but honestly 38 for Daicos is too, getting 30 votes used to be a crazy blowout and it's not like the league was just way more even 10-20 years ago. These are the numbers you get when the umpire isn't sure who to give votes to so they just pick the most obvious players that get the most media attention.
Add on top of all that the fact that the umps aren't allowed to look at any stats before they vote.
Yep terrible voting. But not as bad Daicos getting votes in a game he was subbed off (with only 15 disposals).
Another head scratcher is Daicos getting 2 votes in a loss to Sydney with only 26 touches, 3 tackles, 2 clearances.
Whilst Chad Warner got 0 votes in the winning team with 33 touches, 2 goals, 8 clearances.
Ever since the AFL banned umpires from looking at stats after the game the Brownlow count has been an absolute farce.
Nothing prohibits the umps from keeping their own mental tally of player stats though.
Cleansweep17
Norm Smith Medallist
- Dec 20, 2023
- 5,080
- 3,570
- AFL Club
- Richmond
The AFL will fix it. Not because they care about it though, they just don’t want to look bad.
No doubt the winner in 2025 will have 30-35 votes and it won’t be Cripps. The AFL will manipulate it to be so.
No doubt the winner in 2025 will have 30-35 votes and it won’t be Cripps. The AFL will manipulate it to be so.
- Dec 9, 2015
- 7,535
- 12,998
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
He got off the chain for about 5 minutes in the 3rd, terrible game apart from that, quietest for the year
1 vote
- Sep 30, 2015
- 3,670
- 5,564
- AFL Club
- West Coast
Not sure why people take it seriously in the first place, it's always had no merit as an award decided arbitrarily by umpires who never played or coached AFL.
By why do you want umpires to be in a position where they feel they need to do that just for the sake of deciding best players?
Their only job should be interpreting and applying the rules correctly.
- Aug 17, 2009
- 3,311
- 4,891
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Have former head coaches and line coaches vote each week. Can include state league head coaches.
3 coaches assigned to each game at random, each week. Can watch more than one game.
Rotate who they vote with, so not the same 3 watching the same match together each week.
Can’t be assigned to a club they coached.
Given a commentary free stream to watch to avoid bias (and just for pure humanitarian reasons).
Best system to avoid bias, and to judge players based on game impact.
3 coaches assigned to each game at random, each week. Can watch more than one game.
Rotate who they vote with, so not the same 3 watching the same match together each week.
Can’t be assigned to a club they coached.
Given a commentary free stream to watch to avoid bias (and just for pure humanitarian reasons).
Best system to avoid bias, and to judge players based on game impact.
Yeah but that was the best 12 handball game of all time.
45 votes should require a Leigh Matthews type year averaging 3 goals and 35 touches a game.
NT.Thunder
K2 Party Platter
- Jun 19, 2007
- 22,747
- 20,097
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Other Teams
- Pies
It’s cute that some people still recognise the Brownlow as AFL’s highest individual honour, good on you.
- Jul 13, 2015
- 37,962
- 42,777
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
They will fix it because people will gamble less and their overlords wont be happy.
The overlords would have raked in the money last night though.
- Apr 5, 2016
- 8,086
- 18,490
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
- Other Teams
- Boston Celtics
I don’t know how you fix it. A lot of people have an issue with the umpires doing it and that’s fine but in reality, the issues I think comes from the fact that the best player on the ground can only receive 3 votes, but also there must be a 3 vote getter in every game as well.
It means if a player has 35 and kicks 5, their game is equal to the best player on the ground in a snooze fest 17 v 18th game.
It means if a player has 35 and kicks 5, their game is equal to the best player on the ground in a snooze fest 17 v 18th game.
Maybe they should change it so in most games players can't actually get max votes if there's no outstanding performances. A max vote game should be like a full forward kicking 10 goals, or a mid that gets 35+ and kicks 2 or 3.
- Apr 17, 2007
- 5,183
- 5,920
- AFL Club
- Sydney
It's just an umpiring popularity contest. The Brownlow is dead.
I thought last year was just an anomaly. Evidently not.
I thought last year was just an anomaly. Evidently not.
I have looked sideways at the Brownlow for a long time now.
I always look at the player who wins vs the player I’d most want to poach from another club.
The players from this year are bont, Naicos and Heeney.
In that order.
I mean this whole issue arose because Eddie McGuire cracked it when Swan didn't win.
Now the umpires just give the votes to the media favourite, they are following instruction.
Now the umpires just give the votes to the media favourite, they are following instruction.
RedBloodBlackSwan
Club Legend
- Aug 29, 2021
- 2,891
- 5,700
- AFL Club
- Sydney
100%
If you were trying to find people less well placed than umpires to decide who was best on ground, you would really struggle
Shouldn't have been anywhere near it. Umps clearly gave him votes that were meant for his brother, lmfao.
If you were setting up a team to play tomorrow, would Cripps be in the first 6 midfielders you pick?
Chip Scab1
Debutant
- Sep 2, 2024
- 58
- 154
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
Agree, entirely.
When Carey didn't win it in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998 & 1999 it succumbed to bullshit.
Carey was injured in 1997, and Grant was wonderful so i'm not going to argue that one. Corey McKernan was your man in 1996, he even knocked Carey out of Number 1 place in Sheehans Top 50 - you do that, you deserve the Brownlow FFS
dlanod
Moderator
- Sep 14, 2006
- 53,526
- 84,588
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- Brisbane Lions
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- GWS; CCMariners; NQCowboys; Ravens
- Moderator
- #749
I love how the OP was complaining about Nick not getting votes in a particular game, and the umpires course corrected to the extent of giving him a point for being subbed out.
RedBloodBlackSwan
Club Legend
- Aug 29, 2021
- 2,891
- 5,700
- AFL Club
- Sydney
You gotta admit there is some beauty in the closure the Brownlow gives footy fans at the end of the year.
Throughout the year, the umpires divide us as we each scream bloody murder about how our teams are mistreated, but then at the end of the year we can all come together to agree that the umpires are completely useless.
Throughout the year, the umpires divide us as we each scream bloody murder about how our teams are mistreated, but then at the end of the year we can all come together to agree that the umpires are completely useless.
