The farce that is the AFL - let's make a list...

[Bouvet_Island]

Technically speaking zero isn't a number!

 

[Ancient Tiger]

I

Of course it's a number!

I would expand on this but I'm not a maths expert.

I know, I was just being provocative and hence the at he end!

 

[Astro Bomber]

Getting Standard definition coverage on free to air tv when rival codes do the same thing in High Def.

 

[Jeremy Jordan]

I reckon the league bends over for the big teams, but that is what it is like in most leagues around the globe. If a team makes the league more money, of course they are going to get more benefits then others. But who cares. I get to see my team play footy every week, which back in the early 90's didn't happen. The on-field stuff isn't as good as the 80's and 90's in my opinion, but the off-field stuff is miles ahead.

 

[Scotland]

Getting Standard definition coverage on free to air tv when rival codes do the same thing in High Def.

Getting SD broadcasts only is a nuisance, albeit a first World problem.

Getting SD broadcasts when there is HD technology at the disposal of the broadcaster - that is a farce.

 

[Ron The Bear]

But who cares. I get to see my team play footy every week, which back in the early 90's didn't happen.

You did if you went to the game. Can only recall one Richmond i/s game that wasn't telecast in full, and that was only the first half because Essendon and Collingwood were playing a one-off Sunday game at Waverley.

By fixturing your club around the clock they've made it more difficult to go and see them play as a matter of ritual, and easier to stay on your arse and watch at home which benefits nobody except the TV stations. The AFL will end up trading spectators for TV viewers, like racing has.

Ch.7 doesn't give a flying **** about the game beyond advertising revenue and being known as the football station. Who gave the order to dump the archival tapes at the tip? *****.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

You did if you went to the game.

Real practical idea for those outside Melbourne.

 

[____]

Inconsistencies with clash jumper rules. e.g. AFL deems Suns and Lions clash, but don't think Bulldogs and Carlton clash

And the fact that not every team plays every team the same number of times.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

The only problem with clash jumpers is the AFL doesn't enforce their use if the match is a 'blockbuster'.

That and the socks sometimes go completely against the whole intent of avoiding a clash (i.e. Collingwood wearing a white clash jumper but wearing completely black socks...)

 

[Portmanteau]

This one gets me as well, why couldn't any of the other clubs bid for Viney at say Richmonds pick 9 or Essendon at 10 which would then have forced the Dees to use pick 13, not sure why only the clubs below the Dees 1st pick were allowed to bid, if they then wanted to use a pick in the 20's any other club with a pick below this should have been able to bid.

The whole system seems to be made up as they go along and of course the AFL are never wrong , well not if you still want to deal with them, even most of the Journos may as well be on the payroll only one or two are game enough to criticise the AFL.

Port bid its first rounder (i.e pick 7) for Daniher and Viney. Not sure about others. Melbourne still get to use 26.

 

[blueboy25]

Not being able to cheat the salary cap and get away with it.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Sleeve tatt gets on the marching powder with his mates, gets tested the next day (and caught) and the AFL informs him some time later he has one strike.

Sleeve tatt gets on the jack and jills with his mates, gets tested the next day (and caught again) and the AFL informs him some time later his is on two strikes.

Sleeve tatt goes to a doctor and gets him to write a note to the AFL stating that he is seeking some assistance to address his drug problem. Sleeve tatt visits that doctor occassionally for a chat when he is not recovering from a night on the gear.

AFL declares that until sleeve tatt's doctor tells them that he has agreed that sleeve tatts problems have been addressed, sleeve tatt is excused from all forms of drug taking.

Wonderful, wonderful policy.

 

[L_W_P]

I'll get the ball rolling:

*22 matches per season even though we have 18 teams. Those five double-ups can and do decide placings on the ladder.

*Constant rule changes and their small lead-in times. It will make a huge difference to team strategies (and therefore personnel required) whether we have a 2+2 or 3+1 interchange system next season and beyond. It is ridiculous how often the AFL change such important rules but what makes it so laughable is that they do so without proper warning: how are clubs supposed to draft and recruit for five years down the track when they don't even know what next season's rules will be?

*AFL deciding compensation picks on a formula nobody but them knows. I mean, really.

*Salary cap concessions. How is it that one team can be given an extra 800k (or whatever it is) to spend than the rest of the competition? Especially when that team has just won a fricken flag.

Disagree with all of this.

The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all have odd fixtures. The teams don't play an equal number of times.

The NFL constantly tinker with rules, mostly in regards to player protection. Very much the path the AFL are following. They also award compo picks to teams losing FA players. I'm not sure if you know the formula. I don't.

The Swans salary cap 'advantage' is totally overblown. The 800k living allowance Isnt a lump sum. It's a 9% top up they have to spread across the entire list. They supposedly spent less on players this year than the Hawks, (who can somehow afford half a million for Lake?) Either way money doesn't equal flags and I didn't see any threads or hear any sooking after the Swans beat Adelaide and Collingwood.

The NBA also have a 'soft' cap which allows the richer teams to go above the allowed spend provided they pay a tax. Of course the are happy to do this because they can buy championships, something that can't be done in the AFL. Let's not even get started on the issues with the EPL...

If you think these things make the AFL a farce then maybe it's time to give up on top level, professional sport?

 

[Scotland]

Every aspect of the 2012 draft and trade period.

 

[Scotland]

The Swans salary cap 'advantage' is totally overblown. The 800k living allowance Isnt a lump sum. It's a 9% top up they have to spread across the entire list.

Myth.

West Coast's salary cap is $8.78m. Sydney's is $9.64m. That's all the CoL allowance means.

. Let's not even get started on the issues with the EPL..

The EPL is at least a proper competition. Every team plays every other team home and away and whoever finishes on top of the ladder is crowned champion.

The big 'problem' with the EPL is that the top half a dozen clubs have more money and use it to sign better players and therefore win titles while the poor clubs do not. Some would argue that if Manchester United sell out an 80,000 seat stadium 20+ times a year and sell shirts in the millions that Manchester United should see some benefit from this. I'm not against the AFL salary cap by any means but I'd rather watch a H&A EPL season with the rich winning titles than one with Man City playing Chelsea once but Arsenal twice and Liverpool playing Man Utd once but Everton twice etc.

 

[mattymac]

Non-neutral umpires

 

[fairdinkum]

Disagree with all of this.

The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all have odd fixtures. The teams don't play an equal number of times.

The NFL constantly tinker with rules, mostly in regards to player protection. Very much the path the AFL are following. They also award compo picks to teams losing FA players. I'm not sure if you know the formula. I don't.

The Swans salary cap 'advantage' is totally overblown. The 800k living allowance Isnt a lump sum. It's a 9% top up they have to spread across the entire list. They supposedly spent less on players this year than the Hawks, (who can somehow afford half a million for Lake?) Either way money doesn't equal flags and I didn't see any threads or hear any sooking after the Swans beat Adelaide and Collingwood.

The NBA also have a 'soft' cap which allows the richer teams to go above the allowed spend provided they pay a tax. Of course the are happy to do this because they can buy championships, something that can't be done in the AFL. Let's not even get started on the issues with the EPL...

If you think these things make the AFL a farce then maybe it's time to give up on top level, professional sport?

Very, very US-centric post.

The US isn't the only other country on the planet which houses major professional sporting leagues. Far from it. The US may be home to some of the most well-known leagues (in this country) and most of the top leagues $-wise but that doesn't necessarily make that country's leagues the bench-mark of professional sporting leagues by which all others should be measured - unless you follow sporting associations more for the money they involve than the actual sport, I suppose.

The scheduling inequalities in the North American sporting leagues are largely necessitated by their use of conferences/divisions. As explained in this wiki article, the 'strength of schedule' concept is foreign to the major sporting leagues outside of the US. The EPL uses the fair and simple double round robin system (20 teams, 19 opponents, 38 matches). Ditto La Liga, Bundesliga, J-League, etc etc.

I don't know anything about NFL rule changes but can you tell me the last time they reduced the number of active players per team as the AFL did recently (and will likely do again)?

As somebody else posted in this thread, the NFL's compensation draft pick system is very different to the one the AFL is currently employing.

Your last sentence is pretty ordinary, too.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Can't wait for the AFL to give compo picks to GWS and Gold Coast when their cap tightens up and their players start getting squeezed out..

 

[thejester]

I'll get the ball rolling:

*22 matches per season even though we have 18 teams. Those five double-ups can and do decide placings on the ladder.

*Constant rule changes and their small lead-in times. It will make a huge difference to team strategies (and therefore personnel required) whether we have a 2+2 or 3+1 interchange system next season and beyond. It is ridiculous how often the AFL change such important rules but what makes it so laughable is that they do so without proper warning: how are clubs supposed to draft and recruit for five years down the track when they don't even know what next season's rules will be?

*AFL deciding compensation picks on a formula nobody but them knows. I mean, really.

*Salary cap concessions. How is it that one team can be given an extra 800k (or whatever it is) to spend than the rest of the competition? Especially when that team has just won a fricken flag.

I agree with all of this stuff but at the same time suspect there's a strong element of the grass being greener. Three of the big four American sporting leagues have been seriously affected by lockouts in the last two years. I'd rather have a league with those frustrating aspects than none at all.

 

[Pride of SA]

The interstate teams having a home ground advantage doubly as often as Victorian teams

sorry but you Victorian teams all had home grounds. you sold them off in the rush to make money at Etihad and MCG remember?

 

[Josh Wineduck]

Fitzroy.

 

[Pride of SA]

To be honest, AFL doesn't interest me as much as it used to. I still care about RICHMOND and their success or lack of, but the rest of the game is in such a mess it's not really watchable.

I feel the same about Adelaide. though part of me thinks its a natural part of getting older and other responsibilities start to take over.

15 years ago Id watch nearly every game and know every player, who was coming and out of each team.
nowadays I watch half of Friday nights game, I watch the Crows play and maybe a quarter on Saturday. the game just doesnt seem as interesting

 

[Pride of SA]

The only problem with clash jumpers is the AFL doesn't enforce their use if the match is a 'blockbuster'.

That and the socks sometimes go completely against the whole intent of avoiding a clash (i.e. Collingwood wearing a white clash jumper but wearing completely black socks...)

how about the AFL making the Kangaroos wear their clash strip for THEIR home game against Collingwood. and once the Roos were no longer wearing their stripes, the AFL gave Pies permission to change back into their home strip

 

[apollo_creed]

We haven't had an entire season called off.

We aren't using second string umpires for the season.

More than 4 clubs have won the flag in the last 20 years.

Their are a lot of problems but so does every sporting league.

Not to be pedantic.... but if the third line is a reference to the English Premier League then it's sort of wrong as five different teams have won it within that timeframe. Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Blackburn.

 

[MiloStedman]

Geeze people would think BF hates the AFL...