Unpopular AFL Opinions

[Cam Payne]

There will be no equality in AFL until the big 4 vic clubs automatically qualify for finals.

 

[Underarm]

I really think the AFL should be 16 teams and no more.

I think the ideal distribution is

Victoria - 7 teams
South Australia - 2 teams
Western Australia - 2 teams
New South Wales - 2 teams
Queensland - 2 teams
Tasmania - 1 team

The competition would be far more healthy, both financially and also importantly on the field if it were like that as we would drop the worst 90 players from the league.

higher quality teams isn't going to replace 150,000 members, 900,000 attendances and the millions made by having a 9th match each week.

 

[Philth]

I have the most controversial. I really like both Port Adelaide's prison bar guernsey and Collingwood's guernsey.

That's great.

But do you think Port should be able to wear the prison bars in AFL games?

 

[Philth]

I really think the AFL should be 16 teams and no more.

I think the ideal distribution is

Victoria - 7 teams
South Australia - 2 teams
Western Australia - 2 teams
New South Wales - 2 teams
Queensland - 2 teams
Tasmania - 1 team

The competition would be far more healthy, both financially and also importantly on the field if it were like that as we would drop the worst 90 players from the league.

I like it.

Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon - you're off to the VFL forever.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

That's great.

But do you think Port should be able to wear the prison bars in AFL games?

Of course, it's a great design, should wear it every game, better than their V's.

 

[Dan]

There’s so many ways now in which a player can be suspended/miss games now…..mainly because the AFL (Like a lot of companies these days) have to bend to way of the times. Because if you don’t…..the weight of public opinion and loss of sponsorship dollars becomes too much to bear.

You risk losing fans and kids want to participate in a different sport or and choosing a different sport as a career choice.

5 weeks is grossly out of whack for using the f word.

You could argue calling someone a dickhead is homophobic.....we gonna start giving suspensions for usage of that word?

#punishmentnotfittingthecrime

 

[matthew_s]

You could argue calling someone a dickhead is homophobic.....

I guess you could try.

 

[jc12]

All the oppo fans will deny it and talk shit. But this is the reality. Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

The next worse is around negative 250.

That is a ****ing disgrace and it is obvious that the afl either has some agenda against us or they are subconsciously bias against us. Either way there is no way a side can be that negative with free kicks for it to be fair.

And notice now it's been talked about in the media when we are not a threat anymore.

It's shocking and depressing that the afl needs to go to these lengths to stop us.

Nobody can deny the bias against us

 

[Chief]

Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

And that's without Dusty's throat-shoves being pulled up.

 

[00Stinger]

All the oppo fans will deny it and talk s**t. But this is the reality. Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

The next worse is around negative 250.

That is a ******* disgrace and it is obvious that the afl either has some agenda against us or they are subconsciously bias against us. Either way there is no way a side can be that negative with free kicks for it to be fair.

And notice now it's been talked about in the media when we are not a threat anymore.

It's shocking and depressing that the afl needs to go to these lengths to stop us.

Nobody can deny the bias against us

You would be minus 700 if the umpire actually paid the legit holing the ball decisions against martin that they over look every week

 

[Mibie]

All the oppo fans will deny it and talk s**t. But this is the reality. Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

The next worse is around negative 250.

That is a ******* disgrace and it is obvious that the afl either has some agenda against us or they are subconsciously bias against us. Either way there is no way a side can be that negative with free kicks for it to be fair.

And notice now it's been talked about in the media when we are not a threat anymore.

It's shocking and depressing that the afl needs to go to these lengths to stop us.

Nobody can deny the bias against us

I’m sure your three premierships will console you. I wish the saints had those stats if we also had your success.

 

[PhatBoy]

All the oppo fans will deny it and talk s**t. But this is the reality. Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

The next worse is around negative 250.

That is a ******* disgrace and it is obvious that the afl either has some agenda against us or they are subconsciously bias against us. Either way there is no way a side can be that negative with free kicks for it to be fair.

And notice now it's been talked about in the media when we are not a threat anymore.

It's shocking and depressing that the afl needs to go to these lengths to stop us.

Nobody can deny the bias against us

That works out to an extra 0.75 free kicks against roughly every quarter.

How DO you manage

 

[HBFlanker]

Jake Lever

8

Jake Lever

Age

28

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.6

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

4.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.3

3star

MG

242.0

4star

D

9.6

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

3.1

2star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.3

2star

MG

145.4

3star

D

16.0

4star

K

11.0

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

6.6

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

189.8

4star

could be the most overrated player on an AFL list.

Has zero footy IQ, yet has the general football public and media convinced he is the leader of their defense.

Without May, he would be exposed massively.

 

[LifestyleSaints]

5 weeks is grossly out of whack for using the f word.

You could argue calling someone a dickhead is homophobic.....we gonna start giving suspensions for usage of that word?

#punishmentnotfittingthecrime

What happened to "what happens on the ground stays on the ground"? Does this mean the "Wogs" are protected too? If someone calls Phillipou a "Wog" will they also get 5 weeks???????????????????????????????????????????

 

[Chief]

What happened to "what happens on the ground stays on the ground"?

It became "not the 1970's".

 

[LifestyleSaints]

It became "not the 1970's".

Well the 1970's was a better time than the present which is full of sookey la las

 

[Purple Suit]

All the oppo fans will deny it and talk s**t. But this is the reality. Since 2017 we are negative 500 for free kicks.

The next worse is around negative 250.

That is a ******* disgrace and it is obvious that the afl either has some agenda against us or they are subconsciously bias against us. Either way there is no way a side can be that negative with free kicks for it to be fair.

And notice now it's been talked about in the media when we are not a threat anymore.

It's shocking and depressing that the afl needs to go to these lengths to stop us.

Nobody can deny the bias against us

I have watch two games closely, Freo vs Richmond in the past two years wondering about this. While I think you got stitched up on the weekend by the umpires, I have noticed that your players hold off the ball more than any other team I have ever seen. I'm sure it must be a trained thing and as your team gets older, the occasional extra free you give up is less than the benefit you receive by impeding younger, faster teams.

 

[Purple Suit]

My unpopular opinion is that we should implement a player loan system. In the event that a bottom 10 team has a lot of injuries like WC did in the past few seasons or they are uncompeitive, they can loan players off other teams. Eg. Freo can give them Wil Brodie or Neil Erasmus till they are required at Freo to play.

The loan team gets AFL experience into the players while the lending team gets to plug holes and become more competitive rather than throwing in kids who are not ready. It would work well with rucks or more specialized roles that might not have a lot of depth. No borrowing in finals though or even if you are in the top 8.

If teams are not competitive, this might be a way of fixing it short term while young players develop rather than just more draft picks.

 

[Underarm]

My unpopular opinion is that we should implement a player loan system. In the event that a bottom 10 team has a lot of injuries like WC did in the past few seasons or they are uncompeitive, they can loan players off other teams. Eg. Freo can give them Wil Brodie or Neil Erasmus till they are required at Freo to play.

The loan team gets AFL experience into the players while the lending team gets to plug holes and become more competitive rather than throwing in kids who are not ready. It would work well with rucks or more specialized roles that might not have a lot of depth. No borrowing in finals though or even if you are in the top 8.

If teams are not competitive, this might be a way of fixing it short term while young players develop rather than just more draft picks.

So you develop another clubs player, show that player your set ups and strategies, just so you can win some more games to worsen your draft hand?

 

[Scorpus]

Coaches being out of contract mid way or deep into their final season should be much more common - rather than being recontracted then sacked shortly after

Teams should also be much more trigger happy sacking coaches who underperform with a good list (eg making finals but not progressing), rather than sacking only for missing finals. Too often teams are wasting short periods of good lists with dud coaches.

 

[adammania9]

Jake Lever could be the most overrated player on an AFL list.

Has zero footy IQ, yet has the general football public and media convinced he is the leader of their defense.

Without May, he would be exposed massively.

I don't disagree he has his weak moments, and he wouldn't be able to lead a defence on his own; but you're critiquing the wrong thing - his footy IQ and reading of the play is absolutely sublime. One of the best out there. But his skills are not top notch and he's a hothead that can make foolish decisions in the heat of the moment. It's not too often, but it's noticeable.

Conversely, whilst Lever's contributions are a bit overhyped at times, my opinion is Steven May's career is criminally underrated and he is in the discussion for top 5 defenders of the century. I mean, what more does he need to do to get this recognition? He has been outstanding for near 10 seasons, is a dual AA and a premiership player. Continues to dominate well into his 30's. He's not on the level of Scarlett, Rance and Glass but very much is with the likes of Lake, Taylor, McGovern and whoever else might be in the top 5 discussion.

 

[Purple Suit]

So you develop another clubs player, show that player your set ups and strategies, just so you can win some more games to worsen your draft hand?

Obviously you're not bringing them into the inner sanctum of the club & it's the clubs choice if they want them or not. With list sizes not growing and concussion becoming a bigger problem, personnel shortages are going to be more common.

I just see it as a possible solution to uncompetitive teams over more draft picks for kids that won't shift the needle short term.

If they are fringe player & they perform, they might even get a pathway to recruiting them at the end of the year.

 

[HBFlanker]

I don't disagree he has his weak moments, and he wouldn't be able to lead a defence on his own; but you're critiquing the wrong thing - his footy IQ and reading of the play is absolutely sublime. One of the best out there. But his skills are not top notch and he's a hothead that can make foolish decisions in the heat of the moment. It's not too often, but it's noticeable.

Conversely, whilst Lever's contributions are a bit overhyped at times, my opinion is Steven May's career is criminally underrated and he is in the discussion for top 5 defenders of the century. I mean, what more does he need to do to get this recognition? He has been outstanding for near 10 seasons, is a dual AA and a premiership player. Continues to dominate well into his 30's. He's not on the level of Scarlett, Rance and Glass but very much is with the likes of Lake, Taylor, McGovern and whoever else might be in the top 5 discussion.

Agree on your Steven May call 100%.

Im more referring to in crunch moments with Lever. Ive noticed it a lot with Lever with ball in hand in congested situations he regularly makes the wrong call. Turns it over by hand, misses short rushed kicks etc.

No doubt reads the play well, which is what essentially got him drafted, but Footy IQ goes beyond that, and i reckon it lets him down in tough moments.

 

[jc12]

You would be minus 700 if the umpire actually paid the legit holing the ball decisions against martin that they over look every week

Haha see perfect example of pathetic oppo fans being blinded by clear bias against Richmond. Ignore it all you want but it's true. And he's been paid htb against plenty of times.

Pretty sure oppo fans like you just choose to ignore when the shit goes against us

 

[jc12]

That works out to an extra 0.75 free kicks against roughly every quarter.

How DO you manage

So basically we are negative every quarter. And obviously you know it doesn't work exactly like that. You know yourself the stats don't lie and the bias is obvious