Weakest year since…

[Golumless]

This year would have to be one of the weakest seasons of AFL we have witnessed. It almost seems sacrilege that someone has to win the premiership this year. The winner will be one of the weakest in many years.

Other weak premiers include WCE 2018 (Richmond a great team that year), Dogs 2016, Swans 2012?
Then you’d have to go back a while before that…

Collingwood - some close wins have flattered them. The best out of the lot so far. Weak competition.

Port Adelaide - also flattered by some close wins. They seem to fall apart under pressure. The gap between their best, and worst is the largest in the competition.

Brisbane - can’t win in Melbourne. Can’t see how they win interstate final/s. Look a different team away from the GABBA.

Melbourne - have been reasonable. Don’t look anywhere near the level they were at in 2021 and early 2022.

GWS - decent side. Nothing special.

Bulldogs - dangerous on the day. Inconsistent.

Saints - had a good start to the year, but can’t see them beating top teams.

Carlton - look great when they are on. Mixed year. Would have liked to have seen them in the top 4. At least they can threaten in Melbourne in September.

Geelong - a shadow of 2022. With all the players they’ve got back in recent weeks, they are an enormous disappointment.

Adelaide - dangerous on their day, a team on the up

The rest… who cares (could put Geelong and Adelaide in that basket too)

I could have left it at the top 4 to 6 teams to illustrate the point, but went a bit further.

Really, the point is that whoever wins it won’t even be close to Geel 2022, Rich 17,19-20, Melb 21 etc.

I wouldn't say weakest, though it's more a few of stronger filler teams this year have thrown away too many games (Syd, Adel, Geelong), there are a couple of frauds in the eight (Port, Saints) and Carlton took a while to click into gear.

Seven teams batting above 110% gives the impression it's a highly competitive year.

 

[Roby]

How do you tell if one season is "weaker" than another?

You get teams to travel between the time-space continuum and play against each other.

 

[Dangerousfield]

Nothing wrong with this year, it's just the even competition that makes people think there's something weak about it.

The really weakest years clearly were 2017, 2019, 2020