What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? (Part 1 - cont in Part 2)

[And_ROOS]

I reckon this will fly right against most current thinking, but I am a vehement opponent to the current interchange practices.

The idea of continually swapping players on and off the ground, in my opinion, takes out of the game the advantage that players with true stamina should enjoy over those players who are not fit enough to run a game out. I'm old enough to have seen and enjoyed games where the final quarter was a battle of willpower with those players with stamina gradually wearing down and overtaking the 'Brer Rabbit' flashy types.

It's riduculous to have well over a hundred interchanges per game. If we must have interchanges, I favour limiting them to (say) four interchanges at each quarter break, and perhaps another four during each quarter - a maximum total of 28 per game.

To the response that this would slow the game down, my response is "so what!" Where is it written in stone that a faster game of football is a better one?

I actually agree with this, i go and watch local football and you dont see a million interchanges there, and for me it makes a better match to watch. As players fatigue, it becomes more about long kicking, pack marking and better skills rather then players hording around the ball and turning it into a rugby scrum. Thats why over the past 8 years local football to me has eclipsed AFL matches.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Jonathon Brown was no better than, Barry Hall, Matthew Pavlich, Warren Treadrea from 2000-2010. He is perhaps the most overrated player i can recall. Nick Riewoldt is much better than any of these players

Matthew Lloyd is underrated and should be spoken in the same breath as Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett

preposterous.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Everyone always craps on about Ablett, Carey and Lockett, but I honestly think Jason Dunstall was a complete freak and fairly underrated because he doesn't hold THAT record.

Only 188cms tall.
Fast and bloody strong.
4 Premierships.
Won the Coleman in his 4th Season.
Came Top 3 in the Brownlow FOUR times.
4.7 goals/game. Plenty of Goal Assists (before they were counted).
Fair player, no Leigh Matthews-thuggery.

Jason Dunstall, people. Get behind him.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Peter Burgoyne was 2nd best on ground in 2004 GF, after Byron Pickett.

You look like an idiot.

P. Burgoyne was also one of the few players who bothered putting in an effort in 2007 too.

Stokes in '07 and Varcoe in '11 were both very good contributors also, and Krakouer had an excellent first half in '11.

 

[Summer Nights]

That there are a number players playing at the highest level whom were no better than their gun teammates in junior leagues, and therefore making it to AFL level is somewhat down to chance. We all know one or more from our school days - they may have played with us or against us, and factors such as reputation, popularity or family name gave them extra opportunities that others didn't get. For these players (who may or may not remain on AFL lists), it's really just the elite training and coaching that gets them up to scratch; the same elite training and coaching that could have led others whom weren't given the chance to make it.

(I wasn't one of these players robbed of a chance at AFL level, in fact I was on the south side of average). Just sayin'.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Zac Dawson is a better defender than Alex Silvagni. Hel, Zac Dawson is a better defender than a lot of players in the league. Don't get me wrong, he's a spud of a player in any other example, but 1v1 he gets the job done well enough.

No longer rate Brent Harvey. Used to have all the time in the world for him, but he's done some things recently which just seemed selfish or arrogant to me.

Ryan Schoenmakers didn't cost Hawthorn the Collingwood final last year, and isn't overall that bad of a defender either.

Nick Reiwoldt would be the worst captain in the league, if it weren't for Maxwell championing that cause.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Gary Ablett's 89 gf. The biggest junk time goal game ever, I reckon. They took advantage of a knackered Hawthorn in the second half. Despite Ablett's/Geelong's massive momentum shift, never at any stage did I think Geelong were going to win the game. Darrin Pritchard deserved the Norm Smith that day.

This would be the example I would have as well of an unpopular opinion. I have always figured those who rave about this GF look at the stats and weren't watching the game at all. Yes, Ablett did some great things that day but the Hawks slaughtered them when the game was there to be won and most people who I knew that watched it that day, like you, never thought the Cats were a serious chance to get up. It never felt like a close game until maybe the last minute. Even then it was a case of "They've left it too late and could only snatch a draw at best."

Pritchard for Norm Smith is pretty spot on as well. Was instrumental all day, but especially in the second quarter when the game was there to be won.

Most neutrals, like myself, wanted the Cats to get up that day as the Hawks had simply been too good for too long and most support the underdog but this match was going to be won by the Hawks all day long.

 

[Cursed Cat]

This would be the example I would have as well of an unpopular opinion. I have always figured those who rave about this GF look at the stats and weren't watching the game at all. Yes, Ablett did some great things that day but the Hawks slaughtered them when the game was there to be won and most people who I knew that watched it that day, like you, never thought the Cats were a serious chance to get up. It never felt like a close game until maybe the last minute. Even then it was a case of "They've left it too late and could only snatch a draw at best."

Pritchard for Norm Smith is pretty spot on as well. Was instrumental all day, but especially in the second quarter when the game was there to be won.

Most neutrals, like myself, wanted the Cats to get up that day as the Hawks had simply been too good for too long and most support the underdog but this match was going to be won by the Hawks all day long.

interesting view, although it clashes with Imadodgyumprire's assertion that the bulk of Ablett's goals were scored in 'junk time' - there was no junk time in that game.

i was at the game, think i was 14 or 15, and 'stats' had nothing to do with the electrifying atmosphere; yes, Hawthorn jumped out to a commanding early lead, and their lead rarely got under 4-5 goals for the first half.

but what actually took place on the ground was exciting and dramatic; Brereton down at the first bounce, Ablett a goal on the board before a minute had elapsed.
shit like that kept occuring, so despite a lop-sided scoreboard, most were still able to thrill what was to follow that dramatic opening - a reminder :

* players were going down like ninepins - watching the game live i missed a few of the incidents, kept asking my mate 'where's Bourke ? where's Platten ? what happened to Buddha ? It's rare to see that kind of carnage these days. saw Ablett nail Dipper, ouch.

* Ablett's 2nd quarter goal from the boundary throw-in remains the most amazing thing I have seen on a football field - it really was a magic trick, and accordingly the ch7 cameras didn't *quite* capture how amazing it was - the leap was classic Ablett, the ability to land and get a kick away amongst a pack of Hawks was incredibly composed and the kick itself defied the laws of physics.

* a topless schoolgirl dressed in a batgirl outfit, from my old hometown of *ahem* Cockatoo, made a spirited streak.

so i s'pose i am saying that the '89 GF isn't neccessarily viewed as 'great' because of the 1-goal final margain, it was a combination of things that made it so watchable.

as for Ablett, 9 goals in a GF speaks for itself, you can quibble how and when he got his goals, but also consider; the bloke was coming off bags of 8 & 7 against Essendon & Melbourne respectively - the football world knew he was the man that Geelong needed to produce to cause an upset, Hawthorn knew he was the man they needed to curtail.
To slot 9 goals under that kind of intense pressure and scrutiny was a big effort in that context.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

interesting view, although it clashes with Imadodgyumprire's assertion that the bulk of Ablett's goals were scored in 'junk time' - there was no junk time in that game.

i was at the game, think i was 14 or 15, and 'stats' had nothing to do with the electrifying atmosphere; yes, Hawthorn jumped out to a commanding early lead, and their lead rarely got under 4-5 goals for the first half.

but what actually took place on the ground was exciting and dramatic; Brereton down at the first bounce, Ablett a goal on the board before a minute had elapsed.
shit like that kept occuring, so despite a lop-sided scoreboard, most were still able to thrill what was to follow that dramatic opening - a reminder :

* players were going down like ninepins - watching the game live i missed a few of the incidents, kept asking my mate 'where's Bourke ? where's Platten ? what happened to Buddha ? It's rare to see that kind of carnage these days. saw Ablett nail Dipper, ouch.

* Ablett's 2nd quarter goal from the boundary throw-in remains the most amazing thing I have seen on a football field - it really was a magic trick, and accordingly the ch7 cameras didn't *quite* capture how amazing it was - the leap was classic Ablett, the ability to land and get a kick away amongst a pack of Hawks was incredibly composed and the kick itself defied the laws of physics.

* a topless schoolgirl dressed in a batgirl outfit, from my old hometown of *ahem* Cockatoo, made a spirited streak.

so i s'pose i am saying that the '89 GF isn't neccessarily viewed as 'great' because of the 1-goal final margain, it was a combination of things that made it so watchable.

as for Ablett, 9 goals in a GF speaks for itself, you can quibble how and when he got his goals, but also consider; the bloke was coming off bags of 8 & 7 against Essendon & Melbourne respectively - the football world knew he was the man that Geelong needed to produce to cause an upset, Hawthorn knew he was the man they needed to curtail.
To slot 9 goals under that kind of intense pressure and scrutiny was a big effort in that context.

I agree with a lot of what you say: it certainly had many incidents. It was a brutal game for one, and Gazza was on fire. You rightly point out his goal was one of the all-time great ones.

The thing is, Grand Finals were often brutal back then. And even a few years back, Dermie kicked a bag in a losing GF. Maybe I am putting too fine a point on the margins but when you break it down by quarters, at quarter time it was 40 points the difference, half time 37, three quarter time 36. Coming back from there was always a long-shot and it was never really realistic that the comeback could be achieved. If it had've been more of a see-saw battle, because of all the points you brought up then, yep, it would definitely be one of the all-time great GF's. As it felt lop-sided all day, don't think it deserves the billing many give it.

 

[La Dispute]

Culture in football is overrated.

Would rather my club had a winning culture with a poor off-field culture than a losing culture with a good off-field culture.

ie West Coast 05-06

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Culture in football is overrated.

Would rather my club had a winning culture with a poor off-field culture than a losing culture with a good off-field culture.

ie West Coast 05-06

There's also the option of a club with a winning culture and a good off-field culture.

ie Sydney 05-06

 

[Nave]

Culture in football is overrated.

Would rather my club had a winning culture with a poor off-field culture than a losing culture with a good off-field culture.

ie West Coast 05-06

I think most people would prefer that, but I dare say it's harder to have a winning culture without a good off-field culture.

Culture is such an overrated word.

 

[Partridge]

There's also the option of a club with a winning culture and a good off-field culture.

ie Sydney 05-06

2006? Didn't West Coast win the premiership?

 

[Partridge]

I agree with a lot of what you say: it certainly had many incidents. It was a brutal game for one, and Gazza was on fire. You rightly point out his goal was one of the all-time great ones.

The thing is, Grand Finals were often brutal back then. And even a few years back, Dermie kicked a bag in a losing GF. Maybe I am putting too fine a point on the margins but when you break it down by quarters, at quarter time it was 40 points the difference, half time 37, three quarter time 36. Coming back from there was always a long-shot and it was never really realistic that the comeback could be achieved. If it had've been more of a see-saw battle, because of all the points you brought up then, yep, it would definitely be one of the all-time great GF's. As it felt lop-sided all day, don't think it deserves the billing many give it.

Whether the game was brutal or not makes no difference. Brereton should rightly be lauded for kicking 8 in a one-sided belting, and Ablett equally so for kicking 9 four years later.

If it's so easy to kick a bag in a Grand Final how come no one else has gotten close since?

 

[Jonts]

Peter Burgoyne is ahead of Shaun Burgoyne, by a fair margin

 

[trickyonne]

Peter Burgoyne is ahead of Shaun Burgoyne, by a fair margin

I totally agree.

 

[Zahara]

Roughead > Franklin

 

[garygee]

the injunction was sought and granted to the AFL. Every-one likes to bring this up and the flogs (children around here are usually wrong.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

2006? Didn't West Coast win the premiership?

I was just echoing jrussell's format.

But now you mention it, although I know many Swans fans, myself included, have never been able to watch the tape of the GF, I think we're still very proud of '06, and would consider it one of our most successful years.

With that insane rivalry with WC that evolved in that period, I think a lot of people feel that winning a premiership each was a just reward.

 

[vonn]

Judd shouldn't of won the Norm in 2005. If LRT wasn't a young inexperienced player he would have.

 

[Hunters Host #3]

Strauchanie's a serious football talent, who has been cruelly cut down by injury.

 

[Jmac2225]

Buddy Franklin is a giant small forward. A very good one.

 

[Drexl359]

I think a lot of people feel that winning a premiership each was a just reward.

I also think this, but I've never watched the 05 grand final since it aired live, even after West Coast got 'revenge', can't bring myself to do it lol

 

[Partridge]

Did people get bored during the 05/06 GF's? I obviously didn't, but I would have thought that a hard fought contest can be just as enthralling as a goalfest, especially when everything is riding on it. Would anyone be overly upset if this years GF went a similar way?

Yep, you bet I did. Was kicking the footy before half time in 2005. That game was an atrocity. 8 goals to 7 in perfect conditions. Great game my arse.

 

[Partridge]

or Leon Davis or Phil Matera

Daniel Motlop in 2007, Matthew Stokes and Travis Varcoe in 2008.