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

[Father Jack]

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.

What does the amount of goals have to do with it?

 

[Partridge]

Far far too many to name......here goes:

1. Judging of young players before about 50-60 games is ridiculous. Time and time again we're shown that all players take time to mature and time and time again everyone expects John Coleman in their first game. Ludicrous.
2. AFL is not a sport; it's the name of the competition. They don't play "FIFA" in Europe and South America.
3. Pretending oafs from other sports like Hunt and Folau are decent footballers just shows how brainwashed modern fans are. It also shows how insecure they are - on one hand they're desperate to say Australian Rules is the best game in the world, but apparently any half-decent athlete from anywhere can play it immediately at the highest level. Moronic.
4. Most footy fans are ignorant sheep who believe only what the AFL propaganda machine tells them.
5. Chris Judd is the most overrated player I've ever seen. Great at getting the ball out, very professional and determined, and very tough. But - a horrible kick, shithouse mark and has been declining for some time. If the commentators weren't busy drooling over his testicles these weaknesses would have been pointed out years ago. Best midfielder of the last 20 years? He's not even the best at Carlton. Not in the same ballpark as Greg Williams or even Plattern.
6. Commentary of the game is a disgrace. The shame of it is just about every commentator could be decent if they reined in their ego and actually analysed the game.
7. Hodge has been overrated for some time, cannot handle a tag, and has been surpassed by Mitchell and Lewis. His grimaces are related directly to how many goals behind Hawthorn are in the last quarter too.
8. Carey was fantastic in the media and was one of the very few who knew the game.
9. Glenn Archer wasn't the only courageous player to have ever played the game. He was also a gutless sniper on occasion.
10. Every club - EVERY club - has had players who were less than perfect. Pretending you're spotless while feigning moral indignation at every other club is nothing but hypocrisy. You'd all tolerate it if you were winning premierships.
11. "Outside players" is a modern euphemism for RECEIVER. As in gutless. You're not allowed to say it anymore but it's still true.
12. Aaron Sandilands is not a great ruckman. He wins hitouts - being half a foot taller than every other player so he bloody should.
13. Most hyped "blockbuster" games now are manufactured artificial horseshit. If no one else is playing in that city at the time (e.g. Anzac Day), you should sell the bloody ground out.
14. The players aren't tougher now. Fitter and stronger yes. Tougher no.
15. You can't call a player courageous when they cry on the field. You just can't.
16. Players who leave for money (Ablett, Judd, Scully) should simply be honest about it. Something like "I've loved my time here, but this is too much money to refuse and I'm going to look after myself" would not annoy people. Pretending you can't make up your mind does.
17. Most awards are a complete wankfest. The All-Australian team and HOF teams are just dick-measuring contests.
18. Chasing down opposition players from behind is not as brave as getting the ball yourself. Not by a longshot.
19. Not all players are brave, tough and heroic. There are cowards and gutless squibs at every club.
20. If white players took as long to deliver as some indigenous players they'd never get a game.

 

[Cursed Cat]

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.

cool, your opinion and you've expressed it fairly, good point about the quarter by quarter margains

re : Brereton's 8 goals, I was going to mention it in my 'context' rant; Brereton's 8 in the 87 GF was a great effort, but Dermie hadn't kicked a total of 15 goals in his previous 2 finals - to me anyway, that's a big part of what made Ablett's 9 goals so admirable, expectations were sky-high and he delivered ..

 

[Gibbke]

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.

Total agreement. Have been going to a mate's house to watch the game every year since 1996, and by half time we were chatting to the girlfriends about house renovations and kids and whatever else was on tv...anything but what was the single worst GF I've ever sat through...the last 15 minutes were gripping, sure, but what else could it be, when both teams (I'll say it again, the worst pair of GF combatants I've seen in my 35 years of consciously watching the sport) slugged it out with the flag on the line...they deserved their places in the match, and the rivalry was something to behold, but to that Eagles fan above who can't bring himself to watch the replay, don't bother! You'd think the Footy Vault would have deliberately lost the tape of the first half by now...done us all a favour, even Swans fans...

The 2006 GF, on the other hand - awesome game of football, well done to both teams, would hoping for a third one in 2007...and I gotta say it, sorry Eagles fans, you should have been runners-up 2 years in a row...anyone who wins the GF deserves the flag, but the best team on the day didn't win...!

 

[Zagg]

I think a shot of goal which goes out of bounds after bouncing should be a free kick to the defending team.

Bad shots for goal shouldn't be rewarded, and at the moment a throw-in is usually seen as a better result than a behind.

Not sure if it's unpopular, but I suggested it to a friend & he laughed at me.

 

[Gibbke]

To Partridge - I too refuse to call the sport AFL. I don't care if all the Pacific Islanders and Queenslanders who make up the population of the school I teach at give me blank looks if I say Australian Rules, but since my job is to educate, I refuse to dumb it down for them...and I tell the PE staff off to their faces if they transgress...!

 

[PenAndPaper]

That incorrect disposal needs to be made a lot less grey and more black and white by saying that if the player does not kick or handball the ball when tackled and the ball is released then a free kick should automatically be payed.

 

[WeSt CoAsT EaGLeS]

The Victorian media is a farce. A majority of these "journalists", "presenters" and "reporters" still have not accepted the first letter in the AFL acronym. This can be demonstrated at a basic level by their use of the word "interstate" when presenting their TV/radio show to a national audience. Interstate can be relative to anyone's home state - but no, seldom do they use the words "non-Victorian clubs". Nor do they have a sufficient knowledge of players from non-Victorian clubs. They are also very adept at pointing out "controversial" issues by using non-Victorian teams as a model. For example, the 'Crow-throw' and West Coast's recent chucking accusations when, in fact, every team in the AFL does it (and probably not intentionally either).

They are a bunch of one-eyed morons.

 

[Bardo State]

For all the shit that Victorian AFL media cop for being insular, south Australian and wa media are FAR worse. The better of the two teams at the time has already won the flag with the other about to win one imminently. The pure saturation of bias is actually quite sickening. And some of the stuff that is blamed on Victoria is just absurd (mostly sa).

 

[schnoods]

There should be more players on the bench and/or another sub, just to keep it it within proportion of pretty much every other team based ball sport.

Peter Matera was robbed of a brownlow medal, Greg Williams "hogged" the ball but wasnt the best player the year he won it over Matera.

The SCG should not be used in afl matches, it is stupidly shorter, easier to flood, and easier to kick a goal with a midfielder. Probably the reason Sydney has never had a decent Forward since Lockett that wasnt a crumbing goal sneak.

GWS Giants and the Gold Coast Suns were just horrific americanised names for an AFL team. So bad that if they reverted to the old mascots as the logo, One would be a sketchy drawing with a sun (probably wearing sunglasses) and the other would be a really tall player standing next to a smaller player (for scale). Whats next, the 76ers?

There should never be a team in Tasmania.

 

[JimmyDE]

The 2005 and 2006 grand finals were shit, over 70% of afl footballers use illicit drugs in the season and off season is worse, Ben cousins is the greatest midfielder in the last 20 years, karmichael hunt is a future all australian, Jason dunstall was better than Tony Lockett.

 

[WeSt CoAsT EaGLeS]

Tom Swift will develop into an elite AFL footballer.

 

[Heardy_101]

I call the The Advertiser the "Crowvertiser" because they are so Crows biased it isn't funny. Channel 9 is called Channel Crow by the same paper for the same reason (The 'Tiser is aligned with Channel 7, maybe that's why lol)

If the SCG shouldn't be used by the AFL then neither should Kardinia Park, it is, what, within the AFL's minimum length and width limit by only a metre or so?

AFL presidents who are allowed to anchor their own shows and commentate. Eddie McGuire should seriously just F**K OFF altogether. Don't get me started on Kennett, the sight of his face makes me want to punch him out. James Brayshaw is barely tolerable sometimes.

 

[hawkman]

The SCG should not be used in afl matches, it is stupidly shorter, easier to flood, and easier to kick a goal with a midfielder. Probably the reason Sydney has never had a decent Forward since Lockett that wasnt a crumbing goal sneak.

Barry Hall?

 

[.Shotties.]

The SCG should not be used in afl matches, it is stupidly shorter, easier to flood, and easier to kick a goal with a midfielder. Probably the reason Sydney has never had a decent Forward since Lockett that wasnt a crumbing goal sneak.
.

What is the SCG shorter than and by how much? I also have to ask if the name Hall rings a bell.

 

[Ando727]

One of my strong opinions that I know some people will not agree with... is that if your club dies you have no right to choose another club and support them.

As far as I am concerned if your club goes you go as well. By all means.. feel free to continue watching football but in no way can you ever call yourself a real supporter of another club. You are a turncoat.

So by that logic, if you got married once, said "I promise to love and obey you for as long as we both shall live", you wouldn't be able to ever have another relationship again - certainly not get married again. Heck you wouldn't even be allowed to leave the first marriage - and you wouldn't even be allowed to stop loving your first wife/husband!

I'll further counter your argument by suggesting that if you watched footy for a while without having a team, you would unconsciously find yourself choosing a new team whether you wanted to or not. You can't enjoy footy with indifference to who wins. Choosing a team means you prefer them to win against any other team.

(yes, I realise your post was a joke, but I felt like talking about it anyway.)

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

As I said on another thread some time ago, Braun2BeWild/'Oh Darling' has a long-standing vendetta against Fitzroy and Fitzroy people. Always has.

He knows full well that our club still exists, of course. He just wishes we didn't still exist as a club.

He knows the facts about the whiteanting campaign that took place against our club over the last 12 years of our time in the AFL too. He's been told many times. But it suits his vindictive and poisonous agenda against us to pretend he doesn't know about such things.

The very fact that the Fitzroy Football Club is still very much around and operating, the way those of us who support the Roys, like the Roys supporters down at Etihad the weekend before last, continue to make our presence felt, and the fact Fitzroy people like myself are active around this place... these things all hurt him grievously.

As does the fact that various Royboys, like me, dare to also support an AFL club, as I support the Demons, in addition to my loyalty to Fitzroy. He really can't handle that.

The way our membership has doubled in the last three years, and how we've been promoted once in our league, and close to being promoted again, no doubt wounds him even further.

May we continue to grow and prosper, and cause him ever more pain by our doing so

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

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.

Each to his/her own.

Would be nice if we could guarantee attractive footy and simultaneously a close contest in every game, but players are under no obligation to provide the former, merely to try to win.

So while it's fantastic when the two do co-exist in the one game, it's unlikely to happen often, so if I have to choose, give me a close contest every time.

(Carlton President George Harris, post-1979 GF "The only thing better than beating Collingwood by ten goals is beating them by 5 points" - I heartily agree with this sentiment)

All of this more so in a GF. Most of them are over by half, or three-quarter time, and all too often, what appears a mouthwatering contest between two perfectly-matched teams at the peak of their form after a gruelling season turns into a depressing blowout.

Let's face it, there have only been about a dozen genuinely exciting grand finals, and I'm very proud the Swans have delivered two of those.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

For all the shit that Victorian AFL media cop for being insular, south Australian and wa media are FAR worse. The better of the two teams at the time has already won the flag with the other about to win one imminently. The pure saturation of bias is actually quite sickening. And some of the stuff that is blamed on Victoria is just absurd (mostly sa).

Sadly the "Vic" media, are also the centre of our nationally syndicated AFL coverage and associated programming.

The HUN catering to its readership is fine, but when you have programs like AFL 360, Footy Classified, On the Couch etc. etc. predominantly focusing on the larger Victorian clubs, unless it is something negative, then it can become frustrating. These programs are supposed to be for the national audience, watching Whately and Robbo discuss kids from Vic Metro, Vic Country and SA whilst completely glossing over WA is just par for the course. Even on the AFL websites Access All Areas, the only time Darce and co. give us a mention is either some contrived negative crap (chucking) or to talk about Naitanui.

The same old biases, grudges and modes of operation (highly Vic centric coverage), seem to be carried over from guys who work for SEN, MMM, The HUN and The Age (Vic media) etc. into their jobs on nationally syndicated programming. Really not professional nor excusable.

 

[incaciawin]

The slapping of the hands and the hands in the back rules have undermined our great game. Often it is rewarding players for incidental contact. Honestly, there is more contact allowed in the penalty area in soccer matches, than there is in many marking contests in AFL these days. It has encouraged forwards to play for the free kick instead of making a wholehearted marking attempt.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

You can use your forearm to nudge someone under the ball, but the lightest touch of an open hand and it's a free.

Logic, who needs it.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

You can use your forearm to nudge someone under the ball, but the lightest touch of an open hand and it's a free.

Logic, who needs it.

Technicalities. Be aware off them. Don't use an open hand, go to another part of the anatomy to win the contest.

 

[lihei]

I think Nick Maxwell is an overrated hack, worst captain in the AFL and plays a position that would be easy for any average VFL player to get a kick. Waitaminute, that's a popular view!

Premiership captain or a captain of the drug squad at Richmond? I know what I'd rather. Fail.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

Premiership captain or a captain of the drug squad at Richmond? I know what I'd rather. Fail.

I wish I was in the Alan Didak club of riding harley-davidsons.

Then I would know that I had made it!

Give me a break.

 

[Partridge]

Each to his/her own.

Would be nice if we could guarantee attractive footy and simultaneously a close contest in every game, but players are under no obligation to provide the former, merely to try to win.

Absolutely. I don't blame the players or especially the coaches at all, their job is purely to win. No problems there. I personally don't like low-scoring slugfests, I prefer to see some of the other skills of the game on display. We'll agree to disagree.