Opinion What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? - Part 2

[DQ 4EVER]

The Brownlow has the lowest merit/value because it's voted by people who have never played or coached.

Leigh Fisher?
Hopeless ump, however

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ChristianBoy]

Micheal Gardiner doesn’t get injured in the 2010 GF StKilda win.

 

[Hoops]

The Brownlow has the lowest merit/value because it's voted by people who have never played or coached.

that's only part of the reason, the 3-2-1 vote system has major flaws.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Leigh Fisher?
Hopeless ump, however

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

But that's a very rare anomaly and he only played 55 games. It's 99% adjudged by non professional footballers.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

that's only part of the reason, the 3-2-1 vote system has major flaws.

It's the main flaw, umpires are not observant, nor have never played or coached the sport professionally. At least 99% haven't played or coached it. It's a bit questionable why fans take the award seriously, when not many respect the umpires views.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

People will always look upon previous eras with fondness for two reasons:

1. Generally the sport we engage with as kids is what we’re most nostalgic about.
2. When we see replays of games from that era it’s usually the classics. We then compare it to a shitty 2023 North v Hawks game we watched and compare the two.

Overall I think the style of footy in the 90s might have been better, but the players now are far more skilled and are much better athletes than that era. Unfortunately that style of game just wouldn’t work now BECAUSE of the athleticism of today’s players.

For the record this isn’t a knock on those players. If they had todays players methods, resources, pay etc. they would be just as good.

Up until the mid 2000's, it was far less congested, more brutal, tougher, majority of players could kick more than 30 metres, players were more rational with goal kicking, and the rules were better. The only rule change I think is better today is that the players don't have to kick to themselves from the goal square after a behind.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Yeah felt like Pies were a 5 goal better side all day and just kicking inaccuracy kept Bris close.

Despite the close game I never thought they were gonna lose

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I thought Melbourne were the second best team in 2023, but messed up with their accuracy. They beat Collingwood statically with their Inside 50's by a whopping 32 more in The Qualifying final. And then they went out in straight sets by only a total of 8 points, which maybe a record for lowest margins conceded in straight sets.

 

[big_e]

It's the main flaw, umpires are not observant, nor have never played or coached the sport professionally. At least 99% haven't played or coached it. It's a bit questionable why fans take the award seriously, when not many respect the umpires views.

Most of the time, the Brownlow winner is very high up in voting for the Coaches Association award. Unless you are saying they get it wrong, too?

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Most of the time, the Brownlow winner is very high up in voting for the Coaches Association award. Unless you are saying they get it wrong, too?

It comes down to the players and coaches views mean more than an umpires. If they called The Brownlow what it is "The Umpires Award for Players" not many would think that's superior than "The Coaches Award for Players".

 

[GoldbergsGold]

That the 2023 Grand Final wasn't one of the all time great games, as so many commentators and Collingwood supporters keep annoyingly saying.

Sure, it was a very good and very entertaining game. It was close on the score board right until the end, had some great pieces of play, some very good individual performances, etc. Plus, I also think any premiership is a great achievement, and I did think Collingwood was the best team and deserved to win it, so congrats to the Pies and their fans.

However, I just don't think either side really played at or very close to their absolute best on the day, hence my contention it wasn't quite as great a game as many people have made out.

If I was aligned with Brisbane I might even be looking back and thinking, gee we missed a great opportunity because we got so close even though we performed a bit below our best on the big day.

For me, it was kind of like an Olympic 100m sprint final won by the world's best and in a photo finish, but in a time that didn't quite threaten world record pace, or the medalists PBs. So, a great GF? Yes. But a contender for the all-time greatest GF? no.

I personally hated the conclusion where the umpires either intervened and handed Collingwood a 50 or messed up not giving the ball back to Brisbane paying advantage.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

The McClelland trophy is a joke. Dees go out in straight sets in both seasons amd get rewarded while Lions make both grand finals and get nothing. Plus the farce that is fixture inequality makes an award for only home and away results ridiculous.

Include the finals series in the trophy, that way choking and going out in straight sets can no longer be rewarded over performing come the most important month of the season.

Thinking about it, possibly not an unpopular opinion but I've not heard the issue raised.

Should be like The SANFL system where the minor premier is rewarded with a one win to Grand final path option.

 

[HeathySure]

I personally hated the conclusion where the umpires either intervened and handed Collingwood a 50 or messed up not giving the ball back to Brisbane paying advantage.

Its quite funny when a West Coast supporter is complaining about this, when they won a flag in 2018 when a clear block was not paid to the Pies and won West Coast the game.

I am not complaining about that by the way, my unpopular opinion is that the umps do the best job that they can do and every supporter should just accept the end result. Nobody is perfect and people only remember the dodgy decisions at the end of the game, not the whole game which could change the whole trajectory

 

[Caligo]

Most of the time, the Brownlow winner is very high up in voting for the Coaches Association award. Unless you are saying they get it wrong, too?

Is there a place you can see coaches votes for old seasons? Just as an example I feel like maybe 2008 the brownlow medallist may not have gotten that many coaches votes, but that is entirely a guess. I do remember how good GAJ was and I was shocked he didn't win.

 

[GhostofJimJess]

that's only part of the reason, the 3-2-1 vote system has major flaws.

I don't care if voting remains in the hands of the umps - that's not the problem. It's the 3-2-1 system which results in a terrible assessment of the best and fairest players in a match.

1 BOG and a shocker is simply not as "best" as two 3rd-BOG's, yet will register more Brownlow votes.

Hence it becomes primarily a midfielders award.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Its quite funny when a West Coast supporter is complaining about this, when they won a flag in 2018 when a clear block was not paid to the Pies and won West Coast the game.

I am not complaining about that by the way, my unpopular opinion is that the umps do the best job that they can do and every supporter should just accept the end result. Nobody is perfect and people only remember the dodgy decisions at the end of the game, not the whole game which could change the whole trajectory

I never said Collingwood shouldn't have won, they were obviously better and the best team of 2023, but the umpires messing up by either intervening or messing up the rules ruins the spectacle, and it happened right at the climax, which was a shame.

 

[jatz14]

It's the main flaw, umpires are not observant, nor have never played or coached the sport professionally. At least 99% haven't played or coached it. It's a bit questionable why fans take the award seriously, when not many respect the umpires views.

Umps haven't played or coached, but are closer and more intimately involved in the game than the fans, who incidentally, never played or coached either. So, maybe the game in general, respects the fans view on such things even less than it respects the umpires views?

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[GoldbergsGold]

I like the "stand" rule, and think the umpires should be stricter when enforcing it.

I miss the psych-out element before the "steeeeend" rule forcing the players to play stuck in the mud for no real reason. Scoring hasn't gone up when compared to say 2017, it's much lower.

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Umps haven't played or coached, but are closer and more intimately involved in the game than the fans, who incidentally, never played or coached either. So, maybe the game in general, respects the fans view on such things even less than it respects the umpires views?

On SM-X200 using BigFooty.com mobile app

I'm sure for example if a player is told the coaches or other players consider them the best player for the year, that would hold more weight to them over if they're told the umpires think they're the best player for the year.

 

[Pistol Night]

I miss the psych-out element before the "steeeeend" rule forcing the players to play stuck in the mud for no real reason. Scoring hasn't gone up when compared to say 2017, it's much lower.

I feel sorry for the blokes on the mark now. They look like the batteries have gone flat in their controllers

 

[GoldbergsGold]

I feel sorry for the blokes on the mark now. They look like the batteries have gone flat in their controllers

It's refreshing to go back and see players actually being able to move forward of the mark, it's so much more natural.

 

[Pistol Night]

It's refreshing to go back and see players actually being able to move forward of the mark, it's so much more natural.

They are too inconsistent with it. Markov copped one GF day and then they put it away for the day when they could have paid dozens. Both ways

 

[Soggy2112]

Up until the mid 2000's, it was far less congested, more brutal, tougher, majority of players could kick more than 30 metres, players were more rational with goal kicking, and the rules were better. The only rule change I think is better today is that the players don't have to kick to themselves from the goal square after a behind.

Players are just as tough now as they ever have been. Just because the rules don’t let them punch each other or play with head trauma doesn’t mean they aren’t tough.

I wasn’t discussing the rules, I agree that there was less congestion, but that is simply a product of players being fitter.

They are better athletes and more skilled now then they ever have been.

 

[big_e]

Is there a place you can see coaches votes for old seasons? Just as an example I feel like maybe 2008 the brownlow medallist may not have gotten that many coaches votes, but that is entirely a guess. I do remember how good GAJ was and I was shocked he didn't win.

Goes back to 2006, and you can easily click through to each year after that.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year - AFL Coaches Association Awards - AFL Coaches Association

aflcoaches.com.au

 

[Caligo]

Goes back to 2006, and you can easily click through to each year after that.

AFLCA Champion Player of the Year - AFL Coaches Association Awards - AFL Coaches Association

aflcoaches.com.au

Thank you! Cooney did better than I thought, but still a long way behind gaj and bud in terms of votes.

The amazing thing for me is that bud kicked over 100 and didn't win.

 

[Bjo187]

Players are just as tough now as they ever have been. Just because the rules don’t let them punch each other or play with head trauma doesn’t mean they aren’t tough.

I wasn’t discussing the rules, I agree that there was less congestion, but that is simply a product of players being fitter.

They are better athletes and more skilled now then they ever have been.

No way are they as tough as they use to be. Going out on the field knowing you could be cleaned up intentionally by an opposition player was tougher than now. There is still courage, as per any elite sport, but I think the toughness has significantly reduced because you can walk out on the field with no fear these days. There's a reason clubs refused to recruit private school boys back in the day and now they make up the majority of the competition, because toughness isn't a requirement anymore.