Who watched the 1987 SA v VIC state of origin match on Foxtel last night?

[SJ]

This must be the kindergarten Thread.

You are comparing two different sports completely Australian Rules football against a new sport called AFL.
Each to their own which one takes your fancy.

I don't know whether to argue this point based on facts or like this point based on the sad reality.

 

[SJ]

You'd think that an average team from this season, say Collingwood or North; would comfortably dispose of one of the great 80's/90's teams like the Blight-era Cats or the 'Baby Bombers'.

The bottom team from 2014 probably would.

 

[Sttew]

How many fans were there at the game?

44,000, they said

 

[SJ]

That particular game might be the case? Didn't watch it.
But today's game the skills are not much better. You have to remember that back then 80% of the game was contested as opposed to today's game where probably over 50% is uncontested. Not sure about you but the eagles skills are shocking, some of the blokes drafted can't kick to save themselves. But like I said above they are two different sports. You could certainly pick 4 games a weekend every weekend where the skills are shocking. Not hard kicking to a guy on his own which is the majority of the time in AFL. Much harder kicking to someone under pressure which was more the case back then. This is why we get so excited these days when a FF gets hit on the chest. It is such a rare occurrence.

I am not sure about that.

I know what you are saying. There were one on one contests all over the field. But the second a team broke into space, then there were 'loose men everywhere' as it was there were players all over the ground.

Perhaps the game was 'contested' for a slightly greater proportion back in the day. But for the periods where it is now contested, it is probably ten times moreso. That makes it far more difficult for the ball user.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

The bottom team from 2014 probably would.

Which rules would they play? Today's rules or the rules back then? Changes things considerably

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I am not sure about that.

I know what you are saying. There were one on one contests all over the field. But the second a team broke into space, then there were 'loose men everywhere' as it was there were players all over the ground.

Perhaps the game was 'contested' for a slightly greater proportion back in the day. But for the periods where it is now contested, it is probably ten times moreso. That makes it far more difficult for the ball user.

Agree but that is mainly because the rules are not enforced

 

[Kram]

Footballers' skills in general across the board are comfortably the best that they have ever been, anyone that thinks otherwise is just blinded by nostalgia. The only area that hasn't improved like it should imo is set shots on goal.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Footballers' skills in general across the board are comfortably the best that they have ever been, anyone that thinks otherwise is just blinded by nostalgia. The only area that hasn't improved like it should imo is set shots on goal.

Yes which is the most basic skill of them all.

 

[Kram]

Yes which is the most basic skill of them all.

Pretty much the only one that hasn't improved considerably. One could also make the argument that it also isn't helped these days with fatigue by the forwards having to run twice as much as they have done in the past.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Pretty much the only one that hasn't improved considerably. One could also make the argument that it also isn't helped these days with fatigue by the forwards having to run twice as much as they have done in the past.

I think thats a fair point Kram, they certainly run more than they have ever run. But they still kick under no pressure other than crowd noise.

 

[Sttew]

I think thats a fair point Kram, they certainly run more than they have ever run. But they still kick under no pressure other than crowd noise.

And you hear coaches admit minimal time is spent at training on goal kicking drills.

 

[SJ]

I think thats a fair point Kram, they certainly run more than they have ever run. But they still kick under no pressure other than crowd noise.

But I'm sure we can all agree that no one can drill 100 from 100 with a set shot from 40 metres out, even in a vacuum. No one in the world.

So the best outcome is actually something less than perfect, perhaps 80%-90% is an elite outcome (with no other hindrances). So then once you factor in fatigue, scoreboard pressure, weather and so on, it is only natural for that probability to be further reduced.

Goalkicking has improved over the decades. Don't let people tell you otherwise.

 

[Sttew]

Goalkicking has improved over the decades. Don't let people tell you otherwise.

Thanks in part to your name sake with his across the body angle snaps!

 

[SJ]

Thanks in part to your name sake with his across the body angle snaps!

Well I don't know about all of those!

 

[greatwhiteshark]

But I'm sure we can all agree that no one can drill 100 from 100 with a set shot from 40 metres out, even in a vacuum. No one in the world.

So the best outcome is actually something less than perfect, perhaps 80%-90% is an elite outcome (with no other hindrances). So then once you factor in fatigue, scoreboard pressure, weather and so on, it is only natural for that probability to be further reduced.

Goalkicking has improved over the decades. Don't let people tell you otherwise.

Yes SJ the thing is the angled shots have improved dramatically, tight angles were once a very unlikely goal outcome. Now they are reasonably high outcome.
The set shot seems to still be an issue and maybe it is because they practice so much with these angle kicks, dribbling kicks etc that the most basic skill is being ignored.
I take my boys for a kick and all they want to do is kick around corners, they copy what they watch.

 

[jimbler]

I watched the first 10 minutes. The most interesting part was the shots of the crowd and their appalling haircuts.

 

[Sttew]

I watched the first 10 minutes. The most interesting part was the shots of the crowd and their appalling haircuts.

It was Adelaide!!

only joking guys

 

[Zerg]

In 1987 only Carlton cracked the 25k mark for average home game attendances. Collingwood was about 21k and and West Coast was 24k.

But don't tell that to the 5m or so people who "went every week!" in the 80's.

(interesting thing about WA footy is that WAFL attendance per fortnight dropped from 86 to 87 by more than Eagles' 24k per fortnight in 1987)

And guess what the crowd capacity was for most Victorian clubs home grounds .....seriously

 

[Sttew]

And guess what the crowd capacity was for most Victorian clubs home grounds .....seriously

A lot more than 25,000. A Carlton v Geelong game in the 80's had a crowd of over 40,000. Everyone stood back then

 

[Smoky]

Richard Osbourne looked awesome overhead.

 

[Marstermind]

I'm in my early 40s...so nothing is as good now as it was 27 years ago. And 27 years ago I thought everything 27 years old or more was stupid.

 

[Sttew]

I don't profess to follow "other" football codes like Rugby and Soccer. For those who do, if you were to watch games from 27 years ago would the contrast between skills levels and game styles be as dramatic as I believe we have seen in AFL?

 

[estibador]

But today's game the skills are not much better. You have to remember that back then 80% of the game was contested as opposed to today's game where probably over 50% is uncontested.

I'd disagree with that. There's far more contested pressure footy these days than ever before - gang tackle after gang tackle after gang tackle.

The amount of space guys were given in the old days is unbelievable by today's standards. No way they'd be able to execute their skills under today's pressure.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Hit the boundary line!!

 

[Simon Wiggins]

What?