Why are the games so long?

[Lavender Bushranger]

There is no doubt that a game of footy in the modern T20/Tiktok world is too long.

It's boring.

It's unnecessary for a game of anything to take more than 80-90 minutes.

I get why it used to be relevant to be a 2 hour game, but with the rules and tactics they introduced to reduce fatigue, it's no longer really test of endurance.

Quarters should be 12 minutes long. 15 absolute max. Plus time on.

The biggest issue with AFL footy is the fixture. And the biggest hurdle with addressing the problems with the fixture is that players aren't physically capable of playing 2 games per week.

If games were far shorter, we'd get more interesting games. More exciting games. But more importantly, we'd get more games. Teams could play twice as many games, which would mean every could play each other twice.

Less running required, meaning more training time to focus on skill and execution. Fat kids that can't sprint 5k in 45 seconds or whatever could still realistically play footy at a decent level.


The main reason 50 Over cricket is dead is that the first ten over were exciting, and the last 10 were exciting. The middle 30 overs where the batting team 'consolidated' the innings was just kind of boring.

AFL footy has so much 'consolidating the innings' time.

People get bored easily these days.

 

[g_TRAIN]

**** off Patrick

 

[windyhill]

You really notice it at games, particularly when your team is losing like my boys on Friday. It was like “ blow the ****ing siren so I can **** off home”

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The clock keeps running for the set shot.
Unspoken are also now stopping the game for less serious injuries, not just the stretcher like previously.
Other reasons are that ads breaks are now slightly longer - 45 seconds.

The game is too long. Cut ruck nominations to start with.

There definitely does seem to be more time between the ad break finishing and the ball being bounced. That may partly the score review after every goal, or maybe we get 30 second breaks and there are 45 seconds scheduled now.

Are teams getting a bit more time to set before throw-ins, to allow rucks to arrive from further away? I haven't noticed it, but it would add to time on even if just a few extra seconds each time.

 

[BigPond101]

You really notice it at games, particularly when your team is losing like my boys on Friday. It was like “ blow the *ing siren so I can * off home”

Damn bro Essendon were at least within striking distance the whole game and only 18 points down most of the last qtr. Try being an Eagles fan you would never make it to half time

 

[windyhill]

Damn bro Essendon were at least within striking distance the whole game and only 18 points down most of the last qtr. Try being an Eagles fan you would never make it to half time

No mate, the hawks were toying with us.

 

[Ghossein]

I think the length of games is fine.

Why do people want less content after waiting 6 months for AFL to come back?

shorter quarters and longer seasons

 

[Toump Ass]

Ruck noms/3rd man up ban ruined the game, wastes time plus the main cause of congestion

I don't see a problem with the 3rd man up, but don't care if it's a rule.

The ruck nomination is genuinely pointless though. If a team contests the ruck with more than one player, then you can just play a free against them.

 

[P Money]

How anyone who watched footy in 2020 could support shorter playing time is beyond me. A full game of congested sh*t footy because fatigue never sets in and the game never opens up. F**ing horrible.

To the question at hand, was there always a 1 minute (or whatever it is) break between a goal and the centre bounce to make sure broadcasters can get their desired amount of ads in? That could be a factor.

The sooner the AFL stop designing the game to meet the whim and financial incentive of broadcasters the better off the game will be.

 

[Lets Roar like '44]

The game is only 80 mins long. The rest is nonsense the AFL have made up to make it longer.

 

[Billy ray]

Just dont stop the clock when ball goes out of bounds
i mean why have an insufficient intent rule?

solved

next

 

[Clark G]

There is no doubt that a game of footy in the modern T20/Tiktok world is too long.

It's boring.

It's unnecessary for a game of anything to take more than 80-90 minutes.

I get why it used to be relevant to be a 2 hour game, but with the rules and tactics they introduced to reduce fatigue, it's no longer really test of endurance.

Quarters should be 12 minutes long. 15 absolute max. Plus time on.

The biggest issue with AFL footy is the fixture. And the biggest hurdle with addressing the problems with the fixture is that players aren't physically capable of playing 2 games per week.

If games were far shorter, we'd get more interesting games. More exciting games. But more importantly, we'd get more games. Teams could play twice as many games, which would mean every could play each other twice.

Less running required, meaning more training time to focus on skill and execution. Fat kids that can't sprint 5k in 45 seconds or whatever could still realistically play footy at a decent level.


The main reason 50 Over cricket is dead is that the first ten over were exciting, and the last 10 were exciting. The middle 30 overs where the batting team 'consolidated' the innings was just kind of boring.

AFL footy has so much 'consolidating the innings' time.

People get bored easily these days.

Do you recall the 2020 season?

 

[Clark G]

Currently, the quarter time and three quarter time breaks are six minutes each. Drop both to five minutes each and two minutes have been saved right there.

 

[BigPond101]

Umpires just throw the ball up immediately instead of having to get your 20 seconds of TV time every ballup

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Umpires just throw the ball up immediately instead of having to get your 20 seconds of TV time every ballup

Agree. Just grab the ball and toss it into the air. Get on with the game.

 

[Tassieboy]

I find games too long. I’d be happy with 18 minutes plus time on.

 

[Blackhawk42]

I just don't see the problem.

You don't get the thrillers like we enjoyed last night and tonight if you shortern the game. The extra minutes gave both the Dogs and Cats the chances to win, or at least draw.

 

[Aussie_boy]

Going to sound like a nuff here (I am though) but I watch quite a few games on delay and traditionally once a goal is kicked if you skip 45 seconds then it's esentially the ball being thrown up. I've already noticed this year that if you skip a minute it's the ball being thrown up. So esentially it seems like they've added an extra 15 seconds of delay after each goal for no reason.

 

[Quinten Kennedy]

There is no doubt that a game of footy in the modern T20/Tiktok world is too long.

It's boring.

Yet people are quite prepared to endure Joe Rogan waffling on about conspiracy theories for 3 hours.

 

[Macca19]

Is it just me or have the games got noticeably longer over the past few years? I went to 5 games over the weekend and I don’t think there was a quarter that was under 30 mins.

I get that we now have a far tighter concussion protocol and the score review system but what else has changed?

I am pretty sure the move from 25 mins quarters to 20 mins, but far more time on came in around 1994 but quarters were much shorter in the 90s despite there being far more goals. You also can’t play for the boundary line any more.

Does anyone have any stats on this?

The main change was a few years ago to 60 seconds between a goal and the centre bounce. If you have a 10 goal quarter, thats 10 mins without any of the ball up/throw in time off