Woweeee.
We just find new and more amusing ways of ensuring that we dilute and damage our game as a product and a sport. I reckon I'll live to see it die the way things are going.
SOO died because no one wanted to play in it and get injured. The clubs hated it. There was no money in it. The crowds stopped attending. Most of the tribalism associated with it was diminished by actual sides playing in those states against one another on a weekly basis.
It works in League because there are two states that are natural rivals and players need to prove themselves before they go to international level to play against the likes of NZ and England. What is the incentive for our players? State pride versus match payments missed for getting injured?
The AFL is relying on people being so desperate to watch footy by mid-Feb that they're banking that we'll tolerate a bruise free charade that loosely pays lip service to the games that used to be played. It won't be like the 80s, it'll be like the NBA All Star game where no one plays defence and it's glorified circle work.
As for the mid-October Grand Final, the finals and season are already long enough and there are already enough meaningless games for teams that aren't up the pointy end. It's all just a stalking horse to play night Grand Finals really.
Here's what the people want:
We just find new and more amusing ways of ensuring that we dilute and damage our game as a product and a sport. I reckon I'll live to see it die the way things are going.
SOO died because no one wanted to play in it and get injured. The clubs hated it. There was no money in it. The crowds stopped attending. Most of the tribalism associated with it was diminished by actual sides playing in those states against one another on a weekly basis.
It works in League because there are two states that are natural rivals and players need to prove themselves before they go to international level to play against the likes of NZ and England. What is the incentive for our players? State pride versus match payments missed for getting injured?
The AFL is relying on people being so desperate to watch footy by mid-Feb that they're banking that we'll tolerate a bruise free charade that loosely pays lip service to the games that used to be played. It won't be like the 80s, it'll be like the NBA All Star game where no one plays defence and it's glorified circle work.
As for the mid-October Grand Final, the finals and season are already long enough and there are already enough meaningless games for teams that aren't up the pointy end. It's all just a stalking horse to play night Grand Finals really.
Here's what the people want:
- A fair draw with their side playing every week except a single mid-season bye weekend (which you can have SOO if you create an incentive to do it)
- Games on TV that don't clash against one another. Don't worry about clashing with the GP or Spring Carnival or the bloody NFL. Just start with the Saturday and Sunday games not running into each other so we can watch them. The broadcasters and fans alike will be thrilled.
- Larger lists and a larger soft cap to allow less byes and more footy.
- Greater player movement to enable clubs to actually become competitive at a quicker rate than the draft and free agency currently allows with teams having to spend an eternity down the bottom. A more competitive league is a more interesting league and its round 3 and we can all probably narrow down the six sides that have some semblance of a hope.
- Umpiring and MRO that is consistent and makes some vague sense. Not one of us can properly articulate what holding the ball is anymore and it changes from week to week and year to year all to 'make the game better'.
