The Mystique of the AFL Flag - Dead?

[The Terrible Thinker]

Does anyone care that much about winning the flag these days?

The 13 editions of the Sack Hinkley thread in the Port forum might give you an idea on how much people care.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Granted, I'm pushing 50. So I obviously see the world differently to how I saw it 30-40 years ago, but....

Does anyone care that much about winning the flag these days?

I mean in the lead up - yes.

On the day - yes.

In the immediate aftermath - yes.


But beyond that, do supporters give a shit? Do they care like they used to?

It seems that the world moves on very quickly after the AFL Grand Final these days.

The NRL comes on the week after. Cup Week kicks off. The NBA starts. The World Series is on. The NBL starts. Then the cricket is on.

The AFL seems like a distant memory about 2 days after the final siren!

Not that long ago, winning the flag seemed like a glorious and momentous achievement in which the glory was basked in for months, even years afterwards.

Doesn't seem like that now.


Or maybe it's just me?

I've never been concious for a premiership for my team so I can't tell you what it's like.

But let's just say I have long had celebratory plans in preparation for the occasion.

 

[Dazb86]

The only flags that felt hollow were the ones not won in Victoria.

 

[Breretonisahood]

……..and meanwhile you’ve got Geelong trying to add its VFA flags to its VFL/AFL flag tally. I think flags still matter a lot.

 

[Masotiger]

The diehard tragics fans still exist, but they're a minority.

'Back in the day' pretty much the whole crowd at a game was diehard. Duffle coat wearing lunatics. The 'theatre goer' was a tiny minority.

Back in the day there was nothing else. This answers the premise of your question.

VFL football (in Victoria) in the winter, cricket in the summer.

Back in the primary school yards of Melbourne in the late '60s and early '70s I had no idea WTF Man U was or even existed. NFI who the Chicago Bulls were, nor would have cared.

It was just raw passion around your VFL club. Kicking the footy in the playgrounds at every opportunity. As a Richmond supporter I got into fights with my best mates who supported Collingwood or Carlton over footy.

The 1972 GF loss to Carlton hurt like hell. The 1973 GF revenge was the best day of my life as a youngster.

Sadly, I walk through the primary school yards today to pick up my grandchildren and all the young boys are playing basketball. Not a football kicked in anger.

Society has changed enormously and everything has been prostituted by the almighty dollar. So much choice now, where does one start? Cricket has been prostituted and bastardised that nothing worth winning is of real significance - not even the ashes.

The corporate suits have taken over the running of all sports. In their pursuit of the dollar they have replaced passion with passive attendance.

Premierships are still worth winning and to be valued; however, today it's very easy to switch focus on something else if you don't want to know about it.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

I don't support the Suns.

I don't support any one team.

I’d suggest that is the issue.

 

[peetoo]

Back in the day there was nothing else. This answers the premise of your question.

VFL football (in Victoria) in the winter, cricket in the summer.

Back in the primary school yards of Melbourne in the late '60s and early '70s I had no idea WTF Man U was or even existed. NFI who the Chicago Bulls were, nor would have cared.

It was just raw passion around your VFL club. Kicking the footy in the playgrounds at every opportunity. As a Richmond supporter I got into fights with my best mates who supported Collingwood or Carlton over footy.

The 1972 GF loss to Carlton hurt like hell. The 1973 GF revenge was the best day of my life as a youngster.

Sadly, I walk through the primary school yards today to pick up my grandchildren and all the young boys are playing basketball. Not a football kicked in anger.

Society has changed enormously and everything has been prostituted by the almighty dollar. So much choice now, where does one start? Cricket has been prostituted and bastardised that nothing worth winning is of real significance - not even the ashes.

The corporate suits have taken over the running of all sports. In their pursuit of the dollar they have replaced passion with passive attendance.

Premierships are still worth winning and to be valued; however, today it's very easy to switch focus on something else if you don't want to know about it.

Sub 20k crowds were common. But of course they all occurred at the same time.

 

[Masotiger]

Sub 20k crowds were common. But of course they all occurred at the same time.

And Melbourne/Victoria was half the size.

 

[peetoo]

And Melbourne/Victoria was half the size.

Still packed out big stadia for finals

 

[adonski]

Biggest issue is they give them out every year

 

[Bigger]

They should wait till Freo win one and then stop.

 

[threesixpio]

Granted, I'm pushing 50. So I obviously see the world differently to how I saw it 30-40 years ago, but....

Does anyone care that much about winning the flag these days?

I mean in the lead up - yes.

On the day - yes.

In the immediate aftermath - yes.


But beyond that, do supporters give a shit? Do they care like they used to?

It seems that the world moves on very quickly after the AFL Grand Final these days.

The NRL comes on the week after. Cup Week kicks off. The NBA starts. The World Series is on. The NBL starts. Then the cricket is on.

The AFL seems like a distant memory about 2 days after the final siren!

Not that long ago, winning the flag seemed like a glorious and momentous achievement in which the glory was basked in for months, even years afterwards.

Doesn't seem like that now.


Or maybe it's just me?

OMG the whole summer I give all the non Hawthorn suppers shit after a flag. The threepeat was just pure ecstasy. What are you talking about ?!

 

[Roddy]

Granted, I'm pushing 50. So I obviously see the world differently to how I saw it 30-40 years ago, but....

Does anyone care that much about winning the flag these days?

I mean in the lead up - yes.

On the day - yes.

In the immediate aftermath - yes.


But beyond that, do supporters give a shit? Do they care like they used to?

It seems that the world moves on very quickly after the AFL Grand Final these days.

The NRL comes on the week after. Cup Week kicks off. The NBA starts. The World Series is on. The NBL starts. Then the cricket is on.

The AFL seems like a distant memory about 2 days after the final siren!

Not that long ago, winning the flag seemed like a glorious and momentous achievement in which the glory was basked in for months, even years afterwards.

Doesn't seem like that now.


Or maybe it's just me?

I’m 54, and it’s absolutely, unequivocally, 100% just you.

And maybe a small but noisy minority who love reeling out the same, tired old ‘things was so much betta in da good ol’ days!’ slogans and cliches…

 

[Stabby McGee]

I’m 54, and it’s absolutely, unequivocally, 100% just you.

And maybe a small but noisy minority who love reeling out the same, tired old ‘things was so much betta in da good ol’ days!’ slogans and cliches…

100% agree and 100% just him. "I don't support any team" is rubbish,
If you aren't there making the gravy then you shouldn't eat the meat, and the op is a lazy vegetarian

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

I think my point has been missed a bit.

Of course the rabid fans of the club that wins the flag will cherish and savour it and live vicariously through the achievement of their team - that's always going to be the case.

That applies to any sport. That applies to the fans of the WNBL champions, the netball, the NPL and even the local lawn bowls club.

What I'm referring to, is how 'the world' views it.

By 'the world' I'm referring to the broader sporting and general public.

No one would even know who the NPL champs are. Who won the Stanley Cup last year? Who won the Super Rugby? Who won the Ballarat Cricket Association flag last year?

The diehard fans will still cherish it - but the rest of the world doesn't know and doesn't care


I don't think the 'rest of the world' really cares about that AFL flag that much anymore. I think it's lost its mystique and glory.
I feel it's become more 'event' and 'product', than the revered sporting achievement that it once was.

By the Sunday night, half the world has moved on. By the following week pretty much everyone except the diehard fans have moved on. By Christmas, I reckon the majority of people wouldn't even remember who won it.

That was not the case years ago.