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

[Minka Beaver]

It's not a popular opinion. But this conspiracy theory stuff is just a total endless circle. There so many variables that go into winning a game and you want to focus on one and bang on about it endlessly. Get over it. West Coast have been a good team for a long time, so was Hawthorn - they get more frees because they are better at Football. If your team wants more frees they need to get better at that. With umpires we have a stupid confirmation bias - I personally hate sitting in the members area for Collingwood games because literally with the first free against us people start foaming rabidly - surely there is no other sport in the world 50% of the supporters energy goes into screaming about umpires and then moaning about endlessly afterwards.

No, that's pretty much most fans in most sports.

 

[yyou]

That is because Geelong suck off the bye... lol nah just kidding I don't like it either because finishing top 4 and winning a qualifying final & having the week off used to be a lot bigger advantage, now with the pre-finals bye you are almost at disadvantage because you are so underdone you lose a lot of momentum.

If the Dogs, Giants or West Coast win the flag this year, I will go nuts on this topic about the AFL scraping pre-finals bye.

lucky bye

as for my unpopular opinions

I liked the previous hands in the back rule where any hands in the back led to a free kick.
I reckon Freo stuffed up the draft a couple of years ago by choosing Andrew Brayshaw. He is a number 2 pick who looks better when he doesn't have the ball. Good citizen & good tackler, but nothing more than a Junior Reece Conca. (most Freo fans hate that opinion)
I think the game is in really good shape and is as good a spectacle as it has ever been (I'm old, so I have watched footy for ages)
I hate it when people call banana kicks, "checksides" & I blame Bruce Macavaney for that.
I believe Eddie McGuire is an excellent commentator, but only when the Pisa aren't playing.
I believe the talent pool is FAR deeper than most believe & there are lots of people who could make it as AFL players.
I think we should trial time-outs in the pre-season & when I get accused of being pro-American (I do like USA), I'll point to the fact I detest hearing about "deefense" with the American intonation & want to preserve the Aussie version of "defense"
If I was in charge of the AFL, the upcoming bye round would have team 18 vs 17 playing at 18's home for number 1 pick, 16 vs 15 for number 3, and so on for the teams out of the 8.
I thinks, besides Tassie, there should also be a team in Canberra.
I like the Giants song way more than any other team song.
I think the draft should not only be televised, but it should also have spectators. For some of us, they are our new hope.
I even liked AFLX , except for the 10 point goals that weren't launched from way out, but were marked from long kicks. (maybe I was just footy starved)

 

[Minka Beaver]

I think the AFL draft age should be increased to 20. The sport would be improved at the top level by having players arrive in the AFL at a much later point in their physical development, with experience to match.

 

[Giant Pete]

AFL gf should be a best of 3 series.

 

[Damon_3388]

I think the AFL draft age should be increased to 20. The sport would be improved at the top level by having players arrive in the AFL at a much later point in their physical development, with experience to match.

Would less direct and focussed development (physically, skill-wise, and tactically) in those early years result in better players long-term, though? The whole point of getting these young guys "early" is to speed up the development curve, and create higher and longer "peaks".

I think there'd be much more value in creating an U/21s competition, than there would be in changing the draft age or system. If we had a national Seniors, Reserves, and U/21s leagues, that would optimise the development of players, and "uncover" all AFL-quality talent possible IMO. It would probably further marginalise the state comps, but I think we've come far enough with that already that it's really not going to matter a whole lot.

 

[Minka Beaver]

Would less direct and focussed development (physically, skill-wise, and tactically) in those early years result in better players long-term, though? The whole point of getting these young guys "early" is to speed up the development curve, and create higher and longer "peaks".

I don't think it would be less-focused on skills (which are a huge part of elite under-age programs) and a lot of the physical conditioning flows down from AFL best-practices (and has done for 20 years), so I think players may actually benefit from conditioning programs that are age and peer-appropriate. I don't know enough about the tactical lessons/drills to know how that would affect transition into the AFL.

Players would certainly benefit from developing a life perspective outside the AFL. It's a professional game, but a very precarious one. Those who enter the AFL as mature-age picks almost exclusively say it benefitted their mental health and ability to adapt to post-footy life by not being full-time professionals at 18.

 

[Damon_3388]

I don't think it would be less-focused on skills (which are a huge part of elite under-age programs) and a lot of the physical conditioning flows down from AFL best-practices (and has done for 20 years), so I think players may actually benefit from conditioning programs that are age and peer-appropriate. I don't know enough about the tactical lessons/drills to know how that would affect transition into the AFL.

Players would certainly benefit from developing a life perspective outside the AFL. It's a professional game, but a very precarious one. Those who enter the AFL as mature-age picks almost exclusively say it benefitted their mental health and ability to adapt to post-footy life by not being full-time professionals at 18.

Points taken. I just think not going into that full-time professional pathway will cause a huge number of potential young talents to get caught up either in a "regular life" pathway (uni/work, for "a future" and survival), or be caught in this in-between "waiting for a chance", kind of in, kind of out.

 

[Sauras]

I prefer watching footy at Marvel with the roof open. I just find the "vibe" feels better when the suns shining.

 

[Minka Beaver]

Points taken. I just think not going into that full-time professional pathway will cause a huge number of potential young talents to get caught up either in a "regular life" pathway (uni/work, for "a future" and survival), or be caught in this in-between "waiting for a chance", kind of in, kind of out.

Yeah, perhaps that gets addressed by your second point - the under 21 comp, which could mirror what used to occur in rugby league's National Youth Competition.

Regarding the life balance issue, clubs may have to work more closely with the AFLPA and develop a stronger culture around players doing something extra-curricular during their mandated RDOs, in order that players aren't caught up in a tug-of-war between being purely professional footballers and doing something else with their lives.

 

[Smoooothy]

Tex Walker is not the devil

 

[Bald]

The AFL should introduce a nation-wide seconds competition. Relegation should be introduced with the total number of clubs in the senior competition reduced to 14, each club plays each other twice to allow an even competition.

 

[hutchy31]

That is because Geelong suck off the bye... lol nah just kidding I don't like it either because finishing top 4 and winning a qualifying final & having the week off used to be a lot bigger advantage, now with the pre-finals bye you are almost at disadvantage because you are so underdone you lose a lot of momentum.

If the Dogs, Giants or West Coast win the flag this year, I will go nuts on this topic about the AFL scraping pre-finals bye.

The best side in September will win the flag. Didn’t do Richmond or the Eagles any harm the past two years, the importance of the bye is overstated because in the first year the dogs won from seventh.

If a team that finishes top four can’t have their players conditioned (mentally and physically) when they’ve known all year there is a bye before finals, then that reflects poorly on them and not the structure of the finals series.

 

[Cuzz09]

I think the AFL draft age should be increased to 20. The sport would be improved at the top level by having players arrive in the AFL at a much later point in their physical development, with experience to match.

I like it.

Then get a proper club reserves and U18s comp going.

Stop being amatuer.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[CarterS]

I enjoy BT's commentary and think Huddo is overrated.

 

[Numero Uno]

Non Vic team members should have access to a greater proportion of grand final tickets if they make it vs a Vic team.

The AFL dont care if they bend the rules and give the Suns priority picks. They know if they turn out to be good players they will more likely want to go back a Vic club eventually.
Vic clubs dominating the comp is what the AFL ultimately want

 

[Shoei]

The AFL should introduce a nation-wide seconds competition. Relegation should be introduced with the total number of clubs in the senior competition reduced to 14, each club plays each other twice to allow an even competition.

there’s literally no model where you could have a promotion/relegation system in place with a draft/restricted agency on players.

You promote any VFL/WAFL/SANFL team and they’ll be pummeled 100+ points a week.

Financially it will be a shit show.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Pretty poor list of retirees so far, compared to recent years. Of course the commentators will have to say what an exodus of superstars are leaving the game when they do the grand final motorcade, but how many walk up hall of famers are there? Roughead, with McVeigh and Lewis having a shout down the track? The class of 2019 really needs a Hodge or Ablett to pull the pin to look semi-respectable at this stage.

 

[TripleJay]

I like Chris Scott. He can be a pain, but not everyone can be likeable and agreeable. I also genuinely think he's intelligent, he's made reference to a couple of ideas/concepts that one can't attain without actually reading decent books.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Pretty poor list of retirees so far, compared to recent years. Of course the commentators will have to say what an exodus of superstars are leaving the game when they do the grand final motorcade, but how many walk up hall of famers are there? Roughead, with McVeigh and Lewis having a shout down the track? The class of 2019 really needs a Hodge or Ablett to pull the pin to look semi-respectable at this stage.

Dale Morris was a genuine superstar defender. Best defender I've seen at the dogs, including Lake. Easily.

 

[estibador]

Pretty poor list of retirees so far, compared to recent years. Of course the commentators will have to say what an exodus of superstars are leaving the game when they do the grand final motorcade, but how many walk up hall of famers are there? Roughead, with McVeigh and Lewis having a shout down the track? The class of 2019 really needs a Hodge or Ablett to pull the pin to look semi-respectable at this stage.

Sandilands?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Sandilands?

Ah, yep. Knew I'd forget someone. I'd say he's the pick so far. I think the point remains though.

 

[MadMundy]

Fyfe is actually well liked at Fremantle and a good role model for the younger players despite the bullshit and lies that some West Coast fans spew. There's more evidence to suggest he's respected than there is that he isn't. Look forward to the response of people telling me why I'm wrong

 

[Number37]

Pretty poor list of retirees so far, compared to recent years. Of course the commentators will have to say what an exodus of superstars are leaving the game when they do the grand final motorcade, but how many walk up hall of famers are there? Roughead, with McVeigh and Lewis having a shout down the track? The class of 2019 really needs a Hodge or Ablett to pull the pin to look semi-respectable at this stage.

AFL Hall of Fame is becoming like under 10's. Every retiring player gets a ribbon for being a champion.

 

[tugga]

While a wonderful cause, I would rather watch a replay of Gelong's 157 point win against Richmond than watch the EJ Whitten match.

 

[tugga]

If I was in charge of the AFL, the upcoming bye round would have team 18 vs 17 playing at 18's home for number 1 pick, 16 vs 15 for number 3, and so on for the teams out of the 8.

I reckon this is a brilliant idea.