Massive losses in AFL

[G-Mo77]

The game is cooked.

If the Bulldogs aren't playing I don't bother watching anymore... My only interest is to see how my SC players are going.

I'm pretty much the same although I do enjoy watching the VFL Saturday afternoons.

My SC team is going poorly this week as well.

[soupman]

GWS come in next year.

You would think they will be less competitive than GC and their average losing margin next year will exceed Gold Coast's (currently 70) throw in Port Adelaide who you cannot see being competitive anytime soon, one sided games aren't going anywhere over the next few years.

This is a very good point.

Does anybody else think that GWS recruiting strategy appears to be poor based on the players they are rumored to be chasing?

At footy yesterday there were a few teammates saying that GC stuffed up by taking too many older blokes who won't be at their prime when the young guys are good enough to win that premiership. They reckon just load up on kids and that way they all peak together.

Not sure that that will work though. The best "case study" of this thus far is Melbourne, with their team of draft picks lacking senior players, especially of real quality. This year they seem to have almost gone backwards, their list hasn't improved much with the exception of Tapscott and Watts, and there are massive questions marks of their culture and hardness. Could this be GWS future?

It's all well and good to poach very talented 20 year olds in Scully, Davis, Ward etc. On top of a large group of talented 18 year olds, the potential for a great side will clearly be there. However, are they going to be able to develop these guys to the point where enough of them reach their potential to be a premiership threat?

[ledge]

Also with these big contracts if the player is a dud or stuffs up or wants to get out no club will take them because no club will be able to take on the rest of the contract as its too much off the salary cap.

[BulldogBelle]

This is a very good point.

Does anybody else think that GWS recruiting strategy appears to be poor based on the players they are rumored to be chasing?

At footy yesterday there were a few teammates saying that GC stuffed up by taking too many older blokes who won't be at their prime when the young guys are good enough to win that premiership. They reckon just load up on kids and that way they all peak together.
Not sure that that will work though. The best "case study" of this thus far is Melbourne, with their team of draft picks lacking senior players, especially of real quality. This year they seem to have almost gone backwards, their list hasn't improved much with the exception of Tapscott and Watts, and there are massive questions marks of their culture and hardness. Could this be GWS future?

It's all well and good to poach very talented 20 year olds in Scully, Davis, Ward etc. On top of a large group of talented 18 year olds, the potential for a great side will clearly be there. However, are they going to be able to develop these guys to the point where enough of them reach their potential to be a premiership threat?

Disagree. A team needs a balance, particularly to help develop the younger players - and I thought it was pretty wise that the GC acquired some more experienced defenders like Harbrow, Bock and Krakour so that they didnt get scored on heavily.

Josh Fraser and Campbell Brown were a waste though...

[Mantis]

Disagree. A team needs a balance, particularly to help develop the younger players - and I thought it was pretty wise that the GC acquired some more experienced defenders like Harbrow, Bock and Krakour so that they didnt get scored on heavily.

Josh Fraser and Campbell Brown were a waste though...

Krakouer has proved to be a bigger waste than Brown.

Harbrow was only 21 when recruited and isn't a defensive defender anyway.

Bock has been good.

[Ozza]

I must say, I was watching Collingwood/Port on Saturday night thinking 'When did the game become so uneven'. Even doing footy tipping - there is only 1 or 2 games each weekend you even have to think about - as there is 5 or 6 basically one-sided games every weekend.

Geez it would be a disgraceful effort if we finished lower than Melbourne this year. And with their easy run home - its quite probable.

[LostDoggy]

Also with these big contracts if the player is a dud or stuffs up or wants to get out no club will take them because no club will be able to take on the rest of the contract as its too much off the salary cap.

That's a very good point that I hadn't actually given much thought to. If a player goes, it's almost certainly a one-way street. Even if they complete their contract and want to come home, they'll be copping a hefty drop in pay as their contract was inflated anyway.

I must say, I was watching Collingwood/Port on Saturday night thinking 'When did the game become so uneven'. Even doing footy tipping - there is only 1 or 2 games each weekend you even have to think about - as there is 5 or 6 basically one-sided games every weekend.

Geez it would be a disgraceful effort if we finished lower than Melbourne this year. And with their easy run home - its quite probable.

Could be worse… We could be Port…

On the topic of thrashings, I agree it's terrible for the game and makes you want to switch off, but it's a temporary thing. There is enough talent NOT playing AFL (proven by the success of some of the rookies of late) that having the extra teams, once they've had the time to settle, can only mean more players and more identified talent. Add to that the potential for growth in grassroots footy in traditionally non-AFL regions and I think over time the quality of football will either return to what it was or even increase.

We just have to ride it out.

[Ghost Dog]

Disagree. A team needs a balance, particularly to help develop the younger players - and I thought it was pretty wise that the GC acquired some more experienced defenders like Harbrow, Bock and Krakour so that they didnt get scored on heavily.

Josh Fraser and Campbell Brown were a waste though...

Campbell Brown...well, don't have to worry about his cheap shots until next season..

[Mantis]

Guy McKenna spoke a bit about this when he was OTC on Monday night.

He said that it was like watching an U/9 team play an U/12 team when GC played Geelong.

He said they have gone down a path of getting young players with an eye to the future and would just have to wait til the likes of Trent McKenzie & Zac Smith were 21 or so and had been in the system for 3 or 4 years such that there bodies had matured and are then able to compete with the bigger & stronger teams.... BTW 'Bluey' Zac is already 21.

[Topdog]

Oops looks like everyone in here is wrong. Mr D has spoken

[LostDoggy]

Oops looks like everyone in here is wrong. Mr D has spoken

Don't worry, the proof is in the pudding -- another three years of this crap and the attendance and TV figures will speak for themselves.

[bornadog]

Don't worry, the proof is in the pudding -- another three years of this crap and the attendance and TV figures will speak for themselves.

It will be interesting combined with every game live to air.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Oops looks like everyone in here is wrong. Mr D has spoken

Is that Kim Jong Demetriou? or Chemical 'comical' Demetriou?

[Topdog]

Pretty sure it is this guy

[BulldogBelle]

[QUOTE=Mantis;231863]The game is cooked.

If the Bulldogs aren't playing I don't bother watching anymore... QUOTE]

Tend to agree with you, at the AFL level. I still love watching country footy however. Im starting to find myself watching more NRL for some god-unknown reason, and actually getting something out of it.

Biased draws, ignorant administrators, expansion clubs, my teams crappy performance, the ever-present threat of players leaving, free-agency looming like a storm on the horizon, media over-exposure of the game, all seem to whittle away at the passion I once felt.