Some are discussing the pro's & cons of going National, as against the Old, VFL...

Fitzroy, the Swans, Nort', & the Saints, not to mention our capitulation, almost becoming Hawks...

I like the National comp', but don't like the gamestyle of the flood & Press. too many Interchange rootations. I'm a traditionalist.

Some are discussing the pro's & cons of going National, as against the Old, VFL...

Fitzroy, the Swans, Nort', & the Saints, not to mention our capitulation, almost becoming Hawks...

I like the National comp', but don't like the gamestyle of the flood & Press. too many Interchange rootations. I'm a traditionalist.

Me too dee-luded but it might just be our age mate.

and as that old saying goes "there is nothing more constant than change"

You have conflated two issues here. The flood and press have nothing to do with the move toward a national code. Coaches would have invented these tactics if the competition remained as the VFL.

I was too young to truly appreciate the "suburban" feel to the old VFL, so I have nothing to add to the actual debate.

Edited March 2, 201214 yr by Stylus

I think the national competition works well enough - it would have been nearly impossible to expand the game into NSW and Qld without the backing of a strong national competition.

In my opinion the biggest casualty (apart from South and Fitzroy) has been State of Origin. I think one of the main reasons it can't get off the ground is because there's such a familiarity with interstate players, that there just isn't that 'us versus them' attitutde. When I watched as a kid, I didn't really care if Victoria won or not - I just wanted the Melbourne players to do well.

I also think there's a shortage of meaningful trophies to be won in the AFL. It really is 'winner takes it all' and 17 clubs will go away disappointed each season, at least the State of Origin provided another focus. If the state leagues had remained separate, there may have been some great opportunities for other trophies, such as league champions and even a Champion's League running between the states.

A mate of mine ( Fitzroy supporter) pointed out that one of the strenghts of our code was that we all had friends who supported other teams so there was always someone to go to each match with. Its harder to find an interstate supporter in melb .The mingling of supporters was always part of the atmosphere trading good natured abuse was always great . Hope we never get the tribal approach of English premier league where supporters are channelled to opposite ends of the ground. Its a feeling that you do get if you go to SA ground as a minority supporter

My Mate now goes to less footy though he has been dragged into norts group by mutual friend as I have removed to the country.Lost one there.

I miss the VFL. The tribalism of suburban rivalry. I love the old grounds, junction and western oval. Windy Hill, morrabbin, VFL park. People were more colorful back then with the real footy tragics wearing a thousand player buttons, duffle coats etc. The days when you could have a real beer at the footy (not watered down crap), pack a picnic and kick the footy on the ground after the game.

What I loved most was watching the reserves before the game. Identifying the talent coming through.

Bring it back. This new professional era has taken the footy away from the people. It's been taken over by the corporates

You have conflated two issues here. The flood and press have nothing to do with the move toward a national code. Coaches would have invented these tactics if the competition remained as the VFL.

I was too young to truly appreciate the "suburban" feel to the old VFL, so I have nothing to add to the actual debate.

True, I have a few differing edges to the Equation. But I suppose with the evolvement of the game, we've got some very right, & some NQR...

IMO we have an expanded Comp, a plus, but lost some tribalism. But it takes the game trully National. and maybe Inter-National, soon. (If it become 'International', & further expanded, we could see the return of the 'Tribal VFL' !!!)

Ummh, 'Flooding', it's a problem, & a seperate issue. Your right.

Flooding has been around since day one in the old VFL.

I can remember back in 1962 when Charlie Sutton fresh from Footscray was coaching Kyabram in the preliminary final in the Goulbourn Valley league.

Tatura, in a cliff hanger game, was 2-3 points down in the dying minutes of the game when I marked on the HBF and ran the ball all the way to beyond the wing.

Looking upfield all I could see was kyabram colours. Of course I fluffed getting through and they cleared the ball and ran out winners.

This was a flood VFL/AFL style and we had never seen anything like it in the bush. I had no idea what to do at the time and neither did any of the Tat lads.

People who think that flooding is an AFL invention ( as opposed to a VFL creation ) are either too young to know or have lost their memories.

Even if it had stayed purely Victorian no way Fitzroy and South would still be around. Lucky if they weren't followed by several others too.

Flooding has been around since day one in the old VFL.

I can remember back in 1962 when Charlie Sutton fresh from Footscray was coaching Kyabram in the preliminary final in the Goulbourn Valley league.

Tatura, in a cliff hanger game, was 2-3 points down in the dying minutes of the game when I marked on the HBF and ran the ball all the way to beyond the wing.

Looking upfield all I could see was kyabram colours. Of course I fluffed getting through and they cleared the ball and ran out winners.

This was a flood VFL/AFL style and we had never seen anything like it in the bush. I had no idea what to do at the time and neither did any of the Tat lads.

People who think that flooding is an AFL invention ( as opposed to a VFL creation ) are either too young to know or have lost their memories.

Yes 'skills' . Flooding used to be called "Stacking the backline" .

The forward press is not entirely new either . I reckon I saw a version of it a "back in the day" . The "Backmen pushing up" is about all I can remember it being called .

Cheers .

Edited March 3, 201214 yr by Macca

Flooding has been around since day one in the old VFL.

I can remember back in 1962 when Charlie Sutton fresh from Footscray was coaching Kyabram in the preliminary final in the Goulbourn Valley league.

Tatura, in a cliff hanger game, was 2-3 points down in the dying minutes of the game when I marked on the HBF and ran the ball all the way to beyond the wing.

Looking upfield all I could see was kyabram colours. Of course I fluffed getting through and they cleared the ball and ran out winners.

This was a flood VFL/AFL style and we had never seen anything like it in the bush. I had no idea what to do at the time and neither did any of the Tat lads.

People who think that flooding is an AFL invention ( as opposed to a VFL creation ) are either too young to know or have lost their memories.

Slightly different skills, where it sounds like the runner went out to tell all to go back to the backline for the last couple of minutes to defend.

Rather than a constant 'All Game', back & forward constant flood/press. Because today they have the endurance, 'X' interchanges to be able to do it the whole game.

Even if it had stayed purely Victorian no way Fitzroy and South would still be around. Lucky if they weren't followed by several others too.

Yeah, I think so too.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to one day hear of a franchise starting in New Zealand. Probably incorporating all the Polynesian countries.

"Slightly different skills, where it sounds like the runner went out to tell all to go back to the backline for the last couple of minutes to defend."

That's a joke right.

I have never seen a runner in 40 years of playing footy around the country.

We are talking about country footy in the sixties.

"Slightly different skills, where it sounds like the runner went out to tell all to go back to the backline for the last couple of minutes to defend."

That's a joke right.

I have never seen a runner in 40 years of playing footy around the country.

We are talking about country footy in the sixties.

Correct me if I've misunderstood you, but in 40 years, you've never seen a runner?

All my ammo footy viewing has been in Tassie I'll admit, but I've watched footy at most levels down here and I don't think I've ever not seen a runner. Often it's the team physio, one of the twos players or just a bloke they've plucked out of the 7 people in the crowd, but they've always got one.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to one day hear of a franchise starting in New Zealand. Probably incorporating all the Polynesian countries.

Which ones? I don't know about the others but in Fiji they are rugby die-hards and our game is little more than a curiosity that they generally laugh at.