I find myself sitting here, the day after, wondering if this has genuinely been a good year for the AFL in terms of showcasing the sport and taking it to a new level.

The general footy public mainly think it was the bees knees and I get that straight after a sleeping giant has triumphed, even haters of Collingwood are getting swept up in the Eurphoria of it, there's a reason they are the most talked about sporting club in the country. But let's look at it as a whole, did this season do what the AFL wanted it to do?

Off the top of my head the Gather Round appeared to have been a success and the level playing field and standard of finals games but I think of the following things and don't know if they add up to a great look for the league:

- Concussion: Does the AFL care enough? The Alir and Jones incident was a total joke. Then the Maynard and Gus incident, the player got off and the story sold papers but did we actually learn anything from it?

- Fixturing: Where do you start? 

- The MRO: New rules every week and what could now appear to be a conflict of interest in the position. No consistency.

- The rules: Still no clarity on the stand rule and a heavy penalty for the slightest of movements on the mark. A heap more nonsense 50 metre penalties and a sport that has never been harder to explain to a new fan. 

- The Brownlow: Losing more credibility. Yes Neale's year may have been better than we thought but the number of shock 3 voters and non votes for others seemed high.

- And lastly, the umpiring:

I take nothing away from Collingwood who have been toughest the longest in 2023. But with wins by 7 points, 1 point and 4 points, knocking out a key player in the first, having at least 3 no calls in the prelim go their way and then the rub of the green in the Grand Final culminating with the most ridiculous advantage of all time, it's almost fitting that this season was underlined with that as the exclamation point.

Nothing is ever perfect but I felt this season missed the mark on quite a few quality metrics. A big club winning the flag is not papering over the cracks, it's wallpapering over a gaping hole. The league has got their TV cash and Gil leaves on his horse into the sunset while Dil picks put a new $5k Herman Miller task chair for the office. Yes there is some saltiness right now but I'm keen to hear views on this. Was it a good season for the AFL and the game in general? Happy to hear both sides, keep it respectful. 

Edited October 1, 20231 yr by layzie

Record breaking crowds which is remarkable in the age of online entertainment

Just now, Jontee said:

Record breaking crowds which is remarkable in the age of online entertainment

Fair call, will take that.

Well if it's based solely on a sell out GF and a great game, plus Gill finally leaving the building, then it would be a good year for the AFL.

If it's about a host of other issues they have stuffed up, then absolutely not.

the punters are turning up in droves. new tv deal on the horizon. sponsors signing on. the money is flowing so from that perspective everything is hunky dory.

2 minutes ago, BDA said:

the punters are turning up in droves. new tv deal on the horizon. sponsors signing on. the money is flowing so from that perspective everything is hunky dory.

Yes and this is the concern. 

It's like a tech company like Apple or Samsung releasing a new smartphone, a ton of problems come up but they won't fix them because there's a new release coming out anyway and people will still buy it.

Edited October 1, 20231 yr by layzie

No doubt there's been great crowds and I always try attend as many Dees games as possible. I do wonder though if there are others who, like me, are increasingly going to the local footy (Mornington Peninsula). Sometimes feels a bit more authentic, less razzamatazz. Sponsor is the local butcher too so 'the burgers are better'. So there's that.

From the point of view of the AFL it’s been a fantastic year. Lots and lots of $$$$$

From my point of view it’s been arguably the worst year. Up until Maynard got off, it was the usual level of not trusting nor respecting the AFL. But that whole debacle sees the AFL sink to an all-time low. Yes, there’s always been corruption and favouritism etc. but it seems they no longer even bother to hide the fact. It’s open slather, they don’t even afford us the respect of trying to rationalise or at least cover up such injustice. 

4 minutes ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

From the point of view of the AFL it’s been a fantastic year. Lots and lots of $$$$$

From my point of view it’s been arguably the worst year. Up until Maynard got off, it was the usual level of not trusting nor respecting the AFL. But that whole debacle sees the AFL sink to an all-time low. Yes, there’s always been corruption and favouritism etc. but it seems they no longer even bother to hide the fact. It’s open slather, they don’t even afford us the respect of trying to rationalise or at least cover up such injustice. 

This is my feeling this year. They used to sweep under the rug pretty well bur something shifted this year even further. I can't remember a season where the final 8 was shaped by as much controversial events as this one. The execution and skill of the players was not forefront (Although I will say it was in the GF) it was anything but.

I'd also like to add to this: The media. I'm sure there's others that still love any sort of football media but this was the year that completely turned me off any sort of football shows and commentary. The concussion debates firstly with Alir and Jones then Maynard and Gus seemed to pit the ex players against us idi0ts that wouldn't know because we never played the game. It's left me with an uncomfortable feeling and a lot of division. 

We'll see what ends up happening with this class action, who knows maybe there will be more division but as many here have said the money is piling in so they'll be fine.

I have loved watching games this year

 Footy is full of frustration but overall the 'look' of the game was great in 23.

We feel hard done by as Melbourne supporters, which I think we are entitled to feel in terms of a lot of things not going our way. The Carlton disallowed goal that cost us a home final against an interstate team, the horror show of Angus’ concussion and the subsequent selling of players health for ratings, and the disappointment of killing our on field chances again with an issue that’s been an issue for a painfully long time.

I will say that this kind of disillusionment and disappointment was almost my entire experience of being a long term Melbourne supporter up until 2 years ago.

I guess the upside is it’s nice to know that things can actually get better.

We are well and truly in the sports entertainment era. Maximising revenues is God, and a Pies flag with Carlton making the prelim is huge for the coffers. Expect this to be the norm. 

We have to get to 85-90k members to get a look-in on the gold.

With Collingwood on top all year and Carlton playing 3 finals it was obviously going to be a good year for crowds at the major stadiums and ratings.

Umpiring academy needs to be started asap. They should of committed money to this before establishing aflw or even gws.

No sense of priorities. Blockheads.

New goal review video equipment desperately needed.

Bias towards the biggest clubs seems impossible to stop. 

I hope Dillon is more urgent in fixing problems unlike McLachlan who left the AFL umpiring in a hot mess and didnt care about the goal review saga as  the (right teams) won in Swans /crows and Carlton/Melb games.

 

The AFL is one of the least trustworthy organisations in the country, full stop. I cannot stand my bank, telco or airline, but I trust them more than the AFL.

Can anyone actually name three more untrustworthy organisations (governments aside) than the AFL?

Edited October 1, 20231 yr by Queanbeyan Demon

More negatives than positives, but huge crowds, few big crowds for Dees games. Noticing a trend with more bags of goals (unknown stats) coming back, Curnow first player 80+ goals since 2016. Would love to see another 100+ season again and crowd flood the ground. 

It's a very good question. I suspect we all see it from the Demon perspective, in which we saw some ARC howlers and some terrible advantage calls - we always seemed to have the reverse of the GF blunder: playing on with a clear advantage only to have the ball called back while the opposition set up their defence. But the 6-6-6 rule is excellent; the 4 umpires is a waste of time and money and clogs up the field, and the idea above of an umpires' academy is an excellent one. Oh, and thinking of academies, the draft system is totally compromised -and also the MRO   - not to mention the tribunal....... 

B+ for the short term (crowds, exciting games etc). 
 

E for the long term (meaningful change on the concussion-front, development of women’s game, technology improving the game)

It’s been a great year for the AFL’s cash flow.

It’s been a poor year for the fans unless you barrack for Pies or Blues. 
 

Umpiring quality at an all time low. MRO a joke. ARC a disgrace. Channel 7 coverage and commentary an insult to the eyes and ears. Game day experience at the ground loud and annoying. Ease of purchasing finals tickets negative ten. 

Yes record attendance and memberships, but how much of that is post Covid buzz and big clubs seeing success again (especially Pies and Blues), and how much of it is sustainable long term without proper investment in the quality of the above. 
 

From my point of view, I’ve never felt more disillusioned or disengaged from the AFL. I am invested in our club, but finding it harder and harder to stay involved beyond the 3 hours a week in which we play. 

Overall I got to see and enjoy all the home games bar Brissie as I was in Cairns that week. We played some great games and debuted some great kids, we failed to capitalise on a number of excellent team performances which cost us dearly in the end. A terrible year for losing key players at critical times during the season. Gus being Ko’ed and poor kicking cost us a critical chance of moving into the Prelim, the Pies fans left me feeling claustrophobic and angry. The Blues fans were much more like us but watching us cough up two goals in 2 minutes really hurt, felt a bit shell shocked really. Huge crowds at both games so the fans are back out in huge numbers, great for the AFL coffers, realised that concussion issued are not an issue for AFL. Some peculiar and bizarre decisions by the umpiring fraternity and the ARC system is a shambles that possibly cost us a shot at another Granny. Terrible to lose to Pies/ Blues then losing Barassi immediately after really deflated me and all those close to me. But being an MFC rusted on person I have learnt the value of resilience and perspective and I have licked my wounds and moved on. As for the AFL, just so disappointing in every important aspect of the game and their OH&S record speaks for itself. Crickets.!!!!

Edited October 1, 20231 yr by DeeZone
Spelling

AFLW is going well (?)

 A relatively even year which saw 15 teams still in contention for finals until very late in the season has papered over some serious issues. None of which are particularly new but all of which are just adding to the running-down of the asset.

The unholy alliance with Channel 7 and the Herald Sun to package everything that happens to suit the easiest marketing targets is incrementally grinding everyone else down. Similarly, the dysfunction boys club in commentary and governance is both a continuous loss and a real risk. The token efforts in the salary cap, performance enhancement and gambling areas are like a slow-growing mushroom waiting for someone to step on it and puff out a burst of choking spores.

The overuse of rules interventions and ad hoc politically influenced interpretations has combined with the under-resourcing of the actual officiating professionals to slowly grind that part of the game down. The less reliable it is, the more it becomes what people talk about in a surly way, rather than just a disappointed-on-the-day way.

The fixture is tilted every year for commercial advantages to the 'aggregate' rather than competitive integrity or fair commercial opportunity for each club. We all know this, to the point we openly say 'we'll get better fixtures when we play better'.

Two senior coaches - the two most successful coaches in the game - had mental breakdowns this season.

Gold Coast is being kept at AFL level by nonsense levels of academy concessions, and Sydney not only is only relevant due to its own previous huge concessions, but it only made finals on an obvious yet uncorrected goal umpiring error which would not have happened in any other professional-level sport in the developed world.

Second-tier competitions continue to slip just a little every year. Simplest to say they are not keeping up with inflation.

Right now the AFL resembles the Mayan empire at its peak, destroying the soils on which it relies, to attend to the infinite greed of the priest-lords.

1 hour ago, Clintosaurus said:

We are well and truly in the sports entertainment era. Maximising revenues is God, and a Pies flag with Carlton making the prelim is huge for the coffers. Expect this to be the norm. 

We have to get to 85-90k members to get a look-in on the gold.

No we have to have 40,000 minimum of our existing members of say 75,000 next season attending and that will be sufficient to continue our rise. 

Naming up the Tassie side for coming into the comp to finally make a national comp. I think that's an achievement (to get the AFL there)

... whether Tassie implodes on it's way to 2028, thats another story altogether!

If all you care about is profit and inflated and shallow numbers like membership and total crowd numbers then yes.

As @Redlegintimates; if you have a brain and integrity - it’s in an awful state.

Statistically it is trending well but I can’t help think there are a number of holes appearing in the boat and the afl are choosing to ignore the holes and point to the shiny things. I wonder how that plays out over the next decade or two.