Dr. Gonzo

This should be done next year (assuming we're back to normal by then).

We'll be lucky if there still is an AFLW next season (not to mention a few AFL clubs too)

I haven't got an email about this yet....

It sucks and it is going to have a massive impact on the entire economy. I would not want to be a business owner right now. But I don't think you can escape the impact. Whether we close things (like schools) down now or in 3 weeks, you're just delaying the inevitable and allowing things to get worse in the meantime.

It's BS they're more worried about the impact on the economy than the availability of health care workers. You can't negotiate with a virus, you can't bargain and wait it out til the school holidays. Incompetent buffoons in charge everywhere who know nothing except their neo-liberal ideologies and worship of the marketplace. But at least Scotty has some stern words for those acting like idiots, I'm sure they'll listen.

School, work, supermarkets - essential services Professional sports - non-essential luxury entertainment The point is not to eliminate exposure, chances are a majority of people are going to end up contracting the virus at some point. The point is to slow it's movement through society so the public health system isn't overwhelmed and people die because they can't get treatment. Any non-essential activities should be reduced or eliminated to reduce the chances of infection and slowing the spread. But it will spread now that it's here, I don't think we can put the genie back in the bottle. Borders should've been locked down a month ago but then again a month ago I was laughing at people who were worried about this. I thought it would be another SARS/Avian flu deal. The effects on health and the economy are beyond what I imagined it would be and for Australians it is going to get worse before it gets better.

About a month ago I had a fever (over 40 degrees) combined with a pretty swollen throat (but not infected and wasn't too sore), chills, body/muscle aches, fatigue, headaches for 4 or 5 days etc and was the worst I have felt since I had glandular fever. GP did a swab test for flu which came back negative but I was off work for a week and so was everyone in my team who had it as well (I caught it off someone in the team and it went through almost all of us). Did I have coronavirus? I dunno maybe ?‍♂️

I don't really understand the question. If there's a premiership to win then I want us to win it. Premierships aren't weighted the one won by Fitzroy in 1916 in a 4 team comp when they finished last is worth the same as every other flag.

There's no way crowds are allowed back by Anzac Day. They've cancelled all Anzac ceremonies today haven't they? This might allow us to negotiate with the AFL/Tigers/Pies to allow us at least one of Anzac Eve or Queens Bday next year so we won't have the feast or famine and will be guaranteed one of them each year. I'd push for anzac eve in 2021 because hopefully we'll have crowds back by queen's Bday (though who knows...)

Shorter games will be to play make up games mid week later in the year (assuming the season is suspended and is able to recommence in time) The AFL will pull out all stops to meet their tv commitments (198 h&a games and 9 finals)

Thank god our capitalist system is built to withstand such crises ?

I'm sure you will, were you invested when we played in Alice Springs or Darwin?

My mfcss is telling me we get off to a flyer on top of the ladder and then the season is called off OR we break the drought but no one is allowed in to watch it ?

Or they have WA umpires like Dean Marghetts who blatantly favours them. If it was just the crowd why don't the Dockers get afforded the same luxuries?

I'm not saying don't try that. I just don't think it will work.

They also need to pay free kicks against the scraggers holding/tackling players at contests before theyve taken possession of the footy. Every club does it.

Yes the increased interchange was a significant factor. But it wasn't the only factor. Total football, full team defensive zones etc these tactics coincided with the increased interchange. They are both contributing factors to the lack of flow in the modern game.

But the centre square??? Out on the full? That's not Australian Football, not how it was played for the majority of the first 110 years anyway.

In your example 12 a side would make defensive zones untenable. The ground is too big and players can kick the ball too far too quickly to be able to cover distance between the opposition in a 12 man zone. There were always be some congestion around the ball but it would be drastically reduced and coaches would be forced to play man on man due to the zones being unworkable

Pretty sure the SANFL and VFA have had 16 a side. Australian Football began with 20 a side before being culled. Changes have been made throughout the history of the game to maintain the aesthetics. The centre diamond/square wouldve been anathema to you in the 70s as well as the out of bounds on the full rule because "thats not Australian Football"

How will taking two players from each team off the field take us further away from what football was and what made it great?

Maybe we could try him in defense?

Why do you say that? Aflx had fewer players on the ground yes, but there were a multitude of other rule changes/factors that meant that abortion of a publicity stunt was never going to succeed. There will still be bumps, tackles, ovals etc It's just that there will be more space for the players to play in instead of being suffocated by a scrum of players when they take possession of the ball

Fair enough, I don't necessarily disagree. More scoring isn't necessarily the aim for me it's more the aesthetic of the game. Opening up the play to remove the rolling scrums and providing some space for the game to breathe and players to be able to show off their talents instead of being suffocated by 25-30 players around the ball is the aim. Higher scoring is just a consequence of that. If you like the game as it is now that's fine. The best games are still great. But for me they're few and far between and I often find myself bored for large patches of games which never happened previously. Maybe I'm just getting older but I don't think so, the more open game of the 90s and early 00s is still great to look back on and watch

Defense generally wins championships and it's the same the world over. Look at the NFL. The Rams had an offense that was seen as so high powered and revolutionary that anyone who ever had a coffee with McVay was offered a head coach role. In the Superbowl their high octane offense was brought to a screeching halt by one of the best defensive minded coaches of all time, Bill Belichick and they only scored 3 points for the whole game! This year the high powered offense overcame the brutal defense when Mahomes turned the game around in the final 7 minutes scoring 3 Touchdowns. But up to that point the 49ers defense had them covered leading 20-10 and were only brought undone by a combination of conservative playcalling, laissez faire officiating and a generational player catching fire. Coaches will always want to build off a solid foundation of defense, it's in their nature.