By Pickles
September 24th 2008 @ 8:47am
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Hard to take the Brownlow seriously
Despite being the most prestigious award for individual players in the competition, the Brownlow Medal is quickly becoming another boring event and the award itself has less credibility every passing season.
First and foremost - congratulations to Adam Cooney on winning the Brownlow Medal, there is no doubt he had a great season with the Bulldogs.
But was he the fairest and best in the competition this season? No.
I’ll admit I did have a dip on Ablett to win at reasonable odds - hence my disappointment - but as a football lover and watcher I have no doubt in my mind that Gary Ablett Jnr was the stand-out player in the comp this season and last.
I know statistics don’t tell the full story of a player but when you compare the statistics of Ablett and Cooney, then watch the players in action there is no doubt Ablett is a better player and had a better season. Gary had every right to be a little disappointed when he failed to poll votes in the last round and fell two votes short of taking home “Charlie”.
By now we already know it’s a midfielder medal and accept it; for a forward to poll votes they have to play a role up the ground or kick bags of 7 goals plus. A defender has to keep a star forward goal-less and still have a big influence creating play out of the backline.
If you’re a ruckman then forget about polling votes completely. Take the All-Australian ruckman Dean Cox, for example.
Cox averaged over 22 disposals & 26 hit-outs per game and only managed to poll three votes despite clearly being West Coast’s best player this season. In the Eagles round 16 loss to the Lions, Cox had a game-high 36 disposals and completely dominated the ruck with 27 hit-outs.
However, not a vote in sight. This happened on a number of occasions throughout the year.
Adam Goodes, where do I start?
It’s been obvious in previous years that the umpires like to give Goodes votes. But polling a total of 21 and coming 4th overall this season is a joke. Nine out 10 Swans supporters will tell you the same thing, the one who doesn’t would be the stereotypical Swans fan who turns up to games and claps when the Swans score a behind.
Out of all the teams it’s fair to say it would be hardest to poll votes when you play Geelong. For starters, they only lost one game all season and on top of that they have a long list of gun players.
In round 5 the Swans went down to Geelong by 42 points, Goodes polled two votes with the amazing figures of 14 disposals, no goals and only 5 hit-outs. Fifteen Cats and 11 Swans equalled or had more disposals than Goodes. Explains itself.
In most cases the umpires call it as they see it, I don’t have a problem with that. But in modern-day football where the umpires have become too precious that they have not only resorted to award free kicks and 50-metre penalties for swearing but they sunk so low they gave away a 50m penalty this season for a player who pointed at an umpire. What a joke.
This is likely to be under the instruction of the AFL but the umpires are penalising the best players in the game for incidents like these. Swearing and sledging does not take anything away from the “fairest” aspect of the medal. If the umpires want to continue penalising players for such minor incidents then the Brownlow will not remain the most prestigious award for much longer.
Moving past the farce that is the medal count.
Thankfully in Melbourne the count was shown live, however, footy fans in Western Australia and Queensland had to watch an extremely delayed telecast. I hope those who stayed up to watch it in the early hours of the morning in Queensland didn’t watch Channel 10’s late news program that revealed the winner before the count had been aired.
It all started badly when Kate Ceberano, who is well past her used-by date, performed a poor cover of “Let Me Entertain You”, trying her best to get the crowd involved and failing.
Between all the ads the vote count finally got under-way but viewers across Australia were left confused when the CEO of the AFL was reading out the wrong votes. You wouldn’t think it would be hard to pick up the right envelop for the first round and read out the votes correctly. This was a major blunder that really made the night look unprofessional and second-class. The CEO would have felt mighty embarrassed when a room full of footballers were laughing at the mistake he made.
I think I speak for most people when I say it’s always good to hear a feel-good story about community football and the people that devote their lives to community football, but the Brownlow Medal is not the right time to acknowledge these people. It’s a time to celebrate the year that these individuals had on the field. Save the community stuff for the pre-season or the rising star award ceremony.
At the end of the count we obviously saw the look of disappointment on Ablett’s face, which I think is fair enough considering he has been favourite to win the medal two years running only to fall short both times.
The expectation on him to win a Brownlow Medal now is huge and there’s no wonder he had high hopes of winning it when he was almost universally recognised as the best player in the competition by the media and after already winning the MVP selected by his peers.
I thought it was ridiculous that they set him up for an interview midway through the count showing footage of him as a 14-year-old. They guy has so much expectation on his shoulders; not to mention he’s playing in a Grand Final on Saturday. It was the last thing he needed.
It was bad enough when the AFL enforced a black-tie dress code or players would be refused entry but now it appears as if they are cracking down on what players do once they’re inside.
In previous years players of all clubs would muck around a bit whenever the camera was at their table, we even heard of games where they had to drink whenever they got on camera. This year, none of that happened and it really took away a lot of the entertainment from the night from a home viewers point of view.
That just about wraps up my rant on the most boring Brownlow count in recent years. Next year, hopefully the AFL will make it more entertaining for the home viewer, because I can’t see them changing the voting system any time soon.
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Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:21am | Report comment
The Brownlow is one of those ‘institutions’ that either is best NOT put under the microscope - - or, if you were to, then it would be changed such that the ‘Brownlow’ perhaps should be consigned to history.
First though - you need to separate the crap production of Channel 10 (most things they do are on the cheap, just look at their ridiculous 1979 technology umpire cam in the Big V vs Dreamteam match).
Secondly - the 3,2,1 voting system is always subject to misrepresentation - - given that a 3 votes MUST be awarded in every single game irrespective of deserved merit. Perhaps there should be 6 votes to dish out as deemed appropriate such that an absolute ’special’ game might earn 5 or even all 6 votes.
Thirdly - umpires voting - - every year the ’stats’ are trotted out to try to embarrass or discredit the umpire voting system - - however, there is one point, anyone who plays a game out in the middle can pick up a totally different feel for the game compared to those watching on the sidelines. Sometimes, the impact of a player goes beyond mere stats, and we know that a lot of players can pick up a lot of uncontested rubbish possession and not really hurt - - compared to the 1 percenters that don’t get counted in normal stats, and the ‘assists’ which mean that kicking goals alone is not the absolute measure.
Charlie Brownlow will outlast Kate Cebrano doing a silly cover, channel 10 doing really silly round ‘highlights’ which was more the ‘lowlights’ and ‘controversies’ - - - where were the great marks, and goals of each round?? Vossy did very well, but the whole Harvey tribute just dragged on and on.
Let’s just let the Brownlow stand for itself, stand alone - - it is after all, just a vote count!!
Dave said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Seems like a lot of people agree with you. National TV ratings wre down over 25% on last years vote. A combined total of 11,000 people in Syd and Bris watched, l presume, a delayed telecast on FTA! Just under 80% of all viewers were in Victoria…doesnt say much for the national interest.
It goes for far too long and you are right about all the fluff pieces that are broadcast. Put them on some other time. Just show round highlights and the votes 60-90 minutes finished.
Pippinu said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Speaking as a bullies supporter, I was surprised to wake up the next morning and find out that Coons had won it - basically because his last third of the season was a bit ordinary. You’ll get no argument from me that Ablett was the stand out for the year.
But - players from excellent teams often struggle to get sufficient votes - that’s why very few premiership teams have produced brownlow medallists - so - it’s a bit of bad luck.
oikee said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Hold on, last post was saying what a glamorous event this was, the Academy awards of nights , what a joke this has turned out to be, better get girls in shorter dresses for next year or you might start to lose your victorian audience as well.
I think the afl has done all it can to self-implode, wait until you get the veiwing figures for your grand final, that will be your next post then you will know you have a problem. Its like raming something down someones throat, i said earlier on a post about the dally-m awards, we are not there to make a fashion show out of a awards nite, we are there to cellabrate the players, keep it simple stupid.
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:54am | Report comment
Dave -
and let us all get to bed at a decent time.
I’d be just as happy to be able to listen live on radio and then they cross for a television broadcast of the last half from 9.30 onwards.
One thing though, people who were there reckoned the ‘atmosphere’ was really good - - somehow, though, channel 10 managed to NOT portray that, I couldn’t help but think early on that it looked absolutely flat.
But - tv is a crappy medium anyway - in the hands of channel 10, who stuffed up the red carpet but……not showing the dresses!!!! The number of callers yesterday complaining that they only got to see heads and it wasn’t until about 18 mins in that they saw a full dress shot.
Channel 10 - - YOU ARE CRAP!!!!!!
DaniE said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:01am | Report comment
Michael C, I heard it said that it must have been camera*men*, as it wasn’t so much the heads they were showing, it was more the cleavages.
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:10am | Report comment
DaniE
hmmmm, yeah, now that you mention it……
Dave said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:19am | Report comment
MC
“I’d be just as happy to be able to listen live on radio ” Just like the Ashes Cricket broadcasts from England in the late 60s/70s l used to listen to in bed. Great stuff but when the TV started broadcasting live it didnt quite hold the same appeal
Perhaps it was the calibre of the commentators on radio…little off topic sorry.
Stoffy said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:25am | Report comment
How can the umpires make the right decision for the Brownlow when they can barely do their own job. Luke Hodge polled a huge 2 votes whilst as previously mentioned the season of Adam Goodes did not deserve 21 votes.
A Geelong player was never going to win; Ablett, Bartel, Ling, Corey and Selwood were always going to steal votes from each other. Cooney on the other hand was the sole representative for the Dogs.
If the Grand Finals anything like the Brownlow, I’ll be off to work!
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Dave -
ah, yes, but the radio allowed your own mental images, and certainly the commentators on the radio from England were a pleasure to listen to………….for me, initially the Brownlow WAS about listening in early as they rattled off all the 1 votes, and then they progressed through the 2’s and into the 3s by which time it would come on tele……….of course, I was in the bush, so I’ve no idea what was happening in town.
Stoffy -
too much focus is put on ‘perfection’, but, that doesn’t exist………….if there’s one thing that AFL teaches you is that you don’t dwell too much on a bad decision by an umpire.
Umpires like anyone else will have their eye caught by players they know, respect, admire, - - Luke Hodge has a bit of a reputation (many people figured that Wayne Carey deserved to NOT get the votes he often didn’t get that he might have merited otherwise).
True though, that often the Brownlow goes to the best player of a so so team………..however, this year, the Bulldogs were top 4 all season, won heaps of games and only really dropped off towards the end as their top 3 position had become not negotiable. Cooney still had to fight off players like Daniel Cross, Brad Johnson, Aker, early Ryan Griffen scored a few 3 votes……but, to say a Geelong player was never going to win…………did not a Geelong player win last season when Geelong were equally as dominant? Did not we expect G.Ablett to win last year and Bartel was a bit of a surprise?
The main reason a Geelong player didn’t win was that G.Ablett was injured and out for 4 or 5 weeks, there were the 2 games, both against Freo in which he succombed to injury and then the huge loss to COllingwood - - he was down 8 games effectively……….whilst in many of the games he played, he was clearly the best GEelong player. Simple.
btw - Wayne Carey would’ve trotted in the Brownlow in ‘93 had he not done his hammy up at Cararra in Round 16 - - so someone like Wanganeen won it……………alas, it’s judged over 22 rounds which means the more weeks you are fit and out there, your odds improve.
Pippinu said | September 24th 2008 @ 10:53am | Report comment
The bullies have produced a couple ofsurprises in brownlow history.
Their last winner, Scott Wynd, had an outstanding season in 1992 (getting injured on the eve of the finals).
Libba was a surprise winner in 1990, emerging from relative obscurity in Footscray’s return from death following the fightback over the previous summer. Libba didn’t even come close to winning the club’s B&F.
Brad Hardie won the medal in 1985 on debut. He clearly wasn’t the best player in the league at the time, was an extremely loose backman who went looking for kicks (and got plenty of them), and also had a shot of red hair - that never goes astray in the hunt for brownlow votes.
Templeton in 1980 and Demps in 1975 both had outstanding seasons (probably the two best Footscray players I have ever seen, with the Hawk making up the top three).
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Pippinu -
and then you gave away Barry Round, Bernie Quinlan and Brian Wilson who went on to win brownlows………..alas……….North got to give away Brian Wilson too after just one season - - he was the number 28 before Andrew Demetriou came along and first wore 48 and then moved into 28 as well.
I guess though, Libber was a North Under 19s player, and that’s where he won a Morrish and Gardner medal before winning another Gardner with Footscray and then finally becomming a regular senior player.
(back when you were pinching all our ‘ethnics’, Frank Lesiputty, Angelo Petraglia and Jose Romero…..)
Rich_daddy said | September 24th 2008 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
Pickles,
I agree with you that the best player in the league doesn’t always win the brownlow. But instead the brownlow goes to the best player for that year. Players like Garry Ablett may be robbed votes by his teamates, but because of his star studded teamates he is not under as much pressure to get his team over the line every week. This is compared to Mathew Richardson at Richmond, who needed a big game every week for the Tigers to win. This pressure (or lack of) can definently affect performance.
In relation to Adam Goodes, yes 21 votes does seem a little generous, but remember for a player to gain 21 votes he really has to be the best player for 7 weeks (3 votes a week), then he could break a leg and still win the browlow. Again receiving 2 votes for his performace against Geelong does seem generous, but what if 7 of those possessions set up goals by carrying the ball 50 metres each time?
In contrast when Hawthorn played West Coast at the MCG, Kerr and Priddis had 100 touches between them and had no impact on the game. Teamates were simply feeding them the ball. Possesions these days are totally overated.
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
Rich_daddy
and perhaps Goodes on that particular day had a bit of an obvious ‘defensive’ role to play that he performed well,
or…..
some times the best votes in a generally scrappy game with perhaps a lot of ineffectual possession might see someone ‘earn’ the votes for what was really just a quarter’s effort, a match winning burst that made that player the most influential player on the day - - perhaps only able to ‘break free’ for one quarter but in that quarter impacted the game more than any other individual.
The reasons to present someone with 3 votes can vary - - and again, let the umpires have that judgement call, after all, these days it’s a panel of 3 each week doing it!!!!
Redb said | September 24th 2008 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
Looks like I’m in the minority on here I enjoyed it. Some Brisbane and Geelong fans are a bit sooky la la
too bad.
Its amazing some of the ignorant comments above.
Rated over 1 million, yeah what a disaster, as all the favourites were Vics I’m not surprised predominantly Vic audience tuned in. Plus of course the Brownlow is traditionally connected to the VFL, with the SANFL and WAFL having their own medals. It was only telecast into Melb, Adel & Perth at a reasonable hour, why would the rest of the country tune in.
This is Victoria’s year in the AFL (top 4 teams all Vics) that’s not a boast but a reality. Most of the interest will be in Victoria - the death of AFL nationally is just slightly over the top.
and oikees still a dill.
Redb
Captain Carnage said | September 25th 2008 @ 12:50am | Report comment
After missing targets all around the ground, being part of a hopelessly inefficient and inaccurate midfield who seemed to think that Brown and Bradshaw like the ball on the ground at their feet or 10 metres over their heads, but being a player who got loads of “touches”, Simon Black almost wins a Brownlow. Yep, it’s a joke alright.
Pat said | September 30th 2008 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
Redb - here here. Well said. I must agree 100%. All the favorites were Victorians so the interstate supporters had no reason to tune in especially given the delayed telecast. I also agree that some Geelong supporters are whingeing at Ablett not getting up. That’s life - move on. At the end of the day, the only person that is qualified to hand out votes is the coach.He is the only person that knows the role that the individual player has been assigned and whether or not he fulfilled that role satisfactorily. I do not believe umpires are qualified to give votes as they only see what is in front of their eyes - midfielders, hence players like Black and Goodes being prolific vote getters.
As far as I am concerned, winning a club B & F in a premiership side says more about a players importance and ability than a Brownlow or an MVP award. It is voted by the coaching panel who assign jobs to each player each week. if they fulfill their role, they are deemed to have played well even if their stats dont say so. The Brownlow has become a glitz & glam event which is fine if that is what the AFL want, but don’t confuse it with awarding the best player in the competition.
Dave said | September 30th 2008 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Pat
“The Brownlow has become a glitz & glam event which is fine if that is what the AFL want, but don’t confuse it with awarding the best player in the competition.”
But the media and AFL want us to believe that. Also the interstate ratings are significant for a national comp. When the 1st and 3rd biggest markets in the country show no interest surely that is a concern.
Redb said | September 30th 2008 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
Dave,
The Brownlow was shown at 11:30- midnight in Sydney and Brisbane. It is culturally a Melbourne thing I dont expect other cities to embrace the Brownlow the same way.
Also the award is announced as the fairest and best, emphasis on fairest. The top 3-4 in the Brownlow count weere not suspended away thus the best players to get to the top a they usually do.
Redb
Dave said | September 30th 2008 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
Redb
Agreed but still the Brownlow is shown and promoted in Syd and Bris, even though delayed. As the national football code which AFL promotes itself as then it would be a concern that their major player honour holds no interest for Syd and Bris population. I recall some years ago the Brownlow was held in Syd.
Redb said | September 30th 2008 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
Dave,
Apart from the Border Medal in cricket no other ceremony is even on free to air TV, so the AFL is in front there.. The Border Medal also rates well in Melbourne compared to other capitals and was in fact modelled on the brownlow.
Redb
Mick of Newie said | September 30th 2008 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
The Border medal illustrates how absurd the Brownlow would be, if it had no history. The Brownlow gets away with it because of its history. Although the Border medal has an additional absurdity in that only players from one team get votes. So Aust could get rolled in 2 days by an inning and someone still gets 3 votes for getting a 30 not out, the same votes as someone who wins a test with a 10 for. Truly bizarre.
Pippinu said | September 30th 2008 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
Interesting point about the Border medal - occasionally, the winner of the Brownlow doesn’t win his club’s B&F - which underlines the exact point you are making.
Pippinu said | October 1st 2008 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Coincidentally, just heard that Daniel Cross won the bullies’ B&F; Cooney was runners-up.