The AFL has warned the worrying trend of one-sided matches could increase next year as a result of the competition’s expansion.
Collingwood and Geelong destroyed Port Adelaide and Gold Coast by 138 and 150 points respectively in round 20 annihilations at the weekend.
It followed Geelong’s 186-point slaying of Melbourne the previous week – the second biggest margin in VFL/AFL history.
There have been nine 100-point-plus blowouts so far this season and, statistically, the chasm between top and bottom teams has never been more yawning.
And Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse warned yawning, then switching off, is exactly what fans might do if faced with near-unwatchable games like the Pies’ thrashing of Port.
The bottom-placed Power were appalling against the ladder leaders, booting just 3.3 for the entire match at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.
But AFL football operations boss Adrian Anderson said such one-sided results were likely to continue next year with the introduction of Greater Western Sydney (GWS) to join this season’s newcomers Gold Coast.
“We may well have more lopsided scorelines next year and that’s part and parcel of getting two new teams into the competition,” Anderson told Fox Sports News.
“We decided we would get these clubs to build principally by draft picks and, no doubt, there’ll be the period of adjustment while they find their feet – particularly when you’ve got dominant teams like Geelong and Collingwood.”
Critics point to the new clubs further diluting football’s talent pool, with GWS’s introduction to bring the total number of professional AFL players to more than 750.
But Anderson defended expansion as vital to the competition’s future, even though Malthouse believed lopsided results could turn fans away from the game.
“The scorelines at the moment in AFL football, I think, has to be a worrying trend for the AFL. It has to be,” Malthouse said.
“This is not going to bring people to the football. This (margin) is not isolated … we are seeing far too much of this.
“Do you get any delight out of it? No … we’re entertainers not masochists.”
Continuing the blowouts were Melbourne, hammered for a second successive week in a 76-point loss to Carlton.
Yet amid the blowouts, was a thrilling classic, with Essendon beating Sydney at Etihad Stadium by one point on Saturday night to keep their finals hopes alive.
Hawthorn moved back to third place with some Lance Franklin magic in Launceston on Sunday.
Kept goalless for three quarters, superstar forward Franklin booted three in the final term to steer the Hawks past North Melbourne 15.13 (103) to 13.8 (86) after a last-quarter Kangaroos charge.
Adelaide also won a close match, with a late Graham Johncock goal securing the Crows a five-point win at the Gabba on Sunday to keep interim coach Mark Bickley unbeaten in his two matches in charge.
Brisbane’s defeat by the Crows came at a high price, the Lions losing key defender Joel Patfull with a suspected broken hand.
West Coast maintained their top four push with a 57-point win over Richmond in Perth on Sunday.
Mark Nicoski booted six goals for the Eagles in the 22.15 (147) to 14.6 (90) victory.
On Friday night, St Kilda maintained their spot inside the top eight with a 41-point win over Fremantle.
brendan
Guest
The problem is the draft.It has one inherent fault it is virtually impossible to get what you need to bolster your side.If you finish last fair enough you get the top pick but that hasnt proven the godsend everyone thinks it is.For sides just outside the eight or the top four there choices are severely compromised by the position of there choices in the draft.Until the draft is altered so that teams can easily recruit at least one player they need nothing will change.Have a look at the ladder and by years end the top four will probably be the last four sides to win a flag.Add Sydney to that list and its the last five premiership sides.Anyone who thinks the draft equalises the competition doesn't look at the facts.These lopsided results ,which are boring,will continue and will happen not only to the suns and giants.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The AFL is currently caught up in its very own form of stagflation: an increasing differential between top and bottom clubs in an environment of heightened anxiety over tanking (to earn priority picks), amidst its own version of the oil shock (admission of two new teams in rapid succession, with demand for players exceeding supply for the next couple of years). The only way that differential can be reduced is via the granting of priority picks - oops - creating an upward sprial of tanking. Even then - GWS has a stack of its own priority picks for next season. Never a good time to have no prospects during a bout of stagflation.
TW
Guest
There is one word to describe the root cause - "Talent" and the lack of it across the 18 clubs/750 players however CH7/Foxtel have signed off on the TV deal from next year - Very fortunate for A.D. The league will have to tough it out until things improve at the lower end of the ladder in the next 2/3 seasons. That excludes GWS. CH10 have a few words to say on the topic -Along with many others in other articles. Link-- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tv-boss-warns-viewers-will-not-watch-lopsided-matches/story-e6frf9jf-1226110509757
Jaceman
Guest
Channel Ten claimed today that they pick games before the season starts and Foxtel gets the dregs and unfortunately Ten picked the Magpies/Port over Dons/Swans. Go figure..
Talisman
Guest
It's a moot point from my perspective. I watch footy on TV and the choice of games being fed us on free-to-air means I'll probably switch off regardless. Ch 7 & 10 must have sold off the best games to Foxtel, because we sure are getting some pretty ordinary matches to watch. Throw in all the ads (particularly Ch 7) & delayed telecasts & it doesn't take long for interest to wane. God knows what we'll get for cricket this summer.
Matt F
Guest
The problem is that the bad teams can't get better because they can't access the draft picks they need to improve because of GC and GWS. This also means that they don't have the draft picks to trade for good players either. Once these compromised drafts are finished and feee agency comes in (unlike some I think free agency can help even out the competition, provided the salary cap is strictly enforced and the minimum cap payment of 90% is scrapped) then the gap will close once more.
Jaceman
Guest
Bring in NRL refs under Harrigan for close games - see Roy Master SMH 23/3/11 http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/billys-lowpenalty-diet-has-players-tightening-their-belts-20110322-1c58h.html