An entertaining six weeks has passed since the last untold stories of the off-season were told. In that time a premier was crowned, coaches were sacked, free agency was held and trades were won and lost.
Well won and lost as much as you can win and lose a trade in October.
Still, in these past six weeks as much as the AFL has been able to keep itself in the news, there are still stories that have not been told.
1. Brisbane didn’t really address their needs
It is easy to get romantic about Brisbane’s plight of 12 months prior and speak about how far they have come in a short space of time, but in reality their trade week moves didn’t really help the club progress towards building a premiership side, despite the glowing reports they received.
The big name inclusions of Dayne Beams and Allen Christensen may help with selling a bright future, but the losses of Joel Patfull, Jonathan Brown, Jack Crisp and pick five in this year’s draft hurt greater for a team that wants to build towards a premiership.
Brisbane already had an outstanding midfield group with the likes of Jack Redden, Pearce Hanley, Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich complemented by young players in James Aish, Lewis Taylor and Sam Mayes.
The one area they did not need to improve was in the midfield, yet that was the area it addressed when the more pressing concerns are in key position stocks and defensive role players.
Brisbane now has an outstanding midfield and strong attacking options but games, finals and premierships are won with defence and bigs. Brisbane has lost more than it gained in those pivotal areas.
2. Three coaches out, three clubs take a step back
Phil Walsh for Brenton Sanderson, Rodney Eade for Guy McKenna, Unknown for Brendan McCartney. Not an inspiring name among that group of coaches.
And in part that is the problem for Adelaide, Gold Coast and Western Bulldogs. They have made massive changes to the fabric of their club for what on the surface is limited improvement.
It is easy to look at Sanderson, McKenna and McCartney and say that they did not make finals over the past two years and have a number of key faults, but all humans and coaches have faults. In fact all players have faults. Sometimes the coach has to call a player on their faults. If club administration are going to continually listen to player power be prepared for a different game that is seen on-field.
To play devil’s advocate, Walsh has never coached before and has had questions about his people management skills in the past, Eade has never coached a premiership team and is now nearly 20 years removed from his sole grand final appearance, and as for the unknown commodity at Western, that is a job fraught with career danger.
In retrospect these three coaches were gone because of their inability to manage relationships, and two of the three appointments have not addressed the key concerns. Hard to see lasting impact at any of Adelaide, Gold Coast and Western.
3. The myth of Saturday blockbusters
Despite the AFL’s belief that they would give blockbusters back to the fans on Saturday afternoon it is hard to find blockbusters on the traditional home of football of Saturday afternoon.
Carlton versus Essendon, Richmond versus Geelong, Hawthorn versus Essendon, Collingwood versus Carlton and Collingwood versus Richmond are about the only five games on a Saturday afternoon next year that would be billed as blockbusters.
When you compare 2014 and 2015 really there is not a great deal of difference for Melbourne on a Saturday afternoon. In 2014 there were 14 Saturday afternoon games in Melbourne compared to 17 in 2015. While last season there were four blockbuster Saturday matches as opposed to five next season.
If there is one thing that Gillon McLachlan is mastering it is spin. He may claim to be a man of the people and working for the average fan, but the reality is there is a lot more spin being widely reported then actual proof and results.
4. Opposing days break are vastly under-appreciated
Six day breaks are tough – that much appears to be agreed in AFL circles. But what is being vastly undersold is what the difference in days preparation means.
Fremantle and West Coast, as the two clubs with the greatest travel burden, are quick to point out the six-day breaks they need to make, but if they delved deeper they would see they have been further shortchanged by the AFL and its fixture department.
Consider these factors for West Coast; they will play Carlton in Round 2 on a six-day break, while Carlton will have an eight-day break. They play Richmond in Round 12 on a six-day break while Richmond will have 14 days between games. On another five occasions they will have a short week while their opponents have at least a seven-day break.
The competition is becoming tougher because of the travel component and it is about time the AFL considered the preparation of both teams as opposed to days break.
Teams can manage six-day breaks. What is unfair is when one team has an additional two days or has an additional day and does not have a travel component included. Tough breaks for both Fremantle and West Coast again in 2015.
5. Anzac Monday public holiday
The AFL missed a real chance to offer an olive branch to staunch Anzac supporters with April 25, 2015. Instead of overloading a day of remembrance with football as they chose to do, the opportunity was there to use the public holiday Monday as a way to take the pressure and spotlight off the AFL and putting it back on remembrance.
The AFL should have, as it did last year, limited itself to three games on Anzac day – the traditional MCG clash, a New Zealand clash and the Len Hall memorial. Both the Port Adelaide versus Hawthorn and Gold Coast versus GWS matches could have been played as a blockbuster double-header on the public holiday Monday.
Look at Good Friday and you understand that football fans dislike a public holiday passing without football being played. Two games on the Monday would have allowed the AFL to show respect to the memory and legacy of Australia’s bravest and finest.
6. The have nots need to be different
It was easy to come away from free agency and trade period and say that the rich got richer and the best got better. However, clubs that are maybe not in as strong a financial position or have got developing talent as opposed to proven talent need to look at free agency and trade periods differently.
The strong clubs are staying strong by rejuvenating their lists, however the reality for clubs like Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney and Fremantle who have been perennial contenders is that the bite is going to come. Rejuvenation works for a point, but eventually current strategies will not work.
As clubs like St Kilda and Gold Coast have done, being able to build talent and recruit more and more developing talent while maintaining and not losing that developing talent is the key to success. It may be hard to see right now, but in a decade it may be an AFL world where St Kilda and Gold Coast dominate, and fans wonder how they can be stopped.
For Hawthorn and Geelong it is never as good as you think. For St Kilda and Gold Coast it is never as bad as you think. For all clubs the truth is somewhere in the middle. Just don’t finish in the middle of the ladder.
7. Media perception is king
The AFL is putting fans first. Free agency was a necessity in a modern competition like AFL. Free agency is a crucial time of the year. The draft is one of the most important days of the year. All media promoted theories. Players work hardest in pre-season. The off-season gets shorter every year.
All 100 per cent incorrect.
As the AFL continues to own media and push its own media contingency in Australia, what is real and what is AFL agenda begins to blur. Disillusionment with the game and the competition continues to grow. Perhaps the AFL media is responsible.
Radelaide
Guest
Well I did concede if anyone has a problem it would be a WA team but numerous other players including Kornes on the radio the other week feel it isn't a problem.
Balthazar
Guest
Don't agree. Freo has been very critical of 6 day breaks for teams travelling further (i.e. the Western teams) for a while now and made some very pointed comments about last year's fixture. Players aren't really in a position to make those comments, clubs are. Basically any trip, other than to Adeliade, is a long haul flight for sides from the West. It's not the same if you're travelling from Adelaide - except an annual trip to QLD - and vice versa for the QLD/Syd/Melbourne teams who only have to wrroy about one trip to W.A. (and maybe a trip to Adelaide/Tassie from QLD).
Radelaide
Guest
Players seem to say the 6 day break is not that big of issue (unless maybe a Western Australian team heading to Tasmania and then to Queensland) but they think the week off is an advantage.
andyl12
Guest
Hawthorn at Subiaco (H&A games) since 2007: 5 against Fremantle, 5 against West Coast. Admittedly three of those Freo games were in the 2007-2009 period. In that same time Freo have met us twice in Melbourne for H&A games vs 3 times for West Coast. We've played Brisbane in Melbs twice during this period also. Amazingly we haven't played them in Brisbane since 2008, when GWB was US president, Leigh Matthews was Brisbane coach and the GFC was yet to hit.
Balthazar
Guest
I admit I didn't check the stats before I posted but, relying on your stats, it really proves my point I think. Picking up your point about the same 4 clubs, it means that the AFL has been relying on WCE, Freo, Bulldogs and Brisbane to carry the load of going down to Tassie (1 trip by other clubs is not sharing the load at all and Norths have their own arrangements/financial reasons to be in Tassie). And the other side of the coin: how often have the Hawks had to travel to Perth to play Freo (leaving aside the final a few years back)? I think it remains an unfair arrangement. As evidenced also by this year's blockbuster fixtures etc the AFL seemingly remains hostage to the needs/wishes of Melbourne clubs and the Swans.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Lord Almighty, I didn't even realise we were in the off-season, there has been so much PR crap churned out by AFL -- could we just have a break from it??!! I would say exactly the same about Rugby League, with its silly manufactured stories.
andyl12
Guest
I just did a stats check. Since 2007, when Hawthorn became the sole tenants of York Park, Fremantle have been there four times (including next year). Same goes for West Coast and the Bulldogs. North and Brisbane have both been there more times, while seven other clubs have been there at least once, including all non-Victorian teams. Not sure if these stats answer your questions, I will wait for your reply.
Balthazar
Guest
But it is pretty much the same 4 clubs every year... Look at how often Freo plays the Hawks in Tassie. Extremely rare for the Hawks to go to Perth (yet again, won't happen in 2015) and Freo hasn't recently played Hawks much in Melbourne. 2014 was an anomaly. It is inherently unfair unless the Tassie games are spread around and they are not. The AFL has never sympathised one bit, hence the scheduling. Also, it is not an issue of whether or not the players are used to the travel, it is an issue that they lose a day's preparation regardless. Which is particularly hard if they are playing away on a 6 day break esp when the other team has 7 or more days between games - it is akin to a 5 day break
Don Freo
Guest
Guy McKenna was so unlucky. Bill Hayden or his 'Drover's dog' would get Gold Coast into the finals this year with the return of their 8 first picked players who missed most of the last 7 rounds.
Don Freo
Guest
Yep...I like Brissy's talls...just let them develop. Don't demand they get Brissy to top 8 just yet. They might, but much better to expect top 12 and be pleasantly delighted if they come on faster. That midfield will give plenty of defensive support and great attacking precision. Just a matter of gelling.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I don't rate McGuane at all. I don't know if he was playing injured in that turgidly awful game we played against Richmond at the Gabba last season, but I was at the ground, and watched him play the whole game against his old club for 2 possessions. Was one of the most gutless efforts I've seen in a long time. Probably a snap judgment, but I'm still waiting to be proven wrong. Staker is a quality player, but his body appears to be on its last legs. McStay I think will be the best of all our picks from last season, everything about him screams future star.
Don Freo
Guest
Why not Collingwood? They could claim it as their total travel obligation.
Buster
Guest
With the forwards remember Brisbane have McGuane and Staker coming back after missing most of last season, plus Freeman, Close and especially McStay showed promising signs last year. With the defensive part of the ground, Bourke looked a likely type in his only game in the last round , Gardiner will replace Patfull , Rich to move to half back plus the two academy boys Dawson and Andrews received bids from other clubs so they must have some ability. Having said this if a mature aged Key Defender or Forward was available with their first pick in the draft at 67 , they would be mad not to take them.
Paul
Guest
Should be throwing everything at Thompson Worsfold is on the selection panel, so that would take some explaining. Aren't they saying Craig will only come for the top job and that's the way it's starting to feel. Money seemed to be on Beveridge, but they have re-opened the betting.
andyl12
Guest
Hard for me to argue that Perth-east coast flights every second week are a disadvantage of sorts, although experienced players should know how to deal with it. The problem with Tassie games is that Sydney and Brisbane have long argued they shouldn't have to go there because they have long-lost fans in Melbourne who they like to play in front of as often as possible (this has been negated slightly since GC and GWS joined). And most Melbourne clubs argue they have so many fans in Melbourne that a blockbuster goes begging if their game is moved to Tassie. And the overall truth is that nobody wants to play us in Tassie because our winning record there is virtually 100%. I'm sure the AFL have tried to sympathise with you over this but the truth is that someone has to play us there and the only guarantee they can make is that it won't be the same four clubs every year.
Franko
Guest
"How about you wait to see who the Dogs appoint before saying they’ll take a step back and there’ll be limited improvement." - Fair call but at the moment it's looking like a Brett Montgomery & Neil Craig ticket. Not sure how big a step forward that is. Perhaps if they could get Thompson or Worsfold but it looks unlikely.
Balthazar
Guest
Howls of process? Hmm...
Paul
Guest
McCartney was a failure at the Dogs, lost the players and most of the supporters. How many clubs would put up with 20 wins from the last 3 seasons. Baffling team selections (going in with barely any balanced structure), little match day strategy, plenty of games so close that you could touch them, but couldn't seal the deal, cliches, platitudes and buzz words ("cracking in") spewed forth at every press conference or public appearance, some young players development and creativity stifled, many established players going backwards under him. Rumours of some very ordinary management and treatment of players. Why would the captain who looked like being a one club, future club great find his position so untenable under the coach that he had to get away from him. Another young player singled out for "special" treatment because of his relationship with his family. Good assistant coach, just not the head man material. How about you wait to see who the Dogs appoint before saying they'll take a step back and there'll be limited improvement.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Of course they're not obliged to take them, but they were never going to say no. Both are high quality, experienced AFL midfielders. There's going to be plenty of time to trade someone out at the end of next season if we decide to make a play for a big name defender or forward at the end of 2015. I like what the Lions have done, in that they haven't got carried away paying massive overs for a key defender or tall forward in a market where there isn't many available. Let's give the lads we have a chance to develop, and see how they go, and assess at the end of this season.
Brendon the 1st
Guest
Wrong on Walsh, I live in Adelaide and hear he has great people skills and an incredible nous for the game, I'm a Port fan and am sad to see him go. Also, big games are won by good midfields, not defence, if the opposition can't get it into the forward line because they are losing the midfield battle then the game is half won, I think Brisbane have done a great job, not just by shoring up the most important part of the ground and allowing players such as Aish & Taylor to spend more time forward and learn their craft, but by also showing other players that Brisbane is club you want to be at.