AFL is arguably the biggest sport in Australia, with teams in most states around the country and a code that has been a core component of Australian culture for the best part a century.
So why is such a successful sport constantly looking to change the foundations of the game that made it so popular?
First, let’s clear up one thing. Natural progression of the rules in any sport is understandable. For example, 30 years ago the goal review system wasn’t possible because of the level of technology, but as technology has progressed so have the rules to incorporate such advancements. Other rule changes are associated with advancements in player safety, and obviously therefore most of these changes are understandable.
But the question is, where do we stop? Changing the game to make it safer or to incorporate modern technology is perfectly reasonable, but changing the game simply for the sake of it is not. Unfortunately, it’s becoming the common practice of AFL management to constantly try and alter the game.
Last year an idea was floated that absolutely shocked me – zones.
The AFL were examining the idea of implementing zones into the game, just like netball, in an attempt to make the game a more open, free-flowing spectacle. Thankfully, at least so far, this idea has been scrapped.
But the scary thing is that crazy ideas like zones are not an isolated incident by the AFL. It seems like almost every year they get a study done, presumably by somebody that has never seen a minute of football, in which outlandish ideas are suggested.
To me an old saying sums up the whole situation, ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’. Football in Australia is and will remain highly popular, as long as the core components of the game aren’t lost through the modern fascination with constantly changing.
The game is great, let’s just sit back and enjoy it.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Always happy to have a respectful debate. Interesting topic.
c
Guest
" why is such a successful sport constantly looking to change the foundations of the game " ? commercial realities !
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
I'd tend to agree somewhat, more though to the thinking/reactions behind the rule changes which can try to overcomplicate or miss the mark on what they're trying to achieve altogether, as opposed to actually modifying/ rules, which can be necessary. It's just that claim about more stagnant rules in soccer making it a more attractive product sparked a bit of thinking.
ciudadmarron
Guest
Same goes Tim.
Tim
Roar Rookie
I'm happy to accept it wasn't your quote. In regards to my quote. I stand by it, and with no way for either of us to actually prove it I'm not sure what you're expecting. In my opinion it's a core component. Clearly you don't. Wasn't actually a big part of the article. I just expressed my opinions. I respect your opinion, but I also respectfully disagree.
ciudadmarron
Guest
The aerial ping pong quote wasn't mine, as I explained. Affects the way we live? Come on Tim. When you wrote "a core component of Australian culture for the best part a century" - you were not talking about Rugby being indirectly affected by the way the AFL runs its business and competition - even if this is affecting the way we live (which it isn't!) You were saying that for the last 100 years Aussie Rules has been a main feature of the whole country's culture. It just hasn't. Saying it hasn't is not an attack on the sport.
Tim
Roar Rookie
Personally I lost all interest in having a conversation about this after the ping pong quote. Quite simply you seem to have decided that afl could only be a core component if it was the number one sport in Brisbane and Sydney. Whilst it may not be, it's presence in those areas as well as the rest of australia affects the way we live. Even if it's through the affect it has on Rugby and how it is run and hence it has an affect on the culture even in a none direct way.
ciudadmarron
Guest
I haven't disregarded it's importance anywhere. And it has been a core component of the culture of Victoria especially, but also SA, TAS, WA. Without question. But it hasn't in Qld and NSW (north of a southern strip), two areas which make up half of the population of the country (and have done for the better part of a century). And when half of the country don't have it as a core part, you can't say that it makes up a core part of the entire country's culture. You can say sport does. You can, as you have pointed out, probably say that cricket and tennis does. What's my aim? I'm not badmouthing anything either (the aerial ping pong thing was meant to be the voice of the joker - as a fan of aussie rules, I copped that a lot growing up). But a blanket statement about the place of aussie rules in the culture of the country as a whole which suggests that in this half of the country it's an integral part of life, it's just not true. I know that this might be difficult to understand when the AFL pervades the media as it does in some states, but it's simply not accurate.
Tim
Roar Rookie
And just for the record, I think AFL, Rugby and cricket are the major core components of Australian sporting culture.
clipper
Guest
Have to side more with ciudadmarron - Aussie Rules has only recently gained popularity in the northern states and it may be pushing it to say it is a core component there, although it does have the most attended team in Sydney, so quite different to league in the Southern states. Please don't lump Rugby fans in with league fans, Tim - quite a different crowd and most Rugby fans don't really have the same dislike of AFL that league fans do.
Tim
Roar Rookie
I'm not particularly sure what your aim is here. I'm not bad mouthing any sport, not saying it's better or more important in areas of Australia. Quite simply I'm saying it's a core component to the whole of australia. Now you can try and focus on Brisbane and Sydney because those areas clearly are Australia to you but if you look at a map Australia is a lot bigger. To put it simply, for you to disregard the importance of Afl in the entirity of Australia because 2 states don't have as high an interest in it is utterly ridiculous. By those criteria tennis and cricket are the most important sports because they are played nationally. Clearly that's not the case. In summary I'm not trying to divide the country up, instead look at it as a whole.
ciudadmarron
Guest
You said it's been a core component (aussie rules that is, forgive me) for the best part of a century. Even aside from the debate about whether or not it is a core component these days in Sydney/Brisbane, you can't argue it's been a core component there for the best part of a century. It hasn't. I'm not just talking about the presence of an AFL team (although this would obviously also refute the point). What Aussie Rules was present was cursory only north of the barrassi line. Meaning it's not been a core component of the entire country's culture - irregardless of it's popularity in Tasmania or the NT. You're not saying seriously that people joking about aerial ping pong makes it a core component of their culture are you?
Tim
Roar Rookie
Not sure I ever said afl had been there for a century. Tasmania, northern territory don't have afl teams, does that mean it's not a part of their culture? Afl is part of Sydney and Brisbanes culture, even if it's just rugby fans disliking the game.
ciudadmarron
Guest
You would be correct to say so tim. and regardless of weather two of the biggest cities in states that contain over half the population have a team, afl hasn't been there for a century!
Tim
Roar Rookie
And might I just add, there's much more to Australia than Sydney and Brisbane. Your argument would be like me saying rubgy league or union isn't a big component of Australian culture because people in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne don't really know much about it.
Tim
Roar Rookie
It may not be a core component to you but the fact remains it's the biggest sport in Australia. Not because I think so, just look at the tv deal.
Tim
Roar Rookie
I'd have to disagree but that's not overly important. In essence my point is that changing the rules of any sport on a consistent basis in an attempt to make the game more attractive, especially to new viewers actually does the opposite to existing fans. People like myself are fans of football for a reason and that certainly isn't where the game is heading at the moment.
W4str3l
Roar Rookie
brisbane lions had triple success just over a decade ago, and the swans are still being successful...and youre saying that these teams arent core components of their cities culture? "dream on"...
W4str3l
Roar Rookie
remember a few years ago when they introduced the hands in the back rule and all the over-zealous umpiring that resulted. we love to hate the umpires but how can they cope when week to week they dont know how to interpret new rules? i believe the head needs to be sacrosanct, end of story, but thats it - everything else fair game (in a sporting sense of course). thats why the hip and shoulder is all but gone, because players are terrified of accidental head contact and 4 weeks on the sidelines. its ridiculous! i truly think the way the game was in the mid-late 90s was perfect. the constant changes are just the governing body's way of keeping themselves at the forefront of peoples minds. god forbid they fall into the category of an overseeing body that just hums along in the background and does its job of governing the game. god forbid! if were talking about them, theyre still 'relevant'...right? any publicity and all that.
Jasper
Guest
Dream on. It can hardly be a core component of a city's culture if people can't even name the AFL teams of Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth let alone great players and grand final wins.