With the excitement of a free-flowing, goal scoring World Cup in full swing it has highlighted once again that these winter weeks of the AFL season are becoming worse with each passing year.
Lopsided contests have become a blight on the game as teams have been crippled by injuries and are failing to be competitive, while the two expansion clubs continue to deliver very little bang for their buck.
Poor crowds, sagging television ratings and congested, messy games are seeing people turn away with other options readily available at their fingertips.
I myself, an avid Magpie man who goes every week was looking at any excuse to avoid the doldrums of another bleak 3:20pm Sunday fixture against the Blues, a game I knew would not offer much in the way of excitement.
Thank goodness for Charlie Curnow.
The AFL has traditionally always been very conservative and slow to move when change has been required (see: night grand final).
On the flipside, the NRL has shown flexibility moving the time-honoured Wednesday State of Origin to a Sunday night to boost the profile Australia-wide, changing the sporting landscape and winning new supporters.
So, what can be done to bring excitement back to the game?
While there are many ideas around fixing the aesthetics some simple tweaks outside the game itself could certainly help generate more interest.
1) No more three-week bye rounds
Every year, right when the league needs a shot in the arm, we are hit with a three-week, six-games-a-weekend block which leaves fans frustrated and ensures a sharper focus on games which should probably be hidden from mainstream television viewing.
I understand the players have argued for the break in their AFLPA contract (isn’t the reason for a squad to allow for others to step in when players are sore?), but why not make it one single weekend?
Plus with the weekend off, the AFL could build a bigger focus on my next point.
2) Mid-season trades
Cricket Australia seethes every year when newspaper back pages in October and November are dedicated to AFL trades and drafts rather than upcoming Test matches.
Fans love it, as it allows them to dream of what might be and administrators love the continued attention on their code.
Having a mid-season trade period over the single bye weekend would be an amazing way to help give fans some renewed hope should a spate of injuries threaten to ruin their season.
It allows players who may otherwise not be getting a game to change clubs and allow teams to help bolster tiring playing lists.
The hype and hysteria would provide wall-to-wall coverage of the AFL and surely is a no-brainer in some form in 2019.
You only have to look at how the NBA trade period completely dominates baseball to see how much it engages with fans.
3) Shorten the season
We are at Round 15 and it feels like we should be entering the finals in the next month.
The top eight is close to being settled, with the bottom eight sides now clearly out of contention and probably dreading the final eight weeks of the year.
They have very little to gain except to blood some young players and hopefully get a head start on 2019 by sending others in for surgery.
The quality of the games involving those teams goes into freefall and again, it is the viewing public that suffers.
The fixture every year is hotly debated as by its very nature can’t be fair on all teams.
One way to help make it fairer is to simply have every side play each other once.
17 rounds would seem an ideal solution, as we would currently only be three weeks off finals and those out of contention would not have two months of malaise.
While I understand the AFL have obligations to media outlets about a set number of games this can be somewhat met by…
4) Extending the finals
As discussed above, we still have 10-11 teams with a genuine chance of playing finals footy and games involving those teams will be hotly contested.
Why not extend the finals series to include a wildcard weekend, where seven to ten play each other while the top six are rewarded with a weekend to refresh?
This would extend the finals to run a full five weeks and ensure more teams stay engaged and can battle for a finals spot.
While some would argue it rewards mediocrity, fans crave success and adding the hope of having your team involved in a wildcard fixture to get into the final eight would see a huge interest surge among spectators, particularly those whose clubs have been starved of success.
By making these simple changes outside the arena, we could see a more exciting season which keeps fans engaged and add some spice to an otherwise mundane winter.
BigAl
Guest
I also have watched a number of ripping games last couple of weeks - that Dogs v Cats restored my faith in footy ! But hey did you notice none of them were BLOWOUTS ! . . . nada, zilch ? Not sure I understand your "...artificially created.." ? Do you mean rules ? All games have rules - thats what defines them - and makes them more or less interesting. I also, sure as heck ain't one for nil all draws...l
BigAl
Guest
I too have watched a couple of ripping games the last weeks - that Dogs v Cats was the best I've seen for sometime - restored my faith in footy. And hey did you notice, none were BLOWOUTS ? . . . nada... I don't understand your meaning with "...artificially created..." ?? Are you talking about rules ? All games have rules. That's what defines them... I also - sure as heck aint for a nil all draw !!
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I always hope our mighty Kangaroos win by every game 10 goals. Games vs Essendon are always good value.
Perry Bridge
Guest
If you want artificially created close scores then stick to soccer. Footy is risk vs reward. And I've watched a number a ripping games last couple of weeks and the next month is full of massive '8 pt' games. And even my Roos today - because of the rules I can fear a 60 pt loss....hope for a 20 pt win and most fear a goal after the siren loss.....sure as heck ain't playing for a nil all draw!!
Paul D
Roar Guru
Err, no. I have not. I use it as a sort of pejorative to illustrate the situation we have here - a bunch of athletes who are highly paid yet have no basis to transfer these skills elsewhere overseas (unlike say cricketers and anyone playing union/league/soccer). There is literally nowhere else in the world these guys could earn the money they are on except in Australia. Moreover the AFLPA has succeeded in expanding the competition and lifting salary floors at all clubs ensuring more players than ever are able to play and be paid as professionals, and earn more money - regardless of the standards or quality of football. it's a classic case of economic protectionism. They have mandated salaries, mandated games and are utterly free of anything involving performance pay as a team, only as part of individual contracts. My point is that this all well and good, until the money dries up - and if such an event was to arise, that viewers fell and values of TV deals accordingly decrease, if the AFLPA was to react in such a way aimed at maximising dollars over taking steps to reconnect with fans - well, anyways. You can work it out for yourself. Surely you've worked out by now Dal I'm not like most other people.
Lroy
Guest
Dump the bye, its a recent innovation that we dont need. It used to be reserved for State of Origin, but if that doesnt exist why have it?? Just get on with the season. AFL dont seem to realize when they give people other options, they might stick with those other options!!! I havent watched a Friday night game in a few years now due to the poor quality, it used to be a ritual for me. Not any more. Same with the bye weekend, my team didn't have a game last week so I went on a trip. Had fun, maybe there is more to life than footy. As for crowds, what is the point turning up if your a Saints fan, your team is getting flogged and GWS and GC have had all the top draft picks?? Your destined to another 5 years of mediocrity, its the same for a number of clubs. Pathetic contests in prime time, teams nobody cares about (GWS-GC), pointless mid season breaks, an unfair schedule and the AFL wonder why people are turning away from the game. When you shit all over history and tradition what are you left with?? Fair weather fans.. what happens when the weather changes? Fans leave and your left with empty stadiums.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Maybe have mid year trading only open to sides who are in bottom 4-6? Players can depart any club but only go to the nominated clubs. I agree you can’t have teams already booked into the 8 topping up lists that would be a dreadful look
Rob Meagher
Guest
I dont care how they do the bye round as long as they keep it... gives ua agood chance to go on holidays and not miss the footy!
Kane
Guest
In reference to #2. You only have to look at the NRL mid season to see how hard it would be to support a club where players can swap clubs mid season. Now, I don't mind watching Rugby League but I'm not emotionally invested in any club but I follow Storm because I'm a Victorian living in the NT. But the one thing about NRL that I don't like is how a player can sign a 5 year contract worth 700k a year in November with a club but by the end of June he's playing somewhere else because either their club isn't contending for the premiership that year or the club ships them off because they buggered up the figures with the Salary Cap. In my opinion, all the mid season trade period is going to do is to make the better players at the clubs on the lower rungs of the ladder go to a team that's up the top end of it. I wouldn't be against a mid season draft that only applies to say Over 20's that aren't in the system but club's can only pick 1 player.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Labels are more prone to project views, I prefer to look at the detail, (somewhat) free(er) of such cognitive straightjackets. :P I take it you've been doing some sort of economics based study/unit? No "offense intended, but certainly avid watchers of SkyNews, Gina, Jack or One Nationers seem to be fairly fond of using such pejorative branding as a debating strategy. The intro of the EPL was just an illustration that a longer season may not be linked to popularity.
Martin
Roar Rookie
I sense of community feeling being lost might be because society in general is more fragmented these days. In the 1960s everyone use to talk about football at the office tearoom or at the pub. Now these days you've got four football codes, American sports and ice hockey. So there's all these silos where communities are split, I guess it's similar to religion with all the different denominations.
Paul D
Roar Guru
It's merely an economic reference - you're just projecting your own views. While I hate using the word 'offended' I'm about as close as I get to it in your claim I've been hanging out with anyone from one nation, I wouldn't urinate on the red headed ranga if she caught fire in her fish and chip shop I don't see the relevance in comparing the EPL to the AFL. Surely the 17 week NFL season is a more apt comparison.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
The whole "socialist" labelling bit sounds like you've been hanging out with Gina or Jack Elliot (or the One Nation cranky-pants who wants to build a wall around Freo for being a socialist cesspit). I'd question whether the length of the season is any sort of factor (and if a shorter season was implemented people wouldn't just switch their vague dissatisfaction to thinking there isn't enough games after a period). If we look around a bit, we could see that perhaps the most watched sporting league in the world, the EPL, is longer than the AFL season (not to mention all the other trophy and champions league games etc).
Paul D
Roar Guru
That's ok, they can keep existing in their little socialist, protected paradise for a few years more - then, like the auto workers down in Geelong, time will eventually catch up with them. They may not accept it but if audiences start to drop and the next TV deal isn't as bountiful, they've got 2 options - Accept a lower FTA deal - Make up the shortfall by selling more games to Paytv, but as we've seen with cricket in england that merely kicks the can down the road for a few decades and ultimately the drop-off in viewers and attention is even more pronounced when it finally bites I maintain the AFLPA needs to take the lead in protecting their wages by instructing their members to think of the bigger picture when exercising their trade rights. If they persist in kicking the same 3-4 clubs to the bottom of the comp by voting with their feet there will be consequences.
Reservoir Animal
Guest
That's right. A shorter season means less TV revenue which means less money for clubs to pay their players with. A pay cut of 25-30% is the last thing the AFLPA will accept.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
They don't suck that much. It's all in our heads really. You're a bit of a glory-dazer aren't you? Aren't the bye rounds a bit like ye olde 10 team comp? Having said that, the rolling player rest could be something they examine. (Oh and the "earth-shattering" was said in a ironic kind of way)
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Maybe you're just old. Old people love to complain. They also love to label the young generation as soft and deficient.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Regarding the shortening the year, I don't think the broadcast deal would allow that for starters. We could also safely say that Freo for one would be relishing the full amount of rounds to come to continue the development of their kids, as well as further gel as a team including integrating players like Wilson, Matera and even Hamling and Pearce. The Suns would no doubt welcome the chance for Dew to work on the synergy with his team across a few more rounds and get some runs of form here and there, loading up for next year and to put their case to Lynch to stay. It is probably a similar situation for the Lions as well.
IAP
Guest
"Earth shattering" is hyperbole. The bye rounds suck; they need to fix it. If they can't fix it they should make the clubs give every player a spell at least once, when the club wants them to take it, during the year, and get rid of the by all together.
anon
Roar Pro
These articles get earlier and earlier every year. Still two months left in the season and everyone is bored. It's not one thing but a lot of things making people feel like this. Even with exciting matches, the game day experience isn't enjoyable. There's no real engagement with supporters. No community or any real camaraderie. There's hasn't been for years, but there becomes a tipping point when supporters have no connection to the game. Let's go through the reasons: - No real camaraderie. There hasn't been for years, but now that the current generation doesn't know what life was like when you would sit in a members stand at your home ground, in the members bar, attending a function after the match, that feeling of community has been completely lost. - Price of games. If you don't have a decent seat you might as well stay at home and watch in HD. The cost of a decent seat is roughly half the price of a cheap concert ticket. I'd rather go to a one concert for every two Sunday afternoon games against a Gold Coast or Carlton. The price is poor value for money compared to free in high definition at home or Netflix. I might continue later.