Apparently there is a game on at Coopers tonight?

[Psyber]

Tell ya what, Im pretty tempted to stay home and watch the AFL myself

I stayed home and watched "Connie and Carla", which was at least funny, unlike it would have been at Norwood..
[I checked the AFL scores intermittently only, since Carlton clearly had it under control.]

[Adelaide Hawk]

I think that's it Wedgie, I tend to follow Norwood out of blind loyalty rather than belief anything special is going on, and that's a shame. I recall the 1970s, and 80s when I would go to the footy full of anticipation that this may well be the greatest game I've ever seen. It rarely was or course, but what I did see made me look forward to next week in equal anticipation.

We had mid week night competitions over at Norwood and I would attend each one with a group of mates no matter who was playing. I recall one night a group of us walking out at 3/4 time one frosty evening with steaming hot pies to listen to John Halbert talking to the Glenelg players, and the players could smell our pies. They were more interested in the pies than listening to their coach

Another part of my enjoyment was that I knew not only most of the Norwood players personally, but also a number of opposition ones. Hurling abuse at my mate Daryl Rady as he ran along the boundary was just so much fun as he took it in good humour. I know very few players these days and that can also diminish the interest factor.

All day Friday I looked forward to the match, honestly believing this would be the day Norwood would finally come out and show us what they could do. By the time I got to the match, my optimism had diminished, and by half way into the 1st quarter I was thinking of places I'd rather be. I refuse to believe this is best Norwood can do, but if that's all they show me, then maybe it is. And if it is, it's not good enough.

We talk a lot about "standard". Certainly the standard in not as high pre-Crows, nor could we expect it to be. Whether the standard is less than last season, or the season before that, you can debate forever.

What I think a lot of long time SANFL supporters and lovers are really unhappy with is the "style". A lot of people love the endless tackling, I don't. If I wanted to watch tackling, I'd attend a rugby match where they do it a lot better than footballers.

If I wanted to see players work the ball around in a zone by use of hand, I'd watch basketball, because basketballers do it so much better than footballers.

The speed at which players attempt to do thing these days create far too many ball handling errors. Time for administrators to try and take the pace out of the game and allow for the skills to rise to the top like cream. I want to see long and accurate kicking to players downfield who are actually in position to contest for the ball. I want see one, maybe two handballs at most before a long clearing kick to a team mate downfield. I want to see strong contested pack marks. I saw none of that last night. As a matter of fact, I cannot recall one thing happening in the entire game I found the least bit impressive.

I saw players, some of them AFL listed who couldn't mark the ball with a texta pen. They were arially inept, and extremely suspect in hot action. It's hardly surprising when coaches use a drills these days where players drop the ball on purpose to practice recovery skills. What in hell is that all about???

I am so tired of watching 50 metre kicks downfield to nobody, and opposition defenders marking virtually unattended. It's crap.

Anyway, I could go on forever, but I'll stop here. I think you get the idea where I'm coming from.

[purch]

I recall one night a group of us walking out at 3/4 time one frosty evening with steaming hot pies to listen to John Halbert talking to the Glenelg players, and the players could smell our pies. They were more interested in the pies than listening to their coach

Nothing's changed there except that some Bays players prefer hot chips these days

[purch]

As a matter of fact, I cannot recall one thing happening in the entire game I found the least bit impressive.

I heard that Tristan Gum's goal was quite impressive. Little consolation perhaps?

[Barto]

When its a choice between watching a highly skilled Geelong play probably the best footy I've seen in my life.

It's fortunate you're a Geelong supporter, there's plenty of rubbish being dished up by other clubs and I've seen more enjoyable WAFL and SANFL games in recent years.

Disappointed in your review that the SANFL has dropped in standard significantly and it's a shame if this is true. I'd hate to see what's going to happen to the league when the AFL start expanding again, players have to come from somewhere.

Perhaps it's also a getting older thing, now that I'm out there amongst it in a support role and listening to the rubbish comments coming from the other side of the fence, the ridiculousness of standing/sitting at a game of football screaming at other blokes kicking around a ball does expose itself. Having said that being a football supporter was never about logic.

[Adelaide Hawk]

As a matter of fact, I cannot recall one thing happening in the entire game I found the least bit impressive.

I heard that Tristan Gum's goal was quite impressive. Little consolation perhaps?

Tristan Gum's goal was very good. However, I was still numb from how it came about. Massie had his head over the ball, should have picked it up and cleared it. McGuinness ran in to "help", got in his way, the two ran into each other, the ball spilled free and Gum kicked the goal. I was in no mood to pay accolades to the opposition after such an inept showing from my own team.

[nickname]

I'm surprised by some of the comments about the standard slipping. My experience (somewhat limited I grant) has been the opposite this year. I wonder if it's more to do with how our own clubs are doing. West have improved a bit, Norwood haven't - yet, and North have, from all reports, moved from a very attacking style to one that has a greater emphasis on defence. Just a theory. But I expect the Bays and North to start putting it together pretty soon now and that might help change some perceptions.

[Jimmy]

that really wasnt the topic of my post i directed at you...it was the first bit...are you going to pack it in or not as it certainly sounds like your fed up with the league?

Nah mate, I still go to North games to catch up with mates and have a kick and a catch with the son and also the blind loyalty as mentioned before. I find with footy that most tend to follow a club and not the game which can be different with other sports.
I'll definately go to less games though especially neutral games, used to go to quite a few (one day I even managed 4 neutral games all on the same day).
When its a choice between watching a highly skilled Geelong play probably the best footy I've seen in my life or going to a neutral SANFL game and watch fumbling, backwards kicking not finding its mark and dour defensive events (not to mention even worse umpiring which helps destroy what little spectacle there is) it's a no brainer these days unfortunately. I'd probably even choose a good league, union or V8 race, hell with the way the standard has been a chick flick might even be appealing!
Hopefully its just a temporary phase and things improve as I used to really enjoy going to many neutral games a year and sharing photos of those with others on the internet.
I think the onus is on the clubs to make SANFL more appealing as they don't do a lot at the moment. I can go out to a pub and watch great bands with no entry price and drink pints of pale for $6 after eating some great food and a great night out.
Go to the footy and it costs $10 and you get tins of rubbish for $6, usually crap food (OK if you feel like a BBQ and you're at Richmond!) and have to watch rubbish.
Just my opinion, I could be wrong and crowds coud go up this year, it doesn't matter what I think but what the majority think but I must admit this year is the first year I can really recall the standard being discussed at length and with good cause IMHO.
Don't shoot the messenger!

fair response, i used to always tell people i would rather watch south v west than an afl game just because of accessibility to the players and there were usually more contested possessions and no prima donnas . I'd like to think that for the majority, sanfl fans still believe in the league and dont drop off due to any perceived fall in standard.

[mal]

SANFL great to watch, its real unfabricated footy
BUT
I dont like attending Friday night footy and dont go anymore
Im an old fashioned Saturday Arvo spectator
I prefer watching oppostion games on Saturdays than my own team Friday nights these days

[Voice]

The drop in standard IMO is due to teams employing these rolling zones and ultra defensive play in my opinion. Our league players in general are not good enough to use these tactics properly and the sooner they go back to playing attacking football, it'll pick up again.
Wake up coaches

[am Bays]

My $0.02, so far in 2009 three clubs have improved West, Centrals and Eagles. Two club has gone backwards South and Norwood. The rest have stayed the same.

For mine Glenelg Sturt and North have been modifying their games plans comapred to 2009 in order to take on Centrals later in the season. This has meant their performances necessarily havent been as great as last year but their have been signs of improvement too - hence no change.

I reckon we are gearing for a corker of a last half of the season as Sturt, North, Eagles and Glenelg bed down their game styles to challenge Centrals.

So whilst the sason so far has not reach great heights it will soon.

Having met a former Glenelg junior last week at a work function we were both of the opinion teh SANFL still sh!ts all over the AFL as a spectical and style of footy. he has handed in his AFl club memebrship in order to become a memebr at teh bays. he doesn't regret his decision as Cheap admission prices, cheep beer (compared to Footy Park and MCG) and closeness to the action the SANFL is the REAL DEAL

[dedja]

Having met a former Glenelg junior last week at a work function we were both of the opinion teh SANFL still sh!ts all over the AFL as a spectical and style of footy. he has handed in his AFl club memebrship in order to become a memebr at teh bays. he doesn't regret his decision as Cheap admission prices, cheep beer (compared to Footy Park and MCG) and closeness to the action the SANFL is the REAL DEAL

style ... absolutely spot on ... that's why I keep going to the SANFL and haven't been to an AFL game at Footy Park for years (apart from if I'm invited to a corporate box where I just eat lots and get pissed anyway).

The SANFL is a game for the supporters, the AFL is a corporate money generating machine.

[JK]

Good post AB, completely agree

[Adelaide Hawk]

fair response, i used to always tell people i would rather watch south v west than an afl game just because of accessibility to the players and there were usually more contested possessions and no prima donnas . I'd like to think that for the majority, sanfl fans still believe in the league and dont drop off due to any perceived fall in standard.

As I eluded to in an earlier thread, it's not so much the drop off in standard that bothers me. Every competition will have it's up and down periods. What annoys me is more the change in "style".

By this I mean we are now a breeding ground for the AFL, and have been for years, but up to now we've been able to do our own thing. However, we are beginning to fall into line with AFL methods. Some coaches see their roles as stepping stones into the AFL and must prove they are able to coach the "AFL way".

Kids entering the SANFL now have been brought up on a diet of the crap the AFL have been dishing up for the past half a dozen years or so, and to them, that's the way the game should be played. I am watching the SANFL evolve into a mini-AFL in terms of the way the game is played.

Certainly last night was a classic example of what I am talking about. The game was a basket case in terms of a spectacle as players ran around like headless chooks trying to keep up with their perceived idea of how quick the game needs to be played.

As Mal said, Friday nights don't help either. Give me a beautiful Saturday afternoon ... like today ... and the Norwood v Sturt match would have been one helluva lot better spectacle.

[Wedgie]

Good points by AH and AB about the style.
Hopefully its just a phase as its bloody awful to watch, my kids beg me not to go to watch it so they can stay home and watch a more attractive footy in the AFL.
We should be trying to attract kids not turn them off.
A defensive dour style with crap skills is not going to bring them through the gates.
It'll still bring us loyal bastards but we'll die off eventually.
Anyway, I'm off to Noarlunga Downs now on my lonesome. Hopefully its not a sellout!

[am Bays]

If i didn't have a crook kid I would probably go to Noarlunga today to watch a game. if Port were playing West at Richmond today sick kid or not i would've gone, given we play both teams in the next two weeks.

[Barto]

A couple of points raised here have been addressed recently by a certain local coach on game day:

"Forget about this AFL crap, it doesn't work at this level".

"Tactics dont win football games, skills do. If you haven't got skills, tactics are worthless".

[Barto]

A defensive dour style with crap skills is not going to bring them through the gates.

Exactly, it's the hard unsanitised version of the game that has kept the second tier as a viable option for football fans.

[Psyber]

The drop in standard IMO is due to teams employing these rolling zones and ultra defensive play in my opinion. Our league players in general are not good enough to use these tactics properly and the sooner they go back to playing attacking football, it'll pick up again.
Wake up coaches

I think you are right there. I suspect that the players who stay in the AFL teams are those who have the talent and reflexes to play the AFL style fashionable now, and the players who finish up in SANFL or VFL after being tried at AFL level are those who don't.
So, a good coach should not try to ape the AFL coaches, but should look at what the cattle he has can do and develop a style based on getting the most out of them.

[Jimmy]

i agree with these recent posts about the style...i loathe the new basketball type game we have in the AFL and would hate for that to infiltrate the sanfl full on...

long live contested footy at the sanfl level