Swans Not Ugly ... This Time

[AnnieH]

Now it's a "swans insider" complaining.

Ugly Football - Richard Hinds

IN PAST instalments of the AFL's "ugly football" debate, an exercise in self-loathing during which a game that by every reasonable measurement is thriving declares itself to be at death's door, one thing could be taken for granted: it was always the Swans' fault.

First it was their evil genius coach Rodney Eade whose floods made those described in the Old Testament seem like duck ponds. But where Biblical floods were negotiable by ark, nothing, the critics warned, would save the AFL from Eade's monsoon.

"It's far worse than anything we did," said one Swans insider. "We're seeing some horrible football now. With the zone in place and loose men back it's getting like soccer. Kick back to a loose man. Handball side-ways. Is that better than a tough man-on-man contest?"

Who's been blabbing?

[dimelb]

Same sort of stuff in The Hun: Rolling zone stumps AFL Laws of the Game panel | Herald Sun
There is a rising tide of anger at people fiddling with the rules.

[AnnieH]

That's probably why they should leave the bloody rules alone.

[Wardy]

you have to admit though the Swans did turn kicking the ball backwards to go forwards into a bit an artform.

[dimelb]

you have to admit though the Swans did turn kicking the ball backwards to go forwards into a bit an artform.

Provided they go forwards that's OK with me. It's when we turn it over that I get peeved.

[Wardy]

Provided they go forwards that's OK with me. It's when we turn it over that I get peeved.

I'm with you on that one!!!

[dimelb]

More from an unexpected source on tinkering with the rules:

"Of course, this AFL administration thinks everything is its business and, in 2025 when it owns Etihad Stadium outright, the Docklands ground will be its business.

But the problem with this current AFL administration is that it is an impatient control freak. I mean, why, for example, does it think it can change the rules of our game whenever it gets the urge?

Quite frankly, this is bizarre, autocratic behaviour.

The AFL doesn't own Australian rules football; the AFL is one league in a country that has thousands of leagues.

This all started because the AFL thought Sydney played ugly; but the Swans played in two of the most thrilling grand finals of all time."

See the whole story at http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/...842577506.html

[johnno]

What i hated was ignorant supporters like my work colleague who sits next to me who would say things like..."god i hate the way the swans always flood, I hate the swans game style", and no matter how much you try to explain to them that the swans' game style was not flooding but man on man, contested, creating stoppages and possession football, their ignorance would come out and say nah, nah, nah, its flooding and it looks crap. I might add that this work colleague is a collingwood supporter and has always stated, especially after the coll vs rich NAB cup game last week, that if collingwood floods, she wont bother watching her team anymore. I didnt have the heart to tell her that she doesnt really know that much about the game because if she did, she would have been able to tell that collingwood were flooding like a tsunami in that game over and over again.

[connolly]

That's probably why they should leave the bloody rules alone.

And rule interpretations. We have seen "policy umpiring" where rule interpretations are enforced by the crazy gang. Dermetriou never got over being flattened by Lethal off the ball by a truely beautiful hip and shoulder in a final. He has tried to outlaw hard contested football ever since he ascended to the Sun Throne.

[AnnieH]

And rule interpretations. We have seen "policy umpiring" where rule interpretations are enforced by the crazy gang. Dermetriou never got over being flattened by Lethal off the ball by a truely beautiful hip and shoulder in a final. He has tried to outlaw hard contested football ever since he ascended to the Sun Throne.

Don't start me on @@@@ing "rule interpretations".

It's really annoying when your doing your commentary for the crowd (from six flights up in the brewongle) and I pick out an indescretion and the maggot who is standing two feet away can't see it. My imaginary whistle is a "boo".

They wonder why we hate them.

[ShockOfHair]

I'm still enjoying Roos' comments in those stories.


Feels good to be proven right. Even better to prove the AFL wrong. Again.

[Nthblood]

I'd rather watch a game that is a contest with man on man and not this crap some teams are putting out with this rolling 18 man rolling defence. If I wanted to watch contested circle work I'd go down to the local club on a Thursday night and watch them train. Its just absolute crap for professional players, no one takes responsibility for any players on the field.
Four players run it up the wing with little opposition and kick to the main forward who has many opponents. Bang the opposition get the ball and take it back down the opposite wing where they have four of thier players with very little opposition. There we have it up and down the field just like basketball with no real physical contest. As i call it crap football.

So what are the AFL going to do, fiddle with the rules, thats how we got in this mess with them changing the rules to stop Sydneys ugly football ( man on man ) strange thats what I was taught as a kid, pick up a man and contest. I'd rather watch the 2005 and 2006 grand finals cause they where a contest and edge of your seat stuff, unlike the last two grand finals, 2007 only one team turned up, well thats what it sounded like on the radio and 2008 well what can I say, boring for the neutral watcher, no contest.

[AnnieH]

I'd rather watch a game that is a contest with man on man and not this crap some teams are putting out with this rolling 18 man rolling defence. If I wanted to watch contested circle work I'd go down to the local club on a Thursday night and watch them train. Its just absolute crap for professional players, no one takes responsibility for any players on the field.
Four players run it up the wing with little opposition and kick to the main forward who has many opponents. Bang the opposition get the ball and take it back down the opposite wing where they have four of thier players with very little opposition. There we have it up and down the field just like basketball with no real physical contest. As i call it crap football.

So what are the AFL going to do, fiddle with the rules, thats how we got in this mess with them changing the rules to stop Sydneys ugly football ( man on man ) strange thats what I was taught as a kid, pick up a man and contest. I'd rather watch the 2005 and 2006 grand finals cause they where a contest and edge of your seat stuff, unlike the last two grand finals, 2007 only one team turned up, well thats what it sounded like on the radio and 2008 well what can I say, boring for the neutral watcher, no contest.

Three of my favourite words ...

"@@@@ing MAN UP".

The other two are ...

"@@@@ing TACKLE".

How hard is it?

[goswannie14]

I'd rather watch a game that is a contest with man on man and not this crap some teams are putting out with this rolling 18 man rolling defence. If I wanted to watch contested circle work I'd go down to the local club on a Thursday night and watch them train. Its just absolute crap for professional players, no one takes responsibility for any players on the field.
Four players run it up the wing with little opposition and kick to the main forward who has many opponents. Bang the opposition get the ball and take it back down the opposite wing where they have four of thier players with very little opposition. There we have it up and down the field just like basketball with no real physical contest. As i call it crap football.

So what are the AFL going to do, fiddle with the rules, thats how we got in this mess with them changing the rules to stop Sydneys ugly football ( man on man ) strange thats what I was taught as a kid, pick up a man and contest. I'd rather watch the 2005 and 2006 grand finals cause they where a contest and edge of your seat stuff, unlike the last two grand finals, 2007 only one team turned up, well thats what it sounded like on the radio and 2008 well what can I say, boring for the neutral watcher, no contest.

I've said else where that if this is footy 2009 style, I won't be watching much of it this year.

[ShockOfHair]

While we're on the theme of 'it's not us this time', how about Hawthorn fielding just one - count him! - one grand final player in a trial match! If that were the Swans...