Fumbleball again showing it's fear of Rugby League

[The Rocket]

On 11/07/2021 at 02:05, unapologetic pedant said:

It`s completely absurd. Most of the players caught with the ball have their arms pinned by the tackle. How the heck are they supposed to "legally dispose of the ball"?

Again there`s a parallel with RU. A lot of Union ruck "holding on" penalties involve the defender preventing release. The ref penalises the tackled player purely because he looks isolated. It`s a cosmetic artificial judgement, detached from any criteria laid down in their rulebook. Yet we`re expected to believe it`s all frightfully technical, comprehensible only to those who benefited from a private education. They get away with it because that same education affords their pundits the articulacy to talk a good game.

In Aussie Rules, I`ve noticed that the crowd react automatically whenever a player is tackled, irrespective of what type of attempt he makes to get rid of the ball. As though, like the RU ref, they know their role is to pretend it makes sense. The player purportedly "holding the ball" is just a momentary pantomime villain for them to boo.

 Fascinating comparison really. It`s one of the things I`ll often remark when watching fumbleball. The commentators take it all so seriously, I was only laughing yesterday at some of the antics on the field and the commentators straight-faced descriptions of them.

It bring to mind something I saw the other day, a group of players were lying on the ground trying to get hold of the ball as it ricocheted about, one player thrashing around on the ground quite accidently connected the ball with his heel and the ball shot clear, witnessing this the television commentator quick as a flash called ` brilliant back heel by so & so`, hilarious, like the whole thing was a deliberate and a well-honed skill.

I suppose it is only these moments of high farce that prevent afl from completely going down the union path. The union cleverly like to keep all their dark arts hidden, either at the bottom of a ruck or in a scrum, poor Aussies, we are such an open and honest bunch, either that or stupid, we put it all out there in view of everyone and then try and tell you otherwise. 

Anyway thanks for taking a look at that, great stuff.

n.b. weekends game average 68.62 and still no mention of the drought, deniers to the end.

 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 07/07/2021 at 03:19, The Rocket said:

The issue facing the afl is not so much lop-sided scorelines but the dramatic collapse in those scorelines over the last twenty years.

This is a topic I have been following since the beginning of the year because I know it is a sore point for the afl, though of course we have seen little mention of it, in true afl fashion.

On reading your post I was reticent in revealing my interest in this topic

Given the amount of info ammo at your disposal, ever considered joining a Fumble forum? The possibility has crossed my mind. Mixing it with Fumble fans could be quite entertaining for half an hour. I assume that`s all we`d get before being banned.

What username to take? - maybe something which implies the power to bestow insights into the sporting future.

If our mate SP is currently in Sydney, he`ll be missing out on playing his fortnightly Aussie Rules game. That leaves more time to collate NRL blowout stats. Terrifying prospect.

Apparently there was a "Ballarat Boilover" yesterday between GWS and GCS. Sub-headline - "Windy conditions and desperate football takes relocated clash down to the wire".

The desperation took the form of GWS 64 (9 goals, 10 misses) GCS 65 (10 goals, 5 misses).

10 seems an awful lot of misses, even allowing for the wind. Just one more miss and the Giants would have tied the game up.

[The Rocket]

2 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

What username to take? - maybe something which implies the power to bestow insights into the sporting future.

Mmmm ... `Sports Prophet` has a nice ring to it.

My wife showed me how to pull-up all the comments I`ve posted associated with different articles in the paper yesterday, I have to admit I was shocked how many had been accepted, I usually just send them in and don`t check if they were posted anymore, just assuming they were rejected. I think the paper had me marked down as a troll and just automatically blocked my posts, I continued to post just because I assume that the journalist associated with the particular article probably reads comments on their articles any way, both accepted and rejected.

Ftzsmmns is the worst, only journalist I`ve have ever known reads and actually responds to comments posted on his articles, knowing that, I never fail to give him both barrels.

With regard fumbleball articles, I have found the adoption of trojan horse like tactics has been allowing me to slip past the moderator lately. By starting off with a couple of tepid compliments before I unleash my barbs seems to have resulted in some success.

Another tactic that I have been having success with when full frontal assault wasn`t working, has been the adoption of faux concern for the great game, remarks like ` why has happened to the great game ??? it used to be about goals ! ` and ` gee these low scores are concerning` and the like, I know they are not very cutting, but it is all about undermining the faith in that game and continually pointing out its` shortcomings.

BTW I saw some of that game, it was a low scoring shocker where the commentators artificially whipped themselves into a frenzy at the end just because the scores were close and then try and kid everyone one who hadn`t seen it that it was a `thriller.` Even during the game both commentators were commenting on the lack of skill on display.

I looked everywhere to post a suitable comment but they weren`t taking them with any of the associated articles. I wonder why.

Anyway, all`s fair in love and war, isn`t it.

[The Rocket]

13 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

That leaves more time to collate NRL blowout stats.

I`m not concerned about the blow-out scores in our game at the moment, I think that is just a temporary imbalance not an inherent structural problem that can`t be addressed.

There are plenty of positive signs now that the coaches and commentators that matter believe the problem is solvable. 

Bennett spoke about it quite extensively in an interview the other day and more interestingly Phil Gould spoke for some minutes on it during Sundays broadcast game. Previously with a `they`re ruining the game` outlook, Gould appears to have had a change of heart and that he now believes that this is a problem coaches can fix, insinuating that some coaches were being left behind by the new rules and it was up to them to catch up.

No if I was SP I would be more concerned with the long-term downward trend in points scored in his game. A trend that appears to be defying remedy.

I just can`t see how afl are going to stop this crowding around the ball scourge. It`s not like they even have an off-side rule where players are restricted from where they can approach the ball-carrier. And the more players there are around the ball the more likely the kick is going to be blocked, knocked out of the ball carriers hands, or the player tackled and having to release the ball (we both know what a minefield that is) and in all scenarios the ball ends up on the deck and the fun begins.  The mere fact that tackle numbers have doubled in 20 years is telling. 

To have reduced the interchange from 120 to 75 over the past couple of years is a massive change, all with the aim of introducing fatigue, theoretically stop players from having the energy for chasing the ball and therefore open the game up, yet it appears to be having little effect. If anything afl seems to be just introducing younger players into the game. I was reading today that over 30% of afl players are 21 and under, that`s over 250 of the 760 odd registered afl playing number, the figure is about 20% or 100 players of the 535 NRL players.

Another interesting stat was players aged 24,25 and 26 make up only 20 % of afl numbers compared 30 % of NRL. I put it to you that afl coaches are circumventing the restricted interchange rule by bringing in younger players. Younger players that can run for longer periods and are contributing to the crowding scourge and I don`t see how they are going to stop it. One other thing, younger players are wonderful, but I don`t think you want too many of them, they will often lack the guile or poise players get from experience and you`ll end up with kids football.

There is something at play long-term in fumbleball that hasn`t fully played itself out yet, something that I suggest is related to professionalism and its` effect on sport. Being a game only played in one country there isn`t the pressure of developments from overseas, it is going through this process in isolation. And I suspect there is a fair bit to play out yet.

Last game of the round tonight 70-60, a full 15 points per team below last years average score.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

9 hours ago, The Rocket said:

I`m not concerned about the blow-out scores in our game at the moment, I think that is just a temporary imbalance not an inherent structural problem that can`t be addressed.

No if I was SP I would be more concerned with the long-term downward trend in points scored in his game. 

On his PVL thread, SP has updated his raft of winning margin stats, with approving comments about the closer scores in Bulldogs/Roosters and Sharks/Warriors.

However, the highlights packages for both those games are nothing like as entertaining and exciting as those from the previous week`s blowouts. This is relevant to promotion and attracting new fans in these days of short attention spans and multi-media options.

I don`t dispute that tight contests are generally preferred by most viewers, but sparkling attacking play may be more enticing than the closeness of the score to many of those who stream minutes rather than watch the whole game.

9 hours ago, The Rocket said:

There is something at play long-term in fumbleball that hasn`t fully played itself out yet, something that I suggest is related to professionalism and its` effect on sport. 

With the usual caveat that I only watch short clips, so I don`t know for certain if this is true. -

I don`t think AFL players bounce the ball as often as they used to. Which suggests they`re less able to run 15m unimpeded. That would corroborate your point that the higher fitness levels are closing their game down.

Thirty-odd years ago, I can even remember seeing players, particularly in muddy conditions, keeping hold of the ball and reaching down to touch the ground with it as they ran through acres of space.

[The Rocket]

On 13/07/2021 at 12:02, unapologetic pedant said:

However, the highlights packages for both those games are nothing like as entertaining and exciting as those from the previous week`s blowouts. This is relevant to promotion and attracting new fans in these days of short attention spans and multi-media options.

I don`t dispute that tight contests are generally preferred by most viewers, but sparkling attacking play may be more enticing than the closeness of the score to many of those who stream minutes rather than watch the whole game.

I`ve always been wary of 5-minute highlights packages as I feel any professional sport can find enough highlights to fill a 5-minute highlights reel. Perhaps giving the false impression that their sport is full of extraordinary moments from beginning to end. Having said that I suppose that is one of the main purposes of highlights reels.

On reflection though, and something we have discussed before, League may be in a unique position because of the variety of skills on display; passing, running, tackling, kicking and catching, in all their variations in League.

There has been some sublime passing in the League this weekend, from young St. George fullback Tyrone Sloane flinging the ball back inside while regathering a kick and being flung over the sideline to a Titans players flick pass to Corey Thompson during a break down the right hand side of the field in their game today.

Anyway hope you are well.

[Clogiron]

5 hours ago, The Rocket said:

I`ve always been wary of 5-minute highlights packages as I feel any professional sport can find enough highlights to fill a 5-minute highlights reel. Perhaps giving the false impression that their sport is full of extraordinary moments from beginning to end. Having said that I suppose that is one of the main purposes of highlights reels.

On reflection though, and something we have discussed before, League may be in a unique position because of the variety of skills on display; passing, running, tackling, kicking and catching, in all their variations in League.

There has been some sublime passing in the League this weekend, from young St. George fullback Tyrone Sloane flinging the ball back inside while regathering a kick and being flung over the sideline to a Titans players flick pass to Corey Thompson during a break down the right hand side of the field in their game today.

Anyway hope you are well.

It always amazed me how many club's at all levels over here used to sign up Aussies who sent them a highlights video back in the 80s and 90s, for every player who's made a fist of it there's been about 10 complete Turkeys who have had a paid holiday. I am not saying it's been strictly one way, there's been plenty of dross from here who have spent a summer playing in the bush and getting paid somehow, looks good on the CV I suppose.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 17/07/2021 at 16:17, The Rocket said:

 Perhaps giving the false impression that their sport is full of extraordinary moments from beginning to end. 

I think it`s somewhere on this thread you`ve mentioned AFL adopting NRL terms and tropes.

I watched a short clip from Giants/Swans yesterday with the thumbnail "Himmelberg headers the ball, gathers and snaps goal". It shows the ball clonking a lanky bloke on the head.

I saw a similar clip a while back where the commentator called it a "Falcon". Also, I noticed the Swans have upped their sartorial game. They`ve dispensed with that ghastly jagged edge design and adopted what is essentially the St. George RL jersey without sleeves.

[The Rocket]

42 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I think it`s somewhere on this thread you`ve mentioned AFL adopting NRL terms and tropes.

I watched a short clip from Giants/Swans yesterday with the thumbnail "Himmelberg headers the ball, gathers and snaps goal". It shows the ball clonking a lanky bloke on the head.

I saw a similar clip a while back where the commentator called it a "Falcon". Also, I noticed the Swans have upped their sartorial game. They`ve dispensed with that ghastly jagged edge design and adopted what is essentially the St. George RL jersey without sleeves.

I honestly think that the afl media must study what the story lines are running in the NRL sometimes because so many of there media releases have an air of "us too " about them.

I saw a highlight the other day of a rather large player catch a ball and burst through two or three tackles not dissimilar to a League forward, boy didn`t they give that one a work out in the highlights reels with appropriate Rugby League jargon, I think they word plagiarised may have been `barnstorming`.

There was a young bloke who debuted last week who they`ve been giving the full `Joseph Sualli` treatment for weeks, will he, won`t he, the big moment has finally arrived, blah blah blah, when he finally debuted he managed to take one catch and then kick a goal from in front, it was giving me a head spin they showed it so many times from so many angles. I felt a bit sad about the whole thing because it really was so underwhelming, yet they were determined to almost turn it into some pivotal moment in the games history.

It makes me realise how anonymous most afl players are though, with the cameras often only ever fixated on the same players all the time especially whenever there is a break in play or at break times, the rest of the time it is just a parade of anonymous names and faces careening up and down the field.

BTW hate that swans jumper, how dare they, makes me want to let loose the Rocket on them.

[unapologetic pedant]

This post is a follow-up to @GreenAndGold`s crystal ball gazing. Specifically, how changing Australian demographics might affect the NRL/AFL code war.

I was looking through the Bulldogs junior rep and development squad announcements for 2022. Well over half of the names were Arab, other Middle Eastern, or Polynesian. The younger the age grades, the more pronounced is the trend. I never see anything remotely like this in Aussie Rules. Canterbury-Bankstown isn`t typical, but it`s still an indication of long-term trends in many parts of the country.

Also on the Bulldogs website is a video from back in August - "El Masri leads Bulldogs Community Care Kitchen Program". Apparently the club has been running this since before the Pandemic. Either @Sports Prophet isn`t looking for RL stories like this, or the mainstream media aren`t carrying them.

[unapologetic pedant]

It`s come to my attention that @Sports Prophet was glued to the France/England game.

Possibly wallowing in sick late-night fantasies of Corentin Le Cam in tank top and tight shorts. Sydney Fumble fans would feel awfully cosmopolitan if they had a Frenchman playing Full Forward for the Swans.

[Sports Prophet]

On 25/10/2021 at 07:12, unapologetic pedant said:

 

Also on the Bulldogs website is a video from back in August - "El Masri leads Bulldogs Community Care Kitchen Program". Apparently the club has been running this since before the Pandemic. Either @Sports Prophet isn`t looking for RL stories like this, or the mainstream media aren`t carrying them.

You said it there yourself. It’s on the Bulldogs website and not mainstream media.

23 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

It`s come to my attention that @Sports Prophet was glued to the France/England game.

Possibly wallowing in sick late-night fantasies of Corentin Le Cam in tank top and tight shorts. Sydney Fumble fans would feel awfully cosmopolitan if they had a Frenchman playing Full Forward for the Swans.

Grow up.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

You said it there yourself. It’s on the Bulldogs website and not mainstream media.

You enquired on the other thread what Wests, Parra, Canterbury, and Penrith were doing in their communities. I`ve given you a quarter of the answer.

In fact, I had seen similar news items about Parra and Penrith earlier this year, but I couldn`t remember much of the details. The Panthers programme had the involvement of the local MP.

Wests have something called a "Community resource hub" which seems to be aimed at children. It`s more difficult for them, because where precisely is the hub of their community?

4 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Grow up.

My favourite band is the Ramones. The lead track on their final album was "I don`t want to grow up".

Do you not think Corentin Le Cam has the build of a full forward?