Football is Unrecognisable

[Secret Kiel]

I defy anyone that believes they can mount a defence against the fact that absolutely there should be a big fat Asterisk next to this year's flag winner.

Players are knackered and disinterested and the quality of spectacle is as boring as bat s***.

But I still watch it.

Should we honour the Asterisk in the same revered esteem we do all other flags.

[The_Dud]

Yeah, because there’s never been a crap game of football before...

[Devilhead]

I defy anyone that believes they can mount a defence against the fact that absolutely there should be a big fat Asterisk next to this year's flag winner.

Players are knackered and disinterested and the quality of spectacle is as boring as bat s***.

But I still watch it.

Should we honour the Asterisk in the same revered esteem we do all other flags.

The only Asterisk I see is the one next to your name

[SaintPav]

It doesn't mean that the players aren't trying or don't care, but most teams now looked cooked including probably us.

[fugazi]

There will be an asterisk, but I'd still take the flag.
It will be a memorable year to win it.
It would be very St Kilda to win it this year.

[bigred]

That's pretty much why I think that whoever actually wins this year will be a pretty united football club.

Players are struggling big time. Even coaches like Clarko have had a gutful. lol.

Oh yeah, if we win, I will take it. And not give one single rats arse what anyone thinks.

[Enrico_Misso]

This year may well be less physically taxing on the players - shorter games/less games.
But mentally this is the most taxing year ever - uncertainty, hubs, isolation, moving schedules, travel, 4 day breaks.

Whoever wins it will thoroughly deserve it.

[bigcarl]

This year may well be less physically taxing on the players - shorter games/less games.
But mentally this is the most taxing year ever - uncertainty, hubs, isolation, moving schedules, travel, 4 day breaks. Whoever wins it will thoroughly deserve it.

Yep, a real test of resilience with just about everyone doing it hard.

[Saintmatt]

That's pretty much why I think that whoever actually wins this year will be a pretty united football club.

Players are struggling big time. Even coaches like Clarko have had a gutful. lol.

Oh yeah, if we win, I will take it. And not give one single rats arse what anyone thinks.

Spot on. +1

[Jacks Back]

It's nowhere near the same game. I hope they don't permanently do this (quick turnarounds, 16 minute qtrs and 17 games each) - No thanks.

I hope we do win it but we looked stuffed.

* If someone is going to have an asterisk against their name for winning the 2020 Grand Final - it could only be St Kilda!

[desertsaint]

pffft. it's footy. thousands of australians doing it a heck of a lot harder than these pampered wealthy sportsmen.

[The_Dud]

It might be slightly different (shorter games, breaks etc) but the good teams are still the good teams. Right now the 8 is the same as it was at the end of last year, except 2 teams have jumped in (Saints, Port) and 2 have fallen out (Bombers, Dogs) but are still in contention, which I think is probably about your standard change year to year.

That’s why this year is just as legit as any other, it’s not like the whole thing is a toss up like some try to make it seem.

[bigred]

It's nowhere near the same game. I hope they don't permanently do this (quick turnarounds, 16 minute qtrs and 17 games each) - No thanks.

I hope we do win it but we looked stuffed.

* If someone is going to have an asterisk against their name for winning the 2020 Grand Final - it could only be St Kilda!

I guarantee that we don't look stuffed when we are winning.

[Yorkeys]

Moisture at night in Qld and wind in FNQ. Makes ball difficult to one grab and kick well. Could be contributing factors. Footballer #5 C. Petracca was unrecognisable from preceding game. No goals, no votes. Where are the the stewards to query previous run. Does it mean that fluke last goal out of his arse in Alice was just to keep Saints on their toes and fate will be kinder now.

[Secret Kiel]

Put aside the claim a flag in 2020 will be "hard earned" for a moment, why does the game look so different in 2020. It is an undeniable fact, consistently low scores alone are making the game so bloody boring, take this round already:

Tiges 8G vs Freo 4G
Swans 10G vs Freo 4G
GWS 6G vs Blues 5G

The AFL are lucky we are all bored out of our brains and there is bugger all else to do otherwise we wouldnt be watching a game that is currently more boring than lawn bowls to watch.

The "hard earned" tag is so debatable and only when the pandemic is in the rear vision will we be honest enough to agree that the value of this flag is not comparable to full strength flags.

Not to say whoever wins it wont have earned something, but they wont have earnt a full strength flag.

[samuraisaint]

It doesn't mean that the players aren't trying or don't care, but most teams now looked cooked including probably us.

I am going to be very interested to see how we go on Sunday arvo versus Hawks. Based on what we have seen for most of this season, teams have thrown up some very bizarro results.
GIven the Hawks will have played three matches in ten days, are going to be fifteenth or sixteenth when we play them, have the oldest side in the league, and having played McEvoy, Mitchell, Wingard and Worpel in every single game so far, you would expect Clarkson to opt for youth, and for us to win convincingly, especially as we have to win to stay in the hunt for finals action, and Membrey looking like he will be rested giving somebody like Battle their big chance.

[The_Dud]

Put aside the claim a flag in 2020 will be "hard earned" for a moment, why does the game look so different in 2020. It is an undeniable fact, consistently low scores alone are making the game so bloody boring, take this round already:

Tiges 8G vs Freo 4G
Swans 10G vs Freo 4G
GWS 6G vs Blues 5G

The AFL are lucky we are all bored out of our brains and there is bugger all else to do otherwise we wouldnt be watching a game that is currently more boring than lawn bowls to watch.

The "hard earned" tag is so debatable and only when the pandemic is in the rear vision will we be honest enough to agree that the value of this flag is not comparable to full strength flags.

Not to say whoever wins it wont have earned something, but they wont have earnt a full strength flag.

Each team on average scored 80 points per game in 2019

This year the adjusted total is 76 points per game

I wouldn't say the 4 points a game difference is the world-ender you're trying to portray it as

[Sanctorum]

The question of whether or not the 2020 AFL premiership is at "full strength" or otherwise is immaterial, as is whether or not people like or dislike the quality of football this year. Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion.

Me? I really enjoy the footy this year and admire the way the AFL, the clubs and the players have committed to staying the course to play out the season, under extraordinarily difficult and financially stressful conditions during the course of this "once in a lifetime" calamitous Covid-19 virus pandemic wrought on the world by the Peoples Republic of China.

I would have thought that anyone who regards the 2020 premiership inferior, demeans it as "The Asterisk Cup", and considers the quality of football is poor, boring even, would not bother to waste their time watching the games, and least of all, get into debates with their pathetic, negative and miserable attitudes on a forum of diehard Saints supporters who in the main follow their team through good times and bad....unconditionally!!

One thing is for sure, the 2020 Grand Final played at the Gabba (great for us Queenslanders!!!) will be the most watched and highest TV rating sports event in Australia ever!

[The Fireman]

Another cup in the cabinet is exactly what it is.

Stupidity it stops with me.

[Josh Battle]

Another cup in the cabinet is exactly what it is.

Stupidity it stops with me.

If there are enough educated people informing the uneducated .....

<1 day ban for non footy posts on footy forum>

[George27]

I have never seen an asterisk against Fitzroy’s 1916 flag, in what was undeniably a far more compromised season than this .

I am very pleased to see the correct spelling of “asterisk “ on this thread. It has troubled me that some media and other fora suggest the Premiers this season will be accompanied by a Belgian cartoon character .

[The Fireman]

Another cup in the cabinet is exactly what it is.

Stupidity it stops with me.

If there are enough educated people informing the uneducated I reckon people will work together to significantly decrease incidents of racism. Not sure we can do anything to help stupid pricks in the world. Not sure we’ll change people who vote for Pauline Hanson

I don’t know who gets me worked up more..racists or stupid carnts...I understand how people would be inclined to think their way of life or their tribe is better than other people’s. You are born into it and it’s natural to be racist if it was accepted as being ‘normal’ behaviour for most of us growing up

The main difference I suppose is that being stupid is not against the law

I’m enjoying the Saints doing well and hope we can play finals

?? So you are saying the cup is as important as the rest ?

[Secret Kiel]

The question of whether or not the 2020 AFL premiership is at "full strength" or otherwise is immaterial, as is whether or not people like or dislike the quality of football this year. Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion.

Me? I really enjoy the footy this year and admire the way the AFL, the clubs and the players have committed to staying the course to play out the season, under extraordinarily difficult and financially stressful conditions during the course of this "once in a lifetime" calamitous Covid-19 virus pandemic wrought on the world by the Peoples Republic of China.

I would have thought that anyone who regards the 2020 premiership inferior, demeans it as "The Asterisk Cup", and considers the quality of football is poor, boring even, would not bother to waste their time watching the games, and least of all, get into debates with their pathetic, negative and miserable attitudes on a forum of diehard Saints supporters who in the main follow their team through good times and bad....unconditionally!!

One thing is for sure, the 2020 Grand Final played at the Gabba (great for us Queenslanders!!!) will be the most watched and highest TV rating sports event in Australia ever!

Unconditional or hysterically?

Maybe I'm not using enough emojis.

Did you miss the bit where I said I STILL WATCH IT.

You can mince and dice it anyway you like, it's a crap spectacle and as suspected there isn't one attempt at a convincing argument that the game isn't, by comparison to full strength competition, worthy of an asterisk.

If it was so bloody great we would he begging the AFL not to change it back when the panedmic is over.

Continue carrying on.

[Ghost Like]

Unrecognisable by definition means no resemblance to what we know by sense.

It is still 18 teams, made of 22 players on match day, 18 on the field, 4 on the bench, no change to rotations, no change to rules (possibly interpretation, but that is week to week as well as year to year). Matches are shorter, not by much. 4 points being scored less a game, no big deal, total scores fluctuate from season to season. Same umpire numbers. Style of football is essentially the same barring individual team game styles. The best players are still the best, rookies come in, veterans fade away. Players surprise. Players disappoint. A goal is still 6 points. A behind is still one point. The highest score still wins. Ground sizes are still the same. Crowds are down.

What's unrecognisable for most is how we've had to watch the game. Not being at venues with friends and family. That does not detract or minimise what the players have trained for, what they endured, the sacrifices made. None of that deserves an asterisk in my opinion.

Just because something is said often enough, it does not make it true.

[The_Dud]

Lots of people have been calling for a 17 game season for a few years now.