What I love about the AFL is that they try and keep the competition even. They have invented a salary cap, draft picks for under performing teams and even injected money into financially struggling clubs which has worked with Kangaroos and Bulldogs currently more financially viable.
However while the draft picks and salary cup has insured an eveness, the one thing the AFL cannot fix is the problem with several under performing clubs who have the wrong culture that ensures they continue to remain sucky and give their fans grey hair year after year.
Exposed: The clubs
1) Fremantle Football Club
This post has been inspired by the situation were Fremantle are currently breaking all the wrong records. The Fremantle Football club has broken a 60+ year old record when St Kilda lost four games in a row by leading at 3/4 time, Fremantle have currently lost five games while leading at 3/4 time.
Fremantle is the buck of all jokes with a goal hungry/ selfish current captain. Recruiting old recycled players who have provided nothing (Johnson, Tarrent, Bradley etc) and then passing on future stars (Bell, McLeod, Llyod, Ottens, Clement etc). Its no wonder they have only made the finals once in over 12 years.
2) Richmond Football club
Richmond would be one of the most frustrating teams to follow imo, just ask the Wounded Tiger writer and read comments like this. Lets look at some stats since 1980:
- No premierships and only 2 or 3 final appearances.
- No Brownlow medalists (AFL Best and fairest player).
- No Coleman Medalists (AFL Leading goal scorer).
- 12 coaches.
- Rifts between club legends.
Some fan reactions are almost legendary with one supporter dropping a whole load of chicken manure outside Punt Road. Others have been ‘forced’ to spit, tear up their memberships and openly boo more than cheer at the end of the game(s). Ouch!
3) St Kilda Football club
The third club with the worst culture would imo be St Kilda. One premiership in over 100 years is bad especially with the amount of legendary players they have had playing for them. Brownlow winner names like Stewart, Harvey, Lockett and Smith is a list of whos who.
The current era was suppose to be the premiership breaker with the majority of their squad all first round players (In one game they had around 14 or so) chosen from the draft. Few years later it has not happened with majority of them over paid and labeled soft by todays ‘experts’.
Is bad culture really to blame?
I would say yes. One of my favourite stories is from ex Docker coach Chris Connelly who recounts how when he first took over the club one fan said “We do not care if we loose every game, as long as we beat the Eagles”. Other comments which breeds bad culture are: Near enough is ok and it was an honorable loose! Rubbish!
I played my juniour football for a Richmond style football club (Chapman Valley Royals) and unless they and these three AFL clubs change the culture, they will remain sucky and no matter how many draft picks they get given, they will remain unfruitful.
Are you a long suffering fan of one of these clubs? Tell us what your experiences are.
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June 4th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
First, the corrections: it was chicken manure that got dumped outside Punt Rd, and I count 12 coaches since 1980.
I do feel like the Tigers are turning their culture around. I think that there are some really positive signs around the place, and at very least, the culture of “we’ve had a bad performance – sack the coach” has been all but weaned out. I think that Tiges supporters have copped a lot of crap for a few bad eggs: it’s quite amazing that Richmond have sustained such a great level of support in a very lean time.
The Wounded Tigers last blog post..Round 10 vs Sydney – Oh, Dear
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June 4th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
@The Wounded Tiger – Thanks for the corrections. I guess I was including Terry Wallace to the list of sacked coaches
Did you read the comment on the Round 10 wrap up? I do not think that person would agree that Richmond’s culture is changing for the better.
Jermayns last blog post..Somewhere in the Real World – Vanessa Amorosi
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