2012 Champions - the final verdict

Im wondering what every ones final verdict is on these cards.

While there are plenty of people still chasing the stickers things seemed to have gone quite pretty quick on this release.

For me this is probably the best designed champions set made, however i think it was a massive mistake to have the best insert at 1:36. It has made this set (for me anyways) quite boring to collect.

Is anyone still buying boxes or packets?? My local post office and newsagent are NOT stocking them this year - its the first year in forever that its happened. I wonder how Champions is selling for Select?

Either way interested to see what everyone thinks.

I decided not to bust boxes / packs this year and just buy the St George cards...I will probably pick up this set in bulk over the next year or two.

I like the release it is a bit different from the usual Champions we had all become a bit bored with, the only down side is the commons don't sign very well...they look good signed and the design is OK but with some pens the ink just doesn't seem to take to the cardboard.

With the change of license I am concerned with where we will end up because even though Select cop a bit of criticism...I believe it could be a case of "better the devil you know"

Cheers
Ross

I like them....

The card quality is very good, thicker than recent champions and the glossy finish is always nice.

The sticker concept i am not a fan of though.

The Try Machines look good and they have a mix of Legends and the up and coming players.

Rookies are also a very nice card but i for one am puzzled at the choice of some of the players.

The Showtimes are awesome, a bit of a throw back of the Double Troubles but very nice none the less.

The Centurions are awesome i love the mirror effect, but i think a few more players, and like you Owen, a bit harder to obtain would have made it a bit more interesting to collect

All up an awesome 1st series and its a shame that Select finally got rid of all those Bobble Head Gems etc and start getting it right and they no longer want to make them

for me they were a bit of a let down. with 1:36 insert being the best.

was really only one card worth collecting in the set. and happy to say i have 12 of them ahaha Gordon try machine.

I have only been buying loose packs and have just today filled the 2 common sets I wanted. Obviously still after the inserts & plenty of stickers but might just chip away at those. Also gone a bit cold on this set. Look & quality is great, happy about the direction Select have gone, but looses something with the stickers & gold sets - just too many cards. Stickers where a bit of a novelty at first but are unnecessary, same photos as common cards. Catering for kids obviously which I suppose is understandable. There is also a sameness about the TMs & RSs. Totally agree that 1:36 for top cards is little incentive.

I decided that i was going to bust 2 boxes this year first time ever. I'm very happy with the common cards, clear and when the sigs go on them they looks amazing. The peel and reveal i'm still sitting on the fence about it. I have a pile to unpeel and wonder weather i should do a set peeled and a set unpeeled.

The inserts are not too bad the showtimes are great getting both sigs on the cards is great.

In the end i miss the sign cards that we used to get every year. I don't mind the centurions but if they did'nt have a roosters player then i would'nt been collecting that set.

Will be interestings what select come up with in the next series and will it flop or will they go out with a bang. I'm hoping they produce top quality cards for the last time.

Fingers crossed

i think its a great release and the first release im going for the master set!!
For someone like myself, its affordable.
The usual spots around town have the cards for sale, with the new one being the Woolies Plus servo also having them!!!
This time last year, i was bad mouthing Select and hoped someone else would take over.
Now, i think its a shame they have handed back the license.
AFL collectors should be quite excited for next year!!!
Hoping Select bring out a great series 2.

For me I like them. The silver sticker concept is a winner, remember its the young collector these are targeted at and the kids I have spoken to love the fact you can peel the sticker for a suprise card underneath.

Select are on a winner with this sort of innovation.

I have only ben back in the collecting game for a few years but this is easily the best Champions set I have come across. The commons look really good and having the logo's in the base set breaks up the teams nicely. I have been able to buy the cards everywhere in my area, newsagents, service stations and convenience stores all have good stocks and they seem to be moving.

All of the inserts are really good and this is the first year I am putting together all of the insert sets (aside from the stickers) as I couldn't decide which one I liked best. The Showtimes have a good selection of the top players on them but for me the big let down was the best insert only being 1:36. I thought that they could have continued on with the star signature series and featured the eight clubs who didn't get one last year, I think they even had a survey on their website which was overwhelmingly in favour of the star signature set continuing.

It is a shame that Select have handed back their license and I really hope that ESP give it a red hot go as it would be terrible to be in a situation like the Cricket cards where none are being produced.

I really like common cards, call me boring. My preference is always for the commons and there's nothing more exciting than finishing a set or two from busting packs over a winter. I bought a couple full sets at a wonderful price, so they go away and I don't stress with the *@&$#! doubles I seem to stockpile. I mean seriously...how many Ryan Hinchcliffes does a person really need?

Budget this year is slimmer too, so I got the common sets and Souths inserts and a silver set from an excellent dealer. This is why I love this site...meet people, chat, swap and trade, fill the holes in sets without filling out a bankruptcy form.

I've probably bought 30 odd packets just at 1-2 at a time with loose change, and all the newsagents around me at home and work stock them bar one, and I know someone else in the area is buying them, cause the newies got near to empty boxes and replenished the stock. I won't be buying too many more packs, unless I can get some coin off the better half, but she'll tell me to prostitute my pumpkin a*** and I'm keen for footy cards, but not crack addict keen.

I love the Centurions, but only got the Lyons thus far. Def will save for a set. Got 6 Duos, but 4 of them have flecked corners so will go back to Select. Different packs, different shops, different area but all the same corner damage which seems to mean a pattern. Will save and swap for those too.

The Try Machines are nice, Rookies do nothing for me...cause I don't rate many of them anyway. The silver cards are too gimmicky for me, although I'm an anal completist for parallel sets, so got a set of them too (and maybe will try for a second set if I get some dolleros.)

One thing I hate - absolutely loathe - are logo cards. Yep...I know who the teams are. Worse still, no info, just a checklist. Ummm...what are the 4 cards at the back for (good at the back this year too). Give me 12 cards per team AND 12 players.

Seem to hit quite well this year with buying packs and getting silver parallel / other chase cards. I'll put all the silver cards up some time soon and if anyone wants em, probably will do a bulk shift...but I'll list em and see how we go.

Overall, I really like the set (except for the smell) and if I had the money would get a complete set with the bells and whistles. The days of buying 6-12 boxes are well and truly over for the moment now I have 2 little boys. That said, the oldest is 3 and he oohs and aahs when I bust a packet and he wants to look, and I gave him a handful of cards for him to keep and he thinks its bloody wonderful. You wouldn't want to see them now...ARGHHH!!!

I bought a few packs last year and was not impressed but this years is a bit improvement.

The only things I don't like are the stickers but seeing that they are aimed at younger collectors It is not a too big a deal. Also like Mad hatter said with the logo cards only having the checklist on the back. Some stats about the club would have been better as they already have 4 checklist cards in the set already.

But hey they are only minor issues really and the look of the inserts and commons make up for it many times over. I cannot think of another select common set that looks as good as this years.

I think they got it right at the bottom with a nice set of commons for collectors and sig hunters, also a bit of fun with the stickers & gold cards for the kids. I think they got it wrong at the top with no signatures or 1:72 pack hit and also the 1:36 centurions for me whilst innovative for Select I thought the set compilation and even the design fell a little short. Almost but not quite there for Select.....

The base set is ok, stickers are a bad idea and would prefer normal size gold cards as a parallel, the try machines and rookie standouts are a little plain, The Showtimes are great, the Centurions were a letdown and I think they should have done some signature inserts at around 1:72 in this series. Overall way better than 2011 Champions series 1 but not as good as 2011 Strike.

My issue with select is not enough stats and info on the cards but still worth collecting.