I don't think it's limited to the AFL. I think it's tied to increasing training and professionalism. I'm not a huge fan of soccer, but if you look at some of the players in the 80's and 90s, they wouldn't be able to play with the athletes on the field today. They just wouldn't get up and down the pitch enough.
Andrew Gaze was the most talented Australian basketballer of all time, but wasn't an athlete, so he could never really make it in the NBA against the athletes there.
Aussie Rules - even at a professional level - used to be a sport that players of any body type could play. That's still true to a degree, so long as the body type you have allows you to run.
Collins was blessed with good size, good skills, good hand-eye coordination and a good feel for the game, but cursed with a slow first step and below average running power overall. He probably had more positive aspects to his game than someone like Tabs, but Tabs has a chance to make it because one of his positive attributes is he's a good runner for a big guy.
If you take the athleticism down a peg to the VFL, Collins other attributes will shine. It's a bit of a shame. I always thought he could slot into a Johnno role for us, and there's still a chance an AFL team will find a spot for him. But it's such a niche role, it's hard. I hope he gets there, because by all reports he's a really good guy.
