Not sure there is a thread started on this year's finals.

Thought I'd start by linking an article by Luke Ablett on elite players and their drive to win premierships. Makes me angry we don't have players like those mentioned in the article.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/sep/04/afl-finals-the-elite-thrive-the-rest-of-us-survived

Look at these teams tonight. Handballing to running players.

Keep the ball moving...The opposite to the way we play!!!

Sorry moon, I'm not dissing your thread, but finals this year are a big yawn for me.....

Edited September 5, 201411 yr by jumbo returns

It's depressing.

Our bloody drafting.

It's depressing.

Our bloody drafting.

CS must be so proud of his achievements...

Can't stand Joel ducking selwood dropping his head every 5 seconds for a free its as bad as staging imo

Hawthorn's hands around the contest are just superb. It's not just skill execution, it's the way they set up - they just seem to be perfectly placed to pass it around until someone has the time and space to clear it properly.

It's heartbreaking to watch footy this good.

Players who keep their feet in a contest is what we must recruit.

Not sure I'd want to be Frawley going to Geelong, to be honest. Although very wary of calling it early, I think they're just about on their last legs for this cycle and he ain't going to be enough to hold them up.

Not sure there is a thread started on this year's finals.

Thought I'd start by linking an article by Luke Ablett on elite players and their drive to win premierships. Makes me angry we don't have players like those mentioned in the article.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/sep/04/afl-finals-the-elite-thrive-the-rest-of-us-survived

So we all should start by not giving out our praise to easily to our kids. So they have to go harder to earn the cheers & the praise.

Our players do tend to get spoilt, before they start being true AFL stars.

Is it US all, who lower the bar for them to hop over, one leg at a time????????????

For a bloke supposedly done with a body packing it in Rivers has been outstanding.

Not sure I'd want to be Frawley going to Geelong, to be honest. Although very wary of calling it early, I think they're just about on their last legs for this cycle and he ain't going to be enough to hold them up.

They still have some great youth and Barrel and Selwood have a lot of footy left.

Rivers has been really good.... Had to say it

I don't like either sides playing tonight but I hope the hawks beat those arrogant snots from Geelong.

Can't stand some of the cats players and especially their dummy spitting hot air ballon faced coach.

They still have some great youth and Barrel and Selwood have a lot of footy left.

Rivers has been really good.... Had to say it

They've definitely lost that aura though. Just saying if I were Frawley looking to pick a side to win a flag with in the next few years, it wouldn't be them.

Chapman coming up against Geelong next week could also be pretty interesting, I'd wager.

I don't like either sides playing tonight but I hope the hawks beat those arrogant snots from Geelong.

Can't stand some of the cats players and especially their dummy spitting hot air ballon faced coach.

I'm swamped by Hawthorn supporters at work and they drive me nuts. Was really hoping they'd be brought down a peg tonight. Pretty disappointed.

How depressing it is Whorethorn win again.

I was there in 87 & 88

I'm swamped by Hawthorn supporters at work and they drive me nuts. Was really hoping they'd be brought down a peg tonight. Pretty disappointed.

The hawks do look bloody good though.

Wonder if we will ever be this good? It's seems so far away ATM and for the past 8 yrs.

I live in hope.

They've definitely lost that aura though. Just saying if I were Frawley looking to pick a side to win a flag with in the next few years, it wouldn't be them.

Yep, it was the older players who kept them in the game. The young guns are not up to the standard of Bartel, Enright & co. and then add in Chapman, Ling, Scarlett and Corey for a few more, well I wouldn't be backing them in either.

Kidding if we are anywhere near this.

Geelong to play the winner of North Melbourne v Essendon and I suspect the Cats might not survive past next week.

Geelong to play the winner of North Melbourne v Essendon and I suspect the Cats might not survive past next week.

Geelong will win easily in the semi

Edited September 5, 201411 yr by The Stigga

The hawks do look bloody good though.

Wonder if we will ever be this good? It's seems so far away ATM and for the past 8 yrs.

I live in hope.

Depends on who we recruit/draft.

Depends on who we recruit/draft.

We must nail every recruit. All of them must be ready to play next year.

We have absolutely no room for long term prospects

I get sick of blokes I know emailing me and a band of 50 or more who I have a kick with occasionally, about how good "the hawkers" are. They often tail off with "just sayin"

I returned serve tonight. Apparently I'm in trouble... You may have to be particularly old and grumpy demon to get the reference.

Good christians get their observations in society from the bible.

I have always referred to Catch-22.

Captain Aardvark always seemed to me to be a Hawthorn supporter.

"You [censored]" said Yossarian as he confronted Aarfy unperturbed sitting in the way of his only escape from a plane going down in flames.“You pompous, rotund, neighborly, vacuous, complacent, never buy a shout [censored]".

Just Sayin.