Except the AFL aren't really in competition with soccer. I know they think they are, but the A League is rubbish and is played during the cricket season anyway. If anything, cricket is in competition with soccer.

Exactly. Two powerhouse teams playing at the G in a one-off is something to be celebrated. The AFL needs to realise footy isn't gonna take over the world. Kids can like both.

as previously predicted shizenhad costs us 5 goals, so we win by 4 goals

i'm on a roll

i like the boy

What sort of a roll? Salad? Ham and cheese?

Remind me, what is Mike Fitzpatrick's job?

Remind me, what is Mike Fitzpatrick's job?

Don't you mean Mike "I leave the room" Fitzpatrick...he of the financial interest in ANZ stadium, the place where no AFL should be played?

Edit: the last round is flexible but im sure theyll still get prime time...

I think they were talking about it today that it was all but certain the Hawks would get the friday night game in the floating fixture. Hawks will probably play all their VFL players for a week off, that'd be the smart thing to do as long as they don't 100% need the win.

Exactly. Two powerhouse teams playing at the G in a one-off is something to be celebrated. The AFL needs to realise footy isn't gonna take over the world. Kids can like both.

Only if the AFL provide a decent product, which at the moment they are falling short on.

Only if the AFL provide a decent product, which at the moment they are falling short on.

Product-seriously? If anything, tinkering with the 'product' is what has turned people away from the game. Soccer actually respects itself and holds its dignity

I can guarantee that as 50+ point blowouts continue every round across the league, the less kids will take much interest in the AFL.

I can guarantee that as 50+ point blowouts continue every round across the league, the less kids will take much interest in the AFL.

They should accept the downfalls of gluttonously changing the rules and introducing two new teams

Product-seriously? If anything, tinkering with the 'product' is what has turned people away from the game. Soccer actually respects itself and holds its dignity

It's not only about the rules...it's about the competition, equalization and the quality of players coming through.

As for rule changes, I don't believe that out on the full and the centre square turned anyone away from the game. Not all rule changes are bad, I do worry about knee jerk reactions though. I don't see anything wrong with dropping the interchange back and doing away with the sub (a knee jerk change in the first place), could do without zones though. Proper and quick enforcement of holding the ball would help.

One thing I would like to see go is the making an attempt to get rid of the ball when you have no prior opportunity. You either have an opportunity or you don't.

It's a farce and totally unnecessary, make a quick decision and throw the ball up.

...and yes, like it or not it is a product. Big money changes hands in professional sport, I don't necessarily like it but it's one Genie that's not going back in the bottle.

Edited July 24, 201510 yr by rjay

My son and I were watching both the soccer and the footy switching channels and found ourselves watching more soccer as it was a better game and Ronaldo was amazing.

Nearly 100k at the G and just over 20 k at Etihad.

The AFL really stuffed up big time this season scheduling Carlton for 7 Friday night games....what the hell were they thinking?

No one thought they would be this bad this year, but a top six side they never were,it's just a stupid decision putting all their eggs in one basket.

It's going to cost them a lot more than bums on seats and TV ratings.

Edited July 24, 201510 yr by DeeZee

Any chance the MRP might get back in touch with reality and sort Gibson out. Whatever happened last time has meant zero. 4 weeks might help get the message through.

My son and I were watching both the soccer and the footy switching channels and found ourselves watching more soccer as it was a better game and Ronaldo was amazing.

Nearly 100k at the G and just over 20 k at Etihad.

The AFL really stuffed up big time this season scheduling Carlton for 7 Friday night games....what the hell were they thinking?

No one thought they would be this bad this year, but a top six side they never were,it's just a stupid decision putting all their eggs in one basket.

It's going to cost them a lot more than bums on seats and TV ratings.

I always thought they would be bottom 2, so far I'm out by 1.

They should accept the downfalls of gluttonously changing the rules and introducing two new teams

And the complete inability of umpires to umpire their endlessly changing rules consistently.

It's amazing how some sports find it possible to not constantly change their rules.

Maclure reckons they are the third worst side in the comp. I'd love to know who he thinks is worse. Talent-wise, Carlton are easily the worst list in the comp. The way they're playing, only Brisbane would be worse than them.

Maclure reckons they are the third worst side in the comp. I'd love to know who he thinks is worse. Talent-wise, Carlton are easily the worst list in the comp. The way they're playing, only Brisbane would be worse than them.

Brisbane's only problem is their injury list, likewise Gold Coast (well, okay, they have cultural issues coming out the whazoo).

Carlton's comfortably the biggest mess in the league right now.

It's not only about the rules...it's about the competition, equalization and the quality of players coming through.

As for rule changes, I don't believe that out on the full and the centre square turned anyone away from the game. Not all rule changes are bad, I do worry about knee jerk reactions though. I don't see anything wrong with dropping the interchange back and doing away with the sub (a knee jerk change in the first place), could do without zones though. Proper and quick enforcement of holding the ball would help.

One thing I would like to see go is the making an attempt to get rid of the ball when you have no prior opportunity. You either have an opportunity or you don't.

It's a farce and totally unnecessary, make a quick decision and throw the ball up.

...and yes, like it or not it is a product. Big money changes hands in professional sport, I don't necessarily like it but it's one Genie that's not going back in the bottle.

It's not only about the rules...it's about the competition, equalization and the quality of players coming through.

As for rule changes, I don't believe that out on the full and the centre square turned anyone away from the game. Not all rule changes are bad, I do worry about knee jerk reactions though. I don't see anything wrong with dropping the interchange back and doing away with the sub (a knee jerk change in the first place), could do without zones though. Proper and quick enforcement of holding the ball would help.

One thing I would like to see go is the making an attempt to get rid of the ball when you have no prior opportunity. You either have an opportunity or you don't.

It's a farce and totally unnecessary, make a quick decision and throw the ball up.

...and yes, like it or not it is a product. Big money changes hands in professional sport, I don't necessarily like it but it's one Genie that's not going back in the bottle.

Knee jerk were sub rule, sliding rule, interchange cap, and all have had a negative impact on the game's quality. Not to mention this 'interpretation' BS. It's not so much the rule changes, it's the umpires being fed what to 'crack down on' every 2 weeks, and then softening their interpretation of it 2 weeks later. This changes the image of the game constantly. There's too much knee jerk coming from the top.

In theory the zone thing sounds alright but it'd be a pain in the ass with all those stoppages and off the ball confusion.

The talent pool is an interesting one, but the compromised drafts coupled with free agency have left a few teams screwed in the middle and looking for mature VFL-types

I can only imagine the mess of umpiring if zones come to pass. Just imagine umpires paying free kicks for a forward stepping one foot outside the forward 50 from the opposite end of the ground.

As usual, the AFL will make a kneejerk reaction that only makes the situation worse.

I can only imagine the mess of umpiring if zones come to pass. Just imagine umpires paying free kicks for a forward stepping one foot outside the forward 50 from the opposite end of the ground.

As usual, the AFL will make a kneejerk reaction that only makes the situation worse.

Agree entirely. It'd be a logistical nightmare to officiate. Like the interchange infringement except more common

Agree entirely. It'd be a logistical nightmare to officiate. Like the interchange infringement except more common

The AFL are their own worst enemies. Inventing rules to fix rules to fix rules to fix rules to fix rules... all of which are implemented from knee-jerk commentary reaction.

Not surprised whatsoever that Roos' logical, thought-provoking comments about the effect of expansion and compromised drafts on the state of the game was completely ignored by all major media outlets today.

Brisbane's only problem is their injury list, likewise Gold Coast (well, okay, they have cultural issues coming out the whazoo).

Carlton's comfortably the biggest mess in the league right now.

Agreed.

If you missed tonights game .. Carlton play Hawks again in 6 weeks

No team should get that many Friday night games, no matter how good they are. That's the issue.

for whats it worth heres the 2 multis for the weekend, both unlikely but gotta be in it to win it , dons over port could come unstuck although they have a good record against and match up well , pies over dogs maybe wrong among others and goldy over crows after a few big weeks for the crows is in the unlikely category.

Hawks and Hawks

GWS Cats
CROWS Goldy
TIGES Tiges
DONS Dons
NORF Norf
DOGS Dogs
DEES Dees
SWANS Paying $1050 for a 5 bet Swans paying $4361 for 5 dollar bet

Had dinner on Thursday night with a long time Carlton fan who was pretty much resigned to his club's fate and openly advocated that it should tank the rest of the season in order to finish bottom two so they can get one of the two talls (Schache or Weitering) in the national draft.

Reckons they're a definite chance to do it with only games against Brisbane and Melbourne standing in their way.

As a Demon fans know, we've suffered many humiliating experiences over the recent part of our journey but - dead set - if we lose to that lot in Round 21, it will be the most humiliating of them a all.

Time for the Blues to bit the bullet, apologise to Mick and invite him back to coach out the season.