9 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Sure we could beat the [censored] again, but we would need 18-22players to all play well on the same day. Not saying it can't happen but we are not at their level of  skill yet. 

We beat 'em last year because they didn't take us as a serious opponent and paid the price. 

Geelong obliterated the Dogs

and deserve to sit on Top...

Nah, disagree. We completely outplayed them. They were a team that didn't make the finals and weren't that good, but we played a good game that day and they had nothing. 

I'm not saying they don't deserve to be top, I'm saying they are not that great as opposed to other years. No one in the league is that scary this year. Even today is a winnable game ,Sydney have lost a few times this year when confronted with strong pressure. 

Jamar boots the first for Essendon.

As much as I hate Essendon, I really want them to get up, purely because it would be so humiliating being the only team to lose to the top ups all year. 

8 minutes ago, GCDee said:

As much as I hate Essendon, I really want them to get up, purely because it would be so humiliating being the only team to lose to the top ups all year. 

But then Essendon win. Not only do they win, but they pull off one of the biggest upsets for the year. Can't think of a worse result tbh.

Edited June 19, 20169 yr by Moneider96

Essendon are getting rogered by the umpires too - still only 8 points down.

Lol that they let about 4 frees go, then give one to Jamar!! Be lucky to get a goal out of that one.

Umpires killing another game.

Such a shame - Essendon deserved that win so much.

Edited June 19, 20169 yr by Undeeterred

I hope that dh ringing that bell is a dons supporter

The top 8 is now set and top 4 is nearly set: Geel, Syd, North, Hawks (GWS could replace North as they will play 2 of top 8 while North will play 6 of top 8).

Hawks, Geel and Syd have won 9 of the last 11 Premierships!  And sadly, trade, draft and FA rules keep them entrenched at or near the top.

While I dream of a Dees Premiership I struggle to see how a team is going to break the stranglehold they have. They seem to be able to constantly reinvent themselves.  

I truly don't know what the answer is.  It is so disappointing to see the same teams up there again.  And, its getting boring!

Edited June 19, 20169 yr by Lucifer's Hero

2 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Hawks, Geel and Syd have won 9 of the last 11 Premierships!

Yep and 8 of the last 9!

So despite being the "most even year in recent memory", we have the same top 8 teams as last year with the exception of GWS replacing the godawful Richmond.

Yep, really even.

And next year Essendon get to spring back up to the top 8 with pick #1 and all their banned players re-injected into the team.

3 minutes ago, SaberFang said:

So despite being the "most even year in recent memory", we have the same top 8 teams as last year with the exception of GWS replacing the godawful Richmond.

Yep, really even.

And next year Essendon get to spring back up to the top 8 with pick #1 and all their banned players re-injected into the team.

Gold!!

Very clever play on words S!

14 hours ago, SaberFang said:

So despite being the "most even year in recent memory", we have the same top 8 teams as last year with the exception of GWS replacing the godawful Richmond.

Yep, really even.

And next year Essendon get to spring back up to the top 8 with pick #1 and all their banned players re-injected into the team.

Saber this is arguably the most important post (in an overall AFL sense) all year.

At approx the half way mark the top 8 is, baring a major miracle, already settled and as you say not much has changed bar the Tiger's miraculous run into last year's finals which was the first time ever a team entered the 8 from such a long way back.

GWS one of the AFL's favoured expansion clubs the only difference.

The Demons played a solid outfit y'day and were well beaten but boy does it help to have one of the top forwards in the AFL to have come across under a skewed 'Free Agency' system (that allows top teams to pinch lessor clubs or in this case other top clubs, best), kicking a lovely 4 crucial goals (one of them at a critical balance point in the 3rd quarter) throughout the match.

It appears the AFL's level playing field is working beautifully...provided you were a top club already! We are coming from a long way back I realise but how can you take the next step when your most experienced players are able to be poached by the top clubs when we all know they are already strong enough and don't need any further help.

AFL and all of us (all Clubs/Presidents etc) just plod along as if everything is rosey (bank balance wise I'm sure this is correct for the AFL overall!).

 

Edited June 20, 20169 yr by Rusty Nails

Scott Fine $30,000

North Fine $50,000

More than a rap over the knuckles so AFL is saying lay off the umpires!!

This might stop the Scott bros whinging all the time.  The other Scott bro is smarter with his words but still implicates the umpires...

Not a good week for North. Both coach and president had a severe dose of 'foot in mouth' disease. 

Edited June 21, 20169 yr by Lucifer's Hero