3 minutes ago, Chook said:

Without insight into two divergent universes, I don’t know how you can say that. What I will say is that inconsistency from year to year in the running of a sporting code is antithetical to what sport is supposed to be about.

Sydney have been the best team all year and Geelong have been carried all year by Dangerfield.

4 hours ago, Cards13 said:

Rampe is murdering Hawkins so far.

Playing cards are best held close to chest C13.  The Cats had a rash last night,  all over them,  it was.

1 hour ago, Chook said:

Get rid of this stupid bye after round 23 please. We can see that one game in 27 days is not an “advantage” for a top four side that wins week 1 of the finals.

I say we keep it there for two years so the upcoming clubs who are likely to finish 5-8 enjoy it's fruits  Also lets see how GWS do tomorrow and then in the GF

25 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Sydney have been the best team all year and Geelong have been carried all year by Dangerfield.

Sydney wasn’t the best team two weeks ago.

6 minutes ago, DominatrixTyson said:

I say we keep it there for two years so the upcoming clubs who are likely to finish 5-8 enjoy it's fruits  Also lets see how GWS do tomorrow and then in the GF

What is the point of having a final 8,  if the teams below 5th have no chance of going thru.  It's ridiculous, the way it has been for so long now.

3 minutes ago, Chook said:

Sydney wasn’t the best team two weeks ago.

Geelong have played a little above themselves, the 2nd half of year, imo.  And sounds like they got tired.  The swans aren't there yet, either.

59 minutes ago, Chook said:

Without insight into two divergent universes, I don’t know how you can say that. What I will say is that inconsistency from year to year in the running of a sporting code is antithetical to what sport is supposed to be about.

Sure. But the finals system has never been set in stone so if a change is for the better and is well established then I'm fine with that. 

Geelong played a bit like they were flat, but they also won their share of contested ball and clearances all night and dominated inside 50's. 

Sydney had far more balance around the ball, their backline nullified Geelong's limited forward line both as individuals and with team structure and the Swans forward line is an amazing match up against the Cats older, taller, slower backline. 

The Swans had to do review and rehab and prepare for a 6 day break with travel to Melbourne. The Cats sat at home and prepared all week nice and fresh with plenty of time to be physically and mentally prepared.

2 hours ago, Chook said:

Get rid of this stupid bye after round 23 please. We can see that one game in 27 days is not an “advantage” for a top four side that wins week 1 of the finals.

Can't find my post from a few weeks back but had a similar thing happen in local footy when I was playing...

We finished easily on top, best team but because of a bye at the end of the season we missed a few weeks and couldn't get momentum. Out in straight sets...

Geelong looked well off the pace early, they were spectating.

It's going to be very interesting to see how GWS come up tomorrow.

Maybe Dill won't be looking like the cat that got the cream next week, he was very smug after finals week one.

So pleased that the 2 teams that stay in the hunt by cherry picking players from other clubs i.e. Hawks and Cats have failed to reach the G.F. Sydney went down that path with franklin and Tippet and although still there they have introduced 7 new players this year and have made a GF. Gives me hope for our group if we can keep them together. Already I see that Hawks and Cats are looking to load up again next  year. Why don't they just take their medicine and go and develop some players

Game proved yet again, if more proof were needed, that by far the least efficient way to kick a winning score is to kick it high into the forward line to a contest. Especially against a competent defence.

7 hours ago, SaberFang said:

No doubt, he's finished. But the club contracted him for 2 years after triggers, so you can't turn around and refuse to honour them.

I think he'll do the honourable thing and retire rather than play on, he looks done.

Looking at the Geelong Team on Friday morning I noticed the Team was made up of rather large number of players over 193cm for a night match where marking is more difficult than a day game.  Then this morning I look at their Kick to Handball ratio, with the makeup of their team the Kick to Handball ratio should have been reversed.  The reason Geelong remain a force is their home ground, which is a true advantage. 

7 hours ago, Chook said:

Sydney wasn’t the best team two weeks ago.

Yes they were. They just suffered a surprise loss to the team ranked 4th.

Geelong went in underdone:

• Rnd 22 - Easily beat Brisbane,
• Rnd 23 - Easily beat Demons
• Bye
• First Final - just beat an average Hawks
• Bye
• Prelim - totally outplayed by Sydney.

Hardly any match practice, match fitness for 6-7 weeks.

On top of that they didn't have enough players who wanted it badly enough. 

16 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

On top of that they didn't have enough players who wanted it badly enough. 

They certainly didn't seem to want it as much as the Swans, who were ferocious. That attitude has remained from the Roos days - I long to see the day when Melbourne play with that intensity every week. 

Good to see the umpires more resistant to the patented Selwood brothers ducking technique. 

8 hours ago, DV8 said:

What is the point of having a final 8,  if the teams below 5th have no chance of going thru.  It's ridiculous, the way it has been for so long now.

Dogs finished 7th and are in a prelim, the system works and is a lot fairer then the first trialled final 8 format.

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Geelong went in underdone:

• Rnd 22 - Easily beat Brisbane,
• Rnd 23 - Easily beat Demons
• Bye
• First Final - just beat an average Hawks
• Bye
• Prelim - totally outplayed by Sydney.

Hardly any match practice, match fitness for 6-7 weeks.

On top of that they didn't have enough players who wanted it badly enough. 

They are simply just not good enough.  The Geelong-Hawthorn final was close and exciting but it wasn't good footy.  Hawthorn were easy beats and the Cats ordinary.  They were the soft side of the draw.  The weird result was WC beating Adelaide before the finals, WC aren't much either, especially without NicNat.

I'm rapt that all 3 are out and the signs are not good for them.

49 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Geelong went in underdone:

• Rnd 22 - Easily beat Brisbane,
• Rnd 23 - Easily beat Demons
• Bye
• First Final - just beat an average Hawks
• Bye
• Prelim - totally outplayed by Sydney.

Hardly any match practice, match fitness for 6-7 weeks.

On top of that they didn't have enough players who wanted it badly enough. 

The way they carried on in rd 23 said it all for me.

Great seeing Geelong eat a massive [censored] sandwich.

Equally good seeing Enrights career over.

Harry Taylor is done despite his cameo.

The players coming through the cattery are a bit Meh..

The Witch is dead I'm hoping.

10 minutes ago, Biffen said:

Great seeing Geelong eat a massive [censored] sandwich.

Equally good seeing Enrights career over.

Harry Taylor is done despite his cameo.

The players coming through the cattery are a bit Meh..

The Witch is dead I'm hoping.

Two Scott brother coaching shitty teams.... Yeas! 

Danger should have stayed with Adelaide. According to big black birds flying over our space dropping messages.

who are geelong's best 25-and-under talents?

 

they recruited for the 'now' and it's backfired spectacularly.

 

sydney did the same thing with tippett and franklin - difference being they've made it to the big dance 3 of the last 5 seasons.

43 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Dogs finished 7th and are in a prelim, the system works and is a lot fairer then the first trialled final 8 format.

... and the bye after R23 was invaluable to them being able to get injured players back.

Geelong finished 10th last year. Dangerfield dragged them to the top 4. God help them if he gets injured. A very ordinary side, topped up by a gun player.