I just hope our boys come out and hit them with all the fury of a raging bull.  I'm sick and tired of

 the the saints beating us,and this hoodoo of Etihad has got to be dealt with once and for all.

Hogan to kick 10 and Lewis to hold that freaking blond headed gazelle to 0 kicks and put his face in the dirt.

 

 

There's a nice symmetry here. Roos' first game in charge of the MFC. Goodwin's first game hence. Nick did us back then and again last year. Next year will be different. 

Hogan loves Etihad. 

 

And there endeth the postives. 

Would've rathered have played Essendon at the G.

I hope we just play St Kilda the one time. sick of getting out pants pulled down by them twice a year,

I wonder who round 2 is? home game at G most likely.

 

I'm OK with this. We win...and it's very possible...and we're off to a flying start.

The Saints are overly reliant on a handful of ageing champs and Stevens. We can do this.

Well... we've got to exercise this hoodoo sometime, R1 saints at Etihad would be a great statement about where this group is at. I hope the leadership group, the new recruits Lewis and hibberd and co are aware of the significance of this fixture. Going to require some serious on field leadership ... on the park we have enough talent but will need to address their spread and quick pace at Etihad. 

The one constant during this so called "Great Depression " period 2006-16 is now the saints and norf winless streaks. This club has to stand up , those games we must must turn up mentally.... non negotiable. 

btw ... the Great Depression started round 1 2007 vs the saints . Mentally there's a door for this club to finally close here 

I doubt I'll be there. I hate that [censored] of a place.

I'm delighted that we're commencing our next phase under a new coach who is known for his attacking flair with our young emerging side, fresh, fit, stronger and with some AFL experience added to make us even harder to beat. The perfect launching pad for a new era.

Given that the AFL now own the ground, perhaps the rule that we have to play a home game there could very well go to hell?!

 

We played the Saints twice at Etihad last season.  Their home ground.  Twice.

And now we open the season there against them.  The AFL is run by amateurs.

Not at all.  Professional crooks. 

Zero "marketing opportunity" for the club    Zero  

Still as someone else said earlier, an opportunity to crack two hoodoos.  Over to you, team 

The Saints at Etihad shouldn't hold any fear for our lads any more. Their aging stars have gotten them across the line on the last few occasions but they'll be a year older and we'll be pumped for action.

I prefer that we play our home games against teams that draw the big crowds to add excitement to the game and also add to our bottom line. 

Bring them on.

I don't mind it.

Everyone is talking them up as top 8 material next season.

We can shut those people up by coming out and beating them on their home turf!

I will definitely be there! Go Dees!

 

The Saints at Etihad shouldn't hold any fear for our lads any more. Their aging stars have gotten them across the line on the last few occasions but they'll be a year older and we'll be pumped for action.

I prefer that we play our home games against teams that draw the big crowds to add excitement to the game and also add to our bottom line. 

Bring them on.

Seconded WJ, I often wonder did the 'supporters' who constantly berate Etihad go to 'away' games at such lovely venues as Vic Park and Waverley

I can never see the issue, it has seats and a green bit to play on, if we want to play finals we need to win there

 

Would've rathered have played Essendon at the G.

I hope we just play St Kilda the one time. sick of getting out pants pulled down by them twice a year,

I wonder who round 2 is? home game at G most likely.

 

Probably the Suns or Giants

The time for fear of any venue or opponents has past, As one of my old coaches used to say " F*** em let em worry about us"  

I would prefer to break the double hoodoo, smashing another up and coming team  at a ground we hate to show we truly mean any team any where.

I would much prefer this than the Bombers with the emotion of their return or a wasted MCG home game against an interstater first up.

We're not good enough for much more yet...but will be very soon.

For me, it's not about the result, I would back us to win that one, but playing the Saints on a Sunday (possibly twilight too) at Etihad while the Bombers get a Saturday night at the MCG is just farcical by the AFL. What happened to rewarding teams on performance? Essendon finished last after systematically cheating the drug code and have been rewarded at every turn.

 

 

For me, it's not about the result, I would back us to win that one, but playing the Saints on a Sunday (possibly twilight too) at Etihad while the Bombers get a Saturday night at the MCG is just farcical by the AFL. What happened to rewarding teams on performance? Essendon finished last after systematically cheating the drug code and have been rewarded at every turn.

 

I agree Stuie. But we all know the AFL lacks integrity and base all decisions on money and that is it.

It's the world we live in unfortunately.

 

For me, it's not about the result, I would back us to win that one, but playing the Saints on a Sunday (possibly twilight too) at Etihad while the Bombers get a Saturday night at the MCG is just farcical by the AFL. What happened to rewarding teams on performance? Essendon finished last after systematically cheating the drug code and have been rewarded at every turn.

 

Which match if played on Saturday night will draw the bigger attendance and TV ratings? The Bombers have done their time and everyone knows their ladder position will not reflect this years performance. Pretty simple commercial decision really.

 

Which match if played on Saturday night will draw the bigger attendance and TV ratings? The Bombers have done their time and everyone knows their ladder position will not reflect this years performance. Pretty simple commercial decision really.

It's a short sighted view though. You keep giving those teams the most exposure and they keep getting more popular. Eventually you end up with far less teams due to "commercial viability" and you have less TV spots and hence less money. The AFL have made it clear that if you get more success you get more exposure (which in itself is problematic) and they've gone totally against that stated principal in the very first round.

 

On other forums I will state all preseason that we can't win this, but I do believe we can.

Goodwin has another summer to hone his 'outnumber at the contest then spread' game-plan and from a talent perspective, especially in the midfield, I believe we have the Saints covered.  The players will be excited to play for Goodwin and won't take in any baggage.

Joel Smith is highly rated and suits a fast deck.  He's a smokie for round 1.

Their run and spread will kill us.

The only good to come of this is the money I'll make off the saints when the bookies make us favourite again.

 

We played the Saints twice at Etihad last season.  Their home ground.  Twice.

And now we open the season there against them.  The AFL is run by amateurs.

This will be evidenced when the whole 2017 draw is published and we play St Kilda 3-4 times at Etihad

It should be a good game to kick off the year with.

The two sides directly outside the 8 at the end of 2016, both with chances to push into the 8 in 2017, both with some solid recruiting in the offseason.

Also it'll be the Sunday arvo game - live broadcast on 7.

They're super quick and skilled, whereas we play contested battering ram football - two disparate styles up against one another.

It should be a really great contest, on paper, with us the underdogs.