AFL Finals - Week 1

[Macca 16,967]

3 hours ago, DubDee said:

Aside from the frantic pressure being impressive the quality of football last night was terrible. 

Like watching under 8's play chasing the ball. Every kick went down the line

Hopefully with lever hibberd Lewis Salem ect down back we can kick through this pressure like the Hawks used to. Whilst also applying the pressure up fwd

I don't watch a lot of the sport in the season proper but when I do tune in it's for the contest,  tribalism,  rivalries & combative nature of the sport.  I'm sure others watch for gambling or dreamteam/supercoach reasons.

Aesthetically, the sport is often very messy which also means the game is almost impossible to umpire properly.  Nothing short of reducing the amount of players on the ground and/or reducing the interchange numbers drastically will help alleviate the problem.

 

 

Edited September 9, 2017 by Macca

[Delusional demon 82 1,197]

1 hour ago, Return to Glory said:

A highlight for me was Joel Selwood ducking into a tackle and looking incredulous that he didn't get a free. It would've been a free at Deliverance Park, no question.

A somber mood down Geelong way this morning

didn't Dangerfield have Matt jones like kicking effiencency last night ? Sub 40% 

dangerwood really carry that team, so no surprise when they stank it up , geelong were putrid

skills and turnovers were abysmal, hardly worthy a final let alone top 4 team , notwithstanding the tiges pressure 

 

 

 

[praha 11,240]

Let's not forget how utterly awful Richmond was last year. 8 wins. 75%. Many a belting.

12 months later they're on the verge of a GF appearance and should be second favourite behind Adelaide.

There will really is no excuses for this team next year. The "We're learning" and "it's a journey" excuses are done.

[old dee 23,788]

9 hours ago, puntkick said:

Try the channels of 7 at 1230 today and you'll really despair !

Puntkick it is not that the Dees are not playing it is more my lack of interest in the AFL outside of the MFC. I have an ever decreasing  interest in the AFL at senior level. I seldom watch any games on TV that do not contain the MFC.

i have said this before if the MFC fell over today I would have no interest in anything AFL.

 

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

4 hours ago, Wrecked Owl Dees Function said:

Pound for Pound, Do we match Riewoldt, Rance, Cotch & Dusty?  As Hemingway succinctly said, they brought their team mates into the game with the desperation and aggressiveness that they played with. Who are our elite 4 that do the same across our spine? Perhaps our 22 are not far off, but what of our leadership in the games we should put away (when opposition is obviously inferior, like even "2nd place" geelong were tonight) ?

One poster on reddits afl sub said richmond would make a GF 2 years ago based on their age list profile and elite talent, i think that may suggest the importance of having your elite talent in that 25-30 yr bracket. It still may still may mean that you can snag one premiership early (Dogs, Hawks) but you'll generally have a few years of heartbreak as you mature, before youre ready to make a big impact with a few years of success which the Tigers seem destined for with Martin Cotchin Rance and co.

No argument from me here WODF, going into the season I believed we had more upside than the Tigers, even after the Anzac eve match I walked away thinking if we played them again this season we would beat them up and easily.

All the comments on the quartet mentioned above are spot on and made me realise we still have a way to go with our consistency in terms of leadership as you rightly stated.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

On 07/09/2017 at 6:30 PM, billyblanks29 said:

Richmond are the most MFC like team in the 8 this year. For that reason I want them to go all the way.

If the Tiges break through its us and the Saints on our lonesome then a very long gap to the Blues as the next longest drought of 22 years 

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,503]

Lies!  1995 wasn't 22 years ago!!

 

 

Oh god...

[What 18,810]

So many people whining about the Tigers making the prelim.

Ill bet Goodwin makes one before his 7th season as coach, which is how long its taken Hardwick to win his first final. 

[dl4e 5,851]

I had a nightmare. It will be an Adelaide vs Port Adelaide grand final.

[Jibroni 5,003]

I wouldnt be surprised if West Coke win tonite D.

Port are flat track bullies, will nor make the GF IMO.

But wouldnt Richmond winning the whole thing be worse??

 

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

Puntkick it is not that the Dees are not playing it is more my lack of interest in the AFL outside of the MFC. I have an ever decreasing  interest in the AFL at senior level. I seldom watch any games on TV that do not contain the MFC.

i have said this before if the MFC fell over today I would have no interest in anything AFL.

 

...and i think both of us could muster a fair argument as to why that is sadly the facts.

[Willmoy1947 4,085]

In regard to last night's game, what is the Umpires ruling on giving the ball up illegally.

Like being tackled around head, neck,balls or general torso area, until it spits out, right? Play on then......

[dees189227 12,391]

Just hope the swans smash the bummers. Opened up the age today and they have dedicated all these stories on them. Just put them out so I dont have to hear about them anymore. 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

16 hours ago, SaberFang said:

Geelong look absolutely [censored] terrible. How did this team finish second on the ladder?

No idea, same story last year too

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

16 hours ago, Macca said:

The Tigers are playing as well as the Crows last night

It's difficult to judge the Crows performance all the same ... it's not often that a team gets to exercise a training run disguised as a top of the table qualifying final.

GWS were insipid.

If Richmond bring the same pressure and maintain the same structures from last night they will account for the Crows. Only thing is Adelaide will have better contested marking options down the line, Geelong were terrible at that last night Zac Smith being a key culprit.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

16 hours ago, Wrecked Owl Dees Function said:

If Motlop can kick 3 or 4 and help get Geelong over the line, will we finally consider him as a RFA worth a punt ?

Motlop is terrible, that was one of the worst finals performances I've ever seen last night.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

15 hours ago, Macca said:

Unless the Dons provide a big upset, it will be Geelong vs Sydney next week.  If that happens, my money is on Sydney.   Cats out in straight sets. 

They're too reliant on 2 players where as teams win finals.

Swans will cream the Cats again. And the bombers have a good record against Geelong, I'd put money on them if they happen to get past Sydney today (which is EXTREMELY unlikely)

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

7 hours ago, Wrecked Owl Dees Function said:

One poster on DL that was derided, suggested we trade Gawn for Kelly. We've had 3 of the best innovative ruckmen of the modern era, but no premerships. But how many elite A grade Judd like mids? None. And yet Gawn is our best collateral for bringing in an elite mid like Kelly. Do we make a big and bold enough future changing move like the Boyd Trade and look to our depth ruck stocks or future ruck trades to add to an elite midfield group with Kelly and Oliver? Or give it a few years for this group to grow together and try and win a premiership?

Oliver is the only elite consistent A grade mid i could put on the 'definite' list currently. Gawns year has me taking him off that list and into the 'unknown' category.  Only Dean Cox is the premier year-long ruckmen I think that has had a massive influence on a premiership over the years, Ottens, Jolly, Keating were surrounded by elite mids. Most ruckmen have been. So how much do we actually need Gawn? 

Edit: Sorry for so many edits, had a few beers. Had to re-write this one as I know i'll be mocked for this.

We played better this year without Gawn than with him for what it's worth 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

5 hours ago, daisycutter said:

geelong home ground final at the mcg....bwahahaha

Like the 2005 Elimination Final? Come on, finals will never be played down at Geelong, 2013 was a one off due to 4 Melbourne finals and a game against a lowly supported interstate side. Geelong will never get a Geelong final against another Vic club, never 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,215]

1 hour ago, dl4e said:

I had a nightmare. It will be an Adelaide vs Port Adelaide grand final.

That would be a great match up. Better than Swans/GWS 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

Essendon or Sydney?

Sydney for me but only because they are playing Essendrug! I do admire Sydney's toughness though.

 

Edited September 9, 2017 by Grapeviney
Thread merge

[KysaiahMessiah 725]

16 hours ago, Dee tention said:

Balme

So unlucky bud! I feel for you...

I had Burgoyne to kick 3+ goals against the Swans a few weeks ago at 81-1. He kicked 2.1. Missed a snap by a whisker and wasnt paid a free kick in the goal square which I thought was there.

Since then the bookie has massively cut the odds to all these type of bets. I would be lucky to get 10-1 on this thype of bet again. 

226-1 would have been a nice get.

Little did I realise that I could have had tigers outright no margin and still got 180/1 ??

[GCDee 3,199]

Sydney.... duh.

[Dee Zephyr 19,267]

BUDDY!!!!!

[Macca 16,967]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Swans will cream the Cats again. And the bombers have a good record against Geelong, I'd put money on them if they happen to get past Sydney today (which is EXTREMELY unlikely)

Sydney should be too professional and the small ground allows them to keep the game in-close and played on their terms. 

Picking a margin is always tricky though ... games can blow-out late.  But there again, I thought that GWS would take it right up to the Crows with Sloane missing.

The Tigers are the story so far ... their 2-way running,  pressure acts and 2nd,  3rd & 4th efforts was a complete departure from how they've played their footy in previous years.  And they're good on the outside too (that's where we need to get a lot better)