2 minutes ago, TheWiz said:

Spot on WYL.

A lot of clubs don’t know how painful it is like we do. We had to endure two expansion clubs and free agency in our rebuild.

If you’re rebuilding in 2027-29, it’s going to be very challenging.

It’s tough to rebuild a list, it’s even tougher when all the available talent - young and old (like Scully and Frawley) - gets sucked out.

Absolutely Wiz. We know what will happen. We went through it. You can only do so much each year, particularly if you bottom out hard. And Tasmania will be given the Cream for at least 2 years 

First time that CARL, COLL, ESS, MELB & RICH have all won in the same round since R17 2023

Incredible to think that it's been that long since all five saluted in the same round.  I'm stunned by this stat.

1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

Played his grand final in round 0

When Gawn had the flu. 

1 hour ago, sue said:

Is what Grundy is doing at centre bounces legal?  He runs across the line as soon as the ump goes into his bounce routine and before the ump hits the ball on the ground.   ???

I looked it up as I wasn’t 100% sure, but ruckman have to stay in their defensive half of the centre circle, until the ball is bounced or thrown up.
 

Should be a free kick to the oppo ruckman if the ball hasn’t bounced or the left umps hands.

40 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

First time that CARL, COLL, ESS, MELB & RICH have all won in the same round since R17 2023

Incredible to think that it's been that long since all five saluted in the same round.  I'm stunned by this stat.

Doesn’t help that Essendon had sucked for like 20 years 

43 minutes ago, BoBo said:

I looked it up as I wasn’t 100% sure, but ruckman have to stay in their defensive half of the centre circle, until the ball is bounced or thrown up.
 

Should be a free kick to the oppo ruckman if the ball hasn’t bounced or the left umps hands.

It never used to be a problem. 
They should get rid of the 10m circle. 

1 hour ago, DiscoStu17 said:

It never used to be a problem. 
They should get rid of the 10m circle. 

Why stop there  ? They should repeal every ruck rule since 1979

11 minutes ago, Go the Biff said:

Why stop there  ? They should repeal every ruck rule since 1979

What rules are they? Genuinely interested.

39 minutes ago, Chook said:

What rules are they? Genuinely interested.

I'll give a more expansive reply later but the changes that have resulted in today's "ruck lotto" had their genesis in the 1979 preliminary final where Peter Moore and Gary Dempsey spent the day wrestling each other to the ground. The VFL hated the look of it and in a typical knee jerk overreaction, instituted the white line. 

In reality it was poor umpiring. Had Moore or Dempsey been penalised for holding as they should have been,  the wrestling would soon have stopped. 

The white line was of benefit to beanpoles like Justin Madden and high leapers like our own Jeff White. It also lead to a heap of PCL injuries so the AFL brought in the circle to restrict the speed at which ruckmen came together. 

They've been tweaking ever since..... and making it worse.

Another unintended consequence was that there's no longer an umpire in the country who can effectively umpire a ruck contest.  And it's not their fault 

Edited March 31, 20241 yr by Go the Biff
sp

8 minutes ago, Go the Biff said:

I'll give a more expansive reply later but the changes that have resulted in today's "ruck lotto" had their genesis in the 1979 preliminary final where Peter Moore and Gary Dempsey spent the day wrestling each other to the ground. The VFL hated the look of it and in a typical knee jerk overreaction, instituted the white line. 

In reality it was poor umpiring. Had Moore or Dempsey been penalised for holding as they should have been,  the wrestling would soon have stopped. 

The white line was of benefit to beanpoles like Justin Madden and high leapers like our own Jeff White. It also lead to a heap of PCL injuries so the AFL brought in the circle to restrict the speed at which ruckmen came together. 

They've been tweaking ever since..... and making it worse.

Another unintended consequence was that there's no longer an umpire in the country who can effectively umpire a ruck contest.  And it's not their fault 

What would you prefer? No lines, no circle, but also no holding - basically like boundary throw-ins as they're adjudicated now (keep a metre distance until the ball is bounced/thrown up)? What would stop players like Grundy taking all of Gawn's space? IMO there needs to be a neutral zone that you can't cross till the ball's in the air.

2 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Doesn’t help that Essendon had sucked for like 20 years 

Long may it continue

3 hours ago, Demonstone said:

First time that CARL, COLL, ESS, MELB & RICH have all won in the same round since R17 2023

Incredible to think that it's been that long since all five saluted in the same round.  I'm stunned by this stat.

The big 4. And Essendon

I just can’t see the Eagles advancing much over the next decade even if they change their approach to recruiting. They could have traded three first round picks for their number 1 pick last year but I suspect Harley Reid will be outta there after a few seasons.

The coin toss 😱

13 minutes ago, Demonland said:

The coin toss 😱

What are those weird silver and gold objects on the picture?

Nah just kidding I was born before 2000.

I'll be hoping the Hawks can pull out a performance today and beat the Cats.

Not overly confident though. Hawks have been underwhelming thus far.

Lions have some off field issues, no wins.

Swans’ issue this week, they lose.

Despite continuing controversy, Dees winning.

They say good culture drives success.

Just saying.

 

10 hours ago, Demonland said:

The coin toss 😱

Can you get a bet on anywhere?

It's funny after round 0 people were praising Grundy and knocking max, since then gawn has been firing & Grundy hasn't been able to repeat his round 0 form.

1 hour ago, dees189227 said:

It's funny after round 0 people were praising Grundy and knocking max, since then gawn has been firing & Grundy hasn't been able to repeat his round 0 form.

There have been multiple reports that Gawn had the flu or similar and shouldn’t have played. 

Might explain it. 

1 hour ago, dees189227 said:

It's funny after round 0 people were praising Grundy and knocking max, since then gawn has been firing & Grundy hasn't been able to repeat his round 0 form.

Grundy looks fairly cooked, played his grandfinal in round 0, still a fine pick up from the Swans given they were desperate for a ruck

Edited April 1, 20241 yr by adonski

 

Like most of you, I'm not a big fan of the bloke (Hi @Jaded No More, hi!!) but credit where it's due for Tom Hawkins who plays his 350th game today.  

It's a remarkable feat, particularly for a big bloke like him.

Fun fact:  according to a write up in today's 'Age', Hawkins eats a whole packet of double-chocolate Tim Tams before each game, which is not a dietary regimen we normally associate with top level sportspeople.

I reckon the Hawks are a real chance today. Need their young blokes to stand up though

If they attack aggressively, run and carry, they can crave up the Cats. Just don’t kick it to Stewart

Beware the Hawks in the 2nd Quarter