Demonland

I guess we'll find out the effects of crowds on the fortresses. You can’t build a fortress without fans ?: How every AFL team’s form could be affected by lockout >>> You can’t build a fortress without fans: How every AFL team’s form could be affected by lockout AFL HOME GROUND ADVANTAGE (Courtesy of Champion Data) Winning percentage 2015-2019 Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium: 83% West Coast @ Optus Stadium/Domain Stadium: 80% GWS @ Giants Stadium and Manuka Oval: 74% Richmond @ MCG: 76% Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval: 71% Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium: 67% Sydney @ SCG: 62% Hawthorn @ MCG and Tasmania: 62% Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval: 54% Fremantle @Optus Stadium / Domain Stadium: 52% Collingwood @ MCG: 51% North Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium: 49% St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium: 48% Melbourne @ MCG: 45% Essendon @ Marvel Stadium & MCG: 43% Brisbane Lions @ Gabba: 35% Gold Coast@ Metricon Stadium: 29% Carlton @ Marvel Stadium & MCG: 26%

Surely we can train to master this. Not the worst idea going around.

You can’t build a fortress without fans ?: How every AFL team’s form could be affected by lockout >>> You can’t build a fortress without fans: How every AFL team’s form could be affected by lockout AFL HOME GROUND ADVANTAGE (Courtesy of Champion Data) Winning percentage 2015-2019 Geelong @ GMHBA Stadium: 83% West Coast @ Optus Stadium/Domain Stadium: 80% GWS @ Giants Stadium and Manuka Oval: 74% Richmond @ MCG: 76% Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval: 71% Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium: 67% Sydney @ SCG: 62% Hawthorn @ MCG and Tasmania: 62% Port Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval: 54% Fremantle @Optus Stadium / Domain Stadium: 52% Collingwood @ MCG: 51% North Melbourne @ Marvel Stadium: 49% St Kilda @ Marvel Stadium: 48% Melbourne @ MCG: 45% Essendon @ Marvel Stadium & MCG: 43% Brisbane Lions @ Gabba: 35% Gold Coast@ Metricon Stadium: 29% Carlton @ Marvel Stadium & MCG: 26%

Taking the game to the World ? Taylor Walker thinks the AFL has the perfect opportunity to take our game to the world Adelaide forward Taylor Walker has boldly suggested AFL games be streamed to the US in the absence of major American sport due to the coronavirus. ?

West Coast star defender Jeremy McGovern takes two left boots to pre-season clash against Fremantle The takeaway from this article: McGovern declared himself fit and ready for round one, while admitting it will be strange to play in front of an empty stadium.

Who are your 5? (presuming season 2020 is a go) Who are you keen to see rise in 2020? We look at players to keep an eye on this season. Five Dees to watch in 2020

Maxy's Jovial Solution: "What we're going to do is we're going to corner Steven May and Jake Lever and just obviously show them the amount of games they've played because they've got their money and hope they'll be able to help out a few of the younger boys," he joked. "That's what we're going to do." On a more serious note, he said: "I don't think the AFL players have necessarily agreed to a pay cut yet, which is the vibe I was getting, but I understand it'll be all hands on deck if we do lose some money here."

Iconic grounds could be part of AFL fixture revamp >>> ICONIC GROUNDS COULD BE PART OF AFL FIXTURE REVAMP

I'm in favour of this without the COVID-19 situation.

Melbourne players are unanimous in their commitment to playing Round 1 this weekend. Captain Max Gawn revealed this morning his teammates voted in favour of kicking off the season as planned during last night's historic phone hook-up and survey with the AFL Players' Association. The players voted in favour of starting the season on Thursday night. While players are concerned about the health and safety of their peers and the community, they understand the position and the importance of the football season to the lives of many. "From all reports, all 45 guys that we have obviously have health concerns but are understanding that footy is the answer at the moment," Gawn said. "So Round 1, we want to go ahead and that's what I expressed to the PA (AFL Players' Association) yesterday. "There's no one holding back from a Melbourne point of view because we've got a dream start. We get to go to Perth to play West Coast who are one of the better teams in the comp and I think Perth are lower down on the coronavirus cases at the moment, so it might be safer over there and they also have no crowds, which I mean, I think that's an interesting case because Optus (Stadium) is absolutely booming with the crowds, so it'd be quite unprecedented." The AFL is yet to make a final decision, however, on whether Thursday night's Richmond-Carlton season opener will go ahead. But Gawn said he's confident matches will be played as planned. "Yeah that's how I thought it'd happen. Anything can change, I understand that, and to be honest I didn't love Gil's (Gillon McLachlan) press conference where he didn't seem as confident about Round 1 as he has in the past," he told RSN 927. The matter of taking a pay cut to help ease the financial strain on the game caused by the coronavirus crisis is less clear. There are some concerns over how a mooted 20 per cent pay cut will affect younger players on smaller salaries. But a jovial Gawn has a solution for his club. "What we're going to do is we're going to corner Steven May and Jake Lever and just obviously show them the amount of games they've played because they've got their money and hope they'll be able to help out a few of the younger boys," he joked. "That's what we're going to do." On a more serious note, he said: "I don't think the AFL players have necessarily agreed to a pay cut yet, which is the vibe I was getting, but I understand it'll be all hands on deck if we do lose some money here."

Pendlebury isn't the only one who presented with symptoms. "Pendles is one of three or four of our guys who have had cold symptoms...." Buckley speaks on the current Pendlebury situation. http://bit.ly/2U9QzQB

"I think the players have a responsibility." ---- Nick Riewoldt Reports: AFL players facing 20 per cent pay cut in 2020 Should players take a pay cut in 2020?

This doesn't sound good.

The AFL players have a "responsibility" to accept a potential 20 per cent pay cut, says Nick Riewoldt >>> AFL players ‘have a responsibility’ to accept a 20 per cent pay cut says St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt

"To start the footy on Thursday night would be to pretend sport can operate in isolation to real life." Gerard Whateley explains why the AFL season starting as scheduled would be a "shocking look". Do you agree with Gerard?