deanox

I like Berlin but have always had a soft spot for Copenhagen. However based on my current travels Tallin has quickly earned a place right at the top. If you haven't been to Estonia (or Latvia) please do. Amazing place, great people, top shelf beer.

While it is exciting to hear about everyone's adventures and how widely supported the MFC is, honestly there was a pretty selfish reason as to why I started the thread: my current existential crisis about not being there after missing out last year and having attended almost every game since about 1998! But if this thread can help arrange even one local meet up, it will have been worthwhile. Supporting the dees over the last 50 years hasn't been easy and sometimes I think we need more emotional support during the good times than we do during the bad times.

I like that ruthless doesn't need to involve crossing ethical lines. A bit like how our field we play tough and hard but we don't snipe. I think we sledge and chat but don't seem to cross lines. Off field we trade hard for what we want but we don't seem to try to screw anyone over to score a win. To me ruthless doesn't need to mean cheating or being an (self censor) about it.

Absolutely correct sorry. I'm currently in Parnu, Estonia, and forgot I'm an hour behind!

For our overseas supporters or those travelling, how do you plan on watching the final? This thread can be a place to post looking for others to watch the game with, no matter where in the world you are! To kick it off I'll be in Berlin for work, with a conveniently scheduled late flight, meaning I'll be free to watch the game during the day (1250pm local time). Will any locally based supporters be meeting anywhere to watch it together? Or does anyone know any Berlin AFL haunts that show games so I'm not watching on my laptop in the hotel lobby?

Absolutely long term. The end goal from a supporter growth perspective is the second generation of migrant families in the west, and the generations of kids who grow up out there. It'll take 30 years, but if the AFL actually want to be a long term money generating national competition then they need to invest in the market there long term. The AFL doesn't care about crowds, they care about advertising and TV, that's where the money is.

I also think in the last few decades small forwards have often been seen to struggle in big pressure, physical, finals games. Whereas that doesn't seem to be the case with Kozzy who relishes the physical contest as part of his game.

To expand on this, it felt like we scored a lot from intercepts/ turnovers/ rebounds/ counter attack although I haven't seen that stat specifically. In the tough fought games (including our losses) we definitely struggled to generate scores fullstop. So are we too reliant on opposition mistakes (forced through our pressure, structure, zone etc or unforced?) without enough means of generating as scores ourselves? Or (as we saw in the opening minute with Kossies goal) is it just about whether we are on?

I tend to agree, except we've had plenty of other weeks where we could have done a similar thing (a relatively low grade injury that the player has played the game out on reduced minutes). I thought the evidence of potential "impact" was worth a highlight. Maybe not worthy of the pod, unless we do it again in finals week 1!

James Jordan only played 10 minutes but Telstra Tracker said he was our hardest working in attack for the match (obviously because he was fresh and could run hard). This use of the sub isn't something we've really seen from Goody this year. Will we see more use of the "super sub" in September? (Might be a question for next podcast)

I agree that Gawn might take votes off him, but when it comes to the coaches votes I think they often recognise unheralded players who played very well, including defenders, and those in opposition. Those guys don't get Brownlow votes, so as the 4th or 5th best player on the field Clarry might still get the 2 votes as the best midfielder in the winning side.

I'd like him to win the Brownlow though (and our BnF and AA of course). That would give him 4 Blueys, 2 AAs, 2 AFLCA awards, and a Charlie in only 7 years (and at age 25). And solidify his place as one of our greatest ever.

He is neck and neck with Petracca in the AFLCA champion player award with try games to go, and 2 votes behind Touk Miller and Lachie Neale. Neale shouldn't poll much in the last 2 rounds. No idea how Miller will poll as he was the GCS best when they got belted by Geelong, and a couple will take votes off him this week Sexton 6 goals, Swallow, Anderson both 30+ touches). Whereas id expect Clarry will poll a few both weeks. So it's tight there with both Track and Clarry probably finishing top 3.

Reminiscent of the Selwood/Headland incident. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/a-sledge-too-far-or-a-blunder-in-the-heat-of-battle-20070418-ge4orf.html

Could be distracted by the Petty issue or could be focused on finals because that is all that counts.

https://www.liveladders.com/AFL/ check here

Jordan covered 14.6 km last week, our 3rd highest, including 2.6 km at high speed (over 18km per hour), our 2nd highest.

It sure was complicated https://www.draftguru.com.au/trades/2015-jeremy-howe-ben-kennedy-paul-seedsman-jimmy-toumpas

There was a discussion about crowds, focussing on the last two weeks. It's worth noting that we are 5th on the list for average home crowds in 2022 with 39200. However take out our home game in Alice Springs and we average 42500, putting us 4th behind only Collingwood, Richmond and Carlton (all between 45900 and 48600). https://afltables.com/afl/crowds/2022.html Turns out the Demons have been turning up!

I wonder if the full zone is more effective, but more taxing so we shift deeper during the earlier stages of the year (including during loading) and we'll see the zone get closer to our goal as we get closer to finals.

I think this has been recurring in a lot of stats and discussion around the effectiveness of our small forwards. I've wondered if it was a factor of the following: - Lack of continuity with our tall KPD players (Petty (6), Lever (5), May (2)) all missing games, been unfit/injured etc. When these 3 aren't set, we need to defend deeper because we can't rely on their reading and impact contests. - Langdon missed 1 and the effect on our zone showed - TMac has missed 10, Brown has missed 5. Last year with both playing, they linked up the field and delivered i50 to the other. With only one most of the year, have the smalls (and thus our forward zone) had to play higher/deeper?

Just let that sink in.

Between this, and the other messages from the club in the last week, I think we've got a clear strategy on how to manage this. Radical empathy. We're not going to pressure the kid. It's his decision and we'll put a case forward at negotiations, but more importantly he is part of the team and enjoys being here. If he leaves that next year fine, but while he is here enjoy it. This demonstration of cultural excellence and empathy, is a big counter offer in itself when the other club and media are heaping pressure on you.

Yeah the patches looked bad and you could see how different they were underfoot. I recall the commentators describing the patches as being slick on top and hard/dry underneath compared to the existing surrounds, which were soft and waterlogged right down deep due to longer term rain in recent weeks. They said it was noticeable walking across it I cringed everytime someone ran across it.

Just to add to our "forward half concerns: After 19 games we've scored 22 points more than last year. And we've only had 16 more points scored against us. Our percentage is slightly higher than this time last year. So interestingly the woes haven't resulted in less scoring, or more scoring gainst due to the ball bouncing out fast. Attached is the top 10 this year so far. I cant find the same list for last year to compare who has dropped out and who has come in.