Bring-Back-Powell

Mate, that is terrible luck. How extremely disappointing for you both. Who would've thought that the night we all went to the Anzac eve game (85% capacity) that 5 months later footy would flee Victoria and we'd be watching the finals in lockdown once again....

I had a glimmer of hope yesterday. Today - 25/55 only in isolation. 6 Mystery cases. How can the ratio of infected people in full isolation go from 73% to 45% in the space of a day? Just call the GF in Perth now and put everyone (except for people living in Perth) our of their misery.

We should'uve choosed that Young bloke at Freo.

I don’t see what they see in Sparrow. I get the Jordon omission though. The Jordon of round 1-17 has been far superior to the Jordon of rounds 18-22

Ok, well that report has burst the ballon. I almost had a glimmer of hope, but 40 cases…..nar she’s over. although the report indicates that a lot of the spike will be due to people from Al Taqwa college that have been in quarantine while infectious, and tested positive after their day 13 testing.

Grand final may still be at MCG if we come out of lockdown on 2 September. That’s the final deadline. Eddie adamant on this.

Who’s to say it will even be this year? We might give it everything we’ve got but Bontempelli or Hawkins or even bloody Charlie Dixon gets a hold of us in a prelim. There’s still some brilliant teams in contention, we don’t have the finals experience of others and we might not quite be the final product yet. A premier has to get it perfect for 3 games in the September pressure cooker. Time will tell if that’s us.

Good on us for digging in. Don't pander to the Gerard Whateley's of the world who think's it's selfish to host a final in front of no crowds. Seattle Seahawks hosted LA Rams and Washington hosted Tampa Bay Bucs in January 2021 in front of nobody, despite other teams hosting with crowds. If it's good enough for the biggest league in the world to ensure home team integrity over crowds, it's good enough for the AFL to do so.

Sample space since round 1 2020: Port Metricon 6-1 GABBA 3-2 BRISBANE Metricon 4-3 Adelaide Oval 1-0 W BULLDOGS Metricon 6-3 Adelaide Oval 2-1 GABBA 0-2 GEELONG Metricon 3-1 GABBA 5-2 Adelaide Oval 2-2 So I'm taking Port and Dogs to the GABBA and Geelong to Adelaide. Brisbane perhaps in Tassie.

Port have played in Tassie 11 times - 10 at Launceston. 5-6 record overall.

Because it upsets Gerard Whateley.

Oh well if nothing else I'm glad our club is sticking up for itself, and sticking it to the Gerard Whateley's of the world who would deem it selfish if we hosted a final at the MCG in front of no fans.

Agreed. Small sample space but we did not play well in our 3 games at Metricon in 2020. Conversely we had very good wins at the GABBA last year (if you ignore the Port disaster) If we took the show to QLD, would rather the GABBA.

For those that have witnessed 1988 and 2000, the only answer would be watching a GF win on TV over attending a GF loss. They are humiliating experiences watching your team cooked by quarter time in a grand final. I know people have shot me down for this question but if you were given the choice of winning a flag in 2021 or 2022 which one would you choose - bearing in mind that you will be guaranteed that one of the two years we will win the flag under this hypothetical. (obviously without the hypothetical option, you take the 2021 premiership and run with it!!) I would choose 2022. I know many would choose 2021 due to their own individual circumstances, but I want a grand final week where we can soak up the action, attend the MCG live for the game with our guaranteed tickets, and experience the elation of the MFC players and supporters at 4:30pm when the magical siren blows to signal that your team is the premier. I want to experience the fairy tale that Richmond, Dogs, Geelong and Sydney supporters experienced this century. And enjoy the celebrations with your friends and family well into the night. Watching it on TV in the world's toughest lockdown just doesn't compare to the above experience that many of us would be denied.

Hadn't thought of that one but that's more of a home ground advantage than Adelaide Oval or Gabba, which is where I reckon the AFL (not us) will urge us to play.

We’ve never beaten Geelong on a Saturday night at GHMBA stadium. We’ve either lost after the siren or got tonked by 80 points 2 games after appearing in a prelim.

Would you be happy to wait until next year if you were given that luxury when the GF will return to the MCG, but at the expense of either losing the GF or not making the GF this year? Genuine hypothetical.

I agree with you. There’s no home ground advantage, and after begging and pleading to finish top 2 all year, I don’t really care anymore. Saturday night is a dead rubber unless we have to win to avoid Port over there in week 1.

If we’re hosting Brisbane or Dogs I’d say we’ll choose Adelaide Oval. If we’re hosting Port I’d say we’ll choose a SE Queensland venue. Other options: Can’t see us choosing Hobart due to the wind factor. We could lose the toss, be down by 7 goals at qtr time and our campaign could be in tatters. Launceston maybe? Can’t see crowds allowed in Geelong. Too close to Melbourne and all it takes is for someone up the highway to do the wrong thing. Doubt Perth would be an option due to onerous quarantine and travel requirements.

Stop it, you’re making too much sense.

A) Win on tv . Attending the Essendon 2000 grand final was a humiliating feeling that stuck around for years. B) Hard question, but as we can’t attend the GF, I think I’d rather lose a prelim, get the pain over and done with and reload next year.

I hope your mail’s right. As mentioned above, I can’t fathom how Perth is an option given their absolutely zero tolerance to COVID.

No. Immediate family members will not be permitted in the state at this stage Everything is on McGowans terms and the AFL should look elsewhere.

Finally some common sense from a member of the media and it came from Craig Hutchison of all people. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=1235356780219049&external_log_id=56450b80-b880-41c1-b1da-6efd107b84d6&q=footy classified Whilst the entire media are infatuated with the Dream Time and the bells and whistles that Optus Stadium would provide for a grand final, Hutchison correctly points out that McGowan will shut the grand final down on the back of one case - ONE CASE!!! Even it hits on the morning of grand final day. How can the AFL possibly take such a risk hosting our show case event in the most risk averse state run by the most risk averse premier. It would be an absolute farce if the grand final was played behind closed doors after weeks of hype and excitement. Plus the fact that he won't allow player's families to come across for the game will be sure to upset the player and club fraternity. Play the GF elsewhere or the league could find itself in the most embarrassing of situations.

Exactly my thoughts too. The club should dig their heels in ensure all they can to host week 1 at the G (if we finish top 2) rather than listen to Gerard Whately and most other commentators who are infatuated with crowds. We finish top 2, we host at MCG as far as I'm concerned. I would not risk T Mac until finals if there's any doubt with his back. IN - May, Viney Out - Smith, Sparrow Hibberd's lucky that Hunt's injured Melksham's lucky that T Mac might not be risked.