Wodja

Got my tickets okay Shared tickets via messenger. Took half an hour for the first person to get his ticket. The others are still waiting. Just another thing to keep stress levels up there

Yep, I know … sorry about that. I will try and cease and desist

Rarely would I disagree with Binman’s views. On the Monday night ‘podcast’ he said this year we are better of than last year being guaranteed all our finals will be played at the MCG. I sadly disagree. There is no doubt in my mind Melbourne ended up having a distinctive advantage by playing its finals in WA? Why? Crowd support. Last year our finals in WA in particular, had unbelievable one sided support (I’d say a 70 / 30 spilt) coming our way. It was loud, unbelievably loud. The noise was louder than what the pies got from their supporters the other week when they played and beat us (and I personally feel that helped Collingwood get over the line). Our players in WA thrived on thr support they received over there. This year when we come up against bigger Melbourne sides in the other finals there is a fair chance we will be outnumbered and ‘out noised’. Sad but very likely. Our team will therefore not have the advantage it had last year. However, bit like the industry super funds marketing tag line, it’s never too late to change. It doesn’t have to be this way. I know I’m repeating myself so I’ll try and be brief. We have 60k members and many more supporters. Pretty much everyone I suspect were upset not being able to attend the finals last year. So bloody well turn up. Help our lads. After last year’s premiership our players said they were going to try and do it for us this year. Anything under 80k at the G next Friday to me will be disappointing. Need I say anymore?

I started to get concerned that when the stadium works were completed that Jeelong would really start pushing for home finals even against Victorian teams. My understanding is that the refurbished stadium would hold 40k. I could see an argument been pushed to have finals against interstate sides, but surely not against Victorian sides Had the revised capacity being say 60k I would have become very nervous. Particularly when playing 2nd tier Melbourne based teams like the ones they currently play down there more often than not (like us).

I certainly hope you are correct Do you know why we would have got more of the allocation when we played Geelong ( who I am guessing would have had a fairly large membership base, perhaps bigger than us) Secondly, sort of a comment and a question. I would dread getting a great seat and then rock up to the G and find myself surrounded by opposition supporters. Is there a way to reduce the risk of this occurring?

Is there a ‘map’ of the G that one can access to see where the actual seats are located? whoops ignore- just noted this was asked above - my bad

Good to see people walking the talk. One could say, my daughter when she was little was forced to follow the Dees (born into that religion sort of thing) Much to my family’s shame she not only became a vegetarian later on in life but worse still, an AFL atheist. However she has agreed to support the cause and will be coming with me to the G next Friday. And she also knows all too well if she isn’t noisy enough at the right times, she will be pinched. GO DEES!

Professional effin entertainment, that is pretty much what the AFL is. Throw in a few more teams, say Tassie, Canberra and the NT, play each other once , throw in a bye or two if you still want 22 weeks of home and away games, then it would be much fairer. Unfortunately, never going to happen And while I am at it, never, ever let Geelong have home finals unless they massively increase crowd capacity and change the size of their oval ffs!

I just hope our supporter base is as committed to them as they were to us. We have got a job to do. Turn up and make some real noise!

I also fear Collingwood and the main reason is the crowd factor. It’s almost is like having a extra player on the ground for them. Not to forget how this can / does have an impact on umpiring decisions. I’m still trying to get over our last home and away game against them. I have no doubt in my mind that the crowd factor spurred them on enough to beat us. Soooo….go cats

I have a plan! Accepting that we appear to have more than our fair share of fair weathered supporters who seemed to be so despondent when they couldn’t attend games / finals last year and are doing the same again this year. Yeah I know there are many variables to consider that determines whether you attend games including a) It can’t be too cold b) It can’t be too warm c) Chance of a shower- forget it d) I have other commitments (eg attend my second cousin’s daughter’s birthday party) You get my drift. It appears we have a very limited pool of dedicated supporters (elderly, infirm, distance challenged etc excepted) The plan is find supporters that love to hate the teams we will compete against in the finals and invite them along. The ‘silver tails’ amongst us who will only attend the GF if we make it, consider buying tickets for these people. Think of the positives. At least when they attend they will make some noise. We need to make sure our boys feel like they are playing finals with a home ground advantage. We owe it to them.

Sadly, you may not be too far of the mark (presume you are predicting total crowd). But having said that, I really don’t get it. 65k plus members, plenty more supporters and this suggests about 45k at best of our mob will turn up. Sad, verging on embarrassing. This is on top of us winning the flag last year, the players wanting to do it again in front of their ‘real supporters’, and not to forget how ‘we’ were so disappointed that we couldn’t be there at the game. The WA neutrals did our boys proud last year. Do not underestimate what impact a large boisterous crowd can have on a team’s performance. I was fortunate enough to see it first hand over in WA. Our boys have done their bit, it is up to us now to do our bit. But I am worried. As much as I love to hate Collingwood and their supporters I am actually very jealous of them (in my opinion they helped get their team over the line against us the other week and just now against Carlton). It is now time for all our supporters to walk the talk and do the right thing and actually turn up in massive numbers and support our boys

What’s this ‘convincing them’ business? Next thing they will be choosing what they want to eat! Bit of ‘tough love’ needed here. They will thank you later on in life.

I think our game plan for our forward structure would be more structurally stable with a 2nd tall. If TMac is taken off the injury list in a week or two is he a realistic consideration for the finals campaign? My heart says yes, my head says no (lack of match practice/ fitness). I am not even sure if there is a pathway or even time to consider progressing him through the VFL. It may also be dependent on who we are playing. And, if he is selected, who does he replace? What are your thoughts?

Yeah I’d be happy with that. The left over seats I guess will be taken up by the swan supporters

I hear you but anyone , anywhere and anytime! We must make sure our players in every final they play in that they have an overwhelming level of support coming their way. We owe it to them

Then there is a god! 😎

Ditto. Exactly the same for me (I actually teared up a little!) It hurt big time.

I actually got a bit nervous when I thought the Sainters might get up. I think if that occurred we would have ended up playing the Ferals in the first final. In my opinion they are a good side, playing exciting fast footy down the corridor. Having said that, I also believe that at our best we can beat anyone. What I didn’t want to face up to was their supporters again, I’m still scarred by the other week. But now that it is finals, we have no excuses as supporters. 60k plus members, plenty more supporters, just bloody well turn up!

I hear you but the cynic in me wonders if it was a Melbourne player with concussion would the AFL afford us the same considerations. I’m not so sure but we will never know. Fortunately, that is not a concern for us Anyone, anywhere, anytime, bring it on.

No matter what day or time we end up playing it is just so important that everyone that can, actually turn up and support our boys. They have fulfilled their end of the bargain, we must fulfil ours. We have over 60k members and plenty more supporters. No excuses. We must outnumber the opposition and be bloody loud and ensure it is a very hostile environment for opposition supporters and players alike.

Is our offence a problem? Yeah, maybe at times during the home and away season. Come finals….nah, it will be one of our strengths. How do I know? Just a vibe. GO DEES

Another option could be to just use the AFL app and the ‘live ladder’ function to see what is happening with ‘live’ ladder position / percentage movements during the actual game…..or am I missing something here?

Don’t get too excited, looked like a shanked kick to me😉

I just can’t put in words how pleased I was when I saw that vision of our boys doing that after the game. It just says so much!