Redleg

You want another example of the "STAR" avoiding a penalty in the AFL? Clarko attacked the umpiring a few weeks ago and what did the AFL do, they changed the interpretation of the rules. Then a couple of weeks later he actually accused the umpires of cheating, saying his opponents had an extra man. What did the AFL do, they told all Coaches to not criticize the umpiring. Where was the fine for Clarko? Can you imagine a lesser Coach saying that, he would be fined immediately. He didn't even get a please explain letter. Big clubs and stars in the AFL have always been favoured and that unfortunately is a corruption of the fairness of the competition. No ifs or buts, the AFL is all about money and they see anything interfering with that as an impediment to be removed. No reasonable person with any knowledge of the AFL, could argue that Selwood, Ablett, Martin, Pendlebury, Kennedy, Fyfe, Heppell, Mitchell etc would have got 4 weeks, or even have been sent to the Tribunal in the first place. PS. I think all DL's would agree we fall into the lesser club category. Can anyone find a 4 week penalty for a sling tackle, given to anyone other than Melbourne players Trengove and ANB? In ANB's case with the shortened season it is like a 6 week penalty. That is nearly as much as the Gaff/Brayshaw broken jaw, by punch, penalty. PPS. Can anyone find a player penalized like Beamer Moloney was in 2005, for a few games, when he actually never made contact with the opposing star player Jimmy Bartel's head. Bartel thought he might and fell over avoiding him. Eddie would have exploded and ranted on air for days. " Melbourne Football Club will not appeal the two-match suspension given to in-form midfielder Brent Moloney. Moloney received the penalty for rough conduct after he appeared to make contact with a former teammate Jimmy Bartel during last Friday night's match against Geelong. Bartel hit his head on the ground as he stumbled. The Geelong midfielder was carried from the ground on a stretcher, suffering concussion. Demons coach Neale Daniher voiced his disappointment with the tribunal's decision before his club's training session at the MCG this morning. "They (the tribunal) termed it medium-contact (to Bartel) ... the evidence we put showed there was no contact to the head at all. It was just a slight brush to the shoulder," Daniher said. "It's on public record that we thought that James (Bartel) sustained his injury when he hit his head on the ground, so from that point of view we were disappointed that the tribunal didn't see it our way." Advertisement

As I posted before, the words “inconsistent” and “corrupt” are interchangeable when discussing the AFL.

In a reduced season it is more like 6 weeks.

As I can recall, only 2 players have got 4 weeks for sling tackles. Both had no priors and both were Melbourne players. Clearly from a lesser club in the AFL who won’t do anything about it and upset head office. I feel sorry for ANB as he is the sacrificial lamb.

No, surely we on DL know better.

Get ready to laugh, because cases aren't sent to the Tribunal for a 1 game penalty.

As you all know, I am not a fan of ANB and the AFL clearly wants to get rid of dangerous tackles and rightly so. But, as many have posted, ANB who is not a star player, will have the book thrown at him, as an example, that the AFL is doing the right thing by its players. There is no reason the MRO couldn't have simply given him 2-3 weeks and end of story, but they are clearly milking the coverage by the media on this, showing how caring and protective they are of their players. Who would have complained if a 2-3 week penalty was given? I think quite possibly Hocking could have told Christian to send him straight to the Tribunal. Hocking has admitted he is involved in the MRO process previously. In ANB's favour was the fact he left one arm free, only grabbing one arm and the jumper, allowing the player to brace for a fall with his other arm. The fact that the player didn't come back on, obviously goes against him. But it is far from the worst of these incidents, that don't usually go to the Tribunal. The Burgoyne incidents earlier this year were a disgrace, as they were far more dangerous and yet because of who he is, he got off. I recall Jack Trengove getting 4 weeks for a sling tackle on Burgoyne's first victim, who was allegedly never going to play again and then the next week played and was BOG. Since then, worse sling tackles have never received 4 weeks, with many getting off completely. We have seen so called "clean star players" like Cotchin, repeatedly commit dirty acts, resulting in players being put out of games, even finals and nothing happens. With the AFL, I think the words inconsistent and corrupt may be interchangeable

Goldy, is experienced, tough and match fit. I wouldn't put LJ against him in centre bounces and risk injury. Obviously if Preuss is fit and they rest Max, Preuss comes in and I would instruct him to take every centre bounce, with LJ giving him a chop out on boundary throw ins, which are less dangerous. Remember LJ is still a kid and we don't need him getting injured from a flying knee at centre bounces.

If he is fit.

Like they did a couple of years ago and belted us, to stop us making the finals.

The umpiring this year has been absolutely terrible. Holding the ball doesn’t exist and infringements are just ignored one after the other, until a soft free is paid resulting in a goal to the more popular team. You could be forgiven for thinking they are actually cheating.

One of your best posts BBO. Now back to the cask.

Hopefully he got confidence from his second half and goes on with it now. First half terrible, second very good. At his best is a real asset for us.

Agree. Probably the same as 17 other AFL fan sites.

Why is Oliver now such a poor disposer of the footy? He wasn't like that his first couple of years, other than the odd clanger. Now it is the odd correct disposal. What has caused this disintegration of his disposal? Agree on the Viney point.

I posted this earlier in the thread. "Posted 11 hours ago We know we are the worst skilled side in the AFL and one of the slowest, if not the slowest. The game plan has been shown to not work with this list. I think we have another problem with Gawn, in that players believe he can dominate and win the clearances and then the game for them. Opposition are roving to him and winning clearances, then with outside spread are killing us. We need to adjust in this area now. I have advocated Gawn smashing it forward, thereby creating a different contest and changing the game. However all that being said, when all you have to do all year is practice and then execute reasonable disposal and you can’t, you have no chance of success. When your star mid, every game wins the first few contests and then gives the ball straight to the opposition for goals and before you know it you are 3-4 goals down, you generally don’t win.

That's why I have too.

We know we are the worst skilled side in the AFL and one of the slowest, if not the slowest. The game plan has been shown to not work with this list. I think we have another problem with Gawn, in that players believe he can dominate and win the clearances and then the game for them. Opposition are roving to him and winning clearances, then with outside spread are killing us. We need to adjust in this area now. I have advocated Gawn smashing it forward, thereby creating a different contest and changing the game. Our Coach seems reluctant to change things during or before games. That is a problem. It seems to be the do it my way until it works philosophy which is problematic at best. However all that being said, when all you have to do all year is practice and then execute reasonable disposal and you can’t, you have no chance of success. When your star mid, every game wins the first few contests and then gives the ball straight to the opposition for goals and before you know it you are 3-4 goals down, you generally don’t win. On last night with all of those issues present, we also lacked any effort or pressure and that is another problem. Is there a problem emerging with the team in mental application? Is something wrong behind the scenes? Last night was too bad to be true even for this side. As a personal comment I am so angry about what I saw, given the opportunity these guys have been given to have a job atm, I have deleted the recording of all footy shows as I just can’t be bothered anymore, watching the success of other clubs and the discussion of their chances. I am limiting myself to watching our games only until we show something. That is my rant.

I’ve given up.

Our only player in the first half.

Ha ha.!

No point leading if you are a Dees forward, it will be kicked straight to the opposition.

Disposal and structure destroying us once again.

Depends if it is a loss.

You heard it first.