layzie

I won't get started on that debacle but the LFC and Klopp handled this in the absolute best way possible. I would like to see our club meet certain decisions and issues with a bit more resistance. I was so proud of the way we fought the JVR charge however there have been moments this year where I felt we just copped our whack and didn't respond. For most of the second half of the year at games I would watch Gawn for an extended period of time, I needed to see for myself if the treatment off the ball he received was as bad as people had been saying. If anything it was worse, there were the knees in the back and rib ticklers but the number of times Max's head was targeted left me a little queasy. The time has come for us to ask the AFL for a please explain on this because seeing the big American with a medal round his neck is giving me a real Dean Wallis feeling. There was also the Maynard and Brayshaw tribunal ruling. I don't know what grounds we had to pipe up about it but I would like to have seen some kind of pressure put on the AFL to appeal this decision. The fact that the defence's argument that Brayshaw's deviated running line basically caused the concussion was unchallenged or even questioned is frankly abhorrent as a look and I say this as a neutral football fan who loves the richness of the game but cares about the future of it with regards to head safety and health. It's not even over yet, if the AFL over extend with North's assistance package will we make a sound? I doubt it. I know North have been down longer but that opens up the integrity debate for another post.

The last two numbers are 24 which is the year next year. A surefire sign that we'll win the flag..

I guess not all list positions are created equal. I've got no doubt the benefit of having Jake around the place will be much better than not having him there. Could help with a transition into a coaching role. I don't know how the list rules would work, whether he'd be a rookie spot or mature age supplemental dodad position but I do see the benefit and doing this before the trade period.

Only if his elbow gets deformed again! 😁

If you smell what the Brock is cooking.

I would also prefer the wishing people ill not be a thing but thankfully it doesn't happen regularly.

We'll see how it goes. Glad he's playing on he deserves it but let's hope we improve the much needed areas in tje forward line.

Of course they will change the rule. Only way they can hedge their bets both ways! The feel good story was great, Bruz got his flag but now we'll do something about it so we can appease everyone.

It's a dangerous tackle for sure but there does seem to be confusion in the media and pundits over whether contact with the ball first and slipping momentum is a red card or not and I myself have to say I don't know the current ruling 100% myself. If it's a red card to the letter of the law so be it but what I have a major problem with was the way the VAR was used in that moment. You can't be looking at a freeze frame and not in real time. I nearly quoted you in this post Macca because it's times like this when we need to check our attitudes watching as fans. Let's say for arguments sake that Jones was a 'terrible' decision, did he really need to go studs up into that tackle at that time? Did he need to put a foot in at all? These are the decisions that can increase or decrease the risk of a big decision going against you. Same thing with Jota as you said, the first yellow might have been dicey but don't do silly things after that. There's always things players can control in games and I'm happy to admit that Liverpool were on the undisciplined side in this one. But as much as this went against Liverpool it also annoys me that the real story of Spurs' great win is buried. They came out well at the start and I'm not convinced that we would have won this game with 11 men. Ange has got the balance right with this team and we should be talking about that. Not officiating, not VAR. Very proud of the Liverpool rearguard who defended out of their skins with 25 mins left and 9 men. The fatigue would have set in so hard that the Matip own goal didn't really surprise.

Well said Titan. There are plenty of great positives and the standard of play and competition is very high. Can't disagree with much there to be honest. I would like to see some improvements in the areas mentioned, it doesn't need to be perfect just not regressing. A new year will bring new excitement, I'll be ready for 24.

Oh mate don't get me started! Terrible weekend all round.

This. If they are happy to have a season go on a month longer than it should and have all these dead rubber games then show some guts and be prepared to have some of these crud games on a Friday night.

High drama. Some huge results overnight. To the elephant in the room. Well played Spurs and well done to Ange I'm so happy to see him having this success. They did what they had to do with the advantage they were presented and I really do believe they are a better team without Kane. Madison has been an excellent fit. But we have to look at this game as it happened and it was not a good day for the EPL. With the world watching we've had what should have been an amazing game ruined with over officiating. Curtis Jones challenge has had 50-50 opinions. Personally I thought he had his foot on the ball and accidentally made the contact, not a good challenge but I would have thought yellow card. But it's about how this decision was made: yellow was given, ref went over to the monitor and the worst thing for the EPL was that we could see what the ref saw: a freeze frame shot and then slow motion. No real time at all, of course he was going to give it red. You then have Diaz score and the linesman flag instantly. VAR checks this quicker than the Petracca goal against Carlton with no lines drawn for offside and clears the offside call. They didn't even need the line to see it was onside. Jota gets a second yellow for a stupid challenge, I thought his first yellow was harsh but he still shouldn't have done this. Then the own goal at the death. I've gotta say there were some stupid yellows given to Tottenham as well. The Udogie one was laughable. Like I said, well done to Spurs and they did deserve the win. As a spectacle though it's so frustrating being served this up and it's getting a bit much.

It's the kind of move you make as a rebuilding club from the bottom 6 IMO. Experienced head to bolster the mid depth.

I know we hate Maynard but I wouldn't mind this kind of player right now.

This is my feeling this year. They used to sweep under the rug pretty well bur something shifted this year even further. I can't remember a season where the final 8 was shaped by as much controversial events as this one. The execution and skill of the players was not forefront (Although I will say it was in the GF) it was anything but. I'd also like to add to this: The media. I'm sure there's others that still love any sort of football media but this was the year that completely turned me off any sort of football shows and commentary. The concussion debates firstly with Alir and Jones then Maynard and Gus seemed to pit the ex players against us idi0ts that wouldn't know because we never played the game. It's left me with an uncomfortable feeling and a lot of division. We'll see what ends up happening with this class action, who knows maybe there will be more division but as many here have said the money is piling in so they'll be fine.

Yes and this is the concern. It's like a tech company like Apple or Samsung releasing a new smartphone, a ton of problems come up but they won't fix them because there's a new release coming out anyway and people will still buy it.

We need to find a gem

Fair call, will take that.

I find myself sitting here, the day after, wondering if this has genuinely been a good year for the AFL in terms of showcasing the sport and taking it to a new level. The general footy public mainly think it was the bees knees and I get that straight after a sleeping giant has triumphed, even haters of Collingwood are getting swept up in the Eurphoria of it, there's a reason they are the most talked about sporting club in the country. But let's look at it as a whole, did this season do what the AFL wanted it to do? Off the top of my head the Gather Round appeared to have been a success and the level playing field and standard of finals games but I think of the following things and don't know if they add up to a great look for the league: - Concussion: Does the AFL care enough? The Alir and Jones incident was a total joke. Then the Maynard and Gus incident, the player got off and the story sold papers but did we actually learn anything from it? - Fixturing: Where do you start? - The MRO: New rules every week and what could now appear to be a conflict of interest in the position. No consistency. - The rules: Still no clarity on the stand rule and a heavy penalty for the slightest of movements on the mark. A heap more nonsense 50 metre penalties and a sport that has never been harder to explain to a new fan. - The Brownlow: Losing more credibility. Yes Neale's year may have been better than we thought but the number of shock 3 voters and non votes for others seemed high. - And lastly, the umpiring: I take nothing away from Collingwood who have been toughest the longest in 2023. But with wins by 7 points, 1 point and 4 points, knocking out a key player in the first, having at least 3 no calls in the prelim go their way and then the rub of the green in the Grand Final culminating with the most ridiculous advantage of all time, it's almost fitting that this season was underlined with that as the exclamation point. Nothing is ever perfect but I felt this season missed the mark on quite a few quality metrics. A big club winning the flag is not papering over the cracks, it's wallpapering over a gaping hole. The league has got their TV cash and Gil leaves on his horse into the sunset while Dil picks put a new $5k Herman Miller task chair for the office. Yes there is some saltiness right now but I'm keen to hear views on this. Was it a good season for the AFL and the game in general? Happy to hear both sides, keep it respectful.

The line in the sand has been drawn. This will be the most important trade and draft period in this football club's history. Yesterday should have burned in the guts of this club to a crisp, we have been smacked across the face with a big fish and totally shown up. Don't bother arguing or protesting with this because you will lose. We need to put our chips to the middle of the table and make a stand, list wise, game plan wise and attitude wise. You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

I'd like a fixture that is level to the average AFL fixture for a change. - Stop giving us Geelong trips - Stop giving us 10 day breaks when we should get a proper bye - No Thursday night games in Melbourne (wishful thinking)

Quaynor would be the best 1v1 small defender going right now IMO.

Losers can please themselves.