Lord Travis

Official AFL site report has O-Mac listed as injured (back tightness). Hopefully just precautionary, as back issues can be a tough thing to shake.

Location would play a part in this. But also it might be related to our poor performances and standing as a club for the past decade. We've no doubt lost a chunk of potential supporters from that generation.

Barring a bad run with injuries or a considerable drop off in form, we should be 8-3 heading into the bye. Last season we had a dream run handed to us to start the season, didn't have to leave the state for months, and we somehow managed to fluff easy games against bottom 4 teams at the MCG. Win those games against bottom 4 teams and we automatically jump into top 4. It should be a given, though you can't trust this team yet. Our fixture is similar to last year, the first half is an easy run that we should capitalise on. I'll take 7-4 as the pass mark at the bye. Anything less and we'll be up against it, as the second half of our fixture is a lot tougher. The last month and a half has us playing Geelong in Geelong, Swans at MCG, Adelaide in Adelaide, Eagles in Perth and GWS at MCG. With that run home, we'll be testing ourselves against the best and gearing up to finals if the wheels don't fall off again.

I believe we drew with them in near the beginning of a season around 2011? Perhaps that’s why?

I see our range as anywhere from 2-10. I personally have us finishing 5th, and making prelims. If we somehow miss the 8 again I'll probably burn this state to the ground and make it my lifes work to ensure AFL ceases to exist.

This already happens and the umpires ignore it. There was one match last year where he gave a hard fend off to an opponents throat and that player couldn't breath and was helped from the field by medicos. No commentators or media said a word about it, wouldn't want to derail the hype train! Dusty gives away 3-4 free kicks a game from illegal fend offs that aren't called by umpires. If he shoves their chest, fine play on. But if he shoves their throat or face, which he does weekly, he should be penalised a free kick against. It's rubbish it's not called. Yet other players get penalised for legitimate tackles etc. Bloody rules and umpires have gone mad!

I noticed this bit of play too. He’s clearly overthinking the game at the moment, hopefully that changes with time. I actually think he hasn’t been poorly coached by Goodwin and co. In his first year under Roos he excelled as a runner and outside option. When Goodwin took over, his coaching panel may have taken the “contested team” thing a bit too far. They specifically played Billy in the VFL to work on his inside game. He was played as an inside midfielder. He’s not an inside midfielder, and he never should be. It’s a waste of one of the few decent outside runners we have. I understand needing to develop multiple aspects to your game, but it has done nothing positive for Stretch. He’s not strong enough or quick enough mentally to play inside, and his lack of confidence in an assigned role he can perform has now caused his outside game to deteriorate. Hopefully the coaches recognize the mistake they made and let Billy get back to doing what he does best without having to overthink everything. We need quality outside run and Billy is one of the few on the list who can provide it. Nibbler just keeps on improving though. He’s developing nicely and is very versatile. Definite best 22 moving forward and a real barometer for our team IMO.

Softest decision I've ever seen. An open palm shove to the chest with low force after being pushed in the back? If that warrants a fine, then surely tackling your opponent now warrants a 3-4 weeks suspension?

This actually happened mid last year. I posted in a thread here about it and was able to get a work around, but unfortunately since the app was updated before finals the work around is blocked. You can't even plug your phone directly into a tv and watch, it detects it's outputting video to an external source and gives an error. Absolute robbery. I was investigating a class action law suit, as the initial terms and conditions mentioned the screen size, but nothing about video to external sources etc. If a user had chosen to do this, they would have the resolution of the smaller screen size, but it was their device, their subscription, and there was no limitation. Mid-season however this limitation was thrown in, after people had paid for a subscription based on initial terms and conditions. Robbery. Lies. Corruption. I paid for the subscription so I could watch footy on my tv, as I can't get Foxtel in my old apartment building (nor would I want to at the ridiculous cost). All I can do now is visit mates or the pub to watch interstate games. The AFL are making the game unwatchable for the common fan, as more and more games shift to paid tv. Especially lower drawing clubs like us, we barely get any free to air time.

Fritsch looking the goods for round 1. Brayshaw has struggling to get involved today. Liked Harmes' work rate and impact.

Great to see us score well in the third term and convert our dominance onto the scoreboard. Hoping for more of that this year!

Petracca has been average IMO He looks good up forward but struggles in the midfield. He just doesn't seem to read the play when running through the midfield. Unless he's lead to a stoppage he is always floating in no mans land watching it go back and forward over his head. I hope he plays more forward than midfield still going forward, as he's such a hard match up when forward and could be very dominant there.

I'd say weather has played a part in that. It rained for 20 hours straight before the match and there were gale force winds overnight. Lucky it died off this morning as match otherwise match may have been called off. But yes, the atmosphere down in Tassie is usually lacking.

Hogan looking dangerous, just wish he was a bit more selfish and would have a shot more often. Hope he can stay fit and healthy this year, he's a big presence out there for us.

Jeez.... getting shredded by Billy Harting. Embarrassing! Still same problem as last year, dominate play but don't capitalise on the scoreboard. Bloody frustrating.

We're looking dominant. Similar to last year though, we're dominating ball, dominating play, ball isn't leaving our forward half... but we're not capitalising on the scoreboard. Should be 6 goals up by now. Lever looking great. Also Lewis and Nibbler looking good.

Thanks to all who have provided reports and photos. Your efforts are greatly appreciated by us hardcore supporters!

Whatever Champion Data do to interpret the stats they take... it doesn’t work. Reigning premiership midfield with two Brownlow medalists sits 12th. That right there is proof enough they’re unarguably wrong. It’s all done to draw media attention and hype. I’ll happily take our 11th placed midfield in 2018!

Love the new leadership group. No bloating. Jones and Viney both fitting leaders. Gawn has developed as a leader and the younger guys love him. Lewis is the most successful leader at the club so is a no brained also. Perfect choices this year.

Huge signing. Unlike the past 10 years, our young talent is all extended and sticking fat for the journey. Great to see! Keep working hard Trac and you’ll enjoy success in red and blue with your mates!

Started the only fight of my life. 2002 Semi-final against Adelaide at the G was an emotional rollercoaster. I was in my late teenage years at the time and loved (hated?) my footy as much back then as I do now. We were 8 goals down at quarter time. I was gutted. Then my favourite player Travis Johnstone put on a masterclass BOG effort. Most touches, 4 goals from a wing, it was a vintage Travis finals performance. He was always a big game player. Yze and Bruce chimed in, Neitz and Vardy piling on goals up forward. We hit the lead and had control of the match by three quarter time. It was a great fight back, and I thought that year may have been one we could pinch. Then the mental softness that permeates the club to this day kicked in. The pressure came, the momentum shifted, and we folded. Season over. I was insanely worked up. I stormed out of the ground furious at what had happened and some Adelaide supporter in his 20s-30s started having a go. For the first and only time in my life I started a fight. I must've landed one right in a sweet spot as he went down. I don't know what I was yelling, but I know there were lots of 4 letter words and complaints that the universe was robbing us. Others started yelling and jumping in. I got shoved into a pack but wound up on the outside of a group that were starting to punch on. I had lost my [censored], and I grabbed a bin and flung it into a group of people fighting. Next thing I remember I was being shoved into the back of a divvy van by the cops. Stupidest and craziest thing I've ever done. Really out of character, but that night footy just drove me mad.

Is there anywhere I can watch a replay of this? I saw our first two matches but missed the final one against the Hawks as was out by then. Wouldn't mind seeing it as I imagine it was decent intensity. Plus seeing us win any match is always a deelight!

Doesn’t count. We’ve beat them in NAB cup in the past few years. Having said that, I still want to crush them tonight!

Spargo for mine. He’s the most competitive player from the entire draft last year. Add in his good skills and speed and he was a top 10 pick if not for injury. If his body holds up he’ll be a 10 year player for us IMO. Also excited to see Baker purely due to his pace, as pace through the middle is something we are lacking.

Daisy has a more rounded game IMO, but hard to deny Paxman has the most impact out there. She just keeps finding the ball and working it forward.