Diamond_Jim

Some hints coming about the future of Foxtel which could be relevant to ESPN As many would know HBO is about to launch its own Australian streaming service. Many thought that this would be a big blow to Foxtel and Binge. Still could be but Foxtel has softened the blow by giving access to HBO with ads for "free" on the Foxtel products. Could it be we will see ESPN on Kayo with ESPN ads in the future. Streaming with ads seems to be the big model in USA as the streamers find they simply can't grow/make money from subscriptions alone

One plus this year is that not playing Round Zero means the first VFL match is a little better aligned with our AFL season. Our first match is Sunday morning 23 March against North at Casey before our second round AFL match against North at Docklands at 3:20pm. [Not bad scheduling for once]

Agree Boundary line and then into the right forward pocket has to end.

Looking at the online "vibe" on his delisting it concentrates mainly on his ACL injury and his slowness. He has the skills but doesn't get the ball enough. Schwartz gave him a big wrap on his Melbourne training form so perhaps.... Good luck Jai C (only one nickname possible)

Sensible but there's the travel factor. You could give Max a similar input with some intense match sim at Casey. Salem is another that I would tread carefully with. Perhaps the same with May. It's a very very long season.

Agree Roy had a standout first game for Casey but his other two that I saw (admittedly in a weak Casey side) were nothing to inspire. With the MFC pre-season and the ongoing Casey games (presumably every week at VFL level) he will get a good chance to show what he has

Do they. VFL clubs suck players in and out each week from these comps dependent upon the availability of AFL players

Can't see a role for both Petty and TMac unless May is injured or we are playing a team with multiple talls up forward.

It's actually a very good game to watch. I used to be a rugby union fan until it was ruined by overly technical umpiring, long penalty kickers and All Black dominance.

A definite moral victory !!! More scoring shots and we know we would have overrun them in the last quarter

Prescient !!!

Oliver was a class above. Too much boundary play in the first half. Second half we took the game on Pleasing game from Sparrow and JVR. Sharp edging Chandler for Round 1. Defensively we seemed to lack polish but Lever showed his class. All in all an excellent showing

Agree Would be helped if you could choose different camera angles. Understand why they concentrate on the ball carrier but it doesn't show you the whole game by any means

Forward Connection

Hawks have put it up for sale. Price tag around $20M

Very true but if it's a well designed rectangular stadium such as AAMI Park the experience is rather good. On the other hand went to a State of Origin at the MCG and saw very little. Even worse is an NFL game at the stadium. It's simply a mass of converging players and you have to be lucky to spot the ball carrier. TV wise the action is limited to distinct areas that are easily covered by cameras. Soccer is a game that lends itself well to both stadium and TV viewing

If fans turned up (say 15k plus) it would probably be a disaster from a crowd management/facilities viewpoint. I think they would want sub 2k at most

They're not really into it unlike Foxtel with their IQ box. You might get a $10 off offer during the AFL off season but I've not heard of much more. Try it and see as it's easy to rejoin

The deal with the Saudis has been flagged for some time. Going forward they will probably increase their stake. Not sure how Foxtel fits strategically as population and sports wise we are an odd fitting minnow. My guess is that they will slowly play the double squeeze with AFL and NRL ie no increased rights money and higher subscriptions. In turn the AFL will package one off days to other streamers. Might even get the occasional pay per view game (Anzac Day etc). The unknown is where advertisers fit in. Take out the sport betting companies though and the ad dollar isn't what it used to be. Mind you streaming could possibly offer more targeted advertising. On another note the Foxtel sale was not really a clean sale. It was a debt assumption agreement. You have to wonder who ultimately holds the debt. If Dazn hasn't guaranteed the debt you wonder how Foxtel will ever repay that debt.

Watched three quarters. The indigenous team were a joy to watch. (Amazing run on skillful football) Jason HF played a blinder. Pickett had a few cameos. May was strong. 38k there. Definitely worth pursuing. Was Freo the right opposition. Not sure. I would have preferred the Eagles. I can see it being repeated in Adelaide but perhaps every second year PS Could the opposition be a combo of the two local teams perhaps or dare we suggest the AA team

NRL and NBL clubs are offering Kayo for around $250 but it's one screen and no 4k The AFL offering is two screens and 4k. Here is a link to where a poster has kindly listed all the offers but check the actual details before you buy just to make sure of things like start dates, automatic renewals etc https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/882638 PS Reportedly GWS was offering existing digital members an option to renew at $310 (suggests to me that the clubs are paying Kayo around $300)

Hi KC who are the Casey team for these matches? Does it include MFC listed players. Thanks

Streaming companies were like Uber etc in that it was all about market share. Now they need to make money. Two minutes with a calculator (with lots of zeroes) tells you no streamer can make money in Australia after paying the present rights values to the AFL and NRL. (IIRC there's 13 million households in Oz) Therefore it's ads, geo restrictions on passwords a la Netflix and Disney, increased monthly charges, other streaming companies getting key games and thus reducing the residual fee etc. In all of them the bunny is the sports follower Ironically we may look back on the Murdoch ownership as the halcyon days.

That was the golden ring and they missed it Stan's model of sports as an add on is terrible. Optus was the old Telstra (get the mobile subs) model. The streaming world is very volatile to say the least.

There's little doubt that the AFL are using Brayshaw's retirement to send a message on long term contracts. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-introduces-buddy-franklin-rule-to-police-clubs-as-deals-beyond-2030-balloon-20250210-p5latb.html But the rule, which is a less heated version of how the AFL dealt with Lance Franklin’s nine-year, $10 million deal in 2013, has not deterred clubs from offering these longer-term deals, despite the concerns about concussion and the risks clubs take, as evident in the Angus Brayshaw payout with years remaining on his contract.