A.F.L. Thread II

[BoyBrumby]

There are only two stadiums in Melbourne where they play footy, and they're both Melbourne based clubs so it's not really an away game for Hawthorn, only way it's a benefit is Carlton get the gate takings and the home rooms.

Secondly, in AFL anyone can beat anyone on any given day, often it just comes down to attitude because everyone who plays AFL (most of Richmond aside) is extremely talented and it just comes down to executing a game plan or skills.

Carlton just didn't turn up and Hawthorn (who are a very good team, just having a **** season) played well.

And they're probably tanking again, but whatevs.

Fair play and cheers for answering. Suppose the salary cap does create more of a level playing field, it just seemed a blot from the blue, given the way the results had gone last few weeks.

 

[Jono]

Clearly if any four of Hodge, Mitchell, Franklin, Roughhead, Cyril Rioli and Shaun Burgoyne have a really good day, Hawthorn are capable of beating anyone.

Franklin and Roughead kicked goals, Mitchell, Hodge and Burgoyne got lots of the ball.

But it must be said, Carlton had three players go down during the match, which ****ed up their rotations. Johnson, Yarran and White all hurt.

 

[howardj]

I think Ben Cousins' time may have come. Granted, he's had an interrupted start to the season, but he'll need to really produce in the next two weeks or so, otherwise a mid-year 'retirement' could be on the cards.

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, really needs to get up to speed or he might end up on ice.

 

[howardj]

Has failed to inject any life into the Tiger midfield.

 

[Jono]

I'm dominating the CW Dream Team league as usual fellas

 

[superkingdave]

Am not too far behind, before my nightmare this week i was ahead on overall points itbt

 

[Jono]

Yeah I know I timed myself posting that when I finally took over you in overall pts

 

[superkingdave]

Well looks as though we are the only 2 bothering, so Rd14 could be interesting

 

[Matt79]

Robert Walls tee'd off on Scott Thompson tonight, labelled him a coward who "hid" behind Hall's position on death row (striking wise) to hit him thinking he would face any retaliation, and suggested there was no place in football for Thompson as he currently plays the game. Expecting another sternly worded press release from Brad Scott any second now...

 

[superkingdave]

Robert Walls tee'd off on Scott Thompson tonight, labelled him a coward who "hid" behind Hall's position on death row (striking wise) to hit him thinking he would face any retaliation, and suggested there was no place in football for Thompson as he currently plays the game. Expecting another sternly worded press release from Brad Scott any second now...

Robert Walls is a **** though.

Scott Thompson is Scott Thompson, he's done what he did to Barry Hall to every forward he's played on in the last couple of years, Barry got no special treatment, just others dealt with it better (eg Fev last year). If Scott Thompson was a coward he would have changed his game to not antagonise Barry Hall because Hall has a history of king hitting people behind play but he played his normal game. IIRC Hall had 2 kicks to half time

If they don't want defenders niggling with forwards then start paying free kicks, and half the people whinging about this will be complaining about how footy has gone soft.

I'm not sure how Barry became some sort of saint all of a sudden. Pretty sure he was pushing Zac Dawson over whilst tying his shoelaces preseason as well. Scott McMahon did the same thing to Marc Lecras in RD3 and they had a laugh about it.

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, they did start paying those free kicks a bit more after the Staker-Hall incident, and after Leigh Brown's mix up between Jono Brown's back and a elbow-bag. While getting stuck into Thompson, they did make the point that the umpires were largely to blame as if they'd paid a free or two earlier in the game when Thompson bumped him (as they were doing in last year's finals) the inevitable blow up probably would have been nipped in the bud.

I don't think its a great sight to see a backman just scragging a forward like that all day, and there is an element of cowardice in it, as they do it in the knowledge that the forward isn't going to turn around and belt them (well, 99% of the time), because they'll get weeks, and because they'll be playing the ball more than the man given their role. I don't think Thompson would have done what he did if he felt there was any chance Hall could survive another striking charge, but Hall made that cross for his own back really, the guy's extremely lucky to still be playing AFL, so I agree, he shouldn't be made out to be St. Barry just yet.

I think the real problem is that they've taken away just about everything else a backman can do - ironically, you're probably now more likely to give away a free kick trying to contest the ball than you are scragging a guy 100 metres off the play!

 

[Jono]

Brad Scott was fantastic on Footy Classified.

 

[Matt79]

I've only bothered watching Footy Classified once this year. The spectacle of Caro and Hutchence comparing who has the biggest pseudo-**** and hectoring each other lost its charm a couple of years ago. When they have a decent guest on, it can be quite good, but most weeks its just Hutchence saying "so Caro, are you now prepared to apologise for X", then squabbling ensues. Lyons sort of dozes through it and Thommo throws a couple of grenades and sticks up for players he used to coach. And they'll talk about footy for 6 minutes in there somewhere.

Would have liked to watch Brad Scott being interviewed however. Eade was interesting on One Week at a Time.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Well looks as though we are the only 2 bothering, so Rd14 could be interesting

Having a ****ing shocker, tbh. Weird lock outs for the first round effed me up and have been jizzed since.

In my first year I went through the regular season unbeaten; was so clearly beginniners luck.

 

[howardj]

Ben at Crossroads

Brown at Injury Crossroads

 

[Matt79]

Dustin Martin off to the West Sydney? According to the Hun he's received an offer Richmond can't match.

 

[howardj]

$2.4m over three seasons say my GWS agents.

 

[Burgey]

So, no one mentioning what a couple of Sainters have been up to a while back?

 

[howardj]

I suppose it's not great, meeting her at a school coaching clinic and all.

However, if they're consenting adults....