The Premiership Plate is fast becoming the most sought after trophy that the clubs want to win with first ACL spot up for grabs. This season’s HAL Ver. 5 holds the most exciting finish to an Australian Football season yet.
Three clubs from three different states can take out the Plate ,right down to the last round: Melb Vic, GCU and SFC.
However, will Australian Club Football history be made in Version 5 of the HAL with the Sth East Queensland outfit from the Gold Coast?
Home attendances for the GCU have been abysmal.
However, this has not stopped them from forging ahead with a brand of football that has defined them as being worthy Premiers or both with a Championship double and the Plate.
I have no doubt about that, with their own exciting brand of football created in the main by Bleiberg and Okon coaching partnership with the supporting staff.
The question, though, has to be asked: is that enough to endear them to the Queensland football fraternity?
Judging by the home gates, it seems not. But the Queenslanders are starting to warm to this great footballing outfit.
I am sure the Brisbane Roar FC would’ve been recording record home gates if the team’s squads and coaching were swapped over. But for the tempestuous GCU FC, not so.
The club had to do some smart PR and marketing to win over the hearts and minds of the Queenslanders in the main to back them for the HAL final, because of some big mistakes that were made with crowd capping and high priced ticketing, and an owner who had unceremoniously declared they would enter the comp and win it undefeated in their first year.
However, this has now all been rectified. But will it have been in time when, and if, they make the final of the Championship?
I am almost convinced that the Premiership and Championship double is in the hands of Clive Palmer’s GCU FC – if a few things go their way.
So the question that has been playing on my mind is, should it be played on the Gold Coast at Skilled Stadium or in Brisbane at the magnificent Suncorp stadium?
I think a good venue would be the Suncorp Stadium Brisbane (home of the NRL Broncos and the ROAR FC), a lucrative 55k capacity attendance and a windfall for the FFA.
Not since the old glory days of the old Brisbane Strikers has Queensland had a team on the cusp that can go all of the way.
Will we see a team based in Queensland play out the final of the HAL? I think yes.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Wow Crap Crap Mariners FC 8 fouls and Pedj Bojic red carded---nothing to play for and still dishing out the tough stuff :D
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Chelseeeeeeeeee, have just Krused passed the Arsenal.... sorry spelling mistake cruised passed the Arsenal 2-0---I still have a couple left to go.... Sydneeeeeeee :)
MV Dave
Guest
SFC 2 MV 2 Carlos free kick in the 92nd minute with a pitch invasion by the jubilant MV supporters as the final whistle. AF you're running out of teams to winthe PP, last week it was 2, this week one and next week 0! :)
Realfootball
Guest
Aloisi ain't Fowler. Chalk and cheese.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Football Person, I was at the game yesterday and did not see the Fox interview---but after reading this report it sounded like to me Miron had the backing of the Fox commentators of what occurred during the match.. I have to admit I thought the refereeing was appalling too. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/122122,bleiberg-the-ref-cost-us.aspx
Footbal Person
Guest
Screw history............ but it won't be made this year after their loss. I see Miron tried to tell Andy Harper a story, but he refused, so he had a dummy spit. Another Proud moment in the short history of GCU :) :) :) :)
Australian Football
Roar Guru
The same sort of idiots at Fury engaging Fowler as their Marquee at 34yrs. :) Aloisi was only 32 when he signed on for SFC and had a tough time of it through injury. In fairness to Aloisi he was out most of the time thru hamstring injuries and now seems determine to justify his status next week. I hope he bangs in another double against the arch enemy MV and all will be redeemed as the best signing SFC ever made. How ironic would that be if he won SFC the Plate and a place in the ACL.. C'mon Johnny.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Midfielder, you have to be joking about Fozzie not offering solutions. Geeeez that's what he does all the time---identifies a problem in Football then offers a solutions---after all he is a football commentator not the CEO of the FFA.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Johnny, was all SBS, and he never in the bull's arse was a FOX man. You can be sure of that---I know that for a fact personally. ~~~~~~ AF
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Porter and Miller on the pitch at the same time was our down fall----they are the slowest players over 20m I've seen out of all our lads---it's good to have some experience out there, but they do the team no favours being out there together at the same time.
Midfielder
Guest
JW is my hero too... but JW was not SBS... and IMO and I may add well intentioned JW did make the odd error... But without doubt JW IMO the most important person in Australian football 1950 to today... My nose is not out of joint I just cannot stand bias tabloid jurno's ... Alan Jones, John Laws come to mind on TV ... on TV the CH 9 & Ch 7, current affairs shows ... SBS present one Fozzie and Mrs Football as their main news and opinion givers... Fozzie is no different the tabloid junno's above... their is always a slight truth in what he says.. but credit what is being done hator offer solutions ... na ... just play to your demographic just like Alan Jones ... nad act all the time as if you are doing this for the right reasons... and then if something good is done claim it is because of you.. Actually I can hardly wait until what JW said happens and that is SBS (hopefully FBF) cannot win the rights as one of the commercial channels wins the boardcast rights...
Realfootball
Guest
Didn't realise Aloisi was 34. What club in their right mind pays a player 1.3 million per year at that age? Of course the idiots who did the deal are long gone. I look forward with interest to see what Sydney do in the Marquee stakes next season.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Be sure to post up the link----not that I don't trust you.. Chop-Chop-Mariners.
Australian Football
Roar Guru
SBS=Johnny Warren=Mr Football. That is all!!!!!!! Fox came in for the Glory after SBS kept the home fires burning---what a joke---not that I begrudge them they are doing a fair job. But where were they when Johnny Warren was calling for help---to keep the Australian Football family alive. You're the Sokkah advocate I have been calling tor dropping of the term Sokkahroos Its the Australian national football Team or just ROOS. What's up Midfielder---did I put your nose out of joint.. with a few home truths.? ~~~~~~ AF
Midfielder
Guest
+ 1 for me too Tow... he is a very good man if the limited dealing i had with him while he was at the Mariners is anything to go bye...
Midfielder
Guest
AF The Hacking Diving Folders I am sure will score more fouls ...
Australian Football
Roar Guru
Midfielder, Chop-Chop-Mariners FC have a game tonight to end the round have they not? Give me an update tomorrow. ~~~~~~ AF
Realfootball
Guest
Don't worry, Mid. All they are doing is getting them offside. However, that really was a very poor referring display by Matthew Breeze. Not that GCU deserved to win or even draw. It was an awful performance to watch from the stands. The team completely imploded - players at each other constantly. Not the first time either. Sure sign that (a) the coach can't control his players and (b) the captain isn't doing his job. Can you imagine that nonesense at Sydney or Melbourne? GCU stood revealed as short of class over the park, short on structure, short on morale and, above all, short on coaching, because who in his right mind would select a 33 year old state league player like Fitzsimmons over James Brown? Not to mention starting Miller, who has the workrate of a lame Jersey cow, and keeping him on the park while taking Caravella off. Over to you, Mr Bleiberg.
Midfielder
Guest
Those where the figures prior to the last round .. so if we incur more fouls this week than you did against the Nix then we will pass you... but at round 25 you Fold cheated more... and got away with more thanks to Side Show Bob...
Midfielder
Guest
AF Pot calling kettle black ... snobs or whatever you are swayed by the SBS network ... i.e. Soccer Bloody Soccer... I perfer the new age FBF ... Football Bloody Football.... Now I am the first to admit we are not the most stylist team in the league ... but at the half way point most said we where.. we smashed Fold four nil..weeMac played fall over boy ogff the park... We have hardly won a game since... so be it but your claims are wrong even the Fox guys have said this a number of tims now... However that Fat Tony & Side Show Bob are trying to get the officals to be on their side is an old trick as is diving ... My prediction is a Sydney V Tard GF .. Fold will be found missing in the big games...