Lions should be living in the moment

State of Origin - one match in Brisbane, one match in Perth, one match in Sydney. And I'm a Swan's supporter, not Brisbane but actually support all non-Victorian teams. Hadn't realised the extent of the Victorian 'effect' until I started following AFL fifteen years ago.

Spot on Adrian. The Lions are playing a great brand of attacking exciting footy in 2019 and as a neutral watching they offer entertainment. I have no doubt that Fagan is allowing them to enjoy the moment while at the same time looking to the future. After 10 years in the doldrums since last playing finals and the infamous walkout of players in 2013 they went about getting their off-field administration in place, hired who they thought was going to be the best coach for their group and focused heavily on the recruitment/retention of players at the Club. I am happy for them as they start seeing the rewards of a long slog. Even better if it riles up Victorians along the way. I hope the Gabba once again becomes a graveyard for travelling teams. As for the Suns, I have said plenty about the appalling way this Club was set up and the endless lists of mistakes made by both Club and AFL. For McLachlan to say they made no errors in the set up is an insult to all football fans. Has the AFL ever has such an inept CEO in its history? The Suns are suffering from a couple of current day phenomenon's that don't get discussed as much, such as: 1. The AFL is completely over saturated with journalists (both AFL and newspaper). They are all out for themselves to be the loudest, most controversial, the most "clicks" etc. Smashing the team(s) at the bottom of the ladder and/or stories of players from QLD/NSW heading "home", next coach under fire likely to sacked etc. usually gets a response, so those journalists keep going to the well for the same stories. The smallest thing becomes a story covered for 2-3 days only because there is simply not the content created by the AFL to keep all these people in a job. 2. The instant gratification era. If something doesn't work instantly (no matter the history or circumstance) then its no good and has to be replaced. It is very interesting how Premiership droughts are spoken of because on one hand it becomes a huge story which is celebrated when a drought is broken (Sydney 2005, Geelong 2007, Western Bulldogs 2016, Richmond 2017 etc.) however on the other it also seems the basis for determining whether a team is worthy of a place in the AFL? Fremantle haven't won a Premiership since their introduction in 1995, and don't look likely of doing so anytime soon. Melbourne has not won a Premiership since 1964 when the suburban comp VFL only had 12 teams contesting the league with the longest travel being down the highway to Geelong. They played finals in 2018 after 12 years of not making the Top 8. 3. Calls to move teams. The lazy call is to "send them to Tasmania" - is this going to make the current list any better? Tasmania will have all the same retention issues that Northern AFL Clubs have had historically had and the Victorian media will be just as repetitive of linking any Victorian talented draftee to a 'big Vic Club' as soon as the day after the draft. Will North Melbourne and Hawthorn be pushed aside and their academies handed over to the Tasmania team? The AFL and the Queensland Government have spent a lot of money on the Gold Coast to date. The AFL (e.g. Gil and Hocking) should actually get up here have a look around and make a strategic plan of how to get the Suns competitive and sustainable.

Kangas to win by 10 points!

But you will not beat the lions at the Gabba this year NO team will....scary prospect...good for footy plus GO Tigers

Haha Richmond at the G lolol nice one doc plus Port Adelaide are the most overrated team in the league....we beat them in Adelaide with 25% of our team

At least the NRL move their big matches around What do they move around? State of Origin? Damien Barratt suggested playing a Showdown in Melbourne and we saw how thay went down. So what games do you propose the AFL move around? Anyway I will call your bluff on throwing in the towel if a Victorian team wins this year. How could a Brisbane supporter not be excited about 2020?

Trading

Don't mistake old VFL clubs for a union and Don't forget Essendon. I thought Huddo on the fox footy commentary was going to die of an overdose of "smug gushing" as he cheered Essendon to victory over North. Not just at death either when Essendon dramatically nicked the victory with 17 seconds on the clock but the whole flipping game! Some wag on a North fan site I follow put up a plea at half time "Can someone please tell the commentators that North Melbourne are also playing?" The rivalry between the clubs, big and small, is massive and there is little love lost. Meanwhile the AFL and much of their media are virtually married to the love of their life, the popular, classically beautiful, socially acceptable Victorian clubs. And they surely want their occasional, drunken one night stand flings with the beguiling, fiesty, eccentric and proud clubs from the wrong side of the tracks to just leave the party because they are embarrassing them. Yet they know they have to maintain these little beauties as the cost of parting is much higher than forcing the issue. Also sufficient numbers of interstaters follow these clubs which is handy as they ply their trade out of Melbourne. Anyway the interstate crew have done very well in a the space of a generation. Partly because the AFL aren't completely stupid......sometimes.

I don't expect them to win the flag either but I expect them to beat sides that think they might. Hawks and Tigers spring to mind. Keep the Gabba nice and soft,is my advice.

Yeh … Nah! There are 10 sides still in with a chance in July. Only 3 or 4 have a genuine chance for September glory (Collingwood, Geelong, West Coast, Richmond). Brisbane is not one of them (IMHO).

@George13 'It’s still very much Melbourne centric, driven by powerful Melbourne clubs.' How true, and seemingly getting more like that rather than less, eg Richmond's last however many games all to be held on their homeground which happens to be the MCG ('home of AFL' as we are all reminded endlessly). It's not a national game - just an extended version of the VFL. The smug gushing that goes on and on about the Bulldogs, Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong et al is nauseating Most young players aspirations appear to be centred around making it to one of the 'home of football' teams. Many seem to treat their time at clubs in the non-AFL states as prison sentences. If a Victorian club wins this year I'm throwing in the towel on AFL. At least the NRL move their big matches around. Go the Lions.

Could be the "Irish Backpack".

Well a bit early to be September Premiers, but at least for the first time in a long time they are in with a chance.

Haha. Not enough people use the "Scottish Handbag" outside a certain podcast. I have my 5 and 7 year old sons using it.

Are you inferring they're not just enjoying what's unveiling week to week & are getting ahead of themselves? I don't see or hear it in the playing or coaching staff & you can't blame the players for what fans say or when the media wants to pump up their ratings with stories. I don't expect them to win the flag but they might just decide who does. If it was a Melbourne based club you'd be all over it.

He got off the chain last time. 40+ touches and what we won by a couple of goals….. So the targeting wasn’t surprising as much, especially with the “Scottish Handbag” out….. That’s the best thing about Jarryd Lyons recruitment. He flys well under the radar. He’s the perfect third wheel to our midfield. They probably went too far with it, and it didn’t really get much of a result out of it. I know he’s a bit banged up with an eye injury but from what I’ve seen that was from incidential contact when he was trying to tackle Travis Boak.

A well coached side with everybody buying in and playing their role. Good appointment by the AFL to send Fagan up there. Followed up well by their umpiring, very "Footscray2016".

I don't think it matters too much if they win it or not. I like the way they play. To think whats happening now is cheapened by what might happen later is kind of neither here nor there. If GF's prove anything at all they prove that they don't really prove anything. It's just a game of footy on another day. It's a token and a trophy to end our amazing seasons with a winner so we can all joy in that. We're really celebrating footy and the whole season, that team just happens to be the avatar for our joy. It's a great social event for the whole country and we celebrate that. As for Brissie I credit/blame Luke Hodge among many others I'm sure. He should never have escaped Victoria. Great Leader. As for GF's Flags and the popular and current Win/Loss duality mentality. They are an unhealthy obsession for compulsives. All come second to the beautiful aesthetic of free flowing footy. Spectacle over Drama anyday. Footy should feel like something magical like a circus, not something dour and combative like a fearful conflict. I say this though I do love the drama too, but it's the future I dream about.

What did you think of this ridiculous Hinkley targetting on Neale Dingo?

You make a good point Adrian over the hand wringing over The Suns. Who actually cares? The AFL hierarchy probably because the hastily implanted them. However in football terms whats a few floggings or a premiership drought? Every team has them. It's only been 9 seasons. At this rate Gold Coast are still ahead of Freo (25 and counting), Footscray (30), Hawthorn(37), North(51) and St Kilda(70) for obtaining their first flag. There are droughts aplenty ranging from 55 to 20 yrs. Sydney/South went 72 years. As you say. Just enjoy the game.