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I've never heard a conversation about footy or cricket that I haven't wanted to join in immediately. If you disagree with me, you'll be made to work very hard to change my mind!
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Going into second week of September, the conversation is always the same regarding the upcoming semi-finals: should we value the immediate winning form of the elimination finalists, or the season-long performance of the qualifying final losers that finished higher?
After a slow start to the season, Richmond has bounced into the top four after ten rounds.
Every week is a big week in football, to steal a phrase from the now defunct Footy Show, but some weeks are bigger than others. Round 9 shapes as one of those.
Geelong has finally become the team they were supposed to be.
The completion of Round 6 sees us a quarter of the way through the 23-round AFL home-and-away season. It’s enough of a time to do a stocktake and see were each team sits.
In most years we see a club make a leap up the ladder that no-one saw coming.
“Keepings off is starting to become an epidemic in our game.” – Mark Robinson, 3AW
Day 1 of The Championships was a roaring success, with some outstanding performances and great racing.
Three rounds into the AFL season and already it’s easy to identify four premiership contenders that look likely to set the pace in the first half of the season as well as a fifth team that is the most watchable in the league right now.
A huge Saturday of racing awaits on day one of The Championships.
The Championships has rejuvenated what had become a tired racing scene in New South Wales, and all involved are to be applauded.
The anticipation is already building. The excitement is palpable. Rarely have we seen a match of the round like it.
Rarely have we seen a Round 1 like it in terms of throwing the early part of the season on its head.
Golden Slipper day is always a feature of the Sydney autumn carnival, the only race day in Australia that has five Group 1 races on the card.
Welcome to the last of The Roar’s AFL preview series for 2019. We’re only a day away from the opening of the season, and it’s a magical time of nervous anticipation.
Collingwood were a surprise packet of the 2018 season, rocketing from a 13th-placed finish in 2017 all the way to leading a grand final with five minutes to play.
From 2007 to 2013, from the end of the Neale Daniher era to the end of Mark Neeld, Melbourne finished 15th on the ladder on average – and a large part of this period of time was in a 16-team competition.
In an era of unexpected premierships, West Coast’s 2018 flag wasn’t as storied as the Western Bulldogs in 2016 or Richmond in 2017.
The inaugural running of the All Star Mile is here, notwithstanding its share of controversy along the way.
Headline should probably be Geelong and Brisbane facing straight sets exits, which would be true, but also obvious, while still giving the impression that I’m tipping against both.
Straight-sets exits await Geelong and Brisbane
I’m happy to concede Richmond are now the best team in it, or at least have the form, momentum and confidence at the right time, but I’m pretty comfortable saying West Coast are the second best too. When they are on, their best is dazzling. The problem for them this year is those down games where they’ve been thumped.
Straight-sets exits await Geelong and Brisbane
I think any sort of rest and reset tends to suit a lower performing team. Easier to get up from that base rather than the grind of a 24th round. But that could just be nonsense I’ve made up on the spot of course. I think I know what I mean, even if no-one else will.
Straight-sets exits await Geelong and Brisbane
It’s fair to say Rohan has never been a four quarter player, has most often been a one quarter player, and frequently is a no quarter player.
Straight-sets exits await Geelong and Brisbane
Ambrose is a jobber. No doubt a good season, but still a jobber.
The fact that Bellchambers is seen as some sort of a weapon by the Bomber faithful after a career of indifference tells me enough about Essendon’s chances.
An AFL finals series full of intrigue awaits
No idea what the stats say, but anecdotally I feel interstate home ground advantage is less of a factor in finals. I feel like psychology (especially dealing with cut-throat finals) and momentum are more important factors.
An AFL finals series full of intrigue awaits
Even though it’s at the Gabba (albeit the Tiges have a strong record there in recent years), it will be quite an achievement for Brisbane to win against a pretty seasoned finals unit in Richmond. If we lose, I won’t be thinking of the Gabba as a factor, it will have just been beaten by a better team on the day.
An AFL finals series full of intrigue awaits
As a Richmond man, the Dogs are who I fear the most, no doubt.
An AFL finals series full of intrigue awaits
All good comments. Yes, forgot about that China game. Even one out of the next four leaves you a handy 5-5 before the draw opens up again.
Can St Kilda play finals in 2019?
You’d think they’ll end up ahead of NM, Syd, Carl, WB and GC. Will Melbourne ever get going, or will they be bottom six too? I think the Saints can stay in the race for a long while.
Can St Kilda play finals in 2019?
I suspect there would barely be a contest on a footy field where a player isn’t breaking the rules to the letter of the law. I’ve always felt footy should be umpired in spirit rather than law.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
A really good point there Grand-Dag. We get far too many close-ups on the TV coverage, which often provides no context for what the players are doing.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
Very enjoyable rant yourself Tom, a few laughs in there. And it is clear you have a deep well of hostility for everything Barrett represents.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
Ultimately, footy is a club game (which is why state of origin died for us, and will never recapture the glory of yesteryear). Our passion is fuelled most by the team we follow, and our emotions rise or dip based on that performances. Everything else is secondary really. In fact, as supporters, some of our favourite wins are the ugly ones, because they are more about heart than anything else.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
He certainly knows what he’s doing Kane, and serves his employer well.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
Part of the narrative push is to want more contests, yet taking players off the field would greatly reduce then. The game would be more about aerobic capacity than anything else.
6-6-6 at all stoppages, not just centre bounces, would be interesting I think. Or even 4-8-4.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of the games I’ve watched this season, and I’ve watched a great many.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
Ruck frees are often a joke, and the players involved rarely know which way it’s going. They should all be let go.
And I didn’t like the slide rule from the get-go, but it seems more unfairly umpired this year.
AFL media misses the point, yet again
Yes, it is a cool name. Sydney Stack has a great ring to it too.
Five teams to catch in the AFL
I think I wrote in my Pies season preview that the forward mix with Elliott thrown in would need to find their own chemistry, and so it has come to pass. Cox, de Goey, Elliott are all best suited as the deepest forward, but all three can’t do it at once, and some players get lost when playing half-forward. I can’t see Ben Reid as any sort of answer though, I must say.
The depth is unquestioned, but it’s trying to find that best 22 that clicks together.
Five teams to catch in the AFL
Opinions are always welcome, Redbacks fan. Thank-you for both reading my preview series, and the compliment on them.
I’m not kidding when I say this is the match I am most looking forward to this week. Season on the line stuff in Round 3 for two premiership fancies, Friday night football, it’s a huge match, it’s a big story. And I think Tom identified in his comment above that I am having a bit of fun with is as well.
Football is a passionate part of people’s lives, but it’s not always enjoyable. The downs are painful, the ups are sweet. Part of the joy of winning against the odds or when backs are to the wall is because of those who have kicked us when we’re down. We all love the game in our own way.
Death-match at the MCG
Yes, at Homebush. I was at that game.
I trust Brisbane to perform closer to their best this week than I do GWS, so that’s enough for me.
Straight-sets exits await Geelong and Brisbane