If we're moving a team to Tassie, St Kilda are the obvious candidate
St Kilda were lucky to play in the Thursday night game in Round 5. Very lucky.
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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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St Kilda were lucky to play in the Thursday night game in Round 5. Very lucky.
Day 1 of The Championship didn’t let us down last week, with Nature Strip thrilling once more, the Doncaster providing another Jamie Kah gem, history through the exploits of Explosive Jack, and the arrogant class of Anamoe on display.
The Cats have dawdled out of the gates in 2021.
Day 1 of the Championships at Randwick is here, and as usual a smorgasbord of quality racing awaits. The four Group 1s are a beautiful mix – open class weight-for-age and handicap, plus set weights for the two- and three-year-old’s. Sprinters, milers, stayers all on show. Bring it on.
Each AFL season, we bring a set of biases and preconceptions to our thinking about the upcoming year, a platform of knowledge based on what we’ve seen, read, and heard over the preceding years.
After a week’s delay that set Golden Slipper Day and the rest of the Sydney autumn carnival back, we’re about to kick off a sensational April of racing now.
Two rounds into the AFL season, we have seen some thrilling football played.
Well, here we go again. After a set of storms that even Noah and his ark would have been happy to avoid, Rosehill is preparing to host five Group 1 races.
No doubt about it, we are coming off a fantastic opening round of AFL football. Vibrant. Thrilling. Exhilarating. It was, indeed, like a warm hug.
NRL is already back. AFL is hot on its heels. And Rosehill greets us with four Group 1 races on their biggest day. What a weekend of sport awaits.
Another year, and another footy season almost upon us. It’s hard to avoid a tingle in the nether regions.
It’s Melbourne Cup day again, and boy isn’t the world a different place since we were here a year ago, celebrating in the victory of Vow and Declare?
It’s that time of year again, where the race that stops a nation takes centre stage on the sporting scene. It’s been a cramped lead up to Australia’s greatest race with the AFL and NRL grand finals taking place in late October, but excitement now is at fever pitch.
Richmond has done what was seen as impossible by any right-minded person only four years ago and claimed their third premiership in that time. The dynasty is now sealed, but perhaps not complete.
GWS aren’t the first team to suffer a grand final humiliation and not play finals the next year.
Two days out from the launch of the AFL season, and we don’t know if the AFL season will in fact be launched.
Richmond and Collingwood have played off in the last three grand finals between them, with the Tigers claiming two premierships and the Pies none.
Welcome back to the fourth day of The Roar Top 50, the list this year compiled by Stirling Coates, Josh Elliott, Adrian Polykandrites, Jay Croucher and I.
Last year was a mixed bag for the New South Wales teams – Greater Western Sydney made their first grand final, after three years of strong contention, while Sydney missed the finals for the first time in John Longmire’s nine seasons as senior coach.
Carlton and the Western Bulldogs both finished season 2019 strongly, setting expectation high for both sets of fans in 2020.
I thought Taberner has been pretty good actually.
Melbourne has beaten two teams that were largely expected to finish in that middle third of the ladder or so, so it’s a huge start.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
Absolutely fair based on their sad recent history!
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
Agree that they have too often broken down 40-80m out from goal, and can be as sloppy as anyone with their entries.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
Plenty of wanky terms around to be sure, but I don’t believe intercept marking is one of them.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
But what is in the Dogs favour is that they should win so much of the ball through the midfield that they don’t need to be as strong down back, as long as your boys can become more efficient with their inside 50’s.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
Also worth pointing out the eventual finalists are usually easy to tell by about Rd 10, as the top 8 at that stage almost always end up playing finals.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper
For me it’s just the decision to make a “debutant” a sub hoping he won’t play, when several other options are available.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
It was an outstanding performance, and some of the kicking on display, my goodness. If Longmire can harness these weapons…
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Grundy under heat right now, and rightly so. Was happy to make public, in the way of this generation, how he battled in the hub. Was non-competitive at times last Friday. Looking forward to his response.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
I think the new rule is actually okay, probably just need to either tighten or loosen and more clearly define some of the parameters around it.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
12th Man in cricket is not remotely similar.
The difference between 22nd, 23rd, 24th player at AFL level is marginal at best. Pretty easy to do the right thing make a debutant 22nd or 24th.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Let’s just call it what it is – a **** of an act.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Was wondering if I would get a bite there… 😛
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Yes, it is flat out strange that they are awarded a game. Getting match fees, yes, absolutly, but not a registered game.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Interesting comments by all. Australian Rules Football is first and foremost a club game, and it is a local game. The sense of community is instrinsic to its value. Opportunities like this don’t come along often, and there is ample opportunity here to do the right thing which benefits the team, individuals, club and supporters.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne got it wrong, wrong, wrong
My fear is that the combination of this and fatigue will lead to a lot of slow boring play late in quarters. Ultimately though, the changes only really effect the peripheral things.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
Yes, I will definitely get so much wrong, but just so hard to tell what at this stage.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
Solid commentary here, and excellent point about uncontested marks.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
Reasonable point. But far easier now to find an option before needing to use the man running past.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
I think they can still jump at least.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
Richmond is a good wet weather team, but in the first half v Port prelim and v Geel GF it was the Power and Cats ball handling that was surer in the conditions. Tigers tidied up much better after HT, which gave them more time with the ball and hence were cleaner.
How will the AFL rule-changes impact the flow of play?
Enjoyable commentary. Yes, Jackson looks terribly awkward with his ball drop, and Jetta looks a different player this year after being awful last season. Lever has some terribly forgettable moments last year where he shirked it a couple of times, but seems back to his best.
The competitive advantage making Melbourne an AFL premiership sleeper