Roar Guru
Joined August 2013
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With the bye rounds behind us, I thought it would be a good time to have a deeper look at how the top eight teams have performed against each other and see what each team has been doing well and not so well compared to their opponents.
I’ve observed and participated in many discussions about how bad AFL attendances have supposedly been this year.
Drawing inspiration from Peter King, one of my favourite American sportswriters, I welcome you to what I’m hoping is a regular weekly feature of talking points from the AFL world.
I’ll bring you all the ins and outs from Round 7 of this year’s AFL premiership, as well as look at who’s going to come out on top in each game.
After six round of the AFL season, here are some tough questions that need to be asked.
Prior to the commencement of the 2014 AFL season, most pundits had three teams ahead of daylight: Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantle. The season is far from over, but it’s safe to say the start has not gone as predicted.
It’s your home game so it should be at your home ground.
Previewing Dreamtime at the 'G
Don’t care what some johnny come lately ‘recons’
The erratic Bombers are still dancing in mediocrity
Don’t think a strong side is needed to beat Sydney this year.
The erratic Bombers are still dancing in mediocrity
As long as Worsfold is in charge of the gameplan they will remain mediocre
The erratic Bombers are still dancing in mediocrity
Absolutely no chance of saints playing finals. None.
No, really, who will make the finals this season?
We know Gary ain’t perfect. He should have been fined twice, not once. Cats refused to name him captain for a reason. Could do without the God bothering too.
Chris Judd's frosty exchange with Caroline Wilson over Carlton's woes
‘spud Rohan’ is sitting 6th in the Coleman medal table (averaging 2.2 goals a game) … I’m quite happy if he keeps ‘spudding’ along as he is.
If you don’t think Duncan is an A grader you obviously don’t even watch games. Seriously underrated player every single team in the game would love to have. Averaging 25 disposals @ 81.5% efficiency for the year, 9 marks and a goal a game. He can play mid, wing or forward or back. Can drive the ball I50 accurately or rebound from 50.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
So long as there are 9 Victorian opponents for each Victorian team they are naturally going to play a lot of away games in Victoria to go with the 11 home games every side gets.
Mindset key to Giants poor MCG record
We’ll see about Richmond in a few weeks time.
Pies will be the great unknown (as we will be for them) since our one meeting will have been in round 1. Neither team will be able to take much of anything out of a game so long ago and in round 1.
Tigers weren’t that far ahead of Geelong last year (we played them closer than any other side during their MCG undefeated streak) and since then Richmond isn’t as good and Geelong is much better.
Geelong could lose to either but I don’t fear anyone.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
The one thing that actually makes me a bit nervous is the Cats being so good at scoring.
Against the Bulldogs for example they converted at 75% (compared to the Dogs 54.2%) and Geelong needed only 15.29 disposals per goal (Dogs 27.69). Is it maintainable over an entire season and into finals?
Geelong has been so scary efficient I worry its impossible to keep up. But, even in the Cats one loss, to GWS, they were still more efficient and converted better.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
I don’t expect they would. The unadulterated worship makes it impossible for Blues fans to step back and realistically assess reality. The Cardboard King can do no wrong in the Blues Visy kingdom.
Chris Judd's frosty exchange with Caroline Wilson over Carlton's woes
Lunged at him? Wow you really are seeing what you want to see. Clearly braced himself because he could see the big man lining him up – as would any smart player.
'Hasn't got a Brownlow yet'- Footy greats livid over big Tiger's ban
Did he intentional strike him? Yes. There is no other reason when play is stopped to do what he did.
Did he get him high? Yes. Whether he meant to go lower or started lower is irrelevant. Just like when you lay a tackle, you don’t get bonus points for starting low. If it ends up high, it is high. Full stop.
Force you may be right about. I’ve only seen this short clip that shows nothing after the fact. I’ve seen no medical report nor heard if trainers actually came out nor if he missed any time. Force is the only argument Soldo can mount.
'Hasn't got a Brownlow yet'- Footy greats livid over big Tiger's ban
But then just a couple years ago Fyfe was ruled out and everyone was saying he was hard done by. Dangerfield got rubbed out too. So much for the ‘superstars get off’ theory.
'Hasn't got a Brownlow yet'- Footy greats livid over big Tiger's ban
I have never claimed it was the Cats to lose. I have steadfastly maintained there is a lot of season to play out yet and that nothing is guaranteed.
Cats sit 8-1, have the highest % by a wide margin, the #1 attacking side, the #1 defensive side and are winning without needing superstars to have massive games – so yeah I think the Cats have a real shot this year – if they can maintain it.
First, remember the ’07 side wasn’t considered ‘one of the greatest teams’ until after the fact. Second, it doesn’t take ‘one of the greatest teams’ to win a flag. It just takes being in form at the right time of year and having a bit of luck fall your sides way.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
Can? Sure why not? Done it 3 times in the AFL era already.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
Judd is half the reason the Blues are where they are. Judd was brought in to be a leader, to make those around him better. Despite being surrounded by high draft picks none of them became elite superstars. Gibbs, Murphy and Kruzer are all good quality players but none of them reached the level expected of their pick pick status. None of them stand out as bonafide leaders.
What did Judd actually teach and pass on while he was playing? Nothing. Is the club better now than before Judd arrived? No it isn’t. Judd’s Carlton legacy should read: accomplished nothing; left no lasting impression.
Chris Judd's frosty exchange with Caroline Wilson over Carlton's woes
Okay sure, now open both your eyes and your engage your brain. Ablett’s were sloppy plays IN THE COURSE OF THE GAME. Ablett clearly just wanted to shepard his opponent or slow him down.
Soldo just walks up to a player, while the game is stopped and elbows him in the face. There is no reason for it. It isn’t bad technique or sloppy play. It isn’t even in play. There is no reason for it. Soldo made a fist and raised his elbow with every intent to hit a player out of play. Ablett never made a fist. Go ahead pretend you want to elbow someone, the first thing you’ll do every time is make a fist, without it your elbow is a wet noodle.
'Hasn't got a Brownlow yet'- Footy greats livid over big Tiger's ban
Why? The games average only 27,266 people during the H&A season when GWS played there. It’s hardly fiscally responsible to use a 100k stadium to host such abysmal crowds. Should the home team be losing money hand over fist for GWS to ‘get experience’ when they have alternative venues to hold small crowds where they can still make a profit?
If teams are allowed to sell home games to smaller venues (and all teams that have requested to have been allowed to) it only makes sense for the lower drawing teams to be played at the smaller venue.
Until the AFL allows all teams to play all grounds this is the way it will work. Twice a year isn’t a bad average. If you expect all interstate teams to average 3 or more games a year at the MCG then the MCG tenants will have to stay in VIC and play even more home state games … is that what you really want?
Mindset key to Giants poor MCG record
And if they win it will still be with an * because its just the Demons after a double road trip.
Both times GWS won at the MCG were in front of extremely substandard MCG crowds (under 31k vs Collingwood and under 18k versus Melbourne). I suspect this weeks game will be another putrid crowd number considering the Demons supporters have already gone skiing.
Mindset key to Giants poor MCG record
Yep, I’ll be looking for some signs of life after the bye round for sure. If the boys finally come out to play after a bye we might have a legit shot.
At this point, it's Geelong's flag to lose
Nothing similar between the two/three plays you are referring to but go ahead run with that tin foil hat stuff.
'Hasn't got a Brownlow yet'- Footy greats livid over big Tiger's ban
The man who should get it was the one who should have gotten it ahead of Gil – the one I don’t want to see get it for selfish reasons – Brian Cook. His track record far exceeds anyone else in the game by a huge margin.
I don’t want to lose him at Geelong but there would be no one better for the job.
2019 AFL Power Rankings: Round Nine
And they’re
Previewing Dreamtime at the 'G