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Joined February 2016
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Adrian loves to settle into an elevated seat looking down on the wing and regularly commutes between Docklands and the MCG. You can follow him on twitter at @adrian_poly where he complains too much about how bad footy is on TV. He likes to rank things.
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After the zombie season that was 2020 and the shocker of a year that went with it, it’s amazing how much comfort normal can…
For all the weirdness that was footy in 2020, here we are in a familiar place, with the seemingly indestructible Tigers ready to unveil…
If there’s been a more bizarre lead-in to an AFL season, then I can’t remember it. The games are due to kick off in…
Stirling started things off with 50-41 on Monday, and Josh had the numbers to back up players 40-31, and now it’s my turn as…
On Thursday, women’s footy champ Daisy Pearce said on SEN Radio that she thought “Dustin Martin is the best player to have ever played…
Past performance is no guarantee of future results, but if history is any guide, at least one of 2019’s bottom-six teams will play finals…
If five years ago you had suggested Richmond would one day be mentioned in the same sentence as the great dynasties of the AFL…
Not even the most broken, pessimistic Melbourne fan could have seen 2019 coming. A preliminary final appearance was followed up by a 5-17 season…
“No, we don’t owe anyone anything, mate, they’re professional footballers with contracts.” Those words were spoken by a list manager involved in the Joe…
Through good luck and good management, Geelong have played finals in 12 of the past 13 seasons. It’s a ridiculous run of excellence that…
You couldn’t blame St Kilda’s list-building team if they threw their arms in the air out of frustration after the Suns were handed an…
For the eighth year in a row we have a Victorian team taking on a non-Victorian team in a grand final. The Eagles snapped…
Back in 2015, as the Giants were coming good, you couldn’t throw a shoe without hitting someone in the footy community who was fearfully…
Injures and idiocy have done their best to spoil what shaped as the more interesting of the two preliminary finals. Just when the Giants’…
It’s tough to convince yourself this one will be a contest. The Tigers have been rolling for a few months now – unsurprisingly since…
In a lopsided first finals round, these sides were at least involved in games that were somewhat compelling. The Lions looked every bit the…
Semi-final round is always a bit strange. One team coming off a win, the other a loss. The higher-ranked side playing host on the…
This is about as good a match-up as you can ask for in the bottom half of the eight. They’re evenly matched and it’s…
It might not be the best match-up of the round, but Cats-Magpies is certainly the biggest. It’s got almost everything you want from a…
September is always a bittersweet time of the year. The year’s best month of footy kicks off tonight – the best teams playing in…
We’re in agreement there. I would have preferred they just stopped protecting the third man. But I’m not really fussed by the change.
Marcus Bontempelli will end the year as the AFL's best player
I’m neither here nor there on the ruck rule change, but just because it might look better with those gun mids trying to win the footy doesn’t mean it makes them more effective. I think 6 of Bontempelli’s grand final hitouts were to advantage, which is a meaningful impact. I also think it is/was a useful tactic against a tag.
Marcus Bontempelli will end the year as the AFL's best player
I doubt Cordy plays unless there are injuries – which was what happened last year. Cloke likely takes his spot forward and he’s behind Roberts and Adams in the pecking order in his more natural position as a key defender.
These Dogs are top-four bound: No Hawthorn haze for the reigning premiers
I think there’s a pretty simple solution to creating a fairer fixture, but didn’t want to force it into this piece.
Print/write out last year’s ladder.
Now, alongside each team from top to bottom, write 1,2,3,1,2,3 … OR 1,2,3,3,2,1,1,2,3,3,2,1…
Each team with a 1 alongside it plays the other 1’s twice, the 2’s play the 2’s twice etc.
If Derbies are important, then shuffle a couple of numbers to make sure they are the same.
Done.
The AFL's terrible idea that won’t die
I sure hope it’s fatal. The AFL knows this and is pushing ahead – hard – anyway.
The AFL's terrible idea that won’t die
Agree that he needs to tidy up his kicking.
As for not being able to afford him outside the midfield, check out these numbers comparing Tom Liberatore in his third season to Cripps in his 3rd season. Libba spent much more time forward this year under Beveridge, who has plenty in common with Bolton.
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?playerStatus1=A&tid1=8&playerStatus2=A&tid2=4&type=A&pid1=3486&pid2=3930&fid1=P&fopt1=2013&fid2=S
Not many Hawks are 100% mid …
A mountain and a viper: Marcus Bontempelli is football's future
That’s somewhat true. I think it’s been as much about the Bulldogs needing him to play forward because that is their weakness.
It’s something I think Cripps could be quite good at when Carlton can afford to remove him from the ball more regularly. He’s quite good in the air and already incredibly strong.
A mountain and a viper: Marcus Bontempelli is football's future
They’re different players. Cripps more a bull in the mould of Josh Kennedy, Bontempelli is a more complete and balanced player. Both are stars.
A mountain and a viper: Marcus Bontempelli is football's future
Was not my intention to take a potshot at the Lions. They need help and I think they deserve a compensation pick. My point was that that kind of assistance would be easier to distribute in this scenario.
The draft is broken, it’s time to blow it up
But academy players do get to other clubs, just not the elite ones. So it’s not true to say they were unavailable. It’s not like every kid in the academies is being drafted by the club that trained them. You say they were off limits. I think removing elite youngsters from the draft pool compromises it. This also isn’t about Victorian or non-Victorian. Essendon just happen to be last. You could use the same example with Brisbane bidding for Bowes.
I’m going to make this my last post about this because I don’t want to keep arguing the same points. I’ll just say again that this isn’t JUST about the academies, they are just one several factors. I believe my proposal doesn’t hurt the academy clubs, but I think, overall, it’s fairer.
The draft is broken, it’s time to blow it up
“We also had the bogus situation during the trade period in which clubs with academy or father-son prospects tried to trade back in the draft to load up on points, knowing it didn’t matter where their picks fell as long as they could cobble together enough points to match the bid of another team.”
The Bulldogs moved up from pick 51 to 48 due to those picks you mentioned. You think that offsets moving down from 20 to 25?
Adelaide got bumped from 13 to 17 and didn’t have a second or third round pick, so it was no help to them. St Kilda went from 14 to 18 and up from 45 to 40, no club would ever trade picks 14 and 45 for 18 and 40.
I understand the importance of the academies – especially in Queensland – and I’m fine with them, but you can’t deny it compromises the draft. Father-son creates the same compromise. It’s also about giving clubs (especially bad clubs) more flexibility to build their list. The teams who would most benefit under this system are the bad ones – and that is supposed to be the point of the draft.
The draft is broken, it’s time to blow it up
I don’t think it would cost them more though. The most any club could make Gold Coast spend on Bowes in my proposed system is is 4103 points, which would require GWS to bid their entire lot on him. More realistically, Brisbane, Carlton or Essendon would bid in the 2500-3000 range and the Suns would get him at about the same price as in the current system (2000-2400pts). Teams can’t “collude” – at least in any way that I’ve considered – and any club trying to run up the price risks having their bluff called and spending pretty much all of their points on one player.
The draft is broken, it’s time to blow it up
You haven’t read it but you disagree? How would my alternative disadvantage clubs with academy (or father-son) prospects?
The draft is broken, it’s time to blow it up
West Coast not far off either:
Kennedy 58
Darling 33
LeCras 28
Cripps 25
Hill 17
165 total from top-5 forwards
Are we all in denial about the Hawks?
This is where we disagree. A very good key forward would be great, but they a competent one would make them better, and that’s what Boyd is. He’d be anything but a passenger.
The Bulldogs' million-dollar problem has a simple solution
Thanks Dougie, will get onto the record correction. As for the seventh year, I think TomC is correct that it was actually last year, which was part of his locked-in rookie deal, so the new contract was really six years.
The Bulldogs' million-dollar problem has a simple solution
Love the description of his kicking style. Not surprised by the guys you compared to him, because Buckley kicked like a left-footer. Only other righty I can think of with a similar action is Ryan Griffen.
Buckley’s leash: The debt Collingwood owe their favourite son
“A player they don’t really need”. Have to call you on this Josh. He’s a player they desperately need, both short and long term – as a North man you should know the value of having a presence in the forward line. Moving him on would only create another hole in the list, one they (and other clubs) have had so much trouble filling over the years – key forwards of his promise are incredibly hard to come by.
Redpath is a better player than I thought he’d be, but he’s not the answer alone.
Boyd was also never dropped this season. He was playing well until he got injured.
Should the Western Bulldogs trade Tom Boyd?
WC were above the WB on the ladder when they played. So if the Dogs beat Geelong this week and go above them it won’t count?
Watch the throne: Dangerfield stakes his claim as the game’s best
Dustin Martin led the league in clangers in 2014, was second in 2015 and is currently 11th, with one fewer than Dangerfield, despite having 34 fewer disposals.Not that that stat in itself is particularly damning, the leaders tend to be good players, but Martin isn’t the brilliant ball user he sometimes appears to be.
Watch the throne: Dangerfield stakes his claim as the game’s best
Or, you know, he’s actually gotten better? Twice this season he’s set a new career-high in disposals. It’s possible to have watched him in Adelaide and thought he was great and think he’s greater now. Sloane is a gun, but he’s not Selwood.
Watch the throne: Dangerfield stakes his claim as the game’s best
This is a bloody terrific piece.
Watch the throne: Dangerfield stakes his claim as the game’s best
Thanks Keagan. Who do you think Bewick and Lester would replace in the 22 I’ve named?
For the Brisbane Lions, the only way is up