AFL 2016

mariner4life

Kicks off Thursday night with the annual Tigers v Carlton clash. Interesting first weekend building up to Geelong v Hawthorn on Monday, that should be massive.
 
You would imagine the 2 Perth teams and the Hawks will all feature at the pointy end. From the rest, will Geelong's free agency pick ups put them straight back to the top? Can the Tigers actually progress? Can North's old list do enough for them to be relevant?
 
Who will be the first team to lose to Essendon? Who will be the least-worst out of the Saints, Lions, Gold Coast and Carlton. Can the GWS make the 8?
 
My crack at the 8
 
West Coast
Freo
Geelong
Hawthorn
Tigers
Port Adelaide
Collingwood
Western Bulldogs

kiwiinmelb

I think im going next Thursday , 
 
Going to be an interesting year . At this stage a lot of teams look quite evenly matched 
 
As a richmond supporter I would nt be surprised if we finished anywhere between 5 - 12

booboo

Essendon doping scandal on 4 Corners tonight. 
Have set the My Star.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="566361" data-time="1458553556">
Essendon doping scandal on 4 Corners tonight. 
Have set the My Star.</blockquote>
 
Or available here <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2016/03/21/4426753.htm">http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2016/03/21/4426753.htm</a>

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="566336" data-time="1458542617">
Kicks off Thursday night with the annual Tigers v Carlton clash. Interesting first weekend building up to Geelong v Hawthorn on Monday, that should be massive. 
You would imagine the 2 Perth teams and the Hawks will all feature at the pointy end. From the rest, will Geelong's free agency pick ups put them straight back to the top? Can the Tigers actually progress? Can North's old list do enough for them to be relevant? 
Who will be the first team to lose to Essendon? Who will be the least-worst out of the Saints, Lions, Gold Coast and Carlton. Can the GWS make the 8? 
My crack at the 8 
West Coast 
Freo 
Geelong 
Hawthorn 
Tigers 
Port Adelaide 
Collingwood 
Western Bulldogs</blockquote>
 
Adelaide?

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="566343" data-time="1458548376">
I think im going next Thursday , 
Going to be an interesting year . At this stage a lot of teams look quite evenly matched 
As a richmond supporter I would nt be surprised if we finished anywhere between 5 - 12</blockquote>
 
Suspect my Crows will be battling for a position alongside you.

mariner4life

No Danger, first year coach? Good luck.

mariner4life

That Four Corners show was pretty emotive wasn't it? Not a great look for Essendon as a club, not that they needed more evidence there. Everyone involved over the past 4 years should walk, and it should all start again.
 
 
Interesting to contrast with Dyson Heppel on AFL360 last night. It's obvious he has a future at the club, and probably as captain. He seems very sure about what he took, and stated there was written evidence. That seems to to against everything that has been heard. Not sure Gerard bought it. What i found interesting was he stated he knew what he was given, and was comfortable with it, but still said he felt let down by the club and certain individuals. Those two statements don't seem to marry up. 
 
It's an issue that is going to stick around all year isn't it?

raznomore

I have been given season passes to the Suns. Im going to attempt to give this AFL stuff a fully fledged go. 
 
I will of course, in true Gold Coaster fashion, be supporting who ever is playing against the Suns until they get a team together that can win a few games.

mariner4life

Just go and watch Ablett. He's easy to spot, and his movement is pretty impressive. Also, listen to opposition supporters going at him for being a cat, and not getting "stuck in" as he racks up 40 disposals and at least 2 Brownlow votes. 
 
The Suns will struggle this year, Gaz or no Gaz.

ACT Crusader

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Razbra" data-cid="566429" data-time="1458602907">
I have been given season passes to the Suns. Im going to attempt to give this AFL stuff a fully fledged go. 
I will of course, in true Gold Coaster fashion, be supporting who ever is playing against the Suns until they get a team together that can win a few games.</blockquote>
Go this weekend, they should get the win against the hapless Bombers. That Metricon Stadium is one of the best AFL grounds I've been too.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="566427" data-time="1458601469">
That Four Corners show was pretty emotive wasn't it? Not a great look for Essendon as a club, not that they needed more evidence there. Everyone involved over the past 4 years should walk, and it should all start again. 
Interesting to contrast with Dyson Heppel on AFL360 last night. It's obvious he has a future at the club, and probably as captain. He seems very sure about what he took, and stated there was written evidence. That seems to to against everything that has been heard. Not sure Gerard bought it. What i found interesting was he stated he knew what he was given, and was comfortable with it, but still said he felt let down by the club and certain individuals. Those two statements don't seem to marry up. 
It's an issue that is going to stick around all year isn't it?</blockquote>
 
My recording stuffed up (Mrs Boo recording other stuff) so have just watched the video on the net. 
Still so many unknowns for me. Like why they went to Dank in the first place. Who instigated it within the club especially given their club Doctor quit over the programme. 
Would have liked more of an investigation into the programme but I suppose they had to have an angle. This case it was focus on an individual and tell his story. 
Pretty shit by the club to sting him for legal costs. 
They can of course paint him as the disgruntled delisted player. 
I agree with that dude with the weird glasses that the players aren't the villains here. It's the people who instigated and ran the programme and have tried desparately to hide from responsibility since. Unfortunate that at the end of the day the players are responsible for what they partake of. But it's hardly fair when the club is assuring them it's all ok ... and the club sails on unaffected (essentially ... given a year or two of poor results with a rookie team). 
I just don't suppose the AFL could effectively ban Essendon. Far far too much money. 
Don't tend to watch AFL360 - have enough issues keeping up with rugby - but I'm guessing the implication is that dude wasn't bad mouthing the club too much as he's still on their radar.

Higgins

For those at a loose end tonight the season opening Richmond v Carlton match is on channel 23 for Sky NZ subscribers and may also be on one of TVNZ pop up sports channels, try freeview channel 13. Nine minutes left in the first quarter and Richmond are ahead 13 - 09 for what it is worth.
 
The ground looks to be pretty full and at the MCG that equates to something like eighty to ninety odd thousand - a remarkable attendance for a first round club fixture.

ACT Crusader

Pretty competitive first half. Blues gameplan looks good. Tigers gifted a couple of goals from 50m penalties.

antipodean

Not a great performance, but the important part is coming away with the win.

kiwiinmelb

The surprising stat for that game with carlton supposedly in a rebuild, 
 
, carlton average games per player 84.5,richmond 73.7

NTA

Swans fisted the Pies last night. Eat smoking hot knob, Eddie.

mariner4life

See that story about how many collingwood players have failed illicit drug tests? Half the squad apparently. Filthy bogan druggos

NTA

Nah i try to avoid the AFL media. They're so busy chockablock up each other, like the NRL media. The difference is AFL will at least criticise the game.
 
 
But the drug thing doesn't surprise me. It appears to be rife. I saw some post on twitter about AFL players having a 6-week period of riding pingers or something last night, which made me chuckle.

booboo

Not Collingwood's issue according to Eddie. Err really? 
Bloody Crows blew a lead last night. Watched tbe last qtr waiting for the Bangles match to come on (didn't realise i could have pushed the red button ... not a biggie as only missed the nz batting and that would have frustrated the life out of me) and got to watch the Roos just out efficient them.

kiwiinmelb

Doggies thump the dockers, could be an interesting year for the dogs, they have some exciting young talent

mariner4life

Interesting weekend. Some teams assumed to be shit showed a bit. Carlton put in a shift against Richmond, the Saints put a mighty scare through Port, the Lions got drubbed, but still kicked 100 points (something that would have been unheard of last year), Melbourne upset GWS. 
 
I, and a few experts, had written Sydney off, but thought Collingwood were a finals team. Saturday put that in serious doubt. And what the fuck Freo? 5 goals? And a hint that the game might have changed away from Ross Lyon's go-to game plan.
 
Yesterday Patrick Dangerfield showed how one player can impact an entire team. A massive debut for Geelong and a great win over the premiers. 
 
I love a round 1 kneejerk reaction..

Allstar

There were quite a few big margins in the first round. Will be interesting to see if this is just slow starts or some teams have really dropped off in the off season. My tipping took a hit, only got 4/9 this round.
 
No ANZAC game in NZ this year. But it's good to see that TVNZ have picked up some coverage.

kiwiinmelb

There appears to be a new shift towards fast paced frantic like risk taking to quickly get your self into scoring position on turn overs (while opposition defences aren't set ( almost sounds like rugby ) 
Teams like the doggies are stacked full of pace and flair and look to be heading in this direction , I have concerns for my side the Tigers , coach Hardwick spent his apprenticeship under Clarkson and at times appears a little obsessed with trying to mimic the Hawthorn game , without the same cattle .

mariner4life

The Crows giving the Port bogans a fearful touch up. 58-8 at the start of the 2nd quarter

booboo

Go the good guys. 
Caught part of the 1st qtr and it was 40-8. 
Got back from shopping just into 2nd half 
89-33 
Crows kick first goal in 2nd half

mariner4life

Haha Melbourne lost to essendon. Embarrassing

ACT Crusader

The Freo and Suns game is pretty exciting. Suns already with 105 on the scoreboard with a quarter to go.

mariner4life

Suns with a huge win! Fuck off Freo. 
Strange start to the season

ACT Crusader

Ross Lyon and his negative footy lose again. Love it. 
Was flicking back and forth between the Chiefs game, but Gazza seemed to be having a good game.

mariner4life

Ah collingwood. Just keep giving. Anti-muslim banners and verbal abuse of Bachar houli last night. 
Filthy fucking bogans the lot of them

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="569119" data-time="1459578867">
Haha Melbourne lost to essendon. Embarrassing</blockquote>
 
Checks date. 
No that was yesterday...

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="569467" data-time="1459597448">
<div>
Ah collingwood. Just keep giving. Anti-muslim banners and verbal abuse of Bachar houli last night. 
Filthy fucking bogans the lot of them
</div>
</blockquote>
 
The extra fingers help them paint real good.

mariner4life

Strange round.
 
Teams that looked great in Round 1 (Geelong and West Coast) get completely out played in round 2 by teams that lost in round 1. 
 
Melbourne lose the unloseable, and Paul Roos admits he thinks their players thought they just had to turn up. 
 
Carlton, St Kilda, and Brisbane confirm they are in a 3-way scrap for 2nd last. 
 
Freo, fancied pre-season, look completely lost in the new free-scoring game. 
 
 
The reduced inter-change and no sub rule looks to have changed the game. Friday night was tight and tough for 2.5 quarters, then everyone got tired and it was goal city. At the end of every game players look fucked. And it's a scoring league this year as well. The Lions are 0-2, but have kicked almost 190 points.

Hooroo

What's the difference between interchange and a sub in AFL?

mariner4life

inter-change is players rolling on and off. Previously the teams were allowed up to 120 rotations in a game. This year that is capped at 90
 
For the last couple of years, the team was changed from having 4 available for inter-change to 3, with a "sub" in reserve that can be permanently subbed in to the team. This came about because teams whinged they were unfairly disadvantaged if a player was injured and thus out of the game. 
 
so 2015 the team was 18 starters, with 3 on the bench for inter-change, and a sub (21 available at all times)
 
in 2016 it's 18 starters and 4 on the bench for inter-change, with no subs (22 available at all times). 
 
 
The 2 changes have opened the game up as players are getting more fatigued. Most of these rule changes are aimed at reducing congestion around the ball, as it's harder to flood the contest when you need to conserve a bit of energy.

Hooroo

OK cool. Thanks for that

NTA

And they've got to be sure to only enter the field of play between that set of lines and that the player they replace is definitely off the field before they enter and the sub must ensure they have their bib on at all times until they get onto the field in which case the permanent replacement must wear the bib.

ACT Crusader

Enjoyed that GWS and Cats game.

mariner4life

Hawthorn really are quite incredible. Lose in the first week, and lose their skipper at the same time, and the questions start "how many times can these old blokes keep getting up". And then in the next 2 weeks they smack last years other Grand Finalist, and then beat back the next hot young team in a tight one. They just don't know how to lose. And what's incredible is yes, their veterans keep getting it done, it's young talent that is stepping up in the big moments to take control of games. What a club. 
 
At the bottom the Blues, Bombers and Lions all sucked pretty bad, while Melbourne scored 131 and lost! Can we count Freo here now after they lost again? And still can't score? St Kilda beat Collingwood, which is funny. 
 
Big wins and statements by Adelaide, and Sydney.

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AFL 2016