2015 AFL season

[Coolio]

Well the footy is back, thankfully, after 6 months of headlines featuring Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Davey boy Warner.

I'm a Collingwood feral, and am anticipating a season for me that will feel a little like the Global Warming debate. I'll be a believer one week, then a sceptic the next!

My money for the flag will be on one of the Hawks, Dockers, Swans or Power.

But my smokey is North.

Any thoughts on the season from other AFL tragics?

[Magpie]

I'm also a one eyed Pies supporter, will be watching the game against the Lions tonight. It's going to be an up and down season as usual. Will be at the G for the game against Saints , hopefully that's one we can win.

As for the premiership, not the Pies but we live in hope, I'll plum for Geelong

It's going to be great

[westg]

west coast supporter here ...reckon we will finish between 8th and 10th ...I hope Brisbane give you boys an absolute flogging tonight ...If either of you want to have a little wager on the Collingwood West Coast game down the track lets say three cigar bet PM me ...but in all seriousness boys I know this has probably taken you half an hour to read being Collingwood supporters but I really hope Brissy bash you good tonight on the score board ...Beams to bag a couple and rack up 30

[Ken Gargett]

one of my best mates is a former chairman of the lions. talking to him this morning and they are very pleased with how things have come together at the moment and would be very disappointed not to knock the pies off.

i'll watch to a degree. not fanatical.

and i must say that the entire essendon thing has left a very bad taste. just makes one feel that the administrators are so full of crap and that they'd cover up anything. leaves me feeling a bit who cares. not suggesting other sports any better but, rightly or wrongly, afl just has a real feeling of corruption and deceit about it. all makes me feel that if i miss the season, no biggie.

[Magpie]

Pies not going too bad, makes a nice change at the Gabba. I think we can win this one Coolio.

Time to think about the cigar challenge from Westg

Go Pies!

[westg]

was it three or four times you travelled last year... looking good at half time gents... come on Brisbabe

[JohnS]

One thing I'd like to know is why the AFL season started so late this year?

[Duxnutz]

Well. It's only round one but its been a decade since we won a game! In the first round....... Watching the highlights I'm a very happy Demons supporter tonight. Inspiring win by the swans too.

[Coolio]

west coast supporter here ...reckon we will finish between 8th and 10th ...I hope Brisbane give you boys an absolute flogging tonight ...If either of you want to have a little wager on the Collingwood West Coast game down the track lets say three cigar bet PM me ...but in all seriousness boys I know this has probably taken you half an hour to read being Collingwood supporters but I really hope Brissy bash you good tonight on the score board ...Beams to bag a couple and rack up 30

Westy bahahahaha!!

Just back from the game, and while the Lions came back, we had racked up enough of a lead to hold on.

I stole a car to get home, and then went and picked the kids up from where i'd left them for 4 hrs in the kids play area at Maccas.

From where I was sitting Beams was just a little ant, but i didn't see him get much of the ball.

For once Buckley has read my hundreds of weekly text messages telling him how to coach the team, and he played Cloke up the ground a bit. Cloke played well. Well at least from where I was sitting he was a slightly bigger ant than Beams, and he seemed to be near the ball a lot. And I'm assuming from the carnage he left each time he went near the ball, he was ready to play.

Good game at the end of the four qtrs.

Standing in line for bus I got as wet as a shag. Bloody Brisbane weather!

[Coolio]

Well. It's only round one but its been a decade since we won a game! In the first round....... Watching the highlights I'm a very happy Demons supporter tonight. Inspiring win by the swans too.

image.jpg

Dux i watched this game this arvo while smoking a Connie No 1. I tipped the Gold Coast but am glad the Dees won. It will be great seeing all the lawyers and city suits dusting off their memberships and turning their frowns upside down for at least a few weeks!

[Coolio]

One thing I'd like to know is why the AFL season started so late this year?

Cricket World Cup I believe mate.

Unbelievable to think they played Thurs night at the MCG only 4 days after the world cup final. Obviously a benefit of the drop in pitch!

[Coolio]

Pies not going too bad, makes a nice change at the Gabba. I think we can win this one Coolio.

Time to think about the cigar challenge from Westg

Go Pies!

They played really well, although the last qtr got a bit nervy. Great to see Cloke start with some confidence.

[Coolio]

one of my best mates is a former chairman of the lions. talking to him this morning and they are very pleased with how things have come together at the moment and would be very disappointed not to knock the pies off.

i'll watch to a degree. not fanatical.

and i must say that the entire essendon thing has left a very bad taste. just makes one feel that the administrators are so full of crap and that they'd cover up anything. leaves me feeling a bit who cares. not suggesting other sports any better but, rightly or wrongly, afl just has a real feeling of corruption and deceit about it. all makes me feel that if i miss the season, no biggie.

Ken I feel the same way about the Essendon injections. I like to think I'm a fair minded footy follower, and I hate essenon with a passion. But, in my opinion, the players didn't deserve to be suspended, so I'm happy about that. They are just kids. But James Hird should have copped it big time. He was the coach, he was in charge. He put the future health of these kids at risk. The CEO and chairman at the time have gone, and so should have Hird. He should have been sacked but they were too weak. Either that or he had something over the Bombers board.

And you know what, it's not good enough to say "we don't know what they were injected with". That's just as bad, in fact, it's worse, than actually admitting injecting them with illicit substances.

The sour taste for me is when I see James Hird strutting around like he believes he's been done this huge injustice. That really riles me.

[JohnS]

Cricket World Cup I believe mate.

Unbelievable to think they played Thurs night at the MCG only 4 days after the world cup final. Obviously a benefit of the drop in pitch!

Aah, I thought so. Although, the AFL could have had two games at Etihad Stadium over a weekend, a game at Simonds Stadium and shared the rest around the other states and still played in March. I couldn't believe the Swans got up yesterday over Essendon. Short memories...they lost their opening game to GWS last year and I thought it would be two in a row this year!

[Ken Gargett]

Ken I feel the same way about the Essendon injections. I like to think I'm a fair minded footy follower, and I hate essenon with a passion. But, in my opinion, the players didn't deserve to be suspended, so I'm happy about that. They are just kids. But James Hird should have copped it big time. He was the coach, he was in charge. He put the future health of these kids at risk. The CEO and chairman at the time have gone, and so should have Hird. He should have been sacked but they were too weak. Either that or he had something over the Bombers board.

And you know what, it's not good enough to say "we don't know what they were injected with". That's just as bad, in fact, it's worse, than actually admitting injecting them with illicit substances.

The sour taste for me is when I see James Hird strutting around like he believes he's been done this huge injustice. That really riles me.

lions looking like same weird crap as last year. stone cold to red hot and back again. need to develop consistency.

as for the essendon mess, a good mate is/was an utter bomber tragic and quite close to hird. detests the bloke now for what he has done.

if the afl had any balls, hird would have been banned for life. but they don't want to upset a major club and their faithful. look to the states and how pete rose was dealt with and the offence - right or wrong (this was not to start a debate on that), the admin showed they would not tolerate crap. the afl should be ashamed of themselves.

but re the players - you forgive them at one stage and then say " it's not good enough to say "we don't know what they were injected with".". yes, i know you mean re the board etc, but ditto with the players for me.

they are not kids - okay there might be a few dopey 18 and 19 year olds but there are some senior players and i do not believe for a second that the lot of them, in these days, never doubted that there was an issue or that they were doing wrong. they'd have talked among themselves and with managers and family.

when a club starts injecting 26 year olds and those 26 year olds do nothing - professional sportsmen in an age of drug cheats - then at the very least they should be banned for the most utter monumental stupidity. i just don't buy it.

while everyone is sick of the crap, if the asda people do not appeal it will be a travesty. and they will have shown themselves the most inept and innocuous organisation imaginable.

[westg]

Westy bahahahaha!!

Just back from the game, and while the Lions came back, we had racked up enough of a lead to hold on.

I stole a car to get home, and then went and picked the kids up from where i'd left them for 4 hrs in the kids play area at Maccas.

From where I was sitting Beams was just a little ant, but i didn't see him get much of the ball.

For once Buckley has read my hundreds of weekly text messages telling him how to coach the team, and he played Cloke up the ground a bit. Cloke played well. Well at least from where I was sitting he was a slightly bigger ant than Beams, and he seemed to be near the ball a lot. And I'm assuming from the carnage he left each time he went near the ball, he was ready to play.

Good game at the end of the four qtrs.

Standing in line for bus I got as wet as a shag. Bloody Brisbane weather!

Well done Coolio ..a good start for you boys ....I am glad that it wasn't your kids amongst the hundreds hitch hiking back to Melbourne ..

[Coolio]

Well done Coolio ..a good start for you boys ....I am glad that it wasn't your kids amongst the hundreds hitch hiking back to Melbourne .

Collingwood ferals never hitch hike Westy, we carjack.

[NJP]

I'm Richmond but I'm a quiet supporter. My bet for the flag will be Port Adelaide with a marathon runners game.

[jat]

it's on!!!

Carlton robbed again, but Tigers first round win in a decade so can't fault them. First for another decade at least, lightning does't strike twice they say...

Melbourne - drug test them

Sydney - see kids drugs don't do you any good.

Collingwood - drug test them, oh never mind

West Coast - crap, never expected any better

predicting Saints / Dockers / and really don't care, call the Hawks Cats game a draw and move on.

We really should have a separate main forum for sports to vent all this. Who's running this show?? Comon Mus set it up, I hear you've got influence (spell checker may have suggested flatulence there, but I corrected ) .

[Duxnutz]

Dux i watched this game this arvo while smoking a Connie No 1. I tipped the Gold Coast but am glad the Dees won. It will be great seeing all the lawyers and city suits dusting off their memberships and turning their frowns upside down for at least a few weeks!

I was ferried up to Brissie at the time so had to settle for the highlights. Whatcha mean suits? I don't think I even have one that fits! I'm just a blue collar airline employee!

[JohnS]

Good wins from Greater Western Sydney and Fremantle on the weekend, as well a solid win from Essendon after the loss to the Swans in Round One.

[JohnS]

Some interesting AFL news this week it seems. Adam Goodes, the Sydney Swans 2-time Brownlow Medallist, dropped to Reserve grade for this week's clash with the Giants. The 'official' spin is that he requested game time to get match fitness. Paul Kelly, former Swans Captain, stated that Goodes will be back, but not in a leadership role.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/sydney-swans/adam-goodes-will-be-back-for-sydney-swans-but-not-in-a-leading-role-paul-kelly-20150416-1mmgps.html

Goodes is not the only player to struggle to get a game at the Swans at the end of his career, as Ryan O'Keefe couldn't get a start last season and promptly retired.

I guess we can rule out Goodes reaching the magic 400 career games list. Only two players have played 400 games or over in the VFL/AFL, Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) with 426 and Kevin Bartlett (Richmond) with 403. Still, with the average AFL player's career lasting 4 years or about 50 AFL games at the top level, getting to 300 is a massive milestone! 68 players have reached this summit, but only 14 players have hit 350.

The current players who are over 300 games are:

1. Dustin Fletcher (Essendon) 394
2. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) 386
3. Adam Goodes (Sydney) 353
4. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) 315

The closest current players who could hit 300 games this season are:

1. Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 295
2. Corey Enright (Geelong) 290
3. Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda, North Melbourne) 287
4. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) 283

[Coolio]

Some interesting AFL news this week it seems. Adam Goodes, the Sydney Swans 2-time Brownlow Medallist, dropped to Reserve grade for this week's clash with the Giants. The 'official' spin is that he requested game time to get match fitness. Paul Kelly, former Swans Captain, stated that Goodes will be back, but not in a leadership role.

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/sydney-swans/adam-goodes-will-be-back-for-sydney-swans-but-not-in-a-leading-role-paul-kelly-20150416-1mmgps.html

Goodes is not the only player to struggle to get a game at the Swans at the end of his career, as Ryan O'Keefe couldn't get a start last season and promptly retired.

I guess we can rule out Goodes reaching the magic 400 career games list. Only two players have played 400 games or over in the VFL/AFL, Michael Tuck (Hawthorn) with 426 and Kevin Bartlett (Richmond) with 403. Still, with the average AFL player's career lasting 4 years or about 50 AFL games at the top level, getting to 300 is a massive milestone! 68 players have reached this summit, but only 14 players have hit 350.

The current players who are over 300 games are:

1. Dustin Fletcher (Essendon) 394
2. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) 386
3. Adam Goodes (Sydney) 353
4. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) 315

The closest current players who could hit 300 games this season are:

1. Kane Cornes (Port Adelaide) 295
2. Corey Enright (Geelong) 290
3. Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda, North Melbourne) 287
4. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) 283

Fletcher and Harvey will get to 400, but I think Goodes will struggle to get to 360!

Bit of a unique situation with 2 potential 400 gamers in the one season. Brilliant effort if they both make it.

In other news, I'm happy that Riewoldt is not playing tonight. He might have been the difference in a Saints win or loss.

[westg]

A good win.... loved the footage of your supporters after the game.... wish we had a joffa..

[JohnS]

Fletcher and Harvey will get to 400, but I think Goodes will struggle to get to 360!

Bit of a unique situation with 2 potential 400 gamers in the one season. Brilliant effort if they both make it.

Definitely, I hope the AFL market it more, the fact that we've got two guys so close to milestone that one day may disappear from the game due to modern-day professionalism and the pace of the game. The same is true of NRL, where similarly, the average NRL player chalks up 50 games and about a 4 year career in First Grage Rugby League.

A good win.... loved the footage of your supporters after the game.... wish we had a joffa..

It was a big win by Collingwood last night.