Yeah, especially with Chris Johnson (who tried to paralyse Philip Jordan and then didn’t have the guts to apologise to him) and that chap who spear tackled Graham Geraghty involved.
Big game in Perth this weekend with the Western Derby on Sundary arvo. Got a pair of tickets for it so cant wait. Not expecting the Eagles to win, but at the same time we have been playing better lately, whilst Freo havent been in top form. But its a huge game, and for the last few years they have had the better of these ones. They are aiming for top 4, and the Eagles need the win to keep in touch for a top 8 finish. Pavlich is back for them, and hopefully Shuey will be back for the Eagles. Big rumours about NicNats injury problems, but he’ll be fine. He’ll be badly needed if we are to have a chance. Josh Kennedy is in great form, so need a few goals from him again.
You seem pretty sure about Nic Nat Gman
my sources are never wrong Kev 
In fairness, you do seem to have the better contacts.
Nic Nat is in anyway, shuey didnt make it through, nor Scott Selwood or Wellingham who were all in the mix. Those 3 would have made a massive difference.
local knowledge…good performance fomr the mogues cunt corner back last night too
great win for suns over pies tonight, ablett being star of show for them. good game last night too with Carlton and roos. its probably the most open comp outside of the top 2 or 3 for a long time, with all from freo down as far as arguably Brisbane in with a shout of finals and little between them.
big game for eagles tomorrow against swans. win, and theyre back in with a shout for top 8. lose, and its nearly impossible. they stuck it to freo for 3 quarters last week, but really fell away in last. but they have key players back, so who knows. swans have won the last 6 match ups and are a better side, so will be clear favorites, but am hoping for an upset eagles win
Freo beat Geelong in their ground this morning in a bit of a shock. I thought Geelong would have been the closest challengers to Hawthorn after their demolition of Sydney yesterday. It was swans best chance of winning, hawks without some key players, but they still won easily. Collywobbles up now against post Adelaide will be interesting. Should be a great game tomorrow tho with Richmond and Carlton.
Port Adelaide beat Collingwood 87-63.
I’m still not convinced by Hawthorn. Their game is heavily based on immaculate kicking. Teams can break that down, and their head is always questionable.
Still favs and probably fair enough on form, but a GF against Freo could be nervy. Freo have question marks too, but have serious belief in themselves and the way they play.
If ever a club was too cocky about a game this was it. Amazing looks on the faces of Buckley and Eddie McGuire. They really were looking ahead and totally disrespected PA. Delighted it backfired.
What a cunt McGuire is. Buckley shown up badly. He spent alot if his 3/4 time balling out his 3 big man forward line when the problems were elsewhere. On the other Hand PA never balked at the pressure they were under and they have great leadership.
When are these dionasors going torealize the “sprays” don’t work. Buckley was tactically really shown up.
Hon the Zach 
[quote=“Gman, post: 737901, member: 112”][SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]AFL Season Preview 2013[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]Seeing as there is no thread set up for the upcoming season, I thought it would be prudent to set one up on the opening day of the NAB cup preseason tournament. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]So after Sydney’s magnificent win last year, can they repeat and win it out again? The bookies don’t think so, with Hawthorn ranked as favourites in all sectors to go one better and win out this year. Sydney are second favourites, closely followed by West Coast, Collingwood, and perennial underachievers Carlton.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]Sydney were well in the media spotlight not long after their victory, getting caught up in the Kurt Tippet scandal, where he basically took money under the table and outside of the contract agreement with Adelaide to get a higher payment, but that it wouldn’t register on Adelaides cap space. Both club and player took heavy punishment, with Tippet suspended for the first 12 games of the season, basically half the year. Sydney took him on in spite of this, but it was a messy affair that dominated headlines pre season.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]The biggest headlines were made by Essendon, who were caught up in the PED scandal. And with former players coming out saying they were given supplements and tablets etc and didn’t know what they were, and the subsequent WADA report, things don’t look good for the Bombers, and I’m sure a few other teams might yet be embroiled in the scandal.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)][FONT=Arial]As for the season ahead, I tipped Hawthorn last year, and I think going so close last year, they will recover to make another push for the premiership crown. They have a very good side, with a good blend of youth and experience and talent. I think the Eagles could do very well, as long as key players stay healthy. Carlton are always an outside pick, and with Mick Malthouse now over them, they’ll be media favourites again. But for too many years they have flattered to deceive, so I don’t see how this year will be any different.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Hawthorn – Not too many off season changes, the biggest addition being Brian Lake, who has a lot of experience at full back and is a very capable player. Hasn’t been playing well the last couple of years, so will be interesting to see how he fares. But with Buddy Franklin and Cyril Rioli, they have 2 of the most exciting players in the league, ably backed up by Hodge, Mitchell and Gibson, and younger players Puopolo and Savage in the mix, they are one of the best depth teams around. Frankilns refusal to sign a contract though must be of concern to them.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]West Coast Eagles – Main addition was Sharrod Wellingham from Collingwood and Cale Morton from Melbourne, but Le Cras and Nicoski back from injury will be huge additions after missing last season. Nic Natanui, Waters and Kerr though have injury doubts coming into the season, so if they prove to be worse than feared, then they will struggle. If they are good to go, I think they will push on to a high placing. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Sydney Swans – Reigning premiers, and boosted by the addition of Kurt Tippett, but will be without him for half of the season, which will do Tommy Walsh no harm, although early training reports have him playing defence in some games so he could be in a new role. I think last year was a last hurrah for some of the aging players, it is quite an old squad, but if they can keep injury free, Tippetts inclusion for the latter half of the year might be enough for another tilt at the Premiership.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Collingwood – Nathan Buckley got through a tough opening half of last season to start getting his gameplan and shape to the team set up, and with a pre season behind them, they will be up amongst the top again. Clokes contract being sorted, and with key players back from injury, the addition of Lynch to replace Dawes, they start this year in better shape than last year.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Carlton – Mick Malthouse wasted no time in creating another media frenzy with Carlton, who cant keep out of the news. Judd relinquished his captains role and whilst Malthouse will take a lot of the spotlight away from the players, it will take time for him to implement his gameplan. He has talented players at his disposal, Gibbs, Murphy, Judd, Scotland would be the envy of most teams midfield, so it will be another interesting year in the circus that is Carlton.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Adelaide – The Tippett saga didn’t help them, at all. But losing him wont be much of a loss from last year, as he was very patchy. Tex Walker was their main player, and if he keeps on form, add in Dangerfield, Sloane and Thompson, and you could have a team that might surprise a few others.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Geelong – Suffered a demoralising defeat to Freo last year in the finals, and their golden era might be behind them. They acquired Josh Caddy from GCS, and Hamish Macintosh from the Roos, but they will again be depending on Bartell, Selwood, Corey and Hawkins to lead them to another finals spot. They have a few young players coming through, Menzel, Smidts, Vardy, etc, but if these don’t get up to pace quickly, their season could be over early.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Fremantle – Loath to place them in the finals, but that was a magnificent win over Geelong last year, and it sets them up well for the season ahead. Ross Lyons has set up a really boring gameplan with them, alá Donegal 2011, so hopefully after setting up a good foundation they will start expanding a bit more like they did against Geelong in the finals. Danyle Pearce was the main addition, and with the ever excellent Pavlich, the little annoying cunt, but good player Ballintyne, a fit Nathan Fyfe, and if they can improve their record in Melbourne, they will be one to watch.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Essendon – Hard to know how the PED scandal will affect them. They got big name Brendan Goddard from St Kilda, and with reigning Brownlow winner Watson, midfielder Zaharakis and draftee Joe Danniher, they will seek to improve on last year. James Hird got rid of a few regulars, so it will be a make or break year for him in a lot of ways.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]North Melbourne – a team with few supporters, and one that generally does nothing of much significance. They’ll again be on the fringes of finals, neither being at the bottom, nor really at the top. They made last years finals, but were absolutely destroyed by the Eagles. They got rid of a few players on the fringes, and recruited some depth type players. Majak Daw might finally get some game time this year. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Brisbane Lions – A decent year of some progress last year, they didn’t change much of the squad from last year. Black and Brown are 2 veteran quality players, so a lot depends on them keeping their form. Daniel Rich and Jack Redden made progress last year, so they need more younger players to add to that. Hanley had a great year last year, finishing 3rd in the clubs player of the year awards.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Richmond – Dustin Martin will be key. Keep him out of the bars and spotlight, and they will be in with a shout of finals. If he self destructs, he could be gone, and so will the Tigers. Riewoldt had a good year last year, and Trent Cotchin has been made captain at 22, a real young star of the game. A decent team, they just need to get things going right for them. [/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]St Kilda – On a downward spiral, with loss of form in big name players like Riewoldt, rumours of Lenny Hayes wanting to retire, Gram being let go for off field behaviour, and losing Goddard to Essendon, I cant see St Kilda doing much. They still have some good players, but they are a mess at the moment.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Port Adelaide – Angus Monfries was a nice addition, but their off season mainly figured small time players. Travis Boak is the player needed to fire them back into the limelight, but it will be a while yet before they are back challenging at the top.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Western Bulldogs – Lost Brian Lake, and still havent got a top rated forward to spearhead their attack. They’ll win the odd game, but low mid table obscurity looms again.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Melbourne – I tipped them for finals last year. I should have known better. They have been heavily fined with regards to “tanking” over a few seasons aiming for the bottom to get high drafts. Its ongoing, but not good news for the club. Signed Chris Dawes, but he is very average. Play like a team with no heart or effort, and have done for a while.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Gold Coast – Making a bit of progress, they played well in a few games, before losing touch towards the end. Have some excellent midfielders in Swallow and new recruit Jaeger O Meara (what an utterly ridiculous first name by the way). Gary Ablett is still key to them though, although it’s a shame seeing him wasted in a club at the bottom of the league.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial][COLOR=rgb(0, 0, 0)]Greater Western Sydney – Lost some of the veteran players who joined for a last year payday, so that wont help, but they’ll be at the bottom again. Former NRL player Izzy Floau has given up too, but he was utter shite. Toby Greene is a good player, so they’ll do well to keep him there. O hAilpin is coming back from knee surgery, so might see some action after the start of the season. [/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]
so, first preliminary finals have taken place, and what a weekend it was.
As for the above, I got 6 of the 8 finalists right, and made a monumental fuck up thinking the Eagles would push on again and challenge. I severely under rated Port Adelaide, but was not surprised by Richmond, maybe surprised to see them 5th, but they were definitely one of the fringe teams that could make it. Gold Coast did better than I expected, and Melbourne did way worse. They are one shit team. If Paul Roos cant get them to some sort of respectability then no one will.
Freo have also done a whole lot better than I expected. They have a really solid team with a gameplan they all buy into, much like the Donegal way. Be solid at the back, and counter at pace.
I still think Hawthorn will win it. They are likely to be playing Geelong next, and Sydney away to Freo (I dont see Carlton or Port Adelaide making any shocks this week), and whilst Geelong will give Hawthorn a rattle, I think Hawthorn are just too good for them. Freo will take Sydney at Subiaco, so I would predict a Hawthorn Freo final. That would be massive for the Dockers, and give them much needed boost for support in WA too.
As for the weekends games, Sydney were shocking against Hawthorn. If ever there was a time to beat them, it was Saturday minus some of their better players. the fact Hawthorn made it look so easy is ominous.
I didnt see the Freo game, but sounded like they won with some great character and effort. That was a massive win to go down there and beat Geelong on their home patch.
The Collywobbles were true to form. Their fourth quarter effort was absolutely pathetic. To meekly collapse and give no effort like they did was just typical of them. Port Adelaide fairly rammed it into them though, and only for some poor shooting, would have won by more.
Richmond and Carlton was a great game too. Fucking Richmond though, had it for the taking and choked. Great effort by Carlton, and a superb comeback to win it. Duigan was unreal. For a pretty average has been type player, to come up and get those goals was brilliant. Heart breaking for the Tigers though, to wait so long for finals and lose like that.
Rumblings with Essendon still go on. Delighted the suspension and fine they go and the draft penalties. The shit they were pulling was disgraceful. Dodgy mexican drug dealers, getting pescriptions from patients and using the drugs on players. They still go on about the drugs not being banned, but what they were at was completely unethical and borderline illegal. And I fucking hate how the media and commentators are feeling so much pity for Hird. I liked him as a player, and a coach, but the fact it took him so long to apologise and keep playing the martyr makes him a cunt. He was even taking drugs himself. Fuck him. He deserves all he got, and more. The systematic approach they took, without any knowledge of what they were pumping into players, or without consulting or making players aware of what they were doing was disgraceful.
As for my bleoved Eagles, I expect a clear out of sorts. some of the players just arent up to it. Feel sorry for Nicoski who had to retire, and Selwoods time had come too. But they need a fully fit team and a more improved attitude. Freo showing them up should be enough motivation for them. I still think Woosha deservges to be kept, so hopefully he stays along with the key players needed to propel back into finals contention again.
Woosha is gone Gman, you do realise that ya? He was pushed too, despite what they are trying to pedal.
They will also drop Kerr and a few others, they are carry quite a bit if dead wood.
I think Carlton are a good bet to shock Sydney. Sydney are tired and beaten up, Carlton are on a high. None of Sydneys big guns are firing. Not calling a free money on this, but a tip nevertheless. I’ll put 50 dollars on it, it’s at 3.15 now.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 828958, member: 273”]Woosha is gone Gman, you do realise that ya? He was pushed too, despite what they are trying to pedal.
They will also drop Kerr and a few others, they are carry quite a bit if dead wood.
I think Carlton are a good bet to shock Sydney. Sydney are tired and beaten up, Carlton are on a high. None of Sydneys big guns are firing. Not calling a free money on this, but a tip nevertheless. I’ll put 50 dollars on it, it’s at 3.15 now.[/quote]
ah bollix. what with AI final yesterday, finals weekend and the NFL starting back I missed that. only glanced at the AFL news on Sat and didnt notice anything on it. They had shit loads of news about Roos so I suppose Melbourne based stuff gets more attention. I knew yer man Walsh was heading back to SA, and thought theat that could be the start of an exodous, but didnt think it would start with Worsfold. Kerr has been shit for years, and has never fulfilled potential to be the midfiel leader when Judd and Cousins left. the fact he is still carrying on outside casinos says it all.
Fair point about Carlton Sydney game, and would agree its not a bad bet. I just think the last 2 weeks on Carlton may have taken its toll physically in pushing so hard in the last quarter in 2 huge comebacks, whereas Sydney have done fuck all in being beaten twice by Hawthorn. May be a case of mindgames now, and Carlton definitely are in a better frame of mind. But I still think Sydney are a better side and have enough to beat them.
They are a better team. I think it’s a case of are Carlton at 90-100% better than Sydney @60-70% which is where both teams are operating now I think.
Sydney made Hawthorn look good the other night.
[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 828962, member: 273”]They are a better team. I think it’s a case of are Carlton at 90-100% better than Sydney @60-70% which is where both teams are operating now I think.
Sydney made Hawthorn look good the other night.[/quote]
yeah would agree with that alright. And sydney were fucking awful on Friday, the worst of all 8 teams playing.
Zach got a good write up in the Herald this evening.