AFL Season 2018

[guttermouth]

Love Thursday night footy. But this weeks rest before finals is arse.

[Ambrose Burnside]

Why do you like Thursday night footy? It's the worst.

Especially in Perth as they schedule the start of the game for the benefit of TV viewers on the east coast.

[guttermouth]

Just love having footy to watch 3 nights in a row. I can understand your issue with start times been in WA. The AFL should ignore late Sunday/night footy and Monday night Footy all together. A couple of Thursday night games a year is where its at...

[Ambrose Burnside]

GAME DAY IS FINALLY HERE!!!

And I have tomorrow off work!!!

[Candy Arse]

Woof...what an egg the Eagles have laid...

[Darwi]

Urk.

But can't / wont say too much.

Hawks are definite under the pump tomorrow night. Just hanging on to 2016 by our fingernails.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Dogs always the biggest beneficiary of the weird bye but still could not have envisaged WC getting done like that at home.

[Ambrose Burnside]

[Ambrose Burnside]

Now *that* was a final.

And it's about time the Law of Averages fucked Hawthorn over in a close one

[Vince]

GWS were phenomenal. Geez, they're primed to be the next big thing for 5-10 years. Their defensive pressure was enormous. Their running style of play is beautiful to watch. And they're a very young and relatively inexperienced team. I'm glad the blues are still 5 years off even thinking about finals cause to come up against a team like GWS next 5 years will be quite daunting.

It was nice to finally see the Hawks lose a close one! Been saying all year they won't get 4 in a row. Injuries have caught up. As has age. Plus, staying mentally refreshed after being a power for about 8 years is so tough. Cats did just enough and will probably make the GF due to going straight into a prelim, but they aren't a premiership worthy team in my eyes. In fact, I had that spot reserved for the swans but they were totally outclassed by a far hungrier GWS. I still think swans can do some major damage but they looked lost yesterday.

I still don't fully know about the crows. They looked pretty good last night but they were against a team who is now well past it. The Roos are officially cooked and I believe it's now rebuild time. They'd be disappointed they couldn't conjure a flag in their premiership window.

As for the doggies- they're my team now in the finals race! Love the way they play. Injuries have crueled them yet they have a system that all players follow and it works. Eagles were a huge let down. They showed glimpses last 4 rounds of the team they SHOULD be, but it appears no Nic Nat, no Eagles.

It's still far too early for a prediction for the GF. I'd love a doggies vs GWS GF. Not sure if it'll happen due to the structure of the finals system but either way, of either of those 2 teams won I wouldn't be disappointed. I'd love for crows to win for Eddie Betts (how Malthouse let him go is still absolutely bewildering to me and so many blues fans). I still think the Swans can go all the way but doing it playing 4 times is going to be extremely tough. There's no stand out teams this year. It's quite even...

[Peppermint Lounge]

I'm on board with the Dogs too.

[Ambrose Burnside]

I work with quite possibly the only Gee Dub supporter in WA, so a bunch of us are now on that bandwagon with her

[guttermouth]

If Geelong don't win it, I'll love to see the doggies take it out.

The doggies have been so unlucky with injuries this year and still manage to be such a damn good side. Hoping they pump the hawks this week.

[Darwi]

That was an amazing first week of finals.

Sadly though ... it looks like the post season bye is here to stay

Hawks gave it absolutely everything vs the Cats. Fascinating game tactically (Hawks excelling at turnovers and opening the game up with uncontested possession - and the Cats dominating the stoppage/clearances and contested ball). Two different titans going toe to toe until a mere kick separated them at the end.

Sadly, we were on the wrong end of the result... and I'm not sure we have much left in the war chest.

Dogs will be a completely different kettle of fish. They run and gun a bit like Port Adelaide a couple of years ago. It's pretty football to watch... but shouldn't hold up against a skilled and organised opponent. It's also the type of footy that doesn't tend to hold up on the MCG in September.

But the Hawks are vulnerable.

[Darwi]

If Geelong don't win it, I'll love to see the doggies take it out.

The doggies have been so unlucky with injuries this year and still manage to be such a damn good side. Hoping they pump the hawks this week.

If my beloved Hawks were to falter... I would love the Doggies to get up.

Don't want Geelong (the enemy) or the Swans (Buddy stealers) getting another one... so I would naturally gravitate towards the underDOGGIES.

Adelaide would be my next hope. Would especially love to see the irony of them taking out Dangerfield in a PF.

But the only one I don't want to win is GWS. I understand that the AFL needed to make them competitive... but holy fuck. 25 first round draft picks in four years has assembled a frightening side of automatons. There is no history there, yet... they don't deserve it. Yet, here we are... looking down the barrel of what is surely going to be the first of two or three premierships in a row.

Must be a kick in the guts to fans who have followed their club for decades.

[Darwi]

And finally some good news for the week... Jaeger O'Meara has nominated Hawthorn.

Still a long way to go... but if the Hawks could add O'Meara, Vickery, and (strongly rumoured) Tom Mitchell...

That would certainly accelerate the rebuild (we blooded 7 new players this year... and played heaps more with 20 games or less).

And if Roughead did indeed return mid-2017...

[Madmya]

This will sound harsh, but I would have thought Roughead will be lucky to be alive let alone playing again.

[Darwi]

This will sound harsh, but I would have thought Roughead will be lucky to be alive let alone playing again.

Harsh indeed.

I don't think anyone really knows the overall outcome of these newer immunotherapies. They certainly look better than traditional chemos... but keeping in mind that it's not until you see the 5yr, 10yr, 20yr survival rates etc... that you will really know.

It doesn't affect you physically like traditional chemo does. There isn't the same amount of muscle wasting etc.

Roughead is still training regularly with the boys.

I imagine he will finish his treatment (which was for 12 months)... get the initial all clear... and then up his training, do a pre-season next year... and then resume playing in 2018.

Normally after intensive chemo it would take 2 to 3 years to get back to peak physical fitness.

If the cancer does come back... given his age and how early treatment was started... it wouldn't be for two or three more years down the track.

Fingers crossed that these new treatments are indeed better.

[Madmya]

That would be pretty darn amazing. Here's hoping...

[Ambrose Burnside]

O'Meara choosing Hawthorn is the final nail in the coffin for the AFL's dreams of equalisation.

The Eagles need to open up the chequebooks instead of brain dead ideas like drafting Petrie and Ballantyne

[Darwi]

That would be pretty darn amazing. Here's hoping...

I assume the club is hopeful... maybe even of a game or two next year.

If he definitely wasn't going to play the Hawks would be pushing the AFL for some sort of long term injury deal to free up salary cap for 2017.

They aren't.

[Darwi]

O'Meara choosing Hawthorn is the final nail in the coffin for the AFL's dreams of equalisation.

The Eagles need to open up the chequebooks instead of brain dead ideas like drafting Petrie and Ballantyne

The draft and salary cap are about equalisation.

Trading is about clubs doing something for themselves.

Free agency is about keeping the AFLPA happy and not pushing too hard to get rid of the draft, salary cap, and trade restrictions.

Why is everyone surprised that the Hawks are trading aggressively to rebuild.

We've pretty much spent the whole year playing kids... in prime positions... for significant game time. Debuted 7 new players... and put more games into half a dozen others.

We lost Hale and Lake last year. Roughead this year. Probably Hodge this year as well (yes, he has a contract, but I don't think he has formally signed just yet). Next year will be the last for Gibson and Burgoyne. Mitchell the year after that.

That's some significant holes to be filled.

O'Meara is not a free agent. We have to trade for him fairly and squarely. This is going to cost dearly... I imagine a (significantly upgraded) first round pick and a player. We will lose Hill to Fremantle as part of the trade I imagine.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Carn Dogs. Caught a news report on channel 7 last night. They were down at the Western Oval and a couple of old ducks decked out in very well-worn Dogs colours were in tears at the thought of them playing off for a premiership. Very cute. Every single football person who isn't a Hawthorn supporter wants the Dogs to win tonight.

[guttermouth]

GO DOGGIES GOOOOO!!!!

[Peppermint Lounge]