The AFL Thread Watching the Bombers Fly Up

[Vlad n U 2]

Not sure why many seem to think the Giants are going out in straight sets. I sincerely doubt Port or West Coast will have enough to beat them in Sydney.

 

[Axver]

GWS lost to fucking Carlton! They're not red-hot like they were in 2016.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

We almost lost to Carlton. Bloody hell, we got thrashed by North! Means zilch now.

 

[Axver]

Yeah, touché, every team had a weird stumble this year. But GWS don't seem to be back in their stride. If Port play a good game they could win (and then presumably get flogged in a prelim).

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Port need to beat West Coast first which is hardly a given because 1) West Coast have only lost once at Adelaide Oval and 2) Port would have to be (objectively) one of the weakest ever sides to finish 5th because of their laughable inability to beat top 8 sides.

 

[cobl04]

Brodie Smith likely ACL. Sauce Jacobs crying at the end of the match after losing his brother a week ago.

I was wondering what happened! Saw his tweet. So sad.

I feel sick about tonight. That's mostly cos I've not slept/eaten/drunk well in the past 48 hours, but it's just so huge. My heart and head both say that we win, but Richmond could easily trounce us by 40 points, and then we'll be out in straight sets to Sydney the following week.

GWS get through to a prelim I think, but yeah, they aren't the side they were this time last year, that's for sure. Reckon it's an Adelaide vs Geelong/Richmond grand final, with the biggest game (Adelaide vs Sydney) the first prelim.

 

[Axver]

Revise those predictions, Cobbler! Essendon are going to win tomorrow.

(Spoiler: we won't.)

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I think there's a chance Sydney will hit the wall, having to come back from 0-6 could take its toll in the finals series.

 

[cobl04]

Nah. And if that was the case the bye's probably done them the world of good and made them twice as dangerousz

 

[Axver]

What a shame Hawthorn didn't make the finals so that they could beat Sydney and then lose to anybody else.

 

[cobl04]

That would have been optimal.

 

[bono_man2002]

Fuck you Geelong. You don't even deserve a double chance.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Somehow I don't think dropping your second best goalkicker for a guy who looks like a toddler was a particularly good idea, especially when your forward line is your weakness.

Amazing attendance though. 95k is phenomenal.

 

[bono_man2002]

Richmond were pretty awesome all night. Defensively on point from the opening bounce and then smashed it in the last quarter.

That was possibly the worst Cats performance in a final since the 2010 Prelim. Some of the their decision making

 

[Axver]

Got to say it's looking good for an Adelaide vs Richmond grand final.

Loved the crowd screaming "yellow and black" at the end. Nothing like the Tiges' song is there?

 

[cobl04]

I don't think I've been more disgusted in a Geelong performance in my entire life. Take nothing away from Richmond, who were fucking phenomenal all night, their pressure and composure was second-to-none, but we were sickeningly bad.

Looking very likely to be a Crows-Tigers grand final at this point. Sucks for Sydney that they fall on Adelaide's side of the draw, but their own fault.

Tonight evidence for me that Richmond can absolutely be premiers this year. Adelaide by far the best team all year and deserving favourites, but Richmond were amazing tonight.

And a word too for Dustin Martin, who was breathtakingly, jaw-droppingly good tonight. He didn't even have that good of a game, by his standards, and he was miles ahead of everyone on the ground, and in the second half just made several Geelong players look decidedly pedestrian. Hell of a player.

 

[cobl04]

And I'm firmly on the Tigers train now. Fuck Geelong, we don't deserve shit. Go the Tigs. YELLOW AND BLACK.

 

[bono_man2002]

Richmond can get stuffed. I'm officially Team Vladelaide.

 

[Axver]

I love Richmond, always have, and I want them to win the flag if Essendon bow out against Sydney, but my enthusiasm is tempered by how fucking much I hate Dustin Martin. Worst person in the league, bar none. It's an insult to thugs to call him a thug.

 

[bono_man2002]

He's an impressive player though.

I don't get the Richmond love. I've always disliked them since way back when. Perhaps it's the whole "everyone barricks for X team and whoever is playing Collingwood" and "Richmond is everyones second favourite team" stuff that.

But let it be known I would be thrilled for their fans if they snag a flag. There's a real feel about them watching them play. A bit like Collingwood of 2010 just to be able to strangle the opposition (Tigers are more accurate at kicking though, aside from tonight)

But it would be nice for the Crows to pinch a flag before Danger gets one.

#TeamVladelaide

 

[Vlad n U 2]

 

[cobl04]

I love Richmond, always have, and I want them to win the flag if Essendon bow out against Sydney, but my enthusiasm is tempered by how fucking much I hate Dustin Martin. Worst person in the league, bar none. It's an insult to thugs to call him a thug.

Reprehensible, indeed. But damn can he play.

So funny.

 

[intedomine]

Last night is only just sinking in[emoji44]

We beat a bogey team. Not just a team that we circumstantially lose to, but a team that throughly outclasses us time and time again. A team with finals pedigree.

And how we wore them down. The writing was on the wall for another Tiger choke after they drew even but somehow we powered on.

And now we're hosting a preliminary final where we will almost certainly go in as favourites.

Our forward pressure is incredible. It shell shocked Geelong last night. Castagna, Butler, Lambert, Edwards just throw themselves at everything.

Dusty is one of the most uniquely gifted players I've ever seen. He who cannot be tackled. Prestia had once of his best games for us last night - brilliant at the contest. Cotchin's improvement this season has been marked, and what a leader he has become. Clearance after clearance after clearance. That goal he kicked during the final term was probably the highlight of the night.

And then there is probably our biggest asset. The best defence in the league. Grimes, Astbury and the extraordinary ability of Magic Alex Rance. His ability to redefine the outcome of a contested ball is incredible, with his mix of agility, desperation and footy smarts.

And Vlaustin is an incredible presence across the HB line. Hodge-esque.

I feel like a right idiot for calling for Hardwick's head last year. What he has achieved this year (given where we were last year), has been incredible. Hats off to him.

 

[LemonMelon]

Team Tigers here. They haven't won shit in almost 40 years, let them have a turn.

I would be absolutely, 100% fine with Betts winning a premiership though. My favorite player when he was with us and I miss him so much.

 

[Axver]

Decent start... aaaand now we're fucked.

 

[cobl04]

Though I hate Essendon with a burning passion, and have held the view they would be smashed since it was confirmed they'd be playing Sydney, I would much rather have played Essendon next week. We are going out in straight sets, woo!

 

[Axver]

Can't believe we almost beat this team a couple of months ago, and now this.

 

[Axver]

I bloody well hope Port vs West Coast is a close and exciting spectacle because all three finals so far have been duds in that regard.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

What a fucking travesty of a goal review. Fuck off.

 

[Axver]

What a fucking travesty of a goal review. Fuck off.

It was touched before he kicked it, it was practically knocked into the boot, of course it was a goal.