2012 AFL Thread IV - Where Fremantle win the Grand Final between Hawthorn & Sydney

[Axver]

Can anyone remember the order this round's games were listed in BEFORE the schedule was announced? The Saints/Blues game may have been the first listed on the floating schedule and it entered the tipping system as the "Friday" game, and it hasn't been changed now that it's a Sunday game.

 

[bono_man2002]

I think it was either Hawks/West Coast or Collingwood/Essendon that was listed as the first game of the round.

Spoiler

But I've been wrong, many times before.

 

[intedomine]

Judd is a star, probably not in the elite few (which includes Cotchin now ) anymore, and Murphy has probably surpassed him, but he can do some brilliant things in amongst a pack.

 

[Axver]

I admit I have a blind spot when it comes to midfielders, especially those not kicking plenty of goals. I think most of the players I rate are forwards, and a bunch of defenders. I guess it's like rugby in the sense that I imagine people who haven't grown up with it mainly notice the backs rather than locks or props or whatever.

I'm still mystified how anybody can be better than anybody else at the bounce. This is the one part of the game that, after all these years, still seems to be a complete lottery to me. I'll pay attention to some player who's being praised for his abilities ... and almost every bloody time he tries to hit it down, the opposition ends up in possession, or his own team only gets it through good luck after a shitload of fumbling.

 

[LemonMelon]

Your signature is cruel, Daniel.

 

[The Sad Punk]

And hilarious!

 

[bono_man2002]

Your signature is cruel, Daniel.

It's not an attack on your team. More so the media jumping the gun at round 3

 

[Axver]

And hilarious!

Co-signed.

 

[intedomine]

I admit I have a blind spot when it comes to midfielders, especially those not kicking plenty of goals. I think most of the players I rate are forwards, and a bunch of defenders. I guess it's like rugby in the sense that I imagine people who haven't grown up with it mainly notice the backs rather than locks or props or whatever.

I'm still mystified how anybody can be better than anybody else at the bounce. This is the one part of the game that, after all these years, still seems to be a complete lottery to me. I'll pay attention to some player who's being praised for his abilities ... and almost every bloody time he tries to hit it down, the opposition ends up in possession, or his own team only gets it through good luck after a shitload of fumbling.

If you're talking about ruckmen, it's often reflected in centre clearances. Last year, Richmond were getting smashed in clearances, because we didn't have a capable or true ruck man. This meant that as good a midfield as we were starting to build, it didn't count for much at the bounce cause opposition midfielders were getting the ball. Now we have Maric, our midfield can win clearances because he is capable of directing the ball down to Cotchin/Foley/Tuck/Martin.

Jacobs for Adelaide has become a capable ruckman too, and he can partially be attributed to Adelaide's success this season. Ryder was good early for Essendon as well.

I think Maric has become an elite ruckman due to his other super contributions around the field (contested marks/tackles/general smarts/endurance). Still a shade away from Cox and Kreuzer (and Natanui) who are complete players in so many ways.

 

[intedomine]

I haven't seen blue crack in what feels like years, will have to jump on a computer so that I can see this sig!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Maric and Jacobs have been superior to Kreuzer this year. Jacobs is a massive reason as to why we're the top clearance team in the competition.

 

[Axver]

If you're talking about ruckmen, it's often reflected in centre clearances. Last year, Richmond were getting smashed in clearances, because we didn't have a capable or true ruck man. This meant that as good a midfield as we were starting to build, it didn't count for much at the bounce cause opposition midfielders were getting the ball. Now we have Maric, our midfield can win clearances because he is capable of directing the ball down to Cotchin/Foley/Tuck/Martin.

Jacobs for Adelaide has become a capable ruckman too, and he can partially be attributed to Adelaide's success this season. Ryder was good early for Essendon as well.

I think Maric has become an elite ruckman due to his other super contributions around the field (contested marks/tackles/general smarts/endurance). Still a shade away from Cox and Kreuzer (and Natanui) who are complete players in so many ways.

I can see the effect good ruckmen make, in the improvement of a team's performance and stats, but when I actually watch for it ... I'm just not seeing it in action, you know? Most of the time, it seems to be sheer pot luck whether - let's take Richmond - Maric directs the ball down to Cotchin et al. or to some opposition player. If everybody who knows everything about AFL died all of a sudden and I had to re-teach the sport to aliens, I'd have to resort to explaining the centre clearance as some sort of arcane wizardry involving a good element of luck.

(I'd also fix up the advantage rule in said re-teaching, and do something about how pussy the high tackle rule is. In those two instances alone, rugby has got it more right than footy.)

 

[Axver]

What the hell has happened to the Eagles!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

They dominate half to 3/4 of the second quarter yet end up losing that quarter in the last 3 minutes.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Schofield looks a pretty good forward even though he's a defender. Good kick at goal.

 

[bono_man2002]

What the hell has happened to the Eagles!

Amazing what a difference good opposition does

 

[Vlad n U 2]

West Coast have been pretty poor with their inside 50 entries and conversions. With that said, Hawthorn are hardly invincible and are most definitely a beatable side if you're any one of the top 4 teams (yes, Sydney lost to them, but they're still capable of it, see their first quarter last week).

 

[Alisaura]

Schofield looks a pretty good forward even though he's a defender. Good kick at goal.

According to MMM's commentators, he also has an epic Ned Kelly-esque beard.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

He does indeed!

 

[Axver]

Probably the best beard in the AFL.

Looks like we're one step closer to a derby elimination final.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

AFL in the USA - The US Combine - YouTube

 

[Vlad n U 2]

:fuckyeahhomequalifyingfinal:

 

[The Sad Punk]

That was probably the best game I've seen Schofield play. He was fantastic. His beard is even better in the flesh, too.

As for the game... well, that first quarter is about as low a point as the team's had all season, to be fighting for a top 4 spot and to do absolutely nothing right off the gate and let the Hawks get up to a seven goal margin. That was pathetic. The rest of the game was much more competitive, and for a while in the fourth quarter I really did think the Eagles would have the momentum to just pass the Hawks by - alas, we never make the most of our scoring opportunities. Good to see Schofield, Darling and even McGinnity step up when the likes of Kerr, Naitanui and Embley were having average games, though.

Having seen that game, and seeing that for a time we did manage to demoralise Hawthorn at the MCG, I'm still a bit confident going into the finals. When Cyril came on the third quarter and the margin blew out to 45, I was expecting an absolute thrashing. I'm glad that neither team gave up until the final siren.

Slaxver, tell your shitty team to win tonight.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I'm not sure if Essendon can summon up their best on their last game of the season but the rivalry might fuel it, hopefully. I want a ripping match.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Essendon have it in them. They've just been utterly miserable in the second half of the season. Hopefully they can take all the criticism that's been thrown at them and turn it into something good.

 

[intedomine]

Essendon don't have anything in them if their pitiful performance against Richmond is anything to go by! Beams, Pendles, Swan and Sidearse should tear them to pieces.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Well, they have it in them, it's just that It is covered by layers and layers of toxic Not Having It in them.

 

[cobl04]

Just quietly, with North struggling to put away GWS at the moment, a West Coast/NM prelim is looking likely...

 

[The Sad Punk]

Prelim = qualifying?

I expect it. What does Freo roughly have to win by to get a bigger percentage than them, anyway?

 

[LemonMelon]

Than who, the Roos? They already have a higher percentage. Let's say the Roos win, I dunno, 110 to 70 tonight. That increases their percentage to 113.11. Freo would have to win by like 15 points.