The 2011 AFL Thread: *insert desired expletives here*

[Vlad n U 2]

Originally Posted by bono_man2002

Ha, he's wearing black and white again....you expected to make a positive comment?

No, nothing having to do with your club itself, it's just ...

Didn't he say that he would retire if he wasn't traded. I mean, I don't quite remember how he got to Freo (fall out of favour with the Pies?) but he definitely applied himself to a new role well and all ...

Sounds like he was being a little arrogant.

[cobl04]

you can take the kid out of collingwood but...

[The Sad Punk]

Goodes is international rules skipper this year.

I truly hate to play this card, (and this is extra difficult to say because he's a Yorkes boy!) but I can't help but feel that he wouldn't be given half the laudes he has been awarded with if he weren't a Nunga.

[cobl04]

i had to look up "nunga" (though i guessed what it was). it sounds derogatory (though i know that you are well above slagging off aboriginals Bonnie) so i was surprised to discover it is a term of self-reference.

and to an extent i agree. it's really hard to say whether he would have received the same plaudits or not, as he is a terrific player, but i can definitely see where you're coming from.

[The Sad Punk]

Haha yeah, I had a feeling there would be some confusion, it's just used here the same way Koorie is over on your side.

It's not that he's a bad player, far from it - but not a two-Brownlow, constant B&F winner and national captain. I just can't help but feel he's frequently elevated above other similarly talented players solely to be seen as a well-respected role model for budding young indigenous fans. Which has its admirable qualities too, of course, but it's also misguided for a number of reasons - patronisation being one of them.

[cobl04]

Originally Posted by The Sad Punk

not a two-Brownlow, constant B&F winner and national captain

yep.

[Vlad n U 2]

Just for the sake of it I'll have a shot at predicting next years ladder. Unlikely to be correct, but well worth a crack eh?

1. Collingwood
2. Fremantle
3. Geelong
4. Hawthorn
5. Adelaide
6. Sydney
7. Melbourne
8. St. Kilda
----------------------
9. Richmond
10. North Melbourne
11. Western Bulldogs
12. Carlton
13. Brisbane
14. Port Adelaide
15. Gold Coast
16. West Coast
17. Essendon

[Axver]

OK, I'll play, even though I'll probably be even more hopelessly wrong.

1. Collingwood
2. St Kilda
3. Fremantle
4. Bulldogs
5. Hawthorn
6. Sydney
7. Geelong
8. Melbourne
---
9. Carlton
10. Adelaide
11. Essendon
12. Brisbane
13. Port
14. Richmond
15. Gold Coast
16. North Melbourne
17. West Coast

... except I was actually thinking West Coast would end up around 12th when I began writing this. Hmm. I don't know.

No idea why you'd reckon Essendon will come dead last though, Vladders.

[Vlad n U 2]

Originally Posted by Axver

No idea why you'd reckon Essendon will come dead last though, Vladders.

It's not so much that I think Essendon will come dead last, as the last 5 I have definitely jumbled up. There is no clear wooden spooner for next year as it will be evenly fought out by several sides. And for the fact that Essendon, with a new coach probably will take a while to register some form.

Interested that you put North down so low, they're on the way up as a team as many would say.

[cobl04]

i don't see North missing the eight.

[Axver]

North are going around the AFL stirring up apathy.

Seriously, I couldn't possibly feel anything less (positive or negative) about a team.

[bono_man2002]

1. Hawthorn
2. Collingwood
3. Fremantle (with no big injuries, and win a couple of game in melb)
4. Geelong
5. St.Kilda
6. Carlton
7. North Melbourne
8. Footscray


The rest don't really matter. I think the Gold Coast could sneak into the 8..but who knows. Geelong won't drop off that much. Hawthron can have an awesome season if they actually have some luck.

Any of Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and then maybe Richmond (who are destined to finish 9th) and Essendon could bob up, if hirdy isn't a complete dud.

[Axver]

I reckon the Gold Coast are going to be a dud next year. They'll start shakily, then win a couple of games and start to look sound, then crash in a heap. Then 2012 they'll make the eight as they'll have properly gelled as a team by then.

Knowing my track record, I'll probably be completely wrong and they'll make the 2011 preliminary finals or something.

[Vlad n U 2]

Originally Posted by cobl04

i don't see North missing the eight.

I couldn't really fit them in, and Richmond are supposed to be 9th anyway.

[Vlad n U 2]

Melbourne and Brisbane are playing an ex. game in Shanghai today.

[Axver]

Attendance: 153 - 148 ex-pats and 5 curious locals?

[Vlad n U 2]

There was a crowd of 7100, apparently. So not a bad amount of interest.

[Axver]

Heh, yeah, but The Age says most of the audience was expats.

Though it also says the game was broadcast on a TV station with considerable viewership, so who knows.

Personally, as far as international expansion goes, all I really would like to see is New Zealand take on the game a bit more. Sure, our team is good by the standards of the AFL World Cup, but good god we'd be thumped by every VFL side ever. I have a pipedream of a Wellington team in the AFL sometime before I die.

[Vlad n U 2]

Yeah, interesting to see expansion attempts all over the far reaches of the world while across the Tasman not much is being done.

There haven't been any NZ AFL players, have there?

[Axver]

Yes there have!

In fact, there's a few more than I thought: List of overseas-born AFL players - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia