BOY OH BOY WOWEE It's the 2014 AFL Thread

[intedomine]

Another different jersey worn by West Sydney?! Looks like some sort of power cord or something this week. Good luck trying to build some sense of identity when you keep wearing something different every week.

I think it's a bit harsh on St.Kilda, that they should merge. They've marketed themselves pretty nicely in the Bayside strip towards Frankston. And they were a couple of kicks and bounce away from two more premierships in the past 5 years. Footscray have made a 5 prelims in the past 25 years or so which is a decent (and enviable) return (just weren't able to convert), and North won a couple of flags in the nineties. They've just been very mid table since.

They are all relatively successful (aside from the Dees). If we're talking Premierships as the sole yardstick for success, then there are actually only three successful Victorian clubs in the past thirteen seasons.

[Axver]

Phew, what a relief. GWS really did play very well and if they can keep playing like they have the last fortnight, they'll claim another big scalp sooner rather than later. I'm just glad we escaped by a bigger margin than the Hawks!

[Vlad n U 2]

Originally Posted by cobl04

What fucking pissed me off was the fact that Heath Scotland, who was fucking convicted for assault, was kept on the books, but because Bootsma was fucking shithouse the club sees a chance to make a tough stand. Fucking bullshit.

Similarly, Nathan Bock's 'indefinite' ban only turned out to be for a few matches when his incident was brought to light. Still on an AFL list.

[bono_man2002]

Fuck you Brisbane Lions. I changed my tip this afternoon to the Bulldogs

[Axver]

Originally Posted by intedomine

They are all relatively successful (aside from the Dees). If we're talking Premierships as the sole yardstick for success, then there are actually only three successful Victorian clubs in the past thirteen seasons.

I wasn't using that yardstick though. I was using the entire history of three of the four, and Melbourne for the last fifty years. I was also not only referring to on-field lack of success, but to financial problems and a very limited supporter base (North, even at the height of their on-field success, seem to have troubles with both of those).

As I noted above, ideally I'd love a viable, competitive tournament (both on- and off-field) that features all existing clubs plus a few more, both to represent AFL heartlands without a team or with insufficient teams - e.g. Tassie the former, WA the latter - and to penetrate new markets, like Northern Queensland and New Zealand. 24 teams in particular would be very welcome as we could finally return to a non-compromised fixture. I can't think of much better. But if there is little ability to expand beyond the existing 18 thanks to talent dilution (this is the important factor here; I'm not saying we need mergers just for the sake of it, or out of disdain for the teams involved), there are three options:

1. Merge the weakest Melbourne teams so that they are more competitive, and so that one or two new teams can be established in Tassie, etc.
2. Relocate and rebrand an existing weak Melbourne team, and hope it is accepted by its new home rather than viewed as a cast-off.
3. Keep the competition unchanged, leave traditional AFL areas unrepresented in an allegedly national competition, fail to spread the game to new markets, and risk other national competitions taking the AFL's market share in its absence.

To me, #1 is vastly preferable, especially given the AFL's current programme of aggressive expansion.

(Of course, it's a shame nobody in the 1980s had the good sense to create a proper national competition above the state leagues, using state teams as feeders to ensure support, rather than letting the VFL grow into the AFL...)

[Axver]

Good lord Gold Coast, if you'd kicked straight this would be agonisingly close.

[Vlad n U 2]

Hey look it's the shit Adelaide Crows again.

[Vlad n U 2]

It's unbelievable how often we just stop trying when the game's there to be won. The entire quarter was spent in Freo's forward half because we didn't bother to use our fucking brains.

[Axver]

I'm just impressed your lot were in front at half time. It's Freo, after all, and at home. I figured you'd never get a proper look-in at all.

[LemonMelon]

The game was close for a while, but I knew Adelaide had fallen behind when I saw Vlad under New Posts.

[Vlad n U 2]

Piss off Travis, now's not the time.

[LemonMelon]

I just wish you'd be around once in a while when they're doing well. Happy Vlad is fun.

[Axver]

Clearly Richmond didn't get the memo that they're now totally hopeless.

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

The game was close for a while, but I knew Adelaide had fallen behind when I saw Vlad under New Posts.

[bono_man2002]

I wish Interference was around in 1997 & 1998. This will cheer you up Vlad.

1997 AFL Prelimary Final Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs - YouTube

1997 AFL Grand Final - YouTube

Matthew Pavlich - Fumble in Goalsquare - YouTube

[Axver]

I see the memo was conveyed to the Tiges during half time. Holy shit, what a third quarter for North.

[Axver]

Oh fuck me Richmond, how does something like that even happen?!

[intedomine]

Originally Posted by Axver

:




(Of course, it's a shame nobody in the 1980s had the good sense to create a proper national competition above the state leagues, using state teams as feeders to ensure support, rather than letting the VFL grow into the AFL...)

It is a great shame. You could almost have had a sort of Champions League operating at the end/second half of each season. Interstate trips would have been much more momentous occasions (for fans as well). Promotion/Relegation may have also existed and teams may have been far more likely to play out of their own home ground, rather than just playing at the same stale concrete donuts.

Wasted opportunity to create something quite special. The composition of the AFL just looks like patchwork.

[The Sad Punk]

Originally Posted by Axver

On an unrelated note, BT and Friends need to be banned from ever calling Mumford "Big Mummy" ever again.

This better go into the next thread title. That, or "Wankard".

[cobl04]

BT just added psychologist to his commentary role.

[Axver]

I was saying on Saturday that Freud would have some very interesting things to say about BT.

Originally Posted by The Sad Punk

This better go into the next thread title. That, or "Wankard".

I was going to do a Bruce Macavaney parody, but that's a much better idea.