Oppo Camp General AFL discussion

[Clay Davis]

After these two threads, perhaps it's worth having a thread for discussing what people are thinking about the rest of the league. More general discussion than one-off interesting games, though some games might still be worthy of standalone threads.

So, here are some thoughts:

1. I thought it after round 1, but put it down to early season form: Geelong are finally looking old. Chapman, Enright, Corey are all seem to lack touch and a bit of pace. The absence of Ling let two seagulls in Harvey and Wells run riot today, and an ordinary ruck division takes some gloss off their midfield. I still expect them to make finals but it looks very hard for them to make top four. Funnily enough, they now have two fantastic key forwards, maybe the best combo in the league.

2. Of the undefeated teams, Carlton is the most impressive. Still, there is something iffy about their gamestyle. On the MCG, I can see a side like West Coast destroying them. West Coast seem the side that has the right mix of players to go all the way, but I still feel that a bunch of them are just waiting to be exposed as muppets. They haven't faced anyone decent yet, but proved themselves as top four last year, so on face value you have to say their form is imposing.

3. The pendulum is swinging away from Victoria. West Coast are leading the charge, but all of Sydney, Adelaide, Port, and Freo are playing more spirited, structured footy, while the Vic titans of the past five years are beginning to lose some of their invincibility.

3. Gold Coast won't be an easy game for us up at Carrara.

 

[Sman-21]

Carlton are looking very good an will continue to look good up until finals.

That game plan an forward line will struggle come finals time.
Reminds me of Bulldogs, very good all season but come finals time the pressure is too high an small forwards just dont get the perfect delivery they require.

Geelong will come good at business time, just like they lifted to beat hawks.
There just going through the motions right now an getting games into some young players.

Some say an easy start like egirls have isnt a good thing.
I think it would be great.
Wins like there having are great for morale an self belief.
Confidence is a powerful tool in modern footy as alot of the game is played in their heads.

I think Kangas smashing of GWS is what helped them beat Geelong.
They were happy an full of confidence after smashing a team an then went out with a positive attitude thinking they can take it up to Geelong.
Geelong were mentally drained an didnt aproach game with right atttitude(expecting to turn up an win).


Gold Coast will be an easy game for us, IF we aproach the game with the right attitude.
Doing all the hard things an hoping to have a big win.
Instead of the usual turn up expect to win, struggle to win the hard ball, then just do enough to win.

 

[tacopavlich]

Eagles have good talls but their midfield is not much to right home about. Carltons mids are much stronger, that's why they nearly beat them at home even with the injuries they had. Lecca and Nicoski injuries are going to hurt them when they play descent opposition.

Carlton have realy surprised me, their speed and ball movement is realy good. Only criticism I had with them last year is that it never realy translated against the top teams, but it looks like this is no longer the case. Very worried when they play here

Don't think Collingwood and Geelong are going to be much threat come finals, Might be a Hawthorn vs Carlton GF.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

Posted in the main-board thread about essendon being the worst 3-0 team in history, basically said that 3/4 of the teams who are on 3-0 have played either the GC or GWS and Carlton are the only team of the 3 who haven't played a team who hasn't won a game

Carlton are looking good
Hawthorn likewise
Geelong are a bit hot and cold at the moment - North played expectational though (stuffed up my tips though lol)
West Coast are yet to face any credible oppostion (and seem to have picked up our injury curse from 2011)
Bulldogs look a mess
Collingwood ditto, but could turn things around - they have the cattle
Melbourne are ****ed
GC and GWS showing at least some from of competitiveness - I think having two teams expecting to fail, rather than one helps give them an edge of some sort
Sydney are good, but how good? I dunno yet - wait a few more rounds
Saints are looking like they are getting going now as well
Brisbane looked like they could cause teams some problems when we played them (worked out Sandi very well when we were using him as a kick-in target - worried other teams might pick up on it)

Haven't seen too much of the other teams

 

[Nickos66]

Geelong is still holding up but it's becoming more and more evident that they're no longer the invincible team of 2-3 years ago. Collingwood will also slide due to injuries, Bucks changing of the guard and collingwood/Eddie's inability to escape the media spotlight which despite what people might think - does take it's toll. I put it down to why Melbourne have never regained their momentum in recent years when teams cleaning out at the same time as them have ventured back up the ladder somewhat.

I haven't really looked all that closely into the other teams yet, all but to say - next weekend's top of the table clash should be very interesting. Clay already covered the points of value on these teams.

Definitely agree on the changing of the guard of power in states. It really is a drafting/rebuilding thing in most cases. Teams don't travel up the ladder for prolonged stint from trading in mercenaries, this is where we always failed. Drafting if what takes teams to the top, so once the drafted players of the last 5-6 years mature, those non-vic teams that were down the bottom again push out the vic sides, and it's just about that time again, i'm sensing.

 

[Schauermann]

Like I said somewhere else, looks like the season is very open, even in the upper part of the 8.

 

[Chimera]

Geelongs not going anywhere.

West Coast is a well drilled force with some emerging mids, Shuey, Selwood, dare I say it Masten.

Hawthorn are a fullback away from a flag.

Carlton are a force, will go deep in September.

Pies are knackered if they keep playing through the corridor.

Horses for courses, Bucks ego is getting in the way.

 

[estibador]

I've noticed now the eagles are good again the umpires have resumed their love affair with them over the last few weeks.

Back to the good old days of the consistently one sided free kick counts of 2005/06/07.

 

[free at last]

IMO carltank are the team beat for the flag,they've got two (Murphy,Judd ) out of three of the best mids in the AFL.The blues ruck division is looking awesome,forwardline has two lethal small forwards and marking targets in Waite and their resting rucks.Andrew Walker is yet to play too which adds more firepower.Their back six is pretty solid as well.

The hawks will there abouts at the end.Wet toast will be top four you'd think.

The final spot in the top four has opened after this round of Footy IMO.
What clay said about Geelong rings true.Collingwood are getting the rough end of the pineapple in regards to injuries,so that's going to impact them greatly at finishing in the top four.

A few of the games I selected us to win easily now are becoming that much trickier...Still , I'm confident we'll play finals Footy this year.

I reckon ablett can win the brownlon too.Ablett is the best rover I've ever seen play AFL.

 

[PapaJ]

On OP's comment on Geelong, I think you're on the right track, but Nth's win was more about who both teams played last week as much as anything - crusey win vs a rsv team for Nth while Geelong played a virtual final.

Geelong will slip, but not much. If they don't make the top 4 it won't be by much and they'll win games when the big stuff is on the line.

 

[estibador]

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

haha seconded

was getting so ****ed off the amount of times Selwood(s) and co. ducked and played for soft frees

Clarko has a point, but I don't think he made it very well

 

[Outshined]

Geelong might finally after all of these years, be starting to slide. They looked laboured against Richmond today. I still refuse to write them off though.

Carlton and North have been brought back down to earth, which might be to our detriment on Friday. Sydney continue to fly under the radar as always.

Melbourne aren't just ****ed, they are well and truly ****ed.

As much as most on here hate to admit it, West Coast are a very good team, but such is the nature of the competition that you couldn't call them (or anyone for that matter) outright flag favourites.

 

[Quinz]

Sammy could learn a thing or two from Scooter about how to lay a proper tackle!

 

[estibador]

He wasn't laying a tackle, he thought he had the ball and was just assuming the normal position.

 

[PapaJ]

Sydney continue to fly under the radar as always.

Everybody is saying that, I think that technically means that not under the radar any more. I think the real term people are looking for is that they're winning but we don't really know if they're the read deal because, besides the game against us which they were lucky to win in the end, they've not really come up against a real 'testing' situation. They also have a very good draw which will help them get into the final and may well make them look better than they are.

 

[chinggis77]

The comparison of the Schwab era at Melbourne to the old Freo are disturbing.

Here's another comparison - have a look at all the ex Demons, that have been traded away or delisted who are doing well at other clubs:

Maric (Richmond)
Warnock (Gold Coast)
Miller (Richmond)
Cheney (Hawks)
Scully (GWS)
Mcdonald (GWS)

Does this sound familiar to the Freo of yesteryear?

 

[Righteo]

From watching the Carlton game their skills were horrendous when put under any sort of pressure, any area I think we've been very strong in this year, I'd be tremendously disappointed if we lose on Friday, especially with their best tagger out and Hill coming into some form. If we shut down Betts and Garlett we should win comfortably, Hampson and Waite aren't big goal kickers and should be covered quite easily.

I for one am also stoked to see Melbourne struggling so much, they are truly dreadful and their sordid tanking has been in vain. I cannot wait to face them later in the year and finally give them the thrashing we owe them.

 

[Seadog]

I've noticed now the eagles are good again the umpires have resumed their love affair with them over the last few weeks.

Back to the good old days of the consistently one sided free kick counts of 2005/06/07.

Thats because we have the fairest players in the land

 

[Lach72]

I've noticed now the eagles are good again the umpires have resumed their love affair with them over the last few weeks.

Back to the good old days of the consistently one sided free kick counts of 2005/06/07.

I was on a plane home so missed their game.

I saw one bit of highlights on the news.
There's a ruck contest in the Eagles forward line between Nic and Roughhead. Roughy has the front possie and Nic is all over him like a rash including the right arm right over Roughy' shoulder and around his neck. Roughy should've had 3 kicks there were that many offences going on.

Play on calls the umpire, the ball spills and Kerr snaps a goal. In a game with only five goals, it's a bit significant, yes?

 

[Taylor]

I might be a bit one eyed with this, but I'd like to see one of our guys chase down Adam Selwood/Ashton Hams/Scott Selwood and right at the point when they expect contact, our player pulls up and they flop onto the floor.

Hopefully it will embarrass them into stopping it.

 

[surfsup]

Carlton are looking very good an will continue to look good up until finals.

That game plan an forward line will struggle come finals time.
Reminds me of Bulldogs, very good all season but come finals time the pressure is too high an small forwards just dont get the perfect delivery they require.

Geelong will come good at business time, just like they lifted to beat hawks.
There just going through the motions right now an getting games into some young players.

Some say an easy start like egirls have isnt a good thing.
I think it would be great.
Wins like there having are great for morale an self belief.
Confidence is a powerful tool in modern footy as alot of the game is played in their heads.

I think Kangas smashing of GWS is what helped them beat Geelong.
They were happy an full of confidence after smashing a team an then went out with a positive attitude thinking they can take it up to Geelong.
Geelong were mentally drained an didnt aproach game with right atttitude(expecting to turn up an win).


Gold Coast will be an easy game for us, IF we aproach the game with the right attitude.
Doing all the hard things an hoping to have a big win.
Instead of the usual turn up expect to win, struggle to win the hard ball, then just do enough to win.

Look out it's the Grammar Police!

AN

The form of a used before words beginning with a vowel or with an unpronounced h: an elephant; an hour.





AND

1. Together with or along with; in addition to; as well as. Used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that have the same grammatical function in a construction.
2. Added to; plus: Two and two makes four.
3. Used to indicate result: Give the boy a chance, and he might surprise you.
4. Informal To. Used between finite verbs, such as go, come, try, write, or see: try and find it; come and see. See Usage Note at try.
5. Archaic If: and it pleases you.

Idioms: and so forth/on 1. And other unspecified things of the same class: bought groceries, went to the bank, picked up the dry cleaning, and so forth.
2. Further in the same manner.

and then some Informal With considerably more in addition: This project will take all our skill and then some.



Sorry Sman, just thought I would mention it.

 

[silent butcher]

hey guys
Just wondering who u think is the better player out of m. Johnson or Duffield.

Cheers

 

[jmadrox]

hey guys
Just wondering who u think is the better player out of m. Johnson or Duffield.

Cheers

if your thinking of getting Jonno for Dream Team / Super Coach, dont, he had an accident at home on the wekend. Strain in his pointing finger. Will impact his effectivness over the next few weeks. go Duffiled for sure.

 

[silent butcher]

if your thinking of getting Jonno for Dream Team / Super Coach, dont, he had an accident at home on the wekend. Strain in his pointing finger. Will impact his effectivness over the next few weeks. go Duffiled for sure.

cheers must appreciated was leaning towards duffield