Opinion What unpopular AFL opinions do you have ?

[Dubai Quacker]

We don’t have the best list in the AFL.

The Bravedogs do.

They’re largely injury-free & several players in their VFL side would get a game in our senior side (Rylee Sanders, Garcia and probably Alex Keath

42

Alex Keath

Age

32

Ht

198cm

Wt

93kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.9

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.5

3star

MG

206.7

3star

D

11.0

3star

K

7.3

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.6

1star

MG

193.4

3star

D

11.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

165.0

3star

too).

Bont/Libba/Richards/Treloar/Engligh feeding Jamara/Naugton/Darcy/Weightman can be lethal.

Once the media & umps get on board 2016-style, they’re the team I want to avoid come finals.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

We don’t have the best list in the AFL.

The Bravedogs do.

They’re largely injury-free & several players in their VFL side would get a game in our senior side (Rylee Sanders, Garcia and probably Alex Keath too).

Bont/Libba/Richards/Treloar/Engligh feeding Jamara/Naugton/Darcy/Weightman can be lethal.

Once the media & umps get on board 2016-style, they’re the team I want to avoid come finals.

Would be great if they somehow drew the Hawks in week 1

 

[Stottzy]

I actually like Port doing "never tear us apart" before the game. Appreciate what it does for the atmosphere and laugh when people call this cringy, yet defend vigoursly the role of cheer squads, team banners and terrible music hall, old marching band tune theme songs. The Suns should do something similar!

 

[the hypnotoad]

I actually like Port doing "never tear us apart" before the game. Appreciate what it does for the atmosphere and laugh when people call this cringy, yet defend vigoursly the role of cheer squads, team banners and terrible music hall, old marching band tunes theme songs. The Suns should do something similar!

and then there's the irony, when a team proceeds to tear them apart

 

[Dubai Quacker]

and then there's the irony, when a team proceeds to tear them apart

Even more irony when they proceed to tear each other apart.

 

[Jewelsbon]

and then there's the irony, when a team proceeds to tear them apart

Yes it is ironic, results like last night and the sack Hinkley thread, but I'm with Stottzy, I think it's great. Up there with the viking clap.

 

[the hypnotoad]

Even more irony when they proceed to tear each other apart.

it's good port are still in the finals ... fans utterly conflicted ... keeps things interesting

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Hilarious reading some of the pre-season predictions on the first few pages now.

 

[Day_night_honourer]

Would be great if they somehow drew the Hawks in week 1

Yes.
Yes, FastJack...it would indeed be.

 

[The King!]

That for all the crap about bandwagons, Hawks supporters are the most fair weather in the league . Only up and about when winning, just been lucky they have success quite often.

As soon as it turns they go missing, hence they sell games to Tassie

 

[GoTheSwannies]

That for all the crap about bandwagons, Hawks supporters are the most fair weather in the league . Only up and about when winning, just been lucky they have success quite often.

As soon as it turns they go missing, hence they sell games to Tassie

I was surprised at how quickly they jumped off after the 3peat

 

[ashep]

Selwood was a very, very good player, and club great, but never in the class of Danger, Dusty, Fyfe, Mitchell or Pendlebury.

Half a tier above the likes of Cotchin, but half a tier below those above.

 

[The King!]

Selwood was a very, very good player, and club great, but never in the class of Danger, Dusty, Fyfe, Mitchell or Pendlebury.

Half a tier above the likes of Cotchin, but half a tier below those above.

Yeah might be right, I think the thing with Selwood , whatever level he was on, he just started basically at that level and stayed great forever essentially.

I always felt he was such a tough nut, but the way he played for frees the longer his career went soured me.

The one name i disagree on is Mitchell, (presume you mean Sam ) Like Selwood is better than him imo.

But even at the Cats I would have Ablett certainly ahead by a mile of the entire list and Bartel at his peak.

 

[ashep]

Yeah might be right, I think the thing with Selwood , whatever level he was on, he just started basically at that level and stayed great forever essentially.

I always felt he was such a tough nut, but the way he played for frees the longer his career went soured me.

The one name i disagree on is Mitchell, (presume you mean Sam ) Like Selwood is better than him imo.

But even at the Cats I would have Ablett certainly ahead by a mile of the entire list and Bartel at his peak.

Admittedly I love Sam Mitchell and probably overrate him a touch.

And yeah, didn't even list GAJ as Selwood isn't in the same class. Forgot about Jimmy but also agree.

What you said is right though, he turned up and was very good every single week which has its own value.

 

[The King!]

Admittedly I love Sam Mitchell and probably overrate him a touch.

And yeah, didn't even list GAJ as Selwood isn't in the same class. Forgot about Jimmy but also agree.

What you said is right though, he turned up and was very good every single week which has its own value.

If Selwood played for my team i'd love him to death I reckon

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

If Selwood played for my team i'd love him to death I reckon

I could live with most attributes of opposition players that make me crazy, but I hate it when Swans players duck. I don’t think I could have coped with Selwood.

 

[bloodsbigot]

I don't think Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

deserves to play in this years Grand Final. Nor should he play even if manages to recover from the hamstring. Don't care if he is the captain or not. I'd much prefer seeing a deserving player like Rampe lift the cup.

He stuffed up way too many times for my liking. His form suggests to me Fox or Adams should play instead. He also played injured in the 2016 Grand Final. Remember he twigged his hammy in the qualifying final?

In fact, I think Fox deserves his spot waaaay more. And it'd be the right move considering Fox seems to stand up in big games.

 

[wills2g]

I fear that next year we will tumble down the ladder (obv from 1st place) but we'll be in the 6th-12th range

Our kick starter/honey moon phase of recruiting grundy, jordon, adams will be over

Other teams will get better through recruiting

Not sure if we will have such a clean run of injury (for the most part and compared to everyone else)

We need to cash in this year

 

[Bloods86]

I fear that next year we will tumble down the ladder (obv from 1st place) but we'll be in the 6th-12th range

Our kick starter/honey moon phase of recruiting grundy, jordon, adams will be over

Other teams will get better through recruiting

Not sure if we will have such a clean run of injury (for the most part and compared to everyone else)

We need to cash in this year

We started the year with 3 mids who we all thought were Best 22 all out. Wouldn't say we have been lucky with injury lately.

Mills will be like a new player. Heeney may be even better after his first midfield year.

Many key players will be getting closer to their prime years.

The following will still be < 25.

Blakey (just 25)
Jmac 24
Rowy 24
JJ 24
Chad 23
Campbell 23
Gulden 22
Roberts 21
Sheldrick 21
Cleary 20

We probably do need another solid KPD backup ready for seniors, while Snell and Edwards continue to develop. But one of them might surprise. And we need to keep trying for understudies of Cunningham/Fox.

That said, anything other than a flag this year is a fail for me. Given what we showed we are capable of.

 

[the hypnotoad]

We started the year with 3 mids who we all thought were Best 22 all out. Wouldn't say we have been lucky with injury lately.

Mills will be like a new player. Heeney may be even better after his first midfield year.

Many key players will be getting closer to their prime years.

The following will still be < 25.

Blakey (just 25)
Jmac 24
Rowy 24
JJ 24
Chad 23
Campbell 23
Gulden 22
Roberts 21
Sheldrick 21
Cleary 20

We probably do need another solid KPD backup ready for seniors, while Snell and Edwards continue to develop. But one of them might surprise. And we need to keep trying for understudies of Cunningham/Fox.

That said, anything other than a flag this year is a fail for me. Given what we showed we are capable of.

this team is still improving ... we can (and i believe will) win the premiership this year, and that will be the foundation of an extended period as a premiership contender ...
i really do not understand the gloom and misery that permeate this board, particularly now ...

 

[bloodsbigot]

i really do not understand the gloom and misery that permeate this board, particularly now ...

Where were you for the last three Grand Finals?

 

[Bloods86]

this team is still improving ... we can (and i believe will) win the premiership this year, and that will be the foundation of an extended period as a premiership contender ...
i really do not understand the gloom and misery that permeate this board, particularly now ...

I have some reservations about our defensive depth, but I think we can challenge for the next few years.

I won't be happy until we win the thing though.

 

[bloodsbigot]

I don't know where to write this, but seeing as it might be unpopular given people said we lost fair and square in 2022, I'll write this here.

I'm just rewatching the 2022 Grand Final for the first time right now. Just in preparation for any possibility we'll play Geelong again and mentally prepare for any humiliation. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm trying to view the game subjectively and see what weaknesses we had.

Anyway, I didn't remember how close the game was until Geelong kicked into gear in the second half of the first quarter. Up until then the game seemed fairly even to me. Aside from a few Hickey stuff-ups which led to some easy Tom Hawkins

26

Tom Hawkins

Age

36

Ht

197cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

2.1

5star

D

12.7

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

2.2

5star

goals.

If anyone has the stomach for it, watch the free kick paid against Rowbottom at the 7 minute mark. We were streaming forward with all the momentum and the umpire pays holding the ball against Rowbottom. Even though Rowbottom CLEARLY gets his foot to the ball. ANYONE can see the ball connect with his foot. Yet the umpire jumps the gun and pays free kick for Geelong even though a BLIND MAN could see that it wasn't. Geelong then counters and scores a quick goal. All momentum with Geelong.

This seems to be the games turning point. It could have been a two goal game heading into quarter time, but instead it goes out to a 4 goal lead to Geelong. Momentum is so important.

Hickey, a Sam Reid

20

Sam Reid

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.4

3star

who couldn't jump, Clarke, Buddy and Stephens were all liabilities. I'm very thankful we don't have any glaring weaknesses in our side this time around (Except I guess our ineffective tall forwards, but it's not like our forward line was any better in 2022). Only thing I can think of that was stronger then was Paddy McCartin who is superior to Melican.

 

[mcs095]

If anyone has the stomach for it, watch the free kick paid against Rowbottom at the 7 minute mark. We were streaming forward with all the momentum and the umpire pays holding the ball against Rowbottom. Even though Rowbottom CLEARLY gets his foot to the ball. ANYONE can see the ball connect with his foot. Yet the umpire jumps the gun and pays free kick for Geelong even though a BLIND MAN could see that it wasn't. Geelong then counters and scores a quick goal. All momentum with Geelong.

Thanks for reminding me of that moment of absolute blind rage I had that day. Most was spent with heads in hands saying 'not again', but from 80m away it was perfectly clear - donkey decision by the umpires. Maybe not a turning point, but certainly crap calls like that don't help anyone.

 

[bloodsbigot]

Maybe not a turning point, but certainly crap calls like that don't help anyone.

I think it had a profound impact on the momentum of the game.

Until that point in the game, I thought the game was way more even than I remembered. Like everyone else I thought it was a complete avalanche from start to finish.

Hickey and Sam Reid were our two glaring weaknesses from what I saw. Sam Reid shouldn't have played. I hope Longmire has learned not to play injured players. Thank god we have depth this year, because from memory we had none in 2022.