AFL 2025
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was only north but was good to have a bit of a blow out
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@mariner4life said in AFL 2025:
It definitely looks like Carlton and Melbourne are set up to win the last war
I think I'd still rather be Carlton than Melbourne. Here's the (strained) case for optimism as a Blues fan.
We've been in every game against decent teams. Dees have been pumped by GC at home, then by Geelong. Next five games are West Coast, North, Geelong, Adelaide, St Kilda.
Fingers crossed but we're maybe 4-5 or 3-6 and at least set up for a run at the eight. There's no volatile Petracca/Oliver types in the camp (though about a dozen who are mentally fragile).
Things are obviously bleak but I'm not putting the pen through them yet as far as finals are concerned. They sure ain't winning the comp though.
They need to start playing 2025 football but it feels like a long way to go.
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the age profile of your best players is better than Melbourne's as well.
Voss needs to find outside run, far more spread, and their disposal is fucking awful. You can't just pick bull midfielders, smash contests and bomb it forward this year.
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That plan might maybe sometimes work if you have two key forwards at the top of their game (as it did in the first half of last season). At the moment they have one on mental health leave and one still clearly unfit.
Ultimately you'd still rather be Melbourne because they won a flag and that lasts forever. But I said it before the season and I will say it again, that team has got blow up written all over it.
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Only our 4th win in our last 20 outings in Adelaide. Hopefully sets us up for another big game there this weekend.
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Gather Round
As per anything done in the AFL sphere, absolutely hated by fans in Victoria and WA, mainly because:
All Victorian fans hate anything that doesn't have them as the centrepiece, because for most of these salty fluffybunnies its still the VFL + add ons.
For fans from WA, this is just another example that the AFL hates them.Everyone else thinks its great, and Adelaide will be heaving for the one and only time this year.
Some good games too
Crows v Cats to open should be really good.
Swans v Collingwood will be tight as hell.
Saints v GWS will tell as an awful lot about both teams
The same for the Doggies and the LionsAnd then there are Carlton absolutely desperate for a win, any win, taking on West Coast.
Melbourne are in the same boat, but unlike the Blues, they have to play an actual AFL team.And then there is Port v Hawthorn, where the AFL have done all the marketing based around an interaction the thought so heinous they fined Ken $20k last year.
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Absolutely cracking game last night. Adelaide were on fire and led by 5 goals at one point, and it looked for all money like they were about to run away with it. Geelong somehow wrested back momentum at the end of the 2nd to kick a couple, and then just took over the 2nd half. Geelong's pressure went through the roof, the Crows made error after error, and Dangerfield was an absolute menace in the forward line. Both teams kicked 100, bloody good game of footy.
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@antipodean said in AFL 2025:
@Kiwiwomble said in AFL 2025:
@ACT-Crusader said in AFL 2025:
The AFL season is far more interesting when one of the big supporter clubs is under pressure like Carlton are now. All the experts dissect and over analyse. Commentators and journos try to out hot take each other. The drama is hilarious, but opposition fans who love to hate said big club, just eat it up and the machine feeds itself (hence why there are so many AFL shows on the TV it’s not even funny).
dont feel it for Carlton as theyve always been pretty average for my time watching....have enjoyed see richmond being shit after wining 3 of 4 grand finals not long ago
Richmond are actually in a good place IMO even if it doesnt look like it
The supporters are content and happy and for once very patient which feels a bit weird , allowing the club to rebuild from the bottom up
8 good first round picks last year was an amazing haul .
and if they play their cards right developing the kids, they should get first pick this year without looking like its tanking
, and they also get norths first pick this year ,They are basically loading up on picks now before the tassie team come in and get the cream of the crop , I think they are playing it really smart
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@mariner4life apart from the result...normal service resuming
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How good is that St Kilda strip?
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Qld footy is where it's at.
Gather round looked a success on and off the field?
We already spoke about what a banger Thursday night was. Friday was close for a while but in the end Collingwood were far to good for the Swans.
Gold Coast continue to carve up, smashing North. They've had a soft fixture list, but suddenly Q-Clash looks enticing.
Carlton beat the West Coast, who are outstandingly bad.
Brisbane have decided this year we won't start trying until the 2nd half. And that is enough to get it done. To be down by 40 at the half and win by 20? ooooh that's eetswa
Melbourne suck
Richmond suck
GWS very much do not suck, and look the best team in the comp at the moment. St Kilda to their credit never let them get away.
And then the boil over to finish! Port beat Hawthorn in a very niggly game. -
if you didn't watch the annual Easter Monday Geelong v Hawks game you missed the game of the season. 82,000 very loud fans and a fast open game. Geelong held on by a goal.
Weekend started off with Brisbane being shown just how shit our form has been by Collingwood. They towelled our vaunted midfield up. Daicos is an absolute jet, won the ball and sped out of contests doing pretty much what ever he liked. Impressive from Collingwood. Talented but also well coached. If i could be curmudgeonly for a second, peaking in April doesn't win you flags...
Carlton absolutely flog North and serious questions have to e asked why there is just zero improvement at that joint, they are awful
West Coast almost won a game because Essendon are pretty average, but then remembered they are shit and lost.
Melbourne got a win and provided more evidence Freo are going nowhere this season.
Looking at the scoreboard, the Crows v GWS game was called off at halftime.
Richmond got a win! GC back to earth with a bump.
Port beat Sydney.
Result i didn't see coming was the Bulldogs flogging the Saints. Bontempelli is really good at football -
@barbarian said in AFL 2025:
Here are my categorisations of the teams from what I've seen.
Classy premiership contenders: Hawthorn, GWS, Brisbane
Could be there if they get it together: Collingwood, Sydney, Geelong
At their best, top 8: Adelaide, Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Port Adelaide
Could make the 8, could blow up completely: Carlton, Melbourne
On their day they can beat anyone but won't make the 8: North, St Kilda, Essendon, Fremantle, Richmond
Not great but better: West CoastUpdated:
Premiership contenders: Hawthorn, GWS, Brisbane, Geelong, Collingwood
At their best, top 8: Adelaide, Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Port Adelaide, Sydney
Could make the 8, could blow up completely: Carlton, Melbourne
On their day they can beat anyone but won't make the 8: St Kilda, Essendon, Fremantle
Volatile compounds, but won't threaten: Richmond, North
Still pretty shit: West Coast -
Week 7 and i reckon @barbarian needs to rejig his rankings again!
Melbourne beat Richmond, in an undeserved primetime free to air game. No one cared
Collingwood pump Essendon in a result no one was surprised by. The Pies are flying.
Freo beats Adelaide, a result which left both sets of fans scratching their heads trying to work out just who their teams are.
The Lions flogged the Saints, the margin only close because the Lions kicked 16 behinds (Charlie cameron is in an enormous slump) and the Saints bagging a few late junk time goals. The Saints highlight was Ross's bitchy press conferance, it's hilarious watching him make journos look stupid.
Port had to work to beat North
The first real surprise of the weekend was GWS losing to the Bulldogs by a pretty comfy margin. It's starting to go right for the doggies as they get talent back on the park. Bevo probably safe again. Are GWS really good or not?
Sydney were beating the Suns by almost 5 goals, and looked to be back on track. They then lost by 6. You can write the Swannies off for the year now, too many injuries. The Suns are still flying heading in to the most anticipated Q-Clash probably ever.
Start booking GF tickets Carlton fans, you're back! What exactly are Geelong? Some weeks they look awesome, and then some weeks they absolutely do not.
Hawthorn went to Perth for their training run. -
Yeah I think the rejig would be to swap Sydney and Carlton maybe?
I go back to what I said a few weeks ago, the Blues were never that bad. Just needed a few things to click and it would start rolling for them. They aren't contenders yet but the top 8 is now back on the table.
I wouldn't read too much into Geelong, playing a well rested team while they were on a short turnaround. Played poorly but still hung in well. It's a bit like GWS, I still think they are classy.
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yeah you're not wrong on any point. The table is very congested so it only takes a couple of results to shoot up or down the ladder.
As an aside i was going to stay in Brisbane an extra night and go the 'gabba, but the cheapest remaining tickets are $150! fuck that. hurry up and build our big flash new stadium
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fuck me what has happened to the swannies....great example m of whats cool about AFL, down by 30 just before the half and win by 38?....but bloody hell
