AFL 2024
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...big day for the swannies
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the only team shopping harder than the Swans are Essendon
And if you need any more evidence that the entire comp is slanted towards Melbourne, it's the fact that Essendon, a team that hasn't won a final this century, is still a trade destination of choice.
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And lo, the new AFL season is upon us. And no, we do not start with the traditional Tigers v Blues Thursday clash, this year, some genius came up with not starting with Round 1, but "Opening Round". Amazing. I believe the thinking was taking advantage of Sydney and Brisbane with the Broncos and i guess Roosters not playing this week (or maybe Souths). Anyway, it's fucking stupid.
Swannies v Melbourne will kick off the season, which is actually a good game. Carlton at Brisbane should be good. Richmond going to see Damien Hardwick on the GC, and two top 4 teams in GWS hosting Collingwood. It's actually a good round, but why just a fucking half round?
Anyway, how will the season go?
The Premiers look good again. No real losses, proven game plan, lots and lots of MCG games.
Brisbane will be looking to avoid the dreaded GF losing hangover. They didn't get smacked, so hopefully that is a reason for positivity. I think both are locks for the top 4GWS look the next most likely mover. They finished last year really well, and look to have an actual coach now. Big question is how long will Toby Greene get suspended for this year?
Melbourne finished top 4 last year, but have had a less than ideal off-season, and there are cultural questions abound.
Are Carlton really arriving? Made a prelim last year, in some media's eyes they should be premiership favourites. Have elite talent, but start the year with injury concerns. Knocking off Brisbane in Brisbane would be a statement.So who drops out of the 8 and who comes in? To me Melbourne and St Kilda are the most at risk. But then i don't see who comes in for them? The Suns, even if it all goes right, are still a year away. Maybe the Crows? Surely the Bulldogs can't be that bad again?
All important ladder prediction:
Collingwood
Brisbane
GWS
Carlton
Sydney
Port
Adelaide
Melbourne
St Kilda
Bulldogs
Gold Coast
Essendon
Geelong
Richmond
Freo
North
Hawthorn
West CoastBrisbane wins a game on the 'G to hoist a flag fina-fucking-lly (seriously this group has to win one surely?)
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I'm high on Melbourne and low on Carlton. Melbourne for the 'nobody believes in us' thing, which really could go one of two ways. But I'm betting the fire is burning and it will pay off for them.
Carlton have injuries, and I just don't think they will be able to catch lightning in a bottle like they did last year.
I think the top 8 stays relatively static, but I've got Adelaide coming in at the expense of St Kilda.
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Sydney win after a good 4th quarter (after 3 very dour ones). Repeatedly won the ball in midfield despite the names they were up against.
I think Melbourne's forwards will struggle to kick big enough scores this year to get them too high up the ladder.
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yeah, we looks quite rusty, other than that final quarter we seemed to really struggle for contested marks, lots of kicks (from both sides) going straight to D's players in uncontested positions....hopefully...winning ugly is the first step to winning pretty
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I hate footy
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it's taken a lot of time and a lot of money, but the expansion clubs are finally top of the ladder.
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damn....1 from 4....not a good start!
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Great win from Carlton, nobody saw it coming. Not least when they were down 46 points. So important for their self belief going forward.
A lot of focus on McKay but I thought Acres was excellent and they looked a lot more polished coming off half back, with Williams and Saad starting movement much better than previous years.
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unfortunately Carlton avoided the almighty lol as they just got over Richmond. Big crowd of the league's biggest nuffies in attendance. Mouth breathing everywhere.
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@mariner4life i had tipped carlton so was happy they got up....i dont feel it was that long ago (2 seasons?) Richmond would have put 60 points on the blues
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i hate footy
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@mariner4life I can understand your comment. Paying $1.48 for the away win I think your guys were up something like 28 - 02 and then leaked about 40 points (against Freo of all teams) before they scored again, I blew my dosh on them as well.
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i know it's only Rd2 (1, whatever)
and i know we made the GF last yearBut this shit has been going on for as long as Fages has been coach. We're weak as piss, and we have no way to stop teams once they get a sniff. Bruise free, soft option footy on defence, and then panicked kicks forward when we do get it. Throw in our usual shit goal kicking, and boom, lose to fucking Freo.
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pretty much every other game went to script.
I think you can pen the two Sydney teams and carlton in to finals. I assume Collingwood will come back after a tough start.
West Coast, the Bulldogs, and North locks for the bottom 3. -
or not? Collingwood go 0-3 to start after falling to St Kilda of all teams.
And suddenly we have a Grand Final rematch in a week where the Lions are trying to avoid falling to 0-3 themselves (including two losses at home which would almost make top 4 impossible) and Collingwood are trying to avoid 0-4 and a full-blown crisis.
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damn, i was sure the pies would finally get one...they in trouble
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@mariner4life said in AFL 2024:
or not? Collingwood go 0-3 to start after falling to St Kilda of all teams.
Hey hey, we almost snagged a win in the hardest venue to win a game last week.
We had way too much run for Collingwood down the stretch. I was feeling pretty confident going in even if our record against the Pies sucks.
