AFL 2008

[Aerlik]

Freo got thumped by Richmond.  One of the worst TV performances I have seen by them in years.  Comparable to the very forgettable years of 2001 and 2002.  Thank God I didn't pay to see that shite.  A few of the big names will have to take a long hard look at their games.  Pure shite.  And to make matters worse, Adelaide next week away and Geelong the week after.  Ah well, I'm still going to the game to see a good team play.  Jimmy Bartell, what a player.  Deserved Brownlow medalist.

[stephenite]

Good win for Carlton - couldn't believer the stupidity of Barry Hall, no need for it and with Geelong up next week he'll be missed. He's getting surgery on the wrist today so will be out for 6-8 weeks apparently regardless of whatever ban the authourities hand down. Good win for Carlton also

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

Brendan Murphy I heard is playing very well at the moment, in our reserves competition in Canberra.
If he keeps going like he is, he could very well make his debut this year.

[Aerlik]

For a change, a pathetic Freo effort is NOT the backpage headline of the West Australian (crap excuse of a newspaper at the best of times anyway).  It is screaming out for Hall to be suspended for the rest of the year.

Needless to say the Melbourne press are ramping up the pressure too, but they seem to forget Alan Didak's smack of someone last year, v. Carlton?  I can't remember.

TK, Stephenite, what do you make of the season so far?  I'm looking forward to the Hawthorn v. Geelong game, although I can't see anything other than a Geelong victory.  This season seems to have the makings of the least predictable in many years with so many teams being much improved.

[Aerlik]

Hall got 7 weeks.

Still not enough according to the W.A. press.  Jeff Farmer got six weeks for eye gouging and Hall gets one more for smacking someone.  Hmm, strange.

[zoyler]

The Media see to have gotten total hysteria in realation to BigBad Barry who has been well behaved for a long time now.  It seems that taking the Paddys out is OK but hitting one of their own when he is not looking is bad form!!

Don't know if he was proveked by word or deed but presume the suspension will more or less balance out with the recovery from a broken wrist!!

[Aerlik]

Zoyler, I totally agree with that comment.  W.A is one of the strongest AFL regions in the country (second to Melbourne, I believe) and there has been nothing but condemnation all around from every quarter about Hall's actions.  Feckit we even had cameras and reporters waiting outside the hospital to find out if Staker was OK and if the brain scans were all clear and we had one doctor on claiming he could have been killed.  Then last night as we were all sitting down I raised the issue of the Chris Johnson's tackle on the Irish player.  Ah sure feckit that was the International Rules and if the player couldn't take it then he shouldn't have been playing the game etc, etc.  I sat there and let them rant and rave then retorted with one word: "crap".  Silence ensued.

I think the funniest place to be will be in the Leadership Team meeting today at the Swans ground when Hall will be put on a pedestal and his colleagues condemn him...reminds me of Post-1966 China or Cambodia during Pol Pot's regime.  Yeah, right...what are you going to say to Hall, that he won't remember and then pummel the shite out of you at training? 

[HeaveHo]

It's going to be a long depressing season Aerlink especially having to endure the WCE media.

Little mention of Staker's girlfiriend in the press - Candice Falzon. Clearly not the smartest tool in the shed especially after Barry rattled the box. The good folks in Ireland might want to google Candice for some humour - especially the part about Sonny Bill Williams.

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

The Media see to have gotten total hysteria in realation to BigBad Barry who has been well behaved for a long time now.  It seems that taking the Paddys out is OK but hitting one of their own when he is not looking is bad form!!

Don't know if he was proveked by word or deed but presume the suspension will more or less balance out with the recovery from a broken wrist!!

The Western Australian and Victorian media are pretty pathetic, and certainly one tracked minded for one way or the other.

I have blown a fuse, listening to the garbage what has been said over the radio.

They will not let it go. Any other player, it wouldn't even be this big.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vr81dc4o5yI

Now to be truthful, I consider this to be a worse action than what Barry Hall ever did.

Brodie Hollland, could have paralyzed Brett Montgomery. The hysteria in that case, wasn't that bad compared to the Barry Hall's case.

[stephenite]

Complete over reaction by the media intent on putting as much pressure as possible on the tribunal, hopefully they'll let this go now

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

Round 5

Friday, Apr 18
St. Kilda vs. Essendon Telstra Dome 7:40 pm

Saturday, Apr 19
Geelong vs. Sydney Skilled Stadium 2:10 pm
Adelaide vs. Fremantle AAMI Stadium 2:40 pm
Brisbane Lions vs. Hawthorn Gabba 7:10 pm
Collingwood vs. Kangaroos MCG 7:10 pm

Sunday, Apr 20
Melbourne vs. Carlton MCG 1:10 pm
Western Bulldogs vs. Richmond Telstra Dome 2:10 pm
West Coast vs. Port Adelaide Subiaco 2:40 pm

Tough round to pick this week in the AFL.

My tips for Round 5.
St.Kilda should get over the line over an injury depleted Essendon line up. Scott Lucas being out for Essendon is hurting them, he's a star.
Geelong should account for Sydney at home in Skilled Stadium, but I am hoping that I am dead wrong with this tip. Don't be surprised if an upset occurs.
Adelaide in another game where I will be giving it to the home team. Could go either way this one.
Brisbane Lions in one of the toughest games of the round to pick. The Lions have the arsenal up forward to burst Hawthorn's bubble
North Melbourne in a must win game over Collingwood in another tough game this week.
Carlton should keep their winning ways against bottom of the ladder team Melbourne.
Western Bulldogs should keep their undefeated streak against an improving Richmond side.
West Coast Eagles should get over the line over a disappointing Port Adelaide. The loser of the game, will not make the finals.

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

St Kilda 5.3 12.9 14.12 18.15 (123)

Essendon 3.0 6.1 12.1 14.3 (87)

GOALS
St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Koschitzke 2, Armitage 2, Ball 2, Milne 2, C. Gardiner 2, King, Clarke, Montagna, Dempster, Hayes
Essendon: Houli 2, Lovett 2, McPhee 2, Pears, Stanton, Ramanauskas, Welsh, Nash, Laycock, Ryder, Stanton

BEST
St Kilda: Hudghton, Hayes, S. Fisher, Dempster, Riewoldt, Armitage
Essendon: Houli, McPhee, Ryder, Ramanauskas, Watson, Hille

INJURIES
St Kilda: King (hamstring), Dal Santo (shoulder)
Essendon: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Nicholls, Jeffery

Official crowd: 46,792 at Telstra Dome

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

Tadhg Kennelly looks like going to be a late withdrawal replaced by Luke Brennan. Damn, I don't think we have much chance of winning this game now. 

[DUBSFORSAM1]

very tough match with the Swans 30 points down at end of 1st qtr coming back to within 3 points early in last qtr before Geelong pulle away in last 10 mins......with Kennelly, Malceski, Everitt and Hall to come in and guys like Bird/Brennan/Jack/Barlow/Moore/McVeigh getting more experience an absolute classic Grand Final between these could be on the cards with Sydney winning...

[Tadhg_Kennelly]

Geelong        6.2 7.8 8.13 16.18 (114)
Sydney          1.2 6.7 7.9 10.12 (72) <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
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GOALS
Geelong: S.Johnson 4, Stokes 4, G.Ablett 3, Bartel 2, Hunt, Mooney, Wojcinski
Sydney: Barlow 2, Moore 2, Ablett, Bevan, J.Bolton, Davis, Jolly, O'Keefe

BEST
Geelong: G.Ablett, Bartel, S.Johnson, Scarlett, Chapman, Stokes
Sydney: Jolly, Goodes, McVeigh, Mattner, Kirk, Moore

INJURIES
Geelong: None
Sydney: Kennelly (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Brennan

Reports: Nil


Umpires: McBurney, Rosebury, Ellis


Official crowd: 24,368 at the Skilled Stadium

In the end, the loss of Barry Hall, Nick Malceski and Tadhg Kennelly was too great to cover, and we ended up going down by 42 points.

Having said that, the margin didn't reflect the nature of the game. Geelong got a few late goals in the end, and the margin should have

been closer sadly.

Jarrad McVeigh continues to be a big improver for the Swans, he was probably our best today. Onya Macca!