AFL 2009

[Aerlik]

Well folks, tis time to start the 2009 AFL thread, and note how it is kept away from the gurus on the GAA section.  Anyways, some things have already gone true to form; Freo lost their pre-season comp game v. Richmond in the last minute...now where have I read/written that before ( ); The Eagles got thumped big time by Collingwood ; and Collingwood managed to create history today by overturning the tribunal for the first time in history.  That club is the effing pits.  Shite supporters, shite bullyboy board members, thugs all over the pitch and still the most hated club in the land.

The Eagles are now know as the Agls, as Ben has taken all the "E's"
WCE, Whizz Coke Ecstacy...

Yes the snobbish criminals have a long season ahead.

[corn02]

What was the Magpie tribunal about Aerlik?

[the green man]

Pies captain Nick maxwell, got a 4 match ban for bumping an opponent. They took it to the new tribunal and won.

[Aerlik]

  So Jim Stynes, what was your take on your first ever AFL game?  And go easy Mini-me reads this thread with me too.  He reckons you're not too bad with the auld Sherrin, but got a bit of training to go before you are up to speed with his da...ahem...cough...

The tribunal fiasco is now sharply in focus as today Daniel Mortlock from Port Adelaide walloped a Swans player and it will be interesting to see if the book is thrown at him.  Also, Freo's Michael Johnson can rightly and justifiably feel pissed off at the decision to change the decision considering he got 4 weeks for a much less serious challenge in a game last year. 

Damnit only one week into to season 2009 and already the pies are causing a storm.  Over to you Barry Hall, Eagles, Cousins...

[Aerlik]

An update on the pre-season (with my as usual Fearonesque unbiased pro Fremantle slant).

Collingwood beat Essendon and Geelong beat Carlton in the semi-finals of the NAB cup.  Carlton might be worth a look this year.  The final is next week and will make interesting viewing.

Fremantle managed to break with tradition and do the impossible this week...they actually came from behind in the last quarter to beat the enemy/snobs/drugcheats.  Of course not without whingeing and gurning from the Eagles management.

I got a text with about five minutes left from a certain board member at the game who was there to fulfil his lifelong ambition of seeing Daniel (Honestly Horse Tranquilizer is a brilliant Cocaine substitute) Kerr in the flesh.  It went along the lines of the Norwegian commentator deriding Thatcher and the English after Norway defeated England in a soccer game many moons ago, only this time, said board member was gloating about the Eagles being 19 points up.  Fast forward 25 minutes and that humble pie he was choking on was ooooooh so sweet.  Ha ha  (in a Bart Simpson-like voice).  Oh I do hope he learns.

[tyrone exile]

When does the season begin?
still on setanta?

[JimStynes]

I have set up a gaaboard league for anyone who is interested in joining the AFL dream team competition this year.

http://dreamteam.afl.com.au/
LEAGUE CODE - 256735

I was at the Eagles and Shockers game at the weekend and as Aerlik has already pointed out got to see one of my favourite players Daniel Kerr in action. I have been down to see the eagles training a few times, these boys are f**king massive.  TV definately doesnt do them justice, Darren Glass is a machine. Anyway the game itself was exciting and close right up until the end. Some heavy tackles going in for a friendly game. Fair play to Freo coming back at the end, big Aaron Sandilands (7foot 1 ruckman) dominated the last quarter to pull Freo back from 20 points down to win by 5. West Coast have a lot of players still to come into the team though so i would expect West Coast to beat the shockers in the regular season.

Great win for Collingwood with Marty Clarke having a good game. Really hope the pies do well this year, even though everyone in Australia hates them. The final next week should be a great game with Geelong and Collingwood bringing out their big guns for the match. Cant wait for the start of the 2009 season.

[Aerlik]

West Coast have a lot of players still to come into the team though so i would expect West Coast to beat the shockers in the regular season.

Bwaaaaaahahahahahahahaaaaa

[JimStynes]

Geelong 127 - Pies 51

GEELONG has taken a giant step away from the disappointment of September's grand final loss and sent an ominous warning to the rest of the competition, thrashing Collingwood by 76 points to claim the NAB Cup at Docklands on Friday night.

The Cats last won the pre-season premiership in 2006 and looked certain to claim this one from midway through the second quarter.

Scores were locked at the first change but six unanswered goals generated a 40-point lead at the main break and laid the foundations for the 0.18.19 (127) to 1.6.6 (51) victory.

Joel Selwood, who with Gary Ablett wreaked havoc through the midfield, won the Michael Tuck Medal as the best player on the ground.

So dominant were the Cats in what was expected to be a close contest, that the Pies took almost a half of football to kick their third goal of the game. It came at the 13-minute mark of the third quarter.

So imposing were they in almost every match-up around the ground that acting captain Cameron Ling was substituted from the game in the third quarter.


But the news wasn't all good for Geelong, with premiership defender Josh Hunt taken from the ground on a stretcher in the first quarter with what is suspected to be an ACL injury to his left knee.

He hit the ground after an innocuous clash with Collingwood forward Paul Medhurst.

Selwood was stellar, collecting 19 touches to half time to finish with 33 and two goals. Ablett was less visible but no less effective, especially in the last term, and had 35 disposals and three goals.

Paul Chapman (29 possessions, two goals) was also very good while young forwards Tom Hawkins and Ryan Gamble were lively but wasted opportunities.

Harry Taylor clearly won his battle with Travis Cloke and Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright and Darren Milburn were watertight as usual.

The free-kick count heavily favoured the Cats (27-10) but despite the moans of Pies fans, it accurately reflected the winners' desire to be first, strongest and smartest at the contest.

For the Magpies, Shannon Cox stood out with 17 generally good disposals, Scott Pendlebury (14) and Dane Swan (16) worked hard in the midfield, Thomas showed flashes of form forward, while Tarkyn Lockyer was reliable as a backman.

The Cats got off to a great start when Tom Lonergan booted their first after a free kick was awarded right in front, but the Magpies then kicked three of the next four to take back the lead.

One of those was a 50m penalty won by ruckman Chris Bryan for a nine-point conversion, but Selwood was able to reply.

The Cats then turned it on in the second, adding 6.5 to 0.1. Steve Johnson kicked the first before Chapman took a Selwood handball to goal on the run. Varcoe then kicked his first and Selwood nailed another.

Johnson marked unmanned 30m out and converted and then Ablett sent home a super-goal that was disallowed because of an infringement in the square. He booted a regulation goal moments later to make up for it.

The Cats had several more opportunities on the way to their 40-point half-time lead, but didn't capitalise on them.


The third term started in similar fashion, with the Cats booting a couple before the teams traded majors. Fifty-six points clear, the Cats turned for home.

In the last, Ablett kicked an incredible goal from 40m on the boundary only for the Pies to find a double through Thomas and Cloke.

Geelong then booted the last four, including Jimmy Bartel's celebrated say after the final siren.

The focus of both sides will now switch to round one of the season proper, with Geelong to meet Hawthorn in two weeks' time and Collingwood hosting Adelaide.

Geelong     0.3.5   0.9.10   0.13.15   0.18.19 (127)
Collingwood     1.2.2   1.2.3   1.4.5   1.6.6 (51)

GOALS
Geelong: Nine-point goals: Nil  Goals: Ablett 3, S. Johnson 3, Selwood 2, Chapman 2, Lonergan 2, Stokes 2, Gamble, Varcoe, Tenace, Bartel
Collingwood: Nine-point goals: Bryan  Goals: Thomas 2, Clarke, O'Bree, Beams, Cloke

BEST
Geelong: Selwood, Ablett, Chapman, Taylor, S. Johnson, Bartel
Collingwood: Cox, Thomas, Lockyer, Pendlebury

INJURIES
Geelong: Josh Hunt (knee)
Collingwood: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McLaren, Jeffery, Donlon, M. Nicholls

Crowd: 37,277 at Docklands

[Aerlik]

Feck me JS, how good is that battery of yours?  That's one helluva big scoop of Mickey D ice cream.

[Aerlik]

I'm a bit late on getting back with my observations of Round 1 which started last weekend.  Probably due in no small part to the thumping Freo got from the Bulldogs at Subi on Sunday.  Well at least Freo didn't break with tradition and actually win a season opener.

On a happier note the following happened.  The Eagles  threw away a 45 point lead to lose to the Lions; Collingwood managed to lose to a young Adelaide side (which could be an outside bet for a top 8 finish) when winning was easier, Essendon lost to Port Adelaide.  Collingwood left it up to their president to whinge this week thus cementing the rest of the nation's hatred both for him and for the club. Hawthorn minus that boring p***k Shane Crawford lost to Geelong and it looks like the Cats will be hard pushed to lose this year...and it's only round one.

The Ben cousins debacle continued with his debut for the Tigers v. Carlton.  Haha, they got turniped, well and truly and the drug cheat pulled a hammy.  Obviously not having the substances to mask the pain/injury will limit his appearances this year.

The board's very own Jim Stynes made his second-team debut on Saturday with two quarters as bench warmer and two as waterboy.  There's talk his being seen in an Eagles jersey around Perth has got him noticed by the snobs and he has, apparently, been approached to take on the role of club mascot.  Having said that, he and I might make go to the game on Sunday where mini-me and I will be in full-voice for Port Adelaide.  G'wan Tredrea.

[The Gs Man]

The board's very own Jim Stynes made his second-team debut on Saturday with two quarters as bench warmer and two as waterboy.  There's talk his being seen in an Eagles jersey around Perth has got him noticed by the snobs and he has, apparently, been approached to take on the role of club mascot.  Having said that, he and I might make go to the game on Sunday where mini-me and I will be in full-voice for Port Adelaide.  G'wan Tredrea.

He shall be a mascot and his name shall be "Cue-Ball".

[stiffler]

Great video here :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgnM9gNlMgk

[BallyhaiseMan]

I'm a bit late on getting back with my observations of Round 1 which started last weekend.  Probably due in no small part to the thumping Freo got from the Bulldogs at Subi on Sunday.  Well at least Freo didn't break with tradition and actually win a season opener.

On a happier note the following happened.  The Eagles  threw away a 45 point lead to lose to the Lions; Collingwood managed to lose to a young Adelaide side (which could be an outside bet for a top 8 finish) when winning was easier, Essendon lost to Port Adelaide.  Collingwood left it up to their president to whinge this week thus cementing the rest of the nation's hatred both for him and for the club. Hawthorn minus that boring p***k Shane Crawford lost to Geelong and it looks like the Cats will be hard pushed to lose this year...and it's only round one.

The Ben cousins debacle continued with his debut for the Tigers v. Carlton.  Haha, they got turniped, well and truly and the drug cheat pulled a hammy.  Obviously not having the substances to mask the pain/injury will limit his appearances this year.

The board's very own Jim Stynes made his second-team debut on Saturday with two quarters as bench warmer and two as waterboy.  There's talk his being seen in an Eagles jersey around Perth has got him noticed by the snobs and he has, apparently, been approached to take on the role of club mascot.  Having said that, he and I might make go to the game on Sunday where mini-me and I will be in full-voice for Port Adelaide.  G'wan Tredrea.

Aerlik was Cousins done for recreational drugs or Performance enhancing ones??? hes some athlete in any case.
Alsoa question for anyone apart from Longfords Michael Quinn  did any of the irish lads,
Hanley,Tuohy,Brendan Murphy or any of the others break into their top 22's ?

[JimStynes]

Dont get Aerlik started on Ben Cousins, hes a jealous freo supporter so him and ben dont see eye to eye.

Hanley got 2 games at the end of last year but hasnt been selected yet this season. He will probably get a run later in the year when Brisbane get a few injuries. I hear brendan murphy is doing rightly although he has picked up an injury which will keep him out for a good while. I havnt heard anything about Tuohy at all.

Some good games at the weekend. Sydney had the sursprise result of the round beating the Hawks easily enough. The eagles also had a great win over Port with my man Daniel Kerr having a stormer.

Great to see Michael Quinn getting a game so soon, he made a few mistakes but overall he had a great game.  It says a bit about aussie rules that a fella from Ireland can play for a few months then play at an elite level! I couldnt see an aussie coming over to Ireland and then a few months later starting on one of the top counties first 15. I keep reminding as many aussies as i can that Gaelic is a much more skillful game 

results from round 2:

ADEL 69 V STK 101
COLL 117 V MELB 64
GEEL 105 V RICH 85
SYD 143 V HAW 105
CARL 119 V BL 100
ESS 109 V FRE 71
WB 80 V NMFC 65
WCE 125 V PORT 75