AFL Season 2015

[Aerlik]

Preliminary Finals (or semi-finals to the rest of us)

Hawthorn 94-67 Fremantle
I was wondering how I would write this without sounding bitter and twisted and one-eyed.  Well the latter is without question especially when the W(e) C(heated) E(veryone) organisation is concerned.  But four days after the game and it still rankles me immensely what happened in that game.  We got off to a great start and  were dominating then for some obscure reason the umpires seemed to forget that it was not set in stone that the Hawks "must" win for the A(nti) F(reo) L(eague).  Two really, really obscure umpiring decisions turned the first quarter on its head and gifted the Hawks two goals.  So instead of Freo potentially leading by 30 points at the end of the first quarter, they were behind.  Fast forward to the fourth quarter and the lads had brought the game back to within 9 points and it was there for the taking and another shit umpiring decision followed by an awfully unfortunate slip by young Tom Sheridan gifted the Hawks the game.  How the fcuk is the AFL able to run an organisation with such wealth yet has such inconsistent and bad umpiring on a regular basis.  And we are not talking just against Freo; several other clubs have been the victims of such terrible decisions.  How the fcuk do you appoint a referee, who was one of the founders of themmuns, as a referee in a themmuns v. Freo game?  That would be akin to appointing a Dublin referee to a Dublin v. Kerry AIF.  It shouldn't happen but it does.  I was at mini-me's districts game today and was talking to themmuns fans who asked me if I'd watched the game.  When I told them I was there, they asked my take on the incidents where the umpires made the wrong calls.  When I said I still hadn't watched the replay (or won't as I deleted it) they told me the decisions were crap.   There you go; coming from themmuns fans.  Must've been disgraceful for them to say so.
Should we have played Crowley?  I don't think so as he was not match fit.  As for Fyfe, well what can we say about the lad that hasn't already been said?  He played the whole bloody game with a fractured shin after a collision in the first few minutes.  And his season was rounded off nicely with the Brownlow medal last night.  Totally deserved.  Such a  class act and I'm so glad he's with us.
And there is was, season over.  I anticipate the retirement of at least two players, our Captain and bloody legend Matthew Pavlich and our full-back Luke McPharlin.  Both have been incredible servants of the club and we owe them a lifetime of gratitude for their services in making us one of the top 5 clubs in the country.
Re. the behaviour of a few in the stands; there was no defence for their behaviour especially the incident where the female was struck.  Thankfully I have been to every game this year and only missed one last year and one the year before.  In all those times, never did I see a single incident involving fans.  We are, if not the best fans in the league, certainly in the top two or three when it comes to fan support and behaviour.  The "man" in the incident on Friday night has never been a member of our club - and never will be, I'm pleased to say.

Themmuns 80-55 North Melbourne
Carbon copy of the game the night before.  North came out all guns blazing and kept themmuns goalless in the first quarter.  Then the umpires kicked in.  Oh my god, how the fcuk the umpires sleep at night is beyond me.  I watched about 10 minutes of the game then switched off as I'd seen enough.

And so it comes down to two teams next Saturday.  I still make no bones about it that I now want the Hawks to win.  Simples.  Me, one-eyed?  Pretty much.  Bitter and twisted?  Nah, just can't stand the drug-cheating liars up the road from us.  I'd even support Collingwood if they were up against themmuns on Saturday, and that is saying something.

[Rossfan]

Who are "themmuns" ?? For us initiated folks.

[deiseach]

Who are "themmuns" ?? For us initiated folks.

Process of elimination leads to Fremantle's derby rivals, West Coast Eagles.

Commiserations, Aerlik. Always enjoy your take.

[gaah_man]

G'wan the Eagles, cream always rises to the top Aerlik. The purple nurples were beaten by a great Hawks side and I must commend their Brownlow winner Fyfe on a massive season, he has been outstanding. What a warrior! Matty Priddis final 5 rounds of voting were disappointing from an Eagles point of view.

The GF is Hawks to lose. Eagles need to curb Mitchells influence and keep Gunston Roughie and Cyril quiet to be in with a chance, easier said than done

I'll go Hawks by 12

[Aerlik]

 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/29687797/chick-ready-to-tell-afl-boss-all/

No smoke without fire (or ice, as was the case!!!)

[JimStynes]

Hawks just too good! What a team they are, they just know how to win! Great year from West Coast all the same.

[Club Rossa]

Fantastic win for the Hawks.Sublime goals from Hodge and Smith,and great performances all round.The Eagles didn't help themselves though,had plenty of opportunities to close the gap in the 1st half.That said,there can be no doubt that the Hawks were far too good on the day.

[TabClear]

Best team won.  That hawks team is special.  To get to 4 final s in a row the way the draft and salary cap is structured is some achievement. They lost franklin, oneofthe  biggest namesi n the competition and never missed a beat. Everything about the club is so professional.


The old hands stood up yesterday.  Mitchell lake hodge and Gibson very good and Rioli had some moments of magic. Frawley was excellent on Kennedy.

Eagles had to many big names not on their game and their shooting was awful at times.

It will be interesting to see if the hawks can go again or will some of them start to decline with too many miles on the clock.

[deiseach]

There won't be a cow milked in the Aerlik household tonight.

[TabClear]

Lake and Hale announce their retirement from the Hawks.  Lake in particular was a cult hero. Great free agency pickup who won the premiership in each of his 3 seasons at the hawks.  Usually saved his best games for the finals.

[Club Rossa]

They were 2 great servants to Hawthorn and you're right.The bigger the game,the better Lake played.Nice for both of them to go out on top.I see Freo has released Crowley.

[JimStynes]

I was surprised to see Crowley being let go!

[TabClear]

I was surprised to see Crowley being let go!

Same as that. Wrong side of 30 and obviously issues this season but i really rate him.  Best in the game at what he does and I reckon he had at least another session in him.  I think that if he had been fully fit and tagging Mitchell in the semi it would have been very different.

Be interested in what Aerlik thinks of this?