A.F.L. Thread II

[pasag]

Such a weird feeling at the moment. We were really bad in the second half, and I was so stressed and agitated at the game all that half - my shirt was soaked through with sweat. When the Saints took the lead I nearly vomited, literally got acid reflux in my mouth (and I wasn't drinking today). Then we were up, and suddenly I thought, we might fall over the line. That last point, I nearly fell over the railing (I was in the front row of the top deck in the pocket above it). Then... nothing. Still feel nothing really. Overall, it feels like a loss, particularly as we were flogged in the second half and the Saints had all the momentum, but we're still alive and get another shot at it. I don't think there's any reliable way to predict how next week will go, and honestly at the moment, I can't really bear to think about it. The way I'm feeling at the moment, I think I'm going to try and avoid all footy stuff for the next day or two because it's doing my head in.

Reserved tickets for MCC members are going on sale 12 noon Tuesday, or we can rock up. I'm going to watch next week from home - I can't handle another game like this or, I realised when the Saints hit the front, a close loss. Sounds lame, but I literally don't think I'd be ok - I thought I was going to have a heart attack until Davis kicked that goal to get it back onto level pegging.

Give me your tickets tbh.

 

[Matt79]

Backing Saints in for the re-final by 5 goals, tbh.

That's the obvious conclusion, but it will be a whole new game, and while the Pies players might feel, on reflection, that they've dodged a bullet today, the Saints guys need to be careful a) not to assume it will an easy win next week because they were on top today, and b) not suffer any letdown for having the ascendancy and not making it count. Reckon we just won't know til bouncedown next week.

Hoping against hope the MRP don't pick up Jolly for his clip on Kosi in the last quarter - he was immense today, and if he's suspended, we'll get done by 8 goals.

Hayes was amazing - ****.

@ Zac - I don't have tickets, I have the option to go queue up and hopefully snag some, or walking up on the day. And I'm at the moment not going to do either. And they're non-transferable anyways.

 

[pasag]

That's the obvious conclusion, but it will be a whole new game, and while the Pies players might feel, on reflection, that they've dodged a bullet today, the Saints guys need to be careful a) not to assume it will an easy win next week because they were on top today, and b) not suffer any letdown for having the ascendancy and not making it count. Reckon we just won't know til bouncedown next week.

Will be a brave or foolish man who predicts with certainty the result next week. Will be interesting to see how Collingwood's legs go and whether they're able to do the same amazing breakaway first quarter stuff they've been doing for a while now.

@ Zac - I don't have tickets, I have the option to go queue up and hopefully snag some, or walking up on the day. And I'm at the moment not going to do either. And they're non-transferable anyways.

Was kidding, though I'll put a few feelers out. Never been to a GF before, so this might be my best chance. Doubt it though, the people I know who lined up flogged them off for over a grand.

Still, go IMO. It'll be so worth it if you win. No risk no reward and all that.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Is this unprecedented?

 

[pasag]

Thought the umpiring today was really good as well, fwiw.

Edit: and the pre-match entertainment was horrible, as usual. Just like the brownlow. Richest code in the country and they refuse to shell out on a good act, going for either ageing Aussie half-bands that were never any good anyways or talentless reality show dropkicks.

 

[pasag]

Is this unprecedented?

Happened in 77 between Collingwood and North (North won the next week) and 48 between the Dons and the Dees (Melb won the next week). Bit like a third tied Test, this.

 

[Mister Wright]

Haven't the AFL heard of Golden Point?

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Haven't the AFL heard of Golden Point?

Worst ****ing rule. Pretty sure a colts or 2nd WAFL grand final got decided like that the other week. No thanks.

 

[Matt79]

Yeah, umpiring was good, no real howlers either way from what I could tell at the ground.

The prematch stuff was alright at the ground I reckoned. The banners with highlights from GFs past was good. The people singing the club songs were ok - the cheer squad were going off when the guy sung the pies song. In terms of not shelling out for big acts, getting a symphony orchestra, and Inxs were both pretty decent acts - saying that Inxs were never any good is a bit harsh, although really the band should have wrapped up when Hutchence died. They were ok, better than Farnham last year. It's always going to be pretty meh - at least theyve got rid of the dancing kids and flag wavers.

 

[Redbacks]

Gotta love Malthouse in press conferences, such attention to detail, which manifests itself in his work as coach.

Pre-game entertainment is always dire, I guess it's ok as it is a perfect excuse to be out the back firing up the BBQ and playing a bit of kick to kick.

Tactically you had to say that Lyon got the game plan to work eventually. To do so without a ruckman is an even more amazing achievement. Maybe G Thomas was right. I felt that part of the problem was to create some doubt in the mind of the pies. At the start of the match it seemed to reflect a carry over of confidence from the Geelong game. It's so much easier to run forward of the ball when you have immense confidence your teammate will win the ball and use it effectively. Like when Federer used to get on top, sometimes there is no stopping a quality team once they have their noses in front. The Blues and Dons do this well but unlike the Pies don't run both ways. So by finally putting some scoreboard pressure on Collingwood, with help from Travis Choke, they were able to stop the extra forward runners and slowly wrestle the game back to an even ledger. This what perhaps makes the saints seem slight favourites going into next week. The pies will learn from mistakes though....

 

[benchmark00]

itstl.

itstl ind33d.

 

[Johnners]

Haven't the AFL heard of Golden Point?

Thankfully no, such an abysmal rule.

 

[howardj]

What an amazing game. I really dont think anyone has a clue about next week and how the game will pan out. Certainly, the Pies don't look as invinicible as perhaps they were shaping up as going into yesterday. So I guess the Saints can take some heart from that.

What a finish to the season!!!!

 

[Matt79]

Another week of Gary Ablett not confirming what's become obvious!

 

[howardj]

I must say, watching the game yesterday with friends, I was a little angry/frustrated/robbed that there was no finality to the day - after all the emotion, the close finish, the build up etc....

However, now that's died down, I think having things decided by a full replay, is more classy, more fair, than ten frantic minutes of extra time. I am really looking forward to the replay.

What a sporting orgy next weekend - two footy finals, and a Test match between the two superpowers of world cricket!

Bring it on!

 

[pasag]

Another week of Gary Ablett not confirming what's become obvious!

What a circus.

 

[Craig]

What a circus.

Are you actually against the expansion moves (if so why), or is it how the AFL is going about things, such as drafts, signing uncontracted players etc.?

 

[pasag]

Are you actually against the expansion moves (if so why), or is it how the AFL is going about things, such as drafts, signing uncontracted players etc.?

More like if he's already made a decision just announce it.

But yes, yes I am against the expansion. Only causing grief for everyone else and it'll just fail anyways, regardless of how much success is manufactured for the club. And now we have to go through all this **** again next year as well with GWS.

 

[benchmark00]

It won't fail.

I hate interstate clubs as much as the next ****, but Gold Coast deffo will not fail. GWS will be much tougher.

 

[Craig]

More like if he's already made a decision just announce it.

But yes, yes I am against the expansion. Only causing grief for everyone else and it'll just fail anyways, regardless of how much success is manufactured for the club. And now we have to go through all this **** again next year as well with GWS.

I've heard one or two suggestions that the AFL will just keep pumping money into those two new franchises until they don't need too since the AFL is already cashed up.

On a different subject, it will be a logistical nightmare next week wrt for the police needed at the GF replay, since the World Cycling Championships will be Geelong and they start on Tuesday or Wednesday and go until Sunday, and they already require a large police presence (road closures for starters) for that.