Sports & Fitness AFL 2016 finals

Didn't see the doggies beating WCE coming , but just watched the Hawthorne Geelong game tonight . Normally I don't get that involved unless I'm watching the swans , but .... that was one great game of AFL .

I think the swans are looking good at this stage . The only possible cloud IS the number of relatively inexperienced players at the moment , however Mills , Alir Alir ( the new fans favourite ) , The X factor , Papley , Nankervis , Hewitt and Marsh have been playing like 100 game veterans for a while .

With Parker , Hannerbery , kennedy , jack you have probably the most experienced midfield ticking over ( with the possible exception of the hawks , but they aren't looking quite as sharp this year ) .

Throw in Buddy , Tippett , Heeney and Benny ( a man on a mission to win a premiership after missing in 2012 due to injury ) up front and three of the best defenders running around in nick smith , Rampe and Grundy .

One big difference this year compared to last year is the relative lack of injuries , but they do have experienced players waiting for their chance . Zac Jones would definitely be their if he hadn't been injured a few weeks ago . He's as a hard nut as his other brother , though not as many Tatts , Cunningham was unlucky to get dropped for mills , and teddy and Laidler are good key defenders to have up your sleeve .

They've just got to get past GWS who are the only team to beat them comprehensively this year , in particular the big mummy ........

Cliffm

 

Disappointed with eagles bowing out so easily. Very happy Geelong won. I suspect Sydney and Adelaide will win by a lot.

Will cheer for the red and the white rest of the series.

 

Well .....

The swans rookies didn't stand up but neither did their midfield or their forwards and they made some clanger turnovers . I've rarely seen such of a lack of composure by a swans teams under pressure , and they were put unde pressure

As noted before , GWS were the only team to comprehensively beat the swannies this season .

One question will be whether GWS loose Mummy and Stevie J for the next game and if they do they will be vulnerable in the next game . Their actions effectively took Tippett out of the game which impacted the swans performance , so I have no problems if that happens .

Another question is whether GWS have just played their grand final ...

The main thing the swans can take away is they didn't play well and they rarely play badly two weeks in a row so they can only go up ...... Hopefully .....

Mills probably out with a hammy , but if Zac jones comes in he adds an element of toughness they were missing today .

Cliff

 

If GWS gets suspensions I dont like their chances going forward given they dont have much depth.

I cant see Adelaide losing to North - then again other games havent gone the way I predicted either.

I'd be fairly happy with anyone other than hawks at this point.

 

The Crows have just eliminated the Roos.

Eddie Betts is ... well ... Eddie Betts

The 4 Roo greats are leaving the game, particularly sad to see Boomer leave. I don't think he can go to another club.

Would love to see the Crows and Swans next week. My number 1 and 2 team playing together. It will be very interesting next weekend.

 

An interesting week of finals .

I'm wondering with the break before the finals may turn out to be a negative for the winners . GWS and Geelong will go in with two weeks off in the preceeding three weeks where as their opposition will have had two games in a row to build up momentum .

I won't be surprised if we see a Hawks swans GF though this season has been one of the closest I can remember and GWS have to be a very realistic chance on their form this week

The swans have a habit of having to loose a game every so often to remind themselves not to be cocky and to be fully committed right from the get go to win the important games .

The usual pattern is for the first week losers to reverse the roles the next week so I'd expect Geelong vs Swans and GWS vs Hawks .

Cliff

 

Not a good weekend of footy in this house. Both our teams got thrashed. At least Swans get another shot. Eagles were terrible

 

From an outsiders point of view it's been a very entertaining week of footy. It's been fantastic seeing the underdogs get up.. Would have liked to have seen the Roos go a bit further but happy to see the crows advance.

Couldn't think of anything worse than a Hawks vs swans gf

We'd love to have him up in bne

 

The Bulldogs were sensational, knocking off the Hawks finally. Did everyone else a favour.

It would be a very interesting matchup between Bulldogs and the Giants next week.

 

I'd be curious to know if many people predicted a GWS / Doggies Prelim . I know I didn't .

Only disappointment is that the swannies don't get to be the ones to knock the Hawkes off their perch .

Cliff

 

So happy with last nights game.

Hope Sydney win tonight but it'll be tough.

 

Everyone's been wondering when the Hawks old brigade would run out of legs and it happened last night . Several times I saw Sam Mitchell getting caught with the ball , Loosing possession or having a kick smothered in situations which he would have got out of a year ago .

I'm wondering if we're seeing a changing of the guard ? The last ten years have been dominated by Geelong 3 , Hawthorne 3 " Sydney 2 with Collingwood and the Eagles chipping in for one each .

Again , last nights game was very entertaining for the neutral observer , though more from the level of pressure , rather than free flowing football .

I thought the Geelong Hawthorne was actually better football , but maybe that's because of the pressure the dogs applied .

Awaiting the game tonight vs Adelaide with nervous apprehension .

Will the real swans turn up ?

Cliff

 

Next week the team that's been given everything vs the team that's been given nothing.... Go @westernbulldogs !

 

Interesting and valid viewpoint .

I saw Tim Cahil in the crowd in doggies gear , but camera's didn't pick up Julia . Isn't she their number one ticket holder ?

Cliff

 

As a neutral viewer it was great to see the bullies get up,interesting that either GWS or the Bulldogs will go through to the Grand Final.

 

So happy to see the dogs win in a physical match.. Their handball game is so good to watch.

we're halfway there to a Hawks, swans free grand final.. Come on crows

 

He He

The real swans turned up . Exit the Crows .

So we'll have one the the established finalists ( Geelong or the Swans ) verses a Newbie .

The swans beat Geelong comfortably in their one clash in the Season , looking at the results , it was Geelong's biggest lose of the season . While Geelong have probably have the best midfielder in the comp , they don't have the depth the swans have . I'm more confident about the swans beating Geelong than I was about Adelaide .

Interestingly there's only one team the swans haven't beaten this season and that the bulldogs ........

Cliff

 

Was an awesome game to watch, swans were so fierce and ruthless.

NSW derby gf will be very good for AFL.

Sydney has a few injuries to deal with which makes me doubt them winning the big one. Cats shouldnt really be a problem for them regardless as don't have enough forwards for swans defense.

 

Last time I checked hawthorn won 4 flags in 10 years.

 

The doggies are the sentimental favourites now. I don't think they can overcome GWS but then they have dumped West Coast at Perth and the former AFL champions a few days ago.