No Oppo Supporters General AFL and other clubs discussion thread. **Opposition fans not welcome**

[Hawkk]

It says the shockers will rest and hopue a big first quarter will get them over the line to a prelim.

Same for the prelim after a weeks rest.

So even if strong finishing team dont get them, they will be toast the grand final.

ross is just puttuing that that on the record. Begining of the end as a coach really

Ross Lyon is the biggest myth in modern day football (followed closely by Roosey)

All we need to do is roll West Coast in week 1 (the mini GF) and this flag will be a lay down misere

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Eh let them. They're out of form and the less game time they play the less opportunity they have to regain it.

Plus, I don't want any of their supporters to have an excuse when they're knocked out of finals.

Yeah I agree, while I'm not a fan of how the Dockers play I am tired of the AFL trying to manipulate everything all the time. Surely clubs have a right to manage their list and season as they see fit, let the season play out in whatever way it does.

 

[Blaze Storm]

So, the very club that caused a rule to be created now wants an exemption to those rules???

Yes Ross, your poor little purple players may well be fatigued - that happens when you go all out and secure top place easily without taking due care and consideration during the entire season to spread the workload of your personnel.

from the article: Eight Dockers have played every game this year including veterans Aaron Sandilands and David Mundy

Compare that to Hawthorn who have only 3 players in this category (Bruest, Burgers, Gunston).

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-...-rest-major-changes-likely-for-minor-premiers

I have no doubt whatsoever that the AFL will not have the goolies to hold Freo to account for poor player management and will bend over backwards to ensure the Dockers get whatever they want for their tilt at the flag.

* me, Ross is a ******* sneaky little s**t of a bloke.

"It won't effect any other teams"... except for the rest of the top 4 that you'll play the week after that haven't had a chance to have a holiday.

 

[Gralin]

**** me, Ross is a ******* sneaky little s**t of a bloke.

"It won't effect any other teams"... except for the rest of the top 4 that you'll play the week after that haven't had a chance to have a holiday.

I do feel if Freo and Ports positions cannot be changed by the result that being able to rest players leading into finals is a choice the team that finished first should be allowed to make.
Some coaches don't like flirting with form others don't think resting players does.

I'm happy for the AFL to let Ross keep coaching his way given how successful its been in finals

 

[Pessimistic]

**** me, Ross is a ******* sneaky little s**t of a bloke.

"It won't effect any other teams"... except for the rest of the top 4 that you'll play the week after that haven't had a chance to have a holiday.

They probably could, especially eagles and swans who will know the richmond and hawthorn results before they play

Hawthon play carlton, who are pretty much playing their reserves anyway. hawthorn have been subtly resting for a couple of weeks now

 

[Brishawk]

I do feel if Freo and Ports positions cannot be changed by the result that being able to rest players leading into finals is a choice the team that finished first should be allowed to make.
Some coaches don't like flirting with form others don't think resting players does.

I'm happy for the AFL to let Ross keep coaching his way given how successful its been in finals

Given the amount of revenue the AFL reap from betting there is no way the AFL can accept tanking in whatever form it takes (in this a top team tanking for finals) without ultimately suffering accusations of corruption. Teams need to play to win games even in what is perceived as a dead rubber. It was and will always be a big turn off for any interest in the sport if team take actions to reduce their chances of winning matches. Freo know the rules and had opportunities to rest individuals throughout the season. Their bad and they shouldn't be advantaged by poor decisions throughout the season. I'm sure Hawthorn would have liked to rest more players this week and last week. Should we be eligible for an exemption also?

 

[Gralin]

Given the amount of revenue the AFL reap from betting there is no way the AFL can accept tanking in whatever form it takes (in this a top team tanking for finals) without ultimately suffering accusations of corruption. Teams need to play to win games even in what is perceived as a dead rubber. It was and will always be a big turn off for any interest in the sport if team take actions to reduce their chances of winning matches. Freo know the rules and had opportunities to rest individuals throughout the season. Their bad and they shouldn't be advantaged by poor decisions throughout the season. I'm sure Hawthorn would have liked to rest more players this week and last week. Should we be eligible for an exemption also?

I don't care about AFL revenue or betting, in fact I hate how you cannot watch AFL without hearing about betting. As the rules are written Freo shouldn't be able to make wholesale changes and I don't think they should get special dispensation. I was referring more to the fact I haven't seen any evidence of it helping Lyon what with his 47% win loss record in Finals and I'm happy for him to continue to not learn from past mistakes

 

[Steven Tyler]

Freo, travelling to play a dead rubber interstate, 1 week before finals, should be able to rest whoever they want
Don't forget, Hawthorn did it in 2011

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

First goal wins?

Only goal wins?

 

[Blaze Storm]

Freo, travelling to play a dead rubber interstate, 1 week before finals, should be able to rest whoever they want
Don't forget, Hawthorn did it in 2011

Yes, but they've since changed the rules because Ross the Toss has flaunted the rules. Look at this history:

Ross loses heaviest tagger in the league: Ross suddenly thinks tagging should be more tightly monitored
Sydney flaunt the salary cap with COLA and get penalised: Sydney think it's unfair that they are being penalised
* illegally dopes: AFL should stand up to this beat-up from ASADA
AFL changes rules to prevent tanking at the end of a season after successive years of Ross Lyon's team resting half their players: Ross thinks he should be the exception to the new rule.

 

[Brishawk]

I don't care about AFL revenue or betting, in fact I hate how you cannot watch AFL without hearing about betting. As the rules are written Freo shouldn't be able to make wholesale changes and I don't think they should get special dispensation. I was referring more to the fact I haven't seen any evidence of it helping Lyon what with his 47% win loss record in Finals and I'm happy for him to continue to not learn from past mistakes

Well assuming you don't want a sport that is run by the equivalent of Cricket's Indian Bookmakers then you should definitely care about how the AFL enforces its integrity standards

 

[savagelunchbox]

Given the amount of revenue the AFL reap from betting there is no way the AFL can accept tanking in whatever form it takes (in this a top team tanking for finals) without ultimately suffering accusations of corruption. Teams need to play to win games even in what is perceived as a dead rubber. It was and will always be a big turn off for any interest in the sport if team take actions to reduce their chances of winning matches. Freo know the rules and had opportunities to rest individuals throughout the season. Their bad and they shouldn't be advantaged by poor decisions throughout the season. I'm sure Hawthorn would have liked to rest more players this week and last week. Should we be eligible for an exemption also?

They're not tanking though. Tanking is playing to lose whereas Ross is playing a seconds side that isn't not playing to win. They very well may.

 

[Steven Tyler]

Fwiw I hope Freo name a full strength side on Thurs, then 90 min before the match, 6 players pull out
I couldn't give a stuff about people betting on results in round 23 dead rubbers, similar to people who whinge about results in the NAB Cup - you know, PRACTISE matches!

 

[A Cut Above]

Movie Review - I Am Legend

Obviously, a story about the life of Luke Hodge. Don't be fooled like I was though, it doesn't go on about his footy career at all. In fact, it looks as though he's travelling through Geelong on his way to Colac in a bit of a documentary style feel. It's a bit strange they got Will Smith to play the role of Hodgey but think about it and it makes sense - he's the only Hollywood star with enough physical presence and charisma to take on the role, so they sort of got it right.

What they got wrong (or exaggerated):

• Geelong is not a major city (gross exaggeration there, looks like they filmed it in New York)
• Geelong is not made up purely of Handbagger supporters
• Handbaggers are not afraid of direct sunlight (but I understand where they were going with this)

If you look closely enough, you will see a Paul Chapman cameo in the scene where Hodgey captures Gary Ablett Jnr and attempts to make him more human by converting him into a Gold Coast player (clever, coz Gold Coast are the 'Suns' and handbaggers are afraid of direct sunlight). Ahh... Hollywood.

Anyway, apart from the fact they made handbagger supporters far more likeable and intelligent than they actually are in real life (I suppose just to fit the script), it's not a bad movie. Spoiler Alert: In order to have a big climax at the end, Hodgey is faced with the prospect that only his blood could save Geelong and make all those handbaggers become human, but he decides f*** that, and blows himself up with all the handbaggers instead. Obviously not a true story, more of a 'what would you do if you were in the same situation?' They nailed it.

Score: 8.5 goals out of 10.

Sure it wasn't a documentary? Driving through Geelong the other day I picked up a major post-apocalyptic vibe.

 

[cryptor]

Ross could omit half the Fremantle side based on form and I doubt you could make a valid argument that they don't deserve it.

 

[Gralin]

Well assuming you don't want a sport that is run by the equivalent of Cricket's Indian Bookmakers then you should definitely care about how the AFL enforces its integrity standards

I think the AFL is already run like that, it's not about integrity in the game it is about $$ whether that be ratings or other revenue
The draw, the MRP, the equalization measures are not about making a fair and equal game for all but keeping the corporate interests happy
If the AFL force Freo to minimize changes it will be about betting revenue and tv ratings/attendances for a game that means nothing unless someone cops an injury or suspension from Freo

 

[Bikefreak]

Fwiw I hope Freo name a full strength side on Thurs, then 90 min before the match, 6 players pull out
I couldn't give a stuff about people betting on results in round 23 dead rubbers, similar to people who whinge about results in the NAB Cup - you know, PRACTISE matches!

Soz but formal betting is a losers game and it has helped enormously to ruin many of our sports played in Oz by turning them into big money spinners.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[Brishawk]

They're not tanking though. Tanking is playing to lose whereas Ross is playing a seconds side that isn't not playing to win. They very well may.

They are proposing to play a team far below what they are capable of in order to influence a future event. That they are indifferent to victory is not really a consideration when the integrity of the match, sport and league are being sacrificed.

 

[savagelunchbox]

They are proposing to play a team far below what they are capable of in order to influence a future event. That they are indifferent to victory is not really a consideration when the integrity of the match, sport and league are being sacrificed.

Yeah I get that, but that doesn't rule out winning. The players selected because of the coaching and selection panel's approach to the game will still be playing hard as the team is still a premiership contender and players will want to put up their hand should any opportunities arise. For all we know, it could be a more competitive Freo team as opposed to a full strength team on paper playing bruise free football.

So be that as it may, it's not tanking. Tanking is intentionally trying to lose or intentionally trying to under perform.

At the end of the day though, whether it's tanking or not, it doesn't change a single thing. If Port win they will remain in 9th unless GWS win be enough to overtake Port's percentage, and if Freo lose they will remain on top.

 

[Xtreme]

Ross would gain more respect if his players gave themselves a rest break by following the Hodge code and get suspended.

 

[Gralin]

Another example of AFL "Integrity" http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/af...-league-decision/story-fnelctok-1227506070493

Lets force the clubs against all recommendations to change providers and lose all of their data so we can give a contract to a company we part own who hasn't done this sort of thing before...

 

[IdiotBox]

Another example of AFL "Integrity" http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/af...-league-decision/story-fnelctok-1227506070493

Lets force the clubs against all recommendations to change providers and lose all of their data so we can give a contract to a company we part own who hasn't done this sort of thing before...

No surprises here as the 'faceless men' of the AFL line their own pockets and embed their snouts firmly in the trough.

"The AFL owns 49 per cent of Champion Data and key AFL executives Simon Lethlean and Andrew Dillon are directors in the company."

 

[Brishawk]

Yeah I get that, but that doesn't rule out winning. The players selected because of the coaching and selection panel's approach to the game will still be playing hard as the team is still a premiership contender and players will want to put up their hand should any opportunities arise. For all we know, it could be a more competitive Freo team as opposed to a full strength team on paper playing bruise free football.

So be that as it may, it's not tanking. Tanking is intentionally trying to lose or intentionally trying to under perform.

At the end of the day though, whether it's tanking or not, it doesn't change a single thing. If Port win they will remain in 9th unless GWS win be enough to overtake Port's percentage, and if Freo lose they will remain on top.

Semantic argument which misses the point - I am happy to call it something else...It is throwing a match by virtue of compromising your team's ability to win. Players don't play to lose even in a pure tanking scenario. When it happened at Melbourne and Carlton the players were never instructed to throw the match but the coach made it very hard for them to win. So while you might point out that the desired outcome is different, the method is identical.

 

[Brishawk]

Another example of AFL "Integrity" http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/af...-league-decision/story-fnelctok-1227506070493

Lets force the clubs against all recommendations to change providers and lose all of their data so we can give a contract to a company we part own who hasn't done this sort of thing before...

The clubs have the power to boot out any and all commission members including the CEO. The clubs are ok complicate in this along with a good many other things. Sadly many of the clubs are run by very stupid and/or greedy people.

 

[Prudster]

Semantic argument which misses the point - I am happy to call it something else...It is throwing a match by virtue of compromising your team's ability to win. Players don't play to lose even in a pure tanking scenario. When it happened at Melbourne and Carlton the players were never instructed to throw the match but the coach made it very hard for them to win. So while you might point out that the desired outcome is different, the method is identical.

How is it any different to any time a player gets rested? Obviously it's on a larger scale, but 'compromising your team's ability to win' is relevant whether you compromise it by a little or compromise it by a lot.

Arguably, by not resting players, they are compromising their ability to win finals and the flag, which would have a lot more money bet on them.