AFL Finals Week 1 Discussion

[Cannon82]

Absolute umpiring chaos in the first few minutes here. Lions getting reamed.

I just want one good game this weekend...the others were rather dull affairs.

You are s**t out of luck. Been some interesting football for 5 or 10 minutes here and there but the games haven't been enthralling contests.

 

[Topkent]

I believe he gave it some thought, no idea tho, next time I run into him when out for sushi I'll duck the chopsticks and ask him.

I'd have taken Trengove pre-foot injury to be honest ... tho you could argue Scully's best game is still that Friday night against the Dogs.

Eh pretty hindsight hero but I can't see Trenners having ever got near this level. Could have been a Sloane, Bartel, Mundy, Parker type imo but Dusty is something else.

 

[Johnny Karate]

What ethnicity does he look?

Italian, or maybe some kind of Spanish.

 

[Cannon82]

What ethnicity does he look?

Another one of those ******* Caucasians. Damn immigrants. Don't think I could pronounce his surname without a dozen lessons or so.

 

[TheCount]

Eh pretty hindsight hero but I can't see Trenners having ever got near this level. Could have been a Sloane, Bartel, Mundy, Parker type imo but Dusty is something else.

Yeah I agree with that. I was just talking early days, Trenners started off better up until the foot injury, but no way could he have gotten anywhere near what Martin is now.

 

[Topkent]

Yeah I agree with that. I was just talking early days, Trenners started off better up until the foot injury, but no way could he have gotten anywhere near what Martin is now.

Mate he looked a very good pick up early. One of those pure footballers who just did everything right with the way he got the ball his technique etc.

 

[Topkent]

Yeah I agree with that. I was just talking early days, Trenners started off better up until the foot injury, but no way could he have gotten anywhere near what Martin is now.

Mate he looked a very good pick up early. One of those pure footballers who just did everything right with the way he got the ball his technique etc.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Scully and Trengove were hardly bad picks. Martin is on another level sure but there's no point agitating about going it safe when our two definitely had the talent (and showed it early days) to be elite players of the comp even if not on the same devastating level as Dusty. I'd have been perfectly happy for Martin to be the best player in the comp at Richmond if Trengove hadn't gotten injured and Scully hadn't left and we hadn't become a basketcase where all talent died anyway. Don't have to get the best player at 1 and 2, just have to get good ones. Your Dusty type is much more effective when you've already laid the platform with a straight laced vanilla star like Cotchin two years prior. Scully and Trengove could have been our Cotchin. 2010 was an extremely underrated season with the talent of those two pushing us up IMO. Drafting those two v Martin didn't make much difference in the long run to our fortune.

 

[Crusty Demon]

What a bog average weekend for AFL fans who's teams weren't involved in finals! Same as last year! The GF saved what was otherwise a shocking finals series last year as well for non invested fans... Essendon were always going to get smashed this weekend. Geelong and Brisbane were always going to sh*t the bed, and the Dogs were just plain disappointing. Let's hope next week's games are more interesting with the two away teams looking dangerous.

 

[Johnny Karate]

Scully and Trengove were hardly bad picks. Martin is on another level sure but there's no point agitating about going it safe when our two definitely had the talent (and showed it early days) to be elite players of the comp even if not on the same devastating level as Dusty. I'd have been perfectly happy for Martin to be the best player in the comp at Richmond if Trengove hadn't gotten injured and Scully hadn't left and we hadn't become a basketcase where all talent died anyway. Don't have to get the best player at 1 and 2, just have to get good ones. Your Dusty type is much more effective when you've already laid the platform with a straight laced vanilla star like Cotchin two years prior. Scully and Trengove could have been our Cotchin. 2010 was an extremely underrated season with the talent of those two pushing us up IMO. Drafting those two v Martin didn't make much difference in the long run to our fortune.

Don’t disagree with the above. However, how do you reconcile this logic with your earlier post in this thread criticising our recruiters for picking up ‘inside midfielders’ Tom Sparrow and James Jordon instead of someone like Liam Baker?

 

[Sylvia Saint]

Unpopular opinion, but Trengove was never that good, even before the foot injury. Scully has also been just a foot soldier outside of one elite year (2016 I think).

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Don’t disagree with the above. However, how do you reconcile this logic with your earlier post in this thread criticising our recruiters for picking up ‘inside midfielders’ Tom Sparrow and James Jordon instead of someone like Liam Baker?

I don't know if it's comparable. I think 2018 aside we're actually decent at developing talent now (see: Harmes, Hunt, Gawn, Frost, Petty, Oliver) and I'm sure we'll turn Sparrow and Jordon into perfectly decent footballers. If Sparrow had stayed fit and been drafted by Richmond he'd have played tonight just like Jack Ross was in their top 2 or 3 inside mids at some stages this season. I just don't think he's what we need. Baker more versatile.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Unpopular opinion, but Trengove was never that good, even before the foot injury. Scully has also been just a foot soldier outside of one elite year (2016 I think).

Scully wasn't a foot soldier in 2010-11, at his best he was very good very young. I don't think I'll ever see a first year midfielder play a game like he did v a top 4 side in the Dogs that Friday night.

Going to GWS was great for his bank account but not for his development, he was always made to play out of position to support the side and I'd argue he'd have hit that 2016 peak or higher earlier and for longer at any other club (was also nominated for AA in 2017 IIRC and then didn't play a game in 2018).

 

[Johnny Karate]

Unpopular opinion, but Trengove was never that good, even before the foot injury. Scully has also been just a foot soldier outside of one elite year (2016 I think).

Trengove’s numbers in his first two seasons were similar to Rory Sloane’s. The great unknown is where his development would’ve taken him. He showed glimpses but it wasn’t the same as the Ox, tearing games apart before being cut down in his prime. No doubt he would’ve been a much better player without the foot injuries taking hold but it’s quite possible he could’ve ended up stagnating anyway like Jack Grimes.

Scully has been a very average number 1 pick even accounting for his injuries. We made out like bandits with the Ablett-level compensation for him when the Doggies lost Callan Ward who is a gun.

I don't know if it's comparable. I think 2018 aside we're actually decent at developing talent now (see: Harmes, Hunt, Gawn, Frost, Petty, Oliver) and I'm sure we'll turn Sparrow and Jordon into perfectly decent footballers. If Sparrow had stayed fit and been drafted by Richmond he'd have played tonight just like Jack Ross was in their top 2 or 3 inside mids at some stages this season. I just don't think he's what we need. Baker more versatile.

Don’t necessarily agree that Sparrow and Jordon are strictly inside mids but would love a Baker type all the same.

 

[mrmonkey]

What a bog average weekend for AFL fans who's teams weren't involved in finals! Same as last year! The GF saved what was otherwise a shocking finals series last year as well for non invested fans... Essendon were always going to get smashed this weekend. Geelong and Brisbane were always going to sh*t the bed, and the Dogs were just plain disappointing. Let's hope next week's games are more interesting with the two away teams looking dangerous.

I think statistically the finals has gone exactly to plan Geelong being the exception. Having said that Geelong never win after the bye. Travelling teams don't often win, Essendon were never going to win. Richmond were far more experienced and I feel it was the same case with gws.

 

[Johnny Karate]

IIRC it’s the first time the top two teams have both lost their qualifying finals. Probably reflective of a close season and uneven fixturing.

 

[Topkent]

Scully wasn't a foot soldier in 2010-11, at his best he was very good very young. I don't think I'll ever see a first year midfielder play a game like he did v a top 4 side in the Dogs that Friday night.

Going to GWS was great for his bank account but not for his development, he was always made to play out of position to support the side and I'd argue he'd have hit that 2016 peak or higher earlier and for longer at any other club (was also nominated for AA in 2017 IIRC and then didn't play a game in 2018).

Dean Polo kicked 4 on debut.

I never liked Scully the player from his first season, he has s**t house skills and was weak in the body and contest. He's a very average player in the comp and really been underwhelming his whole career except one season.

 

[Sylvia Saint]

Collingwood have had and will have a nice run to the GF. From miraculously stealing 4th spot (thanks to the Hawks) last round, to a home final against Geelong to another game at the G vs Giants or Lions. They are in the easier side of the draw here.

Could imagine Tigers v West Coast being a cracker if it comes to it.

 

[Blackas87]

West Coast and Richmond the best 2 performed sides of week 1. Thought West Coast in the first half were real impressive, if they can keep that up they’ll be hard to beat. Tough side of the draw though with Geelong then Richmond.

 

[Dancing Potato]

Cats looking good for another straight sets exit which would be absolutely hilarious.

I'm hoping the Lions can get up over GWS but I think they might be a young team that are in for a finals lesson. They'll be back for the next few years regardless.

Either way I think the Pies and Tigers will push through to the GF. Though the Eagles are threatening. Shame it can't be an Eagles v Tigers GF.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Dean Polo kicked 4 on debut.

I never liked Scully the player from his first season, he has s**t house skills and was weak in the body and contest. He's a very average player in the comp and really been underwhelming his whole career except one season.

Agree to disagree.

 

[Topkent]

Agree to disagree.

No

 

[Cannon82]

Get on board the GWS train. Tigs, Pies and Weagles look best placed to take out the competition... has the makings of a terrible off-season any way you slice it. I hope the team that no one supports wins it.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Get on board the GWS train. Tigs, Pies and Weagles look best placed to take out the competition... has the makings of a terrible off-season any way you slice it. I hope the team that no one supports wins it.

I’m hoping GWS make the GF so the result essentially becomes culturally meaningless

 

[Proper Gander]

I was looking forward to finals footy, then the weekend ended up a bit meh.

We chose a bad year to become terrible and finish second last because we would have fitted in nicely amongst the meh half of the finalists this year.