No Oppo Supporters General AFL discussion and other club’s news - Part 10

[eldorado]

When I was younger, I loved the romance of State of Origin; seeing Lockett, Dunstall and Ablett senior on the same team, the best vs the best...and I'm old enough to tell people that the it WAS just as much a source of pride and parochialism among supporters as the NRL SOO is now.

For years, before SOO, it had been the VFL (full of interstate players) walking over the SANFL and WAFL teams..so when it became SOO, the interstate teams were desparate to beat 'the Big V'; there was genuine hatred and passion there, in the players, and the supporters.

Now that I'm older, I can sort of understand the attitude of grumpy old tosspots like SYL though...

Personally, I'd like to see it in some form, though how that would work in keeping clubs happy, I'm not sure

 

[cryptor]

Yes, its completely different because it’s essentially an exhibition game and has no impact on the clubs chase for a premiership.

All preseason training, games and intra clubs are all in order to win a flag, which is what the club is about.

**** SOO.

If it were directly taking our players away from playing a game for 4 points during the premiership season, sure.

But at this point of the year it’s just an alternative source of match minutes into the legs. The difference in risk of injury between playing in that SOO game and our match sim against Geelong today is negligible.

And if any of our best players do get injured today then I doubt “at least it wasn’t playing SOO” is going to make any of us feel the slightest bit better about it.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

If it were directly taking our players away from playing a game for 4 points during the premiership season, sure.

But at this point of the year it’s just an alternative source of match minutes into the legs. The difference in risk of injury between playing in that SOO game and our match sim against Geelong today is negligible.

And if any of our best players do get injured today then I doubt “at least it wasn’t playing SOO” is going to make any of us feel the slightest bit better about it.

I don’t know how you could see the difference as negligible.

Everything our players do at the KCC pre-season is to get them primed for the AFL season and flag assault, the SOO is completely outside of that and carries risk that is not at all necessary in comparison to training to trial games that actually part of the clubs program.

To me it’s like players running around in a basketball game or going in a Skateboarding comp only weeks before the season starts.

 

[kazzooka]

I don’t know how you could see the difference as negligible.

Everything our players do at the KCC pre-season is to get them primed for the AFL season and flag assault, the SOO is completely outside of that and carries risk that is not at all necessary in comparison to training to trial games that actually part of the clubs program.

To me it’s like players running around in a basketball game or going in a Skateboarding comp only weeks before the season starts.

100% agree.

I doubt anybody here would be okay with Battle or Hardwick running around in the VAFA this weekend, so we should have the same attitude to Victoria.

 

[To the Hawk]

Can't have it both ways.

We are embracing better than most clubs the personality and autonomy of players. The players overwhelming want Origin. No-one is forcing them to play. They're actually driving it.

 

[peetoo]

Agreed, Melbourne won it and Richmond in 2020 under the same conditions other clubs had.

The fact teams in those hub states failed is an embarrassment for them that Victorian clubs won those 2 flags while on the road the entire season.

Asterisk is for flags won by teams who either cheated OR had unfair rules in their favour compared to rest of the competition.

So any flag won by Brisbane (2001,2002, 2003, 2024, 2025) and Sydney (2005,2012) who had salary cap, merger, academy advantages and priority pick (this is different to the old PP system that had clear rules and guidelines for all teams, now it's just whoever the AFL decides, and it's different for each team that gets it) Essendon 2000 and Carlton 1995.

Geelong is suspicious for 2007-2011 period Thompson and Robinson and occasional Dank involvement. The clear body shapes that matched the Essendon attempts + baldness.

It’s in the video by Melbourne. Not me

 

[peetoo]

Both Geelong and hawthorn allowed players to take part on competitive games in Ireland

 

[cryptor]

I don’t know how you could see the difference as negligible.

Everything our players do at the KCC pre-season is to get them primed for the AFL season and flag assault, the SOO is completely outside of that and carries risk that is not at all necessary in comparison to training to trial games that actually part of the clubs program.

To me it’s like players running around in a basketball game or going in a Skateboarding comp only weeks before the season starts.

A skateboarding comp? Really?

The players have trained to play AFL footy all summer and are at the point now where it’s ramping up match play minutes to find touch and prime their conditioning for the start of the premiership season.

The difference between playing 60 mins of SOO footy vs 60 mins of match sim footy at KCC is negligible in terms of achieving that goal. It’s all still preparation playing footy for the premiership tilt.

There was nothing about the way that SOO game was played that would have made an injury risk tangibly different from any other type of preseason scratch match.

 

[cryptor]

100% agree.

I doubt anybody here would be okay with Battle or Hardwick running around in the VAFA this weekend, so we should have the same attitude to Victoria.

What do Battle and Hardwick get out of running around playing with and on a bunch of ammo players though?

At least SOO footy is with and against AFL quality players. Some of the very best. Plus they get to represent their state. Which might not mean much or anything to some in here, but it’s clear it means enough to the players selected.

 

[peetoo]

AFLW players play in VAFA it’s a hot topic there

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Can't have it both ways.

We are embracing better than most clubs the personality and autonomy of players. The players overwhelming want Origin. No-one is forcing them to play. They're actually driving it.

Same players are driving nonsense like 15 minute quarters and playing less games per year. I am all for treating the players like human beings but lets not pretend all their ideas are good ones.

 

[To the Hawk]

Same players are driving nonsense like 15 minute quarters and playing less games per year. I am all for treating the players like human beings but lets not pretend all their ideas are good ones.

That's your opinion. But over 60,000 went to watch. I'd imagine a big TV audience, and it's widely been considered a success.

So at present, I'd say the players were justified here.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Same players are driving nonsense like 15 minute quarters and playing less games per year. I am all for treating the players like human beings but lets not pretend all their ideas are good ones.

Agree that's a terrible idea - but I've never heard anyone say it with any seriouness.

You might think (AFL) SOO is also a terrible idea - but the overwhelming majority of players think it's a good idea and are actually driving the concept, as someone mentioned earlier.

Fwiw, I don't watch rugby league - not even SOO - and I live in Sydney! It's not too difficult to ignore something even if it's hyped to its limit.

There's a simple solution for those who don't like (AFL) SOO - don't watch it.

 

[unitedhawk2]

That's your opinion. But over 60,000 went to watch. I'd imagine a big TV audience, and it's widely been considered a success.

So at present, I'd say the players were justified here.

Not just the players but the clubs supported the concept too.

We had Sam as an assistant and I read somewhere that one or two of our medical/physio staff travelled to Perth too.

 

[earthworms]

new puff piece by cleetus on the afl.com.au website or app

 

[unitedhawk2]

new puff piece by cleetus on the afl.com.au website or app

Does he write about any other club or is he now the AFL's official Essendon correspondent?

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Twomey just never lets up

 

[Atch]

Twomey just never lets up

He's making it up as he goes.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

He's making it up as he goes.

I think he's taking direction from Welsh. They're trying to pressure Merrett through the media

 

[daniel23]

Talk of weddle signing yet nothing by him about it considering it was his story saying essendon had offered 10 million . But, another story no one cares about how scott is talking to merrett more reguarly .

Although, There was a Funny little part added inside the big v story for a bit of theatre, how mitchell and lyndall were talking to merrett and his partner.

 

[I got the outside word]

Talk of weddle signing yet nothing by him about it considering it was his story saying essendon had offered 10 million . But, another story no one cares about how scott is talking to merrett more reguarly .

Although, There was a Funny little part added inside the big v story for a bit of theatre, how mitchell and lyndall were talking to merrett and his partner.

He’s talking to him more regularly, considering Scott and some team mates said they hadn’t spoken to him at all last year when he wanted out it’s not really hard.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

Twomey just never lets up

Yep, it’s going to be like this all year until Zach confirms his intentions, again.

 

[unitedhawk2]

Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere but I found it to be a lovely, long read on happenings inside the Vic camp in the build-up to Origin:

Inside the Big V camp: The banter, the gameplan and the surprise team rascal

Sarah Black takes you inside Victoria's camp for the behind-the-scenes moments that made up 2026 AAMI AFL Origin

www.afl.com.au

 

[hfc70]

If it were directly taking our players away from playing a game for 4 points during the premiership season, sure.

But at this point of the year it’s just an alternative source of $$$$ for players.

Fixed

 

[unitedhawk2]

Lyon’s Vic insight: Gaz’s perception of Bailey Smith

Everything you need to know from behind the scenes.

www.sen.com.au