Mega Thread Non-Freo AFL Discussion 2026

[mike91]

Brad Scott officially sacked.

Come on coach bounce win and the Eagles this week!

 

[go_the_dockers]

No exit clauses in contract, so he gets a million dollars next year as well, and the bombers will struggle with the soft cap.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Nah.



Your memory is mistaken. It was a literal pisstake and one of the few good rule changes.

The issue is these bullshit interpretations rather than actually defining the rule.

It's funny how this never gets brought up in retrospect given how key the strategy was. Could you imagine if this had've been Port or, better yet, Ross "He's killing footy" Lyons St. Kilda the year after who had won the grand final with this tactic? We would still be hearing about how disgraceful it was and how they stole a flag from the Geelong dynasty and they were the worst thing to happen to footy with their cheat flag.

History isn't written by the victors: Just those with the most favourable representation around written publications and popular media.

 

[BStaff17]

Amazing to think Carlton & Essendon just keep bumbling and fumbling there way through for 20+ years.

Its hilarious

How many fulltime coaches have they had since Sheedy i counted 6.

Knights, Hird, Bomber Thompson, Worsfold, Rutten, B Scott.

I include Thompson in there because he was the full time coach in 2014.

22 Years since they won a final.

Tbh they look 22 years away from winning another one atm.

 

[Barnabus]

Amazing to think Carlton & Essendon just keep bumbling and fumbling there way through for 20+ years.

Its hilarious

How many fulltime coaches have they had since Sheedy i counted 6.

Knights, Hird, Bomber Thompson, Worsfold, Rutten, B Scott.

I include Thompson in there because he was the full time coach in 2014.

22 Years since they won a final.

Tbh they look 22 years away from winning another one atm.

This is the problem with expansion. The talent pool hasn't kept up. Along with academies, free agency and the significant increase in the salary cap bad teams are finding it harder to rebuild. It is not impossible but teams now have to commit to a rebuild process and pick their trades really carefully. It is about to get worse with Tassie coming in.

 

[swanny1234]

Brad Scott officially sacked.

Come on coach bounce win and the Eagles this week!

Sounds like Solomon will be the interim - Freo connection to beat the Eags this week.

 

[Cam Payne]

Freo supporters are quick to criticise club management, but one Freo don't have are ****ing Kevin Sheedy backing coterie groups white anting everything and everyone.

I for one hope Essendon never break free. **** the campaigners and **** Kevin Sheedy.

Edit: one too many this.

 

[Purple Suit]

Freo supporters are quick to criticise club management, but one this Freo don't have are ****ing Kevin Sheedy backing coterie groups white anting everything and everyone.

I for one hope Essendon never break free. ** the campaigners and ** Kevin Sheedy.

Yep,
An old man with an ego is a dangerous thing. People just need to make sure they have hobbies outside of work or they never want to leave.

 

[Barnabus]

Yep,
An old man with an ego is a dangerous thing. People just need to make sure they have hobbies outside of work or they never want to leave.

Meanwhile I am already planning my retirement 30 years before it happens. Practicing my law bowls and golf early.

 

[Grape Bear]

the biggest issue both carlton and essendon have is that they insist on employing “carlton people” and “essendon people” despite clear evidence that they desperately need an outside perspective.

 

[freo84]

the biggest issue both carlton and essendon have is that they don’t insist on employing “carlton people” and “essendon people” despite clear evidence that they desperately need an outside perspective.

Long may Carltons pain continue.

Not hate towards the Bombers. I hope they get a decent coach.

 

[largebus]

Sheedy was only there for 25 years because, like Dodoro he had all his mates on the board so he controlled the club.

His success came firstly from being a big club before the salary cap came in, and once it did they rorted it consistently.

When Carlton got caught out in 2002 they panicked and traded away three premiership players to avoid a breach, and the club has never been the same.

 

[oldgoat]

We will win 16 games

31st March.
I was wrong...again
Mediocre

 

[swanny1234]

Long may Carltons pain continue.

Not hate towards the Bombers. I hope they get a decent coach.

Nah i hope they both wallow in no mans land forever - be bloody hilarious if they bring Hird back.

 

[Stevooo3940]

Amazing to think Carlton & Essendon just keep bumbling and fumbling there way through for 20+ years.

Its hilarious

How many fulltime coaches have they had since Sheedy i counted 6.

Knights, Hird, Bomber Thompson, Worsfold, Rutten, B Scott.

I include Thompson in there because he was the full time coach in 2014.

22 Years since they won a final.

Tbh they look 22 years away from winning another one atm.

Its incredible how big an effect a major scandal has on a club. The Blues have been shocking since the brown paper bag fiasco. Similarly, the bombers never recovered from the Stephen Dank era. It's no wonder clubs do their utmost to sweep absolutely everything under the carpet because once it's out, the effects are devastating and long lasting.

 

[largebus]

Nah **** em.

Friday before the Derby at school in the early 2000s had as many, if not more red and black scarves than WC or Freo.

Of course by 2006 all these bomber "fans" had disappeared. And you saw last week with their lowest MCG crowd in 30 years their fanbase is thinning out.

Melbourne used to be the VFL's biggest club, but after 50 years of failure not even a flag was able to bring them back to their former glory. Richmond too had their big crowds after 30 years of irrelevance and are now back to having sub-30k against clubs outside Victoria.
I don't think even a dynasty will bring them back to their (salary cap cheating) early 2000s glory days support wise.

 

[Outshined]

Its incredible how big an effect a major scandal has on a club. The Blues have been shocking since the brown paper bag fiasco. Similarly, the bombers never recovered from the Stephen Dank era. It's no wonder clubs do their utmost to sweep absolutely everything under the carpet because once it's out, the effects are devastating and long lasting.

There's a fair bit of 'Big Vic club' exceptionalism to it as well.

Essendon and Carlton (albeit to lesser of an extent) have repeatedly refused to take the hard road and rebuild properly, at least in part because they feel they feel like they can pull off shortcuts a club like Freo aren't afforded.

 

[laptop_MR]

You’d think whoever gets the job has the board’s support for at least 3-4 years to implement their vision?

Young list with a lot of promising players that can turn into something good with another push at the draft. Hoping none of our assistants get pinched, if you’re looking for a senior coach gig right now its a much better list to inherit than Carlton

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

You’d think whoever gets the job has the board’s support for at least 3-4 years to implement their vision?

Young list with a lot of promising players that can turn into something good with another push at the draft. Hoping none of our assistants get pinched, if you’re looking for a senior coach gig right now its a much better list to inherit than Carlton

They should have that support but its been proven just now with Scott that they are incapable of that patience. I agree 100% as well that its a nice list to pick up. There is some serious young talent already and Rosa has proved he can draft. There is also the benefit of some older deadwood that has trade value.

Essendon juat seems even more head****ed than Carlton in the backrooms though so youd want to be pretty careful about taking it on.

 

[David Bubb]

Three former Dockers now current AFL head coaches with Dean Solomon

Dean Solomon

Age

46

Ht

189cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.8

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

5.5

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

3.7

5star

No current season stats available

D

17.6

5star

K

13.4

5star

HB

4.2

4star

M

6.2

5star

T

2.8

5star

taking over (interim)

 

[Grape Bear]

They should have that support but its been proven just now with Scott that they are incapable of that patience. I agree 100% as well that its a nice list to pick up. There is some serious young talent already and Rosa has proved he can draft. There is also the benefit of some older deadwood that has trade value.

Essendon juat seems even more head****ed than Carlton in the backrooms though so youd want to be pretty careful about taking it on.

Any coach that’s not Hird won’t be afforded that patience.

The old boys are desperate to have him back and they just need to get that out of their system.

 

[freo84]

Any coach that’s not Hird won’t be afforded that patience.

The old boys are desperate to have him back and they just need to get that out of their system.

#bringbackdank for that sweet Essendon Edge.

Anything it takes!

 

[largebus]

Worth tuning into Essendon games on ABC to hear if Cameron Ling has to interview Solomon

 

[yoong]

I really doubt it.
But if they think Hird have not already done enough damage to them the last time round, they can get him back to finish the job.

 

[Big Animal]

I think Solomon will go well. They don't have the cash to poach a big name while they pay out Scott. And expectations will be low while he takes the kids forward.