Preview 2013 AFL fixture released

[Moggy]

I am going to stick my neck out here and say that I think McAveney is a good commentator.
He is hugely knowledgeable and often has interesting things to say and works well within a commentary team.
Ok, some of his mannerisms and word choices can be irritating, but I think they are over-played.

In any case, he is MILES ahead of the Darcy droid, or "Wowee" Taylor.
I wanted to reach into my TV and rip out BT's throat during that Freo EF loss. I'll show you wowee, you braindead twunt!

 

[footscore]

I am going to stick my neck out here and say that I think McAveney is a good commentator.
He is hugely knowledgeable and often has interesting things to say and works well within a commentary team.
Ok, some of his mannerisms and word choices can be irritating, but I think they are over-played.

In any case, he is MILES ahead of the Darcy droid, or "Wowee" Taylor.
I wanted to reach into my TV and rip out BT's throat during that Freo EF loss. I'll show you wowee, you braindead twunt!

I agree with you and Bruce is one of the last blokes who really makes it an exciting call.
Grybus was my favourite until his passing as he was genuine and fairly unbiased.

A lot of the callers in the 90's were very good but today, seems to have become predominantly the boys club and I find very few interesting or entertaining at all.
You are right about the EF loss, Brian Taylor had a slight arrogance and sly tune to his voice while commentating that game, kinda like he was enjoying one teams dominance over the other.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I think I've still got to tinker with the formula I'm using (as I think it overrates Adelaide, although all the crap teams are likely to still be pretty crap), but based on last year's position, venue, our days break/opposition break and whether we're coming back from interstate/whether the opponent is returning from interstate, our easiest/toughest games are:

1. Round 20 vs Port Adelaide (Simonds): An eight-day break in Geelong against Port Adelaide, who will be coming off a six-day break? Thanks, Gillon.

2. Round 16 vs Melbourne (Simonds): Similar scenario to the Port Adelaide team, playing a lowly team, coming off a shorter turnaround than us, at our fortress.

3. Round 10 vs Gold Coast (Simonds): The return to Kardinia Park against the Suns, who will be making their second trip to Victoria in as many weeks. Geelong will not drop this one.

4. Round 5 vs Western Bulldogs (Etihad): There'd perhaps be minor concerns after a difficult first month, but the Bulldogs will be backing up a game at AAMI on six days, while we'll have eight. Good teams don't lose a game like this.

5. Round 11 vs GWS (Skoda): The new boys will be looking to be big improvers, with the top three picks and possibly Tippett, combined with the natural improvement of their young players, suggests they could be a danger team in 2013. Still, the Giants defence will be hard-pressed to match the Cats.

6. Round 23 vs Brisbane (Simonds): With the Lions being a finals fancy at this stage, this could be a crucial game for them. Still, yet another games at Simonds, against a lower-placed 2012 team, with our boys having more rest than theirs.

7. Round 18 vs St Kilda (Simonds): A return to home games in Geelong against the Saints. We've had the wood on them since the 2010 QF loss. St Kilda might be struggling for a finals spot and I don't think they'll win this.

8. Round 9 vs Port Adelaide (AAMI): The trip to Adelaide is offset by us having an extra day to prepare. If the Cats are on, they'll get the job done.

9. Round 13 vs Brisbane (Gabba): This one won't be a walk in the park, although this will be the time of our traditional mid-season week in Queensland. We've got the previous week off; they've got a game at Patersons. Hopefully a comfortable win to start our run home.

10. Round 3 vs Carlton (Etihad): After starting the season against two 2012 finalists, this will be viewed as a must win game. With Carlton's lack of key position strength, the Cats should salute.

11. Round 7 vs Essendon (Etihad): The Dons are keen for a finals push, with the addition of Goddard, who will probably play in the midfield. It will be interesting to see how he improves their side and this game won't be easy.

12. Round 6 vs Richmond (MCG): First game for a while at the G against the Tigers and again they look promising at this time of the year. A hard luck story from 2012, with some costly injuries hurting their defence and a number of narrow defeats. They've addressed some real areas of need in the trade period, adding a proven tall defender (Chaplin), goalkicking options (Edwards and Knights) and potentially another midfield option (Knights). I'll temper my enthusiasm somewhat, as I'm always keen on the Tigers until Round 1, but they look pretty solid.

13. Round 14 vs Fremantle (Simonds): A bit of redemption is required, particularly for 2012, but also because Fremantle is the only team in the league which has a winning record against us from the past five meetings. It will be a different prospect with our first game against them in Geelong since 2009 and the boys will be up for this one.

14. Round 19 vs North Melbourne (Etihad): North supporters have (with justification) begged for a game against us to be played at Etihad, here they'll be playing our third in a row on their favourite deck. They really gave the Cats a touch up here in early 2012 and it will be interesting to see the McIntosh/Goldstein battle.

15. Round 8 vs Collingwood (MCG): While this shouldn't be pencilled in as a win, the game against the Pies might be a tougher proposition on paper than it actually is. Geelong will be closing off a month of games in Melbourne with an eight-day break. Collingwood will be travelling back from Perth and playing with a shorter turnaround. No excuses.

16. Round 22 vs Sydney (Simonds): A tough battle here and hopefully a perfect tune-up before the finals. Sydney is a class outfit and will be tough to beat, despite the home ground advantage.

17. Round 21 vs West Coast (Patersons): We never used to care about travelling to WA every year to take on the Eagles (without a return game in Geelong); now that they're good, we're starting to get a bit sick of it. The travel is offset slightly by the Cats having an extra day of rest, but Patersons is a different beast, both in the ground dimensions and the lunatics in the crowd. This game may kick off our push to the finals, but if our top 8/top 4/top 2 position is already assured, it might be a chance to rest a few key players. Would love to win this one.

18. Round 2 vs North Melbourne: An early game against the Roos and this will be a definite statement game. North has the advantage, getting us on one of our early six-day breaks and we may also start managing players for the next three-game block.

19. Round 15 vs Hawthorn (MCG): Can we make it 11 in a row? Number 10 might be a tougher prospect, as we get the Hawks on a six-day break here. Their depth looks like it could cause real issues for them at this stage, unless it is addressed in the draft and a few injuries could bring them back to the pack.

20. Round 4 vs Sydney (SCG): An early game in Sydney against the reigning premier will be a perfect chance to 'see where we're at'. The loss at this ground, after a pathetic first 45 minutes in 2012, didn't look so bad when the Swans lifted the cup. The Cats should at least be switched on at the first bounce.

21. Round 1 vs Hawthorn (MCG): Easter Monday at the G and the atmosphere will be electric. We should have at least three debutants for this one and hopefully McIntosh can pick up from where Ottens left off. Lake will solidify the Hawks backline and it will be interesting to see if Simpkin gets a game and, if so, how he goes against his former teammates. Confidence for the winning team will be sky high by the final siren.

22. Round 17 vs Adelaide (AAMI): The site of our biggest touch-up in 2012, we were thoroughly dismantled by the Crows, last time we played here. Tippett's gone and they may not be getting much help from the draft, but they've still got that midfield, they've still got a quality defence and they've still got Walker. A big game for Hawkins to back up his dominant display in 2012's rematch against the Crows at Simonds.

Hopefully we can win at least 11 of the 1-13 ranked games and at least split the remainder which would put us in 15-16 win territory, as a minimum.

 

[Moggy]

I think I've still got to tinker with the formula I'm using (as I think it overrates Adelaide, although all the crap teams are likely to still be pretty crap), but based on last year's position, venue, our days break/opposition break and whether we're coming back from interstate/whether the opponent is returning from interstate, our easiest/toughest games are...

Great work, McED!

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I am going to stick my neck out here and say that I think McAveney is a good commentator.
He is hugely knowledgeable and often has interesting things to say and works well within a commentary team.
Ok, some of his mannerisms and word choices can be irritating, but I think they are over-played.

In any case, he is MILES ahead of the Darcy droid, or "Wowee" Taylor.
I wanted to reach into my TV and rip out BT's throat during that Freo EF loss. I'll show you wowee, you braindead twunt!

I agree. Say what you want about Bruce, but at least he earns his money with the research he does, unlike the BT-types, who seem to celebrate the fact that they no next to nothing about several teams. 95% of the time, Bruce is fine; the other 5% he sounds like he's lost the plot, but at the moment, that probably puts him in the top half dozen or so commentators.

 

[Moggy]

I agree. Say what you want about Bruce, but at least he earns his money with the research he does, unlike the BT-types, who seem to celebrate the fact that they no next to nothing about several teams. 95% of the time, Bruce is fine; the other 5% he sounds like he's lost the plot, but at the moment, that probably puts him in the top half dozen or so commentators.

Re: BT
I was listening to the MMM commentary of the 2007 prelim final v collingwood last night - as you do - and I have to say that BT was actually very good in that game. Maybe it is the TV gig, but he certainly seems to have gotten a lot worse since then.

I keep going back to last year's elim final, but he was truly woeful that night.
It seems he has chosen to sacrifice calling the game properly in order to be able to shoe-horn his lame catchphrase into the commentary as many times as he can.

Having a catch-phrase at all is bad enough, but having decided to have one, what sane adult chooses "wowee!" in the 21st century?
Even Sandy Roberts would know better than that, and that's saying something!

 

[footscore]

Dennis Cometti also does that as well Asitshould, you sense he's occasionally more focused on getting out a one liner or gag rather than being genuine and in the moment of calling the football match which he's paid good money to do.

Taylor's fat face and pathetic mo shit me up the wall as does Harley & Darcy's stare directly down the lens of the camera as if they are modelling some kind of new fashion label.
Falseness is easy to identify on camera and Darcy & Taylor in particular are the epitome of it.

 

[topic97]

Ive found it seems to be something within channel 7 and other commentary boxes that when certain commentators get together they try to out-do each other.
McAvaney is excellent when he isnt commentating alongside Commetti, but once they are together Bruce tries to outdo Dennis & comes off as a complete dick.

It was just like when you got Walls & Blight together at channel 10 it was as if it was a "my dicks bigger than your dick" competition, but then when you get Walls on 3AW I dont really mind him as much.

And Brayshaw & Lyon are just over the top, however they do make a call exciting when the game is tight.
You just have to listen to the 2009 grand final call in the dying minutes.

 

[mac_cat]

I've just put the Cats 2013 fixture into my google calendar, and if anyone else uses an electronic calendar and hasn't already entered the fixture for themselves, you can subscribe to it here:

https://www.google.com/calendar/ical/t8tkpe1ilp81h9952neoghd044%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

 

[you pick one]

I think I've still got to tinker with the formula I'm using (as I think it overrates Adelaide, although all the crap teams are likely to still be pretty crap), but based on last year's position, venue, our days break/opposition break and whether we're coming back from interstate/whether the opponent is returning from interstate, our easiest/toughest games are:

Thanks Macca I do that most years for myself.Well put together