Game Day JLT2 - Melbourne v St Kilda, Thursday 8 March, 7.05pm, Casey

[Gysberts2Bate]

Seems a weird point to make. Rivalries are still relevant - Geelong and Hawthorn when they were vying for Premierships, ditto West Coast and Sydney in the noughties. The Q Clash and Battle for Sydney or whatever they call it are manufactured and don't count, but I don't see how you can say rivalries are going to die out when they're going to occur between competitive teams. They'll certainly come and go.

Oh sure they'll come and go, didn't mean to dismiss those, but long-term cultural rivalries are essentially dead beyond the media beat-up. I wouldn't classify Geelong v Hawthorn and WC v Sydney as rivalries in the sense that made this conversation come up, that's just circumstantial competitiveness driven by playing in high stakes matches. Matches between those teams at the height of the rivalry were either finals or 8 point H&A contests, there's little more to it.

 

[mrmonkey]

Not totally. Carlton supporters are still weirdos. Even the babies are weird. Always will be.

Haha my mother is a Carlton supporter so I'm doomed. But I'm ok with being a weirdo because I fit in well in the world of Bigfooty

 

[00Stinger]

It's a bit unfair that we get two bottom 4 teams as warm up games

 

[CTHORANGE]

The tribal footy fans are dying out replaced by casual observers. AFL don't care because it's the same money. Next generation growing up in Melbourne have nothing that seperates Collingwood from North, Carlton from Melbourne.

There's also an element of the tribal fans not being welcome at games any more (because they aren't family friendly and might drink too much and yell at someone) or they can't afford / won't pay ludicrous prices for tickets in seats actually close to the action due to corporatisation of the sport. For me the tribal fans were first in best dressed = best seats = masses of hardcore fans in one area. This no longer applies anywhere near as much.

 

[jhong]

A couple of things spring to mind .. Moving clubs away from suburban grounds to central location .walking to the "g" is not as intimidating as say wandering through collingwood to get to their old ground . The old rivalries don't seem to appeal to younger generations as much as old farts like me . The afl inventing rivalries for marketing reasons . Etc

 

[Tulip]

Went to my first Spurs game at the ole White Hart Lane last year. Was against Chelsea, cold January night. Had a pre-match meal with thousands of other Yids, went out on the high street and behind a row of police horses, through the fog, we saw rows and rows of Chelsea fans. We weren't allowed near them. The adrenaline was brilliant, so was the game, but I'm not sure why you'd want that every week. Much prefer walking to the G amidst friendly people.

 

[00Stinger]

Went to my first Spurs game at the ole White Hart Lane last year. Was against Chelsea, cold January night. Had a pre-match meal with thousands of other Yids, went out on the high street and behind a row of police horses, through the fog, we saw rows and rows of Chelsea fans. We weren't allowed near them. The adrenaline was brilliant, so was the game, but I'm not sure why you'd want that every week. Much prefer walking to the G amidst friendly people.

Yep agree. Ive done it at Liverpool in a game v Man City a few years back.

There is too much agression and segregation to be enjoyable. I think the main difference is how suburban and tribal they are. Its great for a one off experience but * knows why you would want that every week

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[Topkent]

Yep agree. Ive done it at Liverpool in a game v Man City a few years back.

There is too much agression and segregation to be enjoyable. I think the main difference is how suburban and tribal they are. Its great for a one off experience but **** knows why you would want that every week

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There should be a happy medium though. Our clubs have no identity anymore

 

[00Stinger]

There should be a happy medium though. Our clubs have no identity anymore

I do agree. How you get that though im not sure.

The happy medium probably is the interstate clubs and Geelong in Geelong. Not sure you can recreate that for Melbourne clubs. Especially when they play other vic teams

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[LeverPuller]

There should be a happy medium though. Our clubs have no identity anymore

Eh, I disagree to some extent. Some clubs have lost their identity, but others have maintained some semblance. For example, I think Melbourne still has one due to the MCC and the historical legacy wrapped up in that. But some have definitely lost it - Carlton and St Kilda for example.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Yep agree. Ive done it at Liverpool in a game v Man City a few years back.

There is too much agression and segregation to be enjoyable. I think the main difference is how suburban and tribal they are. Its great for a one off experience but **** knows why you would want that every week

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Just angry people with shitty lives needing somewhere to let out their aggression

 

[stretcharmstrong]

There should be a happy medium though. Our clubs have no identity anymore

I disagree, I’d say we have the happy medium

 

[Topkent]

I disagree, I’d say we have the happy medium

Compared to England Canada America Ireland Scotland etc none of our clubs have any identity anymore.

I do agree. How you get that though im not sure.

The happy medium probably is the interstate clubs and Geelong in Geelong. Not sure you can recreate that for Melbourne clubs. Especially when they play other vic teams

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There's nothing you can do now, if you were to you would start again and have a Melbourne club based south north east and west and then an extra one in each area if the population dictated. Not having home grounds doesn't help either. If Ballarat the western oval and optus oval were still up and running maybe it would be different.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Compared to England Canada America Ireland Scotland etc none of our clubs have any identity anymore.

This is a poor comparison given most sporting teams in those countries are tied to individual cities/geographical areas which are significantly culturally and/or geographically distinct to each other

 

[Topkent]

This is a poor comparison given most sporting teams in those countries are tied to individual cities/geographical areas which are significantly culturally and/or geographically distinct to each other

That's exactly the point I'm making. There's no affiliation with clubs in Melbourne anymore. They are almost franchises these days.

 

[LeverPuller]

It's still a slightly extended bench this week isn't it?

 

[Demon 16]

It's still a slightly extended bench this week isn't it?

25 last week and 23 this week I believe.

Then 22 for round 1 obviously.

 

[Tulip]

That's exactly the point I'm making. There's no affiliation with clubs in Melbourne anymore. They are almost franchises these days.

If people care about their clubs in the fanatical way that AFL fans do, what does it matter if they're not punching on with rivals on ethnic grounds?

Odd you'd used America as a yardstick for 'passion', and then criticise franchises. All American professional sporting clubs are franchises, often liable to move across the country at the drop of a hat.

 

[Demon 16]

Compared to England Canada America Ireland Scotland etc none of our clubs have any identity anymore.

I think any side that is representing its city or region has a strong identity. Some might take a little longer to build than others but the foundation is there.

Some people don’t realise that some of the passionate sporting team rivalries stem from historical issues outside of the sport itself, such as the religiously affiliated Celtics/Rangers being Catholics and Protestants respectively.

Millwall and West Hams ultra violent rivalry dates back many years to when the Millwall union dockland workers of east London went on strike, and the government used temporary workers from the nearby West Ham region to ‘cover’ the workload. They’d play each other in football and it was a very dangerous environment.

I’m glad we don’t have any of that s**t over here. The regional rivalry which spills into sport is enough for me.

 

[demondavey]

Tyson and Viney play and get through unscathed.

ANB continue his excellent form. I see one more good hit out as being all it takes to like in a round 1 berth.

Melksham and Harmes continue their excellent form across half forward. Have loved their work thus far. Harmes looks to eclipse Watts in that HF role, as has Melksham.

Frost & Lever play together to see how they go alongside one another. A big game from Lever would be nice. Show us some of that A grade intercept marking. I’d like Frost to put his hand up and try and push out O-Mac for round 1.

Bugg play well again to show us his turned the corner. I think he is in the mix for round 1.

Gawn to have another big game.

McDonald to kick 3-4 goals.

Essebtually from the group I want to see 4 quarters of non stop ferocity. Beat them by 100 points if we can. No reason why not.

 

[demondavey]

Im thinking if Fritta plays well and keeps hid spot, the Weed will have some competition for his spot in the forward line

Weid won’t be playing much this year.

 

[demondavey]

I think Lewis is on that list, and I think ANB and Melk are there too... Meanwhile, I think Bernie will be given the year to start in the 22, and it will have to be a case of playing himself out rather than playing himself in. It will require either poor form/ill-discipline from him, or somebody in a similar role banging the door down in the 2s, for him to not be in there.

On this topic, I don't actually mind if we have a core of up to 18 players who are essentially locks - that's a strong position to be in. In no particular order, I present my...

Locks (18): Tmac, Hogan, Garlett, Trac, Gawn, Viney, Oliver, Jones, Jetta, Hibberd, Lewis, ANB, Melk, LEVER, OMac, Salem, Hunt, Tyson

Fighting for 4 spots (19): Vince, Harmes, Hannan, Brayshaw, Bugg, Fritsch, Frost, Pedo, Maynard, Weid, Stretch, Kent, JKH, Weid, VDB, Keilty, J Smith, T Smith, Wagner

Youth (7): Spargo, Johnstone, McKenna, Petty, Baker, Filipovic, King

There’s absolutely no way those 18 are locks.

Hogan
Garlett
Lewis
Petracca
ANB
Melksham
O Mac
Salem
Hunt
Tyson

10 blokes that definitely could be and should be dropped if they’re not playing good football, and yes that includes Petracca.

I’d go as far as saying nothing is a lock and nor it should be. It’s not like 6 years ago when Sylvia was picked 8 hours after snorting his last line. If Goodwin will trade Watts he will drop out of form players without batting an eye lid.

 

[Demon 16]

Weid won’t be playing much this year.

They will try to get as many games as possible into him but I agree, presuming there are no injury issues with other players, he will be lucky to get 10 games.

 

[demondavey]

They will try to get as many games as possible into him but I agree, presuming there are no injury issues with other players, he will be lucky to get 10 games.

Hogan
McDonald
Pedersen

All in front. Hasn’t even been sighted yet. Is he injured?

 

[demondavey]

It's a bit unfair that we get two bottom 4 teams as warm up games

Steady on. Don’t Jinx.