Like, learn, hate - Round 23

[citizen-erased]

Liked:
Some classy send offs.
Zach Merrett. Added goal kicking to his bag of tricks.
Brothers Crouch. 2 players i would love @ Essendon.
Sicily - seems to have had a chat during the week and he held up pretty good. Kid can play and if he can keep his focus on the game, looks like he'll be a class player.

Learned:
Tigers will win it this year. They play the G so well. All they need is a win this week and i think the road will open up for them.
Dons will be fodder for the finals. Hate to say it about my own team, and while we were missing our FF, CHB and best small forward, we still looked ordinary against a team that had lost the last 2 by over 100 each and were away from their home deck.

Hated:
Dees bowing out. Feel for their supporters.
The bye. Hopefully gone next year.

 

[EagleMan87]

Hate everything. Like nothing. This sport can go **** itself.

Did you punch a hole in your wall then upload a pic of it?

 

[Off The Couch]

Liked that the Hawks sent Hodge off with a win
That the tigers were emphatic in their win over the saints - winning form is good form

Learnt that:
Just when you think that GC can't get any worse, they do. Good luck to whoever is brave enough to take on that poison chalice.
Money is more important than the integrity of the game. Got to love how every side bar the Cats who finished SECOND gets a home game.
That the saints are going to need that extra draft pick

Hated:
That Melbourne let their very patient long suffering supporters down
Ch 7 commentary
That the media are trying to make us believe that the bombers are the feel good story of the season. Spare me - feel good is Roughead and Hogan returning to football
That there will be a bye next week rather than heading straight into finals

 

[LeverPuller]

Did you punch a hole in your wall then upload a pic of it?

Nah, it was on Facebook. Sums my feelings up nicely though

 

[EagleMan87]

Nah, it was on Facebook. Sums my feelings up nicely though

Fair call.

 

[kranky al]

Liked that the Hawks sent Hodge off with a win
That the tigers were emphatic in their win over the saints - winning form is good form

Learnt that:
Just when you think that GC can't get any worse, they do. Good luck to whoever is brave enough to take on that poison chalice.
Money is more important than the integrity of the game. Got to love how every side bar the Cats who finished SECOND gets a home game.
That the saints are going to need that extra draft pick

Hated:
That Melbourne let their very patient long suffering supporters down
Ch 7 commentary
That the media are trying to make us believe that the bombers are the feel good story of the season. Spare me - feel good is Roughead and Hogan returning to football
That there will be a bye next week rather than heading straight into finals

All of this


Ridiculous that the bottom teams are evened up with the top teams here.

 

[NathanMX]

Liked:

Respect for Nick from both clubs and most fans
Fremantle showing some heart and trying their best for us...oh and West Coast and Melbourne I suppose too
Hawks winning and not costing us a spot in the draft

Learnt:

It is definitely a weird season when West Coast supporters have to barrack for Fremantle, when Adelaide fans have to barrack for Geelong and Sydney had to barrack for Gold Coast at least to keep it close
Richmond are more than good enough to win it all
Dustin Martin = Patrick Dangerfield

Hated:

Brisbane saving their worst til last, come on Lions North Melbourne could have used that pick to get Josh Kelly
Saying goodbye to so many greats at the same time
Hodge having to say goodbye at Etihad, Nick having to say goodbye at the G

 

[Xtreme]

Liked:
Hawthorn ending the Bulldogs season
West Coast Eagles ending Melbourne's by beating the ladder leaders Adelaide

Learned:
AFLW state of origin is a thing....... hmmm I think most would rather the men's state of origin or none at all!
It's up to Essendon to stop Sydney's run to the grand final.

Hated:
GWS not getting the job done against Geelong

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Liked: Essendon making finals.
James Stewart stepping up and kicking 4 goals.
Lewis Jetta's goal in 4th quarter of Eagles vs Crows.
Collingwood with significant injuries just going and giving everything and getting a win. Maybe the turning point of Buckley's career as a coach.
Franklin show at SCG and getting the Coleman.
Boekhorst saving his career at Carlton, should get a 1 year deal.

Learnt: GWS need to lift a gear to be a flag threat.
Richmond and Geelong hitting September with excellent form.
Melbourne needed Jack Viney who makes such a massive difference to that side.
Gold Coast need something special to happen in the off-season to reboot that club.
North Melbourne don't tank.

Hated: Brutal nature of footy with Melbourne missing finals by finishing 9th due to percentage. Melbourne fans been through very hard times and deserved some joy. At least with the young list it should happen next year.

Geelong finished the h&a with excellent form, will hit the finals with no form.

 

[Bald]

Liked that the Hawks sent Hodge off with a win
That the tigers were emphatic in their win over the saints - winning form is good form

Learnt that:
Just when you think that GC can't get any worse, they do. Good luck to whoever is brave enough to take on that poison chalice.
Money is more important than the integrity of the game. Got to love how every side bar the Cats who finished SECOND gets a home game.
That the saints are going to need that extra draft pick

Hated:
That Melbourne let their very patient long suffering supporters down
Ch 7 commentary
That the media are trying to make us believe that the bombers are the feel good story of the season. Spare me - feel good is Roughead and Hogan returning to football
That there will be a bye next week rather than heading straight into finals

Couldn't agree more, nothing against the current or former players, or their supporters, but the system allowed them to benefit from their situation more than it punished them. Before Essendon fans jump down my throat and say 'we've been through enough' I whole heartedly agree, but that was the club that put you through that. Just because the club went through hell does not mean it should've been gifted a fixture on a platter and draft picks. I truly believe that if a football club acts in a way that puts its players in a position where they can not play, thus making the club finish lower on the ladder, they shouldn't be afforded the same luxuries as a club that is genuinely struggling.

But it is what it is, I'm glad at the same time their supporters have some reprieve and are able to enjoy their football again. But them being in finals is not a feel good story.

 

[mattpolo8]

Liked:
Buddy's 10. How could you not
The last game, seeing the live ladder on the screen permanently

Hated:
Ablett saga. Poor form

Learnt:
Whoever plays Sydney week 1 (now Essendon) would be spanked.
Round 23 should be a shotgun start, make it happen Gil. That round would have been simply awesome. Here's how I would do it:
Sydney v Hawthorn, SCG
GWS v Dogs, Spotless
North v Fremantle, Tasmania
West Coast v Melbourne, Perth Stadium
Geelong v Carlton, Simonds
Richmond v Essendon, MCG
St Kilda v Port, Etihad
Adelaide v Gold Coast, Adelaide
Brisbane v Collingwood, Gabba
No clash of stadiums. Some tantalising games including some % important games too

 

[Tigers_fan24]

liked
- Making top 4,
- Melbourne missing out. Supporters should be eating a nice big ol' slice of humble pie. I'd feed bad for any other team but a lot of their supporters were insufferable this year.
- Final at the G on a Friday night. 90k plus at the G at this time slot is going to be crazy.

learned
- That I continue to think that Sydney are still the team to beat at the moment. Good on them coming from where they started.

hated
- Not much. Bring on the finals

 

[Black white]

Liked - Tigers and their fans
Learned - Majority of Melbourne fans are even more annoying than i already thought.
Hated - Majority of Melbourne fans more than i ever thought i could.

 

[david addison]

Hated Geelong going the knuckle, I mean knee.

Hated the umps wearing blue at the Bulldogs game. Apparently it's alright for the AFL to clash, but the clubs better not do it.

Hated that the Bombers made the finals after receiving the #1 draft pick last year. Clearly they needed it. Which idiot made that decision?

Hated that Simon Lethlean is earmarked for Gary Pert's job. Is Simkiss taking over from Buckley?

Learned that Mark Robinson took time off, not through illness, but because his employers told him to lay low for a while in the midst of public hatred.

Learned that the Dees shouldn't have publicised themselves as finalists before actually achieving it.

Learned that portraits of iconic players with bloodied face is becoming a cliché. Hodge is the latest example. Pretty soon players will be opening up their own face, just so the photo exists when they eventually retire.

Learned that if you want to chair retirees off the field, do it when it's actually time to leave the field. Not before. It looks contrived.

Learned that if you want to thank the cheer squad after a game, don't do it from the 50 metre line. Walk all the way to the fence you lazy bastards.

Learned that Luke Ball has straightened his hair.

Learned that the Swans have become so embarrassed at being perennial finalists, that they plan to tank against the Bombers.

Learned that the Thursday morning coach pressers are a massive jerk off. Perhaps ask questions that true footy fans want asked, such as 'why didn't Elliot or Scharenberg train today?' Instead, they ask about Buckley's future, ten times, just trying to get a headline. Piss off.

Learned that my only interest in football now is Richmond vs Collingwood at North Port Oval next week.

Loving the 60 Minutes promos during the Footy Show. It's becoming my favourite part of the show. Liz Hayes displaying a cruise missile, like she's a Price Is Right model. How much for this missile? $700,000? Higher. $800,000? Lower. $745,550? Correct! Unless they strap Liz to the thing, I probably won't watch.

Learned that the Mornington Peninsula Freeway is the bullying capitol of Australia.


7 COUNTDOWN: 1860 DAYS.

 

[Angus Young]

Spare a thought for our Melbourne brothers and sisters. Be gentle.

why.....they had every chance to make it and choked.

 

[Hellgood]

Lack of Buddy in the likes - what a freak. Worth every cent thrown at him and then some.

Would have to be the most exciting and dramatic finish to a regular season ever. Will obviously have to switch up my mindset given the next match, but caught the final few dramatic moments of the Eagles game on the radio driving back and got caught up in the drama of it all.

 

[60sbomber]

Couldn't agree more, nothing against the current or former players, or their supporters, but the system allowed them to benefit from their situation more than it punished them. Before Essendon fans jump down my throat and say 'we've been through enough' I whole heartedly agree, but that was the club that put you through that. Just because the club went through hell does not mean it should've been gifted a fixture on a platter and draft picks. I truly believe that if a football club acts in a way that puts its players in a position where they can not play, thus making the club finish lower on the ladder, they shouldn't be afforded the same luxuries as a club that is genuinely struggling.

But it is what it is, I'm glad at the same time their supporters have some reprieve and are able to enjoy their football again. But them being in finals is not a feel good story.

I don't mean to hijack this thread and resurrect old arguments, but I can't read stuff like the bolder and just let it pass.
The idea that we benefited from the punishments to the club and the players is just absurd. In its simplest terms, if you think finishing bottom to get high draft picks is such a great benefit, any club could choose to not play ten of its players for a whole season and avail itself of the same benefit. The fact that they don't illustrates that it is just an absurd thing to say.

The idea that Essendon making finals is a feel good story is a recognition that many people believe that the players and the club were unfairly punished by the CAS penalties and deserve a break.

You don't have to agree, but it's a legitimate point of view.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

Couldn't agree more, nothing against the current or former players, or their supporters, but the system allowed them to benefit from their situation more than it punished them. Before Essendon fans jump down my throat and say 'we've been through enough' I whole heartedly agree, but that was the club that put you through that. Just because the club went through hell does not mean it should've been gifted a fixture on a platter and draft picks. I truly believe that if a football club acts in a way that puts its players in a position where they can not play, thus making the club finish lower on the ladder, they shouldn't be afforded the same luxuries as a club that is genuinely struggling.

But it is what it is, I'm glad at the same time their supporters have some reprieve and are able to enjoy their football again. But them being in finals is not a feel good story.

Very well written post.
Nice for us Essendon fans after a horrid few years.
Not a 'feel good' story if a general AFL fan/supporter of the other 17 clubs.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Liked:
The Buddy show, the thrilling finish to the H&A. sudden relevance of the live ladder, Freo and Tiger efforts, respectful send offs, my mob breaking records in making the 8.

Leaned:
Melbourne Clubs are in a bit of strife with just two of nine clubs in the Finals, Rocket Eade is some sort of coach to have coached some wins out of GCFC, the Demons will have a fierce pre season.

Hated:
Ablett tanking on his own team and behaving like a spoilt brat, Geelong being denied the home final they deserved, continuing decline of umpiring standards.

Mourning:
The passing of Drew Morphett.

 

[Tuco]

Liked: Buddy kicking 10. The most pure football moment of the round.

Learned: according to this thread no one cares about Buddy kicking 10. Therefore I hope BF whinging about the death of football will cease to be a thing.

Hated: walking out of the ground into a bye.

 

[LeverPuller]

why.....they had every chance to make it and choked.

Because it's the fault of the supporters right?

 

[radiojake]

Bombers back in the finals is not a feel good story - the wet lettuce leaf they were slapped with was a joke

Luckily Sydney will destroy em

 

[B4Bear]

Liked: Buddy's 10, just a shame it overshadowed BBB's 7.

Learnt: Melbourne fans were so far ahead of themselves it is not funny (actually it is pretty funny).

Hated: All the talk that North would tank last week. Disgraceful.

 

[JayJ20]

Bombers back in the finals is not a feel good story - the wet lettuce leaf they were slapped with was a joke

Luckily Sydney will destroy em

It's not a feel good story, but we got the biggest punishment in VFL/AFL history. Carlton were crippled for a decade with a punishment less than ours. Just because we came out on the other side looking good doesn't mean that we got a light punishment. That's entirely because of our recruitment in tough times. We lost quality players, but made the most of our situation.

 

[radiojake]

It's not a feel good story, but we got the biggest punishment in VFL/AFL history. Carlton were crippled for a decade with a punishment less than ours. Just because we came out on the other side looking good doesn't mean that we got a light punishment. That's entirely because of our recruitment in tough times. We lost quality players, but made the most of our situation.

Punished more than Carlton? Are you serious? You werent even punished more than Adelaide - loss less draft picks than the crows , and after your finals quality squad had their drug ban, you werr rewarded with pick 1 - news flash- pick 1s are for rubbish squads like brisbane / gold coast et al. not middling / finals pushing squads