Like, learn, hate - Round 23

[theyellowsash]

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

Can I say I hate this? If that was Richmond you'd all be digging in

 

[demondavey]

Liked - Seeing Richmond finish third. What a season. Can't help but feel I want them to go all the way. Also love the way they have risen this year and Hardwick has taken the club up a long way. Well done.

Learnt - Melbourne has serious leadership question marks. That's Jones, Watts, Gawn, Vince and Lewis. Not good enough. Time for some serious change next year. We can't waste the talent we have on our list. It's time to step up in 2018. Guys like David Neitz, James McDonald and Todd Viney would be turning in their guts watching our 'senior' players deliver that on Saturday.

Richmond can win the flag. Definitely in form at the right time and have a massive MCG home crowd factor behind them. I am not a betting man but would like to see the odds.

GWS are a fair way off the pace.

Geelong have also done enough to justify flag favouritism.

Hated - Melbourne obviously. A really horrible showing for our most important game in a long time. Again, I just point the finger squarely at our leaders. In a round where so much was at stake, we were the only team that didn't deliver;

Essendon - Won
WC - Won
Sydney - Won
Port - Won
Geelong - Won

All above mentioned teams had something to play for and they did it in style. We didn't. Can't help but correlate that with poor games from our most senior players.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Liked seeing Richmond in the top 4 and being best supported Home and Away club.

Learnt - well re learnt - that an even comp. is an interesting one.

Didn't hate anything.

 

[PowerForGood]

Like
Buddy (although i didn't see it due to Port match clash)
Port - biased

Learnt
That everyone hates the draw when your team wins every game through the year they are expected to win. News flash: If every other team did the same as Port Adelaide then we wouldn't have made finals. I'm sure when we lose to WC you can all be happy.

Hated:
Staggered games in final round. Clear advantages to teams playing later on.
Melbourne missing out. Hopefully Goodwin can use it as a spur for a jump next year.

 

[captain cotch 9]

Like- Jack Graham/Jacob Townsend.
Depth players at Tigerland???? What is this new concept???

Learnt-Melbourne are shit...oh sorry. I already knew that. My bad...

Hated-Seeing N.Reiwoldt retire. Great player to watch. Hopefully he will go into the media.

 

[JPetro83]

Liked: Richmond winning cos they deserved a top 4 spot.. that other mob didn't. Buddy's performance.. I really enjoyed watching that on fox (prob cos I was cheering for the swans to get a big win to overtake port)
The exciting finish to the season, I cant remember the last time it came down to the final 4mins of a game to see who made the 8.
Matt & Brad Crouch.. they are both under 23 and carving up.. 45 & 42 touches yesterday.. crows need to hang onto them.. wait until they are 24/25 when they enter their prime. guns!

Learned: not much

Hated: The death of Drew Morphett.. that hit me hard. he was an icon when I was growing up.. his voice was the soundtrack to so many great games in the 90s especially the 97 crows prelim win. huge loss.
The media rating Port after they beat the Suns.
The crows putting in a soft performance (yes it was a dead rubber but I hate losing)
Dees fans hating and blaming the crows for them missing out on the 8 lol geez come on, you only have your team to blame for that one!

 

[Knock knock]

Like: The Cats performance against a premiership favorite. Tigers making the 4.

Learnt: Melbourne choke when it matters.

Hated: Melbourne choking. Brisbane tanking. Gil Mclaughlin.

 

[Arc1]

...

Learnt - Melbourne would have been the weakest team of the 8 if they had made it. As it stands West Coast is the weakest team of the 8.

Hated - Melbourne whinging about West Coast beating Adelaide. You had all season and yesterday to ensure finals. You weren't good enough and the ladder shows that. Just because Eagles are the worst side in the 8 doesn't automatically mean you deserve to be in the 8 ahead of them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So if I've followed this correctly:

- Team that finished 9th would've been the weakest in the 8, had they made it.

- Team that nicked 8th is now the weakest in the 8.

- Just because 8th is the worst out of 8 doesn't mean team in 9th should have been 8th.

 

[Arc1]

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

Much as it sticks in my craw to say it, Geelong has been absolutely reamed with this. Finish 2nd, get to play away against Richmond at the G.

This is very unfair.

(Except in situations where Hawthorn gets a home Grand Final - in those cases, it's good for the sport.)

 

[Ron The Bear]

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.

No, that's just the narrative being promoted. And not many of us are buying.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

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

Like that 1 point demolition job we did on them earlier in the year.

 

[Collingwoodity]

So if I've followed this correctly:

- Team that finished 9th would've been the weakest in the 8, had they made it.

- Team that nicked 8th is now the weakest in the 8.

- Just because 8th is the worst out of 8 doesn't mean team in 9th should have been 8th.

Yeah that's correct. Comments like Melbourne deserved to be in ahead of West Coast because West Coast are just making up the numbers is irrelevant. Regardless of whether West Coast or Melbourne made the 8, either side would have been the weakest link in the 8. Not that complicated mate.

 

[gavaniacono]

Liked: tiges getting the double. Also notice they are still on a learning curve and tinkering the game plan on the back of some losses. Their disposal is much more decisive now, and in the last 2 weeks the spread has become very aggressive in recognition they need more goals in finals though it opens the door the other way on turnovers. Its risky and exciting.

Eagles: quite an inspiring win and Darling the whipping boy of so many played hard and well.

Nick R: a good fellow and great player.

Learnt: Dees really turn off the motor and glide along when the opposite is needed. Giants need to find a solid defensive game in the next 2 weeks. Learnt this years ago, still valid, top teams can turn a final round defeat into a positive - RFC 80 comes to mind, and Crows will be full on in 2 weeks.

Disliked: people I grew up and aged with dying - Drew was a ripper, infectiously optimistic, coining the still used in my vocab at least exclamation of Joy, "MAGNIFICENT!!", as he was and so many of todays commos are certainly not.

 

[radiojake]

Like that 1 point demolition job we did on them earlier in the year.

yep exactly that

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

Liked
Seeing N. Riewoldt run around one last time, plus the send off he received from supporters, Richmond FC, J. Riewoldt
Seeing Dusty run around and do what he does.
If my own team couldn't do enough throughout the season to make finals, seeing Richmond high up the ladder is good value.
Seeing Finals 8 decided in the last game of the last round.

Learnt
I'd watch Richmond play almost purely for the Dusty show. Geelong vs Richmond should be a belter.
Saints and Dees not making as big a step forward as many would have predicted. A couple of costly losses throughout the season for both sides really bit hard.

Hated
Not much. Dawned on me some time ago that we wouldn't be good enough to make finals, took the frustration out of watching our sloppy disposal.

 

[tugga]

Liked
Collingwood's effort to finish the season strongly
The theatre of the final spot in the 8
Nick Riewoldt - champion
Geelong's demolition job. never write this club off.
Gresham's game
Townsend 11 goals in two games
Fremantle's improved effort
Bombers making finals. They've done their time. Great for their supporters.
North not tanking and running away with it in the 2nd half.
Hawks send Hodge out on a winning note.

Learnt
Steve Johnson is done and Leon must make, what should be, an easy call
Melbourne is mentally brittle
The Swans could easily become the 2nd team in as many years to win the flag from outside the top 4.

Hated
I feel for the Dees supporters. I know what heartbreak is. Footy is so cruel at times.
three goals and two behinds for a whole game from the Suns. That's Under 11 scoreboard stuff.
The prefinals bye week. I already hate it.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Liked: The Riewoldt send-off. Fitting for the champion. Not that it matters, but as a good sign of respect for the champ, the biggest send-off I've seen since Hird and Sheedy bowed at at the same time

Learnt: Richmond when they play like that should push most teams (possibly Adelaide aside)

Hated: Saints are a ways off

 

[Rack Watts]

Liked: Opposition fans getting salty about us receiving the number 1 pick.
Learned: Tears taste delicious.
Loved: The taste of tears.

 

[davos44]

Liked:
The fact it took until the last 5 minutes of the last game to decide the 8. Couldn't have been more interesting and dramatic, even I smiled when West Coast managed to pip Melbourne. Don't know why? I don't hate Melbourne or anything. It was just exciting and fascinating.

Learned:
Richmond is a genuine flag threat and should beat Geelong in the first week, great for the AFL as a whole. The AFL is always better when the big Vic clubs are up and about.
Melbourne have some deep mental demons (excuse the pun), hopefully Goodwin can sort this out. Missing finals twice in a row when presented with an opportunity against a weaker opponent and blowing it both times isn't good.
Geelong are unbeatable at home, unless their opponent is wearing red and white. If they have a prelim against GWS it will be at KP, if its against Adelaide it will be at the G, and they wont want to be facing Sydney at KP that's for sure!

Hated:
Friday night. An absolute W@nkfest.
Gold Coast- Seriously, they are a joke and an absolute disgrace that should be ashamed of themselves. 3.2 in mostly perfect conditions, it was like watching a train wreck. Every Suns player milling around half back and nobody running forward or even bothering to chase or tackle.
Gary Ablett is a peanut and an absolute sook. Dont do it Geelong.

 

[JohnZ]

Liked:
Geelong coming out and sending a message
Learnt:
Geelong isn't a two man team. Duncan, Menegola, Guthrie, Bews, Stewart, Z. Smith and Menzel all stood up when it mattered
Hated:
Geelong playing Richmond on a Friday Night. Needed to be the Saturday Arvo game, many people from Geelong and further west won't be able to make it to the game. I understand the AFL wants as many fans to attend as possible, so it seems weird to pick a timeslot which disadvantages the majority of Geelong's fan base.

 

[Demon13304]

Can I say I hate this? If that was Richmond you'd all be digging in

I would honestly never wish any clubs supporters to go through what we went through on the weekend

 

[woosha24]

Yeah that's correct. Comments like Melbourne deserved to be in ahead of West Coast because West Coast are just making up the numbers is irrelevant.

Ive seen this sort of comment floating around different boards since yesterday, and I don't understand it.

No, Melbourne do not "deserve" to be playing finals instead of West Coast.

Why? Because West Coast did what they had to do to finish in the 8, and Melbourne didn't.

So "dab on the haters", is what the kids would say.

 

[Senor Ed]

Liked:

- The combined show of respect on friday night for the retiring greats from both the Hawks and Dogs
- Ripper final round of footy
- As harsh as this sounds for Dees supporters: the cockiness of that whole group made me cheer on WCE for the first time in my life. So many FIGJAM's in that group of players that i was pleased that they got what they deserved. Do feel for the supporters though.

Hated:
- 2017 Season. We just couldn't get it going. Too many players seemingly not giving a stuff on the field (having a hard look at you Libba & Stringer amongst others)
- GAJ being a petulant child. I hope that the GCS stick to their guns and force him to retire.

Learned:
- Bont is a giant. Stood next to him at a cafe on Saturday morning and he towered over me and I'm 6ft.
- The game waits for no-one and no team.

 

[Ricketz]

Hated:
Geelong playing Richmond on a Friday Night. Needed to be the Saturday Arvo game, many people from Geelong and further west won't be able to make it to the game. I understand the AFL wants as many fans to attend as possible, so it seems weird to pick a timeslot which disadvantages the majority of Geelong's fan base.

It is on point with the AFL's pro Melbourne club stance - not surprised at all that they are taking our home ground advantage and giving it to Richmond instead, along with the extra seats our supporters should have had were the game scheduled on a Saturday. Disgraceful.

 

[LocalBomber]

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

Feels pretty good to the over 1,000,000 supporters who saw them win 12 games.

Yeah, we will probably lose the final, but just because it's still annoying people that we are becoming successful again, is pleasing enough.