Opinion Liked, Learnt, Hated - AFL 2020 Finals/Grand Final Edition. Congrats Tigers!

Liked - Geelong/Chris Scott. Absolute class in defeat. A mighty club that should be applauded and recognised for being so good for so long.
- Dusty. Actually, it may be love. The best player I've seen pull on a Richmond jersey.

Learnt - Michael Voss, if he doesn't end up a coach, special comments is for him. Didn't say much, but didn't waffle, and actually chimed in naturally when he witnessed something he liked.

Hated - I'm with Wosh, that music after each goal was PUTRID.
Right up there with AFLX in embarrassing gimmicky rubbish.
 
Dec 10, 2006
930
1,983
Brisbane
AFL Club
Richmond
GF edition.

Liked:
-Being there live to see my Tigers win a premiership.
-Dusty putting aside his 3rd Normie and only wearing his premiership medal in the post game celebrations - just another member of the team.
-Guard of honour for GAJ, and Tigers removing their premiership medals so as not to rub his face in their victory - classy.
-Good hard tough game, swings in momentum, big courage shown by players from both sides.
-2 point margin at 3 Qtr time - game was there to win for both teams.
-Cats classy in defeat, from coach to players to supporters at the game.

Learnt:
-Dusty the best Richmond (finals) player ever. Just the best at grabbing the boys and saying, come with me.
-I prefer a day GF, more time to celebrate after the game.
-Cats fans are OK. There will always be nuffies in every team's supporter base, but had a great time and some good natured banter sitting next to a couple of cats supporters.

Hated:
Injuries and seeing good players rubbed out early - Vlaus & GAJ (although i liked the tough and in my eyes fair contests).
Music after every goal. Just why?
 
Nov 12, 2002
41,685
49,987
AFL Club
Geelong
Liked: RFC generally, top to bottom of the whole org. J Niall or whatever his name is, is correct. They have upped the ante in many ways.

Dustin Martin - the humble meditating freak. Is he the only one who knows it is not just abt him?

The winning of a GF convincingly with 1 man down.

Geelong fans and club taking defeat the right way. Even Scott was very good in his presser.

Learnt:
Overexposing the great Martin is a great disservice to many other players in the team.

Self absorbtion of GAB and Danger hurt their team.

Hated
Wolfmother - completely derivative bollocks lacking any artistic merit.

Still, that my frickin shiite club paling in comparison to the mob up the road.

I thought I was the only one who thought that.

If I wanted to listen to third rate watered down Sabbath I would. Even that would be better than them.

Better than Jet at least.
 

muzhogg

Club Legend
Sep 9, 2017
2,092
10,012
AFL Club
Richmond
Liked: The Lions win over Richmond in front of 20K odd Lions fans. No more sitting in 1/3 full stadiums as we finally put on a show against one of the best sides in the comp at home to consolidate the hype in our emerging team;
Learnt: That we have a home prelim final against the Pies (probably) or Geelong and this will present another opportunity to consolidate the hype in our emerging team after it fizzed dramatically at home against the Pies last year;
Hated: Losing the wonderful banter with Tigers fans as now you can't mention humidity without getting reported

Reported!
 

muzhogg

Club Legend
Sep 9, 2017
2,092
10,012
AFL Club
Richmond
Liked: Winning the big dance (duh!) after such a disrupted and disruptive season, Being beaten by Brissy (well, not being beaten so much as seeing them play so very well -- nice one, Brisbane!), Overcoming one of the best outfits in the competition (Geelong) to win the flag. Watching Dusty win his third NS -- I'm in awe of this guy and just so thankful he plays for us. The respectful way we honored GAJ in his last game. Seeing the Sainters on the up (Go Saints!).
Learnt: Nothing. I've been stuck indoors in Melbourne all season so give me a break.
Hated: Injuries to Paddy Ryder, Brad Ebert, and GAJ -- especially the last two given it was their last game for their respective clubs. Some of the dumb controversies surrounding our club. A shortened season and no Sunday games. That it all had to come to an end yet again. Not having four top ten draft picks -- surely winning should get you something other than yet another shiny cup to clutter up the trophy cabinet?
 
Nov 12, 2002
41,685
49,987
AFL Club
Geelong
Liked:
- The improvement in the maligned lower tier at Geelong. We wouldn't have gotten near the Grand Final without the contributions of (especially) Guthrie, Menegola, Stanley, and in the second half of the season Henderson.
- Menegola, Guthrie, and Miers all had good moments under pressure when all had finals queries from previous years.
- The grit Ablett showed to stay out there (to be fair also Houli and Broad). Well done to Richmond to take the medals off.

Learnt:
- Richmond are seriously consistent and resilient from top to bottom. They looked gone halfway through the second quarter, they ended up winning pretty easily.
- Selwood is definitely in decline, and Dangerfield needs a much better 2021. For all the "he should have been in midfield" arguments, the dirty secret from several big games recently for us is when he has been there he's had no impact. Round 17 v Richmond, Qualifying Final, Grand Final. Goes back to last year's Prelim as well in fact.
- Average players still get found out. We can hide Blicavs and Rohan in home and away games when we're 10 goals up against Gold Coast. When there's nowhere to hide they get exposed.

Hated:
- Gary Rohan being on your team in a high pressure game. Amazed that some seem surprised by how insipid he was in a Grand Final. Again.
- Music being played after every goal. Don't need it, don't want it.
- Awful music plus a lights show apparently makes a half time break a spectacular. The insecurity the AFL has is extraordinary. It's not the NFL. Never has been, never will be. Day grand finals are superior in every way.
 

Ron The Bear

Up yer arse, AFL
30k Posts 10k Posts
Jul 4, 2006
35,845
36,723
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Liked: My club’s impeccable conduct during and after the game, exposing the media’s season-long negative campaign against the club for the utter horseshit it was

Learned: Premierships are won in the last month, not the first. Wrote my team off after Round 4

Hated: Long, long, looooong wait for the start of the match. Afternoon only, please
 
Nov 12, 2002
41,685
49,987
AFL Club
Geelong
Liked: My club’s impeccable conduct during and after the game, exposing the media’s season-long negative campaign against the club for the utter horseshit it was

Learned: Premierships are won in the last month, not the first. Wrote my team off after Round 4

Hated: Long, long, looooong wait for the start of the match. Afternoon only, please

I think we're all very slow to learn this lesson.

I'm on a roll though, thought you guys were no chance halfway through last year, and halfway through this one. 0/2. On fire.
 

Ron The Bear

Up yer arse, AFL
30k Posts 10k Posts
Jul 4, 2006
35,845
36,723
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
I think we're all very slow to learn this lesson.

I'm on a roll though, thought you guys were no chance halfway through last year, and halfway through this one. 0/2. On fire.

Never gave up last year, downturn in form was due to missing players who would all eventually return. This year we got pantsed by St.Kilda while at full strength, THEN lost five players, Cotchin/Prestia/Nankervis with injuries and Edwards/Houli extended family leave. Thought the season was too short for them to get back in sufficient condition. Losing the first final might have made the difference.

Hardwick admitted to being a COVID denier and thought it had an adverse effect on our early form.
 

RichLeMonde

Club Legend
Sep 26, 2019
1,929
3,539
Sydney
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Celtics
Losing the first final might have made the difference.
100% this. Rewatched all finals over in the last few days. Prestia in particular didn’t find form until the GF; Edwards and Nank also helped by the extra run. With no VFL this year don’t think we would have fun the GF if we only played once in 3 weeks like Brisbane and Port
 
Oct 2, 2007
46,964
115,485
Willy back beach
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Everton FC Williamstown FC
Hated: Long, long, looooong wait for the start of the match. Afternoon only, please

I suspect My team being in the game made it worse, the day just dragged on. But I hope we never see a night grand final again.
 

Goggin Our Best

Norm Smith Medallist
May 23, 2011
7,523
11,742
sydney
AFL Club
Geelong
Liked: My club’s impeccable conduct during and after the game, exposing the media’s season-long negative campaign against the club for the utter horseshit it was

Learned: Premierships are won in the last month, not the first. Wrote my team off after Round 4

Hated: Long, long, looooong wait for the start of the match. Afternoon only, please

FWIW - i heard Mathew Richardson on the radio - in the week leading up to the 1st week of the finals - so he gave his thoughts about all 8 competing clubs

And with Rich - ( re the point you make about their early season form - losing to Stk) he said ( and he said he spoke to several Rich players etc ) when they were in Vic they couldnt train together and that was their biggest problem - and why their form at that stage was a bit iffy

He mentioned when they went into the hub - they could train together - and that helped them - and their form improved - thats what he said
 

Ron The Bear

Up yer arse, AFL
30k Posts 10k Posts
Jul 4, 2006
35,845
36,723
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
FWIW - i heard Mathew Richardson on the radio - in the week leading up to the 1st week of the finals - so he gave his thoughts about all 8 competing clubs

And with Rich - ( re the point you make about their early season form - losing to Stk) he said ( and he said he spoke to several Rich players etc ) when they were in Vic they couldnt train together and that was their biggest problem - and why their form at that stage was a bit iffy

He mentioned when they went into the hub - they could train together - and that helped them - and their form improved - thats what he said

Yeah that has been mentioned, things clicked into place in the hub. But the restrictions beforehand were the same for all clubs. We were full strength and terrible. Some players were perhaps not as conscientious as they might have been during the layoff after Round 1.
 
Sep 13, 2015
18,683
48,481
Hillary Step
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
76ers
Yeah that has been mentioned, things clicked into place in the hub. But the restrictions beforehand were the same for all clubs. We were full strength and terrible. Some players were perhaps not as conscientious as they might have been during the layoff after Round 1.
I think the lack of training affected us more than pretty much anyone. We’re a team that constantly talks about and relies on connection and knowing where every player is all the time. If it’s 5% off we’re essentially just moving the ball randomly and trying to win 50/50 contests everywhere instead of it always being 60/40 or 70/30. It was the same rules for everyone so no complaints, but it’s pretty clear to see how much of a difference proper training made for us compared to everyone else.
 
Sep 16, 2015
10,225
11,632
Inside 50
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Claremont Tigers
Liked: We all now know the GF can be moved.
Learned: The AFL threw 60 million to get a GF in Brisbane. Eagles/WA offered 20M to have it at Optus.
Hated: No reply on list sizes. Clubs need to know.

IF
Geelong are still bringing in high profile players

THEN
The clubs already know TPP for 2021
 
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