Mega Thread Non-Freo AFL Discussion 2026

[Dockerjonz]

Coke goes well with Whoppers so they all got fried.

Geez certain modz are a sensitive buch arent they

 

[anchor man]

I have to admit I got caught up in all the hype. I tipped them.
Shame, shame ,shame.

 

[Purple Suit]

Well at least the 100 points plus floggings have stopped, or have they?

They're 120 point floggings from now on.

 

[ImperialPurple]

The only thing that gives this away as AI is the fake Harley is lacking his usual lashings of grease and oil.

Otherwise it checks out




(Just for the record I hate the puerile ‘we’ve got the better Reid’ garbage comments thinly veiled as the person thinking they’re being both cutting and witty… but I liked this. )

 

[Dockerjonz]

 

[PrancingPony]

Man i thought they'd make it respectable. Goes to show West Coast aren't quite there yet, they beat teams around their level.

I'm confident if we play like we did last night and they play like tonight we'd still comfortably smash them.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I suppose, by genuine contender at this stage it would be "teams I can see winning it."

I would favour Brisbane, GC, Dogs and Swans if I'm honest with myself but it's a long season and you need to be firing at the right time.

Well it's an interesting discussion point.
In the contrived world of the AFL we now have 10 finalists and so supporters of the top 10 teams will be overcome with exuberance about their genuineness.
In reality, it's always the case that since a final eight started 30 years ago, two thirds of premiership teams have finished first or second and over 80% have finished 1st to 3rd. Yeah you get the odd rogue result, but most of the time there aren't six "genuine" contenders.
I think we'll be a genuine contender when I think we'll finish a season top 2. I personally am not seeing it at this stage but you're right, the season is young and we may progress through the year to get to that point

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Well it's an interesting discussion point.
In the contrived world of the AFL we now have 10 finalists and so supporters of the top 10 teams will be overcome with exuberance about their genuineness.
In reality, it's always the case that since a final eight started 30 years ago, two thirds of premiership teams have finished first or second and over 80% have finished 1st to 3rd. Yeah you get the odd rogue result, but most of the time there aren't six "genuine" contenders.
I think we'll be a genuine contender when I think we'll finish a season top 2. I personally am not seeing it at this stage but you're right, the season is young and we may progress through the year to get to that point

I'd wonder two things on that.

• What if you separated before they brought in the pre finals bye and after which feels like it's enabled more teams outside the 4 to be a threat?
• What if you just made it "made the grand final". What happens on the day, happens on the day. Couldnt say any team that actually made one wasnt a contender that year.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I'd wonder two things on that.

• What if you separated before they brought in the pre finals bye and after which feels like it's enabled more teams outside the 4 to be a threat?
• What if you just made it "made the grand final". What happens on the day, happens on the day. Couldnt say any team that actually made one wasnt a contender that year.

Good points, again it seems to boil down to how wide or narrow one wants their definition of genuine to be. As I said, some people will be sitting there in the first week of the finals this year saying we now have 10 teams that could win the flag

 

[The Feeder Club]

I'd wonder two things on that.

• What if you separated before they brought in the pre finals bye and after which feels like it's enabled more teams outside the 4 to be a threat?
• What if you just made it "made the grand final". What happens on the day, happens on the day. Couldnt say any team that actually made one wasnt a contender that year.

To answer your first query in more detail, according to my records, there have been 32 grand finals (not counting the replay) since the final 8 was introduced, with the breakdown in ladder position at the end of the home and away position versus grand final status as follows

Ladder position	Premier	Runner Up	No grand final
1	11	12	9
2	9	9	14
3	8	4	20
4	1	4	27
5	2	1	29
6	0	2	30
7	1	0	31
8	0	0	32

Any way you look at it, if you aren't top 3 you're almost always looking on

 

[largebus]

Meanwhile in the WAFL, the Eagles reserves were +5 for inside 50s and still lost by 11 goals

 

[malpaso]

Swans opponents this year.

1. Carlton at SCG - W
2. Severely undermanned Lions at SCG - W
3. Hawks at the MCG - L
4. Eagles (who are still shit) at Optus - W

Not ready to proclaim the Swans anything special yet.

 

[oldgoat]

Geez certain modz are a sensitive buch arent they

is that...sensitive butch ?

 

[oldgoat]

Egos 100 points down 7 minutes before 3/4 time? The WC players have obviously bought into the local media hype about being a destination club. Pathetic.

 

[Quay Club]

Well at least the 100 points plus floggings have stopped, or have they?

I can't stand the lesser Reid but he actually helped Heeney ease his fall after that mark by holding his leg up.

Heeney and Reid were on good terms with each other after the game or maybe he was asking him what it was like to live in Sydney

He certainly put the queue in the rack when it all become too hard whereas Duursma tried his guts out all game.

 

[swanny1234]

The thing is though, Chad is ready made. They could use him mid.

So could we

Surely Chad watched that being on the oppo and thought “no ****ing way” - he probably stays and has a long career in Sydney.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Happy long weekend everyone!

 

[chaosball32]

A once great rivalry reduced to this shame on you West Coast.

 

[chaosball32]

View attachment 2572614

The only thing that gives this away as AI is the fake Harley is lacking his usual lashings of grease and oil.

Otherwise it checks out




(Just for the record I hate the puerile ‘we’ve got the better Reid’ garbage comments thinly veiled as the person thinking they’re being both cutting and witty… but I liked this. )

AI slop implies the existence of AI art. This is AI art.

 

[Dockerjonz]

is that...sensitive butch ?

Brunch

 

[serial_thrilla]

A once great rivalry reduced to this shame on you West Coast.

View attachment 2572730

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[Quazar2]

Eagles pulverized. Youch. Hope everyone can calm their emotions on them resurging because they happened to take the last draft a bit more seriously and get in good kids who MAY become elite in a few years' time. Takes a lot more than talent to make it anyway, and they have to be able to retain them through the (next) few tough years, which are still yet to materialize.

 

[freo84]

I still have the Eagles finishing outside the bottom 4. Probably between 12th and 14th.

They will play some great but wildly inconsistent footy this season. Floggings will happen, but so will those against the odds away wins as well.

 

[mayne iac]

They ain't out of the mire by a long shot, alot of old blokes retiring in the next couple of years...perfect

 

[PrancingPony]

They ain't out of the mire by a long shot, alot of old blokes retiring in the next couple of years...perfect

That Matt Flynn is going to be a terrible loss, hard to replace a stud like that. (I hope they sign him to a 10 year extension)