The Butters Cup: Changes vs Port in Ballarat

[Ratdweller]

Hallelujah, this is supposed to be the elite level of AFL and to play it there whilst under construction and, let’s be honest, with a tiny crowd is just mind boggling to me.
It’s also going to be a terrible look visually on TV.

As usual they put dollars before members’ interests.

I agree. The fans and members ought to be lobbying the club coordinating with Adelaide fans to lobby their club to have the game later this year shifted elsewhere. If neither of the two main stadiums in Melbourne are available, then we ought to be pushing to get that game played at GMHBA Stadium or worst case Optus Oval. No games should be getting played in Ballarat until construction is completed and full ground capacity available.

 

[Amarula]

Awesome! How’s he tracking?

Fairly good at the moment, thanks for asking. We’re really impressed with the staff of both organisations. My son hasn’t played much in the past two seasons due to injury, but the WB rehab staff have been great. Not only rehabbed very well, but also showed him how to adjust his technique to avoid further problems in the future. Hoping for an injury-free run this season.

 

[X_box_X]

Very random here but that's me...

We've beaten PA four times (out of 15) in Bevo's tenure.

We beat them once in 2015 & 2016 and we beat them twice in 2021.

When we beat them in 2015:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won the week before we beat PA.
  

When we beat them in 2016:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won the week before we beat PA.

When we beat them in 2021:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won both matches the week before we beat PA.

So far in 2025 we won in round one and we beat our opponent last week...

 

[go_sports_team]

Very random here but that's me...

We've beaten PA four times (out of 15) in Bevo's tenure.

We beat them once in 2015 & 2016 and we beat them twice in 2021.

When we beat them in 2015:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won the week before we beat PA.

When we beat them in 2016:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won the week before we beat PA.

When we beat them in 2021:

• We won in round one, we lost in the final regular season match, we made finals, we won both matches the week before we beat PA.

So far in 2025 we won in round one and we beat our opponent last week...

What's the saying? Past performance is no guarantee of future results when you have Bont plus a clone of Bont on the team?

 

[Sentinel]

Super excited to watch them pluck inconsistent, random, over the top 50s this weekend based on the latest 'crackdown' of the week

 

[my plums]

Super excited to watch them pluck inconsistent, random, over the top 50s this weekend based on the latest 'crackdown' of the week

Joke that because of previous umpiring missing the “creep” now there will be a crackdown with the inevitable over correction and penalisation of undeserving teams and players.

 

[Bulldogs85]

Super excited to watch them pluck inconsistent, random, over the top 50s this weekend based on the latest 'crackdown' of the week

The AFL are being run by bunch of clowns

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Super excited to watch them pluck inconsistent, random, over the top 50s this weekend based on the latest 'crackdown' of the week

When will they bring back the dissent rule? Numerous players arguing at length with the umpires lately. They'll spring it suddenly, one week, I bet.

 

[dogwatch]

Joke that because of previous umpiring missing the “creep” now there will be a crackdown with the inevitable over correction and penalisation of undeserving teams and players.

Spot on. They create a new rule which is usually some poorly thought out knee-jerk response to a single incident or somebody's thought bubble. Then over a period of time the umpires adapt to the reality that it doesn't really work and is spoiling the game if strictly enforced so they ease off with the strict enforcement. It finds its own almost satisfactory level for a while ... and then players start taking advantage of the easing up, by creeping a little more each successive week.

And then they announce a crackdown. It becomes rule of the week again. The game is officiated in a totally different way to the week before. This persists for a few weeks. Until some other anomaly grabs their limited attention and becomes rule of the week. And so it goes. The whole shit cycle rolls on.

If rules are ruining the game or becoming unenforceable don't blame the poor old umpires. Maybe put some more thought into the rules in the first place.

Overpaid, unaccountable and incompetent.

 

[Amarula]

Can only assume that either Colllingwood, Geelong or Hawthorn have complained about it, them being the only clubs the AFL will listen to.

 

[Bald]

Can only assume that either Colllingwood, Geelong or Hawthorn have complained about it, them being the only clubs the AFL will listen to.

Essendon complained about Collingwood doing it. But yes the shouts of the small are never quite as loud haha.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Super excited to watch them pluck inconsistent, random, over the top 50s this weekend based on the latest 'crackdown' of the week

Bahaha the one thing the umps have gotten right this year is having a little bit of lee-way to players.

 

[Philthy1]

Do you think there is any chance of squeezing in a Butters fitness / medical assessment in the pre-game warm up on Saturday?

Could we me make time? Would that be wrong?

 

[Fossie 32]

They let players jump in the air on the mark now, they didn’t originally??? Caused Darcy’s shot to be touched a few weeks ago

 

[my plums]

Spot on. They create a new rule which is usually some poorly thought out knee-jerk response to a single incident or somebody's thought bubble. Then over a period of time the umpires adapt to the reality that it doesn't really work and is spoiling the game if strictly enforced so they ease off with the strict enforcement. It finds its own almost satisfactory level for a while ... and then players start taking advantage of the easing up, by creeping a little more each successive week.

And then they announce a crackdown. It becomes rule of the week again. The game is officiated in a totally different way to the week before. This persists for a few weeks. Until some other anomaly grabs their limited attention and becomes rule of the week. And so it goes. The whole shit cycle rolls on.

If rules are ruining the game or becoming unenforceable don't blame the poor old umpires. Maybe put some more thought into the rules in the first place.

Overpaid, unaccountable and incompetent.

Interpretation has gotta be the worst word uttered in regards to umpiring. Nothing is black and white

 

[my plums]

They let players jump in the air on the mark now, they didn’t originally??? Caused Darcy’s shot to be touched a few weeks ago

I don’t think they’ve ever made players “stand” on the mark when it’s a shot for goal.

 

[Saints4ever]

I don’t think they’ve ever made players “stand” on the mark when it’s a shot for goal.

That’s a really good point

 

[Optimistic Dog]

I agree. The fans and members ought to be lobbying the club coordinating with Adelaide fans to lobby their club to have the game later this year shifted elsewhere. If neither of the two main stadiums in Melbourne are available, then we ought to be pushing to get that game played at GMHBA Stadium or worst case Optus Oval. No games should be getting played in Ballarat until construction is completed and full ground capacity available.

I emailed Ameet Bains about moving the games and other games until redevelopment of the ground is finished. I emailed him a few times and he is always good with replies. Below is the reply


Hope you’re well.

Was a terrific win in Canberra and great to string a couple together for the first time this year!
We will look to see how this weekend goes and will then review for future reference, obviously including the game later this year.

Obviously a number of competing challenges to balance.


Maybe we need a petition I cannot see even if there is a water tight agreement why we cannot bank some games as a payback when the ground is redevelopment is finished.

 

[Ratdweller]

I emailed Ahmedet Bains about moving the games and other games until redevelopment of the ground is finished. I emailed him a few times and he is always good with replies. Below is the reply


Hope you’re well.

Was a terrific win in Canberra and great to string a couple together for the first time this year!
We will look to see how this weekend goes and will then review for future reference, obviously including the game later this year.

Obviously a number of competing challenges to balance.

Good on you mate for doing that.

Hopefully common sense prevails. I'm not advocating abandonment of Ballarat, but it just makes sense to play the games elsewhere until the ground reaches a point of development where it can host at least 10,000 again. This might mean that we wouldn't be anticipating playing there again until June next year, but in the mean time we could utilise GMHBA Stadium. After all, it's very underused, only hosting 9-10 AFL games per season and we would only be asking to play one or two games over the next twelve months which shouldn't interrupt the ground's football hosting schedule for AFL, VFL and GFL games.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Past performance is no guarantee of future results

Is trade radio back early this year?

 

[Bulldog Brent]

I emailed Ahmedet Bains about moving the games and other games until redevelopment of the ground is finished. I emailed him a few times and he is always good with replies. Below is the reply


Hope you’re well.

Was a terrific win in Canberra and great to string a couple together for the first time this year!
We will look to see how this weekend goes and will then review for future reference, obviously including the game later this year.

Obviously a number of competing challenges to balance.


Maybe we need a petition I cannot see even if there is a water tight agreement why we cannot bank some games as a payback when the ground is redevelopment is finished.

Interesting reference to the 2nd game this year - looks like it could be moved to Marvel.

 

[dogwatch]

Interesting reference to the 2nd game this year - looks like it could be moved to Marvel.

Don't hold your breath when there's a contract for serious $$ with the Ballarat Council (& State Govt?)

I'd guess the subtext of that reply would be one of these:

1. We fully expect the second game to be business as usual. However if the Rd 8 clash is a shit show with lots of bad publicity we might make a show of looking into it. But our hands are tied so we probably can't change anything anyway. (Probability 66%)

2. Due to the works, we factored this possibility into this year's contract negotiations with Ballarat Council who have allowed us an escape clause for the second match if the first game is a shit show. But we forfeit a significant portion of the revenue from Ballarat Council and the State Govt for this year. (Probability 33%)

3. If the first game is a shit show we will go in hard to negotiate a release for the second game even though we are contracted. (Probability < 1%)

4. Ballarat Council themselves might decide it's not a great use of money if only a few thousand are visiting for the game and might request an exemption for the second game. (Probability < 0.1%)

 

[Doggies7]

Duryea makes sense as a solid in if JJ does miss this week. Has a few potential match ups on Port too

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Don't hold your breath when there's a contract for serious $$ with the Ballarat Council (& State Govt?)

I'd guess the subtext of that reply would be one of these:

1. We fully expect the second game to be business as usual. However if the Rd 8 clash is a shit show with lots of bad publicity we might make a show of looking into it. But our hands are tied so we probably can't change anything anyway. (Probability 66%)

2. Due to the works, we factored this possibility into this year's contract negotiations with Ballarat Council who have allowed us an escape clause for the second match if the first game is a shit show. But we forfeit a significant portion of the revenue from Ballarat Council and the State Govt for this year. (Probability 33%)

3. If the first game is a shit show we will go in hard to negotiate a release for the second game even though we are contracted. (Probability < 1%)

4. Ballarat Council themselves might decide it's not a great use of money if only a few thousand are visiting for the game and might request an exemption for the second game. (Probability < 0.1%)

Still think if they move the round 18 game and both of 2026 games during redevelopment we can pay back those games by playing 3 Ballarat games 2027,2028 and 2029. It is not like the redevelopment was planned when we first entered the agreement and the council and State government are not fulfilling their commitment of providing a ground that accommodates a capacity of 12,000.

 

[Bulldog Brent]

Duryea makes sense as a solid in if JJ does miss this week. Has a few potential match ups on Port too

JJ out? What did I miss?