WEST COAST EAGLES v NORTH MELBOURNE - Rd 8 2013

[Joshen]

Pessimistic but feel we've run into WCE at just the wrong time; quality ins, important game in the context of their (and our) season, captain's 250th on live nationally televised Friday night (which I'm stoked about) just think they've got too much going for them. Close up to 3/4 time but 20-30 point loss is what I'm expecting. Still pumped though.

 

[Righteo]

Two fan bases that absolutely despise each other, the aftermath should be entertaining.

WC by 20.

 

[Joshen]

Oh man the s**t storm if either of these teams lose will be massive on bigfooty, will be good watchin'.

Maybe if it were in Melbourne. I think most would acknowledge we are up against it. Loss is always gutting though.

 

[Righteo]

Also looking forward to a rare reprieve from hearing "The West Coast" tonight, Dennis and Bruce for all their flaws haven't started with that s**t yet.

 

[Oneiros]

Arguably more riding on this for the two teams than the Geelong-Essendon blockbuster. Whoever loses this is well and truly behind the eight ball and will be the delimiter between "fighting to sneak into the Top 4" and "fighting to sneak into the Top 8".

Seasons are riding on this one. My head is telling me we're golden, my gut is telling me this could get messy.

And if anyone has followed the WC/NM avatars this week will know the other reason why we really don't want to lose this one!

 

[the big lebowski]

Jesse Smith got poleaxed by that sniping dog Lynch.

Sounds about right

 

[MaddAdam]

Your tone is implying that's somehow our fault. Pick a home ground and stick to it.

We've got a home ground. Arden Street.

 

[Snake_Baker]

We've got a home ground. Arden Street.

Since 1882.

Since before there was a WAFL.

 

[MaddAdam]

Can see that you have never flown anywhere needing a layover. Just an extra hour?

I have indeed. Jeez, Brad Scott gets called a sook by you lot but now you're acting like getting from Melbourne to Hobart is like flying to LA or something. FFS.

 

[Chris_6678]

Very nervous about this game...on paper we have a pretty good team but it definitely has not been performing the way we expected them too and can see this being very close.

 

[MaddAdam]

It's not North's fault, it's the fault of the AFL.

In a proper H&A competition if North wanted to play a couple of home games in Tassie they would look at the fixture and pick the opponents they will play there.

Under the AFL's half-arsed 18 teams / 22 rounds / let's look after some but not others fixture the moment North (or Hawthorn, or anyone else) signs a contract to play some games in Tassie clubs like West Coast are guaranteed to play there. We have to play somewhere 10 times a year, the AFL isn't going to waste having us up against all the big clubs in Melbourne when they can have us in Tassie, Canberra etc. and more 'blockbusters'. The draw is a farce as you're well aware, but going to Tassie etc. each year is a pain in the arse for us because of the extra travel.

This I will by and large agree with but I do think the "extra travel" but is somewhat overblown.

 

[PTizzle]

Also looking forward to a rare reprieve from hearing "The West Coast" tonight, Dennis and Bruce for all their flaws haven't started with that s**t yet.

Apparently Bruce isn't commentating - so Channel 7 in all their wisdom have given us Basil Zemplas for a Friday night game.

Yay!

 

[Tas]

It's not North's fault, it's the fault of the AFL.

In a proper H&A competition if North wanted to play a couple of home games in Tassie they would look at the fixture and pick the opponents they will play there.

Under the AFL's half-arsed 18 teams / 22 rounds / let's look after some but not others fixture the moment North (or Hawthorn, or anyone else) signs a contract to play some games in Tassie clubs like West Coast are guaranteed to play there. We have to play somewhere 10 times a year, the AFL isn't going to waste having us up against all the big clubs in Melbourne when they can have us in Tassie, Canberra etc. and more 'blockbusters'. The draw is a farce as you're well aware, but going to Tassie etc. each year is a pain in the arse for us because of the extra travel.

I agree. We can't control the fixture. But, they didn't pick west coast because you have no fans, they picked West Coast because it was a decent interstate team who have supporters that go to games outside their home state. They want to give at least one marketable game to them because they are shelling out a fair bit of cash.

I think we are likely to play one weaker team and one stronger team there. I am not fond of selling games but the way the AFL dropped the ball with Docklands we don't have a lot of options until the stadium comes into AFL hands.

 

[Righteo]

Apparently Bruce isn't commentating - so Channel 7 in all their wisdom have given us Basil Zemplas for a Friday night game.

Yay!

That Eagles sycophant, kill me now

 

[Tas]

Two fan bases that absolutely despise each other, the aftermath should be entertaining.

WC by 20.

I don't think we despise eachother, that is more of a Freo/WC thing. We are sick of losing to them and they don't like Scott for his comments. Most of us get on well with eachother I think.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Apparently Bruce isn't commentating - so Channel 7 in all their wisdom have given us Basil Zemplas for a Friday night game.

Yay!

Majak Krakeour kicks it to Neil Harvey, he handpasses to George Atlas who hits Goldberg running past, he dodges and launches a long kick to Cunningham in the square................

 

[MaddAdam]

Two fan bases that absolutely despise each other, the aftermath should be entertaining.

WC by 20.

I don't despise the West Coast support and I don't think many North supporters would.

Their avatar campaign thing was awesome. Great trolling.

 

[jarrod87]

Tipped West Coast but think it will be a close game. Home advantage should favor the eagles but then again stranger things have happened so wouldn't be surprised if the Roos get up.

 

[Tas]

I have indeed. Jeez, Brad Scott gets called a sook by you lot but now you're acting like getting from Melbourne to Hobart is like flying to LA or something. FFS.

If we had to stop over in Adelaide to get to Perth I don't think we would be doing cartwheels about playing in Perth.

 

[Oneiros]

We've got a home ground. Arden Street.

Well, you have a headquarters and a training ground at Arden Street. But that's not your home ground for match day.

It's been mentioned in the pre-game discussions that West Coast supporters have largely forgotten the experience of an even crowd split in the post-WAFL-becoming-2nd-tier era. But by the same token, half the hysteria surrounding WA and SA teams at Subiaco and Footy Park relates to Victorian supporters slowly forgetting what it was like to have a home ground advantage with a stacked, partisan crowd. With the number of interstate-team-supporters now residing in Victoria, each Melbourne team now plays 16-17 games in what is effectively a neutral venue.

I don't mean to be inflammatory by that, ground rationalisation was, well, rational, and had to be done to carry the game further. Subiaco is a rationalised ground as well, of course, but when its shared between only two teams it makes it a lot less neutral a venue than Docklands/MCG.

 

[Scotland]

This I will by and large agree with but I do think the "extra travel" but is somewhat overblown.

It's not result-determining, it's just an extra pain in the arse.

Clubs complain about many things; 6 day vs 7 day break, having to travel back from Perth after a Sunday game vs Friday or Saturday, playing against teams who have/have not travelled the week prior etc.

Anyway, the weather has turned lovely over here. Bucketed down last night and was rainy this morning, but as of 15 minutes ago is blue skies and sunshine outside.

 

[Snake_Baker]

It's not result-determining, it's just an extra pain in the arse.

Clubs complain about many things; 6 day vs 7 day break, having to travel back from Perth after a Sunday game vs Friday or Saturday, playing against teams who have/have not travelled the week prior etc.

Anyway, the weather has turned lovely over here. Bucketed down last night and was rainy this morning, but as of 15 minutes ago is blue skies and sunshine outside.

Just enough to take the sting out of the ground and diminish skills by 10%.

Perfect.

 

[HBF]

Apparently Bruce isn't commentating - so Channel 7 in all their wisdom have given us Basil Zemplas for a Friday night game.

Yay!

In a way good, in a way not good.
Can you imagine Bruce gushing if there was a contest between NicNat & Daw.
It'd be that bad, all of our TV's would get wet.

 

[Scotland]

Just enough to take the sting out of the ground and diminish skills by 10%.

Perfect.

If there is no rain between now and bouncedown the ground will be dry as a nun's nasty. The skills will be no more dimished than any other night game.

 

[Jobe Watson]

West Coast by 27.