AFL 2011

[Troy]

I am pretty sure I am 5/5 at the moment with tipping. Sydney gave me a bit of a scare but came home really strong to defeat West Coast 101-88. If they had lost then the goal umpire would have been in a lot of trouble since he called Goodes goal early in the game a behind when it was clearly a goal.

Hawthorn thrashed Richmond in part thanks to Richmond's poor goal kicking. Franklin kicked five goals to lead the way up front.

Adelaide were poor today and Fremantle looked okay in beating the Crows 79-54.

Gold Coast were embarrassed again today losing 122-51 against Western Bulldogs. This will be a tough year for them, they just need some more mature bodies since they have soo many kids on the roster.

Last night Collingwood weren't at their best but still won 102-74.

Tomorrow's games:
Melbourne vs. Brisbane
Geelong vs. Port
St Kilda vs. Essendon

Melbourne and Geelong should easily win whereas the last game should be reasonably close. I have tipped the Saints but I think it is the hardest game to pick tomorrow.

 

[Troy]

Melbourne and Geelong did have wins with Geelong most impressive after having 13 different goal-scorers in their thrashing of Port. Essendon humiliated Saints on Sunday afternoon. That was an awesome display by Essendon and it makes me wonder where they went last week when they lost to Syndey after beating Western Bulldogs so easily in round one. This Essendon is a team that could do some damage in September it just depends on which side turns up. Saints are in all sorts of trouble. Their players just don't look in form and I feel bad for Ross Lyon since there isn't much he can do with the players since they just aren't performing as they should.

This week the games are:

Richmond vs. Collingwood
Hawthorn vs. West Coast
Carlton vs. Essendon
Sydney vs. Geelong
Port vs. Adelaide
Gold Coast vs. Melbourne
Fremantle vs North Melbourne

BYE: Brisbane, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs

Tough week tipping this week since there are a lot of close match-ups.

 

[ants]

Hopefully the Swans can put together a four quarter performance this week, and if we do I think we can beat the Cats at the SCG. Jude Bolton has been in majorly impressive form, be one of the Brownlow leaders after three rounds I would expect.

 

[Troy]

Sydney vs Geelong, Carlton vs Essendon and Port vs Adelaide should all be close games. The first two are because four strong teams are playing each other and the last because both teams have been pathetic this year and the quality is pretty even between both teams.

I think that Sydney has a chance especially at home. If Goodes is played in the forward line permanently in the game he will provide a great target and be able to take apart Geelong's defense. Jude Bolton has been in great form so far and like you said would be up there in the Brownlow leader board.

 

[Troy]

Another draw making it three for the year in just four rounds. I thought that Carlton Essendon would be a close game but I didn't expect a draw. Essendon did well to hang on after they lost two players to knee injuries within ten minutes of each other in the first half.

Crows were pathetic tonight and Port showed a lot of spirit. Primus dumping five players including some senior players may have been the spark required.

In the other matches Geelong were too good for Sydney. Hawthorn were pushed to the end by West Coast. On friday Collingwood had it easy against Richmond.

Just two games tomorrow, Gold Coast vs Melbourne and Fremantle vs North. Gold Coast are without Ablett and Brown and will struggle against a team that they should have at least been competitive against. Fremantle should account for North easily but I just hope North show some heart and don't fold like we did against Collingwood.

 

[Andrew]

WOOO! Won $80 from the pub for tipping the draw in Blues/Dons. So ecstatic, I only put down $5 for it haha.

Ah, so good. Sucks Supercoach has a bye for next 3 weeks, I'm killing it!

 

[Troy]

Congratulations on tipping the draw. I didn't even think about it during the match when in the end I should have thrown some money on a draw at half time since it was a pretty even contest and draws have been so regular this season.

 

[Troy]

It is games like this when I just wonder why I follow North. The 29 point scoreline is kind to us since it should have been a ten goal loss. Some of our key players just have shocking skills and I can't understand why no players were dropped after our loss to Collingwood in Round 2. Players have to be dropped after this performance. Hansen needs some time in the VFL and Ben McKinley should replace him at FF, McKinley scored 5.5 in the VFL today so he is ready. I would even drop Petrie for Pederson. The game looks like it has passed Petrie after he missed almost all of last year and he needs to get his fitness back. Some speed in the midfield would be good as well.

Melbourne thumped Gold Coast this afternoon who aren't getting any better and suffered without Ablett and Brown.

 

[Andrew]

North sucks man. Hate to break it to you but they'll prob be bottom four unless they bring in Magic Daw!

 

[Troy]

At the start of the year the only game of these first three I thought we would win would be against West Coast. So being 0-3 after travelling to Perth twice and facing the premiers isnt too bad I guess since we have gotten those tough matches out the way early. The game against Richmond will determine how our season goes. If we lose to them then it is looking like bottom four, if we win easily then something a bit higher up the ladder is possible.

Majak Daw will be great next year. We can't play the guy now because he is a rookie and we haven't put any players on the long term injury list. Did you see his goal for Werribee against Collingwood on the weekend?

 

[ants]

Wow. Gold Coast Suns win there first game of there history by 3 points against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. I've been crook so I sat down and watched this whole game, and jeez, Port Adelaide, the only reason they scored so much was due to Suns turnovers which just shows how much of the ball, and clearances etc that the Suns had. However, when a side is 40 points up at home with 58 seconds to go until three quarter time, and that side loses to a side full of 4 game players, it is an unbelievable effort.

For those that didnt see the game, after that stage of the game, the Suns absolutely dominated, Port couldnt get anywhere near the ball. Players like Swallow, Rischitelli, and Ablett were so hard and dominated contested possessions, whilst Charlie Dixon took two big conested marks which resulted in goals, and Brandon Matera who kicked 4 goals for the game, was brilliant and seemingly playing on his own. Must have smely bad. Suns hit the front by 5 points with 2 and a half minutes to go, and then Port kicked a couple of points followed by another Suns point. 4 points down, 15 seconds to go, Justin Westhoff takes a big contested mark 40 metres out on a 45 degree angle. Siren goes, he chokes, barely snags a point and the Suns win. Suck it Westhoff.

Well done to the Suns. Port Adelaide, take a long hard look in the mirror.

 

[Troy]

That was an incredible turnaround. I didn't give Gold Coast any chance after they were down by 40 points so late in the game but to their credit they just keep going hard at the ball. The veterans stood up when required and some of the young guns were outstanding under pressure. Great for the Suns to get a win early in the season since it will give them more confidence that they can beat other teams like Brisbane, Adelaide, Richmond, North etc. Terrible for Port after that great showing in the Showdown, massive choke by them to lose a lead like that against a side with such little experience.

Thursday night Saints won their first game of the year but struggled in doing it. I expected it to be a walk in the park for Saints but Brisbane played well for a team that I don't give much hope to this year. Saints are struggling big time and it looks like the off season crap and the fact they lost the last two grand finals are weighing down on them.

 

[Troy]

Another good match tonight with Carlton just scraping home against Adelaide by 6 points. Carlton wasted so many opportunities and should have won the match easily. 11.19 85 to 12.7 79 is a poor scoreline for Carlton. Adelaide nearly ran home with it in the end as well as they were up by a goal or two near the end of the match. Taylor Walker was great up forward for Adelaide kicking 4 goals whilst Carlton's Walker kicked four as well. Strange how this season works with a team like Adelaide nearly beating Carlton and Port losing to Gold Coast. Earlier in the season Port thrashed Adelaide and Carlton thrashed Gold Coast yet it doesn't correlate to this week.

Hopefully North get off the bottom of the ladder tomorrow by beating Richmond.

 

[ants]

Bit of money for me as well thanks to yesterdays games. I hate to say it Troy but I don't think the Roo can beat Richmond. Tigs have proven themselves over the first four weeks of footy to be a team well and truly on the improve with a draw against the Saints, and really taking it to Collingwood for a while last week, more than anyone else has this year. Jack Riewoldt kicked 4 goals last week and was smashed by Chris Tarrant, so I shudder to think what he could do to the Kangaroos defence today.

Kade Simpson must have been positively shitting himself when he had that shot on goal to put the game beyond on doubt and he kicked a point when they were 5 points up, game could very easily been a draw again and he would have been at the fore of all the criticism again. Mind you, Carlton should have blown them out of the water in the 2nd quarter when they kicked 1 goal 7 i think it was, game would have been over.

 

[Troy]

I just think that we played poorly in the first game with no ruckman but in the following two games we were never expected to win and we stayed with Fremantle for the first two and a half quarters. The key is our kicking for goal. We have been poor in front of goal this season and it is costing us. As for Reiwoldt Grima will play on him and he has done well against him in the past. Petrie and Hansen have to step up up front for North to give us a marking target up forward and take pressure off Thomas.

Richmond have been alright so far but hopefully North can win.

Reiwoldt is starting on the wing!?!?

Hansen took a strong mark leading out from CHF and then kicked it to Petrie who marked and then kicked a shocker. North got the ball on the ground and Swallow goaled. Great start!