AFL 2012

[Troy]

​

Since the 2012 fixture has been announced I thought that it was time to start a thread for the 2012 AFL season. Big year again next year as Greater Wester Sydney make their debut and bring it to a 18 team competition. I am very happy that there won't be byes every week as I like seeing each team play each week. There will be 23 rounds in the season which kicks off on a Saturday when GWS play Sydney, the rest of the round starts the Thursday after.

As a North fan I am very happy that we get to play GWS twice and Gold Coast twice. That should give us a nice launching pad as we should beat both teams easily. Looking forward to how the games in Hobart go, hopefully they will be well attended and hopefully we can create a nice home ground advantage down there.

Adelaide may be the luckiest team next year as they play, Port, GWS and Gold Coast twice.

What do you think of the draw for your team?​

 

[Andrew]

Bulldogs won't make top 8, I'll seriously be surprised if we do. We got the worst fixture ever.

 

[Troy]

After the draw North had this year I am over the moon with the 2012 draw. It is a very favourable draw and if North don't make the eight I would be shocked and very disappointed.

Andrew our teams play each other twice next year so that should be a good rivalry to see who gets bragging rights

 

[ants]

Swans is reasonable we play GWS twice, and only have to travel to Perth once which is always a positive.

I think we are a big chance to make the top 4 next year, I think we may have unfurled a future legend in Tommy Walsh, he looked awesome in the International Rules series, and he will at the very least take some of the pressure off Sam Reid. Im still hoping we pick up Fev in the pre-season draft!

 

[Troy]

Tommy Walsh was very impressive in the IRS, I like how the Irish AFL players played for the Irish team to give them some more strength against the bigger bodies. Put Reid and Walsh near the goal square and keep Goodes at CHF, Goodes was great last year when he played CHF. To be honest he is great anywhere on the ground but I think that he is best used as a forward for Sydney.

Fevola would be a risky pick-up by any team but Sydney have a good record at recycling players so I wouldn't be too surprised if they went for him. He is still a quality forward he just needs lots of restrictions outside the game.

 

[Aniking]

I don't look into the Draw too much, but what I have seen I'm quite pleased with, especially considering we only play away 5 times. We go to the Gold Coast in Round 3, Western Sydney in Round 9, Perth in Round 13 (after a Round 12 bye), and Adelaide in Rounds 16 and 19. I'd say that's pretty solid considering those games are against the Gold Coast Suns, GWS, Fremantle, and the two Adelaide teams. I'm pleased we managed to avoid Sydney and West Coast away as we lost both those matches last season.

We play the Top 7 from last season 9 times, and the Bottom 8 from last season 12 times plus the 1 GWS game. Overall that's quite satisfying, especially if we improve on last season. If we do improve, I'm quite confident we'll be able to make the Finals again. We definitely won't make the Final of the NAB Cup like last season as we've been drawn to face Fremantle and West Coast... in Perth. Damn

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

We will be lucky to win one game

 

[ants]

Who do you barrack for Maverick?

I've been thinking about the Fev situation for a while. Any club would be stupid not to think about picking him up. He could potentially kick 100 goals at Full Forward and will play for minimum wage on an incentive based contract! After all the crap he has been through all he wants to be able to do is provide for his family, and through performing on the field he will be able to do that successfully! You also through in behavioural clauses into his contract and you have a guy who cannot afford to put a foot wrong, who won't get a big pay cheque unless he turns it on, on the field. Win-win for any club.

In Sydneys case, Reid, Walsh and Fevola with Goodes floating around down there, thats going to require four quality tall defenders to take them on. Give me FEV!!

 

[PHIL DUNPHY'S MOUSTACHE]

GWS. Get behind my 'local' team I guess.

 

[Troy]

I think that GWS will be able to pull off a few upset wins like Gold Coast did this year. There are some pretty bad teams out there and GWS have some talented players that could get them over the line in two or three games.