Round 1 - Other Matches

[Remi Moses]

I agree with you Remi. Essendon seem to be in the same mode they were at the start of 2012.

Really glad we're only ten minutes post the game finishing and we're watching some promotional crap with the AFL captains singing and taking the piss rather than running through the ins and outs of the game that just openned the season.

I turned it over to Fox.
That was cringeworthy

[jeemak]

I turned it over to Fox.
That was cringeworthy

I watched it all out of a sense of self-loathing. I definitely loath myself more as a result. It was balls.

[Hotdog60]

Do you think we'll get to a stage when no player wants to go for the ball and they all stand around looking at it.

Maybe this needs to be done by the players as a protest to stupid rule changes.

[Go_Dogs]

Pretty surprised by the result, thought Adelaide looked the better side on paper, plus home ground advantage and conditions that would suit. Very impressive first up effort from the Bombers. A hard tag on Dangerfield seems the way to go. Walker played quite high last night which isn't really his best role, but showed how good he can be when in range. Watson is a beast.

[chef]

Tippett looks like he's going to be a huge loss. Tipped the Bombers by 24 so I'm happy.

[The Underdog]

Tippett looks like he's going to be a huge loss. Tipped the Bombers by 24 so I'm happy.

I only tipped them by 8 but saw the win coming a mile off. Now for the drop off...

[chef]

I only tipped them by 8 but saw the win coming a mile off. Now for the drop off...

Me too. I don't think that Adelaide are that good and after the summer Essendon had they had something to prove.

[The Underdog]

Me too. I don't think that Adelaide are that good and after the summer Essendon had they had something to prove.

I thought the motivation for them would be too strong. It's not often I tip against Adelaide at home or even tip against the better side, but this game just had huge importance for Essendon. I don't think they'll be a great side this year but that one was about as important as a game will be for them this year.
I will now proceed to tip the rest of the game's incorrectly.
Would like to see the Eagles vs Dockers game tonight, should be pretty interesting. Two pretty close sides playing what is generally a high intensity game in round one. A lot of factors that could send it either way. Freo not having 2 of their first choice rucks might start behind the 8 ball a little.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Tippett looks like he's going to be a huge loss. Tipped the Bombers by 24 so I'm happy.

I went along last night and I don't think Tippett missing was the real issue, as mentioned they were smashed from stoppages and I think Callinan being out hurt their forward structure more. So often the ball came to ground from a marking contest in their forward 50 and there was no-one to crumb it at their feet, which is his bread and butter. He could have kicked 5 in his sleep.

The Crows clearly had an objective to kick long to space and have Walker (at first) and then Petrenko (who was matched up on Fletcher) run onto it, but they could never get it long enough and it kept falling down the defenders throats. They looked much better when they went lateral and used their runners. Walker's strengths are clearly on the lead and it is like they didn't realise that till the last quarter.

On a separate note, I think we should get ASADA in next year to galvanise our supporters and help us reach record numbers. Impressive amount of Bombers made the trip over and I think some of them thought they had won the Grand final even just at half time.

[lemmon]

Agree that the sliding rule is terrible, whatever happened to lower and harder?

[Remi Moses]

Freo very impressive after half time.
Barlow and Mundy very prominent, and thought Griffin was heroic in the ruck.
The Pav looked underdone , and they're very Pav conscious.
West Coast left the door open and should have been further up .
Eagles injuries definetely hurting

[Remi Moses]

The old Josh Hill we know and love was on display tonight

[jeemak]

Agree that the sliding rule is terrible, whatever happened to lower and harder?

Someone else has mentioned it, but there really wasn't a need to invent another rule to solve any of the sliding/head first type of issues.

In fact, all that needed to be done was stop paying free kicks for too high for players that do it! Then ping them for holding the ball if they do slide in, grab the ball and don't dispose of it correctly or quickly.

Problem solved.

But instead, true to form, people within the AFL need to justify their existences by creating another level of processes for others to follow and adapt to.

What a waste of time.

[bornadog]

Someone else has mentioned it, but there really wasn't a need to invent another rule to solve any of the sliding/head first type of issues.

In fact, all that needed to be done was stop paying free kicks for too high for players that do it! Then ping them for holding the ball if they do slide in, grab the ball and don't dispose of it correctly or quickly.

Problem solved.

But instead, true to form, people within the AFL need to justify their existences by creating another level of processes for others to follow and adapt to.

What a waste of time.

and another rule with grey areas that can be interrupted different ways by different umpires

[jeemak]

and another rule with grey areas that can be interrupted different ways by different umpires

Good point.

I'm yelling at the umpires more than I ever have in the past, but it's not about their incompetence for the most part. Unfortunately they're bearing the wrath their overlords should be.

The game is unnessecarily complicated already from an umpiring perspective, it's completely insane that the AFL would make it harder for them.