2019 AFL Finals Series

[jeemak]

Here's the latest propaganda piece from the AFL reminding us of how smart they were to expand the competition:

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...25-p52uya.html

A couple of quotes and some points:

“The two new teams are significantly commercially positive for the AFL,’’ Goyder says. “They give our media partners access to bigger population areas and there is no doubt in my mind that the broadcast rights outcome of a few years ago was enhanced materially by having teams on the Gold Coast and Western Sydney.

“That has been to the benefit of the whole industry.”

Where's your evidence of this numbnuts? Using terms "in my mind" points to the fact there probably isn't any anyone who actually could share it willing to share the actual evidence. Because it isn't there, or it is and it shows neutrality as a best case when it comes to viewer behaviour or overall patronage.

“The best single measure of what this is costing the competition would be to ask, how much more are the Giants and the Suns supported each year by the AFL than the most supported clubs in Melbourne, who have been here for 150 years?”
To answer that, it's not as much as you might think. The Giants last year received total AFL dividends of $22.7 million. This is is less than $4 million more than St Kilda received."

Actually, ~18% is a massive number. If we're talking above operational costs, it's *!*!*!*!ing huge. Just because four is a number under five and it kind of sounds small, against the actual expenditure on each club it's more than material. It's beneficial. Don't take us all for patsies, some of us get paid to spin shit just like you do you *!*!*!*!ing wankers, and most of us are smart enough to figure it out anyway.

But Dave Matthews, god bless his cotton socks, actually puts some truth or gravity into the situation by being carelessly pragmatic.

“Particularly in Sydney, to capture hearts and minds in such a cluttered market you really need to be winning,’’ Matthews says.
“It’s important in western Sydney that communities trust you and trust you are going to be there and put your roots down and establish a club forever.’’

No shit David. We get it, and this is why you get the concessions and the 18% over and above the funding other clubs get (without taking into account how heavily your club is exposed, the golden handshakes from a sponsorship perspective it gets). You need to keep winning whether it be through merit or through intervention, because nobody will give a single *!*!*!*! about your club when it starts to lose. In the most cluttered market (Sydney is cluttered, sure, but not to the extent Melbourne is in light of poor and decreasing patronage within the NRL, and Melbourne numbers continue to increase at the same time) without additional funding the worst clubs in Melbourne still survive because of their history and yours never will.

This article is actually demonstrating the opposite of its intent (unless good Ol' Chip has a sense of irony in his writing too subtle for my humble brain to pick up). What a time to be alive.

[westdog54]

Wasn’t Gold Coast given the same advantages? It has not all just be given to them.

Not quite.

GWS were able to trade out the four 'mini draft' selections, which netted them an extra 5 first round picks over 2 years.

They also have had almost unrestricted access to NSW Riverina players, which is a very fertile breeding ground.

Plus they were given a virtually 'ready to go' facility, rather than the cobbled together facilities GC had.

[Rocket Science]

I'll concede this much, the only good that's come of the fluoro pricks making a granny are the welcome advent of 'big big sound' memes.

[bornadog]

Get ready for the send off rule to come in next year, thanks to Mumford:

"I'll be going out there to try and send a few bodies flying and doing everything I can to help us get the win."

[comrade]

Get ready for the send off rule to come in next year, thanks to Mumford:

Seeing how feral Mumford get is pretty much the only reason to watch the GF.

[bornadog]

Seeing how feral Mumford get is pretty much the only reason to watch the GF.

I would love to see it go the other way and he cops it

[bornadog]

Debuting in a V/@AFL

Grand Final
1908 - Harry Prout ESS (L)
1920 - Billy James RICH (W)
1923 - George Rawle ESS (W)
1926 - Francis Vine MELB (W)
1952 - Keith Batchelor COLL (L)
2019 - MARLION PICKETT RICH

[comrade]

Gotta give props to Richmond for a) giving him a spot in the first place & b) backing him in to debut in the biggest game of them all.

[westdog54]

Debuting in a V/@AFL

Grand Final
1908 - Harry Prout ESS (L)
1920 - Billy James RICH (W)
1923 - George Rawle ESS (W)
1926 - Francis Vine MELB (W)
1952 - Keith Batchelor COLL (L)
2019 - MARLION PICKETT RICH

Gotta give props to Richmond for a) giving him a spot in the first place & b) backing him in to debut in the biggest game of them all.

Its the biggest selection call I can remember in a very long time. I just hope it doesn't backfire on them.

[bornadog]

Its the biggest selection call I can remember in a very long time. I just hope it doesn't backfire on them.

Since Hooper debuted in the finals

[angelopetraglia]

Pickett. Wow. Just Wow. What a decision. What a story.

[Sedat]

Jack Ross is 19yo and has been in so-so form since he returned from injury. Stack doesn't have the game time in his legs since his return from ankle surgery. McIntosh is a turnover merchant who can gut run all day. Pickett isn't a massive risk on the surface - 27yo and comfortably in the best form of the next crop.

Still an awesome story.

[Twodogs]

Debuting in a V/@AFL

Grand Final
1908 - Harry Prout ESS (L)
1920 - Billy James RICH (W)
1923 - George Rawle ESS (W)
1926 - Francis Vine MELB (W)
1952 - Keith Batchelor COLL (L)
2019 - MARLION PICKETT RICH

If you want a great story then that Billy James kicked the sealer in the 1920 grand final which is his one and only game of VFL football. Comes in as a replacement for a suspended player at Richmond then he goes back home to Kyabram in the offseason and promptly shoots himself in the foot while he's rabbiting with his mates!

[bornadog]

Bevo on Front Bar

[divvydan]

Jack Ross is 19yo and has been in so-so form since he returned from injury. Stack doesn't have the game time in his legs since his return from ankle surgery. McIntosh is a turnover merchant who can gut run all day. Pickett isn't a massive risk on the surface - 27yo and comfortably in the best form of the next crop.

Still an awesome story.

Agree, I think the big thing for me is that Ross and McIntosh were held back from playing in the VFL GF so they would be right to come in and replace people if needed, so not only do they miss the AFL GF but missed a premiership last week as well. Meanwhile Pickett was allowed to play in the VFL GF, wins BOG and then leapfrogs them into the AFL GF.