General footy chat Round 20: the other games.

[dejavoodoo44]

The round opens with Hawthorn playing Carlton. A game which will be the final game of Carlton player, Sam Docherty. And I must admit that I did enjoy this article, detailing all he bravely went through to keep his career going.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/23/from-the-pocket-sam-docherty-exits-the-game-with-respect-that-transcends-allegiances?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

And of course, a Hawthorn loss would be good for our very faint finals chances. So, after Docherty battled his way through three knee reconstructions and two bouts of testicular cancer, it would seem only fitting, that some Hawthorn player cops a lengthy suspension, for kicking him in the nuts.

[Sandridge]

It took just 15 seconds for the Poodles to get a free kick/goal.

(It was there - I just like whingeing about the Poodles.)

And another free kick/goal about a minute later.

(It was there, too.)

[dejavoodoo44]

Suns have started well, to have a 31-15 lead at quarter time. And it might be a little bit more handy, because a rain band is just moving into Carrara and it should be wet for the rest of the game.

Now that we can't make the finals, I'm hoping for a Suns premiership. Don't like my chances, but they're the only remaining team that I can see myself barracking for with any enthusiasm.

[dejavoodoo44]

Now 37-15, after an excellent set shot from Ben Long.

[dejavoodoo44]

Another strong quarter by the Suns, to get out to a 33 point lead. Second half should be an intense battle between the opposing inside mids, as they try to scramble the ball forward in the wet.

[dejavoodoo44]

Ben Long is a very good set shot. Suns 52 points up, 5 minutes into the third quarter. Can't see the Lions winning from here.

[dejavoodoo44]

I thought that the Suns had a vague chance coming into the game. I certainly didn't think that they'd boost their percentage from 115.5% to 119.5%. With the match in hand against the hapless Bombers, you'd think that they make the finals from here.

[Kafka's Ghost]

I thought that the Suns had a vague chance coming into the game. I certainly didn't think that they'd boost their percentage from 115.5% to 119.5%. With the match in hand against the hapless Bombers, you'd think that they make the finals from here.

They’re just starting to figure out how good they could be. I’d also like to see them put a few Vic noses out of joint by winning it. St Kilda would have a total meltdown.

[The Big Cat]

It's been a good weekend for the plastic teams.

[Thunder Shaker]

Now that we can't make the finals, I'm hoping for a Suns premiership. Don't like my chances, but they're the only remaining team that I can see myself barracking for with any enthusiasm.

There could be up to three teams in the finals trying to win their first premiership.

Something that has never occurred: a Grand Final between two teams both trying to win their first. It would be curious if it happened this year. (The 1897 VFL season didn't have a Grand Final, but instead had a finals round robin amongst the top four teams. 1898 was decided between Essendon and Fitzroy, with Fitzroy winning in 1989 and again in 1899.)

If the Swans aren't playing, I generally choose the team that has gone the longest without a premiership. Out of the contenders, that's Fremantle (no premiership, 31st season).

In order, of the nine top teams:
Fremantle (no premiership, joined 1995)
Adelaide (last premiership in 1998)
Gold Coast (no premiership, joined 2011)
GWS Giants (no premiership, joined 2012)
Hawthorn (last premiership 2015)
Bulldogs (last premiership 2016)
Geelong (last premiership 2022)
Collingwood (last premiership 2023)
Brisbane (last premiership 2024)

As for personal rankings, I rank Collingwood higher than the other teams that have won premierships this century because all four of them are nasty teams that denied the Swans a premiership the last time we played them in a Grand Final. I also rank Adelaide lower than the teams without a premiership. Yes, that includes the Giants: I don't mind them because two good teams in Sydney helps both teams to retain players.

[dejavoodoo44]

There could be up to three teams in the finals trying to win their first premiership.

Something that has never occurred: a Grand Final between two teams both trying to win their first. It would be curious if it happened this year. (The 1897 VFL season didn't have a Grand Final, but instead had a finals round robin amongst the top four teams. 1898 was decided between Essendon and Fitzroy, with Fitzroy winning in 1989 and again in 1899.)

If the Swans aren't playing, I generally choose the team that has gone the longest without a premiership. Out of the contenders, that's Fremantle (no premiership, 31st season).

In order, of the nine top teams:
Fremantle (no premiership, joined 1995)
Adelaide (last premiership in 1998)
Gold Coast (no premiership, joined 2011)
GWS Giants (no premiership, joined 2012)
Hawthorn (last premiership 2015)
Bulldogs (last premiership 2016)
Geelong (last premiership 2022)
Collingwood (last premiership 2023)
Brisbane (last premiership 2024)

As for personal rankings, I rank Collingwood higher than the other teams that have won premierships this century because all four of them are nasty teams that denied the Swans a premiership the last time we played them in a Grand Final. I also rank Adelaide lower than the teams without a premiership. Yes, that includes the Giants: I don't mind them because two good teams in Sydney helps both teams to retain players.

Now that you've listed the options, I could probably cheer for a Fremantle premiership. While my least favourite option is Geelong, closely followed by Hawthorn. Geelong because I strongly suspect that they might not be taking the salary cap all that seriously. Hawthorn because I've always disliked them. Thinking about the Channel 7 commentators going into a masturbatory frenzy over the Daicos brothers, tends to put me off a Collingwood premiership.

[dejavoodoo44]

They’re just starting to figure out how good they could be. I’d also like to see them put a few Vic noses out of joint by winning it. St Kilda would have a total meltdown.

And they've already got a few draft picks stashed away, to possibly cover bids on Uwland, Patterson and Addinsal.

[imuninformedtwo]

How good to see the racist fans at Norf realise they’re gonna be a crap club for years. So enjoyable after what they did to Goodes in his final game.

[Sandridge]

How good to see the racist fans at Norf realise they’re gonna be a crap club for years. So enjoyable after what they did to Goodes in his final game.

I'm with you 100%!
They deserve all the heartache they're enduring now. May it continue for a long, long time.

[dejavoodoo44]

How good to see the racist fans at Norf realise they’re gonna be a crap club for years. So enjoyable after what they did to Goodes in his final game.

And some of them seem to be thinking, that Clarkson might not be the messiah after all. Personally, I'm starting to wonder if his coaching reputation, might have been a touch inflated at Hawthorn, through having some very tactically adept onfield leaders in Mitchell and Hodge? While I'd hate to see another Hawthorn premiership, I do quite admire the rapid rebuild that Mitchell has done, and when discussing the game, he tends to give the impression that he knows what he's talking about. With Hodge, he often seems to me the most insightful of Channel 7 commentators. So it's possible, that Clarkson got a name for himself as a master tactician, when a fair chunk of the work was being done by his offsiders. And North do have plenty of talent on their list, but they've hardly made any progress during his tenure.

And on North. With Tasmania coming in, I don't really like the idea of a 19 team competition and I'm not sure if there's the depth of talent to expand to 20. So perhaps a club needs to be culled to bring the competition back to 18? The obvious candidates are poorly performing Melbourne clubs: which essentially means North or St Kilda. Or maybe there could be a merger between the two? The Northern Aints has a certain appeal to me.