Grand Final Day - the let down after 05-06.

[Layby]

The 1927 GF was a cracker.

I had a good Bovril on the day too, sweet memories

[Wardy]

I dunno - I really enjoyed watching the match on Saturday - and I could watch it again - unlike last years granny ( I cant bring myself to watch that)

[hammo]

Funny watching On The Couch last night that the usual pre-GF expert chatter about "the best 2 teams have qualified for the grand final" was replaced with "Port weren't even in the best 4 teams in the AFL".

A great display from Geelong but embarassing for Port and the AFL to have such a one-sided showpiece.

[Cher]

I wouldn't call it boring and I'm sure you wouldn't find a Geelong supporter call it boring either. I'd love to win a grand final by a big margin

[alison.z]

I thought it was an exceptional display of AFL football by Geelong and their style and skill was awesome to watch. Unfortunate for Port (well, not really - I don't like them) but I found watching Geelong very entertaining!

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Few points on today:

1. Worst Pre-Match entertainment ever. The AFL went out of their way to go "modern" and ended up looking like amateurs. Really average stuff. The entertainment the past two years was much better. What is so bad about a Choir singing the club songs?????? What is so bad about Waltzing Matilda??? They didn't need to scrap everything to make it "cool"

Once again the NRL smashes the AFL for GF pre match entertainment. They do things simple & it works. They have a band; it gets people in the mood. We have some androgynous looking female picking up Premiership cups and a couple of retiring player get up on stage. It was horribly dull. Not as cringeworthy as Dame Edna or Kath & Kim, but nowhere near as professional & FITTING as what the NRL get up to every season on GF night.

JF

[Damien]

I just think the AFL has so many great songs that any footy lover WANTS to hear on Grand Final day, mix it with a band or two and to me you have a successful pre match entertainment.

Entertainment aside - I went to the NRL Grand Final and the key difference for me was simply one thing, the fans, bandwagon or not, got to go. Was amazing seeing the ground packed with fans of both clubs going mental at any mention of their team.

Surely the AFL can find more than 24,000 tickets for club members considering the 100,000 capacity V the 80,000 capacity of Telstra.

[Wardy]

Once again the NRL smashes the AFL for GF pre match entertainment. They do things simple & it works. They have a band; it gets people in the mood. We have some androgynous looking female picking up Premiership cups and a couple of retiring player get up on stage. It was horribly dull. Not as cringeworthy as Dame Edna or Kath & Kim, but nowhere near as professional & FITTING as what the NRL get up to every season on GF night.

JF

I really dont think the NRL do it any better either - its all crap really - although the NRL still have the record for the greatest stuff up -The Billy Idol loss of power - that was priceless.

[Mike_B]

I just think the AFL has so many great songs that any footy lover WANTS to hear on Grand Final day, mix it with a band or two and to me you have a successful pre match entertainment.

Ahhh but according to the AFL's research Up there Cazaly was considered "past it's time" - just who did they survey???? That song and others like One Day in September are footy personified.

Entertainment aside - I went to the NRL Grand Final and the key difference for me was simply one thing, the fans, bandwagon or not, got to go. Was amazing seeing the ground packed with fans of both clubs going mental at any mention of their team.

Surely the AFL can find more than 24,000 tickets for club members considering the 100,000 capacity V the 80,000 capacity of Telstra.

Maybe this is why they didn't want to play the footy songs - coz 50%+ attending wouldn't have a clue about the words! Agree totally that the AFL have to find a way to get more fans at the Grand Final.

[Wardy]

Ahhh but according to the AFL's research Up there Cazaly was considered "past it's time" - just who did they survey???? That song and others like One Day in September are footy personified.



Maybe this is why they didn't want to play the footy songs - coz 50%+ attending wouldn't have a clue about the words! Agree totally that the AFL have to find a way to get more fans at the Grand Final.

Also consider that its way cheaper to go to the NRL GrandFinal than the AFL ( the prices are seriously ridiculous) - the 22,000 ticket allocation is nothing but an insult to the competing clubs. Years ago the MCG was packed to the rafters regardless - this year didnt even reach the 98002 that it got the week before for the preliminary final - Its time that the Corporates got less the actual members of competing clubs more. (I know tell her she's dreamin - that aint going to happen!)

[Cher]

Wardy for AFL CEO!

[Wardy]

Wardy for AFL CEO!

Well if Andy D can get the gig then anyone is in with a chance.

[annew]

Went to the Grand Final and honestly after being at the last 2 with the Swans playing it just wasn't the same. Have been to several Grand Finals in the past but this year after experiencing Grand Finals with the Swans it felt like the first Christmas you know there is no Santa Claus. Very flat! Didn't help that it was a blow out. Mind you would have loved that sort of score if it had have been the Swans that were winning by that much.

[Wardy]

Went to the Grand Final and honestly after being at the last 2 with the Swans playing it just wasn't the same. Have been to several Grand Finals in the past but this year after experiencing Grand Finals with the Swans it felt like the first Christmas you know there is no Santa Claus. Very flat! Didn't help that it was a blow out. Mind you would have loved that sort of score if it had have been the Swans that were winning by that much.

Naturally it was going to have a completely different feeling for you simply because your team wasn't competing, but as a game of footy it was great to watch.
I went to the West coast Geelong granny in 1992 - whilst my team wasnt in I still enjoyed it and went for Geelong that day too - I had a chance to see Gary Ablett Snr play ont the big stage - sure they lost, but they didnt give up and were only short by 13 points. Its never the same if your team isnt there though. But despite our boys not being in it on Saturday I could actually sit there and enjoy watching this Grand Final because I wasnt a bundle of nerves like I had been the last two years. What I loved about the game was that there was none of the constant stoppages, going backwards more than absolutely neccessary, chip passes which (this year particularly) that dont come off, players incapable of holding tackles and to be honest compared to Geelong our players look like they were unfit and uninterested.
As I said previously - I hope that Roos took a few notes and will pass them onto the boys because (well I hope really) that the days of ugly footy are over and attacking footy is in.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

I said the same thing yesterday that the red stands out so much better.

That confetti is just a load of crap. You can't see anything through it while it's still being blown out....

Paul Roos says it tastes great. Well it did in 2005!

Red DEFINITELY stands out. There were Auskick people in the Ponsford Stand near the Cats Cheer Squad. I was thinking the Swans were in the GF again for a moment.

JF