Today life ends

[CureTheSane]

No TV for a week.
Every time AFL gets mentioned in the next 6 months my finger will have to be on teh remote ready to change channels.
And then we're gonna have to have to avoid the Bruce McAvaney and Dale thomas wedding.

[Matty10]

This why we have cricket season - football, what football - I was watching the 1st Test in India.

Good luck to Collingwood - they again won after 20 years. It was probably a good thing that they finally broke through under McGuire (who looked like he might suffer cardiac arrest under the pressure) and Malthouse (who has gone through a lot after leaving WC), as now I can stop feeling sorry for them. It was almost too painful watching their despair at losing in recent years. Now they have their moment in the sun. Let us hope that it does not last the entire summer.

Luke Ball's reaction when the siren went was one of the most amazing things I have seen watching a game of football. You could almost see his heart re-breaking - and he was on the winning team!

[DeadlyAkkuret]

This time around I can at least be happy for my brother who hadn't seen his team win a flag until today. Now that that's happened, may they never win a flag again!

[Xie Shan]

Full credit to Mick Malthouse and the Collingwood players for being gracious in victory, saw a mate's status on fb (whose gf is a pies fan): "...has been a collingwood basher all along, but has to admit the pies were too good this year and deserved it...i still fkn hate you pricks tho" (referring to the fans).

I was too young in 1990 to remember so it was the first time I'd seen a Collingwood premiership and I have to admit, it was something else, the crowd noise sounded unbelievable on TV and you can tell this one will be celebrated long and hard. Jolly copped a bit of flak on here for talking about how huge they are but I didn't see it as putting down the Swans in any way, they are a massive club and unlike any other in the AFL. Their superior fitness was the difference, their attack on the ball was manic and they simply had more run than the Saints (who must be absolutely devastated after getting so close last week). Who'd be a St Kilda supporter?

I still would have preferred the sound of 90,000 vuvuzelas to the long 'Collingwood' chant!

[Matty10]

As good as Collingwood were the efforts of the Saints was pretty poor.

Not that I thought he had been very good all year, but Kosi was awful today - forget about lack of second efforts, in the second half he didn't even put in first efforts. They should trade him - and if no-one wants him they should just consider dumping him. There is a big potential upside to Kosi, but what he dished out today would have just sapped the energy of his team (although many of them were down too).

[Xie Shan]

^^ Agree with that, the Saints had more passengers out there than Collingwood, once again showing the importance of the 'bottom six' in grand finals... Milne went missing again apart from junktime goals.

But then they had more players who were sore coming in, so I think fitness was an issue for them moreso than collingwood who just had so much more energy.

[Robbo]

Wow we waited all week for that. What a shocking game for neutrals.

Let's hope the AFL wake up to themselves and play extra time from now on. The farcical event that took place last Saturday should never be allowed to happen again, what a waste of time and effort.

Anyone who compares Riewoldt to Carey should be shot. St.Kilda were poor today and that Heath Shaw's smother on Riewoldt's open goal was the turning point and pretty much summed up the day.

Collingwood just wanted it more. They ran harder and applied more pressure than the saints did. They took their chances early aswell. Overall they just did the basics a lot better and that is why they won.

[ScottH]

no tv for a week.
Every time afl gets mentioned in the next 6 months my finger will have to be on teh remote ready to change channels.
and then we're gonna have to have to avoid the bruce mcavaney and dale thomas wedding.

roflmao!!!

[Margie]

That's the game I expected last week. I'm so happy for my son that the Pies won, but all due credit to them - they were the best team all year and ruthless today.

I even accepted that Mrs J was going to get another Premiership medal (but did ask the footy Gods not to award him the Norm Smith as well!) I noticed the difference between his demeanour and words to those of Luke Ball, who showed humility and empathised with his old team, rather bathing himself in glory.

Felt sorry for players like Goddard, who tried his heart out, and Josh Fraser who was such an integral part of the Collingwood team for so long and leaves without a medal.

[AnnieH]

How come Davis wasn't presented with a medal?
I thought all the players (including those who played last week) got a medal.

A bit slack.

[giant]

No TV for a week.
Every time AFL gets mentioned in the next 6 months my finger will have to be on teh remote ready to change channels.
And then we're gonna have to have to avoid the Bruce McAvaney and Dale thomas wedding.

Marvelous!

[Matty10]

Let's hope the AFL wake up to themselves and play extra time from now on. The farcical event that took place last Saturday should never be allowed to happen again, what a waste of time and effort.

90-odd thousand people turned up to watch the best team of the year win the premiership. I suppose the point of the drawn Grand Final replays is to give an even chance for the best team to produce their best over the full 80 min, not in an extended 10 min burst.

No-one can know for certain who would have won last week had that occurred, but (anecdotally) most neutral supporters and journalists seemed to indicate that the Saints were most likely. I think Collingwood's victory actually vindicated the introduction of the replay, as it enabled the most dominant team of the year to win the flag - that might not have happened otherwise. I hope the AFL keeps it going.

How come Davis wasn't presented with a medal?

I had heard that all week also - although I switched off the broadcast after Luke Ball got his medal. Maybe Davis did not want to collect one (it would be a strange, perhaps hollow, feeling). I am sure there will be something about it in the papers over the next couple of days.

[pieman]

Wow we waited all week for that. What a shocking game for neutrals.

Let's hope the AFL wake up to themselves and play extra time from now on. The farcical event that took place last Saturday should never be allowed to happen again, what a waste of time and effort.

Anyone who compares Riewoldt to Carey should be shot. St.Kilda were poor today and that Heath Shaw's smother on Riewoldt's open goal was the turning point and pretty much summed up the day.

Collingwood just wanted it more. They ran harder and applied more pressure than the saints did. They took their chances early aswell. Overall they just did the basics a lot better and that is why they won.

As a Collingwood supporter who made it down for both games I've got to admit I'm glad extra time did'nt happen (sorry Nick Maxwell) cause it was bleeding obviuos St Kilda had the momentum and would've won. It was an empty feeling uotside G but also one of relief.
Thanks to everyone on this thread, you did'nt hang @@@@ on the Pies, showed great sportsmanship. CHEERS.

[ScottH]

As a Collingwood supporter who made it down for both games I've got to admit I'm glad extra time did'nt happen (sorry Nick Maxwell) cause it was bleeding obviuos St Kilda had the momentum and would've won. It was an empty feeling uotside G but also one of relief.
Thanks to everyone on this thread, you did'nt hang @@@@ on the Pies, showed great sportsmanship. CHEERS.

No, no you got us all wrong. We hate the pies.
And yes given an extra few mins, St Kilda would've been premiers, but the pies were the best team on the 2nd day, and one of the best teams for most of the year. Man, did I just say that. I feel dirty. need to go wash.

PS: they've taken your crown as back2back runners up!!

[laughingnome]

PS: they've taken your crown as back2back runners up!!

Ah, but Collingwood still holds the record for the three-peat. Twice.

Runners up 1937, 1938, 1939 (Geelong, Carlton, Melbourne)
and again in 1979, 1980, 1981 (Carlton, Richmond, Carlton)