AFL Round Table - Fox Footy

[S.S. Bleeder]

[emoji106]

Except for:

I hope the Hawks bring their best this year and they don't have many injuries.

I hope they have a crap year with lots of injuries (albeit nothing too serious).

[The Big Cat]

Hawthorn were badly injury-depleted when we faced them early in the season. From memory they were missing Mitchell, Hodge and Lake and I think Rioli did his hammy early in the third or maybe the second.

We'd lost Jesse White!

[Ludwig]

I hope they have a crap year with lots of injuries (albeit nothing too serious).

But isn't it more satisfying to beat them at their best? Or is it preferable to have Dermie saying something like "yeah they beat us, BUT if Rioli, Hodge, blah blah blah weren't injured............blah blah blah?

[Kelpie_X]

But isn't it more satisfying to beat them at their best? Or is it preferable to have Dermie saying something like "yeah they beat us, BUT if Rioli, Hodge, blah blah blah weren't injured............blah blah blah?

"if" - a little word with a lot of outcomes. Probably my second favorite word "if"

[Conor_Dillon]

'if' we win the flag I couldn't care less who it is against or who they have/don't have on the park...all irrelevant!

[MightyBloods]

I can't help but feel that the 2 year trade ban (ok, we can trade in a player on almost minimum wage next trade period...thanks AFL for nothing) will cost us big time. In 2005/6, Hawks refused to do the Everitt trade with us and look how our rucks performed in the 2006 GF. We lost by a point and got Everitt the following year...too late. This year, Hawks gain Frawley and O'Rourke, Port gain Ryder and we had Pateful signed , sealed and delivered but couldn't trade him in. I still can't believe that the AFL did that to us so blatently. I hope Gillon McGuire can improve in his job. First job this tear Gillon, look up the words transparency and courage.

[Nico]

The irony in discussing the age of our backline is that the Hawks is older, Gibson & Lake are both 30+ and Reid and Frawley basically cancel each other out!! Agree in relation to 2013 as I actually viewed that as one of our bravest performances given the outs we had. It is just the blatant hypocrisy of the Melbourne centric media and clubs about the trade ban and academy that really gets my goat when Collingwood and Hawthorn are the first to bleat about the draw (see Pies last year regarding Sunday night games) or their pockets being "picked" regarding equalisation!

they went on about Freo beating us up in the 2013 PF, but omitted to mention that most of the team was playing injured and we only got rolled by about 3 goals. These blokes really don't do their homework or say what suits their argument without regard to facts. On J Brown; maybe he was just a top footballer and will be seen to be a shallow commentator. Good at sports nights but will he have the nous as a commentator?

[S.S. Bleeder]

I can't help but feel that the 2 year trade ban (ok, we can trade in a player on almost minimum wage next trade period...thanks AFL for nothing) will cost us big time. In 2005/6, Hawks refused to do the Everitt trade with us and look how our rucks performed in the 2006 GF. We lost by a point and got Everitt the following year...too late. This year, Hawks gain Frawley and O'Rourke, Port gain Ryder and we had Pateful signed , sealed and delivered but couldn't trade him in. I still can't believe that the AFL did that to us so blatently. I hope Gillon McGuire can improve in his job. First job this tear Gillon, look up the words transparency and courage.

I'm of the belief that the VFL banned us because they were aware that Patful wanted to come to us. As far as I know there were no other signings on the horizon at the time. What I don't understand is that Patful isn't considered to be up there with Frawley, O'Rourke, etc yet they banned us and no one else. The reason that they were "protecting us from exceeding the salary cap" should apply to all clubs.

[annew]

Dermie is a tosser.

yep

[mcs]

But isn't it more satisfying to beat them at their best? Or is it preferable to have Dermie saying something like "yeah they beat us, BUT if Rioli, Hodge, blah blah blah weren't injured............blah blah blah?

Dermie will say that rubbish whether its true or not.... they always have excuses, those pathetic wee and poo boys and girls.

[tasmania60]

Lets be honest , our skill level is not as good as Hawthorn but our determination is high .we need a BACK LINE ??NOT HARD LETS BUY ONE ??????????????

[mcs]

Lets be honest , our skill level is not as good as Hawthorn but our determination is high .we need a BACK LINE ??NOT HARD LETS BUY ONE ??????????????

We need our skill level to improve significantly if we are going to compete with the Hawks in 2015. It really has dropped off from its peak in 2012 (Id argue our best Premiership team), where skills were fantastic, and we played as a champion team.

Our back line won't be an issue if our midfield and ruck do their job.

[DamY]

Skills fantastic? LRT and Grundy made so many fluff-ups my heart stopped many a time. I think skills are on par, just adjusting to the on-field cattle has been the challenge

[mcs]

Skills fantastic? LRT and Grundy made so many fluff-ups my heart stopped many a time. I think skills are on par, just adjusting to the on-field cattle has been the challenge

Haha not all of them damy - but in general, that 2012 cohort of swans were pretty good skills wise.

[Melbourne_Blood]

I don't necessarily know if they were more skilful, I do however recall that a big deal was made after the 2011 season of our need to improve our execution and decision making and it obviously paid dividends. Particularly our efficiency once in forward 50. Pretty much the same team that were butchers with the ball in many games in 2011 became one of the better users of the ball in 2012. Considering we had our best H&A season ever last year, and played some near flawless end to end footy, it would be tough to say 2012 were superior skill wise to 2014. I think the big differences between the two sides was a lack of expectation, and a game plan that was a half step ahead of the rest of the Comp ( the 'slingshot' footy)