#AFL General Pre Season Discussion Thread

[stevoswan]

Maybe have the game sponsored by a cigarette company? And back when Moorabbin was a venue, were people able to drag a fully laden esky into the ground?

I believe so.....

[Nico]

Maybe have the game sponsored by a cigarette company? And back when Moorabbin was a venue, were people able to drag a fully laden esky into the ground?

Every ground. Went to a North/Richmond GF with a full esky.

[bloodspirit]

Heartbreaking: Kennett to quit as Hawks president.

[Mel_C]

Heartbreaking: Kennett to quit as Hawks president.

Unfortunately Eddie isn't following him.

[dimelb]

Heartbreaking: Kennett to quit as Hawks president.

I read a report where he said that Hawthorn would not be getting rid of their financial reliance on pokies. I wonder if it will be any different at that club without him.

[stevoswan]

Interesting result from yesterday with the 'new look' Suns spanking the Cats. Rowell starred.....

[dejavoodoo44]

Interesting result from yesterday with the 'new look' Suns spanking the Cats. Rowell starred.....

Yes, I enjoyed watching that. If the Suns don't get their usual high injury toll, they could be a lot of fun to watch. Everybody's second favourite team, a bit like the Lions last year. It seems like Dew is keen for them to move the ball quickly and they do have plenty of speed.

[stevoswan]

Yes, I enjoyed watching that. If the Suns don't get their usual high injury toll, they could be a lot of fun to watch. Everybody's second favourite team, a bit like the Lions last year. It seems like Dew is keen for them to move the ball quickly and they do have plenty of speed.

.....and like we were before we recruited Tippett and Buddy.

[dejavoodoo44]

.....and like we were before we recruited Tippett and Buddy.

Hmmm, I just noticed that you got post 37 on this thread. After just watching The Australian Dream, I feel that's vaguely appropriate, considering how when the Goodes booing controversy was raging, we both seemed to spend day after day, dealing with opinionated bigots on social media.

[stevoswan]

Hmmm, I just noticed that you got post 37 on this thread. After just watching The Australian Dream, I feel that's vaguely appropriate, considering how when the Goodes booing controversy was raging, we both seemed to spend day after day, dealing with opinionated bigots on social media.

......and I bloody forgot to watch it! I'll have to catch up with it on i-view.

Yes, those days in the thick of the Goodes controversy were trying times indeed but strangely satisfying exposing the stupidity and hypocrisy of societies dumb people.

[bloodspirit]

I've been watching the Melbourne FC series 'To Hell and Back', and I just watched episode 3. It's a terrific series. I've been enjoying Inside Sydney but To Hell and Back is next level, full of really illuminating stuff, this latest episode in particular. A couple of points about it:

* over the off season Melbourne recruited Darren Burgess the famous fitness guy who has returned from working in the EPL with Arsenal as their high performance coach. In episode 2, he tells the playing group he is going to work them hard over the over season and then he makes them a promise: he says if they complete the program he has designed for them, he will guarantee them that they will be fitter than their opponent come round 1. Psychological geeing them up, or something to be taken seriously from someone who knows what he's talking about? I don't know. Anyway, in this latest episode you see the playing group worked convincingly hard in particularly hard day of training. Looks harder than anything I've seen the Swans doing (the 24 hours training at Holworth army base was the closest we've come I reckon). But of course they don't know what we're doing and we're only seeing snippets and highlights.

* the other thing that has struck me over the series so far relates to the leadership and senior football staff at Melbourne FC. There seems to be a scary heaviness hanging over them which is really unappealing. I guess it's not surprising after their horror season last year and also their history of terribleness this century but I don't think it's a good sign. The players seem like a good enough bunch of blokes but the forces binding them together seem too heavy for it to bode well for me. I get a really different vibe out of Richmond, where there seems to be (relatively) a lot of more light, laughter and, dare I say it, love. Obviously it's a lot easier to be smiling and feeling happy when you've been the form team of the past three years. That's something I like about the Swans too, even though we finished 15th last year, I get the impression morale in our group is good and not because we haven't taken our low finish last year seriously.

Has anyone else watched? Care to share your impressions?

[bloodspirit]

I've been watching the Melbourne FC series 'To Hell and Back', and I just watched episode 3. It's a terrific series. I've been enjoying Inside Sydney but To Hell and Back is next level, full of really illuminating stuff, this latest episode in particular. A couple of points about it:

* over the off season Melbourne recruited Darren Burgess the famous fitness guy who has returned from working in the EPL with Arsenal as their high performance coach. In episode 2, he tells the playing group he is going to work them hard over the over season and then he makes them a promise: he says if they complete the program he has designed for them, he will guarantee them that they will be fitter than their opponent come round 1. Psychological geeing them up, or something to be taken seriously from someone who knows what he's talking about? I don't know. Anyway, in this latest episode you see the playing group worked convincingly hard in particularly hard day of training. Looks harder than anything I've seen the Swans doing (the 24 hours training at Holworth army base was the closest we've come I reckon). But of course they don't know what we're doing and we're only seeing snippets and highlights.

* the other thing that has struck me over the series so far relates to the leadership and senior football staff at Melbourne FC. There seems to be a scary heaviness hanging over them which is really unappealing. I guess it's not surprising after their horror season last year and also their history of terribleness this century but I don't think it's a good sign. The players seem like a good enough bunch of blokes but the forces binding them together seem too heavy for it to bode well for me. I get a really different vibe out of Richmond, where there seems to be (relatively) a lot of more light, laughter and, dare I say it, love. Obviously it's a lot easier to be smiling and feeling happy when you've been the form team of the past three years. That's something I like about the Swans too, even though we finished 15th last year, I get the impression morale in our group is good and not because we haven't taken our low finish last year seriously.

Has anyone else watched? Care to share your impressions?

This article about the Tigers relates to my second point: https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-...eason/11973570. Hardwick talks about 2016 when he was feeling the pressure and how he became miserable and a bad coach, and that's the vibe I pick up to some degree with Goodwin and the Dees. Having said that, Dimma said he learned a lot through that period and, without it, the success of the following seasons wouldn't have come.

[Mel_C]

This article about the Tigers relates to my second point: https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-...eason/11973570. Hardwick talks about 2016 when he was feeling the pressure and how he became miserable and a bad coach, and that's the vibe I pick up to some degree with Goodwin and the Dees. Having said that, Dimma said he learned a lot through that period and, without it, the success of the following seasons wouldn't have come.

I think Longmire went through something similar. I remember hearing that he was told to lighten up.

[KSAS]

We may have dodged another bullet with Tom Langdon who could be considering retirement ss a result of ongoing knee issues. Hasn't played since R9 last year & still unsure on when he'll return. This was reported on Ch 7 news tonight

[stevoswan]

Suns win again......against the Crows. Showing something early.....will it translate?

Suns' bright start to 2020 continues with win over Crows