Support NeoGAF

[Ydahs]

Port will be much improved this year and so will Adelaide.

Been a good week of footy, but some odd umpiring decisions occurred in all matches.

What's everyone's opinion on the video review system? I think it has potential, but they need to at least get camera angles on the line for it to be effective. I think 2/3 calls on Friday night were 'inconclusive'.

 

[Andiie]

Port will be much improved this year and so will Adelaide.

Been a good week of footy, but some odd umpiring decisions occurred in all matches.

What's everyone's opinion on the video review system? I think it has potential, but they need to at least get camera angles on the line for it to be effective. I think 2/3 calls on Friday night were 'inconclusive'.

Yea, from what I've seen of it the review system is useless without better placed cameras.

 

[fisheyes]

Only games I've seen were the 3 yesterday, but the one time when the review was used, it worked well, the problem is there was another case where it should have been used and just wasn't at all. How does it work? Can players call for a review or is it only when the umpires can't make a decision?

Port will be much improved this year

I want to believe, but I don't know. I still think we're gonna be a bottom 4 team, unfortunately. Hopefully I'm wrong, though.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Die hard Crows supporter here.

I'm not expecting huge things from them this year but I'm optimistic we will improve. 2011 was a terrible year for us. We weren't even remotely competitive and our list was weak as shit. Some of the performances they served up last year were downright unacceptable.

Hoping our new coach and new players can produce a decent brand of footy. I'm predicting a finish either just outside the 8 or maybe just scraping in.

 

[Ydahs]

Saints vs Essendon called off due to bad weather, match declared a draw. Boo.

Also, Izzy Folau was impressive in today's game. Took some solid grabs and really grew as the match progressed.

 

[HolyCheck]

Saints vs Essendon called off due to bad weather, match declared a draw. Boo.

Also, Izzy Folau was impressive in today's game. Took some solid grabs and really grew as the match progressed.

*called off because Essendon was flying there and their planes couldnt land lol.

St Kilda bussed it

 

[tri_willy]

yay crows win again! soz grug XD

 

[jambo]

Friday March 2nd
Gold Coast vs. Geelong @ Metricon Stadium

Saturday March 3rd
Hawthorn vs. Greater Western Sydney @ Aurora Stadium
Sydney vs. North Melbourne @ Bruce Purser Reserve
Essendon vs. St Kila @ Wangaratta Showgrounds
West Coast vs. Port Adelaide @ Bendigo Bank Stadium
Collingwood vs. Melbourne @ Etihad Stadium

Sunday February 26th
Adelaide vs. Brisbane @ Traeger Park
Western Bulldogs vs. Carlton @ Etihad Stadium
Fremantle vs. Richmond @ Patersons Stadium


Sorry I didn't get the games up on Friday, I have tonsillitis and a fever at the moment =[

 

[fisheyes]

Looks like Port did pretty well considering about half of our best 22 stayed home. Hopefully we can keep the form going in the real season.

Butcher also continues to be a star in the making - he's gonna be a hell of a player pretty damn soon.

 

[jambo]

Saints vs Essendon called off due to bad weather, match declared a draw. Boo.

The AFL ended up giving the Saints the points, because Essendon could've taken alternate transportation like the Saints did.

 

[HolyCheck]

The AFL ended up giving the Saints the points, because Essendon could've taken alternate transportation like the Saints did.

Saints ended up saying they didn't want to argue for the points and were fine with the 2-2 split.

Good guy Hird said NO U GUYS HAVE THEM

 

[Jezabel]

god damn at the carlton defender popping out his knee

 

[Ingram]

Article on The Age ripping into Essendon. Fucking hell.

 

[Andiie]

Fantastic win by the Crows. Looks like I could be right about them being the big movers for 2012, hopefully they'll carry this form into the season proper.

 

[deadmeadow88]

and that's how we do THAT. yyyyyessir.

 

[jambo]

Friday March 9th
Essendon vs. Sydney @ Etihad Stadium
Adelaide vs. Collingwood @ AAMI Stadium

Saturday March 10th
Geelong vs. Richmond @ Simonds Stadium
Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle @ Encounter Bay Oval
Brisbane vs. Carlton @ Maroochydore
Greater Western Sydney vs. Gold Coast @ Lavington Sports Ground
Melbourne vs. Hawthorn @ Etihad Stadium
West Coast vs. St Kilda @ Patersons Stadium

Sunday February 11th
North Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs @ Eureka Stadium


Sorry I didn't get the games up earlier, turns out I have Glandular Fever and it still has me down =[

 

[seanoff]

Fantastic win by the Crows. Looks like I could be right about them being the big movers for 2012, hopefully they'll carry this form into the season proper.

Adelaide beat Collingwoods kiddies. at best they were playing half a side to have a look while Adelaide went in at pretty much full strength. add to the fact one side had something to play for and one was just trying stuff out.

Collingwood were missing Thomas, Tarrant, Didak, Johnston, Beams, Toovey, Ball, Shaw, Wood, Goldsack and Brown


I wouldn't draw any conclusions about anything from that game aside from the fact the Adelaide beat half a team that weren't particularly interested.

 

[Andiie]

The team they played is irrelevant, all I was looking for was an improvement from last year by Adelaide which they've clearly shown in all games they've played.
I have a soft spot for the Crows, they're a tough side to beat when they're winning and to see some signs of a return to form for them was all I took out of the game and cared to.

 

[chicko1983]

I'm a crows fan but they play GWS, Gold Coast and Port all twice this year.

If they don't finish top 4, it will be a failure this season.

 

[Nemesis_]

Embarassing question, but if I want to buy tickets to a game in June, when do they usually go on sale? >_>

 

[Jezabel]

good stuff by the bombers last night.

Im worried by all this Liam Jurrah stuff. Must be a absolute other world up in Alice springs with his tribe

 

[fisheyes]

I'm a crows fan but they play GWS, Gold Coast and Port all twice this year.

If they don't finish top 4, it will be a failure this season.

Crows played Port, Gold Coast and Brisbane (I think) twice last year. They finished bottom 4.


While I think its true you can't read too much into a preseason game against a less than full strength Collingwood, the Cows still look to be in good form - a bad team will play bad no matter who they are playing, but Sadelaide didn't play bad at all - and after last year, that's surely a good sign.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Adelaide beat Collingwoods kiddies. at best they were playing half a side to have a look while Adelaide went in at pretty much full strength. add to the fact one side had something to play for and one was just trying stuff out.

Collingwood were missing Thomas, Tarrant, Didak, Johnston, Beams, Toovey, Ball, Shaw, Wood, Goldsack and Brown


I wouldn't draw any conclusions about anything from that game aside from the fact the Adelaide beat half a team that weren't particularly interested.

As a Crows supporter, I just happy we smashed Collingwood. I dont really care what their list was like.

 

[Jezabel]

take that Geelong. feels good to see all the supporters come into work after the game without big grins on their face

 

[jambo]

Richmond were very impressive yesterday, some fantastic skills on display.

Geelong on the other hand were terrible. So many skill errors, fumbles and clangers. And Richmond always made them pay.

 

[Ydahs]

Yeah, Richmond looked good. Richmond, Adelaide and Port Adelaide will have better years this year. Melbourne? Not so much.

Pretty average performance from the Saints last night. They looked so sluggish around the ground but hopefully it was just due to the extreme heat.

Might head down to Visy Park Friday afternoon to watch Saints v Pies. Only a 10 minute ride from Melbourne Uni.

 

[tri_willy]

carn the crows! cmon!!!

 

[fisheyes]

RIP Jim Stynes

 

[jambo]

RIP Jim Stynes

=[

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/mor...t-for-jim-stynes/story-e6frf9jf-1226304556464

PRAYERS have flooded in for Jim Stynes after AFL boss Andrew Demetriou sent an emotional message of support to the Melbourne football legend and his family.


On Fox Footy's On the Couch last night, Mike Sheahan raised the issue of Stynes's health battle with Demetriou saying: "We hear reports that Jim Stynes is gravely ill, can you update us as to the situation?''

Demetriou replied: "I can't say much other than Jim isn't well as we all know.

"I think at this point in time our thoughts are with Jim and his family.''

Send your message of support to Jim and his family below.

The news led to an outpouring of prayers and wishes online for the former Melbourne Football Club president who has been battling cancer for two-and-a-half years.

"So sad,'' said one. "Jim Stynes you have been nothing more than amazing.''

It comes only days after the 45-year-old made an extraordinary appearance at a Melbourne Football Club function where Ron Barassi presented him with a blazer.

Melbourne president Don McLardy told more than 500 people at Melbourne's Crown Palladium room of his shock at Stynes' attendance at the gala event.

"As you all know Jim continues to amaze and inspire us with his iron will and no one was more surprised than me today to get a phone call to say Jim wanted to arrive here tonight,'' he said.

"Unbelievably he is here down on the front table with his wife Sam who has got an iron will as well.

"While Jim was here we thought it was only appropriate that we recognised this great champion of our football club.''

 

[Jezabel]

He was a absolutely inspiring man. A true hero.

 

[Ydahs]

Glad to see the state recognising his contributions as a great, selfless man by offering his family a state funeral. Has there been a footballer who has done so much following his retirement? To do it all while battling cancer, inspirational.

 

[fisheyes]

Did anybody watch the beginning of the Footy Show? Real nice tribute by Garry Lion.


Anyhoo, the real season is nearly upon us. Put in my Dreamteam finally - there's a grand total of 3 in that league, so join that. Code is: 671196

Also made a GAF tipping league on the AFL site, if we wanna use it. Code is: SKSN2YUH4R

Anybody actually think the Giants can get up? Last year the Suns would get up in the first Pineapple Cup (which I successfully predicted - yay for me), and Port got up in the first Showdown too, but does anyone think they can win not only the first Sydney derby, but their first game? I've got Sydney by 88, and I even think that might be a bit optimistic for GWS.

 

[Westlo]

Anyhoo, the real season is nearly upon us. Put in my Dreamteam finally - there's a grand total of 3 in that league, so join that. Code is: 671196

Signed up for that, pretty much the same as my supercoach team with a few changes.

 

[tri_willy]

gaf dream team league joined!

 

[Westlo]

*puts Mitch Morton in side*
*sees him not play...*
*Had Adam Kennedy as the Emergency*
*pops champagne*

I had Malceski, Goodes, Parker and Morton in my starting 22, in trying to find a bargin I didn't even look if Morton was playing. Had Bugg (E), Townsend, Shiel (E), Giles and Kennedy (E) on my reserves.

 

[cr_blah_blah]

Swans sleepwalked through this entire match. I know they didn't even need to try but they could have at least pretended to care. Either that or open up with a real matchup.

 

[Dead Man]

Well that was ugly.

 

[fisheyes]

*puts Mitch Morton in side*
*sees him not play...*
*Had Adam Kennedy as the Emergency*
*pops champagne*

I had Malceski, Goodes, Parker and Morton in my starting 22, in trying to find a bargin I didn't even look if Morton was playing. Had Bugg (E), Townsend, Shiel (E), Giles and Kennedy (E) on my reserves.

I had Bugg purely because I liked it his name.... then I found a guy called Ugle and promptly swapped him out for him. Damn.

 

[speedpop]

A belated RIP to Stynes. Any long struggle against cancer and to defy the odds momentarily is always going to have an aftermath that is incredibly sad to deal with. My old man was given 6 months to live and managed to stretch that out to 13 months, unfortunately passing a day before my younger brother's birthday.


Anyway I am apprehensively nervous about tonight's match against Richmond. I personally do not think we will win it, and Richmond have started decently strong but it's all early games still.

 

[maladroid]

A belated RIP to Stynes. Any long struggle against cancer and to defy the odds momentarily is always going to have an aftermath that is incredibly sad to deal with. My old man was given 6 months to live and managed to stretch that out to 13 months, unfortunately passing a day before my younger brother's birthday.


Anyway I am apprehensively nervous about tonight's match against Richmond. I personally do not think we will win it, and Richmond have started decently strong but it's all early games still.

We still can't kick straight. Whenever we've been on top, I feel like we should be up by more on the scoreboard, but then I see us kick three or four behinds and then Riewoldt slot one through at the other end, and then I remember why we're not. :\

 

[Yagharek]

Speaking of Stynes, anyone remember the 20 minute stalemate him and Justin Madden had in the mid 90s? Just endless throw ins and rucking from them both, went on and on for a few dozen throw ins. Both were exhausted like two bulls at a fight, but neither gave up.

One of the weirdest quarters of footy I've ever seen.

 

[speedpop]

We still can't kick straight. Whenever we've been on top, I feel like we should be up by more on the scoreboard, but then I see us kick three or four behinds and then Riewoldt slot one through at the other end, and then I remember why we're not. :\

It's what makes it painful to watch the first quarter and last quarter. If we had someone like Riewoldt, I wouldn't have to grind my teeth at every single gift of a mark/penalty knowing that 50% of the time it is going to be a behind.

 

[seanoff]

Richmond making their standard start.

they'll be lucky not to be 1 - 4 and could easily be 2 - 9 before they get to GWS.

 

[speedpop]

Time to eat my hat, but still not letting complacency get the better of me.

 

[Rezbit]

Man, I hope footy gets more beautiful than what we've had so far...

 

[speedpop]

Man, I hope footy gets more beautiful than what we've had so far...

Tomorrow night should be good despite the injuries to Collingwood's squad.

Outside of that I am enjoying the coverage from Network Seven by throwing it on to 7mate for us poor plebians who live in Queensland where AFL is called "gayfl." I can finally watch post-coverage interviews!

 

[oipic]

Carlton once again reminding the football world that over-analysing pre-season form is foolish. Nice start, Blues - will be stronger again with a few still to return to the best 18. Nice spread of goal kickers, too.

Still some good signs for Richmond, I thought - showed a bit of ticker coming back as they did, and Cotchin is quite obviously destined to be an A-grade star of the game now he's finally fully fit. I like the gameplan Hardwick has them working toward, but just not quite enough maturity and composure across the team to pull it off just yet.

Great to have footy back.

 

[Ydahs]

How good was that match? Both teams were brilliant throughout.

 

[Grassy]

Impressive first game of the season for the Hawks, their intensity and pressure on Collingwood was great. Just have to hope we get a good run with injuries this year.

Rioli's mark in the second quarter was awesome - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytU2M-jiY24

 

[oipic]

How good was that match? Both teams were brilliant throughout.

Yep, brilliant. It's only round 1 admittedly, and Geelong will have something to say about it, but gee, the gap from the top 2-3 to the rest still looks to be sizeable. To think Hawthorn still have Hodge to slot back into the side is pretty intimidating. The Hawks' disposal skills are remarkable, too.