2017 AFL season discussion thread

The next
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involves a sunny Sunday afternoon in Sydney, back in Round 10 of the 1999 season. On this day, Anthony Howard Lockett - better known as Tony or "Plugger", wrote his name into football immortality with his 1300th career goal. I can remember watching this on TV and the commentary of Bruce McAvaney was spine-tingling.

We were blessed in that era with Lockett (1360 goals), Dunstall (1254) and Ablett (1030) providing mesmerising highlights each week. The media gets excited if someone kicks a "bag" of six or seven goals in the modern era! :)
 
Dam I love beating Sydney. What a great game. Burton, Burgoyne and Smith awesome in a real team effort. Cousins had a great debut game too, the pace got to him early but got better as the game went on. Proud of the boys tonight.
Surely Ryan Burton is leading the rising star award by the length of the Flemington straight.
 
The Round 11
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features the defensive exploits of North Melbourne and Port Adelaide.

In Round 11, 1989 North Melbourne's 6.13 (49) was more than enough to account for Fitzroy's 1.8 (14).

In the corresponding round ten years later, Port Adelaide 4.8 (32) defeated Richmond 3.12 (30) in atrocious weather in Adelaide.

The North vs Fitzroy game resulted in the least combined points ever scored in a North Melbourne game (63 points total). Likewise, the Port vs Richmond game resulted in the least combined points ever scored in a Port Adelaide game (62 points total).

How's that for a ruddy stat?! :)
 
.....and as a rather unfortunate follow-up, Hawthorn recorded THEIR lowest ever half time score last night!! Crikey, it was painful viewing. I did however last until the final siren (admittedly in front of my TV!) - I reckon you need to take the good with the bad in sport.

What do you all think about Mark "Robbo" Robinson's unfortunate tweet regarding Alex Fasolo yesterday? As distasteful and thoughtless as the tweet was (and then the word "insensitive" was misspelt in his apology!), I think that the bullying of him by fans and media rivals has been over the top in the aftermath.
 
.....and as a rather unfortunate follow-up, Hawthorn recorded THEIR lowest ever half time score last night!! Crikey, it was painful viewing. I did however last until the final siren (admittedly in front of my TV!) - I reckon you need to take the good with the bad in sport.

What do you all think about Mark "Robbo" Robinson's unfortunate tweet regarding Alex Fasolo yesterday? As distasteful and thoughtless as the tweet was (and then the word "insensitive" was misspelt in his apology!), I think that the bullying of him by fans and media rivals has been over the top in the aftermath.
Yeah, very poor by Robinson. The tweet showed a lack of knowledge, research and compassion. But as the saying goes two wrongs don't make a right and some have gone over the top with their contribution to the backlash.

Hopefully in the future this can all be avoided by people thinking twice before they tweet!
 
Due to techincal difficulties, it is with great regret that there is no
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this week!! Bloody NBN roll-out etc has reduced me to brief internet time on my phone using 4G sparingly!

Matt Stat Incorporated sincerely apologises for the inconvenience :)
 
Can't believe Will Schofield got a week for his "hit" on Clayton Oliver. The Eagles better take a stand and challenge it - just for the principle of it...
 
Well, by now we would all be aware of the nasty incident last night between Melbourne's Tomas Bugg and Sydney's Callum Mills.

@ Scotty_WCE is right on it!
https://www.ozcardtrader.com.au/threads/poll-how-many-weeks-for-bugg.208018/#post-1734558

The incident led to predictable discussions in the media about introducing a "send off" rule - something which I don't agree with, actually. What I would like to see though - for any suspension of two weeks or more - is that a week of that suspension must be served against the team you were reported against. In Tomas Bugg's case, Melbourne won't play Sydney again until the finals (possibly), or most probably next season. Sydney had to play with one less player for all bar 4:30 minutes last night, yet the penalty for Bugg's actions will in no way benefit or compensate them.

Are these just the thoughts of an imbecile, or am I on to something?! :)
 
Well, by now we would all be aware of the nasty incident last night between Melbourne's Tomas Bugg and Sydney's Callum Mills.

@ Scotty_WCE is right on it!
https://www.ozcardtrader.com.au/threads/poll-how-many-weeks-for-bugg.208018/#post-1734558

The incident led to predictable discussions in the media about introducing a "send off" rule - something which I don't agree with, actually. What I would like to see though - for any suspension of two weeks or more - is that a week of that suspension must be served against the team you were reported against. In Tomas Bugg's case, Melbourne won't play Sydney again until the finals (possibly), or most probably next season. Sydney had to play with one less player for all bar 4:30 minutes last night, yet the penalty for Bugg's actions will in no way benefit or compensate them.

Are these just the thoughts of an imbecile, or am I on to something?! :)
I don't mind that idea, but I'd maybe save it for the very serious cases like the Houli and Bugg ones. Often a two-week suspension might not take a player out of a match, so I reckon maybe you could just apply it to cases which have gone to the tribunal and received a 3+ match suspension.

Ideally you'd do it based on how the other player is affected but that opens the door to some serious manipulation.
 
I am delighted to say that the
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returns!!

I couldn't let round 16 pass without mentioning the greatest comeback in league history, which occurred between Essendon and North Melbourne in 2001 on a remarkable Sunday afternoon at the MCG. In this match, the Bombers came from 69 points down during the second quarter to claim a two goal victory. North Melbourne led by 58 points at QUARTER time, having kicked a dozen goals to Essendon's two.

The quarter by quarter scores:

Essendon 2.3 (15) 12.4 (76) 19.8 (122) 27.9 (171)
North Melb. 12.1 (73) 16.1 (97) 22.4 (136) 25.9 (159)

Note the combined half time score.......28.5 !!
 
Today one of the greatest leaders of all time announced he will retire at seasons end. We salute you Luke Hodge.
Hard not to respect the guy. Always thought his left-foot checkside goal from the boundary in the 2015 GF was hugely underrated, even if I wasn't in a great position to enjoy it! Will retire with a pretty darn impressive list of accomplishments.
 
Fairly shattered that the time has come for Pridda to retire. He has given his absolute all for the Eagles for the last 12 years. So sad he won't get a premiership to show for it. The night he won the Brownlow in 2014 was one of the best of my life. Not a bad result for someone overlooked in three drafts and then selected with pick 31 in a rookie draft - he had to work so hard to get a chance, but he sure made the most of it. And an absolute legend of a guy to top it off. Thanks Pridda :cry: :worthy:
 
Fairly shattered that the time has come for Pridda to retire. He has given his absolute all for the Eagles for the last 12 years. So sad he won't get a premiership to show for it. The night he won the Brownlow in 2014 was one of the best of my life. Not a bad result for someone overlooked in three drafts and then selected with pick 31 in a rookie draft - he had to work so hard to get a chance, but he sure made the most of it. And an absolute legend of a guy to top it off. Thanks Pridda :cry: :worthy:
..and this, ladies and gentlemen, is why football matters. :)

Brilliantly done @Scotty_WCE, a terrific and heartfelt tribute.

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This week's
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has stood for seventy years, and will most probably stand for as long as the game is played at the highest level.

In round 19, 1947, Melbourne's Fred Fanning kicked 18.1 against St Kilda at the Junction Oval. Remarkably, it was the last game of league football he played. Round 19 was the last round of the Home and Away season in 1947, following which he retired to coach Hamilton!

Some players have big days out, or "one offs". Fanning was always capable of a day like the one in 1947 - He kicked over 100 goals in each of the 1938 and 1939 seasons in the reserves and he led the VFL goal kicking in 1943-44-45 and 1947.

Jason Dunstall of course has come the closest to Fanning's record, when he kicked 17.5 against Richmond in 1992.
 
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