This Year's AFL Premiers

[Pivotonian]

If it's finals records you're referring to, how many premierships have St Kilda won?

Oh that's right, 1 (in 1966)

I didn't raise finals records, I just pointed out how irrelevant records that are 20, 30, 40 or more years old are.

And who cares about the Saints? My team has won two of the last three flags - that's relevant history.

 

[Pivotonian]

I smell a Saints supporter!! haha.

Um, no.

The H&A season is all but forgotton come finals time.. The great sides don't crack under the pressure of finals and 80,000+ crowds as some teams do. There will always be good finals sides and bad finals sides.

My finals stats are not cherry picked from the 1930s, they are simply the most recent. Like it or not they are the FACTS

I know it may be scary to look at our finals record, but thats ok, we will let you get some over us during the year and build that self confidence.. Just like in 2008..

We let the Dogs, Saints and Cats beat us by 32, 30 and 11 points. The 3 sides that finished 1st, 3rd and 4th.

Come finals time we pumped all 3 of you by 131 points and took the flag home!!

:bananasmi

As I said, finals records from earlier era are irrelevant. How many players are still in your side from those finals wins? How are those guys going to help you win this year, exactly?

Recent finals history, on the other hand, is very relevant. From the last three years:
Hawks: 5 wins from 6 games (83%), for one flag
Cats: 8 wins from 9 games (88%), for two flags
Saints: 3 wins from 6 games (50%), for no flags

I know which team I'd be backing on that form.

For the record, I'm a Geelong supporter. Yes, you beat us in the GF and won the flag in 2008. Congratulations. Aside from that though, you haven't really done much at all. Where did you finish last year? How many games have you lost already this year?

I really hope we do meet Hawthorn in the finals. It won't be as close as last week was.

 

[Pivotonian]

What the hell are you talking about? Your club has an archive of thuggery!!

From the bounce 1989 Grand Final

Was it high? No ...
Was it targeting an existing injury? Um, no ...
Looks like a fair, bloody hard bump to me. Perfectly legitimate part of the game in 1989 (although not so much now).

But while you're pulling up examples from a completely different era, I suggest you look up Leigh Matthews' hit on Neville Bruns. THAT was pure thuggery.

And I just love it when people in glass houses throw stones. Ever heard of Carl Ditterich? And what about possibly the most despicable act of thuggery in the history of football, when St Kilda player Jim O'Dea king-hit 21yo star John Greening in 1972, for no reason other than he was too good. Greening was in a coma for 14 days. That one act ruined one of the most promising VFL careers in history and O'Dea was extremely lucky that he didn't kill or at least permanently disable a 21yo kid.

 

[Mofra]

Freo - as I said, I wouldn't be worried about them. Its the Saints and Cats (and Dogs for that matter) you need to be more concerned with.

In my completely biased opinion, the Bullodgs are just starting to hit form at the right time.
We'll be top 4 after this round and should stay there given our percentage.

 

[Pivotonian]

First side outside the 8 to dominate the Cats!

"Dominate"??

They won by 9 points, after a Joel Selwood goal (that was clearly a goal) was given a point late in the last quarter and slowed the Cats' momentum, after one of the club doctors went down with a heart attack during the warm up (in full view of the players), and after consecutive 6-day breaks.

It was an unbelievable effort by the Cats to get so close.

The Saints are still looking very good though!

Yep, very good. A 48 point shellacking by the Pies is awesome form.

 

[YELNATS]

If it's finals records you're referring to, how many premierships have St Kilda won?

Oh that's right, 1 (in 1966)

And that was only by a single miserable point from a mongrel kick that almost went out of bounds, in the last minute.

Collingwood were stiff that day, I should know, I was there!

 

[easylikesunday]

Recent finals history, on the other hand, is very relevant. From the last three years:
Hawks: 5 wins from 6 games (83%), for one flag
Cats: 8 wins from 9 games (88%), for two flags
Saints: 3 wins from 6 games (50%), for no flags

I know which team I'd be backing on that form.

A Geelong supporter! Of course! hehe.

83% V's 88%
Not much really is it? Both records are amazing Ill admit but 5% isn't even a game difference.

That 1 loss by the cats in a GF was to which side? Hmmm, I think I know who your backing pivo

No football team has the same list every season so by that theory no records would count as the teams aren't 100% the same.

Unless you talk about a mental advantage? ...Nah, that doesn't exist!

 

[Pivotonian]

A Geelong supporter! Of course! hehe.

83% V's 88%
Not much really is it? Both records are amazing Ill admit but 5% isn't even a game difference.

That 1 loss by the cats in a GF was to which side? Hmmm, I think I know who your backing pivo

No football team has the same list every season so by that theory no records would count as the teams aren't 100% the same.

Unless you talk about a mental advantage? ...Nah, that doesn't exist!

I would have thought my allegiances were obvious from my user name. I guess not.

Yes, I'll admit that Hawthorn's finals record has been good in the past few years, and the one time Geelong played them in the finals we lost. I'll also admit there's not much difference between 83% and 88%, although I will point out that to match the Cats, the Hawks would need to win all of its finals and the flag this year ...

The point is, you raised Hawthorn's finals record as the reason they will win this year, but the fact is that our recent record is better.

Re teams, I mean, seriously? Teams often don't field the same team week-to-week, so should last week's form be ignored? I can't believe I'm bothering to even address this, but here goes.

From memory there were about 17 players common to both our 2007 flag side and our 2009 flag side, and only one of those (Harley) is not on the list in 2010. So going back to your original point - that performances in past finals is an indicator of what might happen this year - I would have thought that Geelong's performances in 2007-9 are very relevant to this year, both in terms of belief in themselves and intimidation of the opposition.

However, I would have thought it obvious that the results you dredged up from previous decades, where there are no common players at all, are entirely irrelevant. Surely you don't think Hawthorn's '80s finals record gives it some sort of "mental advantage" in 2010?

 

[mexican]

Piv and Yelnats,

What do you guy's think about Gary Ablett not saying if he is staying or going north?
I would prefer he let the club and supporters know his intentions now.

Word on the street is Geelong is talking to Dangerfield and Tippet from the Crows. If I recall it came from David Parkin.

 

[GumbyLearner]

Was it high? No ...
Was it targeting an existing injury? Um, no ...
Looks like a fair, bloody hard bump to me. Perfectly legitimate part of the game in 1989 (although not so much now).

30 metres off the ball and at the bounce. And he ran from the forward 50 to execute it. Even 20 years ago a rule existed as to how far away from the ball to execute a bump. Today he would get more than Baker for that bump.

 

[GumbyLearner]

Hmmm, maybe not

What happened to Reewolt?

He's been out for 10 weeks. But getting ready for the finals.
The Saints have won 1 and lost 1 since his inclusion in the 22.

Go Captain Riewoldt, plenty of time to get the fitness up.

 

[GumbyLearner]

"Dominate"??

They won by 9 points, after a Joel Selwood goal (that was clearly a goal) was given a point late in the last quarter and slowed the Cats' momentum, after one of the club doctors went down with a heart attack during the warm up (in full view of the players), and after consecutive 6-day breaks.

It was an unbelievable effort by the Cats to get so close.



Yep, very good. A 48 point shellacking by the Pies is awesome form.

That's fine. Good swot up time for Ross Lyon & crew down at Moorabbin before September. Gram, Riewoldt, Kosi & Goddard all recently returning from injury and no Mr. Silk NDS.

Let's see what happens in September. Only one side in the top four have comprehensively beaten the Cats in 2010. And that's the Saints.

It will be either twice or three times the Saints will beat Geelong come the last Saturday in September.

 

[GumbyLearner]

And that was only by a single miserable point from a mongrel kick that almost went out of bounds, in the last minute.

Collingwood were stiff that day, I should know, I was there!

How many Grand Finals have Boganwood won since the Saints won their last flag?

How many Grand Finals have Boganwood made and lost since the Saints won their last flag?

How many finals have Boganwood lost against St.Kilda since they won their last
flag in 1990?

Put your money on the wobbles! LOL

P.S. Maybe the use of the term "Boganwood" may be offensive to some bloggers.

You could always substitute that with "Carringbush".

 

[easylikesunday]

I'll also admit there's not much difference between 83% and 88%, although I will point out that to match the Cats, the Hawks would need to win all of its finals and the flag this year...

That we will do this year

I would have thought that Geelong's performances in 2007-9 are very relevant to this year, both in terms of belief in themselves and intimidation of the opposition.

I agree 100%. Dominating sides are intimidating. Take the Lions 2001-2003, teams were downright scared to face them at the Gabba, almost admitting defeat before getting on the plane. Same as Geelong in recent years with Skilled Stadium.
But my point would be that the Hawks are probably the only side of recent years that aren't intimidated by the Cats, and our recent V's record proves that. The GF also helped.

Oh and we have the mental advantage over the Cats, seeing as they haven't beaten us in a final for 47 years

But surely that wouldn't affect the players would it?

 

[nomore4s]

Another great game involving Hawthorn, 3 in the last 4 weeks now all against quality teams as well. This years final series should be a cracker with 4 teams capable of winning the flag this year, so it will come down to which team plays the best footy on any given day.

2 months ago I thought it was going to be a Saints & Geelong GF for sure but now it's wide open imo.

Can't wait to play the Hawks either. We will smash you too.

Don't you love it when your arrogant carry on comes back to bite you on the @rse. Two weeks in a row now the Saints have played against "contenders" and they were flogged in one game and lucky to get a draw in the other.

 

[easylikesunday]

Unlucky with the interchange mix up. Rioli's goal sealed it, for a second.

Lucky Saints I tell ya!

Good game however and 2 points is better than none.

Looking forward to a great finals this year!! Ill be buying tickets!

 

[newbie trader]

Another great game involving Hawthorn, 3 in the last 4 weeks now all against quality teams as well. This years final series should be a cracker with 4 teams capable of winning the flag this year, so it will come down to which team plays the best footy on any given day.

2 months ago I thought it was going to be a Saints & Geelong GF for sure but now it's wide open imo.



Don't you love it when your arrogant carry on comes back to bite you on the @rse. Two weeks in a row now the Saints have played against "contenders" and they were flogged in one game and lucky to get a draw in the other.

Good luck for the finals this year nomore4s. I hope you guys take home the flag.

 

[GumbyLearner]

Don't you love it when your arrogant carry on comes back to bite you on the @rse. Two weeks in a row now the Saints have played against "contenders" and they were flogged in one game and lucky to get a draw in the other.

Point taken nomore4s. We were lucky to get a draw. Same interchange error happened in the Freo v. Tiges game a couple of weeks ago when the momentum was Freo's way in the final quarter & Ballantyne ran onto the ground.

Hawks looking good and Hodge for the brownlow.

 

[Duckman#72]

LOL's
How did the Saints go the last couple times they've played the Bombers? Hope we get to play you guys again this year. It's been a tough draw for us, so it would be nice to have 4 points to look forward to. We own you at present. Any team that is a whipping boy of the current Bombers squad shouldn't get too cocky about success in September!!!

Duckman

Ahhhhh......the Saints are our bitches!! Pants down 3 times in a row!!!

Duckman

 

[nomore4s]

Ahhhhh......the Saints are our bitches!! Pants down 3 times in a row!!!

Duckman

Hahaha, Saints looking decidedly shaky atm.

Isn't it funny how some teams just match up well with other teams and play well against them.