2009 AFL Season

[nufan]

Just saw the cricket thread and realised there is quite a few of us Australian folk in here.

So I decided to make an Aussie Rules thread, I didn't see when when I searched Australian Football, so here it is.

AFL starts back this Sunday with NAB Cup action, West Coast take on Collingwood at Subiaco Oval in Western Australia. The game was meant to be in South Africa but due to the economical crisis it has been re-located to Perth.

Personally I hope West Coast win, but this is a game of two of my most hated teams, if west coast win and Richmond beat Fremantle the following week then West Coast and Richmond play the following week in Perth too..

Wow the Australian system of organising matches is confusing.

So yeah if anyone wants to chat about 'footy' heres the place.

or if there already is a place, close this thread

[nufan]

Well two matches were played over the weekend, one for the NAB Cup (Pre-season Competition) and one as a All Star game.

The Results are as follows

NAB Cup Rd 1

COLLINGWOOD 0.5.2 (32) 1.8.8 (65) 1.12.14 (95) 1.15.17 (116)

WEST COAST 1.1.3 (18) 1.2.4 (25) 2.3.7 (43) 3.3.9 (54)

BEST

Collingwood: Lockyer, Didak, Pendlebury, Cloke, Shaw, O'Brien

West Coast: Nicoski, Kerr, Masten, Swift, Priddis

Injuries

Collingwood: Nil

West Coast: Mackenzie (shoulder), McGinnity (broken jaw)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Kennedy, Margetts, Schmitt

Crowd: 22,819 at Subiaco Oval

Allstar Game

Indigenous Allstars 14.13 (97)

Adelaide Crows 6.7 (43)

[TCO]

I don't know much about Aussie Rules, but all Iknow is you got your asses handed to you in the International rules series

[Plubby]

They were two less than five points games, twit

The International rules is so unbelievably biased towards Ireland. But then again, there's no way to remedy that without unbelievably biasing it towards Australia

Edited February 9, 2009 by Plubby

[nufan]

Yeah wasn't exactly having your ass handed too you, and well the game suits the irish so much more.

They play with rules closer to the internation rules series and they play with the round ball all year.

Not to mention they played with a full strength team and Australia decided to put some younger faster kids in their instead of the kind of guys that played the last time the series was held when Australia decimated ireland not only on the scoreboard but on the field too.

[TCO]

Regardless of the ball debate, the Austrailians are professional athletes, the Irish aren't. They don't train everyday annd work jobs and take into account they never tackle like that in GAA.

It's about even.

[Zaz]

How many team mate beatings, druggos and women bashings will the AFL cover up this year?

[nufan]

How many team mate beatings, druggos and women bashings will the AFL cover up this year?

Gonna go out on a limb and say your a fan of rugby... sorry bout that.

what do you mean cover up? The AFL hasn't covered up any team beatings that was public news as soon as it happened, they have a three strike policy for drug users, Ben Cousins if that is who you are referring to was never convicted of drug charges and never tested positive whilst playing and women bashings.. gonna guess your referring to Jeff Farmer who well i don't consider him a human being and Wayne Carey who hasn't been football relevant for sometime now.

Just because footy is better than rugby

[Zaz]

How many team mate beatings, druggos and women bashings will the AFL cover up this year?

Gonna go out on a limb and say your a fan of rugby... sorry bout that.

what do you mean cover up? The AFL hasn't covered up any team beatings that was public news as soon as it happened, they have a three strike policy for drug users, Ben Cousins if that is who you are referring to was never convicted of drug charges and never tested positive whilst playing and women bashings.. gonna guess your referring to Jeff Farmer who well i don't consider him a human being and Wayne Carey who hasn't been football relevant for sometime now.

Just because footy is better than rugby

What was it, a four match ban for punching and then kicking whilst on the ground? If that had happened in league, they would have been banned for most of the season.

If you have a lot of time on your hands, have a lookie through some of this thread here. The rape incident on the first page in particular. I'm not saying the NRL is picture perfect, but when a player does infringe they deal with them harshly instead of trying to protect their players, see Greg Bird and Todd Carney recently, two of the star players in the league but both having their contracts torn up. John Hopoate received 15 or so weeks for an elbow to the head in an attempted shoulder charge in 2005, which was at least part of the play and not deliberately knocking them out and kicking them.

[Mongrel]

Can we please not have the Aussie Rules-League debate? Goes around in circles.

Disappointing to lose tonight, but it's preseason and we were flogged by the Dons in the NAB Cup last year and still finished third. Good signs from some players, though (Grant, Higgins, Ward).

[nufan]

Fair enough to Mongrel's request on the debate. It is a never ending topic

as for tonights game, it was a pretty big thing considering it is only Pre-season.

But as i'm sure some of you have heard approximately 200 people died in the Victorian Bushfires this past week. Tonights game was to also help raise money for that.

Essendon 0.2.3 0.5.4 1.7.8 1.8.13 (70)

Western Bulldogs 1.1.2 1.3.7 1.5.9 1.8.12 (69)

GOALS

Essendon: Nine-point goals: Atkinson Goals: Jetta 2, Neagle 2, Skipworth 2, Houli, Gumbleton

Western Bulldogs: Nine-point goals: Grant Goals: Johnson 4, Ward, Stack, Skipper, Eagleton

BEST

Essendon: Watson, Lovett, Dempsey, Skipworth, Hille, Houli, Neagle, Nash

Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Higgins, Boyd, Higgins, Hudson, Gilbee, Harbrow, Morris

INJURIES

Essendon: Nil

Western Bulldogs: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Keating, Wenn, Hendrie

Crowd: 35,123 at Telstra Dome

35 thousand is a pretty decent crowd for a pre-season game, it is good to see people support the cause. All match jumpers have been put up for auction as well.

[Zaz]

What's with the 9 point goals? From more than 50 metres out?

[Mongrel]

What's with the 9 point goals? From more than 50 metres out?

Yeah, or when someone takes a shot inside fifty after receving a fifty from outside. It's only ever been a pre-season rule, though; but I wouldn't be surprised to see them introduce it to the season proper because Demetriou and his band of Merry Men are fuckwits.

[nufan]

The last game of the week took place last night at Subiaco Oval in Western Australia.

It featured The Fremantle Dockers playing The Richmond Tigers, decent crowd of 14,000+ with me, my brother and mates being part of that crowd.

Sitting on the 50 meter arc three rows back, great game very fast and suprisingly close, not to mention played at great intensity for a pre-season game.

Great to see the Tigers get up, largley on the back of the SUPERSTAR Matthew Richardson who kicked a supergoal and the last two goals of the game to snatch victory from the Dockers.

Richmond now play Collingwood in 10 days time, with the rest of the first round of NAB cup games to be played this week starting on Friday with Carlton vs North Melbourne.

CARN TIGERS!

MATCH DETAILS

Richmond 1.1.5 1.3.5 1.8.5 1.12.8 (89)

Fremantle 2.3.2 3.4.4 3.4.8 5.5.11 (86)

GOALS

Richmond: Nine-point goals: Richardson. Goals: Morton 3, Brown 3; Riewoldt 2, Richardson 2; Hughes, Nahas.

Fremantle: Nine-point goals: Browne, Schammer, Solomon, Ibbotson, Hill. Goals: Grover, Bradley, De Boer, Murphy, Dodd.

BEST

Richmond: Richardson, Deledio, Foley, Riewoldt, Brown, Jackson

Fremantle: Hayden, Solomon, Mundy, Hill, DeBoer, Browne, Sandilands

INJURIES

Fremantle: Nil

Richmond: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Simon Meredith, Jeff Dalgleish, Gavin Statham.

Crowd: 14,517 at Subiaco Oval

[nufan]

The rest of the first round of the NAB Cup took place this weekend starting on Friday night

Carlton 1.2.3 1.8.6 1.14.10 1.17.12 (123)

North Melbourne 0.2.1 0.5.3 0.7.3 0.11.4 (70)

GOALS

Carlton: Nine-point goals: Fevola Goals: Fevola 5, Cloke 2, Garlett 2, Judd, Johnson, Murphy, Wiggins, Houlihan, Bentley, Betts, Simpson

North Melbourne: Nine-point goals: Nil Goals: Hale 3, Wells 2, Ziebell 2, Thomas, Lower, Gibson, Harvey

BEST

Carlton: Fevola, Gibbs, Simpson, Judd, Simpson, Stevens, Houlihan, Grigg

North Melbourne: Wells, Power, Hale, Swallow, Harding, Ziebell, Harvey

INJURIES

Carlton: Yarran (ankle)

North Melbourne: Pratt (ribs)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Jeffery, Kennedy, Findlay

Crowd: 24,711 at Telstra Dome

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It continued on Saturday with a day game featuring last years Grand Final winners Hawthorn against the Wooden Spooners (last place) Melbourne.

Hawthorn 0.4.0 0.5.1 0.5.2 0.11.3 (69)

Melbourne 0.4.5 0.5.6 1.8.8 1.8.9 (66)

GOALS

Hawthorn: Nine-point goals: - Goals: Roughead 5, Stokes 2, Williams 2, Morton, Dew

Melbourne: Nine-point goals: Bartram Goals: Bate 4, Green, Bartram, Johnson, McLean

BEST

Hawthorn: Roughead, Mitchell, Dew, Sewell, Young, Suckling

Melbourne: Green, Bate, McLean, Morton

INJURIES

Hawthorn: Michael Osborne (knee), Chance Bateman (ankle)

Melbourne: Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring), James McDonald (leg)

REPORTS

Hawthorn: Clinton Young for rough contact on Aaron Davey in the first quarter

Melbourne: Paul Johnson for striking Sam Mitchell in the first quarter

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday night featured the other Grand Finalists, Geelong taking on Adelaide

Geelong 1.5.3 1.11.4 1.15.5 1.17.8 (119)

Adelaide 1.1.2 11.5.3 1.7.6 2.9.12 (84)

GOALS

Geelong: Nine-point goals: Ablett Goals: Gamble 4, Stokes 3, Lonergan 3, Ablett 3, Selwood, Chapman, Hogan, Varcoe

Adelaide: Nine-point goals: Maric, Gill Goals: Edwards 2, Stevens 2, Hentschel, McLeod, Otten, Thompson, Walker

BEST

Geelong: Ablett, Gamble, Stokes, Bartel, Selwood, Taylor, Blake

Adelaide: Goodwin, Bock, Stevens, Knights, Edwards

INJURIES

Geelong: Nil

Adelaide: Walker (corked knee)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McCarthy, Hay, Wenn (inj), Avon

Crowd: 10,320 at Telstra Dome

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

And concluded on Sunday with Sydney and Port Adelaide. Sydney were last year accused of throwing a close pre-season game, they didn't get the chance to throw this one as they were belted.

Sydney Swans 1.1.3 1.3.6 1.7.7 1.10.9 (78)

Port Adelaide 1.3.2 3.8.6 4.11.8 4.16.11 (143)

GOALS

Sydney Swans: Nine-point goals: C. Bolton Goals: McVeigh 4, O'Dwyer, Goodes, J Bolton, R. O'Keefe, Jolly, White

Port Adelaide: Nine-point goals: Pearce, Meyer, Logan, Lade Goals: Westhoff 4, Tredrea 3, Thompson 3, D. Motlop 2, C. Cornes, Ebert, Cassisi, Davenport

BEST

Sydney Swans: Shaw, R. O'Keefe, McVeigh, Kirk

Port Adelaide: Cassisi, Tredrea, D. Motlop, Thompson, Pearce, Boak, Westhoff

INJURIES

Sydney Swans: Brabazon (concussion)

Port Adelaide: Nil

Reports: D. Motlop (Port Adelaide) reported for charging Jesse White (Sydney Swans) in the first quarter by umpire Nicholls

Umpires: Chamberlain, Nicholls, Gestier, Jennings

Crowd: 5397 at Manuka Oval

[nufan]

I'm sure all the Australians on the board are aware of this weeks big footy news.

On thursday night, former West Coast Eagles champion Ben Cousins will make his debut for the Richmond Football Club against The Collingwood Magpies this thursday night at the Telstra Dome.

For those Australians who live under a rock and for others, Ben Cousins is a disgraced footballer, who at his peak captained The West Coast Eagles, won the coveted Brownlow Medal award for best and fairest player in the league for the season and also won a grand final during this time. During the 2007 season cousins was suspeneded indefinately by the Eagles, he returned that year in round 17 to pick up a best on ground 38 disposals against Sydney. He continued to play up until the Eagles were eliminated from that years finals series after a loss to Port Adelaide in which Cousins tore his hamstring muscle.

After a few mishaps and what turned to out to be media bungles, Ben Cousins was released from the Eagles. Although he never failed a drug test or has ever been convicted of drug charges, Cousins admitted he was a drug addict. The AFL terminated his playing contract and suspeneded him for a year for bringing the game into disripute.

Cousins would then go to L.A. to a drug rehab clinic, but he didn't make it apparently going on a final binge.

Throughout the year, Cousins would be linked to many clubs such as St.Kilda, Collingwood and Brisbane, with the Saints and Lions showing the most geniuine interest. Towards the end of the 2008 season Cousins was greenlighted for a return to football but would be under the magnifying glass, in response to this Cousins shaved his body completely of hair to avoid hair testing. Many saw this as him writing his on death certificate while others played it off as Ben being Ben and causing a stir.

Despite being greenlighted St.Kilda soon dropped out of the race and it appeared that Brisbane would be the only club left to pick up the fallen champion. The National Draft went and Brisbane announced they would not pick up the former Brownlow Medalist. It appeared that Cousins hopes of being drafted were all but gone with only 6 teams keeping picks for the pre-season draft.

However the story was not over yet, during the week before the PSD it was announced that Richmond were conteplating drafting Cousins, if they were allowed to put Graeme Polak on the rookie list after he suffered a head injury after being hit by a tram.

AFL head Andrew Dimetriou was in favour of the listing, but the AFL met and it was decided that Polak would not be allowed to be rookie listed. Cousins hopes were again seemingly dashed, but the night before the draft an army of Tigers supporters marched down to Punt Road letting the club know that they wanted to give the fallen hero another chance.

Pick 6 of the PSD was announced as ... Ben Cousins, he was now a member of the Richmond Football Club.

Since then Cousins has done nothing but impress the Richmond faithful by training down the house and impressing in their intra-club game.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace has confirmed the disgraced footballer will play on Thursday night and will start on the ground in what is expected to be the biggest NAB cup game in recent history.

[Plubby]

Ben Cousins is the only reason I remotely care about the rubbish game that is Australian Rules Football. I'll be keeping an eye on the game.

[nufan]

Ben Cousins is the only reason I remotely care about the rubbish game that is Australian Rules Football. I'll be keeping an eye on the game.

Good enough for me LOL, I'm a Richmond fan if you couldn't guess

[Ace]

Yes, I was one of those many MANY WA non-Eagles fans that took 2008 as a Year from Heaven. We had the Great White Dope in Cousins, plus the shocking year for the Eagles overall. It was good year

But I'm glad Richmond gave Ben a chance. He does deserve another crack at the top level, and if he happens to stuff up again, oh boy, its Open Season on Richmond next.

[nufan]

Yes, I was one of those many MANY WA non-Eagles fans that took 2008 as a Year from Heaven. We had the Great White Dope in Cousins, plus the shocking year for the Eagles overall. It was good year

But I'm glad Richmond gave Ben a chance. He does deserve another crack at the top level, and if he happens to stuff up again, oh boy, its Open Season on Richmond next.

Yes we would be dead... really they would be close to folding if he fucks up again, sponsors would leave, and without sponsors no money... would be disastrous