The AFL / Aussie Rules Thread

[Madiel]

Watching Sydney v Essendon right now, and it's a potential thriller. I might have to put the sound on and stop listening to Dvorak. 

[Papy Oli]

Watching Sydney v Essendon right now, and it's a potential thriller. I might have to put the sound on and stop listening to Dvorak. 

I had the game in the background this morning. Based on the final score, I'll probably catch it up again with full attention when it is up on the AFL website. I have Port Adelaide - Richmond live in the morning. Could be a good'un too.

[Papy Oli]

I hate this !!?$&??@#!!  sport...Useless !!?$&??@#!! Cats     

Only saw the last 15 minutes to be fair but that was enough... 0:)

Need to catch up Q4 of Port Adelaide - Richmond. I enjoyed the first 3 quarters live.

[Madiel]

Fairweather fan. That's not how they do it in Victoria...

I tipped Geelong to win, but so did almost everyone else in the office tipping competition and I've still won the week.    One of my colleagues is a Melbourne supporter so he'll very happy with their current progress.

EDIT: I just looked at the next round... you'll want to keep with Geelong, definitely.

[Papy Oli]

Fairweather fan. That's not how they do it in Victoria...

I tipped Geelong to win, but so did almost everyone else in the office tipping competition and I've still won the week.    One of my colleagues is a Melbourne supporter so he'll very happy with their current progress.

EDIT: I just looked at the next round... you'll want to keep with Geelong, definitely.

Congrats on winning the pools !

oh I am sticking with Geelong, I just didn't particularly feel like waking up at 6am on a Sunday morning just for a round game  I'll wait for the catch up to see it in full (that might be different once (if) we get to the preliminary finals etc...)

Now an AFL question : Are the hairdressers still shut in Australia ?.... or is this abundance of mullets an entirely voluntary choice on the part of the players ?      (I am half sarcastic and, as a balding guy, of course possibly half jealous  )

[Madiel]

Look, the mullet on the new Port Adelaide player was amazing/appalling. 

[Papy Oli]

Lachie Jones I presume ? 

Commentators seemed impressed by his game in what I saw against Richmond, particularly for a rookie's first game.

[Papy Oli]

I caught up Q4 of Port Adelaide - Richmond yesterday and that's probably one of the best quarters I have seen so far this season, really gritty and intense in terms of defending. I'd recommend it.

On the downside, that game must have ruffled Richmond because they are absolutely ruthless against St Kilda right now. It doesn't look like St Kilda will claw that one back like in the last round.

I haven't had the courage to sit through the Geelong catch up 

Question of the day: What is the tactical advantage of kicking the ball from the pocket most of time towards the boundary lines on the sides, instead of going straight ahead with as a long a shot as possible? If that shot is long enough and way beyond the 50m, that cancels any risk of conceding a goal straight back if an opponent wins the ball and kicks straight back ?

[Madiel]

I haven't been watching Richmond-St Kilda but good to know my tip is safe...

Question of the day: What is the tactical advantage of kicking the ball from the pocket most of time towards the boundary lines on the sides, instead of going straight ahead with as a long a shot as possible? If that shot is long enough and way beyond the 50m, that cancels any risk of conceding a goal straight back if an opponent wins the ball and kicks straight back ?

Well it might prevent a goal with a single kick, but you've seen just how rapidly the ball can move and if the opponent can send the ball for a forward to mark, you might only be delaying a goal by the amount of time it takes that forward to remove his mouthguard and adjust his socks...

[Papy Oli]

..but you would get that same threat wherever you kick it, wouldn't you ?

is it mostly a matter then of closing the angle towards the goal posts as much as possible for a kicking threat ?

[Papy Oli]

48-134...ouch  Nope, no comeback 

[Madiel]

..but you would get that same threat wherever you kick it, wouldn't you ?

is it mostly a matter then of closing the angle towards the goal posts as much as possible for a kicking threat ?

That's part of it. But if it's out to the sides, it's also easier to guard against a return kick (coming into a forward) because there's less option of the direction of that kick. If you kick down the centre and an opponent gets it, they might have options left, right and middle as to where they kick to a forward, making it harder to defend all the possibilities.

[Madiel]

The tipping website our office competition uses shows the betting odds for matches.

I feel I should tell you: for Geelong vs North Melbourne, a $1 bet on Geelong pays $1.02, whereas a $1 bet on North Melbourne pays $14.  That's amongst the most lopsided odds I've ever seen.

[Papy Oli]

That's part of it. But if it's out to the sides, it's also easier to guard against a return kick (coming into a forward) because there's less option of the direction of that kick. If you kick down the centre and an opponent gets it, they might have options left, right and middle as to where they kick to a forward, making it harder to defend all the possibilities.

that makes sense, thank you.

The tipping website our office competition uses shows the betting odds for matches.

I feel I should tell you: for Geelong vs North Melbourne, a $1 bet on Geelong pays $1.02, whereas a $1 bet on North Melbourne pays $14.  That's amongst the most lopsided odds I've ever seen.

This one won't be broadcast in the UK, so it will be catch up only. Given how topsy-turvy that game can be, you never know 

(my French soccer team has the irritating and regular habit of "helping" teams that are on a losing streak to bounce back, starting against us. I know it is early in the season but it would be my luck that Geelong falls into this category too now that I have picked them  ) 

[Papy Oli]

Cats up by only 6 at half-time...

hmm...not entirely reassuring, is it... 

[Madiel]

Cats up by only 6 at half-time...

hmm...not entirely reassuring, is it... 

Very low score. Is it raining?

EDIT: No, it just seems that Geelong is refusing to kick goals in order to keep the game interesting.

[Papy Oli]

Very low score. Is it raining?

EDIT: No, it just seems that Geelong is refusing to kick goals in order to keep the game interesting.

Not broadcast here, I have to make do with the AFL website timeline 

edit: I sense some sarcasm, in the way that you picked Geelong in your office pools and start to regret it ? 

[Madiel]

Not broadcast here, I have to make do with the AFL website timeline 

edit: I sense some sarcasm, in the way that you picked Geelong in your office pools and start to regret it ? 

No, they're doing a bit better now and it's always a hopeful sign when one side has so many more scoring shots. But really, I'd regard par to be when you score about as many goals as behinds, or slightly more goals. So a half-time score of 3.9 was just failing to convert chances. They're up to 6.11 now so that's an improvement.

EDIT: Can you listen to the radio stations available on the AFL website?

SECOND EDIT: It's not on television here either (only subscription service), but I just looked at weather radar to check the weather part.  But in the Match Centre there's a "listen live" link and various options for radio stations, at least for me there is.

[Papy Oli]

Oh I never noticed that Listen Live button, thank you. Yes, I can access that. I am getting all the ads now  Some accents are (to me) broader than Neighbours and Home and Away   

I haven't found anything that is blocked so far. I can get all the match highlights, replays, AFL TV, also the podcasts and documentaries in the On Demand page.  Anything worth a watch or recommendations, I'd welcome, particularly older legendary matches etc...

Up by 20 after Q3, that's better.

One article I found of interest yesterday: statistically, even after round Five, 6 of the 8 teams for the finals are usually established by that stage. Full article here :

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2021-when-is-the-top-eight-locked-afl-ladder-stats-teams-who-will-make-finals-history-analysis-latest-news/news-story/ce894fdfb1b3175c6a8a5ad304512824

[Madiel]

There is indeed a variety in our accents, and yes you will definitely hear some broad ones on something like a radio sports broadcast.

I'm not really familiar with all of the material available on the website, like podcasts or documentaries. Maybe my brother-in-law would know, but he'll just want you to watch anything that says Richmond is wonderful.