I guess 1 week out from the finals it's not exactly nostradamus stuff but put whatever form of currency you like on Port & Brissy to make the Grand Final and Brissy will win.

Port will of course finish top spot and with home finals guaranteed at AAMI they will not choke 3 times in a row in the preliminary.

The Lions blew the Saints away last weekend when they decided to play football and looked every bit as awesome as previous years. So with home finals they are a cert to make it - the only minor 'if' is if they are forced to come to MCG for the prelim because of the AFL's ridiculous agreement - and even then it would have to be a cold miserable wet day for any other team having a chance to beat em.

In the Granny Brisbane will be too good for Port that much is obvious..

The Sainters much as I wish they could do it - proved last weekend they're still not mentally ready when it counts. As such if we bomb out I would love to see Geelong have a crack but again seems unlikely.

Probably the scariest thing of all is this will finally be the first all interstate Grand Final !!! Something 10 years ago was unthinkable both in terms of these teams and also the consequences for crowds, interest etc. But the AFL has matured and people will still go.

Anything can happen in the finals and anything can happen on Grand Final day. Port could play a blinder, but they have to get there first. Brisbane might suddenly feel the pressure of trying to win 4 in a row, but they still have to get there.

You just don't know what can happen and thats why the Grand Final is such a big and nervous occassion.

I had a sore midriff section the day after the Port v Sdyney final last year, I was laughing it up that hard. It was like getting stoned and watching kids' afternoon television on ABC.

If the finals system wasn't so much of a shambles a Port v Lions final would be almost a certainty. But thanks to the incompetent Demetriou who could have fixed this problem if he had helped get Carlton to play its home games at the MCG, we get this awful situation. So much for bending over backwards Andy D to fix this problem. :down:

Lets hope a compromised finals system doesn't hinder Brisbane's chance at making history.

Don't worry about people going to the GF. Its so big it doesn't matter who plays its a guaranteed sellout. :)

I had a sore midriff section the day after the Port v Sdyney final last year, I was laughing it up that hard. It was like getting stoned and watching kids' afternoon television on ABC.

Yeah it was like watching a 2 hour car crash - although much funnier. :)

Let's see the comments in 4 weeks time.............

I said Brisbane d. Port 4 months back ;)

....and it WILL happen.... (not overnight)

I'm a Lions supporter and really hope they win again.

But:

West Coast beat Brisbane at the Gabba this year
Sydney lost by one point at Gabba

losses for Brisbane away from home include Freemantle, Geelong, Sydney and West Coast. Brisbane could easily be playing Sydney or West Coast in a final this year, and based on recent form, you would be crazy to think that the lions would be guaranteed a win. And if Port Adelaide do win their first game, I will be a somewhat nervous lions supporter.

I think with a little luck and form at the right time, anyone of the teams in the finals could be no 1 at the end. Except Essendon or Melbourne :P

Go Catters!

That's my 2 cents anyway!

I think with a little luck and form at the right time, anyone of the teams in the finals could be no 1 at the end. Except Essendon or Melbourne :P

Nah only 3 in the race really. Only Brisbane, Port adelaide and St. Kilda can win it. If any other team even makes it to the GF I will be very surprised.

It just wont be the same without Collingwood in the finals this year. :(

West Coast could cause some sort of upset somewhere, I reckon... although it will still end up being a Brisbane d. Pt. Adelaide Grand Final...

only 3/4 time in the first final, but I think that St Kilda might be replacing Port Adelaide as the finals underachievers

of course Brisbane at Gabba in final have never been beaten

so if St Kilda have taken over Port Adelaide's position, does that mean Port are now to be truly feared? Sunday's game is going to be very interesting....

It just wont be the same without Collingwood in the finals this year. :(

So this is what it sounds like, when doves cry?

This is the first time I made the effort to watch a finals match (other than the GF) are they always such an uneven walkover? To get beaten by that much is bad anyway, but in the finals, St Kilda should be ashamed of themselves. Molly Meldrum is crying in his hat as we speak.

Go the Bombers!! 5 point win over Melbourne! :)

And that was all she wrote west coast.

"6" teams still in the hunt..... heh, yeah right.

only 3/4 time in the first final, but I think that St Kilda might be replacing Port Adelaide as the finals underachievers

of course Brisbane at Gabba in final have never been beaten

so if St Kilda have taken over Port Adelaide's position, does that mean Port are now to be truly feared? Sunday's game is going to be very interesting....

No St.Kilda are not finals underachievers because realistically they have been playing like shite since Rd.10 - the only remotely good game they've played since then was North who since were proven to be a crap side by Rd 20 .. last night didn't upset me - I grieved way back in Rd.12 when we lost to the Dogs - that was the turning point.

Port have been true underacheivers coz they've played kick ass footy right up to finals then choked ..

But again I stand by my prediction - they won't choke this year and will cruise through to GF - though Cats will give em as good a test as they're likely to get.

Here another prediction (which I hate to make against my own team): St.Kilda will lose to Sydney next week. Guaranteed.

Here another prediction (which I hate to make against my own team): St.Kilda will lose to Sydney next week. Guaranteed.

You may be right. What do you think of playing a 'home' final at the MCG? Seeing as the saints play their best footy at their home at the dome a final at the G is fairly neutral ground.

it does seem a bit unfair for a team to earn the advantage of a home final and then be forced to play somewhere that isn't to their advantage. Like the Lions possibly playing a home preliminary final at MCG. But I won't complain about the grand final being at MCG if its Port-Brisbane...

it does seem a bit unfair for a team to earn the advantage of a home final and then be forced to play somewhere that isn't to their advantage. Like the Lions possibly playing a home preliminary final at MCG. But I won't complain about the grand final being at MCG if its Port-Brisbane...

Its not a bit unfair, its totally unfair.

If Essendon wins next week it will host Brisbane at the MCG. Essendon finished 8 and Brisbane finished 2. Not much of an advantage to Brisbane for playing better through the season.

Demetriou has to understand what the A in AFL really means.

Essendon finished 8th: First round at the MCG against Melbourne. Next week they will play Geelong at the MCG. If they win that, they get an "away" preliminary final at the MCG, where they have a chance to play in the grand final at the MCG.

This competition is a disgrace.

But anyway, just to keep in theme with the subject title:

Port are dead set monties for the grand final. :(

This competition is a disgrace.

I wouldn't go that far. Every club knew the terms of the agreement when they entered the competition and if they didn't like it they wouldn't have signed up.

I wouldn't go that far. Every club knew the terms of the agreement when they entered the competition and if they didn't like it they wouldn't have signed up.

Brisbane, West Coast and Adelaide joined the competition before the agreement, actually.

And now the agreement has been made you should put up or shut up. You don't like it go back to SAFL.

Typical response.

Actually the evildoers here are the folks that own the MCG and have the AFL by the balls when they have a far superior ground with Telstra Dome. The GF should be a rotating thing, like the superbowl in the US a city should win the rights to host it. That way the GF could be held in Brisbane or Adelaide! Of course all cities need bigger stadiums!

And now the agreement has been made you should put up or shut up. You don't like it go back to SAFL.

Nobody actually left the SANFL to join the AFL.

You should remember your history. The old VFL was on its knees and it was only the injection of cash from interstate clubs that saved the competition. Now we have the AFL its a joke to have this biased agreement which hurts the very clubs which helped create the successful national comp we have today.

Shame on the AFL.

Ive already spoken about that one final rule in Melbourne, and I agree, its a disgrace.

As for the topic: if that glorified thug in Jonathon Brown gets suspended for 2 weeks, its all over for the Lions. No Lynch + no Brown = no Lions.

Nobody actually left the SANFL to join the AFL.

You should remember your history. The old VFL was on its knees and it was only the injection of cash from interstate clubs that saved the competition. Now we have the AFL its a joke to have this biased agreement which hurts the very clubs which helped create the successful national comp we have today.

Shame on the AFL.

A Victorian that remembers the financial hole the VFL was in, and actually remembers the 4 million dollar license fees paid out by Brisbane, West Coast and Adelaide to keep the competition from imploding? Amazing, I thought every single one of you were completely ignorant of history, congratulations on proving me wrong.

I'm not saying anything yet, but I was there yesterday, and there is a real feeling about this year. I'm quietly confident, I'll leave it at that.

It is a disgrace and I hope it happens because it will finally reveal just how stupid the rule is, especially if it happens to be Essendon because interstate teams perceive Essendon always getting an easy run. Yeah the other teams accepted this rule but it's not like they have a choice. The AFL aint a democracy.

There does seem to be an unfair Victorian bias in the Finals system.

I have mentioned to Victorian friends over here that the GF should be moved away from the MCG and they went ballistic with all sorts of arguments about it being the home of the game, biggest venue, history, etc, etc. Even during the MCG re-building when Sydney could provide a bigger venue they wouldn't move the final.

How does Rugby League, and the way it hosts finals compare?

I know Brisbane won a home Grand Final at ANZ stadium in Super League.

Aussie Bhoy - you'll find that most AFL fans aren't arguing about the grand final, we all agree it should be at the MCG. It's the corrupt finals draw that decides who gets to play in the grand final that is the issue.

Good to see a fair minded Victorian football supporter sirbugalugs... and Amaruu, glad to see you of all people calling it unfair as well...

Either way, I'm not going to get started on the whole MCC/AFL deal, or the TV rights deal, or anything else that makes it an unfair "national" competition, as it'll get out of hand...

Back to the thread, Port v Bris Grand Final, Bris winning, as I've said 10 times now ;)

Port's obstacle will be Sydney, if they beat St. Kilda this year... we all remember the Qualifying final from last year, don't we? I'm sure the Swans aren't afraid of Football Park anymore :)

Good to see a fair minded Victorian football supporter sirbugalugs



I think you'll find I'm one of a majority of supporters in Victoria that agree this is a disgrace. As usual the vocal minority make the rest look bad.

I hope we see a Port v Lions final. The two best teams slugging it out on the MCG in a close final. Of course if it did happen it would be no thanks to the incompetent AFL.

I think Port have ironed out the final hoodo bug and I reckon they will pump either St Kilda or Sydney. The reason I pick Port is as follows:

1) Home ground advantage...Port have only lost one match this year at home, which was to Adelaide.

2) They have a week's rest. While St Kilda and Sydney will be battling out and giving their all, Port will be fresh and their coach will be looking at the match closely to get any tips he can.

3) Simply, and most importantly, they have a better team of players than both St Kilda and Sydney.

4) As stated above, Port seem to be over this 'choker' syndrome they have suffered in the past. I saw them play against a very good side in Geelong on tv and they smashed them.

I think Brisbane will win their Preliminary Final at 'home' at the MCG (what a joke).

And as stated in an earlier thread, if Jonathon Brown gets rubbed out of the Grand Final, the Lions could be in a bit of trouble.

I have had this deep down fear all year that Port can go all the way this year. I have a feeling this fear may crystallise in 3 weeks time.

Port v Brisbane Grand Final. Port to win by 6 goals.

Aussie Bhoy - you'll find that most AFL fans aren't arguing about the grand final, we all agree it should be at the MCG. It's the corrupt finals draw that decides who gets to play in the grand final that is the issue.

Maybe I'm one of only a few, but if its unfair for Brisbane to lose their home ground advantage and play a preliminary final at MCG, then its even more unfair for Port to lose the home ground advantage for the grand final, being an even more important game. In theory Essendon could beat the Lions, and then have a home grand final against the top team. After finishing 8.

^ That too could be argued. But I think most people accept the fact that the Grand Final should be played at the MCG. The AFL wouldnt have it any other way anyhow. It's the biggest stadium in the country and it's in Melbourne where most of the support for AFL is. There is always that sense of tradition by always playing the final at the one venue. I kind of liken it to the FA Cup Final, where (except for the past few years due to renovation) it is always played at Wembly Stadium. The matches leading up to the FA Cup Final is called the 'Road to Wembly'. So effectively, all these AFL matches are like the 'Road to the MCG'.

I can just about handle the final being at the MCG, but in the interests of fairness with the crowd, the tickets should be split 50-50 between the 2 teams in the final.

At the moment aren't the tickets shared around all clubs? Correct me if I'm wrong. But I think this makes the final at the MCG for a non-Victorian team definitly an "away" game.

Rugby League does the same thing, and they don't like out of NSW teams winning either.

I can just about handle the final being at the MCG, but in the interests of fairness with the crowd, the tickets should be split 50-50 between the 2 teams in the final.

At the moment aren't the tickets shared around all clubs? Correct me if I'm wrong. But I think this makes the final at the MCG for a non-Victorian team definitly an "away" game.

Rugby League does the same thing, and they don't like out of NSW teams winning either.

GF ticketing is a little confusing. Its just too popular and too simplistic to have a 50-50 split. Here is basically how it works.

MCC members get their allocation.

AFL members get their allocation.

The two competing clubs get a certain percentage of their total membership. For example if Essendon has around 40,000 members they would get around 15,000 tickets for the game. If a club has a lower membership they get a lower allocation. This leads to a lot of very frustrated members. :)

All clubs have a certain amount tickets they usually sell to make a profit. Its around a 1000 tickets each club.

And the little amount left go to the general public. Good luck in getting those. :)

This is why the GF is a neutral ground. There are so few actual supporters of both clubs.

Most of the people in the Stadium would be Victorians though using the present system. In a Grand Final involving a Victorian Team versus an out of state team, would most people not support their fellow Vics?

Or do they hate the other established (old VFL) clubs more than an outsider?

I don't think people in Victoria mind the Brisbane Lions so much, but surely an Adelaide team wouldn't think of a final at the MCG as being played in a nuetral ground?

I remember watching the 1998 Grand Final between North Melbourne and Adelaide. The Adelaide team had more support than the North Melbourne team.

The Grand Final is different from all the other finals. If you look at the Preliminary Final last year between Collingwood and Port Adelaide, I'd say that 99% per cent of the 80,000 odd crowd were all Collingwood supporters. But the following week in the GF, the support for both teams was more spread.

Most of the people in the Stadium would be Victorians though using the present system. In a Grand Final involving a Victorian Team versus an out of state team, would most people not support their fellow Vics?

Or do they hate the other established (old VFL) clubs more than an outsider?



You don't know much about football in Melbourne do you? ;)

I went to the '96 final North Melbourne v Sydney and apart from the ground being in Melbourne it truly is a neutral venue.

Don't assume the ground is full of Victorians. A lot of people around the country come to see the GF. Interstate supporters come in large numbers I can assure you.

I remember watching Brisbane's first premiership victory on tv. It was my first year of interest in AFL. It struck me that there seemed to be as much or maybe more support for Lions than Essendon. The Lions were the underdog. I think after 3 years of premierships most non Brisbanites would be excited about the prospect of any team beating them.

Yea the tall poppy syndrome will see most people barrack against brisbane this year.

But generally speaking, as Collingwood supporter, I would hate to see Essendon win the premiership. I'd rather Port Adelaide win than Essendon.

Nope, I'm going for the Lions again... Sydney 2nd Preference.... don't have a 3rd at this stage...

Nope, I'm going for the Lions again... Sydney 2nd Preference.... don't have a 3rd at this stage...

In other words, anyone but Port Adelaide :)

In other words, anyone but Port Adelaide :)
anyone but Port Adelaide OR Essendon ;)

so local rivalry syndrome trumps tall poppy syndrome then?

so local rivalry syndrome trumps tall poppy syndrome then?

Yeah. Big time.

Article from The Australian about the shambles going on with the MCG (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,10719093%255E2722,00.html)

AFL plays rough over MCG deal
Greg Denham
September 10, 2004
THE AFL has stepped up its reprisals over the Melbourne Cricket Club's reluctance to end the preliminary-final stand-off by scheduling more low-drawing matches at the MCG in next year's fixture list.

For the third year in succession, the AFL will give the MCG the bare minimum of 41 home-and-away games as stipulated under the league's 40-year contract with the cricket club.

In a direct reprisal against the MCC's recent reluctance to change the contract that insists at least one preliminary final each year is played at the MCG, even if hosted by a non-Victorian club, the league has scheduled Carlton to play home games against low-drawing interstate clubs Fremantle and Port Adelaide at the venue in 2005.

An AFL spokesman yesterday preferred the term "negotiating leverage" rather than retaliation in relation to scheduling poor-drawing games at the MCG next year. The 2005 fixtures will be released a week after the grand final.

The league's latest reprisals could further affect the MCG's claim to being Australia's premier stadium after it again lost ground to Telstra Dome this year. In 2004, Telstra Dome officially overtook the MCG as Victoria's most attractive venue with an average game attendance of 37,000, up 10 per cent on 2003.

At the MCG, which is undergoing a rebuilding program for the 2006 Commonwealth Games but still has a far bigger capacity than the Docklands stadium, average crowds were down 4 per cent on last year, to 36,000.

During the home-and-away season, 1.63million fans attended 44 Telstra Dome games, compared with 1.486m in 41 games at the MCG.

With Carlton moving its home games away from Optus Oval next year, the MCC had unsuccessfully requested to host the majority of the Blues' games from 2005 on top of the MCG's annual contracted matches against Collingwood and Essendon.

In 2005, Carlton will play six games at Telstra Dome, four at the MCG and will farewell Optus Oval in round nine against Melbourne.

This year will mark the first time two non-Victorian teams have earned the right to host a home preliminary final, forcing lower-ranked Brisbane to play against a Victorian team -- Geelong or Essendon -- at the MCG under lights tomorrow week.

That's despite some spirited negotiations between the AFL and the MCC, during which the league has attempted to provide a fairer system for non-Victorian clubs by offering the cricket club lucrative trade-offs.

Last month, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou offered the MCG 43 premiership games next season, including better-quality matches, and an additional financial inducement.

Under contract until 2032, the MCG is guaranteed 10 of the best 12 crowd-drawing games involving Victorian clubs each year. In August, the AFL offered 13 of the best 15 games. But the cricket club rejected the offer. They wanted up to 47 home-and-away games and a better mix of high-drawing matches.

Even then, the MCC was not prepared to completely release the AFL of its preliminary-final obligation. The MCC demanded the introduction of another finals banking system which ensured that five preliminary finals had to be played at the MCG in five-year periods.

In a further attempt to end the impasse, Demetriou this week offered the MCC an additional $1m one-off payment to have Brisbane's preliminary final moved to the Gabba, which was rejected.

"It's not a question of money," MCC chief executive Stephen Gough said yesterday. "The contract is based on content and quality of content."

what an ugly mess

and what is Stephen Gough getting at "It's not a question of money, the contract is based on content and quality of content"

Is he trying to say that MCC is being stubborn purely for the bragging rights of hosting the final or something??

Or maybe the MCC is holding out in an attempt to blackmail the AFL for further concessions before it agrees to vary its contract.

so local rivalry syndrome trumps tall poppy syndrome then?

If Port wins the grand final i'm moving to Perth.

The AFL lack balls. If they were fair dinkum about avoiding this contract, they could. Its as simple as this:

Wait until the off season, and tell the MCC they intend avoiding the contract for all future seasons that the contract stipulates. The MCC can not physically force the AFL to schedule Preliminary Finals at the MCG. They can, however, seek compensation for breach of contract. Contracts are designed so that the party to the contract who has not breached is compensated. Simply, when you sue for breach of contract, you sue for an amount to get you to the position you would have been if not for the breach. The AFL should ascertain what this amount would be, get the MCC to endorse that amount and settle by paying this to the MCC either in one lump sum or over a period of time. If the MCC are not happy with the amount, then adjust it. If the MCC refuse to accept the settlement altogether, then tough luck for them. If next year they try to sue the AFL by scheduling both Preliminary Finals away from the MCG, the AFL can show the Court that they tried to compensate the MCC and show the Court the Settlement Offer and the MCC will be laughed out of court.

As stated above, a contract can not make you do something you don't want to do, even if you agreed to terms by signing the contract. A contract does, however, compensate a party which will suffer loss or damage by the other party breaching. Thats what the AFL should do, compensate the MCC and move on. Because this seems to be an issue every year, and quite frankly, it's a pathetic issue and at the most critical time of the year no less.

The MCC is just making a lot of enemies. The MCC needs the AFL more than the the AFL needs the MCC in my opinion.

The MCC is just making a lot of enemies. The MCC needs the AFL more than the the AFL needs the MCC in my opinion.

Lol, the MCC has always had enemies. They don't care.

Lol, the MCC has always had enemies. They don't care.

The MCC had some very important friends in government - why do you think proper PT links wre never built to Waverly. The MCC wanted it to fail and they got their way, now it's a glorified training ground.

They wanted Waverley to fail? Well they got their way. But guess what? They now have to contend with Telstra Dome. What are they gonna do to make TD fail?

Remember, they played a Grand Final at Waverley in 1991.

They wanted Waverley to fail? Well they got their way. But guess what? They now have to contend with Telstra Dome. What are they gonna do to make TD fail?

Remember, they played a Grand Final at Waverley in 1991.

Stadium Capacity is the key - the MCG is now unchallenged for grand finals in Melbourne (contract or not), because it holds 50,000 more spectators than the Phone Dome. Waverly was a serious threat to the MCG, because it was originally planned for a capacity of 140,000.

Even at 70,000 capacity, Waverly was only used for a grand final recently because of the reduced MCG capacity during construction of the GSS.

Phone Dome is not a threat, and the MCC won't want it to fail, because it serves a different purpose. It actually compliments the G nicely - if there's a big event on, there's no choice now but to have it at the G, because Phone Dome just isn't big enough.

Mate did you ever go to Waverley for a match? I did and I froze my balls off. Sure Waverly was intended to be a big stadium but it was out in the 'sticks' and it was always damn cold, lol. This is not consistent with the AFL targeting families, women and children to a game. The TD is far more user friendly.

Doesn't matter what the weather is on grand final day, it will always be full.

But in answer to your question, yes, once. 1994 against St Kilda. Froze my balls off, along with probably 10,000 others. Lazar Vidovic had a field day, but Shaun Rehn was instrumental in a fight back which saw the game end in a draw. He got jipped out of 3 brownlow votes, disgrace, obviously a Victorian conspiracy. I tell you what, I bet they don't have a cut down behind post at their bar, because they've got no passion at all, just like Collingwood.

The AFL's finals agreement will certainly hurt the AFL in Queensland this saturday. The NRL was fortunate enough to be able to negotiate it's way out of an agreement with Aussie Stadium. Now instead of a dismall crowd in Sydney, Brisbane will play North Queensland in Townsville, all thanks to the Broncos insisting it go North and the NRL and major sponsors being able to reach concensus.
Thegame sold out in a couple hours and this saturday night almost all televisions in the state will be glued to the local derby.

Had the AFL played the Lions match in the afternoon it would have created a great afternoon of footy, but alas, the NRL's schedule just robbed em of a quarter of a million viewers.
Come to think of it, if the game was played at the Gabba it would have been played in the evening anyway so I guess the MCG agreement has nothing to do with it.

Geelong will beat Brisbane This Weekend and it will be St Kilda v Geelong

Also I will be travelling to Jupiter

Lol at yob's goal post.

Mate, I think you are developing a disturbing like for this goal post lol.

I've gotta a feeling that there will be an upset this weekend. Geelong and St Kilda are both very good teams that cannot be written off.

Please please please PLEASE let the upset be St Kilda.

I almost half tend to agree there will be an upset - and god yes if its the Sainters I'd be doing backflips ..

But then - really really truly I just can't see it happening - Brisbane won't allow Geelong and Port surely are due after 2 or 3 attempts .. Saints mental capacity is still shot - they have a WLWLWLWLWL... record since round 10 - ie. every time they lose they spark up and win and then think they're hero's and lose again..

I've gotta a feeling that there will be an upset this weekend. Geelong and St Kilda are both very good teams that cannot be written off.

Please please please PLEASE let the upset be St Kilda.

The weather looks like it will be OK in Melbourne on Saturday so that will help the Lions. I just can't see where Geelong will kick enough goals to win. The return of Kingsley should help Brisbane to a comfortable victory. ;)

Port Adelaide beat a terrible Geelong so that proves nothing. St. Kilda will test if they are really any good in big finals.

Btw we need all the Queenslanders to watch the friday game. The future of non-Lions games in prime time in Queensland rests on the friday night ratings.

Geelong will beat Brisbane This Weekend and it will be St Kilda v Geelong

Also I will be travelling to JupiterCan you grab a few happy snaps of Callisto and Europa while your there?
cheers

Lol at yob's goal post.

Mate, I think you are developing a disturbing like for this goal post lol.

You are such an alien to passion and culture, that you laugh at the sight of it. :)

Looks like for the first time tonight there will be 50,000 at AAMI for a final. Great boost to Port I would think.

You are such an alien to passion and culture, that you laugh at the sight of it. :)

Mate, the 'C' in Collingwood is for 'Culture'.
The 'P' in Magpie is for 'Passion'

Btw, we are selling our goal posts at Vic park because we know we will get good $$$ for them. The post at West would hardly buy the West Adelaide club a bowl of peanuts at their front bar. :)

My prediction for this weekends preliminary finals:

Port to beat St Kilda at home
Brisbane to beat Geelong at 'home'

Wow Amaruu your a genius !!! I'll give you $70 if your right ..

lol...

My prediction will stand... Brisbane d. Port in the GF...

First Non-Victorian game in Melbourne in the AFL?

I hate port adelaide.

Mate, the 'C' in Collingwood is for 'Culture'.
The 'P' in Magpie is for 'Passion'

Btw, we are selling our goal posts at Vic park because we know we will get good $$$ for them. The post at West would hardly buy the West Adelaide club a bowl of peanuts at their front bar. :)

I find Collingwood's culture and history to be substandard,lacklustre, and lacking in sophistication.

Look Out Melbourne - Here I Fucking Come!!!!! You Fucking Beauty!!!

Caaaaaarn The Power!!!!

By the way, congrats to Robert Harvey, true champion, he played an awesome game. Also well done to Fraser on his 100th goal.

My god I am stoked. I have never cried after a game of football, I did tonight.

Go you Lions!

I'm stoked. Nothing can stop this buzz I am on at the moment. Still awestruck. Wanganeen is god.

The game tonight was an absolute cracker of a game, best of the year so far. West Coast v Essendon was a cracker earlier this season, but tonight's game was fantastic. Pikey, I suspect there'll be tears either way next week too. However, as for players crying because they won a preliminary final... there's 1 week to go.

You could see the relief in their faces for finally making a Grand Final. That feels so good typing that!! Just to finally make a Grand Final after three years of heartbreak, just takes so much pressure off of the club as a whole. Now I know not many people will give us much of a chance next week, but I for one, will be there to experience hopefully one of the greatest occasions in my life. I cannot wait.

I'm stoked. Nothing can stop this buzz I am on at the moment. Still awestruck. Wanganeen is god.

How close to God was Wanganeen in the first 3 quarters? ;)

A sensational game. Imagine a GF that good!

I hope the Lions can get ovet the line tonight and we have the first ever non Victorian GF in history.

Wow Amaruu your a genius !!! I'll give you $70 if your right ..

Like this thread title was something out of the box.

Btw, I'll give you $70 if YOU'RE right. :)

I find Collingwood's culture and history to be substandard,lacklustre, and lacking in sophistication.

Like putting your sponsor's name in the club song was sophisticated. 'Here we go here we go Camry Crows'. Shocker.

That's the Crows culture...a toyota camry.

But hey, you got to support the team that supports the camry crows. :)

[QUOTE=sirbugalugs]How close to God was Wanganeen in the first 3 quarters? ;)
QUOTE]

Yeah I know! But when the game needed someone to stand up, after two quarters of pretty much goal for goal, Gav was there. For such a small guy firstly to nail a 60m drop punt and then that SENSATIONAL goal fron the northern boundary on the run from 40 out, my god, how good was that!!!
If the Grand Final is half as good as last nights game, I'll be rapped!

:cheers:

[QUOTE=pikeyIf the Grand Final is half as good as last nights game, I'll be rapped!:cheers:[/QUOTE]



Only if you win. Take it from me, the 2002 Grand Final between Collingwood and Brisbane was as good as match as you could hope to see at any time of the year, let alone a Grand Final. But if you lose in such a fashion as Collingwood did, it stings more than losing by say 6 or 7 goals.

Good luck to Port though...hope they smash the Lions.

Know what you mean mate. We've just got to make the most of this opportunity. A lot of guys last night had ordinary nights, but when it came to win the game everyone stood up. There is plenty of room for improvement, which fills me with confidence!

Let me just say for the record, I live in West Lakes Shore, right on the boundary with Semaphore, so a good 25 minute walk from football park....... and I could still hear the port crowd. It was un fucking believable.

You could see the relief in their faces for finally making a Grand Final. That feels so good typing that!! Just to finally make a Grand Final after three years of heartbreak, just takes so much pressure off of the club as a whole. Now I know not many people will give us much of a chance next week, but I for one, will be there to experience hopefully one of the greatest occasions in my life. I cannot wait.

Actually, I reckon Port might go in as favourites. No matter who you play Port should win.

Amaruu, we dropped that song in favour for "We're the pride of South Australia" years ago!

Amaruu, we dropped that song in favour for "We're the pride of South Australia" years ago!

Mate, he's a Collingwood supporter. 1990 was like... yesterday.

1990...the greatest year of the 20th Century.

Amaruu, we dropped that song in favour for "We're the pride of South Australia" years ago!


I am aware of that. However, Yob mentions culture, passion and tradition in one of his posts. I'm just letting him know that the Crow's culture is a bit commercialised...I mean putting your sponsor in your club song is as commercialised as you can get. And while it is no longer in the song, it is still part of the 'history' of the club, one of the things yob talks about.

And while the that song may no longer be around, to further be inspired by Crows culture, we have the US Navy battle song to listen to every time the Crows win. Shit, if I want to hear that song, I'll tune in to 'Submarine Cam' on Foxtel every time the yanks start another war.

So you know, a Crowie having a go at a Magpie about club culture and tradition is a bit rich.

Yeah I know! But when the game needed someone to stand up, after two quarters of pretty much goal for goal, Gav was there. For such a small guy firstly to nail a 60m drop punt and then that SENSATIONAL goal fron the northern boundary on the run from 40 out, my god, how good was that!!!
If the Grand Final is half as good as last nights game, I'll be rapped!



Yeah good to see the game won by two pieces of great play.

Now we need the Lions to squash the Cats and a potentially great GF awaits.

I'm so proud of the boys last night - even though they threw it away with some bad turnovers at crucial moments - but that's the pressure of playing in one of the greatest Prelim Finals ever !!!!

This is the sort of stuff that makes a Champion and the Sainters will be breathing fire & smoke come March 2005 !!!! Can't wait !!!!!

Congrats to Port I only hope you give Brissy as good a run as you gave us last night..

Let me just say for the record, I live in West Lakes Shore, right on the boundary with Semaphore, so a good 25 minute walk from football park....... and I could still hear the port crowd. It was un fucking believable.

Just a fact I found out last night. Talking to Fritzy Freeman after the game, a new Decibel record was set after the final siren at Footy park, eclipsing the previous best of round 22 Port V Brisbane. No wonder you could hear us from such a distance!!!

Like this thread title was something out of the box.

Btw, I'll give you $70 if YOU'RE right. :)

LOL at your response!! :hahaha:

Fair enough I spose - but hey I did post it over a month ago !!

I just wanna point out to the person who mention club songs before - these club songs are the sorriest things I've ever heard; it inspires a level of embarrasment only matched by Australian film-making.

Note to clubs, lose the song, get a chant or something if you need to bellow after a game.

well its all still going to script, although its been hearts in mouth stuff for lions and port fans.

My Cattters couldn't quite get over the line unfortunately :(
But hell did we put up a fight, I must say I am extremely proud, we made the Lions work for it that's for sure.
stu

Good to see the two best sides playing off for thr AFL cup.Hopefully we will get a close and exciting match.

It will be close, but Brisbane will win. It is supposed to be neutral ground considering where each team is from, but it is just about a second home to the Lions so there is a distinct advantage there. So that is my tip, the Lions in close match.
stu

Go Brisbane Lions I hope you can equal Collingwood's record of 4 premierships.

I think ironically the super-close heartstopping thriller of a GF we have been praying for in the AFL since '89 and beyond - might just happen this week finally in the 'GF nobody is caring about' ..

OK I'm being a tad harsh.. but fairdinkum the Feral-Pun had on the front cover today one of those sickly ghosts masks from 'Scary Movie' with Port & Brisbane scarfs around it and 'Nightmare at the MCG' on the front!

Seriously they should grow up - its a national comp guys - deal with it..

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,380830,00.jpg

prediction-
brisbane by 5 points ( should be more but looks like a few injuries)
crowd 77,876 ( capacity 81,000 )

Port to win.

Not only did the hun have that embarrassing 'scary movie' mask but it had a completely puerile plea to its 'readers' (I use that term cautiously). It went something like this:

SEND A MESSAGE TO THE AFL

Do you feel the AFL is responsible for the lack of a Victorian team in this year's GF? Contact the AFL blah blah blah.......................

As usual the pathetic hun trying to whip up the small minded parochial wankers of the community.

That 'do you think AFL is to blame' crap is just stupid. Sure the Salary Cap is an advantage for Brisbane, but how does that account for Port? And what about the development at Brissy, a little extra money doesn't automatically guarantee success. A crock of Shit, as much as I am sad to see the first GF without a Victorian team participant, it was bound to happen in this now national competition and it will only help the game in the long-run.
stu

Hey, the two best teams are in the Grand Final, no one can argue that.

That 'do you think AFL is to blame' crap is just stupid. Sure the Salary Cap is an advantage for Brisbane, but how does that account for Port? And what about the development at Brissy, a little extra money doesn't automatically guarantee success. A crock of Shit, as much as I am sad to see the first GF without a Victorian team participant, it was bound to happen in this now national competition and it will only help the game in the long-run.
stu

Yep what Eddie and his whingeing mates don't mention is that Port Adelaide not Brisbane is the MOST successful team of the last 3 years. Of course fat Ed never mentions that because it shoots a gaping hope in his salary cap 'theory'.

The whole salary cap argument is a spurious one anyway. Here are the Total Player Payments (TPP) for 2002:

http://www.sportal.com.au/football.asp?i=news&id=36665

2002 AFL TPP:
Sydney, $7.88m
Carlton, $7.56m
Brisbane Lions, $7.43m
Essendon, $7.06m
Kangaroos, $7.02m
West Coast, $6.97m
Melbourne, $6.87m
Collingwood, $6.78m
Adelaide, $6.77m
St Kilda, $6.68m
Richmond, $6.62m
Geelong, $6.55m
Hawthorn, $6.48m
Port Adelaide, $6.48m
Fremantle, $6.46m
Western Bulldogs, $6.35m

all interstate AFL fans should write to AFL and complain that Melbourne teams have been in all but one grand final in the last 10 years.

Guess what A-Brain.

You were wrong.

:D

i have very high suspicion that port may have bribed the umpires to favour them so they could win.

if you watch the footage of the match closely, a lot of incidents happened that were put in ports favour when clearly brisbane was meant to get the free kick or out on the full kick or kick for goal.

also wehn the siren balred in teh last qtr u can see mark williams runnin up to the umps and hugging them and even whispering in a couple of their ears. this is very clear evidence that port cheated.

i want to get some peoiple to suport my claim and take some action against the afl.

by the way,im an avid brisbane suppoorter living in adleiade, and to all you port fans, IM BURNING ALBERTON DOWN!!! :bash:

hope u port arseholes are happy :sleepy:

and brisbane, we will claim that damn title back and then start toturing eddie! :)

and what the hell is this salary cap thing? adelaide gets more than the bulldogs????? ur kidding me.

:eek2:

i rekon it should be all equal and fair at 7 mil each.

Congratulations to Port Power on a great last quarter win. And to all those jealous Adelaide people who wanted anybody to win except Port, It was another great day for ADELAIDE. And for the 70% who though Brisbane was going to win again, you were like Alan Scott, YOU WERE WRONG.

i have very high suspicion that port may have bribed the umpires to favour them so they could win.

if you watch the footage of the match closely, a lot of incidents happened that were put in ports favour when clearly brisbane was meant to get the free kick or out on the full kick or kick for goal.

also wehn the siren balred in teh last qtr u can see mark williams runnin up to the umps and hugging them and even whispering in a couple of their ears. this is very clear evidence that port cheated.

i want to get some peoiple to suport my claim and take some action against the afl.

by the way,im an avid brisbane suppoorter living in adleiade, and to all you port fans, IM BURNING ALBERTON DOWN!!! :bash:

hope u port arseholes are happy :sleepy:

and brisbane, we will claim that damn title back and then start toturing eddie! :)


You really are, quite a fuckwit. Sir.

I didn't want Port to win, being the Norwood/Adelaide supporter I am.... but Shuz, you're a moron... The better team won. Port were clearly better on the day, and they deserve the cup...

I'm still shitty though...

argghhh... just like here at home, no one agrees. well i bvelive what i believe. are to the huy who called me a fuckwit moron sir, well keep that to ur self eh matey?

but i hate port, and i hate the crows.

PS its my 150th post, yay!

So, so much hate......

I think there is some Egg all over your face now Pikey !

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

And by the way , Melboourne hosted the Grand Final in AWESOME fashon as usual ! We packed the stadium out as expected !!!

All i can say is that the general Melbourne public are just sporting fanatics , no matter who is playing and teams should be bloody proud to play the big game at the MCG !!

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

Just ignore Shuz guys...

I think there is some Egg all over your face now Pikey !

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

And why would that be???

argghhh... just like here at home, no one agrees. well i bvelive what i believe. are to the huy who called me a fuckwit moron sir, well keep that to ur self eh matey?

but i hate port, and i hate the crows.

PS its my 150th post, yay!
Shuzstar, where do you hail from?. If you are from another part of Australia you may have reasons to support other teams. But if you are a local in Adelaide, then you have a 'DOG EAT DOG' attitude. And you like to BACKSTAB. Maybe your name should be Sh*tstir. :runaway:

dunno ?

thought u barracked for Brisbane !

Sorry , my mistake !

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

I think there is some Egg all over your face now Pikey !

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

...because his side just won the AFL premiership? My god, get your rulers out everyone, we've just witnessed the speed of stupid right here.

:hilarious

^ Yob , if you care to read my above post , you would see that it was a misunderstanding as i accidentally misread a previous post and thought that Pikey barracked for Brisbane.

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

Just goes to show that there are no certainties in a GF.

I didn't want Port to win, being the Norwood/Adelaide supporter I am.... but Shuz, you're a moron... The better team won. Port were clearly better on the day, and they deserve the cup...

I'm still shitty though...

I actually was half wanting Port to win - I always go for the underdog no matter what and besides Brisbane would have lost the GF sooner or later - it was much better to lose to a South Australian team than a Victorian one;)

I was quite happy in the end.


WELL DONE PORT ADELAIDE!!!!
jt

And by the way , Melboourne hosted the Grand Final in AWESOME fashon as usual ! We packed the stadium out as expected !!!

All i can say is that the general Melbourne public are just sporting fanatics , no matter who is playing and teams should be bloody proud to play the big game at the MCG !!

Cheers

Lozza :bowtie:

Did you guys know that it has been estimated that nearly 40,000 of the crowd at the game were supporting Port?? If only we could get that many people to a home game each week!
Allthough, me thinks 2005 will be a different story though.

BRING ON ROUND 2, Unfurling the Premiership flag, at home, in a game against Brisbane!!

BRING ON ROUND 2, Unfurling the Premiership flag, at home, in a game against Brisbane!!

Yeah and no Lynch, Brown, Black, Pike, Hart, McRae, White.............eeeek!

Oh well should be offset by the loss of Primus who after playing like a star in round 1 does his knee doing up his laces. ;)