The Kangaroos, who acted like they were cool with everything before the verdict, were understandably uncool afterwards but there is no hope of them being awarded all four competition points now. Obviously, all hell will break loose again in late August if they miss out on a finals spot by two measly points!
If you were a recruiter looking for young AFL talent, where would you prefer to visit – regional Victoria…or Fiji? Gee, can I have some thinking music…
Maggieland? Are you f@&#%*g kidding me? Lord help us…
Five weeks? That’s awesome – I can skip playing on Juddy, have a run in this Hall Of Fame match and then take a couple of weeks off…fricken sweet!!!
A pair of old tribunal favourites have again felt the wrath of the Match Review Panel after Eagle Daniel Kerr and Docker Josh Carr were handed hefty suspensions last night. Both players would consider themselves a bit unlucky…Scott West’s head was lurking threateningly within two metres of Kerr while Gary Ablett’s right leg is clearly a smart arse and really needed to be taught a lesson!
This will become a big deal for a few days…which will do wonders for the profile of the competition in NSW as a good scandal is the only way the Swannies can get into the papers up there! Not the front page, of course – that is reserved for whichever TV ‘personality’ has a drug/sex/talent problem that week…Sydneysiders are more concerned about Todd McKenney’s possessions than Darren Jolly’s possessions!
In all honestly, they shouldn’t lose the points as it appears to be an innocent mistake. In fact, they should be rewarded in some way because not only did it help set up an inside 50, but they actually took a shot at goal. ANYTHING that creates a Sydney shot at goal should be applauded and encouraged!
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More footy news, none of which is being investigated by Adrian Anderson:
So, is Travis Johnstone pleased about his move from Melbourne to Brisbane? What do you reckon?
West was ok after the incident…though his eye was incredibly thirsty!!!
Amazingly, Brent Staker was also reported for striking in his first game back after he was sensationally KO’d by the Hall hit,…do you think that a plea of delayed concussion would work for him at the trubunal?
Telstra Dome, Melbourne – 2:10pm (local): North Melbourne v Sydney (SEVEN)
Check out these numbers for Barry Hall against the Roos – four goals in 2007, six in 2006, three in 2005, nine in two games in 2004, four in 2003 and three in 2002. That’s quite a record!
It could have been an interesting day had Hall been available to line up against niggling Roo defender Daniel Pratt…but he has been suspended as well!
The Swans need Adam Goodes to find some form after being out-played by Gary Ablett in Geelong last week. Brady Rawlings will be waiting for him so it won’t be easy for Goodes today!
MCG, Melbourne – 4:40pm (local): Hawthorn v Richmond (FOX)
In four games against Richmond, Lance Franklin has kicked 15 goals…ten of those in the past two encounters. Something tells us that he will haunt the Tigers for years to come – and not just because they overlooked him in the 2004 national draft…twice!
‘Medals For Everyone’ Round continues today with three matches:
THE BRENDAN FEVOLA MEDAL GAME
MCG, Melbourne - 2:10pm (local): Carlton v Adelaide (FOX)
Adelaide may have won seven of the past nine encounters with Carlton but the Fev shocked the locals in 2004 when he kicked seven goals, including that ridiculous match-winner (see video), to secure a famous upset win in Adelaide.
Telstra Dome, Melbourne – 7:10pm (local): Western Bulldogs v West Coast (TEN)
Quinten Lynch has struggled for goals so far this year but after snagging five in the last meeting against the Dogs, and seven in a semi-final against them in 2006, it might be his time to shine.
But it’s ok – the Eagles are not panicking about their bad start to the year…they are ‘re-evaluating’. So remember, the next time you get hit by a car…don’t panic, just re-evaluate your life status!
A couple of Bulldog veterans are right to play again after Scott West and Brad Johnson missed a couple of weeks…the difference being that West sat in the stands while Johnson missed games but attempted to play at the same time!
AAMI Stadium, Adelaide – 7:10pm (local): Port Adelaide v St Kilda (FOX)
And you just know that Chad would love nothing more than having a medal named after him! But he’s earned that honour by averaging 27 touches a game in six outings against the Saints since 2004.
That figure includes a measly 12 possessions in the preliminary final of 2004…and we all know what happened there!
Round six kicks off today with two matches, including the now traditional Anzac Day meeting between Collingwood and Essendon. Debate rages every year over whether the same two teams should play on Anzac Day but the Pies and Bombers have built up a fine tradition and are always mindful to pay solemn respect to those people who fought and died for us on this day.
One of the highlights of this match is that the best-on-ground is awarded the Anzac Day medal…most of which are hanging on the wall at James Hird’s place. But is it fair that the medal, which has grown in stature as this tradition builds, can only be won by a Collingwood or Essendon player?
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So why doesn’t the League just award medals for each of the games this weekend? It’s probably not appropriate to hand out Anzac Day medals for games played after April 25th but there have been plenty of other themed rounds, trophies and medals introduced lately…
So, we here at Half Back Flanker are awarding a medal for each match this weekend! And because the Anzac Day medal became known as the ‘James Hird medal’ after a series of dazzling performances on the big stage, each medal will be named after a player who did kinda good in recent clashes between the two sides.
CATS by 31: Wouldn’t it be a typically Fremantle thing to do for them to pull out a big game and beat the premiers at home but then go on to suck the rest of the year!
CROWS by 18: The Blues are on the improve but three straight wins? It couldn’t happen, could it?
SWANS by 11: Hard to see this match being anything but ugly…which means Sydney are specials to win.
HAWKS by 26:Forget the karma – something else will catch up with Terry Wallace this weekend…Buddy Love!!
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Today’s action:
THE JAMES HIRD MEDAL GAME
MCG, Melbourne – 2:40pm (local): Collingwood v Essendon (TEN)
James Hird produced plenty of highlights on this memorable day…but he’s retired now – you may remember one of the twenty or so laps of honour he and his kids have taken. But who will take over from him on Anzac Day? Maybe it will be a Magpie…
If you win the medal, can I drape it around your neck? Please!
Subiaco, Perth- 6:40pm (local): Fremantle v Geelong (SEVEN)
The Cats beat Freo by 68 points at Subiaco last season and after kicking a career-high five goals in that game, young Matthew Stokes now has the honour of having the medal named after him!
Yeah, nah – the boys are going well but we’re just taking it one game at a time!
You love footy, you have a computer (obviously)…so you probably already know what this fantasy footy business is all about. There is no doubt that selecting a team of players and hoping they rack up the stats has changed the way many people follow the game…as if most of us needed any more incentive to watch games of footy anyway!
So Half Back Flanker has teams in the Herald Sun Super Coach and AFL Dream Team competitions and will provide updates on their progress during the season. While the teams will not be a threat to actually win these comps, league honours are up for grabs so we will report on who is firing, who is letting the team down, killer trades and big mistakes.
Week two of the league season has been completed and it was mixed results for the two HBF outfits. Here’s a run-down of what happened:
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Super Coach: 10,008 points, 15,080th place overall – only a mere drop of 12,000 spots from last week…what a freakin’ disaster!
League: 4 points (1-1), 109.82% – 4th place.
Last Start: Lost to samstars 1,758 to 1,683
Good: Chad Cornes, Bradshaw, Brent Harvey, Houli and Cyril Rioli all 100-plus. New addition Ben McKinley with a 94 and price increase of 93 grand!
Bad: Richmond’s dumping of Joel Bowden and subsequent good performances. His career may not be in danger but looks like his days as a fantasy footy must-have are over.
Ugly: Pavlich and Heath Shaw only managing 28 points each? Chuck in poor returns from Jono Brown (37) and Brad Johnson (40) and that’s lotso money for little return. Browny might think he’s worth six million bucks but his fantasy stats this season don’t back that up!
Next opponent: 10th placed Dan’s Dominators
Potential changes/trades: Might be time to cut losses on Joel Bowden. And what about Brad Johnson? The guy is carrying an injury and worth top-dollar but having used six trades already, do we burn two more this week on Jonno and Joel?
Time to go…Joel?
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Dream Team: 9,276 points, 2,388th place overall – up by around 1,500 or so, gotta be happy with that!
League: 8 points (2-0), 114.96% – 1st place
Last Start: Defeated feathers flyers 1,917 to 1,600
Good: Big names (both Cornes boys, Bradshaw, McLeod, Cox, Riewoldt) all fired. Bryce Gibbs was a late withdrawal but Rhys Palmer chalks up 107 as an emergency – love that kid!
Bad: Brad Johnson and Pavlich down, Griffin and Nicoski quiet, is Josh Hill on the slide?
Ugly: Matthew Whelan’s punch on Fev sees him miss a week but with Joel Bowden and Scott Selwood little to no chance of playing this week, we’re down a defender already! Bye bye Joel? Hmmm, might wait until the teams are out first…
Next opponent: 10th placed Scottish Boys
Potential changes/trades: Unless Bowden is selected to play this week, he is gone! Having only used five trades in this comp, Brad Johnson might be gone this week too…particularly as Stuart Dew is still injured and sitting on the bench.
