Australian-rules-football-afl-chatting-tipping-and-news

[Ron19]

I am in another call with Gazman and will have to leave this for the time being.

[AlexRRR]

Hey don't bring up Ross Lyon when chooks is in the room boys.

[BookMan]

Hey don't bring up Ross Lyon when chooks is in the room boys.

He has always spoken very highly of Ross

[farmerjo]

The Dockers will finish higher than the Swanettes this year.

[BookMan]

The Dockers will finish higher than the Swanettes this year.

Sydney got rid of it's dead wood to west coast and essendon end of last season. .. buddy is out of the loony bin, we took West Coasts most underated future superstar and Kurt tippet has taken marking and game strategy lessons.

Add to that the Fantasic Four mids and the dynamic duo of Academy players andnit could be Sydney GF bound.

Freo look good but as we have just been discussing they do have Ross Lyon still...

[Ron19]

You are still talking crap.

[BookMan]

You are still talking crap.

Its taken u 3 years to notice?

[Ron19]

No it hasn't.

[BookMan]

No it hasn't.

Ahh...you are on to me Ron

[Ron19]

Have been for some time.

[farmerjo]

Has the weather started to warm up over your way Ron.

[BookMan]

Have been for some time.

Righto Ron

[Ron19]

Not yet.

[farmerjo]

The Dockers will finish higher than the Swanettes this year.

Sydney got rid of it's dead wood to west coast and essendon end of last season. .. buddy is out of the loony bin, we took West Coasts most underated future superstar and Kurt tippet has taken marking and game strategy lessons.

Add to that the Fantasic Four mids and the dynamic duo of Academy players andnit could be Sydney GF bound.

Freo look good but as we have just been discussing they do have Ross Lyon still...

Grand Final drowned.,you just signed a guy for 5 years with more steel in his foot than the man of steel.

Get out the frocks cause i see the Swannettes bridesmaids behind GWS this year.

[BookMan]

The Dockers will finish higher than the Swanettes this year.

Sydney got rid of it's dead wood to west coast and essendon end of last season. .. buddy is out of the loony bin, we took West Coasts most underated future superstar and Kurt tippet has taken marking and game strategy lessons.

Add to that the Fantasic Four mids and the dynamic duo of Academy players andnit could be Sydney GF bound.

Freo look good but as we have just been discussing they do have Ross Lyon still...

Grand Final drowned.,you just signed a guy for 5 years with more steel in his foot than the man of steel.

Get out the frocks cause i see the Swannettes bridesmaids behind GWS this year.

It is possible GWS could finish top of the ladder and Sydney second, possible but I would not think it likely..

Luke Spiderman Parker is now The man of Steel, Superman also? I like that. A double action hero taking Swans to victory in 2016 and beyond

[ripstanley]

Change of subject. Who is willing to run Fantasy this year? What about our newest member?

[farmerjo]

Do you know how to do it Rip?

If so i think your the man.

Everyone else plays along.

[BookMan]

Essendon gets favoured treatment ... AFL gives Essendon the other clubs 4 top up players...

ESSENDON will be the only club allowed to replace players suspended by the AFL Court of Arbitration for Sport with top-up players after an AFL ruling on Friday.

The AFL has told Port Adelaide, Melbourne, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs their application to replace their suspended players with an extra primary or rookie list player had failed.

AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said the circumstances did not call for special treatment or exception to the rules beyond those already granted.

He defended the decision to grant Essendon the right to sign up to 10 top-up players.

"An exception has been made for Essendon only because of the sheer number of suspended players it has on its list, and on the basis that they must be able to field a side that that can compete at a basic level each week," Dillon said.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-05/afl-refuses-to-allow-topup-players-to-port-adelaide-western-bulldogs-st-kilda-and-melbourne

Edited February 5, 2016 by BookMan

[BookMan]

Tippet reveals he wants to be the highest paid second choice Ruckman in competition

KURT Tippett wants to be the number one ruckman at the Sydney Swans; but getting the big man to admit it wasn't easy.

The retirement of 110-game premiership player Mike Pyke – who shared the role with Tippett in 2015 with plenty of success – means the Swans have a large gap to fill.

In an exclusive interview with the powerful Queenslander at the club's pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour, Tippett was hesitant when asked where he wants to line up when the Swans take on Collingwood at ANZ Stadium in round one.

"That’s something we'll talk through with 'Horse' (John Longmire), we've bought Callum Sinclair in and he's a great fella and a real competitor so he's going to be great for the football club," Tippett said.

"He moves really well and is really on top of the game plan and these sorts of things, so I can't wait to work alongside him.

"We'll see what it looks like come the pre-season games and round one, and see where it all fits.

"I'm grateful that my body feels great and I feel confident in playing wherever the coach needs me to play.

"Right now I feel like I'm in the shape to be able to do whatever the team needs."

It's further proof of coach John Longmire's ability to get his players to buy into the club's culture that Tippett's initial answer was about what is best for the side.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-05/ruckman-or-forward-big-swan-kurt-tippett-reveals-his-preference

[Will27]

Tippet reveals he wants to be the highest paid second choice Ruckman in competition

KURT Tippett wants to be the number one ruckman at the Sydney Swans; but getting the big man to admit it wasn't easy.

The retirement of 110-game premiership player Mike Pyke – who shared the role with Tippett in 2015 with plenty of success – means the Swans have a large gap to fill.

In an exclusive interview with the powerful Queenslander at the club's pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour, Tippett was hesitant when asked where he wants to line up when the Swans take on Collingwood at ANZ Stadium in round one.

"That’s something we'll talk through with 'Horse' (John Longmire), we've bought Callum Sinclair in and he's a great fella and a real competitor so he's going to be great for the football club," Tippett said.

"He moves really well and is really on top of the game plan and these sorts of things, so I can't wait to work alongside him.

"We'll see what it looks like come the pre-season games and round one, and see where it all fits.

"I'm grateful that my body feels great and I feel confident in playing wherever the coach needs me to play.

"Right now I feel like I'm in the shape to be able to do whatever the team needs."

It's further proof of coach John Longmire's ability to get his players to buy into the club's culture that Tippett's initial answer was about what is best for the side.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-05/ruckman-or-forward-big-swan-kurt-tippett-reveals-his-preference

Sydney wouldn't be happy with that I wouldn't think.

You don't throw the type of money Tippett's on at ruckman, unless your Nic Nat

BTW, he'll never be number 1 ruckman while my boy Sinkers is there.

[BookMan]

Tippet reveals he wants to be the highest paid second choice Ruckman in competition

KURT Tippett wants to be the number one ruckman at the Sydney Swans; but getting the big man to admit it wasn't easy.

The retirement of 110-game premiership player Mike Pyke – who shared the role with Tippett in 2015 with plenty of success – means the Swans have a large gap to fill.

In an exclusive interview with the powerful Queenslander at the club's pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour, Tippett was hesitant when asked where he wants to line up when the Swans take on Collingwood at ANZ Stadium in round one.

"That’s something we'll talk through with 'Horse' (John Longmire), we've bought Callum Sinclair in and he's a great fella and a real competitor so he's going to be great for the football club," Tippett said.

"He moves really well and is really on top of the game plan and these sorts of things, so I can't wait to work alongside him.

"We'll see what it looks like come the pre-season games and round one, and see where it all fits.

"I'm grateful that my body feels great and I feel confident in playing wherever the coach needs me to play.

"Right now I feel like I'm in the shape to be able to do whatever the team needs."

It's further proof of coach John Longmire's ability to get his players to buy into the club's culture that Tippett's initial answer was about what is best for the side.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-05/ruckman-or-forward-big-swan-kurt-tippett-reveals-his-preference

Sydney wouldn't be happy with that I wouldn't think.

You don't throw the type of money Tippett's on at ruckman, unless your Nic Nat

BTW, he'll never be number 1 ruckman while my boy Sinkers is there.

Yeah for sure ...

Sinclair could turn out to be the best ruckman in the comp over the next few years. .. and he can kick goals

[GrantSmith]

Interesting...

http://www.theage.com.au/national/afls-dustin-martin-said-sorry-so-why-does-the-victim-feel-betrayed-20160204-gmlbrd.html

[BookMan]

Interesting...

http://www.theage.com.au/national/afls-dustin-martin-said-sorry-so-why-does-the-victim-feel-betrayed-20160204-gmlbrd.html

That's a good article and raises some valid points

[Ron19]

[BookMan]

Varcoe blows smoke up his new team mates A-r.ses...

TRAVIS Varcoe sees similarities between Collingwood's emerging team and the young Geelong list of the mid-2000s, but knows there's no guarantee the Magpies will enjoy the same premiership success.

Varcoe joined Geelong via pick No.15 in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft after the Cats had played in two successive finals series under coach Mark Thompson.

The list at the time was a young one, with the club having invested heavily in the draft from 1999, netting future stars such as Paul Chapman, Joel Corey, Corey Enright, Cameron Ling, Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Steve Johnson and James Kelly.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-02-06/emerging-list-has-magpie-eyeing-catlike-success

Edited February 6, 2016 by BookMan

[Ron19]

SO FAR, so good.

That's the early assessment by Ross Lyon on Harley Bennell, the gifted former Gold Coast midfielder who joined the Dockers at the end of last season.

Various off-field issues forced the divorce between the Bennell and the Suns, but the Dockers are hoping some new maturity, a bit of home cooking and some motherly love will help the 23-year-old West Australian grow as a footballer.

"He's embraced what we're all about," Lyon told AFL.com.au.

"He's not in full training yet; he has a bit of a calf, but we're taking the long-term view. It's not about round one. It's not even just about this season - we want him to be an eight-to-10-season player for us."

The fate of Bennell at the Dockers will be compared to that of Colin Sylvia, the talented Melbourne forward who joined the Dockers as a free agent in 2014 but who played just six matches in purple and departed the club by mutual agreement early last season.

But they are plainly different cases.

Sylvia was courted by the Dockers around the time of the 2013 Grand Final when Lyon's mind, and that of other key Fremantle decision-makers were understandably elsewhere. The due diligence might not have been quite what it should have.

"Certainly I was able to have more high-quality conversations with Harley, but you can't talk about them in the same breath," Lyon explained.

"I think from the outside I can understand how you'd compare them, but they're totally different cases. One was a veteran free agent, the other was a high draft pick who had played some high-level football."

There can be instances when the best move for young players is to move away from their home environment, but Lyon argues the opposite applies to Bennell.

"Harley saw being back in WA as a bonus and that's what he and his club initiated at the end of last season. I think anyone prefers that.

"His mum came over and had dinner. He has seven siblings and I think we all turn to our family when we're young and need some support. If you're a 23-year-old your family becomes critical," he said.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Lyon touched on several others whose form and fitness will be critical for the Dockers this year.

There will be no limits placed on Matthew Pavlich this year as he enters his 17th and almost certainly final year in the AFL.

"I've learned never to put a number on things. It becomes an albatross around your neck and is regurgitated ad nauseam, but suffice to say when Matthew's fit to play and available, we'll play him.

"But at the same time, if there's an opportunity to manage him or to rest him, we'll take that."

Training Report Friday 5 Feburary

Nat Fyfe has returned to full training after a back injury and Lyon is hoping that some added depth through the midfield would allow the Brownlow medalist to spend more time in the forward line.

At the same time, Lyon hopes to have enough numbers through the midfield to be able to deploy new skipper David Mundy behind the ball. "We like his distribution when he plays there," Lyon said.

The retirement of Luke McPharlin will lead to changes in the back half. Groin and thumb injuries cruelled Zac Dawson's 2015 campaign but he has enjoyed a strong summer, while Lyon is also positive about Alex Silvagni and the emerging Alex Pearce, who he said has grown a couple of centimetres.

Sam Collins, drafted to the Dockers from VFL club Box Hill, is also a chance to play sooner rather than later.

The Dockers got off to a flyer last year, winning nine straight games to open the season and 12 of their first 13 overall. Problems set in late in the season, but the fast start could be attributed to a long and hard pre-season, with an increased emphasis on running.

That theme has continued this summer, but the nature has changed. Lyon said all the running has taken place entirely in a football context rather than "between the cones". Mini-games and handball games have been used to help the Dockers execute better under pressure.

Statistics show that after the first eight games of last season, the Dockers slipped in areas such as contested and uncontested possessions, marks and long kicking. They averaged 97.2 points a game until then, compared to 78.2 thereafter.

Lyon hopes the tweaks to the running program this summer will help the Dockers work through situations when their midfield is strangled and their often lightning-quick ball movement is stymied.

"We stopped spreading the ball, so we just bombed it in to get forward entries and that made us easier to defend. That put some pressure on us," he said.

"Hopefully (the revised summer program) has helped us to improve our skill and decision making under pressure."

[ripstanley]

This video was on AFL.com. It is the 10 funniest moments in 2015. I had a laugh at a few.

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2016-01-05/the-10-funniest-moments-of-2015

[Thechook]

Change of subject. Who is willing to run Fantasy this year? What about our newest member?

putting my team together at the moment and will be watching the NAB to see how some of the newbies go

[AlexRRR]

AFL season 2016: Debt down but losses mount for AFL clubs

Date February 7, 2016 - 11:30PM

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Profitable: A successful season in 2015 saw the Hawks post a $3.3 million profit. Photo: Pat Scala

The 10 Victorian-based AFL clubs managed to cut their debt levels but financial losses increased in 2015, and tougher trading conditions could impact their fiscal performances this year.

An analysis of the annual reports lodged by the 10 clubs showed them making a combined loss of just over $2 million last year from revenue of $501 million.

The revenue figure was flat compared to 2014, but large losses sustained by Carlton, Geelong and Essendon, pushed the overall result into negative territory, despite premier Hawthorn recording a $3.3 million net profit.

Better news was found in the balance sheets of the clubs, with combined debts falling to about $41.2 million last year, compared with $46.4 million in 2014.

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Gaming revenue held steady at about $100 million, with North Melbourne the only club not to make considerable revenue from poker machine venues.

St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis said his club was steadily moving towards the break-even mark, after it made a $850,000 loss in 2015.

"We're about to hit 30,000 members [this] week and we're well ahead of last year, when we ended with 33,000. We've got good new sponsors, including Pepper Group, and we are in a growth phase now after a couple of years of stemming the decline," Finnis said.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said in an interview in December that the league had a responsibility to several parties when it came to dividing the record $2.508 billion broadcast rights deal.

"The key priorities are clearly our clubs, our players and our communities and all of our investment decisions will be made in parallel. We are looking at this as an investment approach rather than a distribution approach. That is partnering with our players, our clubs and our community," he said.

McLachlan said the new deal could set the 18 clubs on the path to all being financially sustainable. He said total club debts had fallen by a couple of million dollars from $50 million at the start of 2015 and total profits had increased, showing the game was headed in the right direction fiscally.

However, the league could lose about $20 million this year primarily due to the increased cost of supporting 18 clubs in the last year of the current broadcast deal.

Interesting Tigers have been a nowhere team for nearly forever and zero dept.....told ya JO they have a good coach...

Figures, accountants can make it look good can make it look bad, just depends on how you want to be seen.

[AlexRRR]

Change of subject. Who is willing to run Fantasy this year? What about our newest member?

putting my team together at the moment and will be watching the NAB to see how some of the newbies go

We should run a new post/thread mr chooks, fantasy football in here is like a leper walking through a coles supermarket, the tipsters pay us no attention.

Anyway I'm in....obviously i have to back it up, your in because you won 19 on the trott, I'm sure GRANT will be in because he just needs to go that one more further, JO will be in because at least he needs to Finnish above me since i will Finnish above him in tipping, WILL will be in because he's a good sport, RON will be in because its something to do in-between keeping his threads alive, Rip will be in so the Swans have a better chance..........anyone else?

PS..whats the rules with fantasy? can we run multiple teams?

Edited February 7, 2016 by AlexRRR