My boys have finally broken the hoodoo, even if it was only against Essendon. Since the Weagles lost, we're now 3rd and have the 3rd highest percentage. We're going to lose our next 4 though because we are playing teams who are gunning for a finals berth.

Anyone see King for Geelong take that mark over the goal umpire? Was hilarious. Hope he doesn't get a fine or reported for that and would be unlucky if he does.

^yeah that was quite funny, that's his first contested mark this season as well !!

He will because the AFL committee are a bunch of pussies and you can't touch anyone these days.

Season status: over.

I'm not totally convinced it's been such a failure either - we've blooded some good youth (Houli, Hislop, Gumbleton and Davey have all been give a taste) and some others (Ryder, Winderlich and Watson) have come on quite well.

It's going to be an interesting wait to see who we get to replace Sheedy though. Right now, I'm still undecided on whether it was the right decision to axe him - I'll see who we appoint in a month or so though.

Bulldogs run too the finals is interesting... we got Melb, Adel, Hawks, Kangas. id say wed have to win 3/4 to be sure. Im very worried.

This week I've just been arguing with my friends that their teams are going to have to rebuild majorly, like Hawthorn did in 2002 and are still going. The other clubs haven't realised why it has worked so well for us yet. We didn't go for the best players, but for the ones that we needed, which were tall, strong forwards and backs. The 2 teams that need a major renovation are Richmond and Carlton. As evil as it sounds, losing Kouta was probably one of the best things that happened to them this year. He wasn't fit or good enough and he is too old. Those clubs need to decide which players they could trade and would actually get something for them. For Richmond it would be Joel Bowden, and for Carlton it would be a a fair number of players(Fisher, Walker, Fevola etc...).

What do people think about the Akermanis comment? Pretty stupid if you ask me. Next time eagles play bulldogs will be very very interesting

Akamanis did nothing wrong... He merely wrote a article suggesting tehre was a drug cheat in the sport. He didnt even name anyone. If anyone is to blame it is channel 7 for leaking the name.

It's stupid to believe that if Braun was taking steroids, that he wouldn't have been tested since 2004 and found out. It's just Aker being Aker.

DOnt say that. The boys have just come off a 63 point win. I reckon we can voercome the Lions. we need 2 more wins and were in the ifnals

Well, firstly, it was EPO, and secondly, the AFL doesn't test for EPO.

I don't like Aker at all, but I can't see exactly what he's done wrong. He didn't name the player, at least not directly. Channel 7 are the people in the wrong, I think.

Well that's what i want to know who is in the wrong. Heavy legal action will be taken against one of the parties certainly. Just a matter of who. Pretty risky by Channel 7 to name the player considering how conservative news services usually are with those kind of issues where name are witheld.

So happy.

Get the fuck out, Collingwood.

HAHA! Collingwood lost to Richmond. That is one of the best things that has happened all year.

Thought Richmond were going to blow it as missed lots of chances and then Collingwood got in front but they smashed them in the end

FUCK YES! What a win against Brisbane! Only 1 more win needed to gaurentee a finals berth for us!

And another players gone...

God, the oldies are dropping like flies.

Even though I don't go for Melbourne, their 3rd quarter against the pies was one of the most exciting I have ever seen. I'm even going to give credit to Didak cough *murderer* cough about his bicycle kick goal attempt.

Ricciuto gone too. Oh my god.

Geez, 7 weeks is a bit too far for something no-one saw.

Steven Baker is a thug anyway, who cares.

Ben Johnson got what he deserved too. Disgraceful bump.

God yeah. Ben Johnson is a dirty little rat like the rest of Collingwood.

Yeah Baker has a terrible record. 7 weeks is a third of the season, although he's lucky that it's split over 2 season now given the timing of it.

I read in the paper that it's the longest suspension in a decade. Quite suprised me actually.

Well I was trying to work it out in my head before actually and could only think of the Byron Picket incident for Port where he got a 6 game ban about 2 years ago and can't remember any 7 or over so that'd be right.

Yeah, Greg Williams was given 9 weeks in '97 for pushing an umpire.

Heard about that. Was on 7 news or something. Interesting to see what the clubs reaction will be. That's a fair chunk of the sqaud if it's true.

Isnt it something like a 3 strike system, and from what i heard none of them have 3 strikes so there cant be any suspensions or stuff like that, probably just counseling for the players affected

Great game between Port and Geelong. Port won with a goal with 3 seconds to go. Were winning most of the game but fell behind near the end. Hawks won by 15 goals I heard with Franklin kicking 2.11 someone told me

Don't be surprised if Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge are up there at the end of the season for the Brownlow. They absolutely DEMOLISHED the Doggies today. Hodgey got 4 in one quarter.

Buddy couldn't buy a goal today, but at least he never dropped his head. He kept trying and didn't handball it to someone else instead of taking a shot. It's a true characteristic of a great (inaccurate) forward.

Port did it against us last week aswell


Agreed. Sam and Luke are going to be LEGENDS

Just looked at the ladder then. Top 8 is very tight with lots of teams level on points so will be a great final round to secure positions for the finals.

Geelong losing on Sunday was probably the best thing for them at the moment. If they had won it, they would have gone into the finals thinking they're invincible, and then they would be playing in a game where if they lose they're out, BAM!!!, they're gone. I bet Mark Thompson wasn't syking them up as much as he usually would.

to be honest if geelong had bartel,ling and selwood playing they wouldve beatet the power. i guess thats the luxury they have, resting players before the finals.

ill be supporting freo to beat port this week which will mean a top 2 spot for my eagles of they beat the dons

Tigers get up again, against the Dons no less!

You beauty

Well I heard today that even if Port win if West Coast win by 7 more points than ports winning margin then they will get 2nd spot on % as it's so tight between the 2. As Eagles have the bombers and Port have freo i'd back the eagles to get 2nd spot.

ok so who are we picking to be top 5 in the brownlow mine would be

Gary ablett (favourite, cant go past him)
Jimmy bartel (continues to rack up possies)
Jonathan brown (phenomanel all year n 70 goal)
Daniel Kerr (wont count but still awesome)
Sam Mitchell/Chad cornes (equal 5th cant split them

^^don't forget Brent Harvey, Kane Cornes and Nathan Foley

Another couple have gone. Trent Knobel, Kent Kingsley, Ray Hall, Matthew Lappin, Chris Scott. The AFL really chose a bad year to get rid of the retiring players parade at the Grand Final. Wonder if they'll get it back for this year?

Edit: Just found out that Nathan Brown(Melbourne), Clint Bizzell and Darryl Wakelin are retiring also.

Have to go with G. Ablett. Although could other cats players take votes off him like what happens with winning teams? Brown will get top 5 for sure, has had about 5 BOG's but he'll just fall short I think.

Chris Johnson will retire after this weekend(they won't make the finals) and Byron Pickett is very likely to announce his retirement.

Fraser Gehrig is believed to have said that the game against Richmond will be his last and Andrew Thompson is retiring also. Someone needs to count how many people are retiring. It is getting ridiculous.

West Coast should've got 2nd place but only have themselves to blame as won by a lot less then they should've. The last quarter by Lucas was amazing to Kick 7 goals. Also good effort by Brown to kick 7 for Brisbane.

Hawthorn are just disgraceful. 72 points to Sydney. I can not wait until we get rid of Joel Smith, Richie Vandengerg and Ben Dixon.

We'll take Smith.

Please, take him. He gives away 5 free kicks a game for being tackled.

Finals Week 1 Schedule

Friday September 7, 2007
Second qualifying final
Port Adelaide v West Coast at AAMI Stadium, 7.50pm CST

TV: Channel 7
(Live into Melbourne and Perth; 30 min delay into Adelaide; 15 min delay to Sydney. Brisbane)

Saturday September 8, 2007
First elimination final
Hawthorn v Adelaide at Telstra Dome, 2.30pm AEST

TV: Channel 10
(Live into Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane; 30 min delay into Melbourne)

Second elimination final
Collingwood v Sydney Swans at the MCG, 7.30pm AEST

TV: Channel 10
(Live into Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane; 30 min delay into Melbourne)

Sunday September 9, 2007
First qualifying final:
Geelong v Kangaroos at the MCG, 2.45pm AEST

TV: Channel 7
(Live into Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane; 30 min delay into Melbourne)

Well, that's the home & away season done. It was much more even than previous years and there was quite a few surprises.

The biggest dissapointment would have to be the Doggies, I thought they'd make push for the top 4 this year. St. Kilda fans probably think they're season was a dissapointment too, but I always thought they had an incredibly overrated list.

Biggest suprise would have to be the Kangaroos, I would have placed them near the foot of the table at the start of the year, and I'm sure a lot of other people would have as well. I can't see them going anywhere in the finals, I think they'll be humiliated by the Cats and then lose their semi final as well.

The biggest dark horse for the finals series would have to be Adelaide in my opinion. Only just snuck into the top 8, but I can see them making a real push to make the preliminary final.

Can't go past the Cats though, best team by a fair way during the season, and to be honest, I hope they win. Terribly unlucky in the 90s (especially losing to the Blues at the height of their Salary Cap breaches). Their supporters deserve it.

As for my Tigers, absolutely terrible season, but realistically, with the list we have, we were always destined to finish rock bottom. Now I'm just pissed off that Carton get a bullshit priority pick, so they end up with the number 1, 3 & 19 draft picks and we only get 2 & 18. What a reward for mediocrity, who could blame them for "tanking". If they won today they would have only got picks 3 & 19.

I think I'll be barracking for the Cats and the Hawks in the finals and hope the Kangaroos and Collingwood bomb out early.