Written by Craig Bilski | 18 May 2010

You have them in almost every sport. They are the team that everyone hates except for their own supporters. If you speak to any supporter of Australian Football they will most likely tell you that they hate Collingwod and a large percentage would say that this would represent their most hated team in the sport.

With some teams that were expected to do well this season not having the best start to the season the Magpies have moved into premiership favortism after losing just one game so far. The thought of Collingwood winning the premiership is enough for any non-Magpies supporter to tear their hair out. Something that plays in the back of everyone's mind is something know as the Colliwobbles. This was a nickname given to the power club after they choked in nine grand finals between 1958 and 1990. Hopefully for the sake of us all they can continue their poor record in finals over the past 50 odd years.

Written by Craig Bilski | 11 May 2010

With the Gold Coast team coming into the league next season and a team in West Sydney entering in 2012 the AFL is looking to come up with a suitable timeslot for a ninth game to be played each week.
This round they have opted to test out Monday night football, scheduling a game at Carlton and St Kilda at Etihad Stadium. The match had originally been planned for the Sunday afternoon but with Mother’s Day falling on the same day it was a perfect chance for the league to test out what sort of crowds they could attract to a Monday game.
The AFL were confident that the football public would warm to Monday night football having had good crowds attending Monday afternoon games on public holidays such as the Queen’s Birthday tradition between Melbourne and Collingwood.

Written by Craig Bilski | 07 May 2010

With the new Gold Coast team entering the competition in 2011, the AFL is looking to overhaul the current pre-season structure to implement a cricket type approach which will see shorter games played in quick succession. 

The birth of the Twenty20 game in cricket worked wonders, attracting people with fast, exciting matches and since its inception the popularity of the shorter game has soured bringing new fans to the sport.

Now the AFL is planning to cash in on the new innovation adapting the pre-season competition to include the new Gold Coast club as well as the Greater Western Sydney team that will also join the league in 2012.
The AFL had brainstormed a number of options to introduce the 17th team into the NAB Cup competition but struggled to come up with a fair system for all clubs and therefore decided that adding the upcoming West Sydney team into the mix would even things out.

The new format would see the clubs divided into six groups or pools for the first round of the pre-season competition where the winners, along with two lucky loses, will move on to the second round. The proposal to the clubs and match broadcasters was to play two 20-minute halves with a five minute break for half time with up to three games being played one after another, which was generally well received. The league pencilled in three timeslots that would see the first match start at 7.40pm, second at 8.35 and third at 9.30.

The league administration has admitted that there plenty...

Written by Craig Bilski | 04 May 2010

Since 2003 the AFL have marketed one round of the season by matching up traditional  and recent rivals to help promote the game and increase publicity and crowds at the games. Some of the rivalries have lasted decades fuelled by suburb proximity and past grand final clashes. 

Arguably the greatest and longest standing rivalry in the competition is between Collingwood and Carlton built by the rivalry between white and blue collar suburbs. The rivalry is intensified by the teams meeting in six memorable Grand Finals.
Another traditional rivalry is between Hawthorn and Essendon. After meeting in many Grand Finals’ during the 1980, the two teams have hated each other sparking a number of on-field brawls.

Written by Craig Bilski | 28 April 2010

Probably the biggest day on the calendar, besides the Grand Final, is the Anzac Day clash between the heavyweights of the competition, Collingwood and Essendon. The AFL pays respect to the thousands of Australian soldiers that sacrificed their lives to give us the freedom to not only play the greatest game in the world, but enjoy all other facets of life.
The Anzac Day blockbuster shows the strength and popularity of our competition as 90,000 fans turn out each year to watch the two teams go head to head.

Written by Craig Bilski | 19 April 2010

A new season brings hope for all clubs and a chance to start fresh. A chance to make improvements in their game and hopefully push towards the finals come September, but just four rounds in a few clubs are already struggling to make an impact on the season, failing to win a game.
The biggest surprise is Adelaide. The Crows were touted as a top four contender before the season but now sit second last on the ladder after their worst start to the season since their inception in 1991.
When a team is in turmoil, questions are always raised about the coach but it’s usually unjustified when a team has a young squad. However, the Crows don’t seem to have an excuse for the poor form early this season and people are already calling for Coach Neil Craig’s head.

Written by Craig Bilski | 12 April 2010

It was a week of absolutely carnage on the footy field this week with a large number of players succumbing to injuries. The hard, tough aspects of our game are one of the main reasons we love footy but it is always sickening when you see a player get seriously injured.
These days AFL showcases some of the fittest and strongest athletes in the world but the physically demanding game can still take its toll on even the most highly adapted players. 

The most talked about injury of the round was of a player that we saw kick a bag last week. St Kilda superstar Nick Riewoldt pinged his hamstring during Friday’s night’s game against the Magpies. The 27 year old had a hip problem in the first term, as the Magpies defensive mindset forced a low scoring quarter that set the scene for the game. There were just three goals in the first quarter, two of them going to the Saints, giving them a four point lead at the first change.
The drama continued in the second quarter when Riewoldt rolled his ankle before returning to the field only to badly injure his hamstring in an attempt to leap for the ball. The forward grabbed high on his leg which indicated that it could be serious. It was a bad body blow for the Saints who took a three point lead into the second half and when they lost defender Sam Fisher to concussion after colliding with Collingwood’s Leon Davis it looked as though they would be shot. To St Kilda’s credit they dug deep in the third term booting two goals as the...

Written by Craig Bilski | 07 April 2010

A lot has changed in the past decade of footy. Looking back to the game in the 90’s, forwards dominated the game with their powerful presence, 'wowing' crowds with their high marks and miracle goals. Players like Wayne Carey, Gary Ablett Snr and Tony Lockett, just to name a few, were unstoppable kicking bags of goals week-in, week-out. 

It was great to see some power forwards stand up this week and have a huge impact on the game. Brisbane skipper Jonathan Brown has been likened to the great Wayne Carey over the years and it was no more evident than in Friday night’s game against the Blues. Brown pulled down 12 marks on his way to seven goals in a best on ground performance.
The big man kicked his sides first of the night before Brendan Fevola booted two first quarter goals, a perfect start against his old club. The Lions built on their nine point quarter time lead kicking four goals to one to take a handy 22 point lead into the main break.
The Blues hit back in the third term, booting the first four goals to cut the margin to four points. They then kicked another three for the term as Brown and Clark kicked the only goals of the quarter for the home side. Brown single-handedly turned the game in the final term, booting three important goals as the Lions ran away to win by 19 points.

 


Nick Riewoldt was also at his best at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night. Roo took 15 marks and also booted seven goals in the Saints 104 point demolition of the Kangaroos.
The...