FINALLY had a chance to watch highlights of the game tonight. Not too happy with the picture quality of Setanta but it didn't take anything away from the extraordinary skill level of our boys in such crappy conditions. How Rooke and Ablett kicked their goals are beyond me.
A highlight, on top of Rooke & Ablett's goals of course, was when Cam Mooney inexplicably trundled a pass along the ground in to Tom Hawkins, who had one opponent on him and another on the way, somehow took possession and snapped it over his right shoulder for a goal.
Hopefully some kind person will seed the game before too long so I can watch it in all its glory.
Fast forwarded through the first five games, so only saw our game and Carlton/Bulldogs, Melbourne/Adelaide. Gee the final match was atrocious; mercifully they didn't actually show any of the post half-time action and stuck with the first couple quarters. The Blues Bulldogs game was worth a look however, big Fev (who looks more and more like Willie Mason each time I see the prick) kicked a couple rippers, one he had absolutely no right to kick and bettered Hawkins' effort. Little Eddie Betts kicked another ripper.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
What's the difference between Alan Shearer and Newcastle?
The answer of course: Alan Shearer will be on MOTD next season!
For the uninitiated, one of the biggest and oldest clubs, and one with the worst strip as it resembles Collingwood and Juventus, Newcastle United is now almost certain to be booted out, or relegated from, the Premier League, after they had a goalless draw at home against Portsmouth tonight. Their manager of three games now, club legend Alan Shearer, is also almost certain to resume his day job as a pundit on the Saturday night institution of a TV show, 'Match of the Day'. A bit like if when Paul Roos took over towards the end of 2002, finishes bottom of the ladder. In our game you just carry on the next season with heaps of gimme draft picks, but in 'football' it ain't like that, you just get kicked down to the next level and someone else takes their place. Most people get sacked, club owners get tired of it all and kind of wander off. Good for those in lower leagues as it gives you hope; when you get relegated you may think otherwise. It'll never happen to the mighty Gooners!
Tell you what, Aussie Rules (it isn't called AFL, that's the number one comp, all the other forms of the game are Australian Rules football or Aussie Rules) would be a hell of a lot different. Most grades of the game still don't have it; from my time out in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne it certainly made the EFL (or is it the EDFL) worth keeping an eye on. Football Geelong tried to get it up and running in the mid-1990's when the GFL and BFL tied up but clubs (such as the ones I follow, Grovedale and Leopold) got scared and it's gone nowhere since.
What if there were relegation in the AFL? For a start we'd probably have avoided artificial Premierships from the likes of Brisbane, Hawthorn and of course Sydney. Don't think it's ever going to happen in my lifetime however, the game just isn't big enough, far too big a gap between the elite and state levels.
Out of all soccer clubs worldwide, what club would Geelong most resemble?
For the uninitiated, one of the biggest and oldest clubs, and one with the worst strip as it resembles Collingwood and Juventus, Newcastle United is now almost certain to be booted out, or relegated from, the Premier League, after they had a goalless draw at home against Portsmouth tonight. Their manager of three games now, club legend Alan Shearer, is also almost certain to resume his day job as a pundit on the Saturday night institution of a TV show, 'Match of the Day'. A bit like if when Paul Roos took over towards the end of 2002, finishes bottom of the ladder. In our game you just carry on the next season with heaps of gimme draft picks, but in 'football' it ain't like that, you just get kicked down to the next level and someone else takes their place. Most people get sacked, club owners get tired of it all and kind of wander off. Good for those in lower leagues as it gives you hope; when you get relegated you may think otherwise. It'll never happen to the mighty Gooners!
Tell you what, Aussie Rules (it isn't called AFL, that's the number one comp, all the other forms of the game are Australian Rules football or Aussie Rules) would be a hell of a lot different. Most grades of the game still don't have it; from my time out in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne it certainly made the EFL (or is it the EDFL) worth keeping an eye on. Football Geelong tried to get it up and running in the mid-1990's when the GFL and BFL tied up but clubs (such as the ones I follow, Grovedale and Leopold) got scared and it's gone nowhere since.
What if there were relegation in the AFL? For a start we'd probably have avoided artificial Premierships from the likes of Brisbane, Hawthorn and of course Sydney. Don't think it's ever going to happen in my lifetime however, the game just isn't big enough, far too big a gap between the elite and state levels.
Out of all soccer clubs worldwide, what club would Geelong most resemble?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Cats tear Lions a new one
AFL 2009, ROUND 5
GEELONG CATS V BRISBANE LIONS
Full Report - http://www.thecattery.com.au/Articles/26042009_1.php
Woke up to great news to find out the Cats had doubled my pre-match margin prediction of 46 points. Would have gotten up early (4am start my time) to watch it on TV had the bastards at Setanta Sports been showing it, but yet again they chose another match. They used to have three games per week but have now reduced it to two, making it even less likely the best Aussie Rules side for the past three years will be shown on UK TV. One lucky couple in Germany managed to find a website seeding the game, although it apparently cut-out to the Bulldogs game after half time; them's the breaks for a Geelong fanatic living in Europe!
Glad to hear the Tomahawk again did well, the selectors have done the right thing in persevering with the boy. No point switching him and Tom Lonergan every second week just because he goes a game without kicking a goal. What I noticed straight off is that he had some 20 possies; not sure if he's had that many before.
Didn't quite expect little Gazza to grab another fourty possessions; the guy's a freak! Just how he does it is beyond me and I'm looking forward to watching the match when available (or at least the highlights). I'll never forget the Monday after he made his debut against the Bombers at the 'G in round one of 2002. I was having a real hard time in the job I had, and the moron in charge of my group, a champagne Bombers fan, smugly told everyone "you can tell when players have it, and he doesn't have it, he won't ever do any good". Here's to you Andy boy, you wanker.
Bit disappointed in the crowd. I'm told the weather was shite but thought a few more punters would have turned up to watch the Ablett Show. The fifteen and a half thousand loyal folk who did could have told you that. Can't wait 'till the next time I can get to see this bloke in action, maybe in Ireland this October for the International Rules series?
Next week against the Demons the Cats head back to the MCG for their third game there already this season, finally being rewarded for being the best team around. The poor old Dees are really struggling but have traditionally given the Cats either a touchup or a real run for their money. Can't see that happening this time; just hope the Cats don't pick up any more injuries. We need Ottens and Ling back desperately and can't afford any more key players to go down.
Full Report - http://www.thecattery.com.au/Articles/26042009_1.php
GEELONG 5.4, 13.8, 15.11, 18.18 (126) DEFEATED
BRISBANE 0.2, 3.3, 4.3, 5.3 (33)
GOALS
GEELONG: Hawkins 3, Mooney 3, Stokes 3, Ablett 2, Byrnes 2, Rooke 2, Bartel, S.Johnson, Varcoe
BRISBANE: Brown 3, Rich, Sherman
BEST
GEELONG: Mooney, Ablett, Chapman, Scarlett, Selwood, Bartel
BRISBANE: Patfull, Brown, Rich
CROWD: 15,580 at Skilled Stadium
GEELONG CATS V BRISBANE LIONS
Full Report - http://www.thecattery.com.au/Articles/26042009_1.php
Woke up to great news to find out the Cats had doubled my pre-match margin prediction of 46 points. Would have gotten up early (4am start my time) to watch it on TV had the bastards at Setanta Sports been showing it, but yet again they chose another match. They used to have three games per week but have now reduced it to two, making it even less likely the best Aussie Rules side for the past three years will be shown on UK TV. One lucky couple in Germany managed to find a website seeding the game, although it apparently cut-out to the Bulldogs game after half time; them's the breaks for a Geelong fanatic living in Europe!
Glad to hear the Tomahawk again did well, the selectors have done the right thing in persevering with the boy. No point switching him and Tom Lonergan every second week just because he goes a game without kicking a goal. What I noticed straight off is that he had some 20 possies; not sure if he's had that many before.
Didn't quite expect little Gazza to grab another fourty possessions; the guy's a freak! Just how he does it is beyond me and I'm looking forward to watching the match when available (or at least the highlights). I'll never forget the Monday after he made his debut against the Bombers at the 'G in round one of 2002. I was having a real hard time in the job I had, and the moron in charge of my group, a champagne Bombers fan, smugly told everyone "you can tell when players have it, and he doesn't have it, he won't ever do any good". Here's to you Andy boy, you wanker.
Bit disappointed in the crowd. I'm told the weather was shite but thought a few more punters would have turned up to watch the Ablett Show. The fifteen and a half thousand loyal folk who did could have told you that. Can't wait 'till the next time I can get to see this bloke in action, maybe in Ireland this October for the International Rules series?
Next week against the Demons the Cats head back to the MCG for their third game there already this season, finally being rewarded for being the best team around. The poor old Dees are really struggling but have traditionally given the Cats either a touchup or a real run for their money. Can't see that happening this time; just hope the Cats don't pick up any more injuries. We need Ottens and Ling back desperately and can't afford any more key players to go down.
Full Report - http://www.thecattery.com.au/Articles/26042009_1.php
GEELONG 5.4, 13.8, 15.11, 18.18 (126) DEFEATED
BRISBANE 0.2, 3.3, 4.3, 5.3 (33)
GOALS
GEELONG: Hawkins 3, Mooney 3, Stokes 3, Ablett 2, Byrnes 2, Rooke 2, Bartel, S.Johnson, Varcoe
BRISBANE: Brown 3, Rich, Sherman
BEST
GEELONG: Mooney, Ablett, Chapman, Scarlett, Selwood, Bartel
BRISBANE: Patfull, Brown, Rich
CROWD: 15,580 at Skilled Stadium
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