The Grand Final. The season is dead: long live the season!

[mcs]

I agree with your account of what's transpired and that it seems more than coincidental. Blocking in marking contests is another of those ploys that get scrutinized from time to time, and the Swans were often accused as being lead perpetrators of blocking out illegally, but doing it well enough to escape penalty. I don't think anyone on RWO suggested that we should stop the practice because doing it well was gaming the system, so to speak.

The rules of the game are so difficult to umpire that it's open to exploitation, especially with constant changes in rule interpretation. Every team is trying to get away with as much as possible. Just some do it better than others and it would seem that the Dogs have been the best at it the past 5 years.

Just from reading the game time comments on here shows how annoyed everyone gets about the level of influence umpiring and 'cheating' have on the game. If by some miracle all this could be cleaned up, AFL would be such an incredible spectacle, free from the blight of so many wrong umpiring decisions.

Maybe the belting the Bulldogs got yesterday shows that they should be practicing other aspects of the game instead of how to make a throw look like a handball. Richmond were a dominant team for the previous 4 years, and never got a good run from the umps.

I know it's hard to do, but maybe it's best to simply accept that all of this is just part of the game and not get angered by it. Longmire is one proponent of focusing on what you can control and letting the rest go.

Coaches are paid to be rational and 'let it go' Ludwig.

I think it is part of being a footy fan that sometimes we don't let go, even if we should. And when its a clear 'outlier' that is beyond reasonable explanation, as 2016 was (well at least many consider it was), then it will live on in the minds of many for a long time.

The biggest issue for the Dogs is that, when they get a reasonable run of it from the middle, they are unstoppable, when they don't, they can be exposed very quickly - as that run at the end of the 3Q showed yesterday. Part of that stems from the fact they were badly exposed in the ruck contest - while many overplay its importance, Gawn and Jackson (who is a superb young ruckman for mine) in total towelled Martin and English (Who simply isn't that good) pretty comprehensively. Made a huge difference in the moments that mattered.

[stevoswan]

BT has had a great call.

Bont is still the best. He can’t do it all himself.

Petracca has passed him IMO....he's in Dusty territory now.

- - - Updated - - -

Got to feel for Footscray supporters. Still havent won a legitimate premiership since 1954. Longest drought in AFL/VFL history.

- - - Updated - - -

Go onto big footy Dogs supporters page to repost and get banned for that

Yeah, by a Western Bulldogs mod. I got banned from BF by a Hawthorn mod for calling them the 'poos and wees'. Sheese!

[Faunac8]

Thank you for that salutary lesson in social media etiquette. Here's me thinking we were all mates here. Well I've been told now, haven't I?

Nice diversion from the actual subject in hand .
Nothing to do with social media etiquette we were discussing football supporter etiquette and the fact that boorish behaviour is not something that some supporters of our club resile from.

[stevoswan]

The way they have up in the last quarter shows a sign of a club with no soul*.


(* They sold it to the devil in 2016)

You're on fire Barry!

[stevoswan]

As much as Parker is admired by everyone in the competition, I don’t think he’s quite at Bont’s level. Parker probably matches Bont for strength, toughness, football intelligence, tackling, speed, endurance, overhead capabilitiy and leadership. Where Bont has Parker beat is distribution. He’s a better kick than Parker. The left foot of Bont is beautiful.

Those two contested marks in the 2 quarter were elite. The 3rd goal was good as well.

If Bont wanted to ever come to Sydney, it would be met with huge joy by Swans supporters.

Agree with all of this.....he is certainly a better kick.....and I would also welcome him to the Swans. However, if Petracca ever came to us, I would be delirious.

[giant]

The Dees won their finals with a combined margin of 200 points (exactly!). I haven't gone back to compare, but imagine there would be very few premiers that have won as convincingly as that over the course of an entire finals series. They have become a very good team, and might yet become better.

EDIT: Quick look at some recent possible suspects shows the Dons 2000 team won their finals by a combined 230 points! Mostly helped by a 20 goals walloping of the Roos in week 1.

[Steve]

The only reason we don't like the Dogs is because we got screwed out of a premiership in 2016. But it wasn't their fault that the umps gave them the game and Vic-centred media wanted them to win. If not for that game, I wouldn't have anything against the Dogs. I like their coach and I think their players are pretty much like any other team.

Dates back to 5 April 1997 for me.

And I was wrong earlier - the way it panned out was perfect. Combination of them thinking they were on their way to winning and still getting thumped.

[Faunac8]

Agree with all of this.....he is certainly a better kick.....and I would also welcome him to the Swans. However, if Petracca ever came to us, I would be delirious.

I would also be extremely happy with Oliver if he wanted to escape the fishbowl.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Coaches are paid to be rational and 'let it go' Ludwig.

I think it is part of being a footy fan that sometimes we don't let go, even if we should. And when its a clear 'outlier' that is beyond reasonable explanation, as 2016 was (well at least many consider it was), then it will live on in the minds of many for a long time.

The biggest issue for the Dogs is that, when they get a reasonable run of it from the middle, they are unstoppable, when they don't, they can be exposed very quickly - as that run at the end of the 3Q showed yesterday. Part of that stems from the fact they were badly exposed in the ruck contest - while many overplay its importance, Gawn and Jackson (who is a superb young ruckman for mine) in total towelled Martin and English (Who simply isn't that good) pretty comprehensively. Made a huge difference in the moments that mattered.

Jackson is pretty unique isn't he. Interesting he was in the ruck for a good chunk of the period where the Dees exploded in the third quarter.. Reading some of the post match coverage today, even Gawn spoke of how he told Goodwin to leave Jackson in there, as Martin kinda knew how to work against a 'traditional' ruckman like Gawn, but couldn't manage Jackson's athleticism.

As for English, two years ago I thought he was gonna develop into one of the special players in the comp. Now, I'm not sure whether he is just average, or he's being coached badly, but he certainly has flatlined.

[Blood Fever]

Jackson is pretty unique isn't he. Interesting he was in the ruck for a good chunk of the period where the Dees exploded in the third quarter.. Reading some of the post match coverage today, even Gawn spoke of how he told Goodwin to leave Jackson in there, as Martin kinda knew how to work against a 'traditional' ruckman like Gawn, but couldn't manage Jackson's athleticism.

As for English, two years ago I thought he was gonna develop into one of the special players in the comp. Now, I'm not sure whether he is just average, or he's being coached badly, but he certainly has flatlined.

English lacks aggression for someone that big. Looks more suited to basketball.

[KTigers]

Petracca, Gawn, Oliver, Jackson, Bontempelli.... at this rate if they all come to Sydney we are going to have some massive salary cap issues !

[Markwebbos]

Petracca, Gawn, Oliver, Jackson, Bontempelli.... at this rate if they all come to Sydney we are going to have some massive salary cap issues !

Gawn’s too old.