The State of the game

[exitthesandman]

With the Premier Division finals places now being decided on match ratio due to the weather (can this be confirmed as official?), how costly will it be for Saints & Wests having missed out on games they both should/would have won (against UTS & ECE respectively), and I guess reverse fortune for Penno having lost against Norths. The next few weeks looking good for a very close fight for top 5 positions. Anybody care to predict the top 5? I think Easts, Norths & Uni will take the top 3 spots with Wests, Saints & Penno fighting out the last 2 spots. I can't see UTS making it personally as they have a tough run home and based on their results so far but who knows they could potentially spoil it for a few other teams. Key games in the weeks ahead are Rd 13 - Wests v Norths & Easts v Saints, Rd 14 Saints v Wests & Penno v Uni, Rd 15 Wests v Easts & Norths v Saints, Rd 16 Penno v Easts, Rd 17 Saints v Uni and Rd 18, the game that could determine the final spot in semis, Penno v Saints. Going to be a very close finish. Saints look to have the hardest run home and whilst my heart says yes my head says they may be the odd team out and will rue a couple of big blown leads in previous games against both Wests (led by 17 @ 3/4 time and gave up 6 last qtr goals - lost by 13 points) & Penno (led by 18 @ 3/4 time and gave up 5 last qtr goals - lost by 2 points) earlier in the year. Although I imagine every team has a "one that got away" story to tell. Time (and the weather!) may tell a different story. Thoughts anybody...

[Blinkers28]

My predicted top 5

1. UNSW
2. Syd Uni
3. Inner West
4. North Shore
5. Penno

[justabaraker]

With the Premier Division finals places now being decided on match ratio due to the weather (can this be confirmed as official?), how costly will it be for Saints & Wests having missed out on games they both should/would have won (against UTS & ECE respectively), and I guess reverse fortune for Penno having lost against Norths. The next few weeks looking good for a very close fight for top 5 positions. Anybody care to predict the top 5? I think Easts, Norths & Uni will take the top 3 spots with Wests, Saints & Penno fighting out the last 2 spots. I can't see UTS making it personally as they have a tough run home and based on their results so far but who knows they could potentially spoil it for a few other teams. Key games in the weeks ahead are Rd 13 - Wests v Norths & Easts v Saints, Rd 14 Saints v Wests & Penno v Uni, Rd 15 Wests v Easts & Norths v Saints, Rd 16 Penno v Easts, Rd 17 Saints v Uni and Rd 18, the game that could determine the final spot in semis, Penno v Saints. Going to be a very close finish. Saints look to have the hardest run home and whilst my heart says yes my head says they may be the odd team out and will rue a couple of big blown leads in previous games against both Wests (led by 17 @ 3/4 time and gave up 6 last qtr goals - lost by 13 points) & Penno (led by 18 @ 3/4 time and gave up 5 last qtr goals - lost by 2 points) earlier in the year. Although I imagine every team has a "one that got away" story to tell. Time (and the weather!) may tell a different story. Thoughts anybody...

Games were cancelled last weekend after a modest amount of rain - you'd have to expect they might be cancelled again this weekend.
That would confuse the run home even more.

[mrns]

Games were cancelled last weekend after a modest amount of rain - you'd have to expect they might be cancelled again this weekend.
That would confuse the run home even more.

I'd assume they'll be rescheduled to Gore Hill and other venues which can handle these conditions? When was the last time prems games were rained out? I remember some terrible conditions at blacktown 5 or 6 years ago

[Old Puppy]

Got to love AFLW scheduling Swans V Giants on September 10th at SCG, inaugural women's clash between NSW AFLW teams on same day as local community Premier Grand Final. Speaks to the community AFL support in NSW and the lack of respect locally from AFL.

Speaking to lack of respect, had to laugh reading the tripe posted last night from Lord Farquhar and his band of former AFL Sydney executives on the job he is doing at the BATS. It pains me to say, but really hoping Xmas comes early and they sneak into the finals, it would be a just reward for effort, after all the gifts/handouts bestowed upon this culturally inept club, by Lord Farquhar himself.

[Tim Freedman]

Had a quick look at the best on after the game last week. One had roughly 50 games of NEAFL experience with GWS, another played in the sydneyafl v canberra rep game, couple of guys who played prems last year.

Why so salty and why so much research into Div 2?

The players you have researched weren't going to play footy at all this year and changed their mind at last minute to play in a lower grade. They don't have to train, there is zero pressure to play if they have other commitments and early morning games so they have rest of the day to do what they want. Sounds pretty good to me. Plus, it gives the young blokes a go and gets games into them so hopefully in a few years time they can bounce back.

PS: Penno are probably the best club going around where their older players stay on and play in the lower grades. Personally, I think it is great for club culture for the older blokes to keep playing at a lower level.

[Norris Lurker]

Games were cancelled last weekend after a modest amount of rain - you'd have to expect they might be cancelled again this weekend.
That would confuse the run home even more.

The forecast in the next couple of days doesn't look too bad. But having had more rain in the last week than England had in the last year, it's unlikely that many grounds will be open.

[saviour01]

Why so salty and why so much research into Div 2?

Personally, I think it is great for club culture for the older blokes to keep playing at a lower level.

It doesn't take long to click on a couple of names on the team sheet.

Just think its funny you have half a dozen ex NEAFL players and guys who played prems last year running round in Division 2 when you can't get a bench in reserves - even when two prems players back up after playing in the game before.

0/19 in prems and reserves, sacked the coach after 7 rounds but at least div 2 is stacked.

[Mr Magoo]

Do you think they might swing games to gore hill for prems /19s if others are closed. Didnt they do this earlier in the season.

[mrns]

Do you think they might swing games to gore hill for prems /19s if others are closed. Didnt they do this earlier in the season.

Yes, would have to think the only reason that didn't occur last week was since divisional games were played on the weekend. Costly for the prem division ladder that Sydney AFL did not try fit them in around the existing schedule for that day

[Norris Lurker]

They did get the Under 19s and the Womens Prems in at Picken Oval last Saturday, but the Reserves & Mens Prems weren't played. Which suggests the Council may have rode in at lunchtime and ordered everyone off.
Too short notice to move anywhere else by then.

[Steamboat]

They did get the Under 19s and the Womens Prems in at Picken Oval last Saturday, but the Reserves & Mens Prems weren't played. Which suggests the Council may have rode in at lunchtime and ordered everyone off.
Too short notice to move anywhere else by then.

Not actually the case, ground was opened and in better condition than that of other 2 Prems games played that afternoon, East Coast refused to play, stating ground was unsafe, might have something to do with the fact they only had 14 players ready to play Prems ressies, whilst Wests Ressies were on the ground warming up, and that they were requiring some u19s to also back up for Prems that afternoon.