Let’s Get Back To Talking Some Football - AFL Round 1
Well another week goes by with no football and what do we have in the media, more off field contraversy. Tony Liberatore accusing Carlton of “tanking” then not accusing them of “tanking”, Fev urinating outside a Hotel, and of course Wayne Carey and his girlfriend selling their story to a magazine. Compelling Reading……..
Maybe with the Start of Round 1 on Thursday all of that stuff can be swept aside and we can start talking about what is the best game in the world - AFL Football.
Bring on the Footy I say and it will all kick of on Thursday with Richmond and Carlton. The Tigers will be out to put an average pre season behind them and start the season on a positive note but the Blues and Chris Judd will have other ideas. Kane Johnson looks set to take
Chris Judd and if that is the case then pencil the Blues in for the win. I can’t wait to see Judd play and see how he goes about his business in a Carlton jumper and also the flow on effect from teams paying more attention to him than the other mid fielders in Murphy, Stevens and Gibbs. Richmond will need to rely heavily on the skills of Brown and Deludio as last time I watched them they were the only two that could hit a target. And depending on which game Richo pulls out will determine whether the Tigers will kick enough goals. Read more
Carlton Didn’t “Tank” Now?
I was prepared to give Libba the benefit of the doubt last week after he alleged that the Carlton Football Club “Tanked” and went out to lose games in the latter part of the 2007 Season. But after listening to his comments over the weekend I now take anything he says with a grain of salt! On the Footy Show he was very calculated in his answers when asked by Craig Hutchison as to whether Carlton Football Club tanked and his response “Personally, I would say Yes” and then on the SEN Radio Station he said “If they say to me, ‘do you think Carlton tanked?’, I would say, ‘I don’t think they did’ .” What is that all about?
Maybe “Tanking” is not the correct word, although many still believe it is, I have no doubt that lower ranked clubs don’t really care if they lose games at the end of the year and do what they call “list management” and is an issue that the AFL MUST look at and change the prize at the end of the year for the team that finishes last. The fact that they call it list management is something that the clubs and the AFL can hide behind because is doesn’t go against any of the rules, but let’s be honest everyone knows what is really going on! And fair enough why wouldn’t you? I know the Carlton Fans wouldn’t have been that disappointed with it because they know what the “prize” is. They now have Chris Judd and Matthew Kruezer to show for it and last year has been forgotten. Read more
All Clubs Give The Green Light to 18 Teams
As the AFL launched the 2008 Season at Telstra Dome, the 16 AFL Club presidents unanimously gave the all clear on behalf of their clubs for the AFL to make the move and expand the competition to 18 teams by 2012, tying in nicely with the start of what will be the biggest TV Rights Deal in
the history of AFL Football. In fact they mentioned that the AFL may not be being aggresive enough in their endevours to expand, something that I am sure the NRL and A-League are not happy about. The thing to come out of the meeting between the presidents and the AFL was that in order for the game of AFL Football to be a national game their needs to be games played every weekend in both Sydney and Queensland. There is no work yet on how these clubs will build the playing lists, but the AFL have put forward some proposals that include draft pick and priority picks.
It must have been a pretty compelling case that the AFL put forward to the presidents because Jeff Kennett and Eddie McGuire, two of the heavy weights of the AFL Clubs certainly made their feelings heard when it was first announced that the AFL was set to expand the competition. The clubs agreed that 18 teams would be better than 17 so you would think that both teams will come in during the same year which means that there will be no bye for any team during the year.
Certainly a historic day for the game of AFL Football and exciting times for all those kids that a re dreaming of playing football at the highest level..
phot credit Campbell Imray
Cartlon “Tanked” The Last 3 Games - Libba
Extraordinary claims from former Carlton assistant coach Tony Liberatore that Carlton Football Club “tanked” their last 3 games of the 2007 AFL Season. Little Libba claims that the Blues 
picked players that did not deserve to get a game in the senior side and forced players to have operations then and there rather than wait until the end of the Season. On the back of the Paul Roos match fixing dramas in the last few weeks these claims will rock AFL circles. A lot has been made of the “tanking” issue over the last 12 months and the AFL keep wiping their hands with it and tell the footballling public that it just doesn’t occur. Well everyone knows that it does and now maybe the AFL may consider doing something about the rules to make sure it doesn’t continue to happen. It is the first time that an “insider” has come out and said anything like this, and I am sure Libba will get his fair share of flack about it but I have no doubt that this sort of thing goes on at the end of the year and if the AFL can’t see that then they are kidding themselves!!! Read more
Warren “Tredders” Tredrea Captain Again
Readers of AFL Football Blog will know that this guy is one of “My Most Irritating Players” 
in the AFL”. Nevertheless the Port Adelaide Football Club has announced that he will lead the Power in Season 2008. From all reports and judging by his form this pre season he has completed a good pre season and is priming himself for a good 2008 season. It will be interesting to see the reaction of the players when he kicks a goal this year and whether they give him a high five that he is after or run in the other direction. And will he continue to be as arrogant as ever and bow to the crowd again as if he is “GOD”?
Tredrea will be supported by vice captains Brendon Lade, Chad Cornes and Shaun Burgoyne in 2008. Kane Cornes, Dom Cassisi and the injured Michael Wilson round out the Power’s seven-man leadership group.
Well done Tredders, seriously !!!!!……..
St Kilda 2008 NAB Cup Champions
After a summer that saw some high profile people of the AFL knock the crap out of the NAB Cup as a competition, the last 3 weeks have seen 
some excellent footy being played and it paints the picture for an interest 2008 AFL Season. Last night was no exception. Adelaide were favourties and being at AAMI Stadium most peopl thought they would come away with the win. No one told the youngsters of the St Kilda Football Club that and they were simply awesome. Read more
1 Good Point For The Tigers
At least the Tigers had 1 reason to smile after their hit out against the Cats. Mark Coghlan made a good return after his second knee reconstruction. But that was probably the only good news to come out of the game. The Tigers went down by 78 points and from all reports were once again Spiritless. After a shocking first round defeat in the NAB Cup and now this thrashing the Tigers and coach Terry Wallace are in grave danger one thinks for the 2008 season.
Mind you some how Wallace thinks there is no reason for concern? C’MON Terry who are you trying to kid here? He reckons the Tigers’ pre-season has not been that bad and was confident his side will be ready for the start of the 2008 AFL Premiership Season. Spare Me !
“The result on the scoreboard didn’t really matter and what we need to do is fine-tune,”
Fair enough it was a practise game but fine-tune? More like and extreme makeover!.
Sorry Tiger Fans you are in for a long year. I think Terry is trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
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AFL NAB Cup 2008 Grand Final Preview
Well after what seems to be a long time coming the NAB Cup Grand Final is actually here. The NAB Cup has been battered from pillar to post over the last 4 weeks, but for the 2 teams competing this week, Adelaide Crows and St Kilda it is game on as both teams go head to head for the title of NAB Cup Winners, or as Aker would say “Mickey Mouse Winners”.
Both teams have been in good form during the opening rounds of the 2008 NAB Cup with Adelaide probably 
being the standouts for me. Neil Craig has given the players a new lease on life with a new and exciting game style which now shy’s away from the defensive style we have seen over the years. The Crows are now running and carrying the footy and with the likes of James Porplyzia and Scott Thompson killing em in the midfield there are great signs ahead for the Crows. The Saints on the other hand, while still winning have probably been a bit scratchy from their lofty standards and haven’t had their best team on the park yet and still won’t this week. It is pretty ominous for other sides that the Saints are still winning while there is a lot of improvement to come. Read more
AFL Football Short Passes - Things You May Have Missed
Just a quick post on what has been happening around the traps over the last few days.
Chris Judd Named to Play First Game
The NAB Cup Challenge Squads have been released for this weekend and all eyes were on the Carlton squad that was named and we saw the one and only C Judd there. He looks set to take on the Western Bulldogs on Friday at MC Labour Park and is expected to play a half. Get down and get a glimpse Blues Fans. If anyone makes the trip place a comment on this post and let us know how he looked.
Tigers Aiming For the Finals
Yes that is right, Kayne Pettifer (who is on my list of most irritating AFL Players) told Melbourne Radio Station SEN that the Tigers are aiming for the final 8 ! “Our goal is to make the finals and that is what we are striving for this year,” he also said that it is an even competition and anyone can beat anyone on any given day (enough any’s in there for you). Correct they can but just not the Tigers. Read more
Go Forward, Just Don’t Kick a Goal!
Are the AFL that blind to the fact that clubs DO NOT WANT TO PLAY in the NAB Cup. Why are they taking this issue this seriously considering they turned a blind eye to the Carlton Football Club last year when they were quite obviously tanking in the latter part of the year so they could secure the Number 1 Draft Pick.
There is no doubt there is some personal issues here between Roos and the AFL and now Roos finds himself facing a $100,000 fine or even suspension. I wouldn’t put it past the AFL to do the latter but they won’t. The Swans are well known for not giving a **it about the NAB Cup and as a result were the least favorite with the bookmakers before the start.
The AFL really needs to make some changes if they are going to protect the reputation of the NAB Cup as they want to. The increase in prize money this year has made no impact what so ever. Maybe there needs to be a bigger carrot dangled like a priority draft pick for the winner?. The investigation into Roos’s comments is set to be concluded by the end of the week and apparently up 9 witnesses will be contacted to give their accounts of what happened.
Maybe next time Roos just needs to be a bit more aware of who is around when making these type of comments. There is growing momentum to abandon the NAB Cup and maybe just maybe this may open the eyes of the AFL and force them into making some sort of decision regarding the pre season competition.
