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
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8 Players To Watch in This Weeks NAB CUP
While we saw some pretty ordinary and scrappy football during Round 1 of NAB Cup action, Round 2 should see the cobwebs dusted off and some better skills being displayed. We did though get to see some youngsters step up to the plate and show us that they are capable of matching with the big boys. Here are 8 Players that I will be keeping a close eye on this week to see how they perform. All of them had impressive starts last week and look to have had a ripping pre season.
1. Bachar Houli (Essendon)
Houli is one of the youngsters at Essendon that has a big opportunity to become a regular in the Bombers side. From all reports he has had a brilliant pre season and judging from what I witnessed in the intra club game a couple of weeks ago he is not afraid to put his head over the pill while he also has great foot skills. Houli was very good last week is Essendon’ s sin against the Lions mainly playing through the middle of the gorund. He gathered 25 touches last week at it will be good to see him match up against the likes of Scott West, Daniel Cross or Matthew Boyd this week. Read more
Injuries Confirmed From The NAB Cup
Shocking news from the west as scans have revealed that Docker midfielder Paul Haselby will be sidelined for the entire season with an ACL injury. The Dockers will be very disappointed as I think they were only expecting a medial ligament injury which would have only kept him out for about 6. Also Sydney made it official that Nick Malceski will miss the season as well with an anterior cruciate ligament tear as well. Also on the injury front Blues forward Brad Fisher will miss 6-8 weeks with a broken thumb which he sustained in the Blues impressive win over Port Adelaide. Really bad news for the Blues as they made a great start to 2008 and Fisher is a key member of their forward line on the back of a top ten finish in the Blues best and fairest in 2007.
Other news to come out of the NAB Cup Round 1 was that 2 players were given reprimands from the match review panel – Kieran Jack has been charged with a level one offence for making forceful front-on contact with Hawk Luke Hodge at Aurora Stadium on Sunday, while North Melbourne defender Leigh Harding has been charged with a level one offence for engaging in rough conduct against Bulldog Jason Akermanis at TIO Stadium on Friday.
I am sure that would have been a retaliation from Harding, The mouth from the West would have gotten under his skin!
That’s a Wrap – NAB Cup Round 1
Skill Errors, that probably sums up Round 1 of the NAB Cup for 2008. All games seemed to be riddled with them as you would expect I guess. There is no sign of the “Premiership Hangover” down at the cattery as they began their 2008 campaign in brilliant fashion against the Demons. Brendan Fevola has announced to the footballing public that he thinks the Blues will play finals footy (can you take him seriously when he wears those boots though?), and Richmond looks like they are going to be in real strife in 2008. Let’s have a look back at what transpired over the weekend.
The Doggies in Darwin
The Darwin doggies proved they have had a good pre season with a good win over the Kangaroos, who I thought would be right 
up there to take out the NAB Cup. It was a pretty ordinary game until the last quarter when the game broke open and we saw some free flowing footy. Not all was lost for the Roos with Nathan Thompson getting through the game OK. Finally we saw the doggies tackle well and throw themselves at the pill and I thought Akermanis was good and Adam Cooney looked in great shape racking up 26 touches. On ballers Boyd and West were also outstanding. Ben Hudson was very good in the Ruck and looks set to deliver for the Doggies in an area that they need to improve in. It will be interesting to see if the Dogs can play some consistent footy from here on in. Eade looks like he may be forced to rest a few this week after the conditions may take their toll.
Tigers In Trouble
It started on Friday Night with the Tigers and the Saints as I have already mentioned the Tigers are in trouble, while the Saints looked the goods with a side that was missing at least 10 walk up starts. Richmond’s skill level was just not up the waht it should be and their forward line was dysfunctional. They had to move their best 2 forwards – Brown and Delidio up the ground because the midfield was just not up to it. I know it is early but it is looking like it may be a long year ahead for the Tiger fans. While the Saints were pretty good, the 2 big ruckmen, King and Gardiner were good which now gives them the luxury of being able to play Kosi close to goal. At least 10 too come back in and all is looking pretty good. You can see why they are the most heavily backed side for the flag at the moment. Read more
NAB Cup Draw 2008 – Round 2 and NAB Challenge Fixture
Now that Round 1 of the NAB Cup is complete here is the draw for next week’s NAB Cup Games and also the NAB Challenge Practise Match Games.
NAB Cup
Friday February 22, 2008
Western Bulldogs v Essendon at Telstra Dome, 7.40pm (Channel Seven)
Saturday February 23, 2008
St Kilda v Geelong at Manuka Oval, 3.40pm (Fox Sports)
Hawthorn v Carlton at Telstra Dome, 7.10pm (Channel Ten)
Sunday February 24, 2008
Adelaide v Fremantle at AAMI Stadium, 4.40pm (Fox Sports)
NAB Challenge
Friday February 22, 2008
Kangaroos v Brisbane Lions at MC Labour Park, 4.30pm
Richmond v Melbourne at Cairns, 7.30pm
Saturday February 23
West Coast v Collingwood at Albany, 2pm
Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide at ANZ Stadium, 7pm
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Look After the 16 Teams We Have Already
Is this a matter of big ego’s or what? An 18 team AFL Football Competition by 2012! This has all the triggers to open up a mine field for the AFL. Listening to some talk back radio yesterday and not one caller had anything positive to say about the decision. AFL fans are outraged at the thought of their clubs struggling financially and maybe even having to merge or fold. AFL Club Presidents had no idea the the AFL were going to announce this. They knew they had plans for the Gold Coast and there was talk about another team in Western Sydney but by 2012? and at what expense to the existing clubs, especially the ones here in Melbourne, some of whom are already struggling financially. Club Presidents are outraged over the plans and rightly so. What are the AFL up too?
Why is it that they are in a race to overtake all other sports at the fastest pace possible? Greedy, Money Hungry, there are a few other that come to mind as well. Once again, like the rule changes in the NAB Cup that has caused the AFL to alienate themselves from the Clubs and the general footballing public even more, the clubs seem to have been left in the dark and the AFL have made the decision on their own when you would have thought their position as the sports governing body was to consult with the clubs they represent.
The Sydney Swans have previously expressed concerns that they didn’t think that there is enough room for a second team in Sydney, OK that may be them protecting their own interest and fair enough, but why put a team like the Swans in that position? All the hard work they have done in the Sydney market is in jeopardy when the new team is put in place. And you can bank on the NRL getting their gloves off now and will come back with a strategy to try and stop the AFL invasion. In Queensland the Lions are working their butt off to reach their target of 28,000 members for this year and the introduction of another side would mean even more competition for member numbers. Can Queensland support another team? That is the question.
The TV broadcasting: The AFL’s current $780 million TV deal will be renegotiated in 2011, with all of the code’s broadcast partners hungry for the content that increasing the competition to 18 teams would bring. Is this the reason for the rush? So they AFL can have
some more leverage when negotiating this deal, I certainly hope this is not their motive.
From a different angle, will this drop the standard of the competition? Think about it, there would have to be 80 more players? Is there enough talent around to accomadate this? I don’t think there is which would mean the standard of football may well deteriorate, which is not what football fans want to see. I wonder if Ricky Nixon got wind of this when he announced his recruiting network in Ireland?
Well there is no doubt there will be some heated and ugly discussion on this issue during the rest of the 2008 season and the AFL are not making themselves look any good at all, that’s for sure!
If this is going to be detrimental to the standard of AFL Football and the 16 clubs that are already in the competition then jam it!
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I Know It’s Early But The Tigers Are In Trouble
After watching Richmond on Friday Night against St Kilda I came to the conclusion that they are in real trouble. The Tigers went into the NAB Cup raring to go and all the talk was that they were going to have a crack and I actually gave them a real chance to win, How mad was I. I thought surely they have improved a bit over summer in the skill department and given that St Kilda were fielding a side that was missing about 10 walk up starts to the side they should win. Everything was going well before the game St Kilda had a host of SENIOR Players withdraw from the game. Let me just go through a few names here – Riewoldt, Hayes, Baker, McQuire, Gram, Ball, Gwilt, Dempster, Schneider. And then the Tigers come out and their skill level was terrible, missing simple handballs and their foot skills to their leading forwards was just not good enough.
The Saints on the other hand unearthed some good youngsters in Eddy and Geary while Clinton Jones looks ready to become a permanent fixture of the side. Charlie Gardiner was very impressive roaming the half forward line and looks set for a good year. Their Forward line is shaping up to be one of the best in the comp with Kosi able to spend a lot more time there given the inclusion of the two big fellas King and Gardiner. Mind you Kosi could have been cleaned up a couple of times due to his lack of awareness, it is only a matter of time before he gets really hurt again.
St Kilda look set for a big year while Richmond look set for a long one.
Friday Night Football is Back !!!
At long last Friday Night Football is back, even if it is just the NAB Cup (check out the NAB Cup
Draw). This Friday will see St Kilda v Richmond at the Telstra Dome at 7:40pm and also Western Bulldogs v Kangaroos at TIO Stadium at 7:40pm.
ST KILDA VS RICHMOND
Broadcast on Channel Seven at 8.30pm (MELB, ADL, PERTH), Live Fox Sport Plus (SYD, BRIS).
You can bet your bottom dollar that the Tigers will be out for a win, while ST Kilda will be missing a few key players and may be just using the game as a building block for Round 1. The Saints look set to play the two 
big fellas in Steven King and Michael Gardiner, it will be good to see Gardiner back out on the park again. The Saints will be looking to improve in that area. The Tigers will be disappointed with the Trent Cochin injury, while the fickle Tiger fans will be exited at the inclusion of Superstar Nathan Brown.
As mentioned The Saints are going to be missing a few including CO-CAPTAIN Nick Reiwoldt who hasn’t come up after his corked thigh resulted in knee tendonitis and will be rested. Others too be ruled out at from the released team will be Steven Baker, Sean Dempster, Andrew McQualter and James Gwilt. They will join Luke Ball, Leigh Fisher, Brendon Goddard, Lenny Hayes and Matt Maguire who will all miss because of injury or limited preparation. Read more
Let’s Get It On: Coaches v The AFL
AFL Coaches think they ignored and the AFL say that they are not. It is real He Said She Said stuff.
We have in the Red Corner the AFL who “Don’t trust coaches in their views on the game because they think they’re only interest is their own team’s performance and can’t be trusted.” and then we have the AFL Coaches in the Black Corner, some of whom think they own the game and should be consulted on every decision that is made regarding the game of Australian Rules Football. All this childish behaviour over a rule that is being trialled, let me say that again in case you didn’t hear it, or should I say read it, TRIALLED. I have not heard the AFL ever say that the rule will be definately in in 2009 have you?.
As much as I don’t really agree with the rule at least we have the opportunity to test it as see how it goes and then get feedback which the AFL will hopefully consider. I guess that is where the coaches are getting their back up. What will the AFL do if the majority of
coaches give negative feedback about the rule?
Will the AFL bring it in anyway? Part of me thinks that they will and that is the reason coaches like Mick Malthouse have been extremely outspoken on the issue. Malthouse says that the coaches were not consulted with bringing the rule in for the NAB Cup, but then you have Adrian Anderson saying that there was a memo sent to ALL Clubs and
“About seven or eight of the clubs responded, so every club had the opportunity to respond to that, and every coach had the opportunity,”
Why then did all the other 10-12 coaches not respond? My guess is that they think along the same lines as Malthouse. Regardless of how they responded the AFL would make their own decision anyway. Read more
