Third final. Bulldogs v.Crows

[Pies4shaw]

Yes, well, whatever - I was commenting on what I just watched, not on whether those teams sucked as bad as Collingwood. Plainly, they're not that useless - but they certainly aren't the standard, either.

[AN_Inkling]

Both of these teams will need to adjust their play to be serious contenders. No one wants to be Eade era Dogs.

Wouldn't write the Crows off against the Hawks though. Hawthorn are a step behind the modern game, too much focus on maintaining possession. That worked when they could match teams for run, but they're falling behind now and are no longer the force they were. They could still do enough this year, but next year they will almost certainly miss the top 4.

[Pies4shaw]

Yes, I think that's right but Hawthorn have got the extra day to recover (although they did have to travel) and I think that's important after a big final. I'd be thrilled if the Crows beat them next week and will be barracking for them but I think they have a few too many gaps in their team (particularly in the back half) if Hawthorn clicks.

Meanwhile, a comparison of this final and the round 4 game between the Crows and the Dogs at Etihad shows that the Dogs kicked 4 goals less this time and let the Crows kick 6 goals more - thus a 9-goal win at Etihad became a 1 goal loss at the 'G. That's the story of Footscray's season, home and away.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

loved that game.. it's great watching an exhilarating final as a neutral observer, without the added stress, wondering if you're going to get knocked out.

[regan is true fullback]

Another year, another pointless Footscray campaign. I remember 2009, some bright Bulldog spark called our two finals against Geelong and St Kilda "the Magpie training run" as opposed to their two finals, where they gave the two heavyweights a run for their money, yet still lost.

Boy they really showed the football world the following year, didn't they!

I suppose that Stringer will win the Brownlow, like Cooney, and Liberatore, and the other guy, making Footscray's season complete, once again gallant in defeat...

[Pies4shaw]

Apparently, they expected to win last night.

There is, as they say, "many a slip between cup and lip".

One full-size AFL footballer throwing his weight around (Tex Walker) and they folded like a house of cards when the heat was on.

[regan is true fullback]

Eddie Betts showed what he could do last night when he played for a real football team.

Imagine what Julie Bishop and Turnbull could do if they worked for a real government...

[Jezza]

That was the game of the season and it was a privilege to have attended as a neutral!

Bad luck to the Dogs who have had an extraordinary year but the Crows should be proud of themselves for overcoming their toughest adversity during the year. Both sides will share great stories in 2015 long after this year is over.

[Pies4shaw]

Not satisfied with being flogged embarrassingly on a full-size football field by an inept opponent, the Welfare have apparently asked the AFL to investigate whether leaving Talia out of their finals plans was a selection mistake.

[Jezza]

"Flogged"?

They lost by 7 points.

[Pies4shaw]

[ANNODAM]

The Coode Islanders should STFU.
That shit hole of a Club should be set alight & left to burn...