Well good to see the Saints win comfortably for once, without falling apart in the final quarter. We are now inside the eight and if Brisbane get beat which they should we will stay there. The G-train finally finds some form again and kicks eight goals, easily being the difference between the sides however, Ball, Hudgton and Harvey all suffered injuries and Baker may be in trouble with review panel for an incident with Jeff Farmer.

Collingwood just got over the line, but.... Buckley played for williamstown today and got through unscathed. I haven't felt so excited in a long while... especially when i see he had 29 touches 4 goals and was best on ground, after not playing for almost an entire year.....

I think a lot of people don't rate him that high, because he stuck with a club at the bottom.... and hasn't had premiership glory..... But to me, someone who has watched the game for over 25 years now.... he is up in the best few players I have ever seen. He's played on Carey and beaten him, played forward and won matches... won a brownlow, norm smith, rising star.... plenty of best and fairests to go with the magahery medal.... If he had of been playing at brisbane still, he would still have been their best player... even with voss, akermanis, black and lappin....

Anyhow, I am just excisted to see him back, I hope he continues into the team this week against sydney.

^Indeed, we want Collingwood to absolutley thrash Sydney as they are now within reach of the Saints after their draw with Brisbane. They are still in the drivers seat of the other contenders but another loss and and they could be equal with the Saints if we can overcome the Eagles down here at the Dome. Our percentage though is still very low and we will probably need Sydney to lose both of their final matches to get above them.These last few weeks are definately going to be interesting.

That was a costly draw for Sydney. An extra two points would have them sitting in 4th place right now. But what do you expect when they kick 8.15..... They had six more scoring shots than Brisbane but couldn't scrape a win. Barry Hall kicked 1.5, they just aren't accurate enough. Compared to the previous two years when they were the most accurate team in the competition (something like 70% conversion rate), this is just not acceptable.

They'll now have to win both their remaining games and rely on the Kangaroos losing to either Carlton *snicker* or the Bulldogs *cackle*

Pretty close competition though, when 2 points separates 4th place from 7th.

Of course, if Sydney lose their remaining two games - entirely possible, considering they play Collingwood and Hawthorn - then they might drop out of the finals altogether.

Oh well........

Its a very close year it seems.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUr6utOxLDU

Can't wait till this weekend

Bah, Bakers appeal was dismissed. The tribunal is a disgrace, giving a player seven weeks for something they have no clear evidence of, based on the fact he has been in trouble before is pathetic. There was no video footage and only a few witness's who all have different accounts of what happened. The system definately needs another overhaul.

aGREED Aztec.

You used all the right words to describe it... 'disgrace' 'pathetic' 'in need of an overhaul' but you forgot one 'biased'.

The POWER have had their fair share of injustice over the yrs with the tribunal.


Later.

Well, I would think the fact Baker has gone into the tribunal before and openly lied saying he was innocent, when the proof was to the contrary... ends up doing this to your credibility when you claim your innocent.... However, the fact they accepted his version of events, and he still got weeks... is bewildering. Surely if Jeff ran into him, it would then be Jeffs fault, his duty of care not to run into the guy in front of him....

I remember Brodie Holland receiving a broken nose from Scott Camporeale a few years back, which infuriated our entire team... but he was found they had no proof of what was done, so he got off....

I have no problem with big penalties for behind the play incidents, but for gods sake... get a camera there.... they have enough money.

^Indeed, why they don`t have those cameras is beyond me.

Well the Saints finals hopes are just about down the drain. We still have a mathematucal chance of making it but we would have to be very lucky indeed. Kosi and Reiwoldt again showed why they are worth so damn much, here's to next year. lol.

Friggin West Coast EAGLES going down to the Cows...what a load of bullsh*t!


A.F.L PREMIERSHIP LADDER 2007

Cows? they played St Kilda... when did they adopt the cow as there mascot?

Buckley played excellent tonight, for a guy who hadn't been around for 12 months. I pray he plays on next year...

Yes, a big welcome back to Buckley. It's good to see a guy like him back on the field. I only wish he could have done it a week later and not against the Swans. oh well, well played.

And don't worry too much, Aztec. I'd be willing to bet that collingwood will knock over Adelaide next week, and you'll leapfrog them on the ladder, so unless you choke against Richmond........

oops, err we're both wrong Sub, the COWS err CROWS played the LIONS last night and went down by 26 points.



Just hope the electocute the Cats today...but i ain't holding my breath.


I also hope your right and the MAGPIES smash and drop the CROWS out of the skies next week...i have the bbq ready to fire up and go...

BBQ marinated CROWS anyone?

Indeed, it will be quite disturbing to have to cheer on the Pies, I already feel dirty.

We will also need the Bombers to either lose today or next week to be completly assurred to gettting back into the eight, its definately going to be a stressful week for the supporters of the Saints, Bombers and Crows.

err POWER electrocutes CATS breaking their 15 game winning streak....POWER-packed & POWERFUL-stuff!

When you are on a winning streak, you always have to lose sometime

.... Essendons only loss for 2000 was against a team that didn't even make the finals lol

Aztec, i am betting you have never hoped so much that Collingwood wins, as you will do this week

Good point Sub, but getting beaten by a team hot on their heals especially going into the finals in 2 weeks can have serious implications in terms of vulnerability and or phycologically now for the CATS.(?) You know what they say,...''The higher they are the quicker & harder they fall.''


As for MAGPIES,...i'll try to be good boy all week so the higher power answers my prays in seeing them across the line...those friggin CROWS annoy me too much. lol!

Well, collingwood are into the finals.... I am hoping we dont have to travel for our campaign.... though we are good interstate, its easier to see us winning at home....

^Exactly so you better bloody win this friday at Telstra dome Subby. As long as you win and the Saints down Richmond we make the finals, all other results are irrelevant. Although why the tigers have decided to find some form now is beyond me, surely they should fall on their sword for the benefit of another Victorian club.

You know, odds at this point are that if we win, and you win... you will meet us in the first week of the finals....

^I saw that in the paper today and I hope it does eventuate. We should have beaten you earlier in the year and this would be the perfect opportunity to rectify that. Knowing St.Kilda though we would probably do the same thing, lead all match and then fall apart in the final 10 minutes.

Yeah, don't wish for something that could be your downfall...

As if the Hawthorn drug scandal wasn't enough, numerous West Coast Eagles are under suspicion of drug use, or have been proven drug usersnow and AFL players may boycott of the Seven Network's Brownlow Medal presentation in retaliation for the publicising of two players' medical records.
Those Hawthorn players that were 'freakishly caught out' i think is just the tip of the iceberg.

I see a media frenzy all over this dragging it out way into next season and possibly beyond...

The Courier-Mail

Drug scandal rocks AFL

^I was watching Foxsports news this morning and saw a media conference with Adelaide's Burton, whom quite politely and respectfully refused to answer the question presented by the seven reporter. While I dont necessarily approve of the illegal purchase of those medical records, they did not named the players or the club which they come from. Of course they no longer can do that due to legal action anyway but why should drug cheats be protected? The AFL refuses to admit there is any problem and uses its idiotic and outdated three strikes policy, players know they can get away with it, they can be bloody caught twice and face no significant penalty, pathetic.

lol! I always wondered about Burton, we know the man is super fit an can fly high on the field....maybe that explains why? rofl!

I hear ya Aztec and on some of the debates i heard on sports talk back radio(5AA), it sounds pretty clear to me that the AFL are powerless and or too spineless(imo) to stop it or really do anything

As one listener called in and put it, ''If it were possible for the AFL to do random DT on most if not all players at once, there would be hardly any players left on the field'' lol!

On those 'lost & found medical documents', i thought it was all clear out in the open and common knowledge that the players were from Hawthorn?...
Other clubs are now being investigated...i say good luck.

Only the names were suppressed from the media as lawyers for Hawthorn FC and players stepped in, 'doctor/patient privilege law' thingy(?)according to sports talk back, that was the only thing stopping their names going public(bet those players had no sleep the night before lol!)

I disagree Aztec... maybe not with the concept of them getting away with too much, but I think punishment in these cases is a secondary need to education and possible rehabilitation. Taking away someones life isn't going to encourage them to work through their problems, it punishes them and does NOTHING to help them. There is no word saying these people are Drug "cheats", as it could be anything.. including things that actually harm performance. If its steroids, thats another matter.... But i am more for a three strikes policy, then I am zero tolerance.... perhaps it should be 2 strikes....

All I know is that I don't want my medical records to be known by ANYONE other then myself and my doctor, and if I was in the players shoes I would boycott channel seven... given they knowingly bought private medical record from a source who was quite obviously fishy. Imagine someone going to your work and telling your bosses and work collegues private things about you... that hasn't happened, but its the exact same scenario.

^I see your point Subby and the mess seven have gotten themselve's into is definately deserved. I dont in any way believe they should have the players medical records, however in my opinion drug cheats deserve everything they get. If they are merely caught taking recreational drugs that have no real performance-enhancing abilities, than I`m all for rehabilitation and education over punishment. Those who use drugs to enhance their abilities and give themselves an edge over their competitors deserve no chances.

From what I understand, those who use thing like steroids do NOT get 3 strikes. Justin Charles is an example.... These players that 7 are reffering to are reffering to recreational drugs..... If it was a report on who had used steroids, can't say I would be upset in it becoming public, but i am sure thats not the case....

The problem I see with all football codes and their drug policies is that there is no distinction between forms of drugs. While I do not condone the use of any drug at any time, the AFL is one side of the spectrum. Their "three strikes" policy is admirable in many respects, but it doesn't take into consideration the performance-enhancing nature of many drugs and stimulants.

While on the other side of the coin, other sports hold a much tougher approach, but also ignore the nature of the drug and will likely suspend a user for 2 years for any offense, even a minor one outside of competition.

Quite frankly, there has to be a new drugs-system drafted where they acknowledge the severity of the drug use with the severity of the sentence. Is the drug performance enhancing, or just recreational? Was the drug used within competition to give an unfair advantage, or was it outside of competition for personal use?

As I said, I don't think they should use drugs at all. But as long as there is an anti-doping agency, they should consider streamlining the punishments to coincide with the level of use and harm that the drug is actually causing to the sport.

That's my view, at least.

~ PA

To quote someone elses words on another forum..

''The three strike policy only applies to out of competition testing for illicit drugs. If anyone tests positive to any banned substance in competition, illicit or performance enhancing, they are gone.''




^^^^^^ Agree that quote should be hung up in bold lettering at every club ^^^^^

Well there you go, I didn`t know that and if you watch the news reports I doubt many others know that either. Still the three strikes policy for recreational drugs seems like one strike too many, if they get caught once, undertake all the educational and rehabilitation programs and do it again, then far more serious action needs to be taken.

Due to the lack of comments involving my favoured team am I to presume the Tigers are having another Crap season?

*sigh*

They are enjoying there use of the spoon at the moment, unless something insane happens and they beat the saints....

^Well if your mob doesn`t beat the Crows tonight, the chances of Richmond winning will become far greater. While we should beat them if we are playing for a spot in the finals, if we are not then I`d just about put some money on Richmond, their recent form has been pretty good.

Wow... didn't expect to see an AFL forum in here.

GO DEMONS!!

NEXT YEAR.

THE YEAR OF THE DEMON.

Think you can make it up to 10th huh?

Im with you Aztec, if adelaide win tonight.... I would pick richmond to beat the saints.

.... And I shall pick rihcmond it seems. Sorry saints

Oh, and now we are destined to play either Adelaide or Sydney at the mcg next week...

^Hopefully you get obliterated by the largest margin in history.

Well at least we went out with a win for Gehrig and Thompson who are both retiring. Gehrig's decision was quite a shock as he manged 5 goals in his final game and could easily play just as well if not better if he played on next year. Hopefully this will give Fergus Watts his chance as he's a big forward who consistently kicked big scores for Casey in the VFL. Hamill also if he ever recovers will help to fill the hole left by the mighty G-train.

POWER sink DOCKERS...they are SUPER-CHARGED and ready for the finals.

The amount of stars retiring this year is huge..... What an impressive team they would be on paper

I was at a friends watching that game Fri night Sub, i just want to say how freaking @*%+#@ off i was(and some) that the MAGPIES didn't bury those Scare CROWS. They did something very similar to this in '97 under the legendary Blight when they became one of only a few teams to come from 10th place and win the flag...go figure.

As for the SAINTS, they did everything right to make the 8 but unfortunately the MAGPIES were done by the Cows...bad luck Aztec.


I'm not sure of the FINALS line up fixtures, but i do know theplay the WEST COAST EAGLES @ home first up

Just bringing forward that small prediction i made of who'll make the top 8 on 16th of July...pretty good eh...

*cough*

now, that means I got 8 from eight.... if you dont count the fact I picked 9 teams

LOL!

I know Sub but 6 out of 8 ain't bad i guess...it levels me off with your 2 'maybes'?...

I managed 7-of-8. I didn't think Adelaide had it in them to make it. If they had lost just once, I'd have had 8-from-8, lol. Oh well. Sydney had a good win against Hawthorn to end the regular season. Watch out Subby, we're coming for you!

Bring it on!

I am hoping we can make it three from three against you this year

i'm not. lol!

Who have the MAGPIES got first up?....or the complete line up for this weekend?

All i know is the POWER play WEST COAST EAGLES at home...i'm one eyed in that way ya know. lol!

The games are....

Cats vs Roos
Port vs Eagles
Hawthorn vs Crows
Collingwood vs Swans

Loser of cats/roos plays with winner of Hawks/crows..... Winner of pies/swans plays the loser of port/eagles....

Thanks Subby.

Then my online UM tips are:

ROOS over CATS (shock)

HAWKS OVER CROWS (desperately hoping)

MAGPIES OVER SWANS ( killer fan base will see them over the line)

Last but best of all OVER EAGLES

Well as long as both Geelong and Collingwood dont win the GF I`ll be one happy camper.

I am hoping the Roos win as after all they have been through with all the naysayers they deserve it. It may be the last time as a Victorian club they can win the cup, the Gold Coast beckons.