The draw will have no affect on whether we make finals or not...we made the 8 in '09 which was Ratts's goal and now the aim must be higher with no excuses...not Fev leaving and certainly not the order in which you play certain teams. Time for the boys running the off field to step up and come up with the goods...they have the players...getting the most out of them is the challenge now. Big year for Ratts and his support staff...they have a lot of areas in which to improve.

If they don't want to show the matches, then they shouldn't have bid for the rights.

The AFL have let non-Victorian AFL followers down by not insisting that matches be played live, or 1 hour delay at most.

So you're saying the commercial stations are serious about ratings when they play the umpeenth repeat of "Bad Boys" or "Kindergarten Cop"? Get real.

+1 and I can't believe I'm backing J&K.

Regards Cazzesman

Nonsense of the highest degree.

Hypothetically (and stretching it to the limit), playing Geelong for 22 rounds would have no effect on our chances??

Or conversely, Melbourne for 22 rounds?

Of course who you play has an effect on your chances!!

Saying it doesn't is like saying Kiss's Sonic Boom is a rip snorter of an album.

Nonsense of the highest degree.

Hypothetically (and stretching it to the limit), playing Geelong for 22 rounds would have no effect on our chances??

Or conversely, Melbourne for 22 rounds?

Of course who you play has an effect on your chances!!

Saying it doesn't is like saying Kiss's Sonic Boom is a rip snorter of an album.

Ouch...the first five rounds are the important bit. We need to be in the mix after round five.

Richmond -possible win ...(younever know as Richmond could be recharged with new coach) - If we can't beat Richmond any time of the year with or without Judd, I'm sorry, it is unacceptable
Lions in Brisbane - will be hard to win - agree, but we have a good recent record against them. I'd say 50:50
Essendon* and umpires via 3 50 metre penalties per game - will be hard to win. Disagree. We should beat them twice next year, there are no excuses. We know what they dish up, we are better than them.
Adelaide - haven't beaten them since 2004 - unlikely to win. Agree
Geelong - unlikely to win. Agree

I hope they win at least three of these matches - perhaps richmond, lions, Essendon*...
but it doesn't look rosy....i just hope we start well. It is important.

In that market those movies would rate better then a Carlton game. Be realistic, fine to blame the AFL but don't complain about the networks.

Turps analysis 2010

Next year we have been dealt a heavy blow by the AFL in the turps department. Probably the worst in our history.

Only 4 Saturday games in 21 rounds and one of those is an interstate game. Only 2 of those are membership games. 5 of our home games are on a Sunday.

So here we go:

3 Genuine turpsings - Saturday heavy beer

3 At home turpsings – interstate games with day off next day

6 Midstrength games – one of those on a Sunday

5 Mild Turpsings – Sunday – heavy beer

4 Non Turpsings – Thursday or Monday, no public holiday next day.


6 out of 21 games are possible frothathons.

Thus our turps ratio for 2010 is a measly 28.6%

Turps analysis 2010

Next year we have been dealt a heavy blow by the AFL in the turps department. Probably the worst in our history.

Only 4 Saturday games in 21 rounds and one of those is an interstate game. Only 2 of those are membership games. 5 of our home games are on a Sunday.

So here we go:

3 Genuine turpsings - Saturday heavy beer

3 At home turpsings – interstate games with day off next day

6 Midstrength games – one of those on a Sunday

5 Mild Turpsings – Sunday – heavy beer

4 Non Turpsings – Thursday or Monday, no public holiday next day.


6 out of 21 games are possible frothathons.

Thus our turps ratio for 2010 is a measly 28.6%

Oh ye of little faith.

Our key players are still young and getting better. Relative to the rest of the teams that finished around us last year, we should be improving. Regardless of whether or not Fevola's gone.

I see no reason why we can't win two more H&A games than last year. No reason at all.

The midfield will be stronger. The backline (surely) will be more settled. We've lost ONE player from the forward line. And I don't give a rats if that player was a big full forward. Over-rated commodities in today's game.

We'll miss Juddy for the first few weeks, but as the season progresses, his body will be all the better for a late start.

Lots of ruck options. Waite back in the team. McLean to add an important edge to the midfield.

The fixture is ok. From a financial viewpoint, it's not so great. What's with the lack of Friday night football? But when you play finals you have to expect a harder draw than when you finish in the bottom half.

Getting a few tougher games (on paper) up front isn't the end of the world. Early on, sometimes the better teams are vulnerable. Whatever.

I reckon we'll enjoy the ride this year. I'm predicting a breakthrough season for this team. This TEAM... which is what we'll be developing.

Get through the first three weeks with a win (or two? maybe) and then on Thursday night we see:

IN: Judd

How effing good is that going to be.

Waite getting his confidence back, Yarran showing us what he's got, Hampson a year better, Kruezer Gibbs Bower Murphy showing more all the time, Henderson to grow into his new role, McLean and AJ taking no prisoners in the middle, 206 finally getting a run, Walker for the whole season...

We even get to beat the Scum twice.

C'mon. It's gonna be freaking awesome!

Good call

Can't believe how many posters are still moaning about Fev's departure - HE'S GONE GET OVER IT !!!!!

As for the toughness of our draw I will bet you any money just about every other team has groups of negative supporters whining about their "incredibly hard and unfair" draws too.

The thing is this: it's time we put away the excuses and the pre ordained reasons we are going to fail (Fev gone, young list, hard draw, window still a couple of years away) and got on with the job of winning games consistently and playing at an acceptable level week in week out. This doesn't mean we have to win every week but it does mean we have to be able to walk off the field with the knowledge we have given it our best shot win or lose.

All those posters saying finals are unlikely and that losing Fev has set us back a year or more need to pull their heads in.

We have as good a crop of young talent as any side in the league - now it's time for these guys to stand up and show us how good they really are.

PS: The thought of Hampson/Kreuzer and Henderson (although I'm speculating about him) having the ball delivered to them with some precision by our midfielders with the likes of Eddie, Yarran and Garlett ready to pick up the crumbs makes me drool.

NOW THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!!!!!!

we have every line covered