at half time i thought i was pretty right about Carlton but had wildly over-estimated Sydney. Then that third quarter happened and Sydney look top 4 and Vossy became roaring favourite for first coach sacked (if he wasn't already).
Sydney won't have it that easy often this year, and relying on Amartey up front is not going to get you far. But a 10 goal win when you only kick two in the first half is a pretty good start to the season.
Also, and it's my own fault for watching on Ch7, but by christ the commentary sucked. During the 2nd half bloodbath it was all about what Carlton can do to come back next week instead of excitement of the home team flogging fuck through them.
Then in the post match in an effort ot create a sweet narrative, they had the audacity to compary Curnow's debut to Buddy Fucking Franklin. Get the fuck out of here
i think the reality check...the moment i knew this wouldnt be the norm...that it said more about the blues than us....was when grundy kicks a goal from the forward pocket.....i assume he was trying to sub off and the ball landing in his lap
Geelong flogged. Suns really good, Petracca looks happy and lethal. Still get to ad Matt Rowell to that midfield. Oof
Lions lose R1 in a cracking game, Bulldogs win a close one against a good side. unheard of. Lions also lose 3 to suspension which doesn't make for a fun trip to Sydney.
Collingwood beat St Kilda in a scrappy one in front of a huge Sunday night crowd.
my sadness at Carlton getting a win is tempered by the fact that it was Tom lynch that cost the Tigers the victory.
@mariner4life said in AFL 2026:
my sadness at Carlton getting a win is tempered by the fact that it was Tom lynch that cost the Tigers the victory.
Apparently a million dollar player. Can't fucking kick straight.
They aren't really paying anyone else, bar Taranto. But yeah was pretty ridiculous.
Carlton veer violently from playing decent footy (1st half) to some of the worst you've ever seen. Vossy's half time talks must really be something.
i reckon the only difference was Carlton jumped Richmond at the start because they at least had a game under their belts
They jumped Sydney as well last week, though. And they were a good first half team last year.
and the Bloods keep marching on !
comprehensively beating the reigning champs....although...another game where we effectively had one outstanding quarter and then coasted
think it was 2024 where we did the same, made the final on the back of one outstanding quarter a game...and then got embarrassed
Sydney and the Bulldogs are very good. Gold Coast too, who basically took the 2nd half off yesterday against a reserve grade side.
As for the rest? Hawthorn bounced back, but GWS regressed. Geelong got a win after trailing at home for ages. Collingwood lost this week. Could be pretty even through the middle of the comp this year.
Essendon still suck. Carlton still suck. North got a big win. St Kilda have spent all teh money to start even worse than usual.
Tough start for the Lions. Get the two early season form teams, and get a bunch of guys suspended. Not too fussed really, very early days.
Yeah that's it, so early on. Ultimately, though, we know what the comp is.
Good teams: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Geelong
Decent teams: Bulldogs, Freo, Adelaide, Hawthorn
OK teams: Collingwood, GWS
Bad teams: Melbourne, St Kilda, Carlton, Richmond, North, Port
Really bad teams: Essendon
West Coast: West Coast
flicked between both codes last night, should have stuck with the AFL. Quality game, teh running and pressure were elite for round 3 (2). The first quarter was ridiculous, but even at the death Hawthorn just never let any Sydney player have any time to generate a decent forward 50 entry.
Curnow had opportunities but he's just not good enough to be the man.
Good win for Hawthorn, both teams will go deep in to September.
Freo are having an All Blacks type moment.
They have a player on a $1m plus deal, who is not getting the job done, but getting the start.
And they have another player who is getting it done, in the reserves; but on the minimum.
Pro sports!
Freo are having an All Blacks type moment.
They have a player on a $1m plus deal, who is not getting the job done, but getting the start.
And they have another player who is getting it done, in the reserves; but on the minimum.
Pro sports!
Lol, I know next to nothing about the game. I rely on this thread and guys at work to tell me what's happening. I have a long way to go.
Got myself a Freo season ticket though, and found last nights game quite entertaining. It's a lot easier to watch when you have a team to follow.
The Eagles got up too, a good weekend for the sides from the West!
@African-Monkey said in AFL 2026:
Got myself a Freo season ticket
A Freo season ticket!!!
Fuuuuuuuuuck . . . you just put yourself up for the infliction of a large amount of mental torture.
@African-Monkey said in AFL 2026:
Got myself a Freo season ticket
A Freo season ticket!!!
Fuuuuuuuuuck . . . you just put yourself up for the infliction of a large amount of mental torture.
So I keep getting told lol. They're less successful, cheaper to follow, and have a smaller fanbase, hence why I chose them haha.
appallingly scheduled round of football. With the teams on the bye, all interest in the round was over by Friday night (after a belter of a game).
West Coast beating North was funny, especially because now Essengton have the longest active winless streak.
@African-Monkey said in AFL 2026:
So I keep getting told lol. They're less successful, cheaper to follow, and have a smaller fanbase, hence why I chose them haha.
Freo fans are definitely "nice" fans.
And therein lies part of the problem, they are way too "huggy" for cut-throat, elite pro sport.
When they lose a big game the players get a pat on the back and a "bad-luck."
Eagles fans get f'n nasty; and if they are gettin a floggin (lots of those lately, so good) there is no one in the stadium by the final siren.
Eagles will win another premiership before the Dockers get their first (if ever).
The Darcy/Cox thing is classic.
Eagles would have already made that change.
Dockers will be "nice" about it, and give Darcy every possible chance to run into some form.
7 days later
I went to the latest Carlton meltdown on Sunday. As predictable result as you could imagine. Blues fans up and about early but you could see, despite repeated skill and decision errors from the Dees they looked better after quarter time. The 2nd half was a car crash and watching Carlton fans stream out with 10 to go was hilarious.
Big crowd at the G on a sunny sunday drinking Carlton Draughts is a pretty sweet live sport experience
As usual, Easter monday is the game of the year. Doesn't matter what shape these two teams are in leading up to any game, they always deliver an absolute belter. The last 10 minutes alone will be hard to top all year.
Elsewhere the Lions hammered the Pies, who appear to be Naicos or nothing
North continued Carlton's miserable season
The Dockers beat the Crows in Adelaide, and last year's minor premiers are struggling early,
Sydney beat West Coast like red headed step children
Melbourne obviously got a lot out of last Sunday as they upset the Suns
The Dons either showed a bit of fight, or the Dogs knocked off early. Either way it was still a 6-goal loss.
Yeah Freo!
So umm,obviously new to the game, but Garry Lyon and co. were very biased towards the Pies and slagged Freo off at every opportunity. Are they always like that?
Victorians
Victorians are easily the worst type of Aussie
Expected the Dockers to win this game.
The wobbles seldom play an away game, Freo do it all the time.
Nice overhead mark in the rain at the end there by Treacy.
Although it is good to hear the commentators whinging when the vic team loses. Soooo good.
Victorians
Victorians are easily the worst type of Aussie
Expected the Dockers to win this game.
The wobbles seldom play an away game, Freo do it all the time.
Nice overhead mark in the rain at the end there by Treacy.Although it is good to hear the commentators whinging when the vic team loses. Soooo good.
Yeah certainly nice last night, especially after they were going on and on about how Collingwood were made for big moments whilst missing 2 regulation goals, whilst going on about how Freo were cracking under pressure when Erasmus and Dudley made minor errors haha, and then to top it off after the final whistle, they went on about how courageous Collingwood were!
Yeah, big moments, but only at the MCG!
confessing Collingwood are my most despised team of any football code
having the commentators spouting a whole lot of BS after the end game is just the cream on top
South Australian commentators are the most biased
I'd almost say they are the most one-sided commentators of any sport, any where
But they are so over-the-top, it's hilarious
Victorians are just DHs
The NRL footy show (Sydney) I find quite entertaining
The AFL footy show (Melbourne) is unwatchable dross
Victorians
Victorians are easily the worst type of Aussie
Expected the Dockers to win this game.
The wobbles seldom play an away game, Freo do it all the time.
Nice overhead mark in the rain at the end there by Treacy.Although it is good to hear the commentators whinging when the vic team loses. Soooo good.
Yeah welcome to vic-centric AFL commentary.
If a big vic club is playing an out of state club, the commentary will be horrible. No matter if that team is back to back premiers.
If Collingwood are losing the commentary box will be a morgue. All comments will be about what Collingwood can do to get back in to it, otlr what Collingwood need to do for next week.
Meanwhile the Lions will kick a goal of the year contender to go up by 8 goals and they sound almost sad.
Get fucked you miserable fluffybunnies.
RIP anyone's tips this weekend.
I mean everyone tips Carlton to lose, but i still thought freo getting up was a surprise.
Lions battled past a rapidly improving North.
Gold Coast lost.
Essendon won!
Hawthorn flogged the previously flying doggies.
7 days later
a weekend of good footy and surprising results, the two biggest stories are weird as fuck.
The whole Elijah Hollands story gets worse and worse the more you see or read. I have not seen anything that paints Carlton in anything but the worst light either. I cannot wrap my head around it at all, but it's not good, and Hollands ending the weekend in hospital just compounds it. What ever the outcome is, it's clear that boy needs some serious support.
Then we get the fallout from last weekend's dumb decision. Butters gets reported by an umpire for abuse despite no corroborating evidence at all. The AFL seem to know this because they only gave him a small fine. Port appeal and win, based not on the facts of the case, but the fact that one of the Tribunal members got in his car to go to work halfway through the hearing!! Real clown show areas.
Yeah the Hollands thing is really sad. I actually feel for everyone, even the club. They wouldn't have wanted him out there if he was in crisis, it's bad for team performance if nothing else. He clearly had plenty of chats with coaches where they would have twigged if he wasn't on the planet. It's a tough one.
ive looked it up since you mentioend it, had missed it over the weekend, players are saying they were talking about it on the pitch whihc is a bit wild
Sydney are the April premiers by a long way, absolutely flying.
Hawthorn next, and the Hawks were the latest to remove the wheels from the Gold Coast.
Scott Pendlebury should not, at 38 years of age, be able to play that well on the G, rack up 43 touches and win best on ground, remarkable.
Nice of the Lions to remind everyone who they have to beat in September.
Weird seeing Geelong struggling.
Nice seeing North either winning or being very competitive.
Melbourne are good! Pickett is a gem.
@mariner4life said in AFL 2026:
Sydney are the April premiers by a long way, absolutely flying.
i was going to come in and point out im very causious we'res till replying on 1-2 outstanding quarters....but double checking and that was on of the more consistant performances, 3 goals in the first, 4 in the second, 5 in the third and 6 in the fourth
also interesting 18 behinds....kick straight and that would have been a huge score
