Ponderings of the AFL.

Footy is in an interesting time. The whole Financial thing turning clubs upside down to see if they can scape together some loose change. Shift in power (or lack thereof) with some clubs. Two coaching jobs up for grabs and who is going to take them. The list goes on.

There is a couple of things to ponder this time, I kinda went overboard last time. First of all. The Split round. As people would have guessed, I am not a fan of this. But the AFL's mind is made up, like my mothers when she said no she meant NO! If they do not want to get rid of the split round, then they are going to have to make some ammendments to make things better. This year I would have to admit it has been a lot better than previous years. The whole 6 games first week and 2 the second week is annoying! At least this year they had the first 5 first week then three the second. My question is this. Isn't a split round where you need to split the games up? That would be 4 the first week and 4 the second. Another thing is that I hate that there are no games on Saturday afternoon in each week. The whole traditions of the VFL/AFL has gone out the door. And another thing is that the MCG wasn't used (apart from soccer if you include that) for footy this round at all. HELLO! Earth to AFL! What stupidity is that! The home of football and no one answered the door! Common! My proposed changes to the split round:
1. Split the games equally. 4 games first week and you guessed it, 4 the second.
2. Have at least one game on the Saturday afternoon either or both weeks, even if one game is interstate. That's sure to keep the interstate crowd happy.
3. At least one, better if it was more games at the MCG.
4. No more than two games at Eithad. Those greedy buggers are robbing clubs like North Melbourne.
5. Divide the games between the likes of Etihad Stadium (no more than two games), MCG, TIO Stadium (traditional Bulldogs port Game), AAMI Stadium and Subiaco.
Now if you don't think that's fair then tell me!

Another thing that I thought of over the weekend was hypocity has returned to the AFL, or maybe it hadn't left. I'd have to admit Cameron Ling is not a nasty character (although if you see smoke billowing out of his ears stay clear) and yet again the crowd at Subiaco on Sunday seemed to indicate that he was. I reckon he had every right to go off and give the little "love tap" to Nic Suban (or whoever was around, just so happened to be him). Basically I thought that there as nothing mallice in the incident and a reprimand was the best fitting punishment for it, for once the AFL got something right. Anyway what I'm getting at it that the Fremantle crowd booed him every time, and well that is their right (I probably would do the same) but they have got to remember that Dean Soloman king hit Cameron Ling last year in a gruesome incident, that was only a tap. And well if they want to make a big deal out of something small compared to the Soloman/Ling incident then there is so much the Cats supporters can do to Dean Soloman if he's game to return to Skilled Stadium round 22 this year. I personally am not endorsing what Ling did, I'm just saying that there are worser incidents than that to be booing Ling, grow up Fremantle!

This is a thing that I am debating constantly with others. The question of: Should Sydney bottom out? My answer's yes, definately yes! People are debating that if they bottom out then they are going to lose significant dollars from the AFL to keep them running. What I mean by Bottoming out is performance wise. I don't mean that they should do it in the next year or two but I'm saying that if they do do it in the next couple of years then it would be nothing to worry about. To me with the list that Sydney has they really need to revamp it! How? Well stop trying to carry aging players, not only is it bad for your back, it's bad for your club! Mind you there would be some players that I would keep, but there are some I would get rid of. Barry Hall. Ever since his "brain fade" against West Coast he has been a different player. He needs to seriously look at his future. I personally would be very reluctant to keep him moving forward. Michael O'lauchlan is set to retire, but fit I would keep him. Leo Barry to me has had his day and also needs to seriously consider his future. Brett Kirk however I would definately keep. He is the hub of that midfield. You need to bring youth into the picture and I don't think they have enough of that to go forward. To me Fremantle has finally got their act together and played kids. Those kids are to me exciting and are going to be their future moving forward. No more experiments Sydney, look at your own backyard to unearth that treasure!

Well I think that's it for now. Any comments email me carefactor0@live.com.au.

Catch ya!