AFL, Round 2 {R}

[babytiger2001]

The games being played this upcoming weekend:

Friday, April 2, 2004
Melbourne vs Richmond, at MCG, 7:30 p.m. Melbourne time

Saturday, April 3, 2004
Collingwood vs Western Bulldogs, at MCG, 2 p.m. Melbourne time
Adelaide vs Brisbane, at AAMI Stadium, 2 p.m. Adelaide time
West Coast vs Port Adelaide, at Subiaco, 2 p.m. Perth time
Essendon vs St Kilda, at Telstra Dome, 7 p.m. Melbourne time

Sunday, April 4, 2004
Sydney vs Fremantle, at SCG, 1 p.m. Sydney time
Carlton vs Geelong, at Optus Oval, 2 p.m. Melbourne time
Hawthorn vs Kangaroos, at MCG, 2 p.m. Melbourne time

Also, bear in mind that for us here in Australia, daylight savings time has either ended or kicked in. In any event, summer hours are over. We set our clocks back one hour as of last Sunday morning in the wee hours-- so as far as the live kickoffs and witnessing them in the USA is concerned, set your mental clocks accordingly via your time zones.

Free live audio available from the league's official site, www.afl.com.au.

[babytiger2001]

Geelong have to face Calton without Sanderson, Graham and Milburn.

Key Cats trio to miss one -- afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=matchdetails&spg=display&articleid=140132)

And that's with the club already missing Steven King and David Loats in the ruck division.

So minus King and Sanderson, Cameron Ling is in line to captain the Cats for the first time.

With some tough games coming up, this has to be a do-or-die game for Geelong, if any kind of game like that ever existed two rounds into the season.

Time for kittens to be leaders -- The Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,9149435%255E19766,00.html)

And Geelong FC CEO Brian Cook finally admitted last night that coach Mark Thompson's job may be on the line if the club doesn't start winning or playing consistently well...

Crunch time for Cats -- The Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,9149431%255E11088,00.html)

[babytiger2001]

Round Two teams -- afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141044)

And up to seven changes for Geelong, although three of the players named will have to be dropped to get down to the 22-man squad limit for Sunday's game against Carlton.

And now, with it being Thursday night, it's off to watch "The Footy Show". :D

[babytiger2001]

Weekend tips:

Melbourne to be beaten by Richmond
Collingwood to beat W. Bulldogs
Adelaide to be beaten by Brisbane
West Coast to beat Port Adel.
Essendon to be beaten by St. Kilda
Sydney to beat Fremantle
Carlton to be beaten by Geelong
Hawthorn to beat Kangaroos

However, bear in mind that I only went 4/8 last weekend.

[BhoysFC1995]

Weekend tips:

Melbourne to be beaten by Richmond
Collingwood to beat W. Bulldogs
Adelaide to be beaten by Brisbane
Essendon to be beat by St. Kilda
Sydney to beat Fremantle


However, bear in mind that I only went 4/8 last weekend.

well, i guess i will pick only the ones i think will be right. btw, i differ with you on the bombers.

[babytiger2001]

well, i guess i will pick only the ones i think will be right. btw, i differ with you on the bombers.

I guess I'll have to defend my tip of St. Kilda, then. :)

Essendon's a club that doesn't have a heck of a lot of confidence right now, judging from the way they played (poorly) against Port Adelaide.

And they're bringing in an entirely new back line, and that would play right into the Saints' hands. Fraser Gehrig may have another field day, just as he did against Geelong.

That, and the fact that an unchanged St. Kilda side is brimming with confidence right now.

[babytiger2001]

Friday Night Football, Melbourne v Richmond (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141180)

The two co-tenants at the MCG squared off in a high-scoring match last night.

Do not highlight, if you don't want to know the result...

Melbourne: 20.15 (135)
Richmond: 12.4 (76)

Four matches today, and this is looking like an enthralling round, already.

[babytiger2001]

And just when Essendon are getting some players back for its match against St. Kilda, the Bombers will be missing gun midfielder Jason Johnson tonight.

Injured Johnson sidelined -- The Age (http://realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690523.html)

Big loss, indeed...

[BhoysFC1995]

jeez, what the heck happened to richmond?!?!!? i guess they looked/played nothing like the first week.

[babytiger2001]

jeez, what the heck happened to richmond?!?!!? i guess they looked/played nothing like the first week.

When Matthew Richardson fails to take marks and kick goals, they are in a whole heap of trouble. Was the story the last two seasons, and remains their tale of woe this season, even with the help of Nathan Brown.

Go back to 2001, when the Tigers went to the last four of the finals-- no wonder they did, with "Richo" having his best season. Danny Frawley's tactics are geared around Richardson's abilities to take marks and kick goals, and when the Tigers fall behind, they get into trouble.

By the way, for anyone viewing this thread at this moment, Collingwood v Western Bulldogs is on now... free live audio, scores and stats on the AFL's site.

[babytiger2001]

Partial scores from Saturday afternoon...

Halftime, at the MCG:
Collingwood 5.8 (38)
Western Bulldogs 8.11 (59)

2nd quarter, at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide:
Adelaide 3.2 (20)
Brisbane 8.6 (54)

Crows starting to recover after a poor opening quarter at home...

[babytiger2001]

Saturday afternoon full-time score at the MCG:
Collingwood 15.16 (106)
Western Bulldogs 13.19 (97)

Report coming right up...

[babytiger2001]

More Saturday updates...

Full time at AAMI Stadium, Adelaide:
Brisbane 15.14 (104)
Adelaide 11.17 (83)

Post-match report -- afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141204)

And from the Collingwood-Western Bulldogs match...

Post-match from the MCG -- afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141203)

[babytiger2001]

Saturday night footy...

At Telstra Dome, Melbourne:
Essendon 8.12 (60)
St. Kilda 13.16 (94)

Post-match report -- from afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141223)

And out west, at Subiaco Oval in Perth:
West Coast 17.13 (115)
Port Adelaide 18.10 (118)

Report forthcoming on that latter game...

[babytiger2001]

Sunday's scores-- and while my tipping for the weekend took a huge hit, I am very, very, very particularly unhappy about one of these scores (guess which one... clue: I was there in the front row to witness yet another massive injustice)...

At the SGC, Sydney:
Sydney 15.12 (102)
Fremantle 10.11 (71)

Report from afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141310)

At the MCG:
Hawthorn 11.8 (74)
North Melbourne 15.13 (103)

Report from afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141293)

And at Optus Oval, Carlton:
Carlton 16.8 (104)
Geelong 6.14 (50) :mad:

Report, from afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=141315)

I'll vent later, maybe in the morning, about that last result. And heaven forbid should my wife find this thread... she's just as livid, or at least as much.

I will say this-- you know things get pretty bad when a seven-year-old sledges you at halftime, and it affects you. :eek:

[babytiger2001]

And from late Saturday...

Out west, at Subiaco Oval in Perth:
West Coast 17.13 (115)
Port Adelaide 18.10 (118)

Report from afl.com.au (http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=matchresults&spg=display&articleid=141241)

[ScouseCat]

Geelong's season is in tatters after a disgraceful performance against Carlton on the weekend. With the Cats 0-2 after two rounds and trips to Sydney and Fremantle in the next three weeks, our season threatens to follow a similar path to that of last season, where we lost 8 of our first 10 games. I've never been more embarassed then I was on the weekend to support Geelong, and that's saying something. It's fair enough when we play well but lose to a better side, but no way in hell are Carlton a better side then Geelong, and we now have to ask serious questions of our young players and whether they can stand up every week and perform at a high level.

Bring on the cricket! :(

[ScouseCat]

But having said all that, injuries to King, (captain) Ablett, Milburn, Sanderson, (vice captain) Graham, Riccardi, Steve Johnson and Loats haven't helped our cause. All of these players would get into our starting 22, so to lose them all at once has really stuffed us up bigtime.