AFL Finals Week 1

[Stumps]

they are very average when they travel by the looks but will be a tough opposition at the doom

[Rik E Boy]

Blah blah blah Port, Port, Port, West Coast, Sydney, West Coast, Sydney, Adelaide.....

I happen to think we might do rather well.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

Blah blah blah Port, Port, Port, West Coast, Sydney, West Coast, Sydney, Adelaide.....

I happen to think we might do rather well.

regards,

REB

IF you get past this week....

[Hondo]

Yes, the Hawks have it tough. Have to play at a ground 5km from their 'home' ground. That 'home' ground is not the ground they train at during the week, mind you .... it's just one of the 2 inner city grounds that all Melbourne-based teams get allocated to. And despite having played 6 games at the Dome this season it must be completely foreign to to them especially having to travel such a huge distance compared to their normal routine .....



Come on ..! Put the violins away

[Sojourner]

Of all the other seven sides that finished in the finals, Hawthorn is a good one for the Crows to be pitted against. The Crows have beaten them before and the Hawks lack finals experience which could go in the Crows favour.

Still Hawthorn didnt finish as finalists by accident, they are well coached and hungry for success. The physical hunger that they have for a flag could well see them make the GF as the Crows did in 97.

[TroyGFC]

Port- 15points
Crows- 43points (hope not though!!!)
North Melbourne- 4points
Collingwood- 1point in a thriller

[CUTTERMAN]

Of all the other seven sides that finished in the finals, Hawthorn is a good one for the Crows to be pitted against. The Crows have beaten them before and the Hawks lack finals experience which could go in the Crows favour.

Still Hawthorn didnt finish as finalists by accident, they are well coached and hungry for success. The physical hunger that they have for a flag could well see them make the GF as the Crows did in 97.

Adelaide will be confidant playing at the Dome and against the Hawks. Will the Hawks be focused?

[Dutchy]

Yes, the Hawks have it tough. Have to play at a ground 5km from their 'home' ground. That 'home' ground is not the ground they train at during the week, mind you .... it's just one of the 2 inner city grounds that all Melbourne-based teams get allocated to. And despite having played 6 games at the Dome this season it must be completely foreign to to them especially having to travel such a huge distance compared to their normal routine .....



Come on ..! Put the violins away

Hondo....Hawks have played at the TD 5 times, it is not their home ground and as you said they dont train on it, Crows have played on the TD 4 times this year, once less than the Hawks "Home Ground"....the Hawks have every right to be pissed off here, they finish 3 spots higher than the Crows but dont get to play on their home ground the MCG where they have a 6-1 record, add to this they are on a 6 day break with travel playing the Crows off a 8 day break....shouldnt the team that finishes higher get the advantages here?

[Aerie]

They should have had the Port/WC on Fri night, Geel/Kang Sat arvo @ Kardinia Park, Coll/Syd MCG Sat night and Hawks/Crows Sun at MCG.

[Hondo]

Hondo....Hawks have played at the TD 5 times, it is not their home ground and as you said they dont train on it, Crows have played on the TD 4 times this year, once less than the Hawks "Home Ground"....the Hawks have every right to be pissed off here, they finish 3 spots higher than the Crows but dont get to play on their home ground the MCG where they have a 6-1 record, add to this they are on a 6 day break with travel playing the Crows off a 8 day break....shouldnt the team that finishes higher get the advantages here?

They don't train at the G is what I meant - they train at Waverley. These 'home grounds' at the G and TD are mostly token allocations IMO and not home grounds in the true sense of the word like Kardinia Park is for the Cats.

And in terms of where the Hawks played most of their games - you are right about 5 games at TD, but they only played at the G 8 times (6-2 record) - only 3 more times! Their 6 wins at the G have come against Melbourne, St Kilda, Richmond, Essendon (twice), Brisbane - no side in top 8 there hardly a house of pain for them.

Their record at TD is 4-1 including wins over top 8 sides in Kangaroos and Collingwood. That's a 80% strike rate v 75% at the G.

Finally, surely you agree they have an advantage over the Crows in terms of not having to travel interstate?

If they are good enough to go through to the next round they would win at either TD or MCG IMO

Please send all violins c/- AAMI Stadium

[CUTTERMAN]

Telstra Dome or MCG what does it matter? Hawthorn wont get a large crowd at the G so the Dome will be better and everyone has to play second fiddle to Collingwood anyway

[Dutchy]

Hondo....Hawks have played at the TD 5 times, it is not their home ground and as you said they dont train on it, Crows have played on the TD 4 times this year, once less than the Hawks "Home Ground"....the Hawks have every right to be pissed off here, they finish 3 spots higher than the Crows but dont get to play on their home ground the MCG where they have a 6-1 record, add to this they are on a 6 day break with travel playing the Crows off a 8 day break....shouldnt the team that finishes higher get the advantages here?

They don't train at the G is what I meant - they train at Waverley. These 'home grounds' at the G and TD are mostly token allocations IMO and not home grounds in the true sense of the word like Kardinia Park is for the Cats.

And in terms of where the Hawks played most of their games - you are right about 5 games at TD, but they only played at the G 8 times (6-2 record) - only 3 more times! Their 6 wins at the G have come against Melbourne, St Kilda, Richmond, Essendon (twice), Brisbane - no side in top 8 there hardly a house of pain for them.

Their record at TD is 4-1 including wins over top 8 sides in Kangaroos and Collingwood. That's a 80% strike rate v 75% at the G.

Finally, surely you agree they have an advantage over the Crows in terms of not having to travel interstate?

If they are good enough to go through to the next round they would win at either TD or MCG IMO

Please send all violins c/- AAMI Stadium

AAMI stadium...hmmm...theres the point, no interestate team plays on the ground 4 times during the year to get used to it like the Crows have the advantage of this week, there is little home ground advantage for the Vic teams....

[rod_rooster]

As a Hawks fan it is not really the ideal result having to play at the Dome off a 6 day break and having travel. Having said that it is all pretty irrelevant as the sides 5 - 8 are just making up the numbers. None of them are anywhere near good enough to worry Geelong and even if they were it is virtually impossible to do much damage from outside the top 4. Hawthorn had their chances this season to cement a top 4 berth but at the end of the day simply were not good enough. Not many sides that cough up a 2 goal lead with 90 seconds left on the clock achieve anything substantial. Kangaroos are much more deserving of finishing in the top 4 IMHO and are a genuine chance form there too.

[MatteeG]

As a Hawks fan it is not really the ideal result having to play at the Dome off a 6 day break and having travel. Having said that it is all pretty irrelevant as the sides 5 - 8 are just making up the numbers. None of them are anywhere near good enough to worry Geelong and even if they were it is virtually impossible to do much damage from outside the top 4. Hawthorn had their chances this season to cement a top 4 berth but at the end of the day simply were not good enough. Not many sides that cough up a 2 goal lead with 90 seconds left on the clock achieve anything substantial. Kangaroos are much more deserving of finishing in the top 4 IMHO and are a genuine chance form there too.

Unfortunately Rod- I can only agree!

God I hope the 'team' that turned up at the SCG yesterday doesnt return this week, or ever again...

[RustyCage]

TAB:

PA $1.72
WC $2.00

Adel $1.68
Haw $2.05

Coll $2.05
Syd $1.68

Geel $1.20
NM $4.00

[Hondo]

AAMI stadium...hmmm...theres the point, no interestate team plays on the ground 4 times during the year to get used to it like the Crows have the advantage of this week, there is little home ground advantage for the Vic teams....

Dutchy do you think the Hawks would prefer to play at TD or AAMI this weekend?

[Booney]

Blah blah blah Port, Port, Port, West Coast,

I happen to think we might do rather well.

regards,

REB

They did finish Second and Third.

You just might do rather well,I expect Geelong to.MIGHT.

[McAlmanac]

AAMI stadium...hmmm...theres the point, no interestate team plays on the ground 4 times during the year to get used to it like the Crows have the advantage of this week, there is little home ground advantage for the Vic teams....

Dutchy do you think the Hawks would prefer to play at TD or AAMI this weekend?

No, Football Park doesn't come into the equation because Adelaide didn't finish above Hawthorn.

The question is - where would Hawthorn like to play their home final? Because as it currently stands, they don't get a choice. One team out of Collingwood and Hawthorn had to play at the Dome - do you reckon if the same situation comes about next year that the fixtures would be reversed? Not on your nellie - it's all about money and television.

[Dutchy]

Why did there have to be a game at the Dome?...still think Adelaide/Hawks would get 65,000 at the G

Hondo, Hawks would gladly play at AAMI if they had played here 5 times this season for a 4-1 record....

[Hondo]

Hondo, Hawks would gladly play at AAMI if they had played here 5 times this season for a 4-1 record....

But that's their record at TD this season so what's the issue?

You can't seriously be suggesting that they don't have an advantage over the Crows next weekend? Hawthorn get to play the 8th best side who have to travel interstate. They clearly have an advantage from finishing 5th.

I still don't understand the issue, Melbourne-based teams have been playing finals at neutral venues for years and years and years. Did Hawthorn complain when they played Melbourne in the 1988 GF at Melbourne's home ground? It's ridiculous. If they are a serious contender they won't give 2-hoots whether they play at the G or the TD 5km up the road IMO.