Live blog: St Kilda's body blow

28 comments

• Hi Rohan,
  Just a quick point about the sub rule. Under the old rule, an injury meant 22v21. Now an injury is 21v21 but other team still has advantage of bring in fresh legs later so one inequity is merely being replaced by another. Why can't the AFL just accept that injurys are bad luck that can happen to anyone at any time?

  Commenter

  Mal

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:05PM

• What do you make of the Gold Coast in the next couple of years? Looking at their fixture, there's probably a bare minimum of a dozen absolute beltings awaiting them this season. Will their supporters/potential supporters be around to jump on when they eventually become a competitive side?

  They're competing with a rugby league side that has been competitive since joining the NRL, so I would think that once the novelty of an AFL side wears off on the locals, they might find things more difficult than may have been anticipated.

  Commenter

  js

  Location

  Melbourne

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:07PM

• Hi Mal,

  That's a really good point. I suppose you might argue it's less of an inequity than effectively playing one short, but there's still a definite disadvantage. One of the problems with this rule is that the AFL and a lot of clubs are disputing the intent. The league reckon it has nothing to do with aesthetics, the clubs insist it has. My biggest beef was simply that it was an important rule introduced without even a trial.

  Commenter

  Rohan Connolly

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:11PM

• Without Lenny, Saints are GAWN.

  Hi Rohan,
  What margin would make tomorrow night an 'honourable loss' for Carlton?

  Commenter

  Stamos

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:12PM

• Hey Rohan where are the Saints at? Is the window closed for them?

  Commenter

  Gazelle

  Location

  City

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:12PM

• Rohan people are going around saying that Collingwood will go through undefeated. Are they unbeatable??

  Commenter

  Gazelle

  Location

  City

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:14PM

• Hi JS,

  I'm told by the people who have watched all these kids closely that they're going to be certain "hits". But boy they looked out of their league last Saturday night. Obviously that will change with experience, fitness and conditioning. But it is asking what supporters they do have to exercise a lot of patience, in unfamiliar football territory, and, as you say, competing against an established NRL side. I think they a long haul ahead of them, and GWS an even longer one. Remember that it took Sydney a good 20 years to establish a secure and relatively successful market.

  Commenter

  Rohan Connolly

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:24PM

• Hi Rohan, I did write about this last week but it wasn't posted, I shall try and tone it down.. What are your thoughts on the concussion rule and consequences?, surely if you don't want to get hurt, or brain damaged for that matter, don't play footy. Or wear a helmet. A really big one.

  Commenter

  Rhonda

  Location

  Port Melbourne

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:31PM

• Hi Stamos,

  Don't know if they "gawn", but they're certainly in a bit of strife. Think they really need to freshen things up with the likes of Steven, Stanley, Lynch, Smith and Ledger (injured at the moment). Good test for Carlton this week, not beyond the realms they could win it, and I think anything under five goals would be pretty respectable.

  Commenter

  Rohan Connolly

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:32PM

• Hey Rohan, always like your blog, promised my cousin I would ask you this.. why has the AFL given another team to Queensland when they don't even have a recognised footy league up there? What about Tasmania, they seem very passionate about their local footy...? When will their turn come?

  Commenter

  Liam

  Location

  Richmond

  Date and time

  April 07, 2011, 12:34PM

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