Will the West Coast Eagles Tank?
This weekend West Coast Eagles who are 15th (with 4 wins for the season) are playing 16th side in Melbourne. The big question is now should they try and win or loose (tank) and get a bonus draft pick?
A fan would probably hope for a close honourable lose BUT from a pure football point of view you would hope for a win as it will douse the tanking issue after Carlton famousily tanked last year to get an extra draft pick and used it pick up a star in the trade market.
Personally I hate the rule but a lose will mean the Eagles get an extra pick in the top 20 (as I doubt they will win against Hawthorn and Geelong) and a chance to pick up a future star or use it for the trade (meat) market with Kerr reportly wanting out. This will help them rise to the finals quicker before the two new teams come into the competition.
What do you think will happen?
The running on the ground situation for 100th goal
The second interesting situation is would you run on the ground when Buddy Franklin and Brendon Fevola kick their hundredth goal? Personally I would and from past experience no amount of fines, security guards and plans to whisk them off would stop the fans do a timeless tradition.
The AFL has imo ruined the tradition of having a kick on the ground after the game and now they want to ruin this one?
The last time a player has kicked 100 or more goals in a season is 2004 when the G-train did it. This season has seen the return of the key forwards with Lloyd back in form, Buddy and Franklin potentially reaching 100 goals and emergence of others like Roughead, Bradshaw, Pavlich and Brown.
Interesting is that Mathew Llyod a full forward who has been there done that, would like to see it happen and ex-Swans player Ryan Fitzgerald (now channel 10 funny man) himself injured and sitting in the stands when Lockett kicked his 100th run out and congratulated him with the fans.
It will be interesting as in two weeks time Buddy plays West Coast in Perth and although Buddy is a WA boy, I am sure he would get more reaction from the fans in round 20 or 22 when he plays in Melbourne. He needs 9 goals, which he could be a chance against Richmond.
Fevola needs 16 more and they play against North Melbourne (Telstra Dome), Brisbane Lions (Gabba) and then Hawthorn (Telstra Dome). Would it not be a perfect situation to see them both kick their 100th goal in their round 22 match against each others teams.
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August 14th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Two interesting articles about these situations:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24178417-23211,00.html?from=public_rss
About how Melbourne are actually favourites to beat the Tanking Eagles.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24178326-23211,00.html?from=public_rss
Grant Thomas having a whing about his final loss in 2004, he is now blaming the invasion for his team loosing. No mention that his team is built on individuals that only play and think for themselves…
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