Opinion AFL 2025 Round 5 - Weekend Wrap & Liked, Learnt, Hated

[voorhees]

liked - Adelaide put up another successful gather round.- great crowds and atmosphere around town.

learnt - massive gap between handful of clubs and the rest.
- W.C need draft assistance, but don't deserve assistance.

hated- G.C guernsey, but hey a win is a win.

 

[Osho]

Bravo to all involved for putting on another South Australia Round Gather Round. Apologies most of the visiting teams insulted your hospitality with some poor displays of Australian Rules football. Sigh. Let’s wrap it up…

Crows v Cats, Thursday night: Big admirer of the Crows, but they do seem a little easy to score against. The Cats piled on the goals late in the first half and again late in the second to come away with a fine win away from home. Proving the doubters wrong for the umpteenth time.

Pies v Swans, Friday night: I know you visit the Weekend Wrap for my astute football analysis, so it pains me to say I was wrong about the Pies. They’re considerably better than I thought and they could have won this by even more than they did. Despite a couple of brief purple patches you never got the sense the Swans were in the game. Midfielder Ned Long - surely not his real name?! - tore them to shreds all night.

View attachment 2281952

North v Suns, Saturday arvo: Did North spend the night before the game indulging in the local Barossa product or something? This can’t be the same side that won by 10 goals a few weeks ago. They’ve gone back to looking like they wouldn’t beat the Horsham reserves. Maybe I’m selling the Suns short though - they’re a ruthless winning machine this year. Who thought we’d ever say that??

Blues v Eagles, Saturday arvo: Congratulations Carlton. Now do that against something other than a WAFL side and we might be impressed. Don’t bother, we probably won’t actually.

Dogs v Brisbane, Saturday twilight: The Brisbane bus driver couldn’t find Norwood Oval so the Lions had given away a near-seven goal head start when they turned up to play. Lucky for them they’ve got an unfairly good higher gear when they need it. After a lazy 10 goal turnaround they’d won with room to spare. Too good.

Dees v Bombers, Saturday night: Did somebody actually sit through this from start to finish? Do us a favour and post the final score in the comments. I feel sorry for the big Adelaide crowd that turned up hoping to see a football match. They enjoyed an expensive slumber party instead.

View attachment 2281955

Tigers v Freo, Sunday arvo: Yeah another pulsating game. Thrilling football. The highlight was Treacy kicking 6 goals. Yes you read that right, the highlight was Josh Treacy. Says it all.

Saints v Giants, Sunday twilight: The Saints actually won the inside 50 count in this one. Comfortably. Yet they lost the game. Comfortably. The Giants defence was just far too good, and their attack led by Toby Greene made it look like they were going to score every time they had the ball. Gun footy side and they still play a brand that is very easy on the eye.

Port v Hawks, Sunday night: This can be the problem with early season byes… they completely halt momentum. The high flying Hawks copped a touch up from the preciously feeble Power. They were a mile down early, 10 goals down at half time and the game was over. Hawthorn will be fine but what on earth is the story with Port? This year’s Jekyll and Hyde. Could finish anywhere from 6th to 16th.

Don’t forget to post your Liked, Learnt, Hated below… along with any other thoughts you had about Round 5!

I was going to comment on your bog average comment in the Swan's day game thread, but out of politeness, didn't, and will not comment about it in this thread either

 

[Osho]

Port only beat shit. Mid table shit.

Ouch. Architects can be prickly!

 

[Zevon]

I was going to comment on your bog average comment in the Swan's day game thread, but out of politeness, didn't, and will not comment about it in this thread either

Lol I deserve everything I get on that front.

I mean… I could still be right, and the Swans are just 5 goals worse than bog average But in truth I was impressed with what I saw from Collingwood. Didn’t think they had that in them. Another big test against the Lions this week.

 

[Osho]

Lol I deserve everything I get on that front.

I mean… I could still be right, and the Swans are just 5 goals worse than bog average But in truth I was impressed with what I saw from Collingwood. Didn’t think they had that in them. Another big test against the Lions this week.

Pies = Cats 2011.
Get on them before the odds shorten.

 

[LionsOrDieTrion]

Liked: Gather ground is a great idea and is working brilliantly, Strong Cats win when it looked grim there for a while, Patrick Dangerfield is a monster on the field, anyone who dislikes this bloke knows absolutely nothing about football. Atkins!

Learnt:The Swans might be stuffed, the Demons are stuffed and don't get carried away with Port, they will find a way to be just as stuffed.

Hated: Ridiculous playing strips, someone at the AFL is having a laugh about all of this, only the Bombers guernsey was any good, the rest did not resemble an AFL team. Insane stuff!

Dangerfield is probably a top 10 player this century…but he’s still a knob.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Liked: Gather Round is the greatest sporting event on the Australian sporting calendar...oh wait, I've been hypnotised by every media outlet about how fantastic it is.

Learnt: not too much. Maybe Hawthorn aren't as dominant as people thought. Pies a top 4 chance unfortunately.

Hated: most results, esp ours.

 

[Sttew]

Pies = Cats 2011.
Get on them before the odds shorten.

Where are the similarities? Maybe Pies are Cats 2024? Premiers in 22, missed finals 23, bounced back in 24 and made PF.

Cats 2011 had lost their No.1 player and coach. This hasn’t happened to the Pies.

 

[Boppo]

Liked: stunning backdrop in the Barossa!

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Liked

1. Ego Hawks getting put down a notch, it was getting unbearable
2. Yes it was North and my nanna could beat them, but very impressive from GC and the spread of goals said it all, means going forward they aren't King or bust. Now the sitter of a draw part is over now is the big test lets see what they are made of
3. Port- showed a massive amount of ticker in a great win

Disliked

1. The schedule for Saturday, heaven knows why Carlton against the WAFL side was at AO
2. We flat out stink, Pies were outstanding though but it was a game I almost fell asleep watching and I didn't even have a drink.

Hated

1. Too much Kelli Underwood

 

[Osho]

Where are the similarities? Maybe Pies are Cats 2024? Premiers in 22, missed finals 23, bounced back in 24 and made PF.

Cats 2011 had lost their No.1 player and coach. This hasn’t happened to the Pies.

You forgot their stripes go in different directions too!

 

[davidyoung]

Jealousy is a curse
One loss doesn't erase the fact that Hawthorn is the most successful football club since the 60's
And still the best club in the AFL era



GAME, SET & MATCH!

Nobody really cares about any season other than the current one, buy hey self gratification is proven remedy for getting anyone off to sleep !

 

[Reg Grundy35]

i hated that the security at Adelaide oval didn't allow Wizard hats to be worn. I turned on in the second quarter and couldn't see a single one in the crowd. I assume they were confiscated at the gate. (or hidden under seats)

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Archie Roberts Rising Star this week

Pick 54 steal of the draft love this kid.

 

[Johnnyhawk]

Liked. The succession plan, very quiet this week so far.

Learnt. No such thing as holding the ball now.

Hated. Still the umpires. AFL trying to eliminate short kicks in the backline.

 

[PCORF]

Great weekend of footy despite the heat (day, twilight games) and a big thanks for the SA locals and people from interstate attending the games. I think some of the teams more adapted to the heat (like Fremantle, Brisbane, GWS) played better, but West Coast have played in hot games all season and maybe it was taking it's toll on that young side.

Best game was Bulldogs vs Lions.

Patrick Dangerfield took it personally against his old club. It's always been like that, he always want's our blood.

Hawthorn were rattled big time vs Port.

Liked: Well attended games. Patrick Dangerfield destroying us (it was personal in my opinion), The Brisbane Lions comeback. Norwood oval a great venue for football.

Learnt: Gather round will stay in SA for years to come. Hawthorn and Adelaide still have a long way to go. Adelaide stage fright perhaps?, probably ran out of gas.

Hated: The umpiring was ordinary (yes they make mistakes). Some of the uniforms. West Coast and Melbourne = awful.

 

[marcus1232]

Liked - Willie Rioli

15

Willie Rioli

Age

29

Ht

175cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.0

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.0

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.6

3star

. Not his biggest fan but that was fun on sunday night

Learned - My saints are improving but we got ways to go yet. Old saints would of capitulated like a North and lost by 80-90 but we gutted it out.

Hated - Racism on social media. Anybody who does it is a flog and should be named and shamed for everyone to see. It has no place in society

 

[DangerSloane]

The VFL just gave you a third free home game in 3 years.

Only 6 more a season and we'll be on par with you guys.

 

[Shaunbkk]

Liked:
...

Learnt:
The Crows really haven't improved at all. Same old story of Nicks failing to have a plan B to stop the opposition when they have momentum (having no one with Bailey Smith is genius) and the players completely shitting the bed when faced with any form of pressure or expectation. Will likely miss the 8.

Rumours of Port's demise have been greatly exaggerated. That's the sort of win that can kick-start a season.

Dangerfield is an unstoppable force.

The Hawks still have some holes to fix before being a contender. Lack a genuinely good KPF and midfield depth. Calsher Dear could be that forward.

Hated:
Can next year be the last Gather Round? Port are 3/3 and we're 1/3.

34 degrees in April.

1970 had 40 in April as occurred a few times later in the 70s and 80s data before propaganda

 

[Andronicus]

Only 6 more a season and we'll be on par with you guys.

Are both showdowns considered home games each year or only 1 of them?

 

[WilloTree]

Liked - Footy in the Barrossa is a great idea. Was sceptical at first.
Learned - The ries and rise of the big Kahuna is a fun watch
Hated - The MRP is a ridiculous chook lotto

 

[DangerSloane]

Are both showdowns considered home games each year or only 1 of them?

According to most Victorians both are considered home games.

 

[Viceregal]

According to most Victorians both are considered home games.

I was under the impression they thought any 'home' game where the other side is a tenent or very familiar with the ground was considered a neutral game as opposed to a 'real' home ground advantage like Kardinia, Gabba, AO etc**



** Except for the GF where MCG tenent home ground advantage is also not considered to be a factor for some generally unspecified reason usually related to whataboutism or statistical gibberish...

 

[My_Username]

According to most Victorians both are considered home games.

That seems fair.

After all, Victorians have been told for years that it's not really an 'away' game unless you need to get on a plane.