"BALL UP!" - Val's 2012 Aussie Rules Footy Tipping *Open to Everyone*

As an Aussie, I've enjoyed participating in the Weekly Punt thread on this forum where MC runs a fun tipping comp on the Premier League.

A few weeks back I asked the participants on that thread if they were interested in tipping on the 2012 Australian Football League comp which commences on March 23rd. Including myself, I've got 12 takers so I'm starting a new thread and throwing it open to anyone who is interested.

You don't have to know anything about Aussie Rules - indeed, ignorance could be a decided advantage.

Some people describe it as aerial ping-pong. Others say it's the most exciting game on earth. If you'd like to see a bit more, here's a couple of youtube clips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MY0vCUBg-0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIReSJhQor0

The next few posts will be repeats of some I made on the Weekly Punt thread, just to bring newbies up to scratch.

Any questions, just fire away.

Here's a copy of my post on the Weekly Punt thread on 17 Feb 2012

To all my punting friends:

I was wondering if anyone was interested in punting on the 2012 Aussie Rules competition?

It is very easy - there are nine games played each week and you would only have to tip the winner of each game, plus the points margin on the first game of the round. So fr'instance you would tip:

COLLINGWOOD by 9 points
ESSENDON
RICHMOND
FREMANTLE
SYDNEY
ST KILDA
GEELONG
BRISBANE
CARLTON

There are 23 rounds in the season and it kicks off on March 24 and ends on September 2 (I think).

If there is sufficient interest (say 10 people), I would start a separate thread and do all the checking and tables. Obviously with fewer games (than the Premier League), many folk might sit on the same points on the table and the margins tipped would determine placings.

You don't have to know anything about Aussie Rules to participate; in fact, knowing nothing could be a definite advantage. Margins can be anything from 1 point to 199 points (I don't know off-hand what the record margin is, maybe more). A draw counts as a win for both sides.

To make it a bit more interesting (for me, anyway), I thought of putting up a list of local charities and asking each participant to choose one to play for. I would keep a tally of each week's winners and at the end of the season make a donation to the charities that have been successful. I was thinking about the equivalent of £7.00 each week. So, if fr'instance M.C. tipped the winner for 5 of the 23 rounds, I would donate £35 to the charity he had chosen. And, if participants would like to choose a team to barrack for during the season, I will donate a further £3.00 to your charity if your team has the highest score of the round. I'm not doing this to make myself out to be some sort of goody two-shoes, but I do donate regularly to some favourite charities and I wouldn't offer to do it if I couldn't afford to.

For more info on the fixtures see
http://www.afl.com.au/fixtures/tabid/10586/default.aspx

For more info on the teams, go to
http://www.afl.com.au/
and click on any of the 18 logos at the top of the page.

There are already 12 punters (including myself) who have indicated an interest in tipping and have chosen a team to support. They are:

Val
Anita - Sydney (The Swans)
Lez - St Kilda (The Saints)
Schiz - Adelaide (The Crows)
MC - Geelong (The Cats)
The Foe - Melbourne (The Demons)
T. Franklin - Fremantle (The Dockers)
Deano - West Coast (The Eagles)
Wharf Rat - Hawthorn (The Hawks)
David E - Brisbane (The Lions)
Philip Burrell - Richmond (The Tigers)
Mark K - Essendon (The Bombers)

Still looking for an adopted family:

Melbourne-based clubs:
Carlton (The Blues)
Collingwood (The Magpies)
North Melbourne (The Kangaroos)
Footscray (The Western Bulldogs)

Adelaide-based:
Port Adelaide (the Power)

Sydney-based
GWS - Greater Western Sydney (the Giants) - their first year in the comp.

Queensland-based
Gold Coast (the Suns) - second year in the comp.

C'mon you punters!

As I have a decided advantage(re: O.P.) :^)
I wish to put in an application for adoption of 'The Roos' please Val?

Sj - you've snagged the Roos. Best or worst song in the comp? May depend on what side of the border you reside on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hI971nTXr0&feature=related

2012 PREVIEW

I'm going to give a brief preview of each team starting from the bottom of the 2011 ladder:

GWS (Greater Western Sydney) Giants (still looking for a home)
Their first year in the competition and never has a team had such low expectations on what they would do on the field, yet have such high importance placed on what they are doing off it. No one really expects the Giants to win anything except the wooden spoon in 2012. The AFL will be more concerned that the team win a place in the hearts of the four million residents of Greater Western Sydney. The raft of concessions has seen the Giants amass a list full of the most-promising footballing talent in the country. These exciting teenagers are supplemented with more experienced players who will be expected to guide them. As a new side, the majority of the list has only been available to the club since December, so there hasn't been much time to shape the young talent. It will very much be a case of boys against men for the 2012 Giants. "Thinking long term" will be the most heard phrase heard for GWS this year.
KEY PLAYERS : Tom Scully, James McDonald, Israel Folau
PREDICTION : 18th.

Right, I've picked out some local charities and tried to group them in categories as I think most of us prefer to direct our donations towards causes that interest/affect us. They are mostly Melbourne or Victorian-based but there's a couple of national/international ones in there too. Many are small, but not all. Again, it's first in, best dressed so if punters would like to select a charity to play for, put your hand(s) up now. I'm off to the land of nod but I'll be checking back daily. We currently have 13 players including myself. In the unlikely event I'm inundated with players, I'll have to research some more charities.

ARTS AND CULTURE

Support Act
http://www.supportact.com.au/ss/

Australian Children's Music Foundation
http://acmf.com.au/

AGING

http://www.alzheimers.org.au/

ANIMALS

http://www.edgarsmission.org.au/

CHILDREN

http://www.mirabelfoundation.org.au/

CONSERVATION & ENVIRONMENT

http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/

COUNSELLING SERVICES

https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/donate

http://www.lifeline.org.au/

DISABILITY SERVICES

http://www.buildingbetterlives.org.au/

EDUCATION

http://www.blackwoodssoec.vic.edu.au/

http://www.songroom.org.au/home/introduction

FAMILY SUPPORT

Foodbank Victoria
http://www.vrfb.com.au/about-us

http://www.compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au/

HEALTH

http://zaidee.org/

http://www.canteen.org.au/

http://www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au/

HOMELESSNESS

http://www.sacredheartmission.org/

http://www.hanover.org.au/

http://www.swags.org.au/

HUMANITARIAN

Médecins Sans Frontières
http://www.msf.org.au/

MULTI SERVICES

http://fatherbob.org.au/

SPORT & RECREATION

http://www.reclink.org/

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

http://www.odyssey.org.au/

WOMEN

http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/

I'd like to play for Homelessness please Val.

I'll play for Alzheimers please Val.

Foe - there's three charities under that heading; any one in particular you'd like?

Done Lez!

In my line it has to be the children , the Mirabel foundation.

I'll pick MSF please Val

I'd really like Edgars Mission (animals) - thanks Val.

I'll play for the Sacred Heart Mission please Val.

Thank you

Will play for the Lifeline Charity please Val

Thanks Val.

Thanks for your responses. I've allocated your chosen charities to you and await contact from the other players.

On with the preview:

2012 PREVIEW

Gold Coast Suns (still looking for a home)

2011 Statistics
Ladder Position: 17th of 17
Win/Loss: 3/19
Percentage: 56.27%

With any other team, such a record would have been called a disaster, but for Gold Coast, 2011 wasn't that bad. Their first year in the competitiion and after early beltings, there were three solid wins, as well as strong late-season showings. So 2012 will be a season of onwards and upwards for the Gold Coast. They won't be setting the world on fire yet, but they will start to show further dominance and will certainly start to win a few more games and be competitive in even more. Their draw has the potential for them to grab wins too - home and away games against some of the weaker sides plus they have ten games at home at Metricon Stadium. Pundits suggest six wins as a minimum target, including the two games against newcomers GWS (Greater Western Sydney).
KEY PLAYERS : Gary Ablett (all-round champion) and keep an eye out to see if they blood Jaeger O'Meara.
PREDICTION : 15th-17th

2012 PREVIEW

Port Adelaide (Port Power) (still looking for a home)

2011
Ladder Position: 16th of 17
Win/Loss: 3/19
Percentage: 64.51%

Port Adelaide will be glad to see the back of 2011 - a horror initiation season for coach (and former champion player) Matthew Primus. The club backed its youth policy and injuries to more experienced players didn't help. They only narrowly managed to escape the wooden spoon after a last round win put their percentage above Gold Coast. Port have a tough draw in 2012, not playing Gold Coast or GWS twice, while playing four finalists up first before the inter-city showdown against Adelaide. Port will be hoping to gain a bit more consistency and avoid blowouts. If they can manage to be competitive and really show promise, their fans will be pleased with the future of the club. Port have a strong foundation for a team in a few years' time, but as of this stage, six to eight wins, would be an improvement on 2011.
KEY PLAYERS : Domenic Cassisi (captain), David Rodan, Robbie Gray.
PREDICTION : 13th-18th

Can I have the Song Room please Val?

Cheers

David

Of course you may.

Thems Val can meses have thems (SUNS) pleases..And mese gonna supports thems charities for mental illness..Meses thinks it's callend MIND

Thank you very much - and of course I should have asked 'may I have' instead of 'can I'

I'm polite if not grammatically correct :)

Welcome aboard Neph. The Suns are all yours and any success you have with tipping will see donations going to MIND
http://www.mindaustralia.org.au/

and you can start practising your song. I don't think it's too bad - a lot better than many of the older clubs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1D3X_TElSQ

2012 PREVIEW

Brisbane Lions - David's team

2011
Ladder Position: 15th of 17
Win/Loss: 4/18
Percentage: 80.98

2011 was their worst season since winning the wooden spoon in 1998. But that season built their triple premiership team of 2001 - 2003. In 2012 Brisbane has a strong defence, a fantastic young midfield brigade and a good ruck division. Up forward they have introduced a range of forwards as successors to Jonathan Brown in a couple of years' time. To improve, they need to find a permanent target apart from Brown whose almost suicidal attack on the ball has led to him being out for extended periods. If they can develop a forward line capable of kicking 15 goals a game, they should account for most bottom eight sides and provide a few upsets for the finalists. Brisbane's opening round fixture with Melbourne (The Demons) at the MCG is crucial because it could make or break their confidence. Pundits have them winning about ten games, and finishing just outside the eight (finalists), however if they have a good start to the season, their second half draw is a bit easier so they could push for a finals spot.
KEY PLAYERS : Jonathan Brown, Daniel Merrett, Matthew Leuenberger
PREDICTION : 7th-12th

2012 PREVIEW

Adelaide Crows - Schiz's team

2011
Ladder Position: 14th of 17
Wins/Losses: 7/15
Percentage: 79.43%

2011 was one of Adelaide's worst seasons in many years. Hopes of pushing for finals were quickly dashed by poor performances. The result was the resignation of the coach, and the season's end saw the appointment of Geelong assistant Brenton Sanderson as coach for 2012. If they are to challenge in September, they will need improvement all over the field. However, they are greatly aided by their 2012 draw : they play GWS, Port Adelaide and Gold Coast twice. Adelaide's easy draw will make them appear better off than they probably are. If they manage to turn AAMI Stadium into a fortress once more, it will not be a surprise to see them in the finals hunt come September - but not enough to make a real dent.
KEY PLAYERS : Scott Thompson, Kurt Tippett, Bernie Vince
PREDICTION : 7th-11th