"BALL UP!" - Val's 2023 Aussie Rules Footy Tipping *Open to Everyone*

[Tim]

Not a great week last weekend. Lets do the tipping now for the next one.
Essendon by 12
Blues
Lions
Port.... to bounce back in a huge shock but i could be dreaming
Swans...maintaining that loyalty although Sydney rarely win in Perth
Giants
Demons
Saints

[Tim]

Sorry Val missed one.
Tigers to beat Hawks.

[Sj]

Val wrote: "ROUND 19

Essendon Bombers v Western Bulldogs (in Melbourne)
Richmond Tigers v Hawthorn Hawks (in Melbourne)
Carlton Blues v West Coast Eagles (in Melbourne)
Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats (in Brisbane)
Port Adelaide Power v Collingwood Magpies (in Adelaide)
Fremantle Dockers v Sydney Swans (in Perth)
GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns (in Canberra)
Melbourne Demons v Adelaide Crows (in Melbourne)
St Kilda Saints v North Melbourne Kangaroos (in Melbourne)

If punters could lodge their tips by midnight THURSDAY Jul 20"

ROUND 19

Essendon Bombers #01

Richmond Tigers
Carlton Blues
Brisbane Lions
Port Adelaide Power
Fremantle Dockers

GWS Giants
Melbourne Demons
St Kilda Saints

[Anita]

mine
bombers by 8
tigers
eagles
lions
power
SWANS
giants
crows
saints

[David]

Bulldogs 10
Tigers
Blues
Lions
Magpies
Swans
Giants
Demons
Saints

[SussexWelsh]

.
.
Bombers by 11
Tigers
Blues
Lions
Magpies
Swans
Giants
Demons
Saints

[theDuke]

And mine, a few toughies this week:

Dogs - 23pts
Tigers
Blues
Lions
Port
Dockers
Giants
Demons
Saints

[Dean]

Bombers 24
Tigers
Blues
Cats
Swans
Power
Giants
Crows
Saints

Cheers Val

[Val]

Suzy's tips:

Dogs by 7
Hawks
Eagles
Cats
Pies
Freo
Suns
Crows
Roos

[Val]

Mine:

Dogs x 14 (while hoping like hell I'm wrong)
Tigers
Blues
Lions
Pies
Freo
Giants
Dees
Saints

[Philip]

Western x 28
Richmond
Carlton
Brisbane
Port Adelaide
Fremantle
GWS
Melbourne
St Kilda

[Val]

Sorry I'm running late - I was away from home last night.

Last night's result:

Essendon Bombers (Val) v Western Bulldogs (Blastro)
3.2.20 (Q1) 1.3.9
5.3.33 (Q2) 7.5.47
6.5.41 (Q3) 9.7.61
7.7.49 (Q4) 13.12.90

A 41 point drubbing hurt. I predicted it correctly to my son-in-law (die-hard Doggies supporter): Essendon will lead at the end of the first quarter and then will fall in a heap.

Philip was closest to the pin and so earns $7.00 for Canteen.

[Val]

Today's/Tonight's results:

Richmond Tigers (Philip) v Hawthorn Hawks (available)
3.2.20 (Q1) 4.2.26
6.6.42 (Q2) 10.3.63
9.9.63 (Q3) 15.3.93
14.12.96 (Q4) 15.5.95

Carlton Blues (available) v West Coast Eagles (Sussex)
9.5.59 (Q1) 0.2.2
15.8.98 (Q2) 2.4.16
17.11.113 (Q3) 5.8.38
21.14.140 (Q4) 10.9.69

Brisbane Lions (David) v Geelong Cats (available)
2.5.17 (Q1) 0.3.3
4.8.32 (Q2) 1.5.11
7.9.51 (Q3) 3.8.26
9.10.64 (Q4) 7.11.53

Port Adelaide Power (available) v Collingwood Magpies (on hiatus)
4.0.24 (Q1) 4.3.27
6.4.40 (Q2) 5.3.33
9.9.63 (Q3) 7.4.46
12.11.83 (Q4) 13.7.85

Fremantle Dockers (available) v Sydney Swans (Anita)
2.1.13 (Q1) 6.2.38
5.1.31 (Q2) 10.5.65
9.2.56 (Q3) 13.7.85
12.4.76 (Q4) 16.9.105

A couple of close ones. With Hawthorn up by 30 points at 3/4 time, you'd have thought they had it in the bag. Not so. Richmond came storming home.

The Port/Pies game was close all night but you'd expect Port to be strong on their home ground and coming off a humiliating defeat by Carlton last week. They played hard and it still wasn't enough. Once again, Collingwood win by the slimmest of margins.

[Tim]

Swans played well in a hard place to go but with a nearly full strength team for possibly the first time all season ( with the exception of Paddy McCartin) it is what they needed to do and was expected.. even by me. Even Buddy looked really strong and had an excellent game.
Tips for this week
Collingwood by 26
Cats
GWS ( on a roll at the moment..sorry to say)
Lions
Swans
Port
Hawks.. St Kilda are wobbling
Demons
North Melbourne

[Val]

Thanks for getting in early Tim. Apologies for the late posting - I had a heavy weekend. Footy on Friday night. Up at the crack of dawn to accompany two grandsons to Auskick where two of the Bulldogs players from the previous night turned up to engage with the kids - Josh Bruce was delightful (you can tell he has kids), Cody Weightman was much quieter. They had all the time in the world to answer questions, take photos, sign guernseys, etc. Sorry to inform Tim and Sussex but when asked who he followed in the EPL, Josh Bruce had no hesitation in saying "Arsenal, always!" Sunday was our annual get-together for Christmas In July so I was pooped last night.

Sunday's results:

GWS Giants (Duke) v Gold Coast Suns (Suzy)
3.2.20 (Q1) 4.3.27
6.7.43 (Q2) 6.5.41
12.8.80 (Q3) 7.7.49
15.13.103 (Q4) 9.9.63

Melbourne Demons (on hiatus) v Adelaide Crows (Dean)
2.2.14 (Q1) 1.4.10
6.4.40 (Q2) 3.9.27
11.7.73 (Q3) 6.13.49
14.13.97 (Q4) 13.15.93

St Kilda Saints (Tim) v North Melbourne Kangaroos (Steve)
3.3.21 (Q1) 2.0.12
3.7.25 (Q2) 6.1.37
4.12.36 (Q3) 8.4.52
9.15.69 (Q4) 9.7.61

[Val]

Our tipsters' ladder is as follows:

Round 19 (first number is correct number of wins - you want this to be high; number in brackets is the cumulative margin which is used to separate punters on the same amount of points - you want this to be low)

David on 9 (31)
Val on 8 (27)
SussexWelsh on 8 (52)
Philip on 7 (13)
Duke on 7 (18)
Tim on 7 (53)
Sj Brooke (Steve) on 6 (42)
Anita on 5 (49)
Dean on 5 (65)
Suzy on 2 (48)
Blastro on 1 (75)

Charity donations are:

To be redistributed at the end of the season - A$7.00 each - Highest score (Carlton - both 140)
Philip (Canteen) - A$7.00 (closest margin)
David (The Song Room) - A$12.00 (weekly winner)

CUMULATIVE LADDER:

Val on 112 (519)
Sj Brooke (Steve) on 111 (551)
David on 108 (550)
SussexWelsh on 106 (635)
Philip on 104 (458)
Duke on 104 (564)
Tim on 98 (583)
Anita on 89 (566)
Dean on 85 (687)
Blastro on 56 (901)
Suzy on 50 (515)

Well done David! It's not often someone gets a full house!

[Val]

If anyone would like to view the AFL Ladder before submitting next week's tips, it's at http://www.afl.com.au/ladder

ROUND 20

Friday Jul 28
Collingwood Magpies v Carlton Blues (in Melbourne)

Saturday Jul 29
Geelong Cats v Fremantle Dockers (in Geelong)
Western Bulldogs v GWS Giants (in Ballarat)
Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions (on the Gold Coast)
Essendon Bombers v Sydney Swans (in Melbourne)
Adelaide Crows v Port Adelaide Power (in Adelaide)

Sunday Jul 30
Hawthorn Hawks v St Kilda Saints (in Melbourne)
Richmond Tigers v Melbourne Demons (in Melbourne)
West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne Kangaroos (in Perth)

If punters could lodge their tips by midnight THURSDAY Jul 27 (your time) it would be a great help, although I can accept them up until 10.45am FRIDAY (your time) if absolutely necessary.

[Val]

Every team analysed after Round 19 in just three words.

ADELAIDE CROWS: More brutal heartbreak.

BRISBANE LIONS: (Will) Ashcroft blow hurts.

CARLTON: Lid wobbling wildly.

COLLINGWOOD: Devil magic returns.

ESSENDON: Lost mini final.

FREMANTLE: Season is over.

GEELONG: Frustrating, but understandable.

GOLD COAST SUNS: Now they’re done.

GWS GIANTS: Best streak ever!

HAWTHORN: A painful lesson.

MELBOURNE: Locked into four.

NORTH MELBOURNE: Couldn’t hold on.

PORT ADELAIDE: Probably should’ve won.

RICHMOND: An absolute miracle.

ST KILDA: Stumbling into September?

SYDNEY SWANS: Just hanging around.

WEST COAST EAGLES: Five to go.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Can smell finals.

[Tim]

Sorry Val that was hard for the Bombers Friday and thought they would get much closer. I tipped the Swans this week forgetting it was against your team so sorry!
Swans seem to be back on form with as I said a full strength team. Not sure if collected any injuries Saturday but not heard of any issues. I thought Rampe was going to receive a 2 week ban from the week before as was reported in The Age but I must have missed the tribunal as he clearly got off.
The players always give up a lot at events here which is one of the big differences between Australia and England. I was often amazed when attending Queensland Reds games in 2011/2 just how long the players remained at pitch side for up to 90 minutes post game signing and taking photos with kids.
Down in Wellington when we did a weekend in NZ, club officials called over Quade Cooper to meet us after the game and we were introduced as the couple who travelled from Sydney to Brisbane for every home game as we did for 5 seasons. He was so nice and a really genuine and shy guy.

[Val]

Nice story Tim! I was surprised to see all the different guernseys at Auskick - Doggies and Essendon were predominant (this was in Altona), but a few Freo, some Collingwood, a couple of Lions, two Kangaroos and a lone Demons. The latter child dismayed his parents by getting his signed by both Bulldogs players! I was chatting to some Lions supporters who told me they had gone to the family day last time the team was in Melbourne. Even as fans, they were shocked to finding themselves nominating Dayne Zorko as a champion bloke. They said he came over to them, offered to have photos taken with their son, chatted for ages and then even recognised one of their group as a stalwart who went to all their training sessions - remembered his name and all. Just goes to show....

[David]

Val wrote: "Our tipsters' ladder is as follows:

Round 19 (first number is correct number of wins - you want this to be high; number in brackets is the cumulative margin which is used to separate punters on th..."

Thanks Val, that was a bit of a surprise

[David]

Magpies 10
Cats
Bulldogs
Lions
Swans
Crows
Hawks
Tigers
Roos

[Anita]

thanks for the reminder Val
mine
pies by18
cats
giants
suns
SWANS
power
hawks
tigers
roos

[Philip]

Collingwood x 30
Geelong
Western
Brisbane
Sydney
Port Adeliade
Hawthorn
Melbourne
North Melbourne

[Sj]

Collingwood Magpies #20

Geelong Cats
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane Lions
Essendon Bombers
Port Adelaide Power

St Kilda Saints
Melbourne Demons
North Melbourne Kangaroos 🙏

[SussexWelsh]

Magpies by 34
Cats
Bulldogs
Lions
Swans
Power
Saints
Demons
Eagles

[theDuke]

R20:

Magpies - 14 pts
Cats
GWS
Lions
Swans
Port
Hawks
Demons
Kangaroos

[Val]

Suzy's tips:

Blues x 7
Freo
GWS
Suns
Essendon
Crows
Saints
Tigers
Eagles

[Val]

Mine:

Pies x 28
Cats
Giants
Lions
Dons
Port
Hawks
Dees
North

[Val]

Tonight's result:

Collingwood Magpies (on hiatus) v Carlton Blues (available)
3.4.22 (Q1) 3.4.22
4.6.30 (Q2) 7.5.47
6.11.47 (Q3) 10.6.66
10.16.76 (Q4) 14.9.93

We keep getting told that Carlton and Collingwood are traditional rivals - I think nearly every team is a potential traditional rival of the Pies! With two of their stars out injured and another four regulars omitted, Carlton were definitely the underdogs - by a long chalk. But apart from the first ten minutes of play, they led all night and didn't really look in any danger. It's amazing what a different team they've been since their big forward Harry McKay was injured three weeks ago. Anyway, the top eight on the ladder now looks very different!

Suzy was the only one who went for the Blues so she pockets $7.00 for Friends With Dignity.

[Val]

It's one of those rounds again!!

Today's/Tonight's results:

Geelong Cats (available) v Fremantle Dockers (available)
2.2.14 (Q1) 0.2.2
5.4.34 (Q2) 5.5.35
6.10.46 (Q3) 7.7.49
9.10.64 (Q4) 10.11.71

Western Bulldogs (Blastro) v GWS Giants (Duke)
3.5.23 (Q1) 1.3.9
6.10.46 (Q2) 2.5.17
9.10.64 (Q3) 8.8.56
10.13.73 (Q4) 11.12.78

Gold Coast Suns (Suzy) v Brisbane Lions (David)
2.2.14 (Q1) 3.3.21
5.3.33 (Q2) 4.6.30
10.3.63 (Q3) 6.10.46
15.6.96 (Q4) 7.13.55

Essendon Bombers (Val) v Sydney Swans (Anita)
5.2.32 (Q1) 5.1.31
7.4.46 (Q2) 10.5.65
10.6.66 (Q3) 14.7.91
15.9.99 (Q4) 15.11.101

Adelaide Crows (Dean) v Port Adelaide Power (available)
4.2.26 (Q1) 2.2.14
8.8.56 (Q2) 4.3.27
11.11.77 (Q3) 7.7.49
16.16.112 (Q4) 9.11.65

I didn't dare watch the Bombers/Swans game (well, I watched the first quarter and my boys weren't too bad). However I've been devoting most of my week to the World Swimming Championships in Japan inbetween keeping up with the Ashes and the Women's World Cup. It's a hard life!

[theDuke]

Well...that was some weird round!

[Val]

Today's results:

Hawthorn Hawks (available) v St Kilda Saints (Tim)
3.1.19 (Q1) 9.2.56
6.4.40 (Q2) 11.3.69
12.6.78 (Q3) 14.5.89
14.9.93 (Q4) 19.8.122

Richmond Tigers (Philip) v Melbourne Demons (on hiatus)
5.4.34 (Q1) 3.5.23
9.7.61 (Q2) 8.5.53
13.8.86 (Q3) 14.6.90
15.8.98 (Q4) 20.10.130

West Coast Eagles (Sussex) v North Melbourne Kangaroos (Steve)
4.2.26 (Q1) 1.1.7
7.5.47 (Q2) 6.4.40
10.11.71 (Q3) 6.4.40
10.12.72 (Q4) 10.7.67

[Val]

Our tipsters' ladder is as follows:

Round 20 (first number is correct number of wins - you want this to be high; number in brackets is the cumulative margin which is used to separate punters on the same amount of points - you want this to be low)

Suzy on 7 (10)
SussexWelsh on 4 (51)
Duke on 3 (31)
Anita on 3 (35)
Tim on 3 (43)
David on 2 (27)
Sj Brooke (Steve) on 2 (37)
Val on 2 (45)
Philip on 2 (47)
Blastro on 1 (61)
Dean on 1 (61)

Charity donations are:

To be redistributed at the end of the season - A$7.00 each - Highest score (Demons - both 130)
Suzy (Friends With Dignity) - A$7.00 (closest margin)
Suzy (Friends With Dignity) - A$12.00 (weekly winner)

CUMULATIVE LADDER:

Val on 114 (564)
Sj Brooke (Steve) on 113 (588)
David on 110 (577)
SussexWelsh on 110 (686)
Philip on 107 (505)
Duke on 106 (595)
Tim on 101 (626)
Anita on 92 (601)
Dean on 86 (748)
Suzy on 57 (525)
Blastro on 57 (962)

Yes, it was one of those rounds which always sees Suzy coming out on top. The rest of us were pretty ordinary. But please do check your results in case I've made a mistake.

[Val]

If anyone would like to view the AFL Ladder before submitting next week's tips, it's at http://www.afl.com.au/ladder

ROUND 21

Friday Aug 4
Western Bulldogs v Richmond Tigers (in Melbourne)

Saturday Aug 5
Essendon Bombers v West Coast Eagles (in Melbourne)
Adelaide Crows v Gold Coast Suns (in Adelaide)
Hawthorn Hawks v Collingwood Magpies (in Melbourne)
Geelong Cats v Port Adelaide Power (in Geelong)
GWS Giants v Sydney Swans (in Sydney)

Sunday Aug 6
North Melbourne Kangaroos v Melbourne Demons (in Tasmania)
St Kilda Saints v Carlton Blues (in Melbourne)
Fremantle Dockers v Brisbane Lions (in Perth)

If punters could lodge their tips by midnight THURSDAY Aug 3 (your time) it would be a great help, although I can accept them up until 10.45am FRIDAY (your time) if absolutely necessary.

[Val]

Every team analysed after Round 20 in just three words.

ADELAIDE CROWS: Tex (Walker), play forever!

BRISBANE LIONS: Jeez that’s costly.

CARLTON: Here they come.

COLLINGWOOD: Not huge deal.

ESSENDON: Finals tough now.

FREMANTLE: Finally some fight!

GEELONG: Freo their kryptonite?

GOLD COAST SUNS: Best win yet?

GWS GIANTS: Can’t stop winning.

HAWTHORN: Sam’s (coach Sam Mitchell) spray understandable.

MELBOURNE: Finding flag form.

NORTH MELBOURNE: NOW we panic.

PORT ADELAIDE: Second now vulnerable.

RICHMOND: Just faded late.

ST KILDA: Fifth! Holding on...

SYDNEY SWANS: Somehow still alive.

WEST COAST EAGLES: Enjoy it, fans.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Sold game pain (sold their home game in Melbourne to play in Ballarat).

[theDuke]

It doesn't make much difference Val, but i think i should be on 107, i was on 104 upto round 19.

And whilst i'm here, just wondering Val....have i won any round at all?!!

[Tim]

Well that was a disastrous round for many of us with some huge shocks. Sorry Val, the game Saturday was heart stopping for both of us. After watching the Wallabies capitulate after a good start I watched the game from about 11pm and rerally the Swans had it done and dusted until we reached the final quarter when once again we did our best to throw it away. It will be sad if the match proves to be Buddy's last but I fear there is a strong possibility.
Tips for this week
Bulldogs ( but would be helpful for us if Tigers make it)
Bombers
Crows
Magpies
Cats
Swans ( I fear this will be incorrect but have to keep the faith. Toby Greene loves scoring against us)
Demons
Carlton
Lions
Cannot end without congratulating Sussex. Been a long time since a win but the guys are now showing some fight. Think that loss against the Swans a few weeks back was the lowest point from which there was only one way to go.

[Tim]

Sorry margin prediction is 19

[Val]

theDuke wrote: "It doesn't make much difference Val, but i think i should be on 107, i was on 104 upto round 19.

And whilst i'm here, just wondering Val....have i won any round at all?!!"

Apologies - while Excel does a great job of adding up all the scores, I do a pretty ordinary job of transcribing them.

CUMULATIVE LADDER:

Val on 114 (564)
Sj Brooke (Steve) on 113 (588)
David on 110 (577)
SussexWelsh on 110 (686)
Duke on 107 (595)
Philip on 106 (505)
Tim on 101 (626)
Anita on 92 (601)
Dean on 86 (748)
Suzy on 57 (525)
Blastro on 57 (962)

P.S. I'm afraid you are yet to win a round Duke.

[Val]

So sorry to hear of Buddy Franklin's retirement - from the point of view that an away game turns out to be his last game and one which ends in injury, and also that he doesn't get to play one more time in front of his home crowd. He has been a champion the likes of which we will probably not see again in our lifetimes.

[Tim]

Coverage in The Age today was very respectful. I just hope he attends the last home game of the season to say a proper farewell. I admire the way he handles his public persona and maintains his privacy which was the main reason he moved to Sydney.

[SussexWelsh]

The new Premier League season is nigh and I have created a thread for this year's punt:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Tim]

Cannot believe it has arrived so quickly. Here goes.....
1. Man City +2 DP
2. Arsenal +2
3. Man Utd +2
4. Brighton +2
5. Fulham +1
6. West Ham +1
18. Notts Forest -2
19. Wolves -2
20. Luton -2

So no shocks predicted by me which is ridiculous in the first week which is usually full of shocks.

[theDuke]

Wrong thread Tim!

[Tim]

Yes have rectified and have now entered predictions into the new one created by Sussex. Knew immediately I hit Post. Sorry

[David]

Bulldogs 15
Bombers
Crows
Magpies
Cats
Swans
Demons
Blues
Lions

[Anita]

mine
bulldogs by 11
eagles
suns
magpies
power
SWANS
roos
blues
lions
thanks as always Val.

[Philip]

Western x 25
Essendon
Adelaide
Collingwood
Geelong
GWS
Melbourne
Carlton
Brisbane

[Sj]

Western Bulldogs #21

Essendon Bombers
Adelaide Crows
Collingwood Magpies
Geelong Cats
GWS Giants

Melbourne Demons
Carlton Blues
Brisbane Lions