Last weekend saw mixed results , for all afl football teams . Collingwood , continued its winning streak , the Saints eked out a draw against Richmond , but lost Lenny Hayes , for the rest of the season to injury . The Gold Coast Suns , playing their first AFL game , were thrashed by the Blues , and West Coast upset the Power at home to win . Geelong scraped home against Freo , whilst a strong Sydney team beat the revitalised Bombers . Hawthorn and the Bulldogs beat their opponents , the Demons and the Lions respectively .

Fans supported their team , by wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,

Baby Magpies

to watch the Game .

Who can stop Collingwood ?How many games will the Suns lose ? When will the Bombers win again ?

All questions to be answered at the next round of matches . Its fun , its exciting , its AFL football , and fans wearing their football jumpers are along for the ride .!

Kangas to bounce back

The AFL 2011 Home and Away Season starts on Thursday at the MCG . The two sides expected to be the most improved in 2011 , Carlton and Richmond , play in a Thursday night match .

Footy starved fans will be watching wearing their teams oolours football jumpers , jerseys ,guernseys .

Vintage

Off field footy news has involved much scandal over the Summer break .

Who will Fevola play for ?

Can the Saints  play in another  Grand Final .?

Is Richmonds Riewoldt going to kick 100 + goals

Three flags for the  Magpies ?

Can the Gold Coast Suns perform ?

Will Essendon fly with Hirdy and Bomber on board ?

Can the Bulldogs win the flag ?

How many members can North Melbourne attract ?

Games played every night of the week for Carlton ?

During the Off season the afl was received a lot of media attention . Much  has been written about the AFL , its players and managers . Not all has been favourable .Can the AFL provide the family entertainment , fans are looking for.?

Thursday night is a good start with a blockbuster epic of a game promised at the MCG .

Season 2011 promises much . Are you along for the ride ?

Its Summer in the Southern Hemisphere , and the Christmas/ New Year festive season is approaching .

One of the headline stories on the  front page , of the Saturday Age newspaper ,screamed  " My Year of Pain ," exclusive interview with Ross Lyon . He is the St Kilda Football Team Coach . The Saints lost to the  Collingwood Magpies in the historic replay of the 2010 Grand Final . Readers were exhorted to read further.

It would appear ,  AFL   football is never out of the  news, no matter what else is going on,  or what time of year it is , in football mad  Melbourne .

The AFL would be delighted with such high level media exposure in the non - playing season . Footy starved fans will be relishing every headline grabbing statement .

In keeping with this spirit , many afl football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys will be wished for this festive season .Young and old fans , alike would love one in their Christmas stocking .

Young fan would love this signed retro Bombers Jumper

Yes , despite all evidence to the contrary , Melbourne is fast approaching summer , and hopefully we will get,  warmer weather .

Last Sunday , at St Kilda foreshore ,  I spotted , in two seperate locations , two young men wearing their AFL Kangaroos football jumpers over the top of their boardshorts . One was wearing lurid orange coloured , floral printed , boardies , whilst the other was in more subdued tones .The football jumper was very prominent because of its colour and style . Surely , as they were in St Kilda' s heartland , they should have been  sporting Saints colours !

Whilst on the subject of the  Saints , Sam Gilbert was spotted , the day before ,  crossing Inkerman St , with a female companion in tow , near the site of the remodelled , Newmarket Hotel . Looking tanned and relaxed , following his AFL trip to Ireland for an afl display ,

In Saints home territory

is he now going into the pub game like many other afl footballers ?

Silly Season for the AFL?

A Grand Final in October . No wait , make that a second Grand Final , as the first was a draw.

Geelong Football Club , have called a news conference which hinted at answers to supporters questions.

Gary Ablett, is expected to reveal he is moving to the Gold Coast Suns today , Wednesday 29th September 2010.

Mark Thompson,  Coach  of Geelong , has not said whether he will continue to coach Geelong, beyond this season and will make a decision by weeks end .

James Hird , former Essendon player , has advised he will coach the Bombers in 2011 , finally ending weeks of speculation.

The AFL , has advised , there will be no public tickets available , for sale, to the replay. All available seating has been snapped up by fans , keen to see a rematch of last Saturdays spectacular clash, between the Magpies and Saints.

Weather conditions ,are tipped to be good, with the MCG weather predicted to be 21 degrees and mostly sunny . Will the gods smile  on the rampaging Magpies,  or is it the sublime Saints turn to  shine ?

Vintage Saints

It promises to be another epic battle with both teams prepared to play to a result . Record numbers of fans will be there wearing their teams jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , to cheer their teams.

The stage is set for a spectacular Re - Match , can't wait , bring it on !

The unbelievable has happened,  with the  Collingwood Magpies versus St Kilda Saints , Grand Final match  , last weekend , resulting in a draw .

A rematch will be played on October 2nd , at the MCG , at 2.10 pm .

It is only the third grand final replay, in VFL/AFL history.

Both teams played valiantly but were denied an outright win. It wasn't the easy match , with Collingwood dominating, that most predicted .The Saints proved they are a force to be reckoned with , and almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat .

Adding further drama to the day, was the flooding of both teams change rooms , with a sewerage leak from a broken pipe,  making the rooms inaccessible after the game .

Most spectators ,shocked and disbelieving at the final siren will be back next week , same time , same place , same combatants .

Fans will be there wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,hoping for a result in favour of their team .

VAFA Saints Colours JumperVAFA Saints Colours JumperRoosters Jersey

Whilst the AFL stands to gain a huge financial windfall , from the rematch, there will need to be some hasty rescheduling of other sporting events , eg the VRC ,Turnbull Stakes Day, at Flemington racecourse , on 2nd October will probably be moved, to Sunday the 3rd October.

Luckily ,the NRL Grand Final between the St George Illawarra Dragons , and the Sydney Roosters begins at 5.00pm. It won't clash with the AFL Grand Final , which should be over by then . However the two minor NRL finals ,NSW Cup Grand Final , and the Toyota Cup (NYC) Grand Final,  scheduled to play at 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm respectively, will be on at the same time .

Sydney Roosters jersey

The might of Collingwood ,stopped Geelong' s assault on the flag, last night at the MCG .

In an impressive display of AFL football , the Magpies overpowered the Geelong Cats  .

Geelong , seasoned veterans of two premierships , and successful finals campaigns in recent years, had no answers for the marauding Magpies .

Fans were out , in their football jumpers, jerseys , guernseys, to watch the Game . The Collingwood army, were present with their legion of fans , voicing the low rumble " collingwood ' , through much of the night .

The Saints , take on the Western Bulldogs, in the second preliminary final, tonight at the MCG. Another epic battle , is predicted between these two mighty clubs . Both teams share a spectacular lack of Finals success , and  are set for a feisty competition .

Its Magpies season . Even walking the dog at the local park ,prompted an unprovoked attack from a native magpie .Was he protecting his nest, or did he spot the Saints dog collar, and just decide to stamp his authority?

Time will tell who the ultimate victor is. Love em" or hate em ' , Collingwood to use that afl commentators , hackneyed cliche , are definitely " up and about" .

Magpie Army

The AFL , has scheduled both Preliminary Finals , for night-time @ 7.45pm Friday , and 7.20pm Saturday .

Collingwood for 2010 Premiers?

Collingwood , play Geelong , on Friday night at the MCG .

St Kilda , play the Western Bulldogs,  on Saturday night at the MCG.

Lots of things, about the 2010 Finals Series, seem familiar .

Collingwood, walk the walk and talk the talk,  but are they capable, of winning the Premiership ?

Geelong ,  the reigning Premiers are quietly confident , as they present for another Finals series , and are a good chance for the Flag.

Western Bulldogs , the battlers from the West , are playing an exciting brand  of football , with the luck of Julia Gillard on their side .

The Saints , sentimental favourites of many, are poised to re-write history, and win only their second premiership, in their illustrious history .

Some questions abound .

Have the Pies , peaked too early ?

Will Geelong win , yet again?

Can the Bulldogs , get across the line,  carrying a  number of injuries , to their key players?

Will the Saints , finally hit paydirt?

Whatever the outcome , of this frenetic round of preliminary finals , of two things, you can be certain .

A record numbers of fans , will be out cheering their teams to victory, wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

That Molly Meldrum ,has already painted his fence in the red , white and black of the Saints. Is he a jinx?
Sit back , relax and enjoy . We're in for a bumpy ride to watch AFL Football at its finest.

Its finally here .

AFL Finals Football . Ardent fans are going to the Football Finals ,this weekend, wearing their teams football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys .

Those Football Clubs in the Finals ,their Players ,staff , and officials adopt a very business like approach in willing their team over the line to receive the highest accolade , a premiership.

Its the culmination, of a years hard mental grind, and physical work .

Which team, can hold their nerve , and overcome all opposition to win ?

Only time will tell.

Fans , wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys ,will be out to watch,  and cheer, hoping it is their team who wins.

AFL teams , not playing in the Finals , will just have to content themselves with the frock fest , of the Brownlow medal count !

There is nothing like a close AFL football Game, for spectator enjoyment.

Hawks Vintage Jumper

Last Friday night , the clash between St Kilda , and Hawthorn was such a Game .

Two evenly matched teams . The Hawks , lead by a point at the first break , the Saints by a point at half time , and at the 3rd , and last quarter nothing seperated them .The match ultimately resulting in a draw. Two points to each club.

Much has been written , and spoken about the Hawthorn disallowed goal in the final minutes , which most certainly cost the Hawks outright victory.

The bottom line is Hawthorn temporarily infringed, and then paid the price .

As a long time follower of AFL football, it ranks as one of the best games I have ever seen .

Two things stood out . St Kilda's fighting spirit , and the Hawks great athleticism . All this , combined with the size and the roar of the crowd , and an adrenalin fuelled , action packed spectacle,  that thrilled fans to the very last ,  showcased friday night footy at its very best .

Neither club song was sung ,  but most fans went home with a song in their heart , knowing they had witnessed a truly great spectacle .

Saints clash Jumper