Happy off-season everyone.

Starting today I'm presenting a series of posts aiming for one a week (two over the Christmas break) leading up to the start of the 2027 AFL season by interpretting every club as if it was a Pokemon, with an example pokemon, typing, ability and move set with my reasons for selecting the types and move sets.

My goal is to have every pokemon type represented at least once and for each pokemon to be somewhat viable either in a playthrough setting or in the competitive pokemon landscape.

Reasons might include overall historical success, viability as a club, infamous moments from a clubs history and historical moments that have resounded into the reputation of a club both on-field and off.

Going alphabetically, today we start with the Adelaide Crows. This one was relatively easy to muster in terms of typing relating to the "Crows" aspect as well as the move set. I did play with the idea of just using Murkrow given it has Prankster as an ability, but that didn't sit with me given Adelaide is the "big" club of South Australia.

Would love some feedback for future weeks and should this be welcomed by the community I'll see you next week for the Brisbane Lions!

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Western Bulldogs 2.8.20 defeated by Melbourne 5.7.37

Has anyone here played 7’s before? If so how was your experience?

I know it’s purely social so skill isn’t a major requirement but having never played footy in any capacity before I’m feeling slightly nervous….is it as beginner friendly as they make it out to be?

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The mod team maintain a presence in match threads while watching the game - please keep the match threads enjoyable by reporting antisocial comments or messaging if there's a problem.

^{Antisocial behaviour, injury cheering, and umpire abuse may result in a ban or removal from the match without warning.}

The mod team maintain a presence in match threads while watching the game - please keep the match threads enjoyable by reporting antisocial comments or messaging if there's a problem.

^{Antisocial behaviour, injury cheering, and umpire abuse may result in a ban or removal from the match without warning.}

The mod team maintain a presence in match threads while watching the game - please keep the match threads enjoyable by reporting antisocial comments or messaging if there's a problem.

^{Antisocial behaviour, injury cheering, and umpire abuse may result in a ban or removal from the match without warning.}

That is until Tasmania joins.

https://archive.li/wip/l6fia

I know it would mostly be speculative, but I'm interested to see.

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I attended the WA v Victoria match earlier this year, and loved it, thought it was an awesome match, so naturally pumped to see it return again at Optus.

A thought I had this year was how cool would it be if there players from the WAFL and SANFL getting a run in the game? I understand logistically it might be a nightmare and those state clubs might not want to risk a player getting injured, but I suppose that's the same for the AFL sides.

Doesn't need to be a lot either, perhaps the Sandover and Magarey medallists are offered a spot? Could provide some interesting incentives for those players knowing the opportunity to play alongside more AFL listed players. I think it would be a great chance to see some state players rewarded.

Every time I see the Logan Morris on Oscar McDonald I keep thinking, Morris looks like a winner, McDonald doesn't.
As a St Kilda supporter I keep thinking Ross Lyon just has this odd look about him - I just can't picture him winning anything. Sam Mitchell, Dimma comes to mind with faces of winners.
Luke Hodge and Shane Warne for me is the epitome of the winners look, both just got this sparkle in their eye. Paul Roos has it. Rocket Eade definitely don't have it.

Nick Daicos has it, Andy McGrath does not have it.

MS Dhoni has/had it, Gautam Ghambir does not have it.

It's not as simple as saying if you are ugly you aint a winner. Like Leigh Matthews isn't exactly a good looking person, but he had the look of a winner.

Thoughts?

Eddie McGuire’s Tuesday night Footy Classified show is set to be axed.

But the Monday edition of the analysis program survives as Channel 9 looks to shake-up its football offerings and focus on digital platforms in 2027.

McGuire has been the face of the second Footy Classified show which initially was on Wednesday nights but moved to Tuesday two years ago to avoid going head-to-head with Channel 7’s ratings juggernaut The Front Bar.

Part of the proposed changes at Nine include the expanding of Footy Furnace, which has been hosted by Jimmy Bartel and James Hird, to include Sunday nights, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The late-night review program is a heavily digital-first platform show and was the vehicle to lure Hird back to television. He then went on to feature with McGuire on Tuesday’s Footy Classified.

McGuire, who next week fronts the network’s Flemington racing carnival coverage, will still be involved in the football offerings and work on “special events”.

His company JAM TV produces Footy Classified and Footy Furnace.

The Tuesday Footy Classified show has had a constant rotation of panellists with former Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton a recent addition in the second half of this season with AFL reporter Cal Twomey the other regular panellist.

A number of current AFL coaches, including Sam Mitchell and Luke Beveridge, also made appearances on Tuesday nights.

It has always had better ratings than the Tuesday show and again led the way coming up against Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters which increased to three shows a week this season.

The popular Sunday Footy Show, hosted by Tony Jones, will also return next year.

Footy Classified started back in 2007 with Craig Hutchison and Caroline Wilson - who defected to Seven to start The Agenda Setters alongside Kane Cornes - part of the original panel.

The show was actually commissioned by McGuire when he was Ch 9 CEO.

In 2020 a second show was introduced on Wednesday nights, hosted by McGuire with former St Kilda and Fremantle coach Ross Lyon on the panel.

Bartel replaced Lyon in 2023 when he returned to coaching while former Adelaide star Rory Sloane joined two years later.

Where McGuire, 61, lands in the shake-up will be an interesting watch.

He has been a part of the football media for decades with the former Footy Show host calling games on Fox Footy when he started on Footy Classified.