Reviewing the 2013 AFL Season.

[Vinny]

I think Thomas went under the radar a fair bit because of his sub games. Grundy for me!

[Nige]

Was tough to pick Freo's emerging talent - only because I wanted to strictly keep it to first year players. Had to break that and pick Lachie Neale.

[Jukes]

Great moment I reckon was Essendon's win over West Coast, it had been tough as for the Bombers and you could see how much the win meant be the end. You gotta admire Watson for how he led the club during the year. I hate Essendon but have nothing but respect for Watson. This photo was from the victory after the possibly the most difficult week of the clubs history.

I was at that game, omg the best game I've ever been to: Carlisle's goal, Heppell's goal, the final siren such epicness. My team over my least liked team :D


Anyway, 2013 for the bombers was flowered over by the AFL who have it in against us screwed us in our premiership aims. I really feel that if the whole scandal didn't happen we'd have finished top 4 and, given our success in 2013 against teams like Freo away and beating Pies, Tigers, Blues etc we could have had a very good shot of winning one or maybe even two finals games. Move onto 2014.

[Nige]

Over the max word limit by 39... But if you take out the headings I'm under. I don't think the teacher guy is gonna care too much (he's pretty chilled out).

[stew42]

Post it on here mate, I'm curious!

[Nige]

I'll put it up tonight lads.

It might take a while because of the copy and paste issues.

[kilbluff1985]

if i get copy and past issues when making a new post usually if i click modify then paste again it works fine

thought that might help you nigey

[Nige]

Now that the Cup is over, I'll put it up.

[Nige]

-> The following was completed for an assignment where I had to write a magazine article.
-> The article could be no more than 1200 words hence the very short pieces for each part of this review.
-> Please feel free to discuss, debate and/or rip to shreds this article. I'm not fussed what others think, this was done largely in my opinion.



The 2013 AFL Premiership Season has come and gone. Seven months of football culminated with the Hawthorn Hawks taking home the coveted Premiership Cup after crushing the Fremantle Dockers' dreams of a maiden premiership. This review of the season will provide a brief summary of your club's best moment, low point, best player and emerging talent.

Adelaide Crows:
Best Moment: Adelaide's best moment was definitely their 2 point victory over the Cats - was something special.
Low Point: The low point of the season was the blow that was losing Taylor Walker to a knee injury in Round 5 against Carlton.
Best Player: Rory Sloane just beats his mate Patrick Dangerfield for this one.
Emerging Talent: It's hard to look past their prized mini-draft pick - Brad Crouch

Brisbane Lions:
Best Moment: Without a doubt, their Round 8 win over Essendon where Brent Staker kicked the match-sealer on return from injury.
Low Point: The Lions had a shocking player exchange period with the "mummy's boys" going home.
Best Player: Tom Rockliff featured in their best more often than not in 2013.
Emerging Talent: Sam Mayes proved his worth as a first round pick.

Carlton Blues:
Best Moment: Their luck. Beating Richmond after scraping into finals due to Essendon's penalty of dropping to 9th.
Low Point: Carlton's up and down year. They didn't run out some games and lacked a key forward.
Best Player: Lachie Henderson enjoyed a very good year at both ends of the ground.
Emerging Talent: Tom Bell showed glimpses of how good he can be.

Collingwood Magpies:
Best Moment: Their midfield doesn't look like slowing down or lacking talent. Swan, Pendlebury, Beams all quality.
Low Point: The inconsistent season highlighted by a shock loss to the Suns at Metricon.
Best Player: Flip a coin between Swan and Pendlebury here. Maybe Pendlebury... just.
Emerging Talent: Josh Thomas came from nowhere are being on the list for a few years.

Essendon Bombers:
Best Moment: The win over West Coast where Jobe Watson got booed was booed by the crowd was something else.
Low Point: Does it even need saying? The drugs scandal was news all year and didn't end too well.
Best Player: The aforementioned 2012 Brownlow winner - Jobe Watson stood tall.
Emerging Talent: Nick Kommer was a surprise playing 19 of 22 games.

Fremantle Dockers:
Best Moment: Freo took a major step forward and made their first grand final appearance in their short history.
Low Point: There weren't too many lows for the Purple Haze in 2013, but losing the Grand Final must still sting a little.
Best Player: Nathan Fyfe is becoming a very good footballer. Just needs to be more efficient.
Emerging Talent: Lachie Neale started to produce the goods.

Geelong Cats:
Best Moment: Fantastic start to the season with a 7-win streak after being called 'too old and too slow'.
Low Point: Should have probably won the Qualifying Final against Freo but didn't get up.
Best Player: Their skipper leads from the front - Joel Selwood.
Emerging Talent: Cameron Guthrie showed a bit in his third season. Looks a good replacement for some aging stars.

Gold Coast Suns:
Best Moment: Their rise this year was definitely something that needed to happen and did.
Low Point: Got blown out of the water a few times but that was to be expected.
Best Player: A no-brainer. The now dual Brownlow medallist - Gary Ablett Jr.
Emerging Talent: The man they call the Jaeger Bomb - Jaeger O'Meara, also a mini-draft pick.

Greater Western Sydney Giants:
Best Moment: Jeremy Cameron almost taking out the Coleman Medal was definitely a good sign.
Low Point: Still getting smashed by teams. However, that won't happen for too much longer.
Best Player: Their big forward all season - Jeremy Cameron was a shining light in a dull year.
Emerging Talent: Lachie Whitfield lived up to the hype around him.

Hawthorn Hawks:
Best Moment: 2013's Premiers is all that needs to be said. But they also broke the 'Kennett Curse'.
Low Point: Not many here. 4 ACL injuries, including Brendan Whitecross' one in the Preliminary Final against Geelong.
Best Player: Jarryd Roughead was invaluable up forward all year. 2013's Coleman Medallist.
Emerging Talent: Brad Hill definitely looks like an exciting prospect.

Melbourne Demons:
Best Moment: Very little on-field positives. Paul Roos becoming the new coach should help the club rebuild.
Low Point: Got slaughtered too many times and were largely uncompetitive on many occasions.
Best Player: Nathan Jones was one of their only players that showed heart in 2013, should be skipper.
Emerging Talent: Jack Viney gave a little taste that he will be a star one day.

North Melbourne Kangaroos:
Best Moment: Wins over Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood showed what they're capable of doing.
Low Point: Simply choked too many times, coughing up leads that should have been held.
Best Player: Scott D Thompson was a star all season and led the team well once their captain went down.
Emerging Talent: Aaron Black is going to be a quality forward very soon.

Port Adelaide Power:
Best Moment: Looked a new side in 2013. A finals appearance thanks to Ken Hinkley - Coach of the year.
Low Point: Five losses in a row after five wins to start the year dampened the celebrations somewhat.
Best Player: Somebody must have forgotten to tell Chad Wingard about second year blues.
Emerging Talent: Still a mystery how he lasted to them in the draft - Ollie Wines.

Richmond Tigers:
Best Moment: Made the finals for the first time in 12 years which brought smiles to faces of fans who have been waiting.
Low Point: Got beaten badly a few times, also lost the Elimination Final to Carlton - a bittersweet moment.
Best Player: Alex Rance was only soundly beaten once this year, very underrated performer.
Emerging Talent: Aptly named Tigger, their most recent first round draft pick - Nick Vlastuin.

St Kilda Saints:
Best Moment: Their year wasn't much to celebrate, but the trade period has definitely set them up long-term.
Low Point: A horrible season on-field capped off by the sacking of coach - Scott Watters.
Best Player: Jack Steven is head and shoulders above the rest. 
Emerging Talent: Seb Ross is on his way to being a good midfielder.

Sydney Swans:
Best Moment: A solid year to back up their Premiership season was always going to be the aim.
Low Point: Missing out on the Grand Final. Granted, this was always going to be tough against a gallant Freo. 
Best Player: Kieren Jack was the best, just ahead of Dan Hannebery.
Emerging Talent: Tom Mitchell looked sensational until injury ended his season.

West Coast Eagles:
Best Moment: The win against Adelaide in Round 15 was quality, they needed more like that.
Low Point: Didn't have any consistency at all. Failed to live up to the hype at the year's beginning.
Best Player: Josh J Kennedy was instrumental up forward for most of the year.
Emerging Talent: Mark Hutchings was the pick of their new faces in 2013.

Western Bulldogs:
Best Moment: Challenged a few teams at times throughout the year and their young guns look good.
Low Point: Just weren't competitive enough to compete with the better teams. Got belted on occasion.
Best Player: Ryan Griffen was phenomenal from start to finish.
Emerging Talent: Michael Talia looks every bit as good as his award winning brother. 

[Nige]

Finally got it posted.  ::) 8)

[Vinny]

Nice work Nige, was a good read! Surely you could have gave Carlton more credit than "scraped into 9th" Our best moment was winning the elimination final :P Also I don't think the Essendon best moment makes sense, haha. But yeah nice work! :)

Luck was not our best moment.

[kilbluff1985]

would of thought Brisbane's best moment would be the come back against Geelong

[Vinny]

would of thought Brisbane's best moment would be the come back against Geelong

Yep, for sure. Ash McGrath's milestoner too.

[nrich102]

I liked them as much as each other. They were both awesome.

[Master Q]

The win over West Coast where Jobe Watson got booed was booed by the crowd was something else.

Am I reading it wrong, or a typo?

Great write-up Nigey.