Voss refused to comment on another below-par performance from Brendan Fevola, with his body language again an issue during a forgettable afternoon where he kicked two goals from just five kicks. "I thought a lot of players didn't play well and I don't think it would be fair to single him out," he said.
"I thought collectively we were all quite poor and I don't think to single one player out for special mention would be worthwhile."
Scott Cummings: Very good player. ''Undeniably a team player and he never gets credit for that. When his teammates kick a great goal no one is more excited than Fev. People don't pay attention to that. He's a terrific team player.''
Dennis Cometti: Above average player. ''His best is very good.'' His worst? ''Unacceptable.”
Bruce McAvaney: Very good player. ''We just haven't seen enough of him in September which you'd love to. I reckon he can kick the Milney goals and the other big boys can't do that. He can kick the grubber goal and he can kick the one down low, the one around the corner, so as a full-forward he's more versatile than many I've seen.''
Mike Sheahan: Above average player. ''Certainly not a great, occasionally very good, often good, and too often terrible. He's been a conundrum since the day he kicked 12 goals in the New Year's Eve game, and nothing has changed.'''
Matthew Richardson: Great player. ''He's harshly judged. He's kicked 39 goals this year, and will probably finish with 70 to 80 and in modern times when people don't kick a 100 that's very good. He's done that for a long time and I don't know why people judge him harshly. People don't know how hard it is to kick 70 to 80 goals a year for 10 years.''
"I've got a few niggles, but I am slowly getting better which is good. I made a massive improvement today because for the first time in five or six weeks I've been able to run two days after a game."
His injury, thought to be a groin, restricted him on Sunday, as did a plan to play deep to off-set the Bulldogs backmen cutting of his lead. "I knew I didn't play at the level I should have and it's fair to say I will be leading a bit more," he said. "Alex had her say, she knows a bit about footy, and she told me I had to lead at the footy. She should be a coach. She said pretty much what the coach said."
OK he could have done some things better, he could have got more involved, he could do a lot of things differently. But he is on his way to another 70+ season, which as Richo says is not easy to do year after year. He is doing that while still laying on assists for the team and most of the time applying some forward defensive pressure. I don't honestly believe we could ask a lot more from a full forward, in the context of the team performances this year.
"We grew up together, we've both played at AFL clubs, he's the captain, and to be able to stand in the middle with him and toss the coin would be great."
"It would be special for our parents - his parents are flying up for it, as well."
Fevola said his earliest football memory was kicking a ball with Newman and Newman's older brother Shane outside their houses.
“I’m 29, in my peak,” Fevola said. “Two more years after this and then hopefully play till I’m 33, 34 so hopefully I can play another hundred or so games. As long as I keep my pace and look after my body I think I can play for a lot longer than what my contract is at the moment.”
Fevola said kicking a goal with his left foot was one notable challenge he hoped to accomplish before his career finished, and named Geelong full-back Matthew Scarlett as his toughest opponent. “He has called me his bunny a couple of times,” Fevola said. “He said it’s like taking out the garbage bin, that’s how easy it is to play on me”
Fevola supported St Kilda while growing up and nominated Tony Lockett as his childhood idol."I was fortunate enough as a young kid to witness Dunstall, Ablett, Lockett, Carey and all those blokes doing their thing at the same time," he said.
"I used to sell pizza out at Waverley Park when I was a kid, so I used to get in there and sell all the pizza before the seniors started."
"I'd sit down, watch those blokes and sneak into the rooms just to watch what they did."
"That was a real highlight when I was a kid, I always wanted to do that, and now I'm fortunate enough that I get an opportunity to do that."
“Obviously playing my first game was a big thrill,” Fevola told SEN radio in Melbourne. “I remember conking down in my car on the way to the MCG from Narre Warren. Luckily enough, mum came and picked me up. I ended up being late to the ground and David Parkin wasn’t too rapt with that,” he said.
“I came in as a pimply-faced 17 year-old that weighed around 87kg. Now I’m out to 103kg,” Fevola said. “My skin folds are currently the lowest they have ever been. But I think the white shorts make my butt look a little bit big. I’ve got to keep away from those white shorts.”
He will also get the chance to toss the coin alongside Richmond Captain Chris Newman who was coincidentally the best man at Fevola’s wedding. “It will be a great honour to toss the coin - I’ve never done it before,” Fevola said.
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