Toast The media....*Nods Head*

[*PAF]

That was bound to happen there after they had to actually read a journalists article instead of the usual opinion pieces in the rag.

Pity it wasn't written by Rucci.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Pity it wasn't written by Rucci.

Rucci writes Opera - this is about an experience.

 

[*PAF]

Rucci writes Opera - this is about an experience.

I was referring more to the reaction we would have got from some of the Crow posters.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

That was bound to happen there after they had to actually read a journalists article instead of the usual opinion propaganda pieces in the rag.

ftfy

 

[tribey]

It's like Wisbey's 'Plays like' comparison when he used to do publicly viewable pre-draft player reviews.

Dat '04 Draft...

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Dat '04 Draft...

I remember him writing Wade Champion plays like David Neitz. So filled me with hope.

 

[I Dont Care]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - Harms' article went down like a lead balloon on the crows board

I can smell their burning from QLD. It is a sweet smell

 

[tribey]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - Harms' article went down like a lead balloon on the crows board

The sooner they embrace what they are, the sooner they'll be at peace with it.

A hastily-formed conglomerate nailed to the piece of paper that had been floating around Basheer's desk drawer for a few years, formed for the sole purpose of sticking it to Port Adelaide and making money in the process.

That's not to say they shouldn't be proud of their overall record in the 25 years since. It's quite formidable. A couple of day flags, a couple of preseason flags and win-loss record well in excess of the benchmark 50% that defines your program's overall competitiveness.

But we're older and duly have runs on the board as a grass roots club with deep community ties and supporter immersion they could only dream about. Instead of making it their burning desire to deny this fact, they could actually spend their time fostering such connections and holding knobs like Chapman, Smart and Trigg to account.

 

[stanmack]

Harmsey wrote "I see glimpses of G. Ablett Snr in him." Neither he or anyone here has written he is as good. Glimpses is very different to saying he plays like Ablett or is as good.

Also, Ablett snr played a fair bit of footy up the ground in his early years so perhaps there are similarities there. At 24 Ablett wasn't close the legend that he became. In fact at 24 Hamish is probably the better player. Who knows what lays ahead.

 

[tribey]

Also, Ablett snr played a fair bit of footy up the ground in his early years so perhaps there are similarities there. At 24 Ablett wasn't close the legend that he became. In fact at 24 Hamish is probably the better player. Who knows what lays ahead.

At 24 Senior kicked 82 goals in just 20 games as a wing-flanker. He was a fair way from becoming the triple centurion of his sunset years, but he was still a freaky beastdemon.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Also, Ablett snr played a fair bit of footy up the ground in his early years so perhaps there are similarities there. At 24 Ablett wasn't close the legend that he became. In fact at 24 Hamish is probably the better player. Who knows what lays ahead.

At 24 Senior kicked 82 goals in just 20 games as a wing-flanker. He was a fair way from becoming the triple centurion of his sunset years, but he was still a freaky beastdemon.

Fair bite of a pineapple doughnut. Hammer turned 24 in August and Gazza Snr turned 24 a few days after the 1985 GF.

Gazza decided to stay in the bush until he was 19. Went and played a few reserves games for the Hawks in 1981 then went back home. He played 5 a grade games in the 1982 season before walking out and going back to the bush and came back and played the Rd 22 game. He returned to the VFL in 1984 for Geelong ( he was contracted to the Hawks in 1983) and was picked for Victoria after playing 7 games that season (was injured for the other 4), and kicked 8 goals in the state game at Subi - he started on the wing and played HF for most of the game.

A few weeks later he rocked up for a game at the MCG, 20 minutes before bounce down - Tom Hafey rips into him and he stays calm and goes and kicks 5 goals in the first quarter. He won the Geelong's B&F when he only played 15 games in 1984!!! His only B&F at Geelong! Geelong finish 6th missing the finals on % and their best result since 1981.

In 1985 he kick 82 goals in 20 games from wing and half forward - not full forward but half forward. Only full forwards Beasley and Quinlan kicked more goals and they play 5 and 2 games more respectively.

Ablett was already a great player by the time he was 24 and had only played 41 games. Sure he naturally improved as he got older and reached his physical peak, and then when Blight got the club they used him at FF or FP, rather than across wing-HF and was even played across half back for some games before blight's time, and he reached legendary status. But to think Ablett wasn't considered a great player by the end of 1985, and to say Hammer at 24 is probably a better player than a 24 year old Ablett, is just ludicrous.

 

[TheFVK]

The sooner they embrace what they are, the sooner they'll be at peace with it.

A hastily-formed conglomerate nailed to the piece of paper that had been floating around Basheer's desk drawer for a few years, formed for the sole purpose of sticking it to Port Adelaide and making money in the process.

That's not to say they shouldn't be proud of their overall record in the 25 years since. It's quite formidable. A couple of day flags, a couple of preseason flags and win-loss record well in excess of the benchmark 50% that defines your program's overall competitiveness.

But we're older and duly have runs on the board as a grass roots club with deep community ties and supporter immersion they could only dream about. Instead of making it their burning desire to deny this fact, they could actually spend their time fostering such connections and holding knobs like Chapman, Smart and Trigg to account.

Nigel Smart. Just, lol.

 

[Slammer]

I remember him writing Wade Champion plays like David Neitz. So filled me with hope.

Oooops!

 

[Wind Power]

Harmsey wrote "I see glimpses of G. Ablett Snr in him." Neither he or anyone here has written he is as good. Glimpses is very different to saying he plays like Ablett or is as good.

I told Alan Richardson that Tom Clurey has a touch of Dustin Fletcher about him, the way his arms and legs go everywhere. Richo agreed with me but neither of us were saying he is a 400 game player.Same with Harmsey's comment re Hammer and glimpses of Ablett Snr.

Yes another glimpse of G Ablett snr. was in the elimination final against Richmond. They way he took possession, rode the bump and dished off (to the Hoff) to set up the goal.
Only difference if it was Ablett he probably would have kicked the goal himself.

 

[Nemisis]

Yes another glimpse of G Ablett snr. was in the elimination final against Richmond. They way he took possession, rode the bump and dished off (to the Hoff) to set up the goal.
Only difference if it was Ablett he probably would have kicked the goal himself.

That was one of my highlights of 2014 - it was a significant moment in Hammer's career... Ablett Snr. would have been proud of that bump.

 

[OneGreatClub]

That was one of my highlights of 2014 - it was a significant moment in Hammer's career... Ablett Snr. would have been proud of that bump.

I have watched it tens of times!

 

[jakey]

Comparing hammer and gary snr is a lot like comparing sausages and icecream.

 

[Phhht]

Yes another glimpse of G Ablett snr. was in the elimination final against Richmond. They way he took possession, rode the bump and dished off (to the Hoff) to set up the goal.
Only difference if it was Ablett he probably would have kicked the goal himself.

Ablett Snr would've simply gathered the ball whilst running through Morris, then nonchalantly dribbled a reverse checkside with positive overspin straight over the goal umpires hat

 

[CharlieKelly]

nice article!

I await Cornsey's bumbling nonsensical rebuttal

 

[stanmack]

In my opinion the superfit, superbly skilled, strong, tough, fast, gut running, defensive minded and skilled player that Hamish Hartlett is right now is a superior all round footballer to ANY player in 1985. You can throw quite a few other current players into that as well. I also believe the game has never been more skilled, fast, high pressured or tough as it is now. Just my opinion.

 

[Jello_B]

In my opinion the superfit, superbly skilled, strong, tough, fast, gut running, defensive minded and skilled player that Hamish Hartlett is right now is a superior all round footballer to ANY player in 1985. You can throw quite a few other current players into that as well. I also believe the game has never been more skilled, fast, high pressured or tough as it is now. Just my opinion.

You could say the same about most if not all sports. Look at tennis for example, try comparing Rod Laver to Federer.

 

[finbarr]

You could say the same about most if not all sports. Look at tennis for example, try comparing Rod Laver to Federer.

You could, but more often than not it's the footballers of yesteryear who tell us how much tougher and skilled football was in their day, an assertion that is patently false.

 

[Jello_B]

You could, but more often than not it's the footballers of yesteryear who tell us how much tougher and skilled football was in their day, an assertion that is patently false.

I haven't really heard that, if anything the general consensus is that footy was tougher back then (which if you equate tougher to being able to hit a bloke harder and boot up next week is probably true) but more skilled today as you would expect now that the game is a full time job with all the ancillaries.

 

[tribey]

You could, but more often than not it's the footballers of yesteryear who tell us how much tougher and skilled football was in their day, an assertion that is patently false.

I remember having an argument with a mate's dad in the lead-up to the 1999 GF where he was utterly convinced a select from the 60's would beat a select from the 90's.

"Trev", I said. "How?"

"Accuracy" was the reply.

I made a point of watching Seven's GF marathon a day or two later and surmised that short of someone like John Nicholls laying out Wayne Carey, Nathan Buckley, Michael Voss, James Hird and Gavin Wanganeen in the first 2 minutes, the game would be a blowout by quarter-time.

 

[finbarr]

I haven't really heard that, if anything the general consensus is that footy was tougher back then (which if you equate tougher to being able to hit a bloke harder and boot up next week is probably true) but more skilled today as you would expect now that the game is a full time job with all the ancillaries.

Maybe I'm just going by the comments of people like Sam Newman, who continually lament the "lost art" of ruck work and goal kicking. The latter most likely resulting from the fact the modern day goal kicking forward is usually knackered from all the running and chasing he does prior to lining up for goal.