Dirty Bird
Pokémon Master
I just thought it could be interesting to see how peoples careers shaped out. I'll get it started.
1999 - I played u9s and u10s. In u9s we had a rotation policy in our league (SydneyAFL Northwest). My rotation went FF-Ru-FB-FF. Our u9s team was pretty good actually, but I don't recall the exact details, the league had no finals and it was just for fun. But I was good enough to play up into our u10s teams most weeks, and I even appeared in the Grand Final that year, I played FP and HFF for them. Ps, my nickname was "Sparkles" at this stage. Something about my eyes
2000 - I played u10s, as our team was a foundation member of SydneyAFL West, and the league was small there was no u9s, so under the old rule they still kept the roation going, this time I was Ru-FF-FB-Ru. My team had grown larger so it was split, I was in the Red team, funnily enough, the White team was supposed to be the better team, they had the 3 best players who were eligable for u10s and played there (best played u12s). Yet somehow we beat them all 4 times we played them (practise match, in season x2, and a final). In the Prelim Final I kicked our teams only goal. Was a close game though, IIRC it was 4.4.28 to 1.4.10. I know we scored 10 and I know if we had kicked straight we would have won.
2001 - I played u11s, but moved from Penrith to North Ryde. A bad rule at the time allowed us to play 3 u12s in our team, so our FB one of our 2 best midfielders and another player were out there for us, they helepd us finish 2nd only losing to the undefeated team that year. I kicked 2 of my 4 goal games this season. Both against Drummoyne.
2002 - I played u12s, our previous coach was ousted, and our new coach was a moron, he was playing politics, oh lets move my son from BP to wing, move the assistant coaches son from wing to FF, lets move the proven FF to FB, lets play the worst player in the team at BP. Heck, I was told that year "Do not go off the goal line, just stand there and mark the ball that lands on the goal line" In short, my man (the FF) always dominated as he could just lead and if I followed him to defend, the coach would just rip my head off for leaving the line, as because if i were there, I could touch the ball on the line
2003 - u13s, thankfully that moron ****ed off, but the new coach still left me at FB, though, the team was kinda middle of the road now so I was in the game a bit, but I was now allowed to defend. I was ok. Just a little annoyed about the coach for 1 thing. You give me 2 1/2 quarters for the year in the forward line, and I kick 4 goals that game equalling my PB, was against Blacktown. 12 goals between me and the twins. (5 to HFF, 4 to me, 3 to FP). Surely you would have seen a potent forward line, but no, mid 4th I'm moved back to FB and don't reappear in the forward line again that year.
2004 - u14s, finally, another coach, kept changing positions throughout the year, but the team sucked, we won the wooden spoon. But I did enjoy the win as it was against the team 3 of my mates from school played for, and I kicked 3 goals that game, 2 vs the mate from another class, and 1 vs the mate from my homeroom. And the CHF got 5 that day, 4 vs the guy from my class, and 1 vs the other mate. So those 2 gave away 8 of about 10 goals that day as we won Also played my 100th in this season. Was looking very promising, we were up against 2nd at 1/4 time, and we were last FFS!, we had devised a new tactic. We confused the s**t out of the opponents midfield, we had the Ruckman, FF and FB all in the midfield, we all lined up to ruck and the opponents midfield didn't know what to do in their setup, we exploited their ruckman and killed them in the guts. Then the FB got exhausted due to his asthma and had to leave the midfield. We had no plan b, they ended up beating us comfortably but we did have a lead at 1/4 time and was still in the balance at 3/4 time. Could have been the greatest upset I would have played in, and it would have been my 100th as well. Oh well.
2005 - u15s, I got sick of losing and moved to another team, it was the team who dominated 2001, and I believe won the 2002 grand final as well, but they fell short in 2003 and 2004 as their main competition gained Geelong's Ranga Ediriwickrama. Forrest (who I played for) recruited heavily that offseason, they got 2 rep players (1 of which became Collingwood's Scott Reed) and 1 of them brought me along. I was a good contributer, started the season as the ruckman and was beating all in my path, then one day I come accross a NSW Scholarship player, ****ing Anthony Stubbs. He deimated me that day, we put Scott in the ruck and he broke even, the next week I was up forward, and I booted 3 vs Westbrook (the team who were back-to-back). Throw those 2 weeks together and I'm now the FF the team has missed since about 2003. Injuries (Scott) international representation in sailing (Our Rover - Scholarhop player to North), State representation (2 of our midfielders and probably our 3rd and 5th best players, and our CHB - Freo scholarship player) decimated us, we went from going head to head with 1st, to being at the same level of 4th. We finally got the whole team back on the park for the final h&a game for the year, then our CHB (Freo scholarhsip) BP (3rd key defender) and myself (FF) got injuries, we all played the next week but myself and the BP shouldn't have been out there, we were that stretched for numbers. And Scott and our Rover (2nd best player, international sailer) were 2 games back and wern't fully fit. In short, we lost to 4th in the 1st ginal.
2006 - u16s. That team was decimated, Scott to Pennant Hills, my mate went to Balmain (but I didn't want to play there as I didn't like some of the morons there), and most of the team went to North Shore. I went to Pennant Hills but in the juniors as Scott was seniors. We were middle of the road as the best teams were decimated (Westbrook lost players to Pennant Hills seniors, Baulkham hills lost players to East Coast Eagles) so it was even, I played FF this year. We just missed out on finals, I tied my pb of 4 in the last game of the year.
2007 - u18s 2nd. Pennant Hills again, but now the seniors. I started in the ruck, was pretty good as well. Got a win over Penrith this year who I last played with in 2000. In the 2nd game for the year I still loved 1 play. We're deep in the pocket, not much of an angle between the goals, the mate from school was going "Rigg hands, hands" I snap the ball out of a pack, split the middle and reply to him with "Why should I?" and my facial expression was basically . A few rounds later we played the best team in the league who had another NSW scholarship player in it, I think it was one who made the St Kilda squad. Can't recall the name though. He killed me in the ruck, the next week the backup from the 1sts came down and he had the starting ruck spot for the whole year. I was moving around a little now that my spot was taken, FF, CHB, was servicable. One of my favourites plays was a game at Macquarie University. I was at CHB, beat my man one-on-one had a penetrating 40 metre kick on a switch to a man open by himself, 1 handball, run, bounce, bounce, kick, mark, kick, mark, set shot, goal. Was a great play, and the crowd was shocked at how easily I beat my man as people called me "Diesal" at this stage. Something about that's what it takes to get me going as I'm a truck or something. Great play, loved it. Still moved around a little for the rest of the year, but then in the final h&a match for the year, our starting ruckman injured himself on the opening bounce. I then have to play the last 79:30 of the 80 minutes match. Oh well, played my best game ever. Dominated our most hated rivals in the ruck, contributed around the field. We killed them, and i killed my man the most comprehensively I ever have. Still can't believe that guy made AFL and is still there (for Sydney) . Was rewarded the next week in the finals, got to start in the midfield. Too bad it was the day after my year 12 formal Yeah, slept over at a mates after the afterparty and I turned up in a suite Oh well, actually played pretty well for a quarter, but their team was inspired and was beating us pretty badly around the field, I guess a team would do that when their assistant coach died from cancer that week. 1st game that year that we played they won by about 5 goals, 2nd game was my first and only draw, this time we couldn't play some of our best players as they had played too many games for the 1sts and 1sts had a bye that week. Normally they could play but they thought we would top up our team with those who qualified for us. And 3 of the better u16s players couldn't play for us because their Prelim was that week while it was just our Elim. Anyway, we were still in it at 1/4 time, but then I was moved out of the Ruck then for the regular guy and we got destroyed from then on out. Last game in Sydney.
2008 - Ressies/3rds/u18s - Moved to Adelaide, Spoke to Barrie Robran, he suggested Broadview. I went there. But had missed the pre-season, was unfit, couldn't crack 1sts as too unfit. Had to play ressies. Was ok in the ruck but couldn't run out a game int he guts, moved up forward, but the team was that bad that the ball never got up there (though, I found it amusing, the 1 time vs Salisbury North it got up there was the 1 time I pushed up to the HBF to get the ball). Due to not getting near the ball up forward and not running out the 3rds, I went to the 3rds. I went better there, even dominated down back one game. Worked my way back up to 2nds but I was still only a fringe player due to fitness (though, I knew if given a shot up forward in the 1sts I could prove myself on skill), was going to go back to 3rds again but I didn't want to, so I pointed out I was still eligable for 18s, went back there, was good in that team. But I didn't know anyone, I wasn't being given a chance in the ressies, and I didn't like the 3rds. Left mid year.
2013 - Going to get back into football, eyeing off a couple of ammo teams. Will decide later. I want to play again (And my fitness is now better!)
1999 - I played u9s and u10s. In u9s we had a rotation policy in our league (SydneyAFL Northwest). My rotation went FF-Ru-FB-FF. Our u9s team was pretty good actually, but I don't recall the exact details, the league had no finals and it was just for fun. But I was good enough to play up into our u10s teams most weeks, and I even appeared in the Grand Final that year, I played FP and HFF for them. Ps, my nickname was "Sparkles" at this stage. Something about my eyes
2000 - I played u10s, as our team was a foundation member of SydneyAFL West, and the league was small there was no u9s, so under the old rule they still kept the roation going, this time I was Ru-FF-FB-Ru. My team had grown larger so it was split, I was in the Red team, funnily enough, the White team was supposed to be the better team, they had the 3 best players who were eligable for u10s and played there (best played u12s). Yet somehow we beat them all 4 times we played them (practise match, in season x2, and a final). In the Prelim Final I kicked our teams only goal. Was a close game though, IIRC it was 4.4.28 to 1.4.10. I know we scored 10 and I know if we had kicked straight we would have won.
2001 - I played u11s, but moved from Penrith to North Ryde. A bad rule at the time allowed us to play 3 u12s in our team, so our FB one of our 2 best midfielders and another player were out there for us, they helepd us finish 2nd only losing to the undefeated team that year. I kicked 2 of my 4 goal games this season. Both against Drummoyne.
2002 - I played u12s, our previous coach was ousted, and our new coach was a moron, he was playing politics, oh lets move my son from BP to wing, move the assistant coaches son from wing to FF, lets move the proven FF to FB, lets play the worst player in the team at BP. Heck, I was told that year "Do not go off the goal line, just stand there and mark the ball that lands on the goal line" In short, my man (the FF) always dominated as he could just lead and if I followed him to defend, the coach would just rip my head off for leaving the line, as because if i were there, I could touch the ball on the line
2003 - u13s, thankfully that moron ****ed off, but the new coach still left me at FB, though, the team was kinda middle of the road now so I was in the game a bit, but I was now allowed to defend. I was ok. Just a little annoyed about the coach for 1 thing. You give me 2 1/2 quarters for the year in the forward line, and I kick 4 goals that game equalling my PB, was against Blacktown. 12 goals between me and the twins. (5 to HFF, 4 to me, 3 to FP). Surely you would have seen a potent forward line, but no, mid 4th I'm moved back to FB and don't reappear in the forward line again that year.
2004 - u14s, finally, another coach, kept changing positions throughout the year, but the team sucked, we won the wooden spoon. But I did enjoy the win as it was against the team 3 of my mates from school played for, and I kicked 3 goals that game, 2 vs the mate from another class, and 1 vs the mate from my homeroom. And the CHF got 5 that day, 4 vs the guy from my class, and 1 vs the other mate. So those 2 gave away 8 of about 10 goals that day as we won Also played my 100th in this season. Was looking very promising, we were up against 2nd at 1/4 time, and we were last FFS!, we had devised a new tactic. We confused the s**t out of the opponents midfield, we had the Ruckman, FF and FB all in the midfield, we all lined up to ruck and the opponents midfield didn't know what to do in their setup, we exploited their ruckman and killed them in the guts. Then the FB got exhausted due to his asthma and had to leave the midfield. We had no plan b, they ended up beating us comfortably but we did have a lead at 1/4 time and was still in the balance at 3/4 time. Could have been the greatest upset I would have played in, and it would have been my 100th as well. Oh well.
2005 - u15s, I got sick of losing and moved to another team, it was the team who dominated 2001, and I believe won the 2002 grand final as well, but they fell short in 2003 and 2004 as their main competition gained Geelong's Ranga Ediriwickrama. Forrest (who I played for) recruited heavily that offseason, they got 2 rep players (1 of which became Collingwood's Scott Reed) and 1 of them brought me along. I was a good contributer, started the season as the ruckman and was beating all in my path, then one day I come accross a NSW Scholarship player, ****ing Anthony Stubbs. He deimated me that day, we put Scott in the ruck and he broke even, the next week I was up forward, and I booted 3 vs Westbrook (the team who were back-to-back). Throw those 2 weeks together and I'm now the FF the team has missed since about 2003. Injuries (Scott) international representation in sailing (Our Rover - Scholarhop player to North), State representation (2 of our midfielders and probably our 3rd and 5th best players, and our CHB - Freo scholarship player) decimated us, we went from going head to head with 1st, to being at the same level of 4th. We finally got the whole team back on the park for the final h&a game for the year, then our CHB (Freo scholarhsip) BP (3rd key defender) and myself (FF) got injuries, we all played the next week but myself and the BP shouldn't have been out there, we were that stretched for numbers. And Scott and our Rover (2nd best player, international sailer) were 2 games back and wern't fully fit. In short, we lost to 4th in the 1st ginal.
2006 - u16s. That team was decimated, Scott to Pennant Hills, my mate went to Balmain (but I didn't want to play there as I didn't like some of the morons there), and most of the team went to North Shore. I went to Pennant Hills but in the juniors as Scott was seniors. We were middle of the road as the best teams were decimated (Westbrook lost players to Pennant Hills seniors, Baulkham hills lost players to East Coast Eagles) so it was even, I played FF this year. We just missed out on finals, I tied my pb of 4 in the last game of the year.
2007 - u18s 2nd. Pennant Hills again, but now the seniors. I started in the ruck, was pretty good as well. Got a win over Penrith this year who I last played with in 2000. In the 2nd game for the year I still loved 1 play. We're deep in the pocket, not much of an angle between the goals, the mate from school was going "Rigg hands, hands" I snap the ball out of a pack, split the middle and reply to him with "Why should I?" and my facial expression was basically . A few rounds later we played the best team in the league who had another NSW scholarship player in it, I think it was one who made the St Kilda squad. Can't recall the name though. He killed me in the ruck, the next week the backup from the 1sts came down and he had the starting ruck spot for the whole year. I was moving around a little now that my spot was taken, FF, CHB, was servicable. One of my favourites plays was a game at Macquarie University. I was at CHB, beat my man one-on-one had a penetrating 40 metre kick on a switch to a man open by himself, 1 handball, run, bounce, bounce, kick, mark, kick, mark, set shot, goal. Was a great play, and the crowd was shocked at how easily I beat my man as people called me "Diesal" at this stage. Something about that's what it takes to get me going as I'm a truck or something. Great play, loved it. Still moved around a little for the rest of the year, but then in the final h&a match for the year, our starting ruckman injured himself on the opening bounce. I then have to play the last 79:30 of the 80 minutes match. Oh well, played my best game ever. Dominated our most hated rivals in the ruck, contributed around the field. We killed them, and i killed my man the most comprehensively I ever have. Still can't believe that guy made AFL and is still there (for Sydney) . Was rewarded the next week in the finals, got to start in the midfield. Too bad it was the day after my year 12 formal Yeah, slept over at a mates after the afterparty and I turned up in a suite Oh well, actually played pretty well for a quarter, but their team was inspired and was beating us pretty badly around the field, I guess a team would do that when their assistant coach died from cancer that week. 1st game that year that we played they won by about 5 goals, 2nd game was my first and only draw, this time we couldn't play some of our best players as they had played too many games for the 1sts and 1sts had a bye that week. Normally they could play but they thought we would top up our team with those who qualified for us. And 3 of the better u16s players couldn't play for us because their Prelim was that week while it was just our Elim. Anyway, we were still in it at 1/4 time, but then I was moved out of the Ruck then for the regular guy and we got destroyed from then on out. Last game in Sydney.
2008 - Ressies/3rds/u18s - Moved to Adelaide, Spoke to Barrie Robran, he suggested Broadview. I went there. But had missed the pre-season, was unfit, couldn't crack 1sts as too unfit. Had to play ressies. Was ok in the ruck but couldn't run out a game int he guts, moved up forward, but the team was that bad that the ball never got up there (though, I found it amusing, the 1 time vs Salisbury North it got up there was the 1 time I pushed up to the HBF to get the ball). Due to not getting near the ball up forward and not running out the 3rds, I went to the 3rds. I went better there, even dominated down back one game. Worked my way back up to 2nds but I was still only a fringe player due to fitness (though, I knew if given a shot up forward in the 1sts I could prove myself on skill), was going to go back to 3rds again but I didn't want to, so I pointed out I was still eligable for 18s, went back there, was good in that team. But I didn't know anyone, I wasn't being given a chance in the ressies, and I didn't like the 3rds. Left mid year.
2013 - Going to get back into football, eyeing off a couple of ammo teams. Will decide later. I want to play again (And my fitness is now better!)