Opinion Commentary & Media V

Status
Not open for further replies.
Nov 7, 2020
2,591
6,323
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Matty Larkin would have to be one of the most underrated of our past stars. He was so good, my favourite player of the 80's. Wish he was born 5 years later so he could have been a part of the 90's premierships

One of the best blokes too, spent time next to him at urinals over the years.
 
Humble bloke too. As a kid, met him been at a footy clinic run at Primary School. Taken aback when I told him he was my favourite player.

Must have been late 80's?

Bloody hell, does that qualify me as old around here?
 
Humble bloke too. As a kid, met him been at a footy clinic run at Primary School. Taken aback when I told him he was my favourite player.

Must have been late 80's?

Bloody hell, does that qualify me as old around here?
...get thee to the Grumpy thread...
 
DEMONS CAN DO THE DOUBLE


AFL PREMIERSHIP
CLARK SAYS
WESTERN BULLDOGS: This is Aaron Naughton’s time to establish himself as a superstar of the competition.

And if he can dominate ahead of the ball with his supreme marking power, the Dogs can take revenge on Melbourne.

The Dees are super-talented, but will they remain super-hungry? That is the next test for the brilliant onball group as it attempts to climb the mountain again.

Fremantle to make the eight is the best roughie bet as an emerging group prepares to take a big step under Justin Longmuir.

GULLAN SAYS
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Came from the clouds to be runner-up in ’21 and will be significantly better.
Treloar and Dunkley missed large chunks of the year while No.1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan learnt plenty.

Tall defender Tim O’Brien is a good get from the Hawks.

CHALLENGER: Port Adelaide was humiliated in the preliminary final, which will give Ken Hinkley plenty of ammunition. Port’s young guns had injury issues. Get them right and all the ingredients are there.

ROUGHIE: Carlton.

Michael Voss will get the Blues playing a more defensive, disciplined game and, with a fit Charlie Curnow, the forward line will be scary.

McFARLANE SAYS
NO flags in almost six decades; two flags in two seasons. As crazy as that sounds for delirious Melbourne fans, it is not only possible … it’s looking more and more probable.

Melbourne ($4.50) is still on the ascent and has the playing list in the sweetest of spots to win more flags.

They are clearly my pick for more glory in 2022 – this time hopefully with fans back at the MCG. Superstars such as Max Gawn, Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver will again rise to the occasion.

But the real improvement will come from a talented younger brigade. Seven of the premiership side were 21 or under on AFL Grand Final day.

Two of them, Rising Star winner Luke Jackson and forward pressure machine Kozzie Pickett could elevate their game into the top bracket.

The Dogs ($7) are best placed to upset the Demons.

Richmond represents a cheeky bet at $11. Reckon the Tigers still have one last shot next year as everything that could go wrong did go wrong in 2021. Over to you, Dusty and Co.

THE TAB MONEY TRAIL
MELBOURNE is responsible for 40 per cent of trade. Western Bulldogs are the next most popular at 14.5 per cent, but are responsible for the biggest bet placed to this point, $5000 at $7.

Third most popular is Brisbane (8 per cent) and the surprise is probably Carlton (fourth at 6.5 per cent, just ahead of Richmond, 6 per cent). Have taken two bets of $1000 at $34 on the Blues.

PREMIERSHIP ODDS
Melbourne $4.50
Western Bulldogs $7
Brisbane $8
Port Adelaide $9
Geelong $ 10
Richmond $11
Sydney $11
West Coast $15
GWS $15
Essendon $23
St Kilda $23
Carlton $26
Fremantle $34
Adelaide $67
Collingwood $67
Hawthorn $81
Gold Coast $81
North Melbourne $101
TAB’S BRAD BISHOP
“MELBOURNE heads betting at $4.50 but the price probably doesn’t reflect their dominance, with 40 per cent of money bet to this point being on the premiers.
Carlton is at a price punters don’t mind, with two bets of $1000 at $34 meaning the Blues are our worst result.”
RISING STAR
CLARK SAYS
JASON HORNE-FRANCIS
(NM): We’ve heard it one thousand times since the season ended. North Melbourne’s Jason Horne- Francis is something special.

The two Adelaide clubs will throw the kitchen sink at him, but the Kangaroos are the perfect landing spot.

He’ll get huge opportunity to play 20 games in his first season, hit the scoreboard, and become a frontline weapon for a club on the up.

Tough and competitive, watch “The Hornet” shine from the first bounce.

Hawthorn’s Josh Ward will also get a big go under Sam Mitchell and has a huge tank.

Ready now.

GULLAN SAYS
FINLAY MACRAE: The Pies need youth through the midfield, and the younger brother of Bulldogs star Jackson showed enough in a handful of games to be handed a more prominent role.

McFARLANE SAYS
NICK DAICOS: Only one father-son selection (Ben Cousins) has gone on to win a Rising Star award, but that could change next season in what looks like being a vintage year. My early money is on Collingwood’s son-of-agun Daicos, who will get every chance to make an immediate impression in a developing team. He is $4 favourite. And if he can have a clear run with injuries, the No.4 draft pick in the No.35

jumper famously worn by his father Peter can become the Pies’ second Rising Star.

Daicos is likely to alternate between half-back and the midfield in his first season.

His challengers will likely come from North Melbourne’s No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis ($5), Giant Finn Callaghan ($10), and second-year players Jamarra Ugle-Hagan ($7), Logan McDonald ($10) and Braeden Campbell ($11).

It would be a real story if this year’s draft shooting star Mac Andrew ($26) gave this award a shake for Gold Coast.

TAB’S BRAD BISHOP
“THERE hasn’t been a lot of money taken yet, but more than half of what we do hold has been on Nick Daicos. He opened $5 second favourite behind Jason Horne-Francis, but is now favourite at $4.”
TAB ODDS
$4 Nick Daicos (COLL)
$5 Jason Horne-Francis (NM)
$7 Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (WB)
$10 Logan McDonald (SYD)
$10 Finn Callaghan (GWS)
$11 Braeden Campbell (SYD)
$13 Josh Ward (HAW)
$13 Jake Bowey (MEL)
$13 Josh Rachele (ADE)
$15 Neil Erasmus (FRE)
$15 Sam Darcy (WB)
$15 Josh Goater (NM)
$21 Matthew Johnson (FRE)
$21 Ben Hobbs (ESS)
$21 Jye Amiss (FRE)
$26 Sam Butler (HAW)
$26 Mac Andrew (GC)
$26 Finlay Macrae (COL)
$26 Mitch Knevitt (GEE)
$26 Leek Aleer (GWS)

AFLW
CLARK SAYS
MELBOURNE can do the double. After the men’s premiership, what a fairytale it would be for Daisy Pearce in potentially her final season.

Kate Hore provides the class and star power in attack alongside recruit Tayla Harris, but Olivia Purcell’s move from Geelong to the Demons will be equally significant.

Rising Star winner Tyla Hanks will be in everything and has won plenty of admirers with her courage and composure over the ball.

North Melbourne will be right up there and Collingwood is the other big threat.

McFARLANE SAYS
THIS might be a very different season of Demons’ back-toback triumphs if Melbourne’s AFLW team can emulate the men’s side.

It would also give Daisy Pearce the AFLW flag she has long craved. Having injured her knee during the club’s final campaign earlier this year, Pearce has used that to drive her forward.

The Demons ($5) have a strong list with a cross of experience and youth and this year’s loss in a preliminary final to Adelaide could be the motivation to take them further in 2022.

Might also be willing to have a small saver on Collingwood ($6.50), with the Magpies looking well placed to have their best AFLW season.

TAB’S BRAD BISHOP
“MELBOURNE has a tentative grip on favouritism in the AFLW, but Collingwood is the team that has attracted the bulk of the money to this point and is easily TAB’s worst way with Fremantle the next most popular.”

TAB ODDS
$5 Melbourne
$5.50 Brisbane
$5.50 Adelaide
$6.50 Collingwood
$$8 North Melbourne
$9 Fremantle
$11 Western Bulldogs
$17 Carlton
$26 GWS
$51 Richmond
$51 St Kilda
$67 West Coast
$81 Geelong
$101 Gold Coast
THE BROWNLOW
CLARK SAYS HUGH MCCLUGGAGE (Bris): For value, it’s hard to go past McCluggage at $81. The running machine will be the man to stop in the Brisbane midfield and will get a rails run if Lachie Neale stays fit.

Wins heaps of it and kicks goals. Of the favourites, the Dees’ dynamos Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver will be in the mix again but there’s not an umpire who won’t love marking down S Walsh 3 votes. The Blues’ young gun will finish on the podium.

GULLAN SAYS SAM
WALSH (Carl): Fourth last year playing in a disappointing team. If the Blues improve and win more games as expected, the running machine will hoover up more votes.

McFARLANE SAYS
MARCUS BONTEMPELLI (WB): Is it a little sad I still haven’t thrown away the $12 TAB ticket for Bontempelli to win the 2021 Brownlow? Still can’t believe he didn’t win it.

Having backed the Bont to win ‘Charlie’ every year almost since 2016, I’ll be on the Bulldogs skipper again, even if the current odds are a little too skinny at $6.

He had more BOGs than anyone last year, but couldn’t quite nail Port’s Ollie Wines.

Clayton Oliver at $9 will hopefully give you a good sight, anytime you see Dusty Martin at $11 you have to have a nibble, and maybe Zach Merrett (polled in 12 games last year) might be over the odds at $34.

THE TAB MONEY TRAIL: SAM WALSH is the most popular, responsible for 17 per cent of trade and has been $9 in to $7. Wines (10 per cent) next most popular ahead of Petracca and Bontempelli (both 9 per cent).

Matt Rowell ($151 to $101) is the worst result with Patrick Dangerfield ($51) the second worst.

TAB’S BRAD BISHOP “SAM WALSH was the one many were talking about off the back of this year’s count and he’s been clearly the most popular player in the first couple of months of betting, tightening from $9 in to $7.

A couple at longer prices are worse results, though, with Matt Rowell popular at $101 and one punter thinks Patrick Dangerfield can win another one, having $500 at $51.”

TAB ODDS
$6 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
$7 Christian Petracca (MEL)
$7 Oliver Wines (PA)
$7 Sam Walsh (CAR)
$9 Clayton Oliver (MEL)
$11 Dustin Martin (RIC)
$11 Jack Steele (STK)
$13 Darcy Parish (ESS)
$15 Nathan Fyfe (FRE)
$15 Lachie Neale (BRI)
$17 Tom Mitchell (HAW)
$21 Travis Boak (PA)
$34 Touk Miller (GC)
$34 Zachary Merrett (ESS)
$34 Callum Mills (SYD)
 
"TAB are currently seeking donations for the "Balance our books" fund, you may donate through non-tax deductible means by nominating the clubs below:"
Essendon $23
St Kilda $23
Carlton $26
Fremantle $34
Adelaide $67
Collingwood $67
Hawthorn $81
Gold Coast $81
 
Last edited:
Noble lauds potential of young Roos as ‘education’ begins

HARRY GELL
NORTH Melbourne coach David Noble is excited about the emergence of the club’s talented youngsters in 2022.

The Kangaroos hit the training track in blistering heat on Friday morning, with highly touted No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis on show.

Noble said he had been impressed by the young midfielder’s temperament - a product of his exposure at SANFL level.

“He has handled himself extremely well, not only in the way he has played, but the way that his game has advanced and moved forward. That comes with being confident within himself naturally,” Noble said on Friday.
“Once you are able to deliver some of those things that you are good at as a young player coming through, that gives you more belief in what you are capable of. He has certainly got a presence.”

Though Horne-Francis has received close media focus, Noble has also been pleased by the efforts of the other draft picks.

“Whether it’s (Josh) Goater or (Paul) Curtis or (Miller) Bergman or even Arch (Jackson Archer), all five have fitted in really well. They have adapted to what we have wanted them to do,” Noble said.

“Jase has obviously got some high-end natural talent, but we shouldn’t underestimate the other guys the recruiting guys did a great job getting in. That collection of five guys has been terrific.”

With an influx of young talent, Noble acknowledged the importance of education and high internal standards for their growth.

“We have had a strong focus on education and we have been able to get our guys to understand what they need to put in place and that’s across the board,” he said.

“One of the hardest things to teach them is how to train at an AFL level, and that’s what we really attack this year.”

Noble said the club’s older players had been continually challenged to improve.
 
ROOS FINALLY ON THE BALL
Noble set to make more inroads
NICK SMART
MANY predicted North Melbourne to finish with the wooden spoon in 2021, and many turned out to be correct.

Although (with apologies to former Carlton coach Brendon Bolton) there were some green shoots to come from a challenging year.

The Kangaroos were able to arrest a horror start to the year, when they lost their first four games by an average of 70 points, to finish with four wins.

WHERE DO THEY FINISH IN 2022?

BOTTOM four. The Roos’ rebuild is set to take some time and, after 2021, they’d be aiming to chalk up six to nine wins next season.

Avoiding a second successive wooden spoon would be the first priority. There was enough to suggest in the back end of 2021 that they should be able to achieve that with development from Tarryn Thomas, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Nick Larkey, coupled with the talent of Jy Simpkin, Tom Powell and Cam Zurhaar.

Not to mention the last-minute acquisition of Hugh Greenwood from Gold Coast in the trade period.

Although, the loss of defender Robbie Tarrant to Richmond has to sting – and sting hard.

BIGGEST IMPROVER:

AFTER showing promising signs in his debut season, youngster Will Phillips will be set for a big 2022.

The man in the famous No.29 of club legend Brent “Boomer” Harvey played 16 games in his debut season after being snapped up at pick No.3 in the 2020 national draft.

Huge upside and a big summer in the gym should help him reach new heights.

THE X-FACTOR

HE hasn’t played a senior game, but there is already plenty of buzz around No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis, who respected recruiter Scott Clayton recently labelled “as good as any No.1 in years”.

It comes off the back of an outstanding season with South Adelaide in the SANFL.

In the preliminary final against Glenelg, he kicked three goals from 24 disposals, which gave him 160 Champion Data ranking points. It is little wonder the Roos reportedly knocked back two mammoth rival-club offers for their pick.

Known for a fearless attack on the ball in the style of a young Mark Ricciuto, Horne- Francis will have every chance to push for a round 1 debut.

COACH STATUS

IT was a shaky start for new coach David Noble in 2021.

The first two months of the season were horrid and at one stage there were rumblings that the Roos might finish the year without a win.

But victory came in round 9, and they recorded another three wins for the year.

The second half of the season was far more promising as players started to get their head around Noble’s game plan and they began to hit the scoreboard more consistently.

Noble is on a rolling contract rather than a fixed deal and needs his side to show tangible improvement in 2022.

Still safe, but he wouldn’t want another bottom-placed finish.

LAST YEAR OF CONTRACT AARON

Hall, Bailey Scott, Ben Cunnington, Cameron Zurhaar, Charlie Lazzaro, Curtis Taylor, Eddie Ford, Flynn Perez, Jed Anderson, Joshua Walker, Kayne Turner, Kyron Hayden, Matthew McGuinness, Patrick Walker, Tarryn Thomas, Todd Goldstein, Tom Powell, Tristan Xerri and Will Phillips. nick.smart@news.com.au

BEST 22

B: Ziebell, McKay, Turner

HB: Hall, Corr, Bonar

C: Stephenson, Simpkin, Greenwood

HF: Horne-Francis, Larkey, Thomas

F: Zurhaar, Coleman- Jones, Taylor

R: Goldstein, Cunnington, Davies-Uniacke

I/C: McDonald, Powell, Anderson, Phillips

FIRST SIX GAMES OF 2022

Hawthorn @ MCG (W) West Coast @ Marvel Stadium (L) Brisbane @ The Gabba (L) Sydney @ SCG (L) Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium (L) Geelong @ Hobart (L) 1 WIN, 5 LOSSES

PLAYER MOVEMENT

INS:

NN Callum Coleman-Jones (Richmond)

NN Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast, delisted free agent)

NN Jason Horne-Francis (South Adelaide – No.1 draft pick)

NN Josh Goater (Pick 22 – Calder Cannons)

NN Paul Curtis (Pick 35 – Western Jets)

NN Miller Bergman (Pick 38 – Dandenong Stingrays)

NN Jackson Archer (Pick 59 father/son – Northern Knights)

OUTS:

Robbie Tarrant (Richmond)

Trent Dumont (Port Adelaide)

Shaun Atley

Tom Campbell

Taylor Garner

Charlie Ham

Connor Menadue

Dom Tyson

Will Walker (all delisted).
 
The actual article
20220104_061334.jpg


On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

AnEmptyChair

Premiership Player
Nov 12, 2020
4,133
16,757
AFL Club
North Melbourne
There was an article in the Daily Tele that had JHF as one of the cover photos about the Top 20 Aussie Athletes under 20 or something like that. Anyone got access to the text for that one?
 

marklovesbeer

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 8, 2010
6,382
24,176
South Adelaide
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
South Adelaide Panthers
ROOS FINALLY ON THE BALL
Noble set to make more inroads
NICK SMART
MANY predicted North Melbourne to finish with the wooden spoon in 2021, and many turned out to be correct.

Although (with apologies to former Carlton coach Brendon Bolton) there were some green shoots to come from a challenging year.

The Kangaroos were able to arrest a horror start to the year, when they lost their first four games by an average of 70 points, to finish with four wins.

WHERE DO THEY FINISH IN 2022?

BOTTOM four. The Roos’ rebuild is set to take some time and, after 2021, they’d be aiming to chalk up six to nine wins next season.

Avoiding a second successive wooden spoon would be the first priority. There was enough to suggest in the back end of 2021 that they should be able to achieve that with development from Tarryn Thomas, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Nick Larkey, coupled with the talent of Jy Simpkin, Tom Powell and Cam Zurhaar.

Not to mention the last-minute acquisition of Hugh Greenwood from Gold Coast in the trade period.

Although, the loss of defender Robbie Tarrant to Richmond has to sting – and sting hard.

BIGGEST IMPROVER:

AFTER showing promising signs in his debut season, youngster Will Phillips will be set for a big 2022.

The man in the famous No.29 of club legend Brent “Boomer” Harvey played 16 games in his debut season after being snapped up at pick No.3 in the 2020 national draft.

Huge upside and a big summer in the gym should help him reach new heights.

THE X-FACTOR

HE hasn’t played a senior game, but there is already plenty of buzz around No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis, who respected recruiter Scott Clayton recently labelled “as good as any No.1 in years”.

It comes off the back of an outstanding season with South Adelaide in the SANFL.

In the preliminary final against Glenelg, he kicked three goals from 24 disposals, which gave him 160 Champion Data ranking points. It is little wonder the Roos reportedly knocked back two mammoth rival-club offers for their pick.

Known for a fearless attack on the ball in the style of a young Mark Ricciuto, Horne- Francis will have every chance to push for a round 1 debut.

COACH STATUS

IT was a shaky start for new coach David Noble in 2021.

The first two months of the season were horrid and at one stage there were rumblings that the Roos might finish the year without a win.

But victory came in round 9, and they recorded another three wins for the year.

The second half of the season was far more promising as players started to get their head around Noble’s game plan and they began to hit the scoreboard more consistently.

Noble is on a rolling contract rather than a fixed deal and needs his side to show tangible improvement in 2022.

Still safe, but he wouldn’t want another bottom-placed finish.

LAST YEAR OF CONTRACT AARON

Hall, Bailey Scott, Ben Cunnington, Cameron Zurhaar, Charlie Lazzaro, Curtis Taylor, Eddie Ford, Flynn Perez, Jed Anderson, Joshua Walker, Kayne Turner, Kyron Hayden, Matthew McGuinness, Patrick Walker, Tarryn Thomas, Todd Goldstein, Tom Powell, Tristan Xerri and Will Phillips. nick.smart@news.com.au

BEST 22

B: Ziebell, McKay, Turner

HB: Hall, Corr, Bonar

C: Stephenson, Simpkin, Greenwood

HF: Horne-Francis, Larkey, Thomas

F: Zurhaar, Coleman- Jones, Taylor

R: Goldstein, Cunnington, Davies-Uniacke

I/C: McDonald, Powell, Anderson, Phillips

FIRST SIX GAMES OF 2022

Hawthorn @ MCG (W) West Coast @ Marvel Stadium (L) Brisbane @ The Gabba (L) Sydney @ SCG (L) Western Bulldogs @ Marvel Stadium (L) Geelong @ Hobart (L) 1 WIN, 5 LOSSES

PLAYER MOVEMENT

INS:

NN Callum Coleman-Jones (Richmond)

NN Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast, delisted free agent)

NN Jason Horne-Francis (South Adelaide – No.1 draft pick)

NN Josh Goater (Pick 22 – Calder Cannons)

NN Paul Curtis (Pick 35 – Western Jets)

NN Miller Bergman (Pick 38 – Dandenong Stingrays)

NN Jackson Archer (Pick 59 father/son – Northern Knights)

OUTS:

Robbie Tarrant (Richmond)

Trent Dumont (Port Adelaide)

Shaun Atley

Tom Campbell

Taylor Garner

Charlie Ham

Connor Menadue

Dom Tyson

Will Walker (all delisted).
Lazzaro, Ford, Powell, Phillips & Perez all incorrect contract status’ in the article.
 

lockheed

Club Legend
Oct 22, 2005
2,105
3,890
Night Vale
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
North Melbourne
Rotary. Was a fun year.

That's the one Bertie. I was there in the mid 80s so you can add your North converts to the three families I stayed with.

Yeah, parts of Fresno are pretty sketchy. I think at one stage it had the highest number of meth users in the US.

When I was in Stockton, it's claim to fame was having the highest per capita murder rate in the US. No mean feat.
You were busy then.
 

lockheed

Club Legend
Oct 22, 2005
2,105
3,890
Night Vale
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
North Melbourne
With Tarrant gone, I'd argue that behind Cunnington & Goldstein, he's the third most important senior player to keep healthy and get 22 matches out of in 2022.

It is a non-negotiable, just has to stay fit if we are going to get off the bottom.
Wouldn't McKay be at least as important?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back