Opinion Commentary & Media VI

[Chadwiko]

Gather Round, eh.

Bring back the PROPER Vic v SA state of origin!

 

[Psi-Roos]

Damning failure leaves basket case’s cracks exposed amid scary title reminder: Report Card

Damning failure shows basket case’s cracks amid scary title reminder: AFL Report Card

www.foxsports.com.au

NORTH MELBOURNE

For the second week in a row, North Melbourne showed promise in the opening half before fading out considerably in the second. It’s bound to happen with a young side, but the sheer lack of organisation in defence was notable and worrying, particularly with Ben McKay back in the side to in theory steady the ship. There’s a lot to work on heading into Round 6 and beyond.

In the votes

Harry Sheezel once again showed poise beyond his years. Daniel Howe was also very solid in game 100. Jack Ziebell was good by foot for the most part. It all faded pretty quickly after half-time, however, barring a four-goal game to Jaidyn Stephenson and a couple of goals to Charlie Comben.

Room for improvement

The breakdowns in defence were considerable, dubbed “farcical” by Alastair Lynch who was watching boundary-side. It allowed the Lions to take a club-record number of marks inside its forward 50. Many of them were uncontested, with Eric Hipwood in particular having no one near him on several occasions. Regardless of where North Melbourne is at rebuild-wise, it’s not something that can be repeated. If not for some inaccuracy from the Lions, the final margin could’ve been a fair bit bigger.

Grade - C

Wow. C is fairly generous. Must be a public school in a low socio-economic area. (NTTAWWT)

 

[lockheed]

Wow. C is fairly generous. Must be a public school in a low socio-economic area. (NTTAWWT)

Yes. I was expecting an F (followed by) A-I-L

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Forever to be known as the South Australian Tax Payers' Reach A Round.

Sure the residents will be stoked that their tax dollars go to footy clubs from interstate.

 

[Mav]

Sure the residents will be stoked that their tax dollars go to footy clubs from interstate.

We're stoked 60K people have come to the state splashing their cash around. It's costing us less than $15 per resident.

Every government has a budget for events and this has been a bloody successful one. I've already got 5 mates lined up to come over next year. This year we all went to Melbourne for round 1, but next year their dollars are coming to SA. It's only going to get bigger and bigger and bigger.

 

[Chadwiko]

I would much rather play 1 Gather Round in SA than 4 games in Hobart.

 

[zoomba23]

Being described as a young side and getting a C. Extremely generous on both counts

 

[Ashley B]

The Gather round should be played in footy states more often than not imo SA , WA and Tasmania. What would happen if the NRL and the AFL had their respective gather rounds in Queensland in one yr ?

 

[Mav]

The Gather round should be played in footy states more often than not imo SA , WA and Tasmania. What would happen if the NRL and the AFL had their respective gather rounds in Queensland in one yr ?

SA works because its central. Perth people are used to travelling 3 hours to get anywhere so getting to Adelaide is fine. And with Melbourne being so close its easy and cheap to get to. Would as many Vics travel to Perth for the weekend? I'm not sure Taz has the infrastructure to take 60k people.

Also Adelaide Oval is walking distance from all the hotels in the city so having double headers there is fine. Norwood is only half an hours walk from the city as well. Perth wouldn't work as well everyone would have to get public transport to the grounds.

 

[shintemaster]

I would much rather play 1 Gather Round in SA than 4 games in Hobart.

My man.

 

[Passmore]

Being described as a young side and getting a C. Extremely generous on both counts

C is for Cluster****

 

[Ashley B]

SA works because its central. Perth people are used to travelling 3 hours to get anywhere so getting to Adelaide is fine. And with Melbourne being so close its easy and cheap to get to. Would as many Vics travel to Perth for the weekend? I'm not sure Taz has the infrastructure to take 60k people.

Also Adelaide Oval is walking distance from all the hotels in the city so having double headers there is fine. Norwood is only half an hours walk from the city as well. Perth wouldn't work as well everyone would have to get public transport to the grounds.

I know you are a big advocate for Mt Barker just watch if it becomes all the rage, they will take it off us and give to one of the golden clubs. I can see potential with the surrounding wineries and maybe golf courses if there are any in the area.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

SA works because its central. Perth people are used to travelling 3 hours to get anywhere so getting to Adelaide is fine. And with Melbourne being so close its easy and cheap to get to. Would as many Vics travel to Perth for the weekend? I'm not sure Taz has the infrastructure to take 60k people.

Also Adelaide Oval is walking distance from all the hotels in the city so having double headers there is fine. Norwood is only half an hours walk from the city as well. Perth wouldn't work as well everyone would have to get public transport to the grounds.

It's not about the supporters or their convenience. It's about the size of the cheque that SA Govt is prepared to write.

 

[shintemaster]

I know you are a big advocate for Mt Barker just watch if it becomes all the rage, they will take it off us and give to one of the golden clubs. I can see potential with the surrounding wineries and maybe golf courses if there are any in the area.

If we're going to be punted off like this every year away from Adelaide Oval now that it is established the club should be given inside information on scheduling and location. We could then use this to sell full blown packages for supporters like a cut down version of the Grand Final breakfast. Travel, accommodation, exclusive team and seating access and food and wine packaging. At least then we can sell something of real value to supporters as well.

 

[apollo_creed]

Forever to be known as the South Australian Tax Payers' Reach A Round.

Pretty sure it's pumping money into the economy, helping our hotels/businesses who have struggled through Covid and creating a great atmosphere around the City. Definitely has been incredibly well received in the state and people are aware that things are paid for with tax pay dollars.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

I've already got 5 mates lined up to come over next year

All Irish Catholics I'm betting.

 

[apollo_creed]

Would be nice to be drawn to play someone other than Adelaide and Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval just to have a better chance of getting a win there.
Last year was our big chance. Smashed Adelaide in the first half through the middle - should've been 6 or 7 goals up but a combination of poor forward structure and a defense that concedes on every entry meant that it was far closer than it should've been.

They're 1-2 years ahead of us so not expecting us to beat them there later in the season either.

 

[big_e]

I know you are a big advocate for Mt Barker just watch if it becomes all the rage, they will take it off us and give to one of the golden clubs. I can see potential with the surrounding wineries and maybe golf courses if there are any in the area.

Like this, you mean?

AFL 2023: Carlton Blues coterie heavyweights spend big at Penfolds during Gather Round

amp.theage.com.au

 

[Roosurgence]

As much as everyone is gushing over Gather around, if you actually weren’t in SA it was pretty much the same as any other footy weekend. 18 Teams playing 9 games.

I get the concept is a money spinner for the state and good for the club coffers, which is great, but it has been made out to be the greatest event on earth LOL!

 

[Themanbun]

They're 1-2 years ahead of us so not expecting us to beat them there later in the season either.

Are they? They made a grand final in 2017 while we finished bottom 4. Their rebuild basically started the same year ours did.

 

[Roosurgence]

Are they? They made a grand final in 2017 while we finished bottom 4. Their rebuild basically started the same year ours did.

Let’s not kid ourselves our rebuild really is only kicking off this year.

Other than getting in some young talent everything else was a dumpster fire and they have need to go back to ground zero.

It’s probably only been the past few drafts that we have also started to get the right talent.

That Adelaide side has been under Nicks for a few years now and had that game plan drummed into them over and over, our guys are still learning the game plan/system.

Our rebuild so far has been a failure. Let’s hope this time we have got it right and can start to see sustainable growth.

 

[DEVO]

Are they? They made a grand final in 2017 while we finished bottom 4. Their rebuild basically started the same year ours did.

Does anybody actually know when our rebuild started? It feels like we have had 3 or 4 false starts since we kicked over 2000 games of experience out the door in 2016.

 

[Roosurgence]

Does anybody actually know when our rebuild started? It feels like we have had 3 or 4 false starts since we kicked over 2000 games of experience out the door in 2016.

I would argue this year.

Other than some of the recruitment pieces the rest has been an epic fail.

 

[apollo_creed]

Are they? They made a grand final in 2017 while we finished bottom 4. Their rebuild basically started the same year ours did.

Being 1-2 years ahead of us isn't commentary on when it started. It's just where they're at - and also the base they started from.
We mismanaged things and also made some very poor decisions post Brad Scott. They have also been able to recruit some extremely good, ready made first team players who are making a big difference (Dawson, Rankine) - we haven't.

 

[lockheed]

I would argue this year.

Other than some of the recruitment pieces the rest has been an epic fail.

Does anybody actually know when our rebuild started? It feels like we have had 3 or 4 false starts since we kicked over 2000 games of experience out the door in 2016.

I also would have said we started in 2016.