Past #12: Lindsay Thomas - released by NM to pursue rookie list spot at PA - thx4 everything Lindsay

McRobie

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Goodes was nowhere near Thomas level, you are right, he was 10 times worse. You've forgotten.
Good player Goodes, but became like a 4th umpire out there.......was atrocious with the sliding in boots first as well.
Good to see you can take an objective look at this situation.
 

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connolly

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What about that fat buffoon from MMM the big B(L)T and his ridiculous comment;

"The way Lindsay Thomas draws a free kick annoys the wider public. Joel Selwood does it only he does it better..."

WTF?...

Our club needs to come out publicly and protect our player, this shit is creating it own atmosphere..
Selwood has THREE times the number of free kicks for contrived head highs than Thomas. He was your best forward last night and is clearly a very skilled footballer. He makes his way in a tough environment of a professional footballer as effectively as he can. Sure he's not perfect but those without . . . we know the drill. Also Bloods supporters should never forget that Thomas took a strong stand in support of Adam Goodes. Lets not become the very thing we despised last year. Gullible abusers of a good but flawed footballer
 

Woodson

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By the media? No. Not just for this, but going back to the Gary Rohan's broken leg, or clashing heads with Ben Reid - neither incident had any malicious intent but the lynch mob was gathering round with pitchforks and torches trying to hang him. And constantly going on about his goalkicking which has actually been OK apart from one bad spell in his career. He's just hated.

Brad is on On The Couch this Monday. I hope he sits there and more or less tells everyone to GAGF.
I just recall the game when LT flopped without contact vs the Blues up on the Gold Coast many year ago. Didn't create a massive stir in the 'subjective media' who ain't the ducks nuts of educated commentary standards but that was very cringeworthy by LT… just as much as Matthew Lloyd throwing himself in mid air without contact… thought I'd bring that up as it's as poor as watching WC soccer. All this shoulder blade contact is getting out of hand… the media are sooking it up BIG TIME because LT is getting the free kicks like everyone else. Moot point. Umpiring was a joke last night. AFL Media should be ZEROing in on the accountability of why we need 'interpretations' of a RULE. LT is their platform example IF they want to SEIZE the real ISSUES.. I don't really buy into the 'shoulder blade contact' as a free kick but incorrect / sloppy tackling abilities is why I 'guess' why this 'RULE' has been brought in.
 

giantroo

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Oh ******* SNAP.

It's one thing to say other players do it, another to name names.

Ballsy move from a club employee. Also the right one.
Well he did state we will be going into bat for LT. I'm all for it! :thumbsu::thumbsu::thumbsu::thumbsu::thumbsu:
 

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boneofshin

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As the saying goes, perception equals reality.

But what happens when the perception is flawed to begin with?

Lindsay Thomas was paid two legitimate free kicks for high tackles according to the AFL but the fallout has been extraordinary, and over the top.

Given the hysteria in the media, both mainstream and social, you'd be forgiven for thinking Thomas was the most prolific in the league at drawing high free kicks.

The reality couldn’t be further from the perception.

At the conclusion of North’s loss to Sydney, Thomas’ rank in the AFL for drawing high free kicks in 2016 was 41.

In fact, in the past four seasons, he's never even been in the top ten.

2015 rank: #14
2014 rank: #26
2013 rank: #12
2012 rank: #50

It's not the first time in Thomas’ career that he’s been the centre of attention.

After an incident in the wet with Gary Rohan in 2012, the AFL introduced the sliding rule. A standard bump on Ben Reid in 2013 led to inadvertent head contact and the league altered their guidelines on that as well.

A self-admitted bad decision in 2014 to play for an in-the-back free kick against James Kelly brought him more scrutiny.

Earlier this season Brad Scott suggested it was a combination of these incidents, plus others earlier in his career, that people were holding onto.

"If you'd seen a young Lindsay Thomas in 2009, not being able to make eye contact with people he spoke to, to now leading indigenous programs where he presents in front of 80-plus people; he's made a significant transformation.

"But people have got long memories, and Lindsay understands that."

Perhaps it’s those ‘long memories’ coming into play again...

Wayne Carey summed it up perfectly in Channel 7’s post-match coverage on Friday night.

“He’s not ducking, he’s slightly lowering his height and it’s up to the tackler to go lower.

“Your (Cameron Ling’s) captain at Geelong (Joel Selwood) has been a master at it, but he doesn’t draw the criticism that Lindsay gets.

“For whatever reason, Lindsay brings (the hysteria) because of what he did earlier in his career. He’s not doing that anymore.

“It’s a massive overreaction.”

Again it touches on the topic of how Thomas is looked at differently.

This comment on the radio airwaves on Saturday reveals a large part as to why.

"Selwood does it in a tough manner and a really well disguised manner. Lindsay Thomas does it in a manner more akin to soccer. The way he does it doesn’t quite sit nicely," said Brian Taylor.

Ignoring the borderline offensive insinuations that Thomas and soccer players are soft for a moment, the argument essentially boils down to ‘it’s the vibe of the thing.’

It’s irresponsible and unfair to consistently hold one man to different standards than the rest of the competition.

Regardless of any biases or opinions, it’s the very least a person deserves.
http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2016-05-28/a-flawed-perception

It has begun...
 

Whereitallbegan

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Rightly or wrongly, i can't remember another player in the last 30 years that has been so publicly persecuted such as LT. I'm not going to mention the topic. What i want to applaud is, that Lindsay has got to be one of the mentally toughest players to ever play the game. With all the above crap, rules changes (apparently due to him), coming back from the goal kicking yips a few years back. Every breath, every movement, every word or gesture, scrutinised like no other player that's ever played the game.

Lindsay, i didn't like you at first, now i love you to bits, great talent, strength of character, bleeds Royal Blue and White, if only we had more.

Come on North, as they say "GET AROUND HIM"
 
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It's great that Brad, Heath and Ricky have all shown support for Lindsay in different ways.

But it shouldn't be up to club employees to fly the flag when there are sections of the media clearly playing the man when it comes to one of our own.

James Brayshaw - the silence is deafening.

Try this kind of victimisation with players from their clubs and Eddie or Koch would jump down your throat.

Disappointed it's left to our staff to take the initiative on this one.
 

Rooboy 96

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This week would be the perfect week for the club to re-sign Lindsay to a long term contract to see him finish as a one club player.

I look at Lindsay and think he bleeds for his family and his family is North Melbourne, it is time that his family tells the rest of the football world what we think of him.
 

hilly

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It's great that Brad, Heath and Ricky have all shown support for Lindsay in different ways.

But it shouldn't be up to club employees to fly the flag when there are sections of the media clearly playing the man when it comes to one of our own.

James Brayshaw - the silence is deafening.

Try this kind of victimisation with players from their clubs and Eddie or Koch would jump down your throat.

Disappointed it's left to our staff to take the initiative on this one.
Might be being generous but perhaps the strategy is for JB to be hands-off and have Heath and co fire some arrows.
 

Rooboy 96

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A few facts that need to be highlighted from the link above.

Given the hysteria in the media, both mainstream and social, you'd be forgiven for thinking Thomas was the most prolific in the league at drawing high free kicks.

The reality couldn’t be further from the perception.

At the conclusion of North’s loss to Sydney, Thomas’ rank in the AFL for drawing high free kicks in 2016 was 41.

In fact, in the past four seasons, he's never even been in the top ten.
2015 rank: #14
2014 rank: #26
2013 rank: #12
2012 rank: #50

High tackle free kicks (2007-2016)
1. 299 - Joel Selwood
2. 145 - Adam Selwood
3. 126 - Marc Murphy
4. 118 - Allen Christensen
5. 114 - Andrew Swallow
-----------------------------
25. 73 - Lindsay Thomas

so for those in here that think "he deserves what he gets", maybe not.
 

Hearts to hearts

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did you mean that or are you impersonating dimwit dermot?
It's a joke - not just at Brereton, but also Taylor, Darcy and all the other idiot commentators who will say any rubbish rather than give LT credit or fairness.
 
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