2009 Positives

[Andre]

So Ford doesn't get the starring role in a new Grumpy Old Men movie, here's a thread just for him on the positives of 2009. Few or far between as they were, there were some.

At least for me there were two positives in 2009 - Jacob Surjan and Alipate Carlile. The former moved from a fringe player to our best lock down defender, one of the best in the AFL I think. The latter stepped up further from a good 2008 and looks on track to be an AA backman in the next 2 - 3 years at this rate.

I've been as, I won't say guilty as that implies wrong, but 'free' with the criticism as others, but for a novelty if this thread can only have positives (in fact feel free to heavily moderate it). We have plenty of other threads I and others are making our feelings about what's wrong with the club, coaches, players and the rest in.

 

[Natman]

None other than Hartlett, Broadbent, Trengove and Redden and of late, Lobbe, as potentially genuine players is about the only positive for me.

It is a long shot, but they appear to be our best batch for quite a while - I guess reflecting where we finished last season.

 

[240volt]

I feel the same as Natman on this one.Our Positives must be the hope we hold out for the younger developing players within the squad.
Some have come on nicely this year even with limited opportunity(Broadbent).
The Core group of these players must be held onto and built on in the future for our club to be successful again.

 

[Portology]

To add a few more positives - Robbie Gray staying on the park for a few weeks in a row without injury. Salter. Tredrea's 'indian summer'.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Boak- Continued development, will probably be our number one midfielder next year.

Brogan- Really hitting his peak at the moment and shows such great intensity

Carlile- Getting better and better.

Chaplin- Showed earlier in the year that when given the CHB responsibility he can handle it.

Gray- Starting to take his game to the next level and become a clearance winning midfielder

Hartlett- Showed that he is all class, just needs to stay on the park

Krakour- Really come on this year IMO. Showed some excellent desperation in defence and is one of teh few that likes to run through the corridor and deliver forwards consistently.

Lobbe- Starting to show that he will make it. Should be an exciting 2010

Pearce- Started to show in the last few months of teh year that he is beginning to understand what it takes in terms of chasing and effort.

Salter- Showed that if he can stay fit and if he is given opportunities that he can make it as an AFL FF

D Stewart- Some promising late season form that he can hopefully build on next year

Surjan- Magnificent year, has developed immensely to the point where I hope a Farmer or Banner comes on so we can release him to the midfield

Tredrea- Showed that he has a bit of life yet, wonderful year and a credit to his hard work and dedication

The Live The Creed campaign. I think it has been a success. We have defined our club and what we stand for which is the first step in successful marketing. The great thing about the creed is that it also sets a high standard and sets us up for criticism. It means that when we have a s**t year like this year the spotlight gets well and truly shone on us. It is just this kind of criticism and high standards that made us so great.

The back in black jumper (VVV stealing this one bomber VVV)- I hope we see a lot more of it next year.

 

[bomberclifford]

Here's a list of Pros I posted in the Season Review thread.


Pros

Carlile, Boak, Gray and Hartlett
These are the guys who will take us to our next premiership. One will go close to winning a Brownlow.

Salter, Davenport & Broadbent
I like what I see in these three. We just need to get Lobbe onto this list as well.

Duncanson & Haysman
Straight shooters given the dreadful job of pulling us out of this simultaneous financial mess and form slump. Although, they do still need to deliver on the Stadium Deal.

Rodan
Not so much for his games, but his presence at the club. This bloke should be the face of PAFC. Hardworking, eloquent, humble, determined and absolutely loves the club. He should be held onto at all costs.

Surjan
Stepped up when those around him wavered and continued throughout the year. Should win our B&F if it's not just about possession count.

Tredrea & Brogan
The ex Captain and the Angry Bigman both showed throughout the year what it means to have passion for the club. Tredders showed he has at least another year left in him if he wants it and Brogan seems like he could go on for another three.

Back to black Guernsey
A great response for a great design. There was something very Port Adelaide about the black guernsey, shorts and sox.

Bye, Bye Tony
'nuff said.

 

[FishingRick04]

I have a positve for next season. After the last two years I have lost all optimism so I now have no expectations for next year, therefore if we were to make finals I would be happy and surprised, as I don't expect it

 

[stanmack]

Hartlett has shown enough to suggest he will not only be a 200+ gamer but all class as well . Injury and playing in an underperforming side didn't allow him to strut his stuff . With a year under his belt and given time to get his body right I feel that we have a potential Buckley in our midst. I know it's a big statement but there is plenty to like . Other positives were the improvement of the young guys who played without strong leadership on the field. Of the more experienced players Surj was the absolute standout for me . This year I think he crossed the line from a youngster with potential to future leader .

 

[Ford Fairlane]

So Ford doesn't get the starring role in a new Grumpy Old Men movie, here's a thread just for him on the positives of 2009. Few or far between as they were, there were some.

Yeah Andre, if you are going to personalise this, at least get a basic grasp on what my intent was in my previous comments.

In the specific case of the Kornes thread, my point was there were plenty of opportunities given and taken to criticise him in a host of other threads. In that one thread maybe he could have been given some recognition for what he does bring to the club. And even saying that, I take on board bomberclifford's comments about this being a discussion board, and hold up dyertribe's contribution at the tail-end of that thread as at least a fact-based discussion of where Kane's game could improve.

But this leads to my more general concern which I will detail in another thread, so as not to derail this one. It's the relentless hit-and-run sniping and sh*t-canning of players with no actual critical discussion of their game that bothers me, as a Port supporter and a moderator. 'Westhoff is a stick-insect', 'Ebert is a midget tall', 'Pearce is a front-runner', etc etc, as if these comments in and of themselves constitute some sort of meaningful discussion. And that's the kinder stuff, let alone the X player is sh*t or f**k off player Y or coach Z rubbish that has been posted.

So no, I'm not about suppressing criticism or critical discussion - hell, I've posted plenty myself, but I have tried to support it with analysis where possible - as most would have noticed, directed more at the coaching staff than the players. I'm not about wanting threads only of sweetness and light. But I am dismayed at the level of abuse of late directed at players we purport to support. If that makes me a bit grumpy, then so be it.

Anyway, carry on with the positives, it's making a refreshing change.

 

[simba_]

To add a few more positives - Robbie Gray staying on the park for a few weeks in a row without injury. Salter. Tredrea's 'indian summer'.

Apparently Robbie was playing with broken ribs........ Courageous man

 

[Witty Remark]

But this leads to my more general concern which I will detail in another thread, so as not to derail this one. It's the relentless hit-and-run sniping and sh*t-canning of players with no actual critical discussion of their game that bothers me, as a Port supporter and a moderator. 'Westhoff is a stick-insect', 'Ebert is a midget tall', 'Pearce is a front-runner', etc etc, as if these comments in and of themselves constitute some sort of meaningful discussion. And that's the kinder stuff, let alone the X player is sh*t or f**k off player Y or coach Z rubbish that has been posted.

Thread derailed .

From an outside observer a big positive is Boak, Hartlett and Gray (and Broadbent to a lesser extent). Three (or four) guys who have talent to spare and should develop into a classy nucleus in the years to come.

Also I might be stretching a long bow here, but PAFC has had such a train wreck year, and you still finished just outside of the top 8. There's gotta be an upside to that somewhere surely.

 

[Papa G]

Boak- Continued development, will probably be our number one midfielder next year.

Brogan- Really hitting his peak at the moment and shows such great intensity

Carlile- Getting better and better.

Chaplin- Showed earlier in the year that when given the CHB responsibility he can handle it.

Gray- Starting to take his game to the next level and become a clearance winning midfielder

Hartlett- Showed that he is all class, just needs to stay on the park

Krakour- Really come on this year IMO. Showed some excellent desperation in defence and is one of teh few that likes to run through the corridor and deliver forwards consistently.

Lobbe- Starting to show that he will make it. Should be an exciting 2010

Pearce- Started to show in the last few months of teh year that he is beginning to understand what it takes in terms of chasing and effort.

Salter- Showed that if he can stay fit and if he is given opportunities that he can make it as an AFL FF

D Stewart- Some promising late season form that he can hopefully build on next year

Surjan- Magnificent year, has developed immensely to the point where I hope a Farmer or Banner comes on so we can release him to the midfield

Tredrea- Showed that he has a bit of life yet, wonderful year and a credit to his hard work and dedication

The Live The Creed campaign. I think it has been a success. We have defined our club and what we stand for which is the first step in successful marketing. The great thing about the creed is that it also sets a high standard and sets us up for criticism. It means that when we have a s**t year like this year the spotlight gets well and truly shone on us. It is just this kind of criticism and high standards that made us so great.

The back in black jumper (VVV stealing this one bomber VVV)- I hope we see a lot more of it next year.

Disagree with these 3.

 

[Portia]

One massive positive is that we didn't finish the year with a couple of cheap wins, so our players can't have a happy offseason of denial.

 

[Portology]

Disagree with these 3.

I've seen Krakouer and Pearce do some of the hard things this year, but inconsistently. Also seen them have total brain farts (Krak) and just vanish for long periods of time (Pearce).

In Krak's case his game at AAMI vs Hawthorn sticks in my mind - great.

I've seen Pearce chase and tackle and then tackle again, a couple of times. I can't recall which games - may even have games where he had usual fade in / fade out - it seems to happen near the boundary. Maybe he thinks it's easier to nick someone in that sort of space, I don't know. The surprise at seeing him do that sort of thing says it all. He can do it.

I'm grasping at straws - but I'll take some positives out of these things.

 

[Macca19]

Krak has definitely improved, but Id still like him out of defence. Hes done quite a few things this year that at the start of the year I wouldnt have thought possible re: his attack on the ball and throwing himself in front of packs.

Id just rather he be on a wing as opposed to deep in defence where our short disposal gameplan results in his dinky 10m kicks becoming turnovers.

 

[FishingRick04]

Here's another, Hartlett & Broady weren't nominated for the rising star, so the could wi it next year

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Thread derailed .

From an outside observer a big positive is Boak, Hartlett and Gray (and Broadbent to a lesser extent). Three (or four) guys who have talent to spare and should develop into a classy nucleus in the years to come.

Also I might be stretching a long bow here, but PAFC has had such a train wreck year, and you still finished just outside of the top 8. There's gotta be an upside to that somewhere surely.

Very valid point that, we see missing the finals as completely unacceptable (as we should) and I don't give a flying **** about other clubs but if anyone else had the year we had and finished 10th with 9 wins they would almost call it a successful year.

As much as the general media don't recognise that we had injuries this year we had 3 of our best players (S. Burgoyne, C. Cornes and D. Motlop) out for extended periods and at the same time. I still think with a bit of tweaking our list has a massive upside to it.

Bring on twentyten.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Saltah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Schulzenfest]

Here's another, Hartlett & Broady weren't nominated for the rising star, so the could wi it next year

A) You can be nominated twice, Mark LeCras was.

B) Hartlett played one too many games

 

[Portia]

If he's played 10 games or less, he still qualifies.

 

[Spadge]

yep and Hartlett played 11 unfortunately... so is ineligible for next season

 

[tribey]

It's the relentless hit-and-run sniping and sh*t-canning of players with no actual critical discussion of their game that bothers me, as a Port supporter and a moderator ... 'Ebert is a midget tall' ... as if these comments in and of themselves constitute some sort of meaningful discussion.

I've been the bandwagon driver on this one admittedly, but I feel like I've stated my case in detail on more than one occasion. Example:

'Brett Ebert and the Big Picture (13/07/08)'

'He's very much the modern-day Paul Hudson (28/06/08)'

'Slightly random train of thought coming (03/06/08)'

We're now over a year on from that thread and the song remains the same, and so on and such and such.

And that's the kinder stuff, let alone the X player is sh*t or f**k off player Y or coach Z rubbish that has been posted.

TBF, I actually said "Mark Williams FOAD", which is significantly worse.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I've been the bandwagon driver on this one admittedly, but I feel like I've stated my case in detail on more than one occasion. Example:

'Brett Ebert and the Big Picture (13/07/08)'

'He's very much the modern-day Paul Hudson (28/06/08)'

'Slightly random train of thought coming (03/06/08)'

We're now over a year on from that thread and the song remains the same, and so on and such and such.



TBF, I actually said "Mark Williams FOAD", which is significantly worse.

You're not actually one that I had in mind dt - you might have noticed I even held up your post in the Kane thread as substantive and informative, even tho it was criticism. So I'm not sure why you feel the need to protest your innocence.

The posts you've highlighted appear fine - really the sort of response the mods would encourage, the MW comment was harsh (and was one I recalled, but still not one of the ones I was referring to - those I do have stored away for reference).

Anyway this is OT for this thread, so back to the positives.

 

[PAUR]

Building on the comments by Witty Remark and footyhead07, we finished 10th as the summation of our individual talent. Imagine playing as a team *salivate*! Our list had top four potential this year and will be next year aswell IMO.

Go PAFC

 

[Portia]

Well I guess Peter Burgoyne passed on the mantle of `best player to inexplicably not get a Rising Star nomination'