Retired #43: Anthony "Walla" McDonald-Tipungwuti - Will play his last game this weekend - 24/8

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43 - walla.jpg
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2023
My Boy Draft 2023: Pick 5, citizen-erased
 
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JayJ20 said:
I don't really understand the link between Walla and Saad tbh. This gets me thinking. Does Walla have any close friends at the club? He seems like an introvert so maybe that's why family support is crucial to him. Hopefully that will be a non-issue, but the Omicron variant is a bit concerning.
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I don't understand it either, that's why you confused me enough to comment...

JayJ20 said:
Walla has had to deal with racism/abuse and largely on his own, which can be tough.

For a club that was once the central club for indigenous talent in the competition, we've become increasingly less welcoming in that space (in the context of drafting/recruiting). If I'm not mistaken, I think Walla is the only non-white passing player on our whole list, which is interesting for a club that participates in the centre-piece game of indigenous round. It's always a bit awkward being the only black person so maybe he feels that way.

Maybe Walla feels a little isolated with no one that he can relate to? Maybe he's not feeling motivated to be around the club at the moment?
Could that have also contributed to Mosquito leaving? Would he have stayed if we had more indigenous players to support him through his rehab?
Did Saad leave because there wasn't enough diversity?

From my personal experience, I tend to favour places with more diverse nationalities so that I don't feel out of place. It's very very common for minorities to feel that way. Hopefully that's something we're considering.
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Howard Moon said:
its more than just a small forward issue - remember the overused commentary cliché that when Tippa scored we won? When he didnt we didnt. Its probably not far from the truth. Real barometer/talisman
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Yeh cant remember what year that was? 2020?

Last year he kicked 2 goals or more on 4 occassions where we lost

Im more talking from a wholistic approach regarding our small forwards.

The group of Fantasia, Mosquito, Tipungwuti, Dev Smith, Cahill ect hasnt really been replaced and weve seen how crucial small fwds have been for sides.

The daveys are coming i know, but how good are they and how much impact will they have in the first 2 years at the club?

If Tippa doesnt have another 24-36 months in him of good footy then we will be lacking in that area when we should be challenging
 
Howard Moon said:
its more than just a small forward issue - remember the overused commentary cliché that when Tippa scored we won? When he didnt we didnt. Its probably not far from the truth. Real barometer/talisman
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Possibly because our tall forward stocks were pretty inconsistent (either in availability or output) at the time, so if anyone kicked a goal it was going to be the crumber.
 
Lore said:
Possibly because our tall forward stocks were pretty inconsistent (either in availability or output) at the time, so if anyone kicked a goal it was going to be the crumber.
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Also typically small forwards don't score much when their team is getting beaten. Symptom not the cause type thing.

Also the commentators are simplistic idiots :tearsofjoy:
 
Lore said:
I don't understand it either, that's why you confused me enough to comment...
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Oh sorry that was unrelated to Walla. I worded it poorly.
I was just braining storming matters that could have potentially contributed to Saad's exit. It's separate from my thoughts about Walla.
 
Howard Moon said:
Clearly the writing of something amiss was on the wall late last year, and I'm not posting to start a pile on or anything, but if reports are true about how much he is struggling physically atm I do hope he either a: stays the hell away from social media or b: our moron supporters have a heart and don't do what they normally do...

This bloke had been an absolute star for us, and every kid (and most adults) I know absolutely adore him. I hope he's getting the help he needs and first and foremost Is happy, the fitness can come later.

Go well #43!
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Where are the reports coming from?

Showing up for flpre-season in hood shape has never been an issue for Tippa - usually starts the season looking like he’s been cut from marble. It’s staying fit over the course of the season that’s been his challenge.
 
Lore said:
Our women's list has Indigenous players too. This pic is from mid-2019, I'm not sure if the pandemic might've caused some drama with the 2020 season being effectively cancelled and state borders and stuff as I can't find a more recent one.
View attachment 1289732

Courtney Ugle was our inaugural VFLW captain and only ceded it to Nanscawen ahead of last season. Lachie Johnson is Indigenous (not pictured above, having been listed in 2020 and 2021). Josh Eyre identifies as having Indigenous ancestry too. Plus the academy and community programs, Deadly Choices, the Long Walk, and other groups that share our premises.

I think identity is a pretty contentious space to be walking in unless you are Indigenous yourself tbh. The man made a choice years ago to be adopted into a white family, took their name, move across the continent to live in Gippsland, learn English, pursue a Christian faith and attend a Christian school (as of 2014, the student cohort there is 1% Indigenous and less than 10% LBOTE). The colour of those communities does not seem to have been an overarching driving factor for Walla, and I would not assume anything about him and how he perceives his culture, identity or ties to the club and community that he hasn't said for himself.
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Cody Brand also identifies as having Indigenous ancestry. ^
 

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b65cae93409bf21ed60399c60346028b.jpg
 
Keystone agony said:
Yeh cant remember what year that was? 2020?

Last year he kicked 2 goals or more on 4 occassions where we lost

Im more talking from a wholistic approach regarding our small forwards.

The group of Fantasia, Mosquito, Tipungwuti, Dev Smith, Cahill ect hasnt really been replaced and weve seen how crucial small fwds have been for sides.

The daveys are coming i know, but how good are they and how much impact will they have in the first 2 years at the club?

If Tippa doesnt have another 24-36 months in him of good footy then we will be lacking in that area when we should be challenging
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I agree with the final line about Tippa and how much we need him for the next 2-3 years. That said you can hardly count Mosquito or Cahill as guys that need replacing. They made no impact at AFL level. It was years ago when Fantasia last had a decent season for us even prior to being traded - he was far too injury prone.

I'm also not sure we can't switch around some magnets and get some decent contributions from other players as small forwards in the short term. Shiel is one that seems destined to spend some time up forward for example. With our midfield looking far deeper than years prior we'll have a few other mids rotate through there as well.

I'd say overall small forwards will be an area of slight to moderate weakness (depending on Tippa) in the next few years but overall there are far more important positions on the ground and if the supply is good enough we'll find avenues to score as do many other sides.
 
blitzer said:
I agree with the final line about Tippa and how much we need him for the next 2-3 years. That said you can hardly count Mosquito or Cahill as guys that need replacing. They made no impact at AFL level. It was years ago when Fantasia last had a decent season for us even prior to being traded - he was far too injury prone.

I'm also not sure we can't switch around some magnets and get some decent contributions from other players as small forwards in the short term. Shiel is one that seems destined to spend some time up forward for example. With our midfield looking far deeper than years prior we'll have a few other mids rotate through there as well.

I'd say overall small forwards will be an area of slight to moderate weakness (depending on Tippa) in the next few years but overall there are far more important positions on the ground and if the supply is good enough we'll find avenues to score as do many other sides.
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Its not so much about them having an impact at AFL level but replacing the lack of small forwards on the list
 
ghostdog said:
Clearly a private situation. Why put pressure on by asking why?
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agree & by the same token, why imply you know something but can’t say anything.
 
Just leaving this out here that many factors where in play with saads decision to leave essendon, And he left the club for valid reasons as there is still poison on essendons list. Sorry cant elaborate more guys/girls as it really is a sensitive topic, fwiw anthony’s problems are also sensitive and hopefully the guy can push through as his commitment to his teammates and the club is second to none.
 
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