TheFVK
Norm Smith Medallist
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2008
- Posts
- 7,505
- Reaction score
- 27,016
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
We as Port supporters have a very unique, emotionally charged relationship with John.
It started in 09, when we all prayed like anything that he'd slide to our pick 8 in the ND. Oh when he did, the jubilation, the high fives, the backslapping.. we'd got our Great White Hope KPF, finally a player to replace WGT.
Come 2011 and we're at arguably our very nadir as a club. We'd just been beaten by 300 points in 2 weeks, we were down 10 goals after the first against a middling Dogs. Enter the Butch; 6 kicks, 6 goals. With a 4 goal performance the game following, Butch was the one glimmering light in a miserable existence being a Port supporter. He represented hope, a small cause for optimism.
With the will he / won't he stress of signing to come and some big offers from Victorian clubs, most wouldn't have backed him to stick fat. But, he announces his re-signing through a fan-driven "50 ppl down to the Birkenhead and I'll sign" weeknight tweet. With his signature as hot as it gets he could have announced it with a full bells-and-whistles press conference, but instead he opts for the pub with the supporters and his Port mates. How could you not love that.
Since then it's really been all downhill. His confidence has simply been shot to pieces after years of his name being used as a punch-line; the groans, the disappointment, "the future". Has there been a player in South Australia so ridiculed as John? You can see the embarrassment written across his face plain as day, but it certainly hasn't been through lack of trying. Before this game his career was in palliative care; he couldn't even get a game in the forward line for the seconds. With his contract almost up, his prospects looked grim.
Fast forward to today. After a whirlwind 72 hours since his selection as an emergency and last minute callup into the 22, I'm not going to pretend his game was perfect; hell he's far from assured a spot in the 22 next week. But what a sight for sore eyes seeing
He dropped plenty of gettable marks and had all the confidence of Bad Luck Brian at his Yr 11 formal when it came to presenting, but even with that our forward line functioned so much more effectively notwithstanding our players' inaccuracy in front of goal. He made the customary 2 kicks coming off his knee, but like Pittard, with Butcher you're going to have to take the good with the bad, and back him to improve his weaknesses. His work up the ground from defence could present some unforeseen upside to his game as well.
But let's get to it, oh my, that clutch goal. Down by 3 points 5 minutes into the last from a tight angle and he delivers; like RossFC (and no doubt El_Scorcho) how could you not shed a tear for the guy, seeing how much it meant to him and knowing what he's been through these past 4 years. Even if he's dropped and never plays again, as a supporter with an unashamedly emotionally charged and biased opinion of the guy I'll be forever happy for him that he got to go out with that up his sleeve; what a moment.
Ken made it clear in the Press Conference Butch is still desperately trying to save his career and his dream of playing footy every week with the mates he gathered at the Birkenhead 4 years ago when he was the hottest young KPF in town; for our team's sake and Butch's, Christ I hope we just back him for the last month.
It started in 09, when we all prayed like anything that he'd slide to our pick 8 in the ND. Oh when he did, the jubilation, the high fives, the backslapping.. we'd got our Great White Hope KPF, finally a player to replace WGT.
Come 2011 and we're at arguably our very nadir as a club. We'd just been beaten by 300 points in 2 weeks, we were down 10 goals after the first against a middling Dogs. Enter the Butch; 6 kicks, 6 goals. With a 4 goal performance the game following, Butch was the one glimmering light in a miserable existence being a Port supporter. He represented hope, a small cause for optimism.
With the will he / won't he stress of signing to come and some big offers from Victorian clubs, most wouldn't have backed him to stick fat. But, he announces his re-signing through a fan-driven "50 ppl down to the Birkenhead and I'll sign" weeknight tweet. With his signature as hot as it gets he could have announced it with a full bells-and-whistles press conference, but instead he opts for the pub with the supporters and his Port mates. How could you not love that.
Since then it's really been all downhill. His confidence has simply been shot to pieces after years of his name being used as a punch-line; the groans, the disappointment, "the future". Has there been a player in South Australia so ridiculed as John? You can see the embarrassment written across his face plain as day, but it certainly hasn't been through lack of trying. Before this game his career was in palliative care; he couldn't even get a game in the forward line for the seconds. With his contract almost up, his prospects looked grim.
Fast forward to today. After a whirlwind 72 hours since his selection as an emergency and last minute callup into the 22, I'm not going to pretend his game was perfect; hell he's far from assured a spot in the 22 next week. But what a sight for sore eyes seeing
a) the ball enter the 50 at the top of the square, and
b) not being marked uncontested by an opposition defender, and
c) being brought to ground for guys like Wingard to crumb and goal in the last.
b) not being marked uncontested by an opposition defender, and
c) being brought to ground for guys like Wingard to crumb and goal in the last.
He dropped plenty of gettable marks and had all the confidence of Bad Luck Brian at his Yr 11 formal when it came to presenting, but even with that our forward line functioned so much more effectively notwithstanding our players' inaccuracy in front of goal. He made the customary 2 kicks coming off his knee, but like Pittard, with Butcher you're going to have to take the good with the bad, and back him to improve his weaknesses. His work up the ground from defence could present some unforeseen upside to his game as well.
But let's get to it, oh my, that clutch goal. Down by 3 points 5 minutes into the last from a tight angle and he delivers; like RossFC (and no doubt El_Scorcho) how could you not shed a tear for the guy, seeing how much it meant to him and knowing what he's been through these past 4 years. Even if he's dropped and never plays again, as a supporter with an unashamedly emotionally charged and biased opinion of the guy I'll be forever happy for him that he got to go out with that up his sleeve; what a moment.
Ken made it clear in the Press Conference Butch is still desperately trying to save his career and his dream of playing footy every week with the mates he gathered at the Birkenhead 4 years ago when he was the hottest young KPF in town; for our team's sake and Butch's, Christ I hope we just back him for the last month.
