Opinion Commentary and media

[hilly]

Anyone else can't stand the terrible afl app? When I go into 'news', I don't want to be spammed with a million highlight videos - those belong under 'video' (sic). It means that it's impossible to see news at any time on a weekend, because there's a ridiculous overload of videos. Drives me mad...

Agreed, it's a huge downgrade on last year's version.

 

[Jindrrk]

Well the AFL app doesnt even work properly. I click on matches and half the time nothing comes up. Also cant find things or annoying to find them and I also cant do my trick with radio streaming as its delayed too much.

 

[The Other Dean]

Shout out to Sandy 'Beatch' Roberts who offered up this insightful nugget when discussing what an honor it was for Jade Gresham to be given the hallowed #4 by St Kilda -

"Worn by players like Darrel Baldock and Thompson....it's been really fantastic over the years....Darrel Baldock is another one as well."

Great work, Sandy. You listed three players and two of them were the same person.

P.S. Don't suppose the name 'Tony Lockett' rings a bell at all?

 

[Gasometer]

Shout out to Sandy 'Beatch' Roberts who offered up this insightful nugget when discussing what an honor it was for Jade Gresham to be given the hallowed #4 by St Kilda -

"Worn by players like Darrel Baldock and Thompson....it's been really fantastic over the years....Darrel Baldock is another one as well."

Great work, Sandy. You listed three players and two of them were the same person.

P.S. Don't suppose the name 'Tony Lockett' rings a bell at all?

Time for Sandy to make way for Peter Landy.

Lou Richard's must be pushing 100?

 

[Gasometer]

94 is Lou

 

[Arden]

Shout out to Sandy 'Beatch' Roberts who offered up this insightful nugget when discussing what an honor it was for Jade Gresham to be given the hallowed #4 by St Kilda -

"Worn by players like Darrel Baldock and Thompson....it's been really fantastic over the years....Darrel Baldock is another one as well."

Great work, Sandy. You listed three players and two of them were the same person.

P.S. Don't suppose the name 'Tony Lockett' rings a bell at all?

And who could forget this bloke?

 

[giantroo]

Brad Scott says he couldn’t be more excited about North Melbourne’s future

GLENN McFARLANE, Herald Sun
March 25, 2017 8:00pm
Subscriber only

FOR Brad Scott, 2017 represents his back-to-the-future moment, and even though he is not driving a DeLorean, the North Melbourne coach couldn’t be more excited about the road ahead.

So much of what he has observed over the pre-season and in the lead-up to today’s Round 1 clash against West Coast — in his eighth season as coach — reminds him of what happened in his first year in 2010.

The uncertainty and exuberance of a young list. Tick.

Limited external expectations following a dramatic reshaping of the playing list. Tick.

Enough senior players to maintain a level of competitiveness. Possible tick.

And a coach balancing the vulnerabilities of a new-look group with the excitement of not knowing the ceiling to which it may yet climb. Tick.

“I suppose the comparison is always going to come back to what we looked like in 2010 when I first started,” Scott told the Sunday Herald Sun moments after informing six players they were about to don the club colours for the first time against the West Coast Eagles.

“There has been real change, but there is genuine excitement about North Melbourne now.

“We are really aware of the potential vulnerability of young teams, so it will be a challenge to sustain the effort, but we have set out really clear expectations on what is required this year.”

The difference — and Scott maintains it is significant — is the infrastructure surrounding the club this year compared to what the North Melbourne Football Club looked like in 2010.

“We were just in a vastly different situation back then, in almost every way,” he said.

“We were really young, as we are now. We had to play first-year players probably before they were ready and we were in a perilous position financially.

“We had a football department that was ridiculously under resourced. I was a first-year, untried senior coach and we were going into an expansion draft.

“I’m sure to some the constraints (of 2010) were seemingly insurmountable then. That’s not the case now.”

Two successive preliminary final appearances, four finals series across the past five seasons, a complete reshaping of the club’s finances, a more competitive football department spend, and a multi-million-dollar training facility that was still a construction zone when he initially took over has solidified North Melbourne’s long-term standing.

“That was a real physical example that North Melbourne had to put the flag in the ground and say ‘this is our home, this is where we are staying’,” Scott said.

“We don’t need to say that anymore. We don’t have to fight that battle. We are a genuine member of this competition.”

But after the decision not to renew the contracts of Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Michael Firrito and Nick Dal Santo late last year — which drew an initial backlash but has not had an adverse affect on 2017 membership sales — Scott and the club made a conscious decision to reshape, renew and revitalise its list.

The Kangaroos have 20 players aged between 18 and 21.

“Those boys have been significant contributors to our football club,” he said. “The old adage is that the club is bigger than the individual and those boys have used that term a number of times.

“I have always maintained that I will do the best thing for North Melbourne without fear or favour, and if that means there are going to be hard decisions and unpopular decisions at the time, you have to do it.”

Scott, who has two years to run on his contract, says the same thing applies to his own coaching tenure.

He will do what is right for the club, not necessarily what is best for himself or other individuals.

“I’ll be significantly different (last year), for a variety of differences,” he said.

“One of the reasons is that I will have a different group of players.

“The focus will probably come from more of an educational, development style of coaching. I will also change because of the type of players we have ... they are a different generation. They are used to getting things (feedback) instantaneously.”

“The platform we have got here is as good as we have ever had,” he said. “We are fully aware of the potential vulnerabilities, but we are setting this club up for the future and we’re excited to see that happen.”

But Scott insisted having a young list - the Kangaroos have 20 players aged between 18 and 21 - is no excuse for the effort to drop.

“We will play an effort-based game, understanding the challenge is for us to sustain that,” he said. “Our supporters who watched us through the JLT Series will say these guys have had a crack. These young guys are excited to be a part of it, and it is rubbing off on everyone.”

It is not just the kids. He can’t wait to see Jack Ziebell in his first year as captain - “I think Jack will cast this team in his own image and it is going to be a bloody exciting time if that happens.”

He says Todd Goldstein is as hungry to regain his mantle as the game’s best ruckman, which slipped due to a nagging injury in the second half of last year.

And he is confident Jarrod Waite and Shaun Higgins have shaken off their injury issues late last year, and will contribute even more this year.

 

[see see]

Shout out to Sandy 'Beatch' Roberts who offered up this insightful nugget when discussing what an honor it was for Jade Gresham to be given the hallowed #4 by St Kilda -

"Worn by players like Darrel Baldock and Thompson....it's been really fantastic over the years....Darrel Baldock is another one as well."

Great work, Sandy. You listed three players and two of them were the same person.

P.S. Don't suppose the name 'Tony Lockett' rings a bell at all?

Poor Sandy has always had problems with remembering names.

 

[toepoker]

Kudos to Rohan Connolly for his Husker Du t-shirt at the post-match presser on Friday night

 

[giantroo]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/and...d/news-story/554bc01e2418af5f531ab305260626eb

NORTH MELBOURNE

It was a very different North Melbourne side that fronted up against West Coast on Sunday — with four debutants headlining the changes. First-round draft pick Jy Simpkin battled hard up forward for little reward, collecting nine disposals. Braydon Preuss had just five touches and a goal, while he had 19 hitouts supporting Todd Goldstein. Declan Mountford (11 disposals) was composed when he had the ball, while Mitch Hibberd had 10 touches. All four youngsters will be better for the run.

 

[Le Grille]

NICK DAL SANTO

BOLD CLAIM: The tribunal will remain consistent all year!

Wrong already!

 

[Dirty_11]

This graphic on League Teams. Terrible.

 

[Jindrrk]

This graphic on League Teams. Terrible.

I think that one on top right is Waite's by memory.

Its a continuing problem that was if not worse than games last season. Even when Brown kicks it now I am no longer confident. The only player I do not worry is Higgins. Waite was another one but now I will worry when he comes back (if he comes back).

 

[Twinkletoes]

Anything at all worth noting from tonight's TFS? I watched an hour twenty at x60 and struggled to read their lips. By that time (which took 3 minutes max to reach) I just deleted it without seeing the rest at any speed.

 

[Skarrz]

Anything at all worth noting from tonight's TFS? I watched an hour twenty at x60 and struggled to read their lips. By that time (which took 3 minutes max to reach) I just deleted it without seeing the rest at any speed.

Now that jB is gone I doubt north will get much attention at all this year

 

[Donkey Chop]

Anything at all worth noting from tonight's TFS? I watched an hour twenty at x60 and struggled to read their lips. By that time (which took 3 minutes max to reach) I just deleted it without seeing the rest at any speed.

Wasn't worth watching. The show 2 hours of Sam calling Hutchy fat, cut to Rebecca Madden laughing/cringing. Sam getting on his high horse about something, cut to Rebecca Madden laughing/cringing

Repeat

 

[giantroo]

This graphic on League Teams. Terrible.

And most in the corridor zone too.

 

[giantroo]

 

[boneofshin]

I hate that emoji. Always used to make something completely unfunny appear humorous.

 

[giantroo]

Rising star contenders via afl website.

Best chance: Jy Simpkin
The Kangaroos' top draft pick last year – No.12 overall – received an immediate senior call-up, despite a delayed pre-season start recovering from a broken leg sustained in April last year. Simpkin, 19, has earned games record-holder Brent Harvey's admiration, while coach Brad Scott saw enough in his two JLT Community Series matches to hand him a round one debut alongside Braydon Preuss, Mitch Hibberd and Declan Mountford. Scott is particularly bullish about the Mooroopna product's rare combination of "outside class" and toughness at the contest. Simpkin had only nine possessions against West Coast, but is sure to make his mark soon.

Other contenders: Ryan Clarke (six), Mitch Hibberd (one), Ed Vickers-Willis (yet to debut), Declan Mountford (one), Sam Durdin (yet to debut), Ben McKay (yet to debut)

Past winners: Byron Pickett (1998) - Marc McGowan

 

[Jindrrk]

Anything at all worth noting from tonight's TFS? I watched an hour twenty at x60 and struggled to read their lips. By that time (which took 3 minutes max to reach) I just deleted it without seeing the rest at any speed.

I left the TV on by mistake in the other room and came out when Geelong was being talked about. I thought I'd wait and see if North was to be spoken about but was waiting for over 10 mins while the Geelong populated footy show personalities drabbled on only to find there was nothing and left wondering if North was spoken about at all in this game being covered.

 

[Gasometer]

I left the TV on by mistake in the other room and came out when Geelong was being talked about. I thought I'd wait and see if North was to be spoken about but was waiting for over 10 mins while the Geelong populated footy show personalities drabbled on only to find there was nothing and left wondering if North was spoken about at all in this game being covered.

Its the sort of win we need to stfu the media

 

[Cool Kangas]

Its the sort of win we need to stfu the media

Yeah one can only hope

 

[Jindrrk]

Its the sort of win we need to stfu the media

Max Gawn is basically now a god after one good season and a good round 1 game. Goldy has now become irrelevant after being in All Aus form at round 10 and then playing injured after the Swans game at round 11 or so last year. Even though he kicked 3 on the weekend, albeit against a 2nd tier WCE ruck combo.

Even more to the point that I saw many had Gawn as a brownlow medal favourite. Oh please.

 

[Jeremy Jordan]

Shout out to Sandy 'Beatch' Roberts who offered up this insightful nugget when discussing what an honor it was for Jade Gresham to be given the hallowed #4 by St Kilda -

"Worn by players like Darrel Baldock and Thompson....it's been really fantastic over the years....Darrel Baldock is another one as well."

Great work, Sandy. You listed three players and two of them were the same person.

P.S. Don't suppose the name 'Tony Lockett' rings a bell at all?

And don't forget Darrel Baldock