Opinion Commentary and media

[toepoker]

More reasons to never watch the AFL version.

Have you seen the NRL version?

 

[Firestarter]

Have you seen the NRL version?

I don't give enough of a rats outside the Storm to pay attention to the sport.

 

[toepoker]

I don't give enough of a rats outside the Storm to pay attention to the sport.

Fair enough. Anyone hoping for a significant upgrade on the AFL Footy Show is going to be seriously underwhelmed

 

[giantroo]

 

[King Corey]

Fair enough. Anyone hoping for a significant upgrade on the AFL Footy Show is going to be seriously underwhelmed

NRL footy show is significantly better than the AFL one imo.

 

[Rooboys Rool]

This is so predictable and lol worthy, but it's also a concern because it's from the players themselves. Makes us look like not a destination club for any of our key targets in the trade / free agency period. Hopefully our on-field performances this year change some minds, and before they've committed elsewhere.

 

[hotham]

NRL footy show is significantly better than the AFL one imo.

Totally agree I can just tolerate CH on radio but i'm not able to tolerate his head on TV.

 

[lockheed]

This is so predictable and lol worthy, but it's also a concern because it's from the players themselves. Makes us look like not a destination club for any of our key targets in the trade / free agency period. Hopefully our on-field performances this year change some minds, and before they've committed elsewhere.

I'm obviously in the minority, but, given a good run with injury, I'm confident we'll improve from last year.

It's going to be hard for us to be a destination club. We're not one of the 'old' traditional clubs, we don't play in front of huge crowds, and we don't have have the commercial backing to dangle the promise of additional commercial or career opportunities. If we want players to be interested in coming to play for us, we need to demonstrate that we're an improving team, and we need to show significant improvement from where we were at the end of last year.

 

[toepoker]

NRL footy show is significantly better than the AFL one imo.

It's a bit like comparing Today Tonight & A Current Affair for me. I find them of a roughly equivalent level of totally shithouse

 

[King Corey]

It's a bit like comparing Today Tonight & A Current Affair for me. I find them of a roughly equivalent level of totally shithouse

Fair enough. I wouldn't make an effort to watch the NRL footy show but if it's on in the background it's occasionally entertaining.

I would make an active effort to avoid the AFL footy show.

 

[RobZombie]

Good. Let 'em take us lightly.

I'm obviously in the minority, but, given a good run with injury, I'm confident we'll improve from last year.

I can live with that POV. Given the team that played out most of the 2nd half of the season,

Higgins = Wells
McDonald >> Mullett
M Williams > McKenzie (still think Bread wasn't far off making it, but needed one or two of his 'better than serviceable' games to take the step up to 'breakout'. Anyway, Marley's better defensive work should be better for team balance and I'll hold my breath and cross my fingers when he has to kick it).
EVW < Firrito (but different. And by the end of the season could well be > what Spud had declined to)
Durdin = Loogie (not = fit and in form Loogie, but we don't see much of that)
Daw > Petrie (expecting to get some disagreement on this and still has to prove he can do the team things all day like Drew but has more strings to his bow)
Hrovat < Boomer (but looks like filling the role well enough and might actually run both ways)
Dumont = Dal (but needs to step up and get more of the ball, which I'm confident he will)
Goldy > Goldy (please be fit, and at least we can swing Preuss in for a game or two if he needs a rest)

Waite, Wood, Simpkin, Turner, Clarke also likely to fit in as positive contributors.

It's going to be hard for us to be a destination club. We're not one of the 'old' traditional clubs, we don't play in front of huge crowds, and we don't have have the commercial backing to dangle the promise of additional commercial or career opportunities. If we want players to be interested in coming to play for us, we need to demonstrate that we're an improving team, and we need to show significant improvement from where we were at the end of last year.

Has to be one of the themes for the season. Kids or not, sliding down the ladder or not, they can still go about it like a club people would want to be at.

 

[blackshadow]

NRL footy show is significantly better than the AFL one imo.

Not hard coming off a very low base. You're still in danger of having your braincells leached by watching it.

#tvformorons

 

[Only Forwards]

Good. Let 'em take us lightly.

This is my view of this year. They can all write us off for all I care.

We lost a chunk of experience sure. We lost a player that will be a legend at our club.

It is like the media and most others have become totally fixated on this point and cannot see anything outside of it.

I find it completely baffling that there is a perception that a core of players that have all played for years together including in high end finals is going to dip so dramatically on the basis of 5 players.

Boomer is not some one who can be replaced automatically. There was questions on his defensive side though.
Had Wells stayed he would be exactly where he is right now, where he was in 2015.
NDS I agree with the comparision to Frog, Frog also a bit more defensive
Spud has caused us to reshuffle things, sure EVW is the heir there, but William, frees you Luke and Ats and our backline looks different before you even consider Spud. I think we will have a system to mitigate some of this loss.

Dish was done. DONE. he can go prove whatever he is trying to in the west, but the bloke couldn't get separation or off the ground as a forward. It was too our detriment too, for any who are brave enough, go watch the first game vs the Hawks from last year, Boomer kicks it to Drew trying to bring him into the game, no separation means a spoiled mark. Boomer was 35-40 meters out, the bloke kicked 518 goals, he could have kicked it but didn't. He tried to bring a player into the game, if it was marked Dish would have had the shot from about 15 out. Its isolated and small, but it was there.

Anyway my ramblings aside, under rate us at your peril, we may not rock up and be premiers this year, but we ain't just gonna roll over and take it either.

 

[Orange Peanut]

This is my view of this year. They can all write us off for all I care.

We lost a chunk of experience sure. We lost a player that will be a legend at our club.

It is like the media and most others have become totally fixated on this point and cannot see anything outside of it.

I find it completely baffling that there is a perception that a core of players that have all played for years together including in high end finals is going to dip so dramatically on the basis of 5 players.

Boomer is not some one who can be replaced automatically. There was questions on his defensive side though.
Had Wells stayed he would be exactly where he is right now, where he was in 2015.
NDS I agree with the comparision to Frog, Frog also a bit more defensive
Spud has caused us to reshuffle things, sure EVW is the heir there, but William, frees you Luke and Ats and our backline looks different before you even consider Spud. I think we will have a system to mitigate some of this loss.

Dish was done. DONE. he can go prove whatever he is trying to in the west, but the bloke couldn't get separation or off the ground as a forward. It was too our detriment too, for any who are brave enough, go watch the first game vs the Hawks from last year, Boomer kicks it to Drew trying to bring him into the game, no separation means a spoiled mark. Boomer was 35-40 meters out, the bloke kicked 518 goals, he could have kicked it but didn't. He tried to bring a player into the game, if it was marked Dish would have had the shot from about 15 out. Its isolated and small, but it was there.

Anyway my ramblings aside, under rate us at your peril, we may not rock up and be premiers this year, but we ain't just gonna roll over and take it either.

Spot friggin on.

 

[Donkey Chop]

they won't even see us coming

 

[Firestarter]

Just got the email AFL newsletter. Feels predictable that their most important headlines are this and Ponce Bonts "debuting for 2017" like he's about to go to Prom.

 

[kangaspurs]

This is my view of this year. They can all write us off for all I care.

We lost a chunk of experience sure. We lost a player that will be a legend at our club.

It is like the media and most others have become totally fixated on this point and cannot see anything outside of it.

I find it completely baffling that there is a perception that a core of players that have all played for years together including in high end finals is going to dip so dramatically on the basis of 5 players.

Boomer is not some one who can be replaced automatically. There was questions on his defensive side though.
Had Wells stayed he would be exactly where he is right now, where he was in 2015.
NDS I agree with the comparision to Frog, Frog also a bit more defensive
Spud has caused us to reshuffle things, sure EVW is the heir there, but William, frees you Luke and Ats and our backline looks different before you even consider Spud. I think we will have a system to mitigate some of this loss.

Dish was done. DONE. he can go prove whatever he is trying to in the west, but the bloke couldn't get separation or off the ground as a forward. It was too our detriment too, for any who are brave enough, go watch the first game vs the Hawks from last year, Boomer kicks it to Drew trying to bring him into the game, no separation means a spoiled mark. Boomer was 35-40 meters out, the bloke kicked 518 goals, he could have kicked it but didn't. He tried to bring a player into the game, if it was marked Dish would have had the shot from about 15 out. Its isolated and small, but it was there.

Anyway my ramblings aside, under rate us at your peril, we may not rock up and be premiers this year, but we ain't just gonna roll over and take it either.

Quoted for truth.

Great post.

 

[Kimbo]

Good. Let 'em take us lightly.

I can live with that POV. Given the team that played out most of the 2nd half of the season,

Higgins = Wells
McDonald >> Mullett
M Williams > McKenzie (still think Bread wasn't far off making it, but needed one or two of his 'better than serviceable' games to take the step up to 'breakout'. Anyway, Marley's better defensive work should be better for team balance and I'll hold my breath and cross my fingers when he has to kick it).
EVW < Firrito (but different. And by the end of the season could well be > what Spud had declined to)
Durdin = Loogie (not = fit and in form Loogie, but we don't see much of that)
Daw > Petrie (expecting to get some disagreement on this and still has to prove he can do the team things all day like Drew but has more strings to his bow)
Hrovat < Boomer (but looks like filling the role well enough and might actually run both ways)
Dumont = Dal (but needs to step up and get more of the ball, which I'm confident he will)
Goldy > Goldy (please be fit, and at least we can swing Preuss in for a game or two if he needs a rest)

Waite, Wood, Simpkin, Turner, Clarke also likely to fit in as positive contributors.

I see it similarly RobZ, but with this tweaking...

Higgins, Hrovat, Dumont, Clarke = Wells, Boomer, Dal Santo (and Swallow).

Higgins and Hrovat provide the more 'top end' play-making and class in disposal. Higgins has a better defensive side to him. The knock on Hrovat is him not being as good defensively, as he is offensively, but that may also be an age thing. Dumont's disposal numbers will go up imo (already have somewhat?), plus he brings a combination of tackling (covering Swallow), and a better inside/outside game. He can also tag a bit. Clarke covers Dal for mine, in disposals and while not the same class in disposal, it will improve, plus his endurance means he links better with run and is in positions to tackle.

Agree McDonald >> Mullett.
Agree M Williams > McKenzie, but add an extra >. Agree that Marley's better defensive work should be better for team balance, and Jmac and LMac (along with the rest of the backline) to ably clear it. (I think you're Bizarro Kimbo when it comes to Bread.)
EVW < Firrito (but different.) Yeah, it's not a like for like, is it. But what Spud did with a bigger body, EVW might do with smarts and reach. He won't offer the same offensive element as Spud (running through tackles, raking kick or long handball, but he seems smart getting the ball out.
Durdin = Loogie (not = fit and in form Loogie, but we don't see much of that) Durdin currently owns the 'concrete hands' award though. Those clean hands are Loogie's trademark.
Daw = Petrie. Providing Waite and Brown do their bit, I'd be happy enough if Majak is the 'decoy' forward (or third KPF option), applies good defensive pressure and, unlike Drew kicks the gimme goals, though this isn't guaranteed, based on past experience.

Upsides for me:

• The general enthusiasm and 'ambition' of youth.
• 2014 draftees, including Nielson, get their go and are at an age where they can begin to make a mark.
• Similarly, Dumont and Clarke now have the chance to gain serious experience, but aren't debutants either.
• JZ, Jmac, Tarrant, Thomas (and cohort) all at a good age to lead.
• Injury-wise, we're better off than in the second half of 2016, and the gap between the lower end of best 22 and the next rung isn't as great as it was. (For example, Turner/Garner/Anderson/Wagner, Nielson/Hanson/Hibberd).
• Some potential top-liners in Simpkin, Preuss, the new BMac and, in 2018, Ahern.

• "Marley and Me." (Photo from Hrovat's personal collection.)

 

[Kimbo]

This is my view of this year. They can all write us off for all I care.

We lost a chunk of experience sure. We lost a player that will be a legend at our club.

It is like the media and most others have become totally fixated on this point and cannot see anything outside of it.

As I have said previously, this will be the narrative for the first half of the year. Until they begin to 'notice' the next generation. The media is always 6-12 months behind the current reality. It's like the players and coaches. They put in a pre-season preparing and planning, but when the season starts, all they have is what they had at the start of the season.

Our media department are doing their bit by (over)using "exciting", but the media want specific players to be able to focus on. Kingy did his bit with Hrovat, Preuss is laying a claim. Unfortunately Dumont and Clarke will go largely unnoticed unless they can get among the goals.

NDS I agree with the comparison to Frog, Frog also a bit lot more defensive

Fixed that for you.

Dish was done. DONE.

Yep, Dish was over-cooked. You know this when adding spring onions doesn't improve the spring and the only beans the dish can handle are 'has beans'.

 

[Pep Fraudiola]

they won't even see us coming

Gotta be 2-0.

Somehow beat the Eagles at home, really tough game but reckon it can be done and then get Cunners back and smash Geelong.

If 0-2, it's basically season over.

 

[Donkey Chop]

Gotta be 2-0.

Somehow beat the Eagles at home, really tough game but reckon it can be done and then get Cunners back and smash Geelong.

If 0-2, it's basically season over.

Considering the back half of our fixture is as good as a side could hope for- I completely disagree

 

[Dirty_11]

Fickle supporters are easily swayed and sh*t like this doesn't help the membership drive.

 

[Dirty_11]

Dumont >Dal. Dal's output last year was ordinary. At least Froggy will put his head over the ball and tackle.

 

[Donkey Chop]

Fickle supporters are easily swayed and sh*t like this doesn't help the membership drive.

That's the only negative about this sort of press. Otherwise it does well to put a fire under the playing group

 

[Jindrrk]

Gotta be 2-0.

Somehow beat the Eagles at home, really tough game but reckon it can be done and then get Cunners back and smash Geelong.

If 0-2, it's basically season over.

Oh please. 0-2 season over? rofl.

Huge exaggeration. I can see what you are trying to say.....but just no.