- Jul 9, 2010
- 24,163
- 26,536
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
Gaff is a dirty campaigner. One look at him and it's obvious he's a mouth breathing idiot. Slack jaw, eyes with nothing going on. And maybe the most overrated footballer going around... I reckon Nick Suban'd be the best midfielder in the Eagles mess of a middle.
Now my issue... where was the real anger?
Andrew Brayshaw is a teenager, first season player. He's got talent, he's been doing well, has heaps of potential... but he's a clean, soft spoken young bloke. He's been smacked in the head, gone to hospital, and apparently lost teeth and broke his jaw. I felt miffed at home. And my only interaction with the bloke was walking past him out the front of Nick's Place four months ago.
Where's the anger? No one needs to be stupid or a thug, but show some guts. It's the derby.
The irony is, in lots of games, young Brayshaw is the lad who goes up to help a teammate. A few times I've noted this and gone 'but he's skinny! He's not that tall! He's *in 18!' It seems a serious serious issue and it's been a big thing for years.
The main issue I have is, a lot of the recent flags have been won not on skill or talent or even good coaches... but this idea of 'eh, why can't we?' It's all momentum, form, and a cheeky arrogance and massive culture of buying in, playing for each other, and having a spirit. The Hawks were a great side but they won three through that feeling... it's more than skill and coaching, it's that intangible element.
The Ryan/Johnson hit was soft. Gaff went down because he was scared to be on the ground and embarrassed of himself. His shoulders were slunk and he didn't want to be out there. The hit wasn't that tough.
Where was him being targeted? Where were the niggles, the bloke following him, the guy getting into him, the mouthing off?
He kicks a goal and their feral, idiotic, clueless fans start clapping him and their bevy of bogans out on the ground who masquerade as 'flag contenders' and the players just walk back to their positions? I felt pissed off. They should too. Brayshaw is their mate, their teammate, go out and try and show some passion for it.
Now my issue... where was the real anger?
Andrew Brayshaw is a teenager, first season player. He's got talent, he's been doing well, has heaps of potential... but he's a clean, soft spoken young bloke. He's been smacked in the head, gone to hospital, and apparently lost teeth and broke his jaw. I felt miffed at home. And my only interaction with the bloke was walking past him out the front of Nick's Place four months ago.
Where's the anger? No one needs to be stupid or a thug, but show some guts. It's the derby.
The irony is, in lots of games, young Brayshaw is the lad who goes up to help a teammate. A few times I've noted this and gone 'but he's skinny! He's not that tall! He's *in 18!' It seems a serious serious issue and it's been a big thing for years.
The main issue I have is, a lot of the recent flags have been won not on skill or talent or even good coaches... but this idea of 'eh, why can't we?' It's all momentum, form, and a cheeky arrogance and massive culture of buying in, playing for each other, and having a spirit. The Hawks were a great side but they won three through that feeling... it's more than skill and coaching, it's that intangible element.
The Ryan/Johnson hit was soft. Gaff went down because he was scared to be on the ground and embarrassed of himself. His shoulders were slunk and he didn't want to be out there. The hit wasn't that tough.
Where was him being targeted? Where were the niggles, the bloke following him, the guy getting into him, the mouthing off?
He kicks a goal and their feral, idiotic, clueless fans start clapping him and their bevy of bogans out on the ground who masquerade as 'flag contenders' and the players just walk back to their positions? I felt pissed off. They should too. Brayshaw is their mate, their teammate, go out and try and show some passion for it.
