Is it just me............

[Borry]

Or is it that The Worst and the Sunday Times have done an 'editor-swap' considering the pro-Freo sentiments in todays paper and the unusual docker-bagging in yesterday's paper.

 

[inferno66]

They are taking turns in playing good cop and bad cop

 

[iscah]

The Sunday Times for their two articles on "How to beat Freo" and on how one of the players said we were going to have our biggest win of the year (obviously going to fire up the tigers) was an absolute disgrace. Just setting us up for a loss.

Shows they are now in same boat as the other biased trash rag over here as well !

 

[Slacker]

The Sunday Times for their two articles on "How to beat Freo" and on how one of the players said we were going to have our biggest win of the year (obviously going to fire up the tigers) was an absolute disgrace. Just setting us up for a loss.

Shows they are now in same boat as the other biased trash rag over here as well !

That "how to beat freo" article was a joke. You could have applied that theory to any of the teams. Double team the power forward, push them wide and keep pressure on the backline - whoop de freakin do.

 

[Donkey]

Surely you lot are having a laugh? You'd rather the Sunday Times kept a leaked game plan from the public? Even if you thought the game plan was a joke they still have an obligation to publish the information they have.

The Sunday Times for their two articles on "How to beat Freo" and on how one of the players said we were going to have our biggest win of the year (obviously going to fire up the tigers) was an absolute disgrace. Just setting us up for a loss.

Shows they are now in same boat as the other biased trash rag over here as well !

You must be joking? They have an obligation to report what Ibbotson said. If anything is a disgrace it's what Ibbotson said - in fact it was almost as big a disgrace as the fifth best midfielder from a WAFL side cemented in the bottom three being selected for the Dockers in the first place

Journalists and the media don't have an obligation to support any player or team, they have an obligation to inform. I'm really struggling to comprehend how or why anybody would prefer they kept these sorts of things from the people?!?!

 

[The Night Shift]

Both local western australian papers sports sections are a disgrace in regards to the fact of their bias opened displayed all the time in reagrds to the AFL teams here. The whole exclusive in the sunday Times about "secret" gameplans to defeat Freo - Printed over 3 pages is just plain stupid. You never ever see the WCE have full page spreads on "secret" gameplans to defeat them.
The Worst Australian is no better. A very pro-conservative paper anyways with it's regular stories and opion columns... yet will have Ben cousins front back and middle - his ex girlfriend in irrelivant stories, whilst we have to put up stupid "exclusive" reports like the one printed in yesterdays Sunday Times.

 

[Lach72]

Surely you lot are having a laugh? You'd rather the Sunday Times kept a leaked game plan from the public? Even if you thought the game plan was a joke they still have an obligation to publish the information they have.

You must be joking? They have an obligation to report what Ibbotson said. If anything is a disgrace it's what Ibbotson said - in fact it was almost as big a disgrace as the fifth best midfielder from a WAFL side cemented in the bottom three being selected for the Dockers in the first place

Journalists and the media don't have an obligation to support any player or team, they have an obligation to inform. I'm really struggling to comprehend how or why anybody would prefer they kept these sorts of things from the people?!?!

Interesting...
Nice way to bag a young kid in his first game, who did quite well I thought.
Having seen a few of his games this year he has been playing quite well.

 

[Donkey]

You never ever see the WCE have full page spreads on "secret" gameplans to defeat them.

Is there the slightest possibility this may have something to do with the Sunday Times never having a "how to defeat West Coast" game plan leaked to them? Do you honestly think there is some pro scum (and/or anti-Freo) bias which would stop them from publishing it if that were to happen? Fair enough if you do, that's your opinion. My opinion on the other hand is that is ludicrous and unfounded.

Interesting...
Nice way to bag a young kid in his first game, who did quite well I thought.
Having seen a few of his games this year he has been playing quite well.

I thought he did quite well too all things considered. Doesn't make me any less stunned he was selected. I agree he has been playing quite well - just not anywhere near well enough (for anywhere near long enough) to warrant Dockers selection. Just my opinion.

 

[Cameron_K]

So the fact that Fremantle need pace through the midfield and the skill level has been below par isn't enough of a reason to give a player who fits the criteria of what the club is in desperate need of a go? Ibbo has been performing very well this year and has made huge strides after being the youngest player drafted last year. Obviously you have been getting down to training on a regular basis to see how he has been going on the track as well? I mean the coaches wouldn't get to see how he performs at training or the skill set he possesses on a regular basis.

How dare the club take a punt on a kid who has all the potential to be exactly what this club is looking for.

I agree, the speedy players like Cook and Webster should have played yesterday. That really would have helped the cause against a quick Richmond team.

 

[dominguez]

Is there the slightest possibility this may have something to do with the Sunday Times never having a "how to defeat West Coast" game plan leaked to them? Do you honestly think there is some pro scum (and/or anti-Freo) bias which would stop them from publishing it if that were to happen? Fair enough if you do, that's your opinion. My opinion on the other hand is that is ludicrous and unfounded.

Surely it is blatantly clear that most of the journalists in this state are West Coast supporters? If I was a journo I'd put a positive spin on all things Freo, and have a crack at the eagles at every opportunity, and the blue and yellow journos do that too. Mark Duffield is the only newspaper writer who isn't pro west coast.

The media would find out about plenty of incidents involving west coast but choose not to run them. The whole drug scandal was given coverage in Melbourne (by journos living thousands of miles away) long before it was reported here.

John McGrath (the former longterm sports editor of the west) is a very good friend of Ben Cousin's. Why would a guy in his 20's be friends with a guy in his 60's? It is quite clearly a case of I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine. So much so that when McGrath moved into politics Cousins went door to door with him in his electorate. Cousin's also has a similar relationship with Digby Beacham. It's in the eagles best interest to manipulate the media, and they do it superbly.

 

[Freo Shark]

You must be joking? They have an obligation to report what Ibbotson said. If anything is a disgrace it's what Ibbotson said - in fact it was almost as big a disgrace as the fifth best midfielder from a WAFL side cemented in the bottom three being selected for the Dockers in the first place

Geez nice welcome to a player making his debut for his club. What a bloody ****wit you are - couldnt have a better nick could you !!

 

[Donkey]

Geez nice welcome to a player making his debut for his club. What a bloody ****wit you are - couldnt have a better nick could you !!

Firstly it wasn't a welcome, it was an opinion expressed on a public fan site, which is what I thought these sites were set up for. I'm 99% sure Ibbotson will never read it and even if he does I'm 100% sure he won't care what I think, nor should he. Secondly, any chance you're going to stop repeating the same stupid username joke and perhaps challenge my opinions on Dockers-related topics with your own? But if you're keen to keep the conversation at this kindergarten level may I point out the animal species referenced in your username isn't very intelligent either - and the WAFL team it refers to is a laughing stock.

Now to respond to the people who actually discuss the issues.

Surely it is blatantly clear that most of the journalists in this state are West Coast supporters? If I was a journo I'd put a positive spin on all things Freo, and have a crack at the eagles at every opportunity, and the blue and yellow journos do that too. Mark Duffield is the only newspaper writer who isn't pro west coast.

The media would find out about plenty of incidents involving west coast but choose not to run them. The whole drug scandal was given coverage in Melbourne (by journos living thousands of miles away) long before it was reported here.

John McGrath (the former longterm sports editor of the west) is a very good friend of Ben Cousin's. Why would a guy in his 20's be friends with a guy in his 60's? It is quite clearly a case of I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine. So much so that when McGrath moved into politics Cousins went door to door with him in his electorate. Cousin's also has a similar relationship with Digby Beacham. It's in the eagles best interest to manipulate the media, and they do it superbly.

I never denied there is a certain extent of pro scum bias. I denied there is ...

some pro scum (and/or anti-Freo) bias which would stop them from publishing [a leaked scum related game plan] if that were to happen?

And nobody has come up with any resemblence of a decent argument as to why Jay Clark (think it was him from memory) shouldn't have published the leaked game plan, or why Digby Beacham (again from memory) shouldn't have published what Ibbotson said.

Going a little off track I think there are a number of factors contributing to anti-Dockers bias. The journalists themselves are one factor, but years of Fremantle on-field mediocrity along with years of uncooperativeness from the club (staff in particular) towards the media are also factors which have added fuel to the fire. And if you think we have it bad here try living in Manchester as a City fan, or Los Angeles as a Clippers fan - something I myself did. Believe me we don't have it that bad at all.

So the fact that Fremantle need pace through the midfield and the skill level has been below par isn't enough of a reason to give a player who fits the criteria of what the club is in desperate need of a go? Ibbo has been performing very well this year and has made huge strides after being the youngest player drafted last year. Obviously you have been getting down to training on a regular basis to see how he has been going on the track as well? I mean the coaches wouldn't get to see how he performs at training or the skill set he possesses on a regular basis.

How dare the club take a punt on a kid who has all the potential to be exactly what this club is looking for.

I agree, the speedy players like Cook and Webster should have played yesterday. That really would have helped the cause against a quick Richmond team.

Okay I'll go point by point. No it wasn't a good reason at all in my opinion, not so long as he's not in the best avialable 22. Besides, Fremantle needing pace through the midfield (as you put it) isn't a "fact" - it's your opinion. No I haven't been going to training any more because I've had uni commitments on public training nights (and now exams) but I have seen East Fremantle play four times this season. Whether you think all that somehow means I'm not entitled to an opinion doesn't concern me in the slightest. Yes he has been much improved. But in my opinion he is miles behind Adams, Woewodin, McNamara and Foster in the midfield at that terribly poor WAFL club alone and isn't even close to being in the top 20 midfielders/running players in the WAFL. His time will come no doubt, but now is not his time and I don't see why it's being made out to be so terrible of me to express that opinion?

Again going off track, I have to wonder if some people around here are watching a different WAFL to me when I see Haddrill's form has been described as "crap" on a number of occasions whereas Ibbotson's form has been overhyped to such an extent.

 

[dominguez]

.Going a little off track I think there are a number of factors contributing to anti-Dockers bias. The journalists themselves are one factor, but years of Fremantle on-field mediocrity along with years of uncooperativeness from the club (staff in particular) towards the media are also factors which have added fuel to the fire. And if you think we have it bad here try living in Manchester as a City fan, or Los Angeles as a Clippers fan - something I myself did. Believe me we don't have it that bad at all.

Again going off track, I have to wonder if some people around here are watching a different WAFL to me when I see Haddrill's form has been described as "crap" on a number of occasions whereas Ibbotson's form has been overhyped to such an extent.

I agree with your first paragraph, we need to earn the respect of the football world,. WA journos will continue to put the boot in at any opportunity until we play quality football for a sustained period of time.

Most Manc's are city fans (from my experience anyway), although I'd imagine the media would have a definate bias towards United. More Manchester United members live outside Manchester than in Manchester.

Rightly or wrongly, the standards for Haddrill and Ibbotson are different. We know Robbie can play AFL footy, and while his form hasn't been crap, it hasn't been to the level that we know he can play. If Ibbo plays to the same level next wek as Bellie played yesterday he will be hailed as the messiah, where as a 30+ possession game is almost expected from the little champ.

 

[The Night Shift]

Donkey, are you a sports journalist?

 

[Donkey]

We're going way off track here, but never mind. As much as I hate saying it Haddrill plays for an absolute rubbish team which gets pantsed very badly in midfield virtually every week. I'm at an absolute loss to think what more he could've possibly done defensively for Perth since his return from injury.

Sure, he has been thrown up into the forward line on a few occasions and admittedly hasn't set the world on fire. I'm still unsure whether this forward move is due to Eastaugh's stupid policy of throwing all his key players around 20 different positions every single game - or whether it was initiated by Haddrill in desperation as he tries to do whatever it takes to get a recall. But for me none of this has anything to do with the fact he is a much more complete defender than a number of the wannabe defenders in the Fremantle side right now.

I was stunned Haddrill wasn't recalled three weeks ago considering some of the complete crabs playing in defence for Fremantle this season, and as each week passes without a recall I become even more stunned.

And no Nightfury I'm not, I'm a student but I have studied some journalism units. So that was still a pretty good guess.

 

[pistol17]

We're going way off track here, but never mind. As much as I hate saying it Haddrill plays for an absolute rubbish team which gets pantsed very badly in midfield virtually every week. I'm at an absolute loss to think what more he could've possibly done defensively for Perth since his return from injury.

Sure, he has been thrown up into the forward line on a few occasions and admittedly hasn't set the world on fire. I'm still unsure whether this forward move is due to Eastaugh's stupid policy of throwing all his key players around 20 different positions every single game - or whether it was initiated by Haddrill in desperation as he tries to do whatever it takes to get a recall. But for me none of this has anything to do with the fact he is a much more complete defender than a number of the wannabe defenders in the Fremantle side right now.

I was stunned Haddrill wasn't recalled three weeks ago considering some of the complete crabs playing in defence for Fremantle this season, and as each week passes without a recall I become even more stunned.

And no Nightfury I'm not, I'm a student but I have studied some journalism units. So that was still a pretty good guess.

In an article on the weekend Haddrill was saying he knew he couldnt get back into the Fremantle lineup in defence, with guys like MJ, Elvis, Grover and co. He wants to try get into the side another way so he consulted freo along with perth about his move into the forward line. Was robbie's idea so see how he goes i guess...

 

[Donkey]

He wants to try get into the side another way so he consulted freo along with perth about his move into the forward line

If that really is the case then that makes me want to murder someone - he's one of the very few decent defenders on our list and if he has been forced to resort to this - ridiculous

But I saw the article and if I remember correctly he didn't specifically say that, he just implied it? If I correctly recall it there are a number of ways you could interpret what he said. Your interpretation definitely has merit but you still can't rule out the possibility that deep down he's thinking "I wish Eastaugh would play me in my best position but seeing he's not I'd best put a positive spin on it when I speak to the media" or "seeing the Dockers coaching staff and match committee are dumb enough to think Dodd, Mundy, McPharlin, Thornton, Grover and Walker are better value to the side than me then I'm going to have to try something desperate to get these tools to select me."

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

.Again going off track, I have to wonder if some people around here are watching a different WAFL to me when I see Haddrill's form has been described as "crap" on a number of occasions whereas Ibbotson's form has been overhyped to such an extent.

It just the Draft Saviour syndrome at work. Any new player is judged by a much lower standard than current players.

The other thing is the Youth vs Results Paradox. You'll see some posters who want to sack the coach etc for not playing the youngsters and ensuring the long term future of the club. If we did that they'd want to sack the coach for losing games.

CC has been very clever at sneaking the kids in -- mostly in games we should win. We have had 3 debutants this year, and all 3 have kicked a goal in their first game. He must be doing something right.

Now if he could only get a few other things right.

 

[The Night Shift]

It just the Draft Saviour syndrome at work. Any new player is judged by a much lower standard than current players.

The other thing is the Youth vs Results Paradox. You'll see some posters who want to sack the coach etc for not playing the youngsters and ensuring the long term future of the club. If we did that they'd want to sack the coach for losing games.

CC has been very clever at sneaking the kids in -- mostly in games we should win. We have had 3 debutants this year, and all 3 have kicked a goal in their first game. He must be doing something right.

Now if he could only get a few other things right.

Great points you make there Dr. Ralph. I certainly agree with what your saying.

There must be some magic tonic being passed around the rookies (non Ben Cousins type of tonic) as they are all scoring majors on debut for us.