Toast James Sicily - Hawthorn captain 2023 - AA 2023!

[Mitchell Madness]

Agree but best to keep it out of the media and approach the AFL formally through the appropriate channel.

Nope. Keep it in the media.

Clarko used to do it behind closed doors and it never did any good. In fact you could argue it got worse.

Coaches that put it on the media spotlight get places.

Hell, I remember Scott saying Hawkins wasn't getting protection, 10 years later and Hawkins pushes and shoves his way fmto 50 plus per season

 

[QuietB]

Spends the first minute saying ‘look at how the players reacted! They’re the best judges’!

Cheating diving campaigners were just playing for a free kick - every single one of them threw their arms out asking for the free.

Has anyone asked Robbo on the original free? Is that where we want football to go - free goals for dives?

 

[peetoo]

I’m happy sicily doesn’t take dives, but that’s the ‘intelligent’ thing to do in some parts of the media

I’ll not hold my breath but if you scoop throw the ball of the deck with one hand it’s called a throw. Two hands and it’s play on.

Might as well not have the throw rule

 

[Elhawko]

People, can we move on! The fact that Robbo can generate this level of reaction is precisely why he remains on TV. Stop giving him oxygen. You'll live longer.

Despite all the toys coming out of the cot during the hearing, the system worked, our defence team got it right and Sis got off. He was probably lucky so we should count our blessings and move on. (I must say I was struck by the humility of our posters who acknowledged that the system worked after all and who took the time to apologise to our defence team who so many had vilified prior to the verdict coming back. It was like being in Tiger land there for a while).

And seriously, is anyone really saying Sis was under attack and the umps let him be ganged up on and what else could he do?!! Players are under virtually no threat of violence in today's game - the worst they can expect is a push and maybe being knocked over! It's hardly scary. The skirmish against the Pies last season was more heated than this little push and shove. Sis has had a poor pre-season and a poor first game. That is why the Essendon players were getting into him, not because of lax officiating etc etc. Had he been playing well this would not have happened. We would do the same to an oppo captain if we could see him getting frustrated.

Sis didn't react well, our team didn't exactly rush to his defence and Essendon got an advantage from it. Good for them. We would do the same. And we had better have a strategy for how we deal with it next week because this is now going to happen over and over.

We have many more important things to worry about after last weeks game than this non-event of a controversy.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

That is why the Essendon players were getting into him, not because of lax officiating etc etc. Had he been playing well this would not have happened. We would do the same to an oppo captain if we could see him getting frustrated.

It happened in the first minute of the game?
He didn't have time to play good or bad by that point. In fact his first contest he won, although had a free kick paid against him.

I would say the reason Essendon players were getting into him is because he's our best player and they had been planning it well before the game started.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Nope. Keep it in the media.

Clarko used to do it behind closed doors and it never did any good. In fact you could argue it got worse.

Coaches that put it on the media spotlight get places.

Hell, I remember Scott saying Hawkins wasn't getting protection, 10 years later and Hawkins pushes and shoves his way fmto 50 plus per season

Sam coming out to the media and begging the umps to look after a particular player would do nothing but put a bigger target on Sicily's back.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Sam coming out to the media and begging the umps to look after a particular player would do nothing but put a bigger target on Sicily's back.

He's already got a massive target on his back.
The media will have no choice but to actually report the whole incident

 

[SpanishBrowne]

I would say the reason Essendon players were getting into him is because he's our best player and they had been planning it well before the game started.

and it worked. he's gotta go into "zen mode" when they try get under his skin.
first game back though... and against the hated *, which fuels some extra animosity. i'd give him the benefit of the doubt!

he's 2xAA for a reason! (yes, i said 2. stewart is A tier. sic is S tier.)

 

[Mr Lizard]

they put up my picture with silence
'cause my identity by itself causes violence

 

[CHUBBSS]

If Sicily keeps getting targeted which I am assuming is going to be the case, I’d like to see the team get down to support. Still up to Sic not to get sucked in but it’s footy.

Lake wouldn’t give an inch…

 

[westhawk]

Just watched the 360 rant, and holy * is it funny.

Spends the first minute saying ‘look at how the players reacted! They’re the best judges’!

At the end of the rant, Gerard says we’ll ask the players about it as ‘they’re the best judges wink’

…. NO THEY ARENT MATE!

You couldn’t pay me to watch this s**t every night.

Spot on, I can’t watch it anymore. The constant anti Hawthorn sentiment on the show does my head in. How this fat incompetent piece of trash is employed has got me stuffed.

 

[peetoo]

It happened in the first minute of the game?
He didn't have time to play good or bad by that point. In fact his first contest he won, although had a free kick paid against him.

I would say the reason Essendon players were getting into him is because he's our best player and they had been planning it well before the game started.

Essendon players hardening up was floated in the media too

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Robbo “ what about taking into account the fact that it was a kick”

Ummm they did, when he was charged with “kicking” dumbarse.

“The AFL graded it as low impact”

Nope. Open your ears dumbarse. They found it was negligible impact but upgraded it to low because of the whole kick thing you just banged on about them not considering

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Robbo “ what about taking into account the fact that it was a kick”

Ummm they did, when he was charged with “kicking” dumbarse.

“The AFL graded it as low impact”

Nope. Open your ears dumbarse. They found it was negligible impact but upgraded it to low because of the whole kick thing you just banged on about them not considering

Andy Maher had a howler today. Says force shouldn't count, then lists other acts including jumper punches, but says after jumper punch "depending on how hard it is"

 

[spudmaster]

The AFL wanted to make sure he was available for interview to give his opinion on the Tassie side this weekend after the game.

 

[HedgeFund]

People, can we move on! The fact that Robbo can generate this level of reaction is precisely why he remains on TV. Stop giving him oxygen. You'll live longer.

Despite all the toys coming out of the cot during the hearing, the system worked, our defence team got it right and Sis got off. He was probably lucky so we should count our blessings and move on. (I must say I was struck by the humility of our posters who acknowledged that the system worked after all and who took the time to apologise to our defence team who so many had vilified prior to the verdict coming back. It was like being in Tiger land there for a while).

And seriously, is anyone really saying Sis was under attack and the umps let him be ganged up on and what else could he do?!! Players are under virtually no threat of violence in today's game - the worst they can expect is a push and maybe being knocked over! It's hardly scary. The skirmish against the Pies last season was more heated than this little push and shove. Sis has had a poor pre-season and a poor first game. That is why the Essendon players were getting into him, not because of lax officiating etc etc. Had he been playing well this would not have happened. We would do the same to an oppo captain if we could see him getting frustrated.

Sis didn't react well, our team didn't exactly rush to his defence and Essendon got an advantage from it. Good for them. We would do the same. And we had better have a strategy for how we deal with it next week because this is now going to happen over and over.

We have many more important things to worry about after last weeks game than this non-event of a controversy.

Robinson - irrelevant

Sicily - fortunate and owes McGrath a beer or 3. He pleaded guilty because he did the wrong thing.

McGrath - deserves everyone’s respect for openly stating it had zero impact. That’s why James is able to play this week.

I sincerely hope Sicily learns from this.

 

[peetoo]

Robinson - irrelevant

Sicily - fortunate and owes McGrath a beer or 3. He pleaded guilty because he did the wrong thing.

McGrath - deserves everyone’s respect for openly stating it had zero impact. That’s why James is able to play this week.

I sincerely hope Sicily learns from this.

McGrath got the win, he’s not bothered about getting a bottom 6 capt rubbed out.

Incidentally the bombers seem to be buying into the niggle Brad Scott had going on at north

 

[eldorado]

McGrath - deserves everyone’s respect for openly stating it had zero impact. That’s why James is able to play this week.

Good on him, but it's not why Sicily can play. McGrath's statement was not allowed to be used in evidence.

The medical report and the video got him from medium to low (upgraded from negligible because it was a kick, apparently...work that one out)

 

[Fluro Boots]

Did the AFL offer any advice on how to protect yourself when suddenly set upon by a mob of opposition players in a premeditated attack? We need to know because this won't be the last time this happens. I can't believe this is acceptable to them. Are we going to have to deploy the "line in the sand" tactics once again?

Line in the sand was one of the best things things that happened to this club imo and linked the hawthorn spirit of those successful times to the modern era. Ideally, you don’t get walked all over in the first place and there’s no need for i. But you need to be able to fight back if you find yourself in that spot. It really was a turning point in my mind.

 

[The hands of stone]

Line in the sand was one of the best things things that happened to this club imo and linked the hawthorn spirit of those successful times to the modern era. Ideally, you don’t get walked all over in the first place and there’s no need for i. But you need to be able to fight back if you find yourself in that spot. It really was a turning point in my mind.

Lance Picione must live near me as I see him pretty regularly . Ive been very close a few times to approaching him and thanking him for a few shots he landed that day .
Reckon next time Im going to do it .

 

[Fluro Boots]

Lance Picione must live near me as I see him pretty regularly . Ive been very close a few times to approaching him and thanking him for a few shots he landed that day .
Reckon next time Im going to do it .

Do it! Simon Beaumont needs a thank you too if anyone can help with that

 

[grumbleguts]

When Slobbo says 'AFL' it sounds like 'A*fart noise*L'.
Let's not even get into the content of the dribble literally falling out of his skull.

How anybody, including scum supporters, can listen to that moron for more than 10 seconds is beyond me.

He literally fell for a "Nigerian Prince" scam. How the hell is he employable after that?

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Andy Maher had a howler today. Says force shouldn't count, then lists other acts including jumper punches, but says after jumper punch "depending on how hard it is"

kicking someone is a nasty thing to do. The example they use for kicking charges (Webster incident) show someone winding up and kicking someone in the bum. Yes the bum. Hard enough that they're on the ground holding their bum and can't get up to run away.

That's the example. That's a nasty, forceful action. It caused damage and had potential to cause a lot more. Outlaw it, punish it, make sure the kids at home don't copy it.

Compare to Sicily - shot a leg out after lifting someone off the ground that charged at him (creative way to embarrass someone I thought) and flung out a leg. Who knows what the intention was. But I reckon if the intention was to hurt him with a kick it would have looked very very different. Like I said on the mainboard - if we suddenly had an epidemic of people doing what sicily did, and it happened literally every game for the rest of the season we would end up with a total of zero injuries from it.

 

[Sirlemsip]

He literally fell for a "Nigerian Prince" scam. How the hell is he employable after that?

I hope this is serious.
Please provide a link to an article or something.

 

[Titch3Votes0MooreAA]

My first comment on the forums for the year. I have never been one of Sis's biggest admirers or supporters, and I was very shocked when he was made captain. However, during this decade, where he has risen to become one of the league's premier defenders and players, he has matured greatly and has thoroughly impressed me as a captain, looking like a far different person from the frankly arrogant kid that he was when he came on the scene. The AFL suspending him was a load of S#*%. I was very happy that he got off. I'm happy to say he's my captain, and let's hope he can lead from the front this week and get us a big victory against those tremendous Demons to start our season off on the right foot.