Sam Newmans comments on SEN

[Ling Sting]

Anyone else hear the bleetings of this bitter old fool.

For a man who prides himself as being in command of the english language, he was incoherent and lacking direction in what turned out to be a feeble and thinly vailed attack on bomber for his past wrong doings and some silly little spat they once had.

Move on Sam, if we win back to back flags you'll still be whinging about 2006 being a wasted year.

 

[bingle]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Anyone else hear the bleetings of this bitter old fool.

For a man who prides himself as being in command of the english language, he was incoherent and lacking direction in what turned out to be a feeble and thinly vailed attack on bomber for his past wrong doings and some silly little spat they once had.

Move on Sam, if we win back to back flags you'll still be whinging about 2006 being a wasted year.

i meant to listen in but couldn't get to a radio.
did he say anything else??

 

[hoogs]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Anyone else hear the bleetings of this bitter old fool.

For a man who prides himself as being in command of the english language, he was incoherent and lacking direction in what turned out to be a feeble and thinly vailed attack on bomber for his past wrong doings and some silly little spat they once had.

Move on Sam, if we win back to back flags you'll still be whinging about 2006 being a wasted year.

Isn't he your games record holder? IMO, he should have the right to comment on anyone in the club, in pretty much anyway he likes. Playing so many games for your club gives the indication that he has the clubs best interest in mind.

 

[Solstice Raver]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Newman is as passionate about the cats as most of us here on BF.

I had no problems with what he said re the focus and determination of the list and coaching staff over the previous couple of years. Everything he said is true. Now that we have won a flag his comments are validated.

Perhaps the time to criticize the past efforts after winning a flag is bad timing but all the same what he said was factual.

The eloquence of his words, or lack thereof, can be attributed to his age. He's almost 70 FFS and we may forget that sometimes.

In this modern time of PC and ratings Newman still speaks his mind without a consideration for the consequences which is a breath of fresh air. Footy media is so sanitized nowadays that when someone actually does speak their mind and say something controversial it is front page news.

I ask the question, is it Newman who is the fossil who calls it the way he sees it or us for being to precious that is the problem? I'll take Sammy any day.

 

[Ling Sting]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

I agree with alot of his sentiments regarding bombers poor attitude surrounding last years review. But the fact that he refused to look forward and put 2006 behind us was bitter at best.

We should never forget 2006 and the lessons it provided but at the same time we should celebrate 2007 and look forward.

Sam deserves his say, just as Carey deserves his say on the Roos, doesn't mean either of them are right and not being self serving.

Sam should have swallowed his pride and his chubby ego and actually come down to the MCG on GF day to celebrate the club he "loves".

 

[Go Hoops]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

A lot of what he said was right. But a bit churlish especially at this time.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22640057-11088,00.html

 

[Sttew]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newman is yesterday's hero, and I am ashamed he is still called "former Geelong champion".

We all know season 2006 was a waste. We had our chances in 2005, but would we have won the premiership if we'd beaten Swans? Who knows. The 2005 side was nowhere near as balanced as the 2007 side.

Maybe Sam is just bitter that Bomber has coached a Geelong premiership side.

 

[rizzo]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newman might actually play the old bloke on the footy show, but a lot of things he says is right. He is passionate for the Club, and i personally agree with most things he says.

He makes a valid point re 2006. We should have won this premiership earlier if the players bothered to pull their fingers out.

 

[re cat]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

i meant to listen in but couldn't get to a radio.
did he say anything else??

Doran is replaying it this afternoon

 

[someday-somehow]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newmans views on the game are simplistic at best, 2006 was a failure for a multitude of reasons and not just the players.
The game has changed immeasurably since he was running around and I would have to say that I think he is behind the times.

Long direct football, brilliant idea sam but only if you have the cattle to do it, this year we had the cattle. The bulldogs play the same game plan and it failed for them this year because their players were not up to playing that standard of game.

 

[geelong_boy]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newmans views on the game are simplistic at best, 2006 was a failure for a multitude of reasons and not just the players.
The game has changed immeasurably since he was running around and I would have to say that I think he is behind the times.

Long direct football, brilliant idea sam but only if you have the cattle to do it, this year we had the cattle. The bulldogs play the same game plan and it failed for them this year because their players were not up to playing that standard of game.

Here here.

I was just writing a post which basically said the same as yours but I took too long and the damn thing timed-out.

But yeah he is too simplistic. If he's gonna say that the reason we improved so significantly this year is because of Chapman and the rest of the leadership group, as he said on SEN this morning, then by that rationale the players are to blame for last year. Surely it isn't so simple, as you pointed out it has to be a combination of maturing of the playing group, improvement in ability and good coaching.

And given that improvement, to compare this year's team to for example the teams of '04 and '05 is simplistic as well, it's so obvious this year's team is so much better than than previous years.

On quick ball movement, while it seems to us that it's as simple as that perhaps those who follow the tactical side of the game could let us know if it really is that obvious?

 

[rizzo]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newmans views on the game are simplistic at best, 2006 was a failure for a multitude of reasons and not just the players.
The game has changed immeasurably since he was running around and I would have to say that I think he is behind the times.

Long direct football, brilliant idea sam but only if you have the cattle to do it, this year we had the cattle.

Huh? Our team between this year and last year was nothing, apart from Belmont Timber.

As for Sam, the game really hasn't changed that much, teams back then played a lot of long direct football to the keyforward. Something we have done. The only thing is changed is fitness and the speed, but the basic plan is still the same.

 

[And_ROOS]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newman might actually play the old bloke on the footy show, but a lot of things he says is right. He is passionate for the Club, and i personally agree with most things he says.

He makes a valid point re 2006. We should have won this premiership earlier if the players bothered to pull their fingers out.

But would you rather 2006 being the catalyst for us winning 2 or 3 flags in a row rather then just winning 1 flag in 2005 and doing an Essendon circa 2000?

 

[BigKegs]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Here here.

I was just writing a post which basically said the same as yours but I took too long and the damn thing timed-out.

But yeah he is too simplistic. If he's gonna say that the reason we improved so significantly this year is because of Chapman and the rest of the leadership group, as he said on SEN this morning, then by that rationale the players are to blame for last year. Surely it isn't so simple, as you pointed out it has to be a combination of maturing of the playing group, improvement in ability and good coaching.

And given that improvement, to compare this year's team to for example the teams of '04 and '05 is simplistic as well, it's so obvious this year's team is so much better than than previous years.

On quick ball movement, while it seems to us that it's as simple as that perhaps those who follow the tactical side of the game could let us know if it really is that obvious?

You are kidding yourself if you think its any more complicated than the playing group pulling their heads out. Look at the first 5 games of the year. There is daylight between those games and the rest of the year. Nothing has really changed. Skills have barely changed and the team has hardly changed. Most of the players have been in the system long enough and you cant possibly thing their skills are significantly better than last year. Go back to this time last year and you'll find that alot of of people wanted to get rid of quite a few players who miraculously turned their career around.

I've been a Sam Newman fan all along. He carries on like a tool most of the time but when he has something serious to say, it makes sense. Like he said, he is a commentator, not a cheerleader. He is paid to give his opinion, end of story. Being a Geelong supporter, I want commentators say how good we are but sometimes you need to see other side of the story and sam usually is honest enough to have a crack. I doubt he wasn't overjoyed on GF day. The man barely shows his emotions for geelong and you cant possibly say a 300 gamer has no feelings for his old club.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sammy is right in a lot of ways, but there are significant differences this year to 2005-6 in order of importance:

1. Kent Kingsley gone
2. Harley captain
3. Gary Jnr turns into superstar
4. Geelong players improve their kicking skills out of sight
5. S.Johnson puts in awesome season (not just games here and there)
6. Team ethic improves - more tackling, shepherds, hard balls, hard running, honouring leads
7. Sando's back
8. Balme as manager
9. Great fitness team (Doc Bradshaw, Haynes and Manly Sea Eagles trainer)
10. Drafted Joel Selwood

Put all these together and while I think we could have won in 2004 I don't think we would have definitely have won in 2005 or 2006

And if we didn't have a bad year in 2006 we wouldn't have Joel Selwood!

Love ya, Sammy. You're right about a lot of things but we probably didn't have quite the team we needed to play the same style of 2007 during the 2005-6 seasons

 

[someday-somehow]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sammy is right in a lot of ways, but there are significant differences this year to 2005-6 in order of importance:

1. Kent Kingsley gone
2. Harley captain
3. Gary Jnr turns into superstar
4. Geelong players improve their kicking skills out of sight
5. S.Johnson puts in awesome season (not just games here and there)
6. Team ethic improves - more tackling, shepherds, hard balls, hard running, honouring leads
7. Sando's back
8. Balme as manager
9. Great fitness team (Doc Bradshaw, Haynes and Manly Sea Eagles trainer)
10. Drafted Joel Selwood

Put all these together and while I think we could have won in 2004 I don't think we would have definitely have won in 2005 or 2006

And if we didn't have a bad year in 2006 we wouldn't have Joel Selwood!

Love ya, Sammy. You're right about a lot of things but we probably didn't have quite the team we needed to play the same style of 2007 during the 2005-6 seasons

Exactly right...and for all those on this board who think that the sole reason that the cats won the flag this year is because the players decided to pull their finger out (as sam does) then you are horribly misguided. Sure there has to be absolute commitment from the players but many other things have to go your way as well, injuries for one, player confidence in playing a reckless brand of football is another.

The geelong players this year played a brand of football that was slick, fast and accurate, how long do you think it would take to coach a team to the point where a player always has a teamate running beside him - how long would it take to produce a level of fitness in players that would allow them to be able to do that for 100 minutes?...the answer....years.

To say that they failed to win the premiership in previous years because they didn't try hard enough is utter garbage, it that was the case does it mean the only reason the other 15 teams didn't win was because they didn't try hard enough?

 

[geelong_boy]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

You are kidding yourself if you think its any more complicated than the playing group pulling their heads out. Look at the first 5 games of the year. There is daylight between those games and the rest of the year. Nothing has really changed. Skills have barely changed and the team has hardly changed. Most of the players have been in the system long enough and you cant possibly thing their skills are significantly better than last year. Go back to this time last year and you'll find that alot of of people wanted to get rid of quite a few players who miraculously turned their career around.

My criticism of Newman is that the turnaround in fortunes at the GFC cannot be as simple as the players 'pulling their heads out'. I, like others (eg. someday-somehow and OldStyle2007), believe that the reasons for the club winning the GF this year and not in previous years are numerous and not only due to the playing group taking control, as significant as that is.

As bad as 2006 was it too played a part in the team's ultimate success this year, Cameron Mooney even admitted this in the latter part of the season.

 

[Magnum]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Agreed OldStyle2007. Most of the time I respect what newman has to say, but to say that the main factor is us "pulling our finger out" is a simplification. The stars aligned this season and it all went right at the right time.

I hope we can continue the trend for the next few years.

 

[Maximus76]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

My criticism of Newman is that the turnaround in fortunes at the GFC cannot be as simple as the players 'pulling their heads out'. I, like others (eg. someday-somehow and OldStyle2007), believe that the reasons for the club winning the GF this year and not in previous years are numerous and not only due to the playing group taking control, as significant as that is.

As bad as 2006 was it too played a part in the team's ultimate success this year, Cameron Mooney even admitted this in the latter part of the season.

Spot on - 2006 was part of the reason we won the 2007 premiership. I now look at 2006 as a blessing in disguise.

But in all honesty - who cares what sammy thinks - we love him cause hes crazy and if he coached a team they would be bombing it long all day but still sitting bottom of the ladder

Let the funny crazy fool have his opinon - he should be just as stoked as us that we have won a premiership - something that after 2006 seemed light years away.

 

[CF]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Just enjoy the win and forget what Sam Newman is rabbiting on about. He has a right to his opinion and the one thing he is good at is stirring up people and causing minor media sensations.

 

[Brasil2007]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

I refuse to believe it actually was Sam Newman!



As a few others have pointed out, Sam's view of the game is a bit simplistic. There were some major changes this year. Aside from the above, one of the biggest ones was I reckon around the stoppages. Selwood was a critical addition, as was Blake. The latter meant an unfit King didn't have to play when he didn't have to. The forward line also had a different complexion: Mooney barely missed a beat at CHF, Dog was outstanding, and Nate, Tomahawk and others made valuable contributions. Great idea to bomb it long last year, but who to? Your game plan has to match the players you have on the park. Lots of times in the past - the Lions final in 2004 being a great example - we'd move it down the ground but wouldn't have a target up forward to kick to. We lost several games when we were well ahead in inside 50s.

The midfield was better. Ling was better than last year, by a street. Ablett was fit and spent more time in the midfield.

The backline was also better. Egan came along very well, Wojo picked up where he left off before he did his knee, and Harley was good. I could go on.

Personally, I thought Sam's bit this morning was about him, and how he was right, how Bomber was wrong, and so on. Whether you agree or not, what's the point now? And how is it that Bomber can wear all the blame for failure last year but Sam gives all the credit this year to "the players"?

 

[thegerman]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

My criticism of Newman is that the turnaround in fortunes at the GFC cannot be as simple as the players 'pulling their heads out'. I, like others (eg. someday-somehow and OldStyle2007), believe that the reasons for the club winning the GF this year and not in previous years are numerous and not only due to the playing group taking control, as significant as that is.

As bad as 2006 was it too played a part in the team's ultimate success this year, Cameron Mooney even admitted this in the latter part of the season.

I agree with you lot.

However Sam has his right to an opinion, and at times he is good at bringing to everyone's attention usually what people don't want to hear and take responsibility of.

On another note though, Sam does get a little misguided at times, this is one of those times.

I agree wholeheartedly with Oldstyle, where even between the differences of 2006 and 2007 it is enough to make that remarkable recovery.

The leadership of the whole club stood up, made a stance and they benefitted from it. I'd like to add to Oldstyle's points that the club also brought in a couple of leadership experts who basically sat the team down and let them discuss some home truths.

Sam is right on a few things, however now is not the time to let rip. Now is the time to build on the success, to ensure we remain at the top for a few more seasons.

 

[MacMum]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

IMO there are three "faces" of the GFC..........Billy Brownless...Bobby Davis....Sam Newman...............The first two show their love and loyalty with blind emotion....Sam has the same feelings but with eyes wide open.......A good example to compare: A mother who loves her kids no matter what, but is not blind to their faults.......in this case, I see it as Sam and the GFC.....a very honest man, again IMO..

 

[chapmanmagic35]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sam Newman might actually play the old bloke on the footy show, but a lot of things he says is right. He is passionate for the Club, and i personally agree with most things he says.

He makes a valid point re 2006. We should have won this premiership earlier if the players bothered to pull their fingers out.

That's drawing a long bow. By that token, should Brisbane have won before 2001?

The lessons we learnt in that horror year of 2006 helped establish a resolve for 2007. If we had snuck into the finals last year, who knows, maybe we would not have had the steely resolve and hunger for 2007?

 

[BigKegs]

Re: Sam Newman on SEN this morning

Sammy is right in a lot of ways, but there are significant differences this year to 2005-6 in order of importance:

1. Kent Kingsley gone
2. Harley captain
3. Gary Jnr turns into superstar
4. Geelong players improve their kicking skills out of sight
5. S.Johnson puts in awesome season (not just games here and there)
6. Team ethic improves - more tackling, shepherds, hard balls, hard running, honouring leads
7. Sando's back
8. Balme as manager
9. Great fitness team (Doc Bradshaw, Haynes and Manly Sea Eagles trainer)
10. Drafted Joel Selwood

1) Nathan Ablett has been ok at best. I dont see how that has changed much
2) Agree
3) Agree
4) Really? I dont think so although the stats might prove me wrong. Last year was kicking sideways and backwards. This year was more direct,hence more marks taken on the lead and the belief that kicking improved.
5) Yes but it took a big kick up the ass and without that incident, do you think he would have played that well?
6) After wasting a whole year, who wouldn't?
7) Underrated but agreed.
8) Agree
9) Agree
10) Was a bonus but only as the 5th-6th midfielder

Support staff make a huge difference and the fitness staff did a great job in getting fitness levels up but again that was coming off a very poor season. Its only my opinion but if last year wasn't an absolute disaster, there wouldn't have been the review and there definitely wouldn't have been all the new staff coming on board. Why did it take an absolute failure of a year for all this to happen? Why did it take a kick up the ass for Steve Johnson to play the season of his life? Most of those changes are a result of a poor year and thats exactly what Sam Newman is talking about. It took a buildup of years of mediocrity and a heart breaking 2006 for everyone in the club to realise that what they were doing was simply not working. I'm not being bitter, infact i'm still celebrating the fact we came from outside the eight to premiers but how often does that happen? Other clubs play finals for a few years before they finally win the flag but we needed a poor season as a catalyst.

Oh well. We can be premiers for a few more months.