Too much personality

[Tarkyn_24]

Invig, when I talk about respect, I mean, on the footy field, as footballers, the way they go about it. Try understanding what I'm saying, if you say you do 'understand me, but you're just disagreeing'.

I agree with you to be honest.

It's why Lockyer has been my favourite player since I was eight. It's why Toovey, Nathan Brown and Macaffer are all favourites of mine. It's why I'd detest Shaw more than Milne and Ballantyne if he didn't wear black and white stripes.

I'm not suggesting Shaw puts his body on the line any less than the other three; simply, the professionalism of these blokes "devoid of personality" appeals to me much more than anything else about them. The fact that they generally keep their heads low and reflect their employer in the best possible light at all times.

Case in point; Nathan Brown at the meet and greet after the training session at Subiaco stayed longer than any other Collingwood player this season. He took a genuine interest in the supporters, took the time to talk to them as opposed to the stock standard "give me the hat/guernsey and get out of my face" attitude that many footballers (thankfully the only representative of the CFC to do so to anyone I've known was Brodie Holland) seem to have. Conversely, Shaw sprinted from the ground and ignored the young kids that simply wanted his autograph on the way out of the field.

This to me speaks volumes about Brown as a person, and you can sort of tell 99% of the time by how they go about their footy.

 

[knightwheelrqr]

I've been thinking, and one thing I've noticed about the Collingwood players is that there is too much of it around at the club. Its great for club morale to have that sort of thing, but it gets in the way of consistent performances. Who is a no-frills footballer at Collingwood, and who is all personality?

Players like Didak, Davis, Maxwell, Harry O, Jack, Wellingham ect. have personality. Where-as there are players like Ball, Toovey, Sidebottom, Beams, Lockyer and Jolly who are no-frills types.

I don't want to start an argument, but to be honest, I'd rather see less personality and more football doing the talking. We've yet to win a Premiership with this group, yet they seem to be more flamboyant than a Geelong or even a Hawthorn side thats won flags in the last few years.

Theres nothing quite like the class of a Luke Ball, or Steele Sidebottom, who go out there, and just do the job, without showing all the extravagence (sp?) of a Davis, or Didak, who can be cheeky or over-celebrate a goal.

Do you agree or disagree?

PS: Don't turn this into an issue of preference between robots and having character. I'm talking about the need for some Collingwood players to realise we have nothing to be cocky about, or celebrate, because as great as it might be to be playing for the Magpies, it means nothing without having a Premiership medalian around the neck. With all due respect to the careers of Leon Davis and Alan Didak, but it will mean nothing to me in 10 years time if they didn't win us a Premiership, because all that character, and finger-wagging will have been point-less.

Is this Grant Thomas talking?

To be honest I'd much prefer a mix. If you look at the best forwards in the league for example many of them tend to have unusual personalities. Brendan Fevola is a great example. Been a great player for a long period of time.

Inside the Collingwood football club I tend to perceive Leon Davis as an introvert.

While Ryan Cook for those who watched "The Black and White Show" would recognise that he, one of our more consistant performers has a very outgoing personality.

I guess it comes down to how you perceive a player. Certainly players are very different to how they are viewed by the public.

Brisbane had their 3-peat with Jason Akermanis. During his brownlow medal year particularly he was very consistant and some would debate one of the best players in the league.

While usually these characters don't make leadership material that is why you can have a balance of players.

 

[Forgotten Legend]

I agree with Invig, your analyzing into this WAY to much.

Cbfed to post much since Invig and many others have stated points I would've said myself.

AFL is meant to be fun, simple as that. Your personal opinion is that AFL would be 'better' if players like Didak or Davis (which doesn't over-do it) didn't do they're 'routines' after goals because they haven't 'achieved' anything worthy of it. Even if you don't think this is right, your basically saying that they should hold back they're joy of kicking a goal until they achieve a Premiership. Majority would hate this and the game would get, quite frankly, boring. Simple.