Don’t Miss this 3 1/4 time Speech !!!
I just had to share this with you all it is just a little pep talk from the playing coach to rev the boy up a bit. This is what they think Aussie Rules is about overseas. I found it on a very popular American Sports Blog - Deadspin The post was tagged as “Deranged Aussies”.
Ted Whitten would be proud. Well Maybe?
WARNING: If there a kids in ear shot, or you are at your work desk then turn the volume down.
Is that what they really think Aussie Rules is like?
Should Wayne Carey be Inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame?
With all the talk about the Duck and his recent antics and whether this would result in him not being inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. I thought I would run a Poll for the rest of the week to see what we all think about this. Kevin Bartlett has said the decision would “polarise” the football community. Carey would have been an automatic inclusion but it now hangs in the balance. What do you think?
Loading …West Coast Eagles - Life after Judd and Cousins
The West Coast Eagles Football Club will undoubtedly want to erase the year 2007 from the books, not from a on field perspective but certainly from an off field one. We all know of the turmoil surrounding the Eagles in 07 so there is no need to go through it all again. I will though mention that the Eagles are doing their best to try and turn the culture around over there by instilling a new leadership group, but it doesn’t seem to be having much of an impact if you take into account the recent incident with their number one draft pick Chris Masten.
Let’s go thorough the arrivals and departures for the Eagles:
ADDITIONS:
Exchange period – received: Josh J. Kennedy (Carlton)
Rookie elevation: Chad Jones, Jamie McNamara
Scholarship elevation: Ryan Davis (rookie)
NAB AFL Draft: Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide Magpies), Chris Masten (East Fremantle), Tony Notte (Swan Districts), Scott Selwood (Bendigo Pioneers)
DELETIONS:
Retired: Rowan Jones, Josh Wooden
Exchange period – traded: Chris Judd (Carlton), Mitch Morton (Richmond)
Delisted: Daniel Chick, Ashley Sampi, Ben Sharp (rookie), Llane Spaanderman (rookie), Ashley Thornton (rookie), Beau Wilkes (rookie)
The West Coast Eagles had a very good year on field considering all the other dramas they had. Finishing 3rd and losing to Collingwood by 19 points in the Second Semi Final. A disappointing exit considering that game was at Subiaco. The have certainly got some quality
losses to cover and any team that loses player of the calibre of Jud and Cousins you would think would struggle. The big question is can the others step up to the plate and take the reigns? The likes of Kerr, Embley, Priddis, Fletcher and Stenglein are the players that will need to create havoc in the middle.
Best Ruckman in the AFL
With the best Ruckman in the business in Dean Cox and being the 3rd best team in terms of hit outs these players will no doubt get their hand on the pill first on a lot of occasions. Priddis has already shown he is a quality player that can find the ball with ease (leading disposal getter) I reckon he just needs to be more damaging when he gets it. Kerr is a GUN, his ability to stand his ground when being tackled and get the ball to a team mate is brilliant and he will have to be the take the Number 1 midfield role you would think. The Eagles have at least 10-11 players they could rotate through there, and when you look at the stats from 2007 there were 11 players that averaged more than 20 possessions a game! With Mark Seaby having a great pre season the midfield of the Eagles is looking dangerous even with out Cousins and Judd. Read more
New Travel Plans for Fremantle
It is well documented that the Fremantle Dockers have has a horrendus winning record away from home. In my 2008 AFL Season Preview of the Dockers I eluded to it as an “Illness”. The facts are that the Dockers only won 2 out of 10 interstate games in 2007 and if they are to feature in the finals in 2008 then this is an area that MUST improve. They are a frustrating side the Dockers, brilliant one week terrible the next.
New Docker Coach Mark Harvey has made it a priority to change the traveling habits of his team. The Dockers used to travel 2 days before the game but they are planning to use the NAB Cup and or the Practise Match Challenge Series to trial traveling 1 day before to see how th players respond to that.
It sounds like Harvey starting to try and change the traveling culture that has dogged the Dockers since they started in the AFL. They have always paid a lot of attention to the fact that they are terrible travelers and I get the feeling it consumes their mind to much when they are on the road. Once they start winning then maybe they can get this out of their minds and concentrate on playing.
Freo meets Carlton in Pretoria this Saturday in an exhibition match before taking on West Coast in its NAB Cup opener – something the coach said all his players were itching to get at.
Will be interesting to see if the new travel plans make any difference.
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Wayne Carey was “Angry at the Whole World”
Well the fallout from the Wayne Carey saga continues, although I am not a great fan of this sort of news everyone else is and I have just read some great quotes an as they say “Only in America”
“I think Mr Carey has some anger management issues, he seems to be angry at the whole world, at least on this particular morning,”
This was the comment from Lieutenant Bill Schwartz from the Miami Police where Carey has been charged with felony charges in Florida over an incident on October 27 last year.
“In fact it looks as though that he used his wine glass to try to knock out his girlfriend, his foot and elbow to try to knock out some cops and his head to try to knock out a police car.” the police spokesman said.
As a fallout from his actions there and in the recent incident here in Melbourne the Nine Network have dumped Carey and will not renew his contact for the upcoming 2008 AFL Season.
But the best comment was this
“To us, he was just another thug,”
Priceless.
The first ACL Injury for the Year and Collingwood’s Captaincy Debate
It has been the hardest period in the clubs history and now young Kangaroo Draftee, 22 year old Nathan Grima has become the first victim of the dreaded ACL injury for Season 2008. Grima who played in the Central Districts Premiership Team last year had big wraps on him and was expected to play senior footy this year according to coach Dean Laidley. Now he will have to sit it out on the sidelines for the rest of the year. Nathan Thompson will no doubt be giving some much needed advice and support.
In other Pre Season News, the debate still goes on regarding who will succeed ex Magpie skipper Nathan Buckley, already you can see that there will be comparisons made between who ever takes over and Buckley which will be extremely unfair and difficult to the new skipper. Malthouse has said that there will definetely be one Captain “Collingwood will not have two captains or three captains or four captains — Collingwood will have one captain,” It is probably the biggest job in terms of Captaincy you could have and is something the Pies are not taking lightley. The person doesn’t need to be the best player in my opinion but they certainly have to be able to lead by example on the field which a Nick Maxwell does extremely well, but also they will need to represent the club and be the “FACE” of the Collingwood Football Club for years to come. Which Buckley was fantastic at.
I just don’t think they will go for a Rocca, Burns type as they are in the latter part of their career, i think they need to go for a Nick Maxwell or a Tarkyn Lockyer.
Anyway time will tell and they are said to be making an announcement during the latter part of the NAB Cup.
VOTE 1 for Lockyer.
Fremantle Dockers 2008 - Promise Lots Deliver Little
Many would say that Fremantle are a frustrating side that always promises a lot during the pre season but do not deliver the goods. Will Season 2008 be any different from the boys from the West? Being an Essendon supporter I could be a bit biased considering the strong Essendon contingent at the Dockers at the moment.
Let’s take a look at the Additions and Deletions from the Dockers list for Season 2008:
ADDITIONS:
Rookie elevation: Andrew Foster
NAB AFL Draft: Kepler Bradley (Essendon), Clayton Hinkley (North Ballarat Rebels), Mark Johnson (Essendon), Chris Mayne (Perth), Rhys Palmer (East Fremantle)
DELETIONS:
Retired: Troy Cook, Justin Longmuir, Shane Parker (veteran – outside list)
Delisted: Clayton Collard, Ryley Dunn, Robert Haddrill, Calib Mourish, James Walker, Benet Copping (rookie), Darren Rumble (rookie)
Free Flowing Style of Play
Fremantle are another side that seems to play a free flowing style of game which, when they are on song is great to watch. The have proven to be capable of kicking some big scores and their forward line seems to have what it takes to mix it with the best in the competition. The Dockers were the 3rd highest points scored per game in 2007 proving their forward line can kick some goals. With the superstar that is Matthew Pavlich then he is certainly a man to build a forward line around. He will certainly be the go to man again in season 2008. Read more
AFL Football Blog Interviews Brett Northey from World Footy News
With all the hype surrounding the AFL’s push into the South Africa market at the moment I thought I would catch up with someone who knows a lot more than most about Australian Rules Football outside of Australia. Brett Northey from World Footy News was kind enough to answer a few of my questions relating to his site and also the state of Australian Rules Football across the globe.
World Footy News is a site that focuses on the great game of Australian Rules Football around the world covering news topics from all the different leagues, and many of you may not realize that there are quite a few. We are all caught up with Australian Rules Football here in Australia but what is really happening with the game everywhere else.
1. Where did the idea of World Footy News come from?
It was obvious that footy was becoming entrenched in other countries and their news deserved to be heard, but other than a few leagues or clubs with good websites, getting the information was difficult and really only for the dedicated international footy junkie. So the need was there, and a gentleman in WA started a small blog/news site, and I volunteered to help him. But when he stopped doing it, myself, Aaron Richard and other’s were keen to see the gap filled, and in fact the reporting taken to another level, getting regular news and interviews from all around the world. Aaron and I knew each other as regular posters on fan forum Bigfooty, so we agreed to make it happen and World Footy News was born – it just spiralled from there. Read more
West Coast Eagles Player Does it Again
The start of a new year and nothing has changed over in the West. What is the go over there? This time their prized first Draft Pick Chris Masten was issued with a “move on” order from police at the Australia Day Skyworks celebration on the Perth foreshore on Saturday night. The Club has said they are very disappointed. I think they may be a bit more than disappointed , after all they have been trying to do over there to reverse the “culture issues” and then their first year draft pick goes and does something silly like this then they would be fuming!
It will be interesting to see how the Eagles handle this one, with all that is made of double standards in football clubs at the moment how will the new Eagles Leadership Team handle this one?
Watch that one with interest.
How is this Front Page News?
Most of you here in Melbourne will have seen the front page of the Herald Sun and the title “CAREY ARRESTED”. With all that is going on in sport at the moment with Novak Djokovic winning his first Grand Slam and the age of 20 (he did share the front page though), Adam Gilchrist’s retirement and the Test against India that looks like it has sparked the racism issue again, and then there is everything else happening in Australia and the World yet the “King” Wayne Carey makes it on the front page because he was arrested?
Reading the report it states that Carey called police to have his girlfriend removed from the apartment they share. Mind you it took no less than 5 police cars to do the job! My bet is that they all heard who it was and all wanted in on the action. Disgrace. If that was the average Joe Blow then am sure 1 police car would have done the job. So that would make it 10 officers yet they still had to use Capsicum Spray? Come one I know he wants to fight Willie Mason and can handle himself pretty well but that is a bit over the top don’t you think?
