so called experts

[mikesmi]

most of the experts on the AFL website have tipped the swans to win the wooden spoon, they can go and jump in the lake, they have no idea that the swans have some talented kids coming up, and the return of Jason Ball will boost our Ruck division.

[motorace_182]

They dont actually look at the talent of the list. And why would they. Whos going to read it in Melbourne. You are lucky to see the term afl mentioned in the Herald unless its refering to League. There is now (and thank the lord for it) a new afl writer for the Sydney Herald. Hopefully interest will grow again.
But they talk a whole lot of crap----they see names on the list, not the talent behind the name.

[SWANSBEST]

With most of these so called "experts" it could be a case of wishful thinking rather than any real analysis of the team's prospects.

[jude_boltons_babe]

as if the swans will get the wooden spoon

the swans will not get the wooden spoon i wouldent be suprized
if carlton got it again

[Craig]

I can understand one of the so called experts predicting us to come last, but not 3 or 4. I reckon there are at least 4 or 5 teams that we will easily beat - Carlton, Bulldogs, Richmond, Roos, Saints. Throw in teams like Freo, Melbourne (who I think we are better than) and we are looking at the final 8.

[Nico]

In the Melbourne Herald Sun liftout on Saturday 8 out of 18 said we would get the spoon. Then on Sunday 5 so called experts headed by Scott Palmer (expert???? on what) all went for us to get the spoon.

To get this in perspective though, one of these duds put Carlton in the 8. Whew, what a luminary he is.

To confuse the issue yet again we are about $1.55 to beat Carlton next week, with Carlton at $2.35.

Mike Sheahan picks us for the spoon yet when he gives a rundown of the teams he says we could challenge for a spot in the 8.

I will keep both of these publications this year and see just how far off the mark they are.

On a brighter note, John Anderson of dubious Melbourne sporting prowess and Journo, picks us for last. Now this is good because in recent years he has picked us as premiership chances since 1997. Looks like a top 4 finish on his judgement.

[robbieando]

Look don't think for a second that we couldn't win it, because I have a feeling that we might be down that low. Sure I think we have a better set up off the field than we have had for a few years and we have a good list of young player who are really underrated but depth wise and quality wise we are lacking. It could happen but it shouldn't.

[motorace_182]

woopdy friggin doop. A bunch of MELBOURNE writers who wouldnt now a wooden spoon if it was found lodged up their a$$. The only reason they are being listened to is because they have a job as a writer. Just because they have a job doesnt mean they have studied a list carefully searching for depth or it doesnt give them awesome future teller.
They're just opinions

[Dpw]

Heres an example of what I think of experts and why I never worry to much about there views.

Ben Allan was contracted by the West Australian to review each teams best team (all fit etc) and were they would finish.

First he stated anywhere from last to 8th - must of used a crystal ball.

Then in his top team he had Mcviegh and Mcpherson but he left out C. Bolton and a stack of others.

If he had just bothered to do his homework.

and how can he include Mcviegh just because we took him at five really please, he's a long term prospect who we all hope will be a star but I would have thought you would need to prove yourself before your an automatic start.

I can't believe they get paid to write this stuff.

[Louellyn]

We are under attack from the Mug Press down south. What with the tv coverage, the salary cap whingeing and their deliberate attempt to make us out to be losers, you wonder why the AFL is trying to be a national game. That's NATIONAL you Vic whingers. Don't forget Adelaide and Port Adelaide copped the same crap, and still does to a certain extent.

Lethal Leigh wrote an excellent article in the Saturday Melbourne Herald about all of this.

One aspect of living where I do, means I get access to the Melbourne papers as well, which I buy for the AFL coverage.

The Vic clubs will never stop moaning, and the press will never stop attacking Sydney. Must be something in the water down there. That being said, they are giving excellent coverage to the Melbourne League Club Storm..........

[rpdos]

The so called experts

Totally agree with you guys. The so called journos of both the herald-sun and age have absolutely no clues at all. Even though we could finish on the bottom this year (the season is basically a chook-raffle) such a consensus on our lowly ladder position is laughable. And Carlton to make the finals? (That guy must have been on something). However, this is not to say that all Vics have these warped views on footy. I, for one (pardon my bias), believe we will be seeing finals footy this year and we are only going to get better in the next couple of years.

By the way, any bloods supporters in London out there drop me a line! I need to find a pub where I can sit back, relax (not likely when the Bloods are playing) and watch the footy.

GO YOU MIGHTY BLOODBOYS!

[omnipotent]

Yes but it looks like we will be asking for money again. In fairness we cannot have a go at the Melbourne press etc and then turn around and ask for hand-outs. That is why we are often unpopular because the Vic clubs don't get hand-outs. I think we should stand on our own two feet and if that is not good enough so be it.

[Donners]

The majority of reporters in the Herald Sun listed Sydney as their tip for the wooden spoon.

Amusingly enough, Mike Sheehan said in the one-page article that Sydney would finish 15-16th and in the middle of the Herald Sun's footy liftout on Saturday listed the Swans as his tip for the wooden spoon...yet in his "Mike Sheehan's View" in Sydney's page of the footy liftout, he said that we "may sneak a place in the eight".

Go figure.

[chammond]

Yes but it looks like we will be asking for money again. In fairness we cannot have a go at the Melbourne press etc and then turn around and ask for hand-outs. That is why we are often unpopular because the Vic clubs don't get hand-outs.

Not sure I agree with that.

At this stage, only Patrick Smith is saying that Sydney are seeking hand-outs. The Swans are denying it, and are still looking to break-even. Never trust grey-haired men with beards.

We should certainly criticise the Melbourne press for their bias and general laziness, regardless of anything the Swans might do.

Vic clubs can and do get hand-outs, occasionally of large amounts. The key difference is that the Vic clubs don't have to pay the money back, whereas Sydney has always paid back every AFL handout.

Fortunately, however bad the Swans have gone, they have never sunk to the kind of 'creative' management favoured by, amongst others, Carlton, Melbourne, Essendon and Fremantle.

[omnipotent]

I read where we never paid our full licence fee. I saw somewhere on the net in a Melbourne paper that we are asking for hand-outs and it wasn't Smith in the Australian.