Match day thread with subs v GC (Jetta Sub) Bird Out / Moore In

[Dosser]

"Allowed to learn the game"? Puh-lease. You think he went to the AFL and said, "Hey guys, I'm a big deal in the NRL but it's always been my dream to play AFL. Whaddyasay?"?

He was offered big bucks to bring his name and reputation to a new market to give the Suns a fighting chance of having people turn up to watch the first season's games, and I think it's worked a treat. The fact that he's not a complete spud is a bonus.

I really can't wait for this whole niggly thread to die a natural death.

Oh, really? I must have missed that somewhere? Of course he is a marketing tool and that is why he is there. I was passing a comment that he is not at AFL standard yet and probably not VFL standard, either. It is just a shame that he has to learn the game in front of big crowds and at high stakes. It should never happen when there are many others who can and will play better than him, but the economic reality is that he is there for the novelty, not the ability (yet).

[Nich]

Oh, really? I must have missed that somewhere? Of course he is a marketing tool and that is why he is there. I was passing a comment that he is not at AFL standard yet and probably not VFL standard, either. It is just a shame that he has to learn the game in front of big crowds and at high stakes. It should never happen when there are many others who can and will play better than him, but the economic reality is that he is there for the novelty, not the ability (yet).

How many are there that are actually better? Even the Swans have spuds play for them at times. The whole 'he's holding back other kids from achieving' line is something I don't buy into when you're talking about the Suns. If there were players right now infinitely better than
him they would be playing. He's one player. It's his first year of footy. He has just as much right as the young kids around him learning their craft as well. If he was playing for the Swans and Alex Johnson or Gary Rohan was playing Reserves I would take your point but in the case of the Suns experiment I really don't thing it's a massive deal. It's not like the guy is utterly hopeless.

[Dosser]

I take your point, and I dont want to make this a karmichael hunt thread, but he is 25 this year (not 18) so there is not a heck of a lot of up-side there. The majority of the Suns list are either experienced players or are going to be stars. He is neither of these. He is not utterly hopeless, but I have seen better 24 year olds running around. I know it doesnt actually sound like it, but I hope it does work for them.
And yes, the Swans have a number of spuds but they were picked in the team on playing potential (damn, I just realised Everitt cancels out my argument) not for marketing potential.
Sheesh, why do I get drawn into these?

[ernie koala]

I played footy from the time I was old enough to hold one. I was involved with 5 different clubs as a player & a supporter/member of SANFL club, glenelg, in the days where the members were still allowed in the rooms at half time. In one way this was a good thing because it took the mystique out of the process of coaching, playing & selecting footy. I am not stupid enough to blindly agree with everything coaches or selectors do as they do make mistakes. Footy clubs make the occassional errors in selecting the coach for their footy team. Remember, Peter Knights, Gary Buccanarra, Grant Thomas, Danny Frawley, Peter Schwab, blimey the list is huge. Selectors also make mistakes like playing players who are injured because there is a perception the team will fall down if they are not there. No-one is infallable & if the fans have opposite opinions to the selectors & Coach, so be it, that is part of being part of a footy club.

Beautifully put Wolftone.

[Kirkari]

Oh, really? I must have missed that somewhere? Of course he is a marketing tool and that is why he is there. I was passing a comment that he is not at AFL standard yet and probably not VFL standard, either. It is just a shame that he has to learn the game in front of big crowds and at high stakes. It should never happen when there are many others who can and will play better than him, but the economic reality is that he is there for the novelty, not the ability (yet).

What you wrote was, "I think that the real issue here is that Hunt is allowed to learn the game at the top level while nobody else gets that option.". What issue? In the same circumstances, a comparable player has been given exactly that option - a la GWS and Israel Folau. It absolutely should happen. It's not economic reality (unless you want to be completely cynical and say the only reason the AFL exists is to generate revenue), it's just reality. It's getting NRL diehards to take a look at AFL. It's up to GAblett and co, and the quality opposition teams, to make them stay. Even if the AFL was willing and able to fully fund them indefinitely, what would be the point if no locals took an interest?

Meanwhile, there's a whole new team in the league. How that robs all those talented, hard-working youngsters of the opportunities they so richly deserve, I do not follow, but feel free to enlighten me.

It shouldn't, and doesn't as far as I know, happen at established clubs, who have things like winning premierships at stake.

[The Big Cat]

Beautifully put Wolftone.

We're not talking about some minor league. We're talking about the AFL (or earlier the VFL). Besides, playing a bit of lower-league footy then going into the rooms at a higher standard club doesn't qualify anyone to say they have any in-depth knowledge of what happens at a top level club. If you don't like the way the space shuttle flies or how it looks then OK. But just because you made a paper aeroplane one day and sat in while a bloke talked about a kite, don't assume you know more than the designer of the shuttle. Sure the shuttle had a couple of problems but the designers were all trying to make it better. I've said in an earlier post, criticise all you like but don't make the link that the coaches are (by necessity) incompetent and are not trying to make the team better.

[Hartijon]

More's game

I would have thought this was a crucial game for Moore. Against the weakest side in the Comp. he had a chance to re-establish himself as top 22 material.
I was dissapointed as the touches he did get seemed a deal slower than the pace around him.Comments?

[Jewels]

I would have thought this was a crucial game for Moore. Against the weakest side in the Comp. he had a chance to re-establish himself as top 22 material.
I was dissapointed as the touches he did get seemed a deal slower than the pace around him.Comments?

Spot on Harti. I'm not one of the speed, speed and more speed brigade but he looked like a draft horse out there on Saturday.

[caj23]

I've said in an earlier post, criticise all you like but don't make the link that the coaches are (by necessity) incompetent and are not trying to make the team better.

They might be trying but they are failing miserably

[Go Swannies]

They might be trying but they are failing miserably

Dead right. Losing to Gold Coast is unforgiveable.

[BSA5]

I take your point, and I dont want to make this a karmichael hunt thread, but he is 25 this year (not 18) so there is not a heck of a lot of up-side there. The majority of the Suns list are either experienced players or are going to be stars. He is neither of these. He is not utterly hopeless, but I have seen better 24 year olds running around.

Because Hunt is 24, he has no upside? Where do you think upside comes from? Yes, part of it is physical development, which is associated with age. Hunt is actually on the other side of the scale, he's too big and will aim to lose more weight next preseason, so there's still "development" there. The vast majority of upside, however, comes from experience. Learning the game. Hunt knows next to nothing about the game, and yet is still performing OK. Next year he'll be leaner, fitter, and far more comfortable with the code, and even more so the year after. If that's not upside, then what is?

[ernie koala]

We're not talking about some minor league. We're talking about the AFL (or earlier the VFL). Besides, playing a bit of lower-league footy then going into the rooms at a higher standard club doesn't qualify anyone to say they have any in-depth knowledge of what happens at a top level club. If you don't like the way the space shuttle flies or how it looks then OK. But just because you made a paper aeroplane one day and sat in while a bloke talked about a kite, don't assume you know more than the designer of the shuttle. Sure the shuttle had a couple of problems but the designers were all trying to make it better. I've said in an earlier post, criticise all you like but don't make the link that the coaches are (by necessity) incompetent and are not trying to make the team better.

What are you talking about??
The point is you have a go at posters who dare be critical of aspects of the Swans footy.
Yet you never do the same to posters who pass positive assessments of Swans footy. No matter how daft the posts might be.
So I take it you think the positive posters are always right and know what their talking about.
And the negative posters are always wrong and don't know what their talking about.
Bit like the Swans team at the moment......not very balanced.

[wolftone57]

We're not talking about some minor league. We're talking about the AFL (or earlier the VFL). Besides, playing a bit of lower-league footy then going into the rooms at a higher standard club doesn't qualify anyone to say they have any in-depth knowledge of what happens at a top level club. If you don't like the way the space shuttle flies or how it looks then OK. But just because you made a paper aeroplane one day and sat in while a bloke talked about a kite, don't assume you know more than the designer of the shuttle. Sure the shuttle had a couple of problems but the designers were all trying to make it better. I've said in an earlier post, criticise all you like but don't make the link that the coaches are (by necessity) incompetent and are not trying to make the team better.

How long have you been following VFL/AFL person? The SANFL & the WAFL were not much less in standard to the VFL & they beat the VFL at state of origin footy, that is why the VFL stopped it. Don't dare say it was sub-standard or I'll tear you to pieces with historical fact. The VFL only became the powerhouse of football in the '60's when they started paying decent player payments & started to induce a hoard of players from SA & WA to play in Victoria. Without thse players the VFL would just have been a local comp in the largest strong Aussie Rules city in Aus. The reason the VFL won so many Interstate games before Origin was that the interstate players who were play? Don't degrade other people's experience here it is demeaning to you & to the site as well as the other person.
I respect your right to believe everything coaches & selectors do is right & I do agree with you that they do believe thay are doing the right thing & as I said before so did Danny Frawley & he took Richmond to last.
Following footy is a very emotive occupation at the best of times & I don't believe either me or the other members of this site need anyone denegrating them or their experiences, I would not do this to you so please refrain from doing it to me.

[wolftone57]

What are you talking about??
The point is you have a go at posters who dare be critical of aspects of the Swans footy.
Yet you never do the same to posters who pass positive assessments of Swans footy. No matter how daft the posts might be.
So I take it you think the positive posters are always right and know what their talking about.
And the negative posters are always wrong and don't know what their talking about.
Bit like the Swans team at the moment......not very balanced.

I agree with you Ernie

[Triple B]

Wow, just got back from the GC and there is some gold in this thread....lol

FWIW, Kirkari and TBCat are spot on.

IMHO of course.