Past players - what are they up to?

[Mark26]

Maybe I’m believing the hype.

I think it’s important. I grew up in NSW with people calling AFL all sorts of inappropriate names and openly saying that AFL football is not tough.

The stereotype of AFL not being tough is still pushed along by some Rugby League and Rugby Union supporters.


Barry wins tonight against a League and Union superstar then it could alter the perception of same people whom think AFL Is not tough.

Times have changed BS. AFL is no longer a dirty word in NSW. I think there's several reasons for this (not in any order): a focus on getting AFL into schools, the rise of the Swans' over the past couple of decades, having a series of marquee forwards, different cultures between RL and AFL (from Plugger through to Buddy) et al.

Who really cares what League and Union supporters think? The ones I know have typically had too many head knocks from playing thugby. I find League in particular to be so one dimensional and barbaric. But you shouldn't care what I think either. My opinion is subjective.

A fight between two ex-footballers cannot and should not be emblematic of a code's superiority. Those who subscribe to such a point of view (in my humble opinion) have nothing more than school-yard logic.

[caj23]

What sort of morons take boxing seriously anyway? Especially an exhibition fight

[KTigers]

There does seem to be a bit of a market these days for ex footballers who fancy themselves as boxers to fight each other.
I would think it's the pay packet that is the main thing that puts them into the ring. They are not alone and its likely neither
Barry or Williams will ever fight enough to do the sort of damage many long-term boxers have to contend with. Which is
good for them I guess. It's interesting just how far boxing has fallen in the public's estimation in the last 40-50 years. It
was such a big deal in Ali's heyday. Then again, maybe it was just Ali himself and what unique and charismatic person he
was that elevated the sport at the time. Anyway, I don't begrudge Barry's attempt to make a few bucks. He's the one
who has to wake up with the big headache this morning.

[stevoswan]

It's interesting just how far boxing has fallen in the public's estimation in the last 40-50 years. It
was such a big deal in Ali's heyday. Then again, maybe it was just Ali himself and what unique and charismatic person he
was that elevated the sport at the time. Anyway, I don't begrudge Barry's attempt to make a few bucks. He's the one
who has to wake up with the big headache this morning.

Only when an Aussie boxer is going for a world title does it get any attention but even then, it's nowhere near the hype of yesteryear....I remember Lionel Rose in his prime and Johnny Famechon......when they were fighting for their world titles, it was huge.....it seemed the entire nation was watching. Even with Jeff Fenech....huge hype.

Now, not so much.....and fair enough.

[0918330512]

Only when an Aussie boxer is going for a world title does it get any attention but even then, it's nowhere near the hype of yesteryear....I remember Lionel Rose in his prime and Johnny Famechon......when they were fighting for their world titles, it was huge.....it seemed the entire nation was watching. Even with Jeff Fenech....huge hype.

Now, not so much.....and fair enough.

Perhaps going the way of jumps racing for horses. The risks too heavily outweigh the “benefits”

[Aaron]

End of an era as Crouch leaves huge legacy at the Swans

After 25 years at the club, premiership player Jared Crouch is starting a new chapter. Crouch has been a great contributor to the Swans, He was a great defender, one of the best defender to keep opposition's dangerous small forwards in check. He was a successful development coach and in the past few year, the head coach of the Academy that has impacted a generation of young NSW players. Thank you Crouch and all the best.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Crouch’s the sort of player and person who makes clubs great.

I have two vivid memories of him.

One: he was so kicking Akermanis’ backside one day at the SCG, having already done so several times, even during the Lions peak period, and Aker turned around and literally bitch slapped him in frustration. It was, in a weird way, the ultimate compliment.

And two: in the 2005 GF, we know he did a magnificent job on Judd after he’d got away and on a bung ankle. But in the first quarter, he stuck his head down among three WC players, beat them to the ball, tapped it forward and clear, and we rolled ahead to a Schneider goal.

So thanks, to a great man.

[bloodspirit]

Crouch’s the sort of player and person who makes clubs great.

I have two vivid memories of him.

One: he was so kicking Akermanis’ backside one day at the SCG, having already done so several times, even during the Lions peak period, and Aker turned around and literally bitch slapped him in frustration. It was, in a weird way, the ultimate compliment.

And two: in the 2005 GF, we know he did a magnificent job on Judd after he’d got away and on a bung ankle. But in the first quarter, he stuck his head down among three WC players, beat them to the ball, tapped it forward and clear, and we rolled ahead to a Schneider goal.

So thanks, to a great man.

Good memories IU2!

[Velour&Ruffles]

Hanners injured again. Story below has just gone up on The Age.
Makes me a little sad. He was a warrior for us and he deserves a better end to his career than this.

[dejavoodoo44]

Crouch’s the sort of player and person who makes clubs great.

I have two vivid memories of him.

One: he was so kicking Akermanis’ backside one day at the SCG, having already done so several times, even during the Lions peak period, and Aker turned around and literally bitch slapped him in frustration. It was, in a weird way, the ultimate compliment.

And two: in the 2005 GF, we know he did a magnificent job on Judd after he’d got away and on a bung ankle. But in the first quarter, he stuck his head down among three WC players, beat them to the ball, tapped it forward and clear, and we rolled ahead to a Schneider goal.

So thanks, to a great man.

I loved the way that Crouch used to drive Akermanis crazy, with his relentless tagging jobs. And I like to think that it started before the game. Akermanis tries to get to the ground, Crouch steals the cab. Akermanis tries have a pre-game feed, Crouch slaps the utensils out of his hand.

And the Crouch tap is probably my third favourite 2005 GF moment, behind Leo Barry you star, and Tadhg's run and goal.

And I also suspect that he was very influential, in developing our academy into something that other teams are genuinely jealous of.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Hanners injured again. Story below has just gone up on The Age.
Makes me a little sad. He was a warrior for us and he deserves a better end to his career than this.

Very sad. I loved Hanners like nothing else. He never recovered from that dog act by Easton Wood.

It also amazes me to this day that the Saints didn’t do serious due diligence in recruiting him. But it also makes sense that between our knowledge of his unlikely recovery to his best and the salary dump, we were happy to trade him for limited draft return.

[dejavoodoo44]

Hanners injured again. Story below has just gone up on The Age.
Makes me a little sad. He was a warrior for us and he deserves a better end to his career than this.

Bit of a shame. Of course, I blame the Bulldogs.

And on the other side of the coin, Matt Ling starred for Geelong in the VFL today, with 25 possessions. I'm not sure if he was ever injury free enough, to get 25 in our reserves?

[MattW]

Bit of a shame. Of course, I blame the Bulldogs.

And on the other side of the coin, Matt Ling starred for Geelong in the VFL today, with 25 possessions. I'm not sure if he was ever injury free enough, to get 25 in our reserves?

Probably not, sadly. But Campbell grasps that spot now.

[goswannies]

Very sad. I loved Hanners like nothing else. He never recovered from that dog act by Easton Wood.

It also amazes me to this day that the Saints didn’t do serious due diligence in recruiting him. But it also makes sense that between our knowledge of his unlikely recovery to his best and the salary dump, we were happy to trade him for limited draft return.

Hanners was the ultimate Swan team man. Gave everything to us while wearing red and white, facilitated a trade that was in the clubs and his own best interests. But in his heart of hearts, I believe he’s a Swan - as evidenced by how he celebrates with his former teammates after Swans / Saints games - pure class carrying Macca off (as a Saint with Ramps) when he retired.

[Bangalore Swans]

Very sad. I loved Hanners like nothing else. He never recovered from that dog act by Easton Wood.

It also amazes me to this day that the Saints didn’t do serious due diligence in recruiting him. But it also makes sense that between our knowledge of his unlikely recovery to his best and the salary dump, we were happy to trade him for limited draft return.

Read an interesting article years ago by Chris Judd who spoke about how he overtrained early in his career. Judd would go to a local park on his days off and smash out 400m sprints. He said this practice physically inhibited him in his later career.

In the same article, Judd mentioned that he would see Hanners doing the same thing at a local park in the off-seasonsin Melbourne.

Judd believes that Hanners late career injuries like his own can be attributed to the sheer volume of work he put in as a younger player seeking to establish himself.

People will blame Easton Wood for Hanners injuries but maybe his body was going to give out after the 2016 season.

Anyone whose followed soccer will notice that the same thing happened to Craig Johnston and Harry Kewell. They worked so hard to make their way in the British game that by 25 their bodies were failing them. Harry Kewell peaked in his early 20s whilst many soccer players peak between 27 and 30.

Playing professional sport is seriously hard on the body and the physical will needed to make the grade can impact many players later careers.