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Comments and Letters to the Editor Re: Not pretty numbers for Cats by Neil Belford. FORGET the historical statistics. Now that we have the belief there is no stopping the juggernaut that is Geelong. With this young group another three consecutive premierships seems likely. Fremantle threw everything including the kitchen sink at Geelong and all we needed to do was play 10 minutes of decent football to effectively end their season. Anyone wearing purple, red, green and white during their formulative school years will no doubt cop schoolyard bullying. This will result in ongoing psychological problems. I think it's best the blue and white hoops are worn with pride helping the bearer achieve a strong character. This opposed to purple which is only one shade away from pink. Need I say any more! Anton Topic, Geelong 17 May 2008 RE: Sharing a North win by Andrew Starkie Gold. I felt like I was there. The fact that it was Collingwood made it sweeter. Marlo Drake, Altona 2 May 2008 RE: Review of Dolly Parton CD by Rick Kane I BELIEVE Mr Kane has the body of a 45-year-old and the ears of a 70-year-old. Bloke with too many country-lovin' mates, Melbourne (full name supplied) 28 April 2008 RE: Sharing a North win by Andrew Starkie A comment on the story by Andrew Starkie. This man has talent!!! I should know. I am his uncle. Jock Starkie, Warrnambool 28 April 2008 Theatre and Bendigo WE saw The Club at Bendigo's Capital Theatre on 29 March. John Wood was outstanding as the former star player Jock who'd also been the coach and was now serving as the vice-president. Dennis Moore's performance as the beleaguered president was also noteworthy. Interesting to note that the issue of club finance was perhaps the only matter which dated the production and cast it into a 1970s time frame. A club budget of $2 million these days would hardly pay the coach and the CEO, let alone a bunch of star players. But I was pleased to see that the roles of the two players were taken by men who looked as though they could have run out onto Victoria Park. In the past I have seen other stage productions about footy with actors who looked as if they'd just fallen out of the front bar of a Fitzroy boozer. No way did those characters look athletic enough to have been footballers. Incidentally Dennis Moore will be back at our Capital in August in a Malthouse Theatre production of The Spook. It's a dramatised account of the activities of a real-life central Victorian man Phil Geri. He'd been recruited by ASIO to infiltrate the South Bendigo Communist Party branch. It's 1965, the party branch meets in a garage and sales of the party's newspaper The Tribune are declining. The real Geri went on to spend time as a councillor on the City of Bendigo and it wasn't until the 1980s his hidden life was made public. Another of the cast members in The Spook is Kevin Harrington, who played Melbourne crime boss Lewis Moran in Channel Nine's recent smash Underbelly. Richard E. Jones, Bendigo 26 April 2008 Winning and 'sporting' behaviour THE comments around the Australian Cricket team seem a little harsh, especially in comparison to the Indians, who are no angels themselves. The Indians certainly managed to deflect attention from their own shortcomings. Their strange selections, and inability to capitalise on having Australia 6-134 on the first day (irrespective of a dodgey umpiring decision - because, they happen, sport teaches you to 'get on with it'). By the last day, India had been batted out of the game but for an Australian declaration, and then, India collapsed and were batting for survival. And finally, pulled defeat from the jaws of a certain draw in a stunning capitulation to the bowling of Michael Clarke!! India must have been very embarrassed, and they know they have a super critical home crowd back in India. And, so, instead of burning effigies of the players, they deflected instead onto Bucknor and Ponting. That was weak, but yet, the Australian media lapped it up without question so as to go on a tall poppy kicking crusade. The reality is, most top teams have an element of 'mongrel' about them. Whether that be arrogance, self-belief or effectively sporting 'bluff'. I think back to Essendon and Brisbane around 1999-2005. They most certainly seemed to play 'just' inside the rules, and when challenged would become decidedly angry, and sometimes nasty. Strangely - this may not be entirely 'likeable' to the neutral observer. However, the neutral/casual observer rarely has a vested interest in that team winning, and winning when challenged and winning the Grand Final. These games are physically combative. Is Brett Lee NOT supposed to bowl bouncers aimed at heart or head? I actually favoured the West Indies 'brand' of 'arrogance' and 'self belief' on display around 1979-1989. I was not overly impressed by Greg Chappell, certainly the under arm incident along with his picking and choosing what tours he wanted to go on - that was absolute arrogance. I was not overly impressed by Dennis Lillee at the time, but now regard him much more favourably. However, his little run in with Javed Miandad for example was a far greater 'blight on the game' than anything I saw a player do in Sydney... other than Harbajan's theatrics after taking a particular wicket. Oh, and I do recall the currently out spoken Sunny Gavaskar leading his batting partner, the current team manager, Chetan Chauhan, off the MCG in protest at being given out LBW. Maybe Sunny has good reason or just a heightened perception to base his comments about 'brown men' and 'white men' and referees accepting people's 'words'. However, somewhere down the line, the 'spirit of the game' needs to be re-defined and a blank sheet used to allow everybody to move forward...on the same page. Michael Christiansen, Melbourne 16 January 2008 The Sehwag Solution India's XI for the SCG test: Sehwag Jaffer or Dinesh Karthik Dravid Laxman Tendulkar Ganguly Dhoni Irfan Pathan Kumble H. Singh Zaheer Khan Jaffer looks out of depth and out of form, but is Dinesh Karthik any better right now? Karthik is only 22 and has one century and seven 50s under his belt, average just over 32 at Test level. Jaffer averages 37.25 and has 5 centuries to his credit. He's older and the stats would suggest wiser, but if Karthik is producing at domestic level (which Sehwag isn't) then he could be an option. Sehwag must be included despite poor recent form. He still has a Test average of 49 and will at least try to put the pressure back on the Australians. Even if he fails, the time has come to take risks. Quite simply, India must win at the SCG. It's Sehwag and Jaffer or Sehwag and Karthik. Dravid clearly hates opening and needs to go back to three. It's a psychological thing. He looked comfortable in the second innings but simply not interested in scoring. Weird. Laxman, Tendulkar and Ganguly all looked to be in decent touch in both innings and if they can come out to bat with 150, 220 and 300 on the board they'll be in a much better state to play their natural games rather than trying to save rather than win games. Yuvraj Singh can hit a ball from Dover to Calais but Bangalore aside has a rubbish Test record. Another glaring example of why 20/20 is poison to the great game, he needs to be dropped at once. RP Singh will get better but doesn't do enough with the ball right now. Pathan is a feisty customer, has had success with the ball against the Aussies before and is good with the bat. Kumble and Harbajhan will be a real handful on the SCG. Khan and Ganguly round out the pace battery and Sehwag and Sachin offer spin options. Giovanni Torre, WA 31 December 2007 What is the Brock Medal? I HAVE a medal inscribed the Brock Medal awarded to my grandfather, John (Jack) Clifford in 1906 by the Woomelang Football Association. I have been trying to find out any information re this medal and with whom I may be able to correspond to find out more about its history and reason for being. I have looked up the Woomelang Football Club site but their listing only begins in 1913. Also they do not have any indication of who to contact for information. Would you be able to assist me by pointing me in the right direction to find out more? Peter Tipping , Mt Colah, NSW 11 November 2007 Leon Baker is back in paradise I'VE just read your story by Paul Daffey Footy in Paradise. What a great story it is. I've been involved with the club now for five years and president of the Junior CROCS for the past three years and on the senior committee for one as our kids are in the under-16 and under-18s and also playing ressies football. We now have 146 registered juniors fielding 2 x U8, 2 x U10, 2 x U12, U14, 16 and 18 teams and they are all doing well. Both U12 teams are in the finals and if all goes to plan they may play each other in the grand final, under-16s are second on the ladder and should vie for the grand final, under-18s are clear fourth on the ladder and have every chance of being in the grand final if they put it together on the day. So here is to hopefully a successful year in the juniors. The seniors last weekend knocked off Centrals quite convincingly and secured third place on the ladder while the magoos are fourth. We have blooded a total of 21 juniors into senior or reserve footy this year so the future looks promising for our home grown talent. UPDATE: Leon Baker is back involved with the club this year on the football committee and loves every minute of it. I also noticed that he is heading back to Windy Hill to play in the Legends match. I'm sure that will make a lot of the old Bomber fans happy to see if he can rekindle the magic from the 1984 grand final. Also good old BUCKET packed up his swag this year with his wife and headed back south to coach the magoos at Queenscliff (Geelong country) with our last premiership coach (2005) Andy Viola coaching the seniors. He left behind one son Andrew who is playing great footy for the club while Stephen is co-captain of Queenscliff seniors. That's about it for now and will let you know of anything that eventuates or arises up here in paradise. WHY PLAY FOOTY IN THE RAIN AND SLEET OR TRAIN IN THREE DEGREES WITH A WIND CHILL FACTOR OF 15 DEGREES. WE LIKE TO KEEP 3,000 KM OF LAND BETWEEN US AND ANTARTICA. AAAHH!!! TIME FOR ANOTHER COLDIE. Stretch Noonan, President PDJFC 3 August 2007 Re: Toia takes on the The King WHEN Luke Toia fronted an angry South supporter last Saturday (7 July), the conversation went like this. Toia asked the supporter to tone it down as there were women and children around. The supporter mumbled something back at Toia. The reply from Toia was that he (the South's supporter) should just barrack for his side. The supporter protested back that Toia wasn't playing fair. The reply from Toiawas that he (Toia ) was having trouble with his vision and asked the somewhat now becalmed supporter that could he please see the scoreboard and tell him who was in front. Silence fell and a few amused football supporters (both sides) had a little chuckle. Toia trotted off saying "see ya Elvis". This drew a little more laughter from bystanders and the totally gobsmacked supporter crawled backed into his ego and said very little for the rest of the match. It was the highlight of the day for many who stood and watched a somewhat disappointing display from South - and I am a South follower. Geoff, South Fremantle supporter 7 July 2007 Right number wrong State The article at The ten best guernsey number oddities by Paul Daffeysays that Ray Boyanich asked for his number back at Richmond in 1976 after a year in Perth. Boyanich, in fact, had just spent three seasons at Woodville in the SANFL before returning to Richmond. Other than that - good work! Woodville FC Legends of SANFL Peter McConnell 12 February 2007 Thought I saw a nominee OK I can almost fess up to having seen "that Clint Eastwood" flick, (Thoughts on the Oscars, 9 February) though I was a bit confused. I saw a film called Flag of our Fathers, then Oscars nominated Letters from Iwojima. Hey, even an idiot like me can put together Flag of our Fathers being set on Iwojima, so I figure this is the same film which it isnt - which is a shame. I was kind of hoping for a director's cut or something, maybe, hell, even something with a bit more action. Saving Private Ryan (and the even better and less contradictory Band of Brothers TV series) is secure in its place as the most realistically-realised war film of recent times. The gritty feel and film stock is replicated in Eastwood's mature but slow-moving movie. However the action is less compelling and it shouldn't be too juvenile to note that many people want to see war films for the war, and not just the statesman-like pontificating on the ills of war-driven societies. Perhaps due to the nature of the devastation let loose upon Iwojima, flattening the habitat and leaving the landscape scoured clean, the setting for the action scenes is consequently less interesting. I can't shake the feeling it could've been more interestingly done. It also didn't help having the lead Native American actor (Adam Beach) in the main role, given the same fellow has played the only other Native American World War Two movie role available in recent times, in the excellent but less-realistic war movie Windtalkers. It was a bit of a tease, every time the actor came on screen I expected doves to flutter in slow motion across the battle field and cool gunfights erupt. More of that, less of the decrepit descent in alcoholism thanks Clint. Warren Hately 12 February 2007 Re: A rivialry: Rochester and Echuca A MOST entertaining article which brings back many football memories. However I must point out an error which I am sure you will appreciate. Echuca's 1967 Premiership Team was coached by John Knox (not Graham Arthur who coached the 1970 Premiership Team). All the best, Harry Watts 18 December 2005 WA commentators assault the language WESTERN Australian football commentators seem intent on pushing two ludicrous phrases that we could do without: 'time clock' and 'foot race'. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines 'clock' as a 'time-measuring instrument' so what's with the word 'time' being thrown in front of it? As for the idea of football players being engaged in a 'foot race' for the ball, what else would we imagine - an arm race, an egg and spoon race, a boat race, a drag race? A 'race' for the ball will do thanks. Frank M Fraser 21 April 2005 Pies bungled the Stevens deal RATHER than try to blame the system or Port Adelaide for the Stevens situation, why not be realistic and accept that Collingwood shot themselves in the foot by refusing to do a reasonable deal, and Balme's dislike of Port from SANFL days, is the problem. Geoff Bradley 14 October 2004 What about the Thornlie reserves? I JUST wanted to express my disappointment that the Reserves couldn't even get a mention in the SFL Grand Final write-up. Not even the score. The Thornlie Lions have gone BACK 2 BACK for the first time. Undefeated in 2 Years. Winning 4 of the last 6 Premierships. Thanks Rocket 13 September 2004 Something about North Fremantle Dear Editor Re: It's North vs the world You forgot to add that the Gil Fraser Reserve, which has been North Fremantle's home ground since Roman Times - or at least 1890, is the best and most beautiful in the whole world of Australian Rules football. Regards Leighton Beach 24 February 2004 Where's that Pie? Just wondering were Michael Steven has disappeared to? No articles in 2004? Brain drain 2003? The silent blues supporter 6 February 2004 A better Gero mark READING the article about John Gerovich's mark in the 1956 finals (Freo the place for Gero by Bill Thomas) prompted me to contact you regarding another marvellous mark he took. I didn't see the 1956 mark but I was at Fremantle oval when he balanced on John Towner's shoulder (a match vs West Perth) to take what I would suggest was a better mark than the 1956 one. I think the second mark was taken in 1963 and my recollection is that Gero's instep was in contact with Towner's shoulder and he extended from there to take a typical Gero mark. At work the following Monday I spoke to a workmate who was secretary of South Freo's colts side at the time (Pat Mullally) and his view was that Gero was standing on Towner's shoulder when he took the mark. Either way it's the best mark I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty, my brother who was there with me has the same opinion. John Todd placing the ball for Gero to mark was one of the delights of watching South Freo in that era. Unfortunately no photo was taken of the Gero/Towner mark but I'm sure there are lots of people who remember it with pleasure. Regards Eric Ellis 1 November 2003 Editor's note: Let us know if you saw that Gero mark - or another one. Stop the bias HEY how about you rename your website to fremantlerules... would be a bit more fitting I think seeing thats all you talk about and nine tenths of all your photos are of fremantle. I think its about time you give the eagles more credit instead of talking about a team that wears purple and with a rediculous name like the dockers. Stop being so biased Clint Mould 10 October 2003 Editor's note: fremantlerules? Now that's got a ring to it... Hello to a reserves player I AM just writing to say a big hello to Leigh Thomson who plays for the Longford Tigers reserves and wish him all the best for the grand final on Saturday. We would all love to be there but it's impossible, plus our younger brother James plays the same day. Thanks very much, "Go Tigers"!!! Kate Thomson, Gippsland, Victoria 19 September 2003 Playing the game or winning at all costs... ON Sunday 7 September 2003, in the North Central Victorian Football League, Donald's under 16 team played Charlton in the elimination final. Donald hadn't beaten Charlton in the home and away matches all the year, but this time they did! Most of Donald was very happy except for three boys, one in his final year of junior football. For the game on Sunday, one boy was told "You're not playing", one was named reserve, and the other sat on the bench and remained there for the whole game; not a good way to finish one's junior career! All three eligible players were replaced by players from the under 14 team which is a good side and did very well in its own right the previous day. These three under 16 boys have trained and played all year; they may not have "star quality" but are supposed to be part of a team that has worked very hard. Shame that they didn't get on the field to take part in their elimination final because Donald played its three best under 14 players in place of their own under 16 boys. These younger boys were playing against boys two years older and a great deal larger than them, so it was hardly fair to them either as the risk of injury may have been increased. I think this is also unfair, not only for the three boys, but also for Charlton. Should Charlton be awarded the win ? There is nothing in the rule books saying that this action by clubs is actually wrong, but it is certainly morally wrong and undermines children's enjoyment in our national game. Who and what matters most surely is the kids' enjoyment in playing the game regardless of winning or losing - the gaining of team spirit and the sense of fair play. What Donald did to these three boys was very unfair, and would be no matter what team or whose kids were involved. On Saturday 13 September Donald played at Boort against Boort, who won! Congratulations Boort! Once again the Donald under 16's coach decided to play three under 14s in the place of the same eligible players, one who played his last game for junior football on the bench. Again. These three under 14s had just played their game and won, bringing them to the grand final, and well done too. That meant they played two games, one after the other. I see this as extremely selfish of this coach, playing tired kids who have a grand final the next week. What would the scenario be had any of the under 14s been injured, putting next Saturdays game in jeopardy? A complaint was made to Football Victoria about the unsportsmanlike actions of this football club, yet the same club took the same actions. About time by-laws were introduced to prevent this from happening in junior leagues I think. Donald Football Club needs to be taken into account for trying to turn junior football into AFL football - at the expense of kids who are supposed to be part of the team. Annie Watson. Cope Cope 14 September 2003 Interstate perception I AM fascinated by the perception of AFL fans in WA & SA that us Victorians are concerned by the fact that all six 'interstate' sides are in the finals. Indeed, non Pies/Bombers fans are pissed off that their own team is not there but, like most Vics, I will be hoping that any team besides Essendon or Collingwood wins it. A round 20 survey on Hawk Headquarters had 85% of us hoping for an interstate victory. I do not know any Crows or Eagles supporters. I do not care if they win. Nearly everyone in Vic was barracking for the Lions over the Pies last year. We hate Eddie too! Carn the Hawks Mark Walsh 22 August 2003 Editor's note: good points Mark but then again the only Fremantle fan I know who wishes the Eagles well is Chris Connolly. Williamstown is Williamstown IN a recent article written by Michael Steven (Double act and the long-term vision), he makes the comment "With players like McGough stepping up when presented the opportunity and plenty left in the twos (Scotland kicked five goals for Willy)". This, in fact, is incorrect as Williamstown are not the Collingwood 'twos', but Williamstown. Those associated with the Williamstown Football Club take offence when referred to in this manner, as they have worked hard to maintain their identity. The only team that is considered the 'twos' in the Collingwood/Williamstown affiliation is that of the Williamstown reserves. The last time Collingwood had a reserves team, or twos, was in 2000. Thanks for allowing me to clear this up. Dale Schmidt 8 August 2003 Editor's note: Thanks for picking us up on a bit of AFL-centric thinking. The Blues will be back THERE is no doubt that Carlton's stocks are at an all time low just at the moment. And when you have been the most successful club in the history of the VFL/AFL - the lowlife are quick to jump out of the woodwork when they see an opportunity to put the boot in on a club that is momentarily vulnerable. It is how the club will deal with their temporary cellar-dwelling status that will be important. Joe Kopinsky 30 July 2003 Again regarding Crazy John's... I TOO would like to comment on the story about the company Crazy John's attempt to buy the naming rights at Subiaco Oval. I couldn't give two breaths about footy oval naming rights. Football as a business (and an entertainment business to boot - as it is often described by playing greats cum-commentators) can tend to appear a bit silly and sulky when it becomes indignant about any square inch of its body being papered over with advertising. What I profoundly object to in the instance of this particular company having commercial marketing access to Subiaco Oval, or any public space, is the name of that company. I would think that the company itself might have worked out how insensitive a name it has, blah, blah, blah. I would like to alert you and readers of australianrules.com.au to the organisation SANE (www.sane.org) who work widely with mental illness, community awareness and people affected by such illnesses. One component of their work is called Stigma Watch. The public is asked to bring to the attention of SANE any instances where people with mental illness are stigmatised in the media. For example, from SANE's website: Crazy Ron's (a mobile telephone company) TV advertising campaign depicted a person in a straitjacket behaving in a manner which trivialised and mocked people with a mental illness. SANE wrote to Crazy Ron's expressing concern and requesting the ads not be shown. A spokesperson for Crazy Ron's said the advertisements had been discontinued and concerns would be noted when planning future campaigns. 'Stigma is an attempt to label a group of people as less worthy of respect than others. Stigma against people with a mental illness often involves inaccurate and offensive representations in the media, portraying them as violent, comical or incompetent.' (Again, from the SANE website). Having one of the main football stadiums in Australia named 'Crazy John's' would most definitely stigmatise a section of the community very inappropriately and very unfairly. No amount of money should ever condone that. As a website that attempts to reconcile the average person's love of the game with the changes and machinations that are restructuring and reforming the game before our very eyes I would like to believe that australianrules.com.au's main concern with this issue is not the naming rights but the more fundamental issue of respect for one another. Yours from the back flank. Rick Kane 27 June 2003 Regarding Crazy John's... (Say no to Crazy Cash by Les Everett), I don't agree. First, why is this name any more offensive than that of other private companies? Isn't the issue whether private companies and corporations should be able to buy naming rights? Or are some sort of companies 'nice sounding' and 'acceptable'. And if some are acceptable and others aren't, does Crazy John's have a worse record on human rights and the environment in Nigeria than Shell, which obtained naming rights for Kardinya Park? In fact, if there is to be private naming then Crazy John's is right up there for me because it makes the exercise transparent: we can all see that what is happening is the further commoditisation of football. Second, Subiaco has been forced off the Oval and the ground's historical role in WAFL football generally is now undermined. The remaining tenants have no historical or, arguably, geographical links to the ground. Subiaco is not Fremantle and The West Coast has no claim to the area, or any other specific locale in Western Australia for that matter. They'd be just as at home in Los Angeles. When I was coach of the Barossa Valley Beavers at Ashbutt Reserve decades ago, I was farsighted enough to anticipate the commercial forces that are now penetrating every dimension of the game and its culture. The Beavers' Constitution was modified to require a two-thirds majority of club members' support and a unanimous vote of support from the local branch of the Communist Party of Australia to change the ground name. Proudly I can proclaim that no company has yet got their hands on Ashbutt Reserve! Frank Fraser 24 June 2003 Editor's note 1: We think Mr Fraser would agree with what we said in our article which was: "What the Crazy John's proposal has shown is that the very idea of renaming Subiaco Oval after a sponsor is wrong." And we're very keen to hear more about the Beavers. Editor's note 2: Kardinya Park has had two name changes since it was called Shell Stadium. We believe that further strengthens our argument. Re: Schumann's true game by LES EVERETT (australianrules.com.au 26 July 2002)... Dear australianrules.com.au, I'd just like to say that I think 'One True Game', the song by John Schumann is a song not only about Aussie Rules, but also, about being Australian. I believe I'm in a position to comment because I'm an immigrant, I'm from the UK, and I've been here for three years. It's taken me that long to understand Aussie Rules and get a feel for it, but it's been worth it. I now understand it, and it's importance to Australians. The words convey a sense of egalitarianism that is lacking in the UK, that I found here, with one thing bringing everyone together under one common flag, and the words in it, 'We were there in the beginning, we'll be there at the end' and 'win or lose, we're back again to claim the winner's prize' highlight the 'Aussie battler' attitude - an admirable trait. Personally, I love the song. I think it should be a feature of the grand final, because it is such an emotive song. Chris J Embery 5 February 2003 |
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