Personal Jesus

guy smiley — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I was bloody cold at the footy yesterday... sitting on the northern wing which develops a deep layer of permafrost during the winter months when the sun doesn't quite shine on the concrete. I buried my hands in the pockets of my work-supplied bluey, made sure the beaten old Hard Yakka cap was pulled tight on my elegantly weathered head and reflected on life a bit.

That last bit's a lie, really... I was too wrapped up in the tension of the game and the overall goosine [...]

So How Will We Go - Redux

Dolphin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Those of you who read the blogs may remember my early "SO HOW WILL WE GO?" blog. It is the most read blog I have done by a fair margin so some of you at least will know of it. Those who don't can now change the channel or do some homework to catch up.

I thought it was time to revisit this breakdown of FFC 2007 v FFC 2008 and try to get some perspective on the current situation. This could have been done at the mid-way point of the season but I thought&nbs [...]

Round 14 - War Of Attrition

The Jester — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Yes yes yes, I know it was another loss. I'm not happy about that. But I won't deny that I basically got the pulsating and entertaining game so cruelly denied to me by St Kilda last week, either.

If nothing else comes out of today's game, I hope the team use it to bury the final quarter horror stories for the rest of the year. To be three goals behind, down to 19 fit players, with a gorilla on their backs, to almost snaffle an unlikely victory, reaffirms my [...]

You Know Football (iv)

Mercury — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

If you think that you know football, tell me what's wrong with this scenario.

A team performs well below expectations.A mid-season review is conducted.Assistant coaches are told that they will be moved on, including a nationally acclaimed, award-winning assistant.A new set of high-profile assistant coaches are sought.Credentialled, mature players are put on notice.The head coach, who has a contract that will expire at the end of the 2009 season, is to be offered a contract extension.

Damn You AFL People!

Greg — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

With a degree of difficulty I can stomach the poor on field season because, let's face it; we're Dockers fans so what that partly means is we've had plenty of practice at dealing with disappointment.

But never before have I been in a position where extreme mixed feelings are the result at the end of a game. In previous years when we have had Barry Crocker seasons we've been smashed on a weekly basis copping big margin hidings. The facts were we weren't [...]

Round 13 - Scrap Metal

The Jester — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Well, I went to Melbourne over the weekend bright-eyed at the prospect of an exciting shootout between the mighty Freo and the enthusiastic young Saints. What I got instead was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen, with a troubling result that poses questions to our reshaping list.

It wasn't really the umpires' fault, you know. For every sequence of bewildering and frustrating decisions paid to St Kilda in their forward 50, there were indeed huge seque [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 13

Dolphin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

After seeing all games a couple of weeks ago, I only saw a bit of 1 game this weekend. That game happened to be only the second worst performance apparently. Very courageous they were in being able to keep Geelong to under 200 points and fight all the way to prevent the margin from being 150.

Anyway, before my blood boils anymore we'll get on with business. This week we take another small departure from normal programming. I've decided to bunch the releva [...]

Crash Landing

Drubbing — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

If won’t lie to you all...it's been a rough few weeks. I haven’t been able to write a blog for a while and more than a few of you will be relieved about that. The bad news is I’m back.

I've been having severe computer problems. It all started about the time shane upgraded Dockerland and I just couldn't get online. My PC just couldn't handle the massive expectations of more sophisticated software, technology and all sorts o [...]

You Know Football (iii)

Mercury — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I wonder if anything surprises you any more.

Are you an embittered, rusted-on footy fan?Are those bananas in pyjamas who run around the footy field pretending to be umpires just a mild annoyance?Are you bemused when Jeff Farmer receives a free kick?Do you just nod your head knowingly when Eyebrows makes another dumb decision?

You've seen it all. You know football. Well... Maybe you haven't seen it all. Until now.

At the first game of the year, I took my cust [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 12

Dolphin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I remember that feeling now. Out of winning and losing, I choose winning. Remarkable too when you think about it that I don't think anyone at the game was surprised we won, or by the margin.

Sandi continues to continue which is a danger sign for the AFL. Pav was at his best with the boots this week, Luke continued an ultimately futile push for AA honors, and Taz was again the player we hoped for.

In the rankings this week I thought I'd try something a lit [...]

Round 12 - Resuming Normal Service

The Jester — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

At last, I feel like I am emerging from the nightmarish parallel dimension into which I had apparently fallen for the first 11 rounds of Season 2008. Of course, we beat The Enemy there too - some things will never change!

I am being careful not to draw too many wild conclusions from yesterday's game. After all, North Melbourne have been cruelled by injury over recent weeks and were well below strength. It's not as though we pantsed the reigning premiers (a [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 11

Dolphin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Half way through and I for 1 was expecting a few more wins.

Anyway, this weekend I was crook as a kerr so I got to watch every second of every game. You'd think that would make this weeks rankings more informed...well you'd be wrong.

1(1) Geelong - Nice little game from Gablett and Co. Steady as she goes.

2(2) Hawks - Buddy show rolls on. Time for my fortnightly rant that the top 2 teams on this list don't play each other until round 17. B [...]

Round 11 - Gabba-Dabba-Doo

The Jester — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I really must be going forwards to the past. After another sad loss on the road, for some reason I am in a forgiving mood towards my boys this week. Perhaps it was the pleasant Queensland weather. Or maybe it was just because I feared a real slaughter was on the cards. Either way, it's an uncomfortable feeling, being back in 2001.

They certainly do things differently in the Sunshine State. Where else would you have a primary school incorporated into the [...]

The Wide Open Road

guy smiley — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Bongiorno, fellow sufferers. My apologies, if needed, for not having written earlier. I have been somewhat distracted by anything not involving a Sherrin or a Burley.

In fact,

"Well the drums rolled off in my forehead
and the guns went off in my chest
Remember carrying the baby for you
Crying in the wilderness"

is pretty close to where I am this season. Lost and wandering in the desolate wastelands known to a sel [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 10

Dolphin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

This last quarter thing is becoming a real pain in the worsfold for me. Probably not as much as it is for the coaching staff and players, but it is really getting on my last nerve.

Its not so much that we get run over, its the fact that when something bad happens in recent times (like a post being hit), its that you can see and you can feel the players accepting the fate. That is really hard to handle.

On another negative note, I know they have their fans down sowf, bu [...]

Round 10 - 300

The Jester — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In so many ways, the Fremantle Football Club's 300th premiership match was redolent of all sorts of themes that date right back to the club's inception - flashes of brilliance, lucky escapes, a spirited comeback, dreadful umpiring, shocking skills and the too-familiar feeling of defeat after another rollercoaster ride.

Make no mistake - this was our worst game since Round 4, and I've seen them all in person. Both teams' skills were shabby, but the sheer number of m [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 9

Dolphin — Mon, 26 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

No time for a glib start to the rankings this week. On we go...

1(2) Hawks - Finally a change at the top of the rankings. Hawks struggled against the D's but remain the only team to win every game they've played. They slept through the entire game against Melbourne and only woke up when they formed an honour guard at the end. Nice touch no matter what you think of Neitz.

2(1) Geelong - They have enough credits in the bank to not drop too far, and I [...]

Round 9 - Winning Is For Losers

The Jester — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Well, I'm really not sure what else I can say on the subject of Fremantle's recent habit of letting leads go in the final quarter.

Unlike the previous three games, though, we were very lucky to be in the lead at all yesterday (much like the game against Collingwood in Round 1). We were comprehensively beaten in the scoring shots, inside 50s, clearances and tackles - only exceptionally straight kicking, the Blues blowing multiple entries into attack and some solid defence e [...]

AFL Power Rankings Week 8

Dolphin — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I'm sitting in the Qantas lounge at the moment listening to 2 people discuss who is going worse, the Budgies or us. It's mystifying how some people can be this stupid and yet still find the wherewithall to button up their shirts.

Anyhoo, 1 interesting thing about walking in here this morning was that 1 of the computer terminals was actually on the Dockerland site, well done that person.

I'd like to belatedly welcome Taz's form and confidence back. [...]

Round 8 - Happenin' All Over Again

The Jester — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

If to lose one match in those circumstances is unfortunate, and two looks like carelessness - what on earth do you call three consecutive games all with the same script?

Aside from the problem of keeping us locked with West Coast at the tail end of things, the other dispiritng thing about these recent losses is that the pain of defeat eclipses all of the positive things I see on the field.

Take today, for instance. Chris Tarrant played a great game in the forward half [...]

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