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Joined July 2013
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As a loyal Carlton fan I need to get one thing off my chest - We deserve to be there! Much of the commentary…
I confess, I wanted to keep my club allegiance off limits here for no other reason than once it's known who you support a…
If you stop and think about it, the circumstances which have landed two of the world’s elite sprinters in controversy this week are eerily…
A combined supporter march for the next showdown is an excellent idea.
Reflecting on Phil Walsh and the weekend that was
You’re right David, I can fathom your first sentence.
But nothing after that.
Reaction to Sam Mitchell's banter is an embarassment
I dare say Mitchell just echoed the thoughts of the vast majority of the footy public.
Thanks to the club’s arrogance and inaction, and by Hird in particular, Essendon is universally disliked.
Hawthorn doesn’t own the hate of Essendon by themselve. On this issue, the Hawks have overwhelming support.
Reaction to Sam Mitchell's banter is an embarassment
This is such a pathetic and infantile move from V8SC management. It just shows how threatened they are by the 12 Hour race, which, history and context aside, is a far more interesting spectacle than the traditional Bathurst 1000 event.
I will be boycotting V8SC this year on the back of its petty and short-sighted behaviour.
Test day or 12 Hour: Australian motorsport’s showdown
From a logistical view I can see why it may be sensible to call off the Test, assuming it will clash with Hughes’ funeral and many Australia players would want to attend.
However, as a symbolic gesture I would prefer the match goes ahead.
None of the sorry and terrible circumstances of Hughes’ passing will be altered by cancelling a Test match. The show can go on and respect can be paid to Hughes and his family. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Let the players make individual decisions, but let the game go on.
The Gabba Test has to be called off
Isn’t it up the NRL to decide the length and severity of any bans and not ASADA?
ASADA - from best practice to basket case
Nothing wrong with The Socceroos. It’s one of the better Australia team names for mine.
But there’s plenty wrong with “Hopping our way to history”.
Australia hopping to win the World Cup of worst team slogans
Not to blame? Perhaps not.
Naive and stupid? Definitely.
It’s very easy to run with the poor players they just did what they were told routine because that’s the way AFL culture says it should be.
Guess what, AFL culture is clearly wrong if that’s the line many commentators and fans are willing to take.
Why hasn’t anyone stopped to question the AFLPA to demand why players aren’t made acutely aware that there is strict liability on the part of each individual athlete? Why hasn’t anyone shone a light on the culture of the game, largely driven by the AFL it must said—that the doctor has the final say on what players can be given—that is clearly out of step with WADA protocols?
The athlete has the ultimate responsibility.
Throw the book at them! No excuses.
Essendon players are not to blame in drugs scandal
Agree, the media attention this has attracted is way out of proportion with reality. Even more so than the ego of your average Test cricketer these days.
Will Ponting’s comments derail Ashes campaign?
She broke a cannon bone.
Veterinary Info: 05-11-2013 Flemington 7 – 21 Verema – unfortunately suffered right fore cannon fracture and had to be euthanised
— RVStewards (@RVStewards) November 5, 2013
Melbourne Cup 2013: Who won, came last
Yes, I read that too. Also just reported and confirmed on ABC radio. Very sad.
Melbourne Cup 2013: Who won, came last
I think the ANZ Stadium deal runs until 2016 and hopefully the revamped SCG will fend off a re-signing with Homebush.
We didn’t really learn anything from the Swans v Carlton game.
We merely confirmed Carlton is too inconsistent in its application and, no matter the odds or personnel, the Swans rarely waver in their fierce application.
I only hope one day Mick can get our players to play the game with such intent week in week out. Inconsistency and poor mental strength has been a blight on our side for years now.
What we learnt from the second week of the AFL finals
Andrew, the AFL did investigate Libba’s tanking claims closer to the time the original comments were made. I’ll concede the AFL may not have investigated terribly hard, but they did have a look at it and decided Carlton had no case to answer on the evidence, or lack thereof, available at the time.
Carlton deserve to be in the AFL finals
So if Carlton doesn’t deserve to be there, who does? The options are Essendon* or Richmond had a bye.
I can’t see how either would serve the game better than the ninth placed team being promoted.
I think it’s mindless drivel to say Carlton does not deserve to be there, which is what prompted me to write this piece.
Of the teams eligible to play finals, Carlton made the 8. It’s an extraordinary set of circumstances I agree, but it’s also that simple.
Carlton deserve to be in the AFL finals
ASADA knows banned substances have been administered to Essendon players, that much is in their interim report. At this point ASADA is yet to say if it can confirm which players received the banned substances.
Carlton deserve to be in the AFL finals
Explain to me then how Carlton did not make the finals on merit?
It is a unique set of circumstances I agree. Put simply, the AFL deemed eight sides were worthy of playing finals and Carlton was the eighth placed of those sides.
You just can’t ignore the fact that Essendon has a massive asterisk next to its name and then wish away any consequences.
If Essendon did not get rubbed out then yes, I would agree with you, we wouldn’t have deserved to play finals. But Essendon did get rubbed out. That is the point.
Carlton deserve to be in the AFL finals
Back to the original premise of this article.
In the short term the game may miss out on quality contests because of upset results. But precisely because of this the game is often richer for those upset results.
To use the Essendon v Carlton 1999 prelim as an example. Over a decade on this game still ignites passions between both clubs. Even as recently as last week Matthew Lloyd wrote that the result still hurts.
As a Carlton fan I still laugh at the Essendon fans who were lining up for GF tickets even before the game was over.
Upsets encapsulate everything that is great about a two team contest. When we can accept these results as being honest and pure it means supporters of all teams can have hope.
The 2008 GF was an upset and, again, that has added much more to the culture of the game of AFL than a Geelong win could have ever hoped.
A year on from last September do we really care that Fremantle knocked out Geelong, which denied us of a probable Hawthorn v Geelong prelim? Or is the game better for the fact a new-ish club like Freo is forging a genuine and fierce rivalry with one of the oldest club’s of any code in world football. And didn’t that rivalry take another momentous turn last weekend!
Do we care that the Swans upset Hawthorn last year, or is it now better that it appears to be manifesting itself in the form of a resolve the Hawks may not otherwise have had if what was supposed to be theirs in 2012 came too easily? Just as it did for Essendon in 2000 following their shock loss to Carlton the year before?
Similarly, the Crows’ two flags are a great example of upsets adding to the richness of the game, seeing as they came from well down on the ladder (relatively speaking).
When looking at the bigger picture, I’d argue such results make the game’s history better, not worse.
What we lose from upset results is more than compensated by what we gain. The belief that any team can win on any given day and the narratives they provide to the competing clubs build rivalries that are genuine, heartfelt and miles ahead of anything a PR team can conjure up.
Long live the upsets and as far as Carlton goes may they continue for at least one more week!
Upsets in finals are bad for football
How on earth is it embarrassing if a team that has played by the rules wins games of football? What a clueless and ignorant comment.
It’s not Carlton’s fault Essendon cheated!
And what if any other club finished ninth, would the whaaaaaambulances have been out in such force, or is it only because it’s Carlton?
Upsets in finals are bad for football
Agreed micka. You can’t get too critical of a guy making mistakes while trying his best.
Even better, if he does stuff up, he rarely sooks about it, just puts his head down and gets on with making amends. That goal he kicked shortly after he gave away the goal to Maric was brilliant.
Mitch Robinson goes from villain to hero in Blues' win
Yeah, I figured there would be contracts in place preventing this scenario. I don’t mind the idea though.
That said, it’s a bit hard to get too carried away with doing too many favours for the Victorian-based teams during the finals given they get a “home” grand final every year if they’re good enough to make it.
Finals, down at Kardinia Park?
I hope they’re officially sanctioned oranges you’re talking about. I will not stand for rogue oranges in sport!
That said, I do have a bit of a problem with pain killing injections as a regular occurrence, calf’s blood injections and so on. It just doesn’t sit right with me, regardless of how legal it might be.
As for Essendon*, throw the bloody book at them! Although, I wouldn’t mind some of their heart injected into my spineless handbags at Carlton.
The farce of legalised doping
“Hird’s hypocrisy is astonishing. He says he is being denied natural justice and is furious about the “process”. Well, what about the “process” – or lack thereof – that took place with Essendon?”
Damn, you noticed that. Bugger.
I think Hirdy was hoping nobody would pick up on that amongst this massive media beat up and assault on his good character.
Hird to sue AFL over supplements scandal
You’re suggesting they should accept their personal responsibility by living in the Bahamas to avoid paying taxes?
Time for Pat Rafter and Tennis Australia to grow up