Round 17 – Fearless 2019: I  know it’s footy season but jeez the Kiwis were dudded!

Hi all, the final domino falls into place with the Saints coach Alan Richardson calling time allegedly as he had his chance. He wasn’t going to get the job next year so he may as well moved on. From my little survey of Saints supporters, most surmise that it was time like Carlton and North supporters earlier in season 2019. Three vacancies to be filled for Gil’s grill in season 2020…just bring a nice bottle of red.

 

As a North supporter I can recommend Brad Scott as a coach. For 8 years I basically believed nearly all his rationales in a clear and concise manner as to what was happening. His brother Chris got the Mercedes and Brad got the Holden. Brad is very articulate, media savvy, footy literate and looks after his players and club. When he came to North he set about lifting the standards across the whole club and succeeded. Like Dean Laidley before him, Brad came to a club not overly endowed with the best of anything, even though architecturally that has changed. At least the old grandstand won’t be burnt down by the local deros and the portable offices have been returned to the hire place! Again Like Dean Laidley, Brad managed to get everyone on board and galvanise the club and its list to preliminary finals. Close but no cigar!

 

So what’s the contradiction? For all that Brad Scott achieved, he always put the club first. Or did he? When North lost the elimination final to Adelaide in 2016, the club under Brad’s direction said goodbye to club champions Harvey, Petrie, Firrito and boom recruit Dal Santo. The rationale being that the time had come to give the younger blokes a go and the list had gone about as far as it was going to go. I agreed. It was a harsh but ultimately correct call. Funnily enough Boomer Harvey would still probably get a game but I digress…

 

2017 saw North competitive but finish 15th and in 2018 North finished just short of finals in 9th. Justification of the harsh call on the veterans. In 2019, I am led to believe that Brad told the NMFC Board that the club needed to trade into the draft to get good youngsters, thereby getting rid of some established players…Hmmm I smell a rat! Fortunately, the Board said likewise and asked why then it was necessary to get rid of the veterans at the end of 2016? Apparently the list was now seemingly not good enough? Excuse me?

 

Arguably, what Rhyce Shaw has achieved as interim coach indicates that the list isn’t that bad…don’t get me wrong every club wants/needs to improve their list but let’s be honest Nat Fyfes don’t grow on trees, neither do Buddy Franklins and Patty Dangerfields. Bear in mind also, there was a significant impact on all clubs with the period of compromised drafting due to the Suns and Giants coming into the AFL.

 

As I see it, Brad had overstayed his welcome and the results of the 1st half of this year indicate that his message had gone stale. Brad will again be a good coach, refreshed after a break, but I found the whole contradiction of his alleged presentation to the Board to be opposite to the decision to get rid of the veterans and play the youth. A large percentage of the North faithful still largely think Boomer got shafted. Whilst I don’t agree, I think the way forward in 2017 is still the way forward, rather than drafting/building for the next five years.

 

Time will tell I guess.

 

Cheers PT

 

FEARLESS 2019 RD17: I  know it’s footy season but jeez the Kiwis were dudded!

 

Collingwood’s travelling form was an asset as the Magpies flew west to Optus Stadium to take on the Eagles. They didn’t plan on losing Moore but maybe less is more as the Pies rallied in the last by totally containing the ball in their forward 50. Turning a 16pt deficit into a 1pt win, the Pies have turned it around. Eagles asleep in the last quarter.

 

SCG again got to say Hello Newman. Training wheels not needed as the Blues flew to take down the Swans. David Teague as interim coach at Carlton has been a success and the 7pt win by the Blues at the SCG added impetus to his claims on the main gig. Levi Casboult, Nic Newman & Jack SOS symbolic of Blues’ changed fortunes. Swandive?

 

Fremantle has won once in its Tassie visits – once in 11 games that was after the sirengate scandal! The Hawks, with returning Tassie hero Grant Birchall after 2 years out, hosted Freo and despite protestations from Ross Lyon, Nat Fyfe got no protection…someone tagged him I guess. How odd! Hawks at Fortress U-Tas by 31pts.

 

Essendon and North played a pulsating contest at Marvel on Saturday twilight. A Walla ripper restored Bombers’ 5pt lead with 17secs left. Prior to, the Roos had overturned an 18pt 3 /4 time deficit, courtesy of Ben Brown’s heroics. Don Dylan Clarke had held Roo Cunnington. North defensive error costly allowing matchwinner goalside space.

 

Adelaide travelled to Club Metricon to take on the Gold Coast on Saturday night. The Suns’ depth was being truly tested before, during and after. Adelaide could almost have qualified it as a community camp such was the pedestrian nature of the game.  A 95pt win got the Crows back into form? Suns’ Coach Stuey Dew needs a bex and a liedown.

 

Down at the Cattery, the Saints (2ndyoungest AFL side) played well for 3 qtrs and ran out of gas. The Cats at home are still the best side in the comp and deserve a home final. Josh Bruce 3 for Saints and Gazza Jr led the Cat charge in the last but major ball winners Dunstan Duncan and Danger all 30+. Cats 27pts. For Saints, inconsistencies of youth?

 

Richmond hosted GWS at the G on Sunday. Another Giant went down, Stephen Coniglio injured knee within opening minutes. Tigers got off to a flyer, before the GWS reeled them back from a 26pt lead at 1 /4 time to 14 at the 1 /2. New Giant Ian Bobby Hill kicked 3, named after Bob the Builder. Tigers steadied after 1/ 2 to win by 27pts.

 

Irene Chatfield’s spirit was channelled through the Footscray Fightback 30 years ago. Irene tossed the coin as the Dogs at Marvel hosted the Dees in their historic Footscray jumper. Dogs by 8pts. The Dunkley brothers went at it and Dogs’ pace won out. Josh Dunkley 39, 2 stats and a win…take that younger bro! Harry Petty 3, the new T-Mac?

 

Brisbane took the trip to the City of Churches and hopefully catch bad Port, such was Port’s fluctuating year. A 5 goal lead at the 1 /4 and the Lions had stamped Port’s papers as the AFL’s yoyos. What must irk Port coach Hinkley was the listless response. Lions by 8 goals, a stunning statement of intent. Charlie Cameron 4. Lions 3rd   , Lyons 36.

 

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Comments

  1. Interesting thoughts re Brad Scott, Fearless.
    As Kurtz asked Willard in ‘Apocalypse Now’: “What do you think of my methods? Are they unsound?”
    To which Willard replied “I don’t see any methods at all…sir”

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