Standin’ on the Outside Lookin’ in

Some have said I’ve recently gone missing and to be truthful, I have.

It has been a week of reflection. A task that should not be undertake in the public gaze. I’ve spent many hours trying to make some sense of a loss, that only 7 days ago, seemed unimaginable. I sought refuge in the isolated hamlet of Bawley Point where, for the past few days, I’ve looked to the sun rising in the East for some clue, some idea of how the Carlton Football Club lost to Essendon. Sure, the Blues were without a bench for the first 10 minutes of the game and never really settled afterwards. Yes, the Bombers were up and a stayed up. Okay, the Blues lacked intent and panicked in decision making. I reasoned that Brett Stanton getting BOG could never have been panned for as such an occurrence was improbable at best. But he did, and Bellchambers had a ripper dominating the centre bounce.

Bruce said the last time the Baggers had won their first three of the year was 1995, and yep, they dually won the flag. However, the Dons did the same in 2000 and the Swans, nee Bloods, did it in 1933. So with those type of statistics, it was not surprising that I got “a little ahead of myself” overlooking the fact that three teams have never won the flag in a single year. Easy mistake.

So perched on the 578th eastern most point in Australia, I looked deep inside and came up with the answer. Quite simply, in schoolyard parlance, we were dacked, and by a blonde kid with big ears no less. Move on.

My mind clearer, my gaze turned to the West and a challenge that would show where the Blues “were really at”. The Baggers faced the recently re-furbished Fremantle Dockers. After an ugly first half, of what will soon be known, after last weekend’s Hawks-Weagles debacle, as Swan Lager footy (ie shite), the game suddenly opened up in the third stanza. The Blues midfield found their wings and within 15 minutes it was all over, red rover. A futile burst in the last quarter from the Dockers made the score more respectable in the morning paper. However, the bottom line was, the Blues are back, Murphy will win the Charlie and Simpson, a surprising Norm Smith medalist. It’s amazing how things become so much more lucid after a few days down the coast. (more of which will be revealed at a later time)
The big show was actually in Canberra yesterday as the GWS Gnats played host (well the ACT taxpayers actually played host) to the Scraggers in what was a battle for flannelette supremacy and first grab of the inaugural Ginger Cup. Jules had put her hand in the pocket and donated a pewter mug to commemorate the day and what ripper it was. The Young Men of Orange led 2.4 to 5 points at quarter time and I had my foot on the pedal racing back from the South Coast to what could have been the Gnat’s first victory in the AFL. Fortunately, road repairs delayed the trip and I missed what was apparently a bumbling mess of unmitigated incompetence. And that was the Bullies.
That’s according to Everywhere Man, John Harms, who was in Canberra “for a few meetings”, according to the nose touches in town. Read in that what you may but EM had “reportedly worked the room” the previous day the Carbine Club lunch. Despite taking a low profile in the dimly lit Kingston Hotel bar post match, there was no hiding from an eager throng waiting to share just a few moments with celebrity. Well, a bloke in a Hawk’s top recognised him and a couple of pissed Bullies supporters asked if they could take the spare chair. It certainly had a Paris Hilton like vibe about it. Pamela Sherpa had also descended from the Snowies to cheer on the Dutchies and gee, you could feel the love that Pam has for the new kids whose signatures now adorns her member’s hat. If every new club had Pam as their membership spruiker, ad agencies would close their doors.
Tip of the Week
If you had just secured, say $1.25 Billion, in a broadcast deal, and had thrown, say $100 million, at the new franchise designed to win the hearts and minds of potential AFL supporters outside of Bondi, it would be a prudent, absolute no brainer, to provide some sort of access to said team and affiliated goings-on through means such as radio. Recent weeks has seen me travel throughout NSW, all the while searching in vain for a bloody radio station that can offer some footie updates. Surely, some of the $1.25 Billion could be put towards setting up a dedicated radio station that transmits games etc from the Deep South. Hey, I’ll even give it a name, Radio AFL. While wishing for a nil all draw last Wednesday, it would have been nice to actually hear the game as the drama unfolded. Nope, fifty three ABC and country and western stations and not a sniff of footy. I’m sure the good listeners at ABC FM would cherish the plumbed tone of Derek Wilthorpe-Twat announcing “That was Beethoven’s 5th symphony in E minor. Now, let us cross to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for today’s proceedings. G’day. Drew Morphett in the box and we’ve got a ripper”. Just a thought Andrew, just a thought.
Tony’s Weekly Dump
Spot the difference. Two groups of young men run onto an open field to face a hostile enemy. Group A kicks a leather ball and Group B just gets kicked. Group A get paid lots of money to kick said ball and Group B naively thought it was the right thing to do at the time despite the obvious dangers. Still miffed? Group A had numbers on their back and Group B has targets on theirs. Any Ideas yet? It’s a toughie I know, as every media outlet in the country couldn’t tell the difference. Another small point. While, in no way wishing to downplay the significant of ANZAC day, when did it become ANZAC week? When the AFL got hold of it of course. Can’t wait for Adrian to get rights to Father’s Day. Breakie in bed for a week.
See ya’ later

About Tony Robb

A life long Blues supporter of 49 years who has seen some light at the end of the tunnel that isn't Mick Malthouse driving a train.

Comments

  1. What was that line in the haunting Dylan song ‘Joey’ on the Desire album Tony?

    “He ain’t dead, he’s just asleep”.

  2. Or He not the messiah he’s just a naughty boy

  3. pamela sherpa says

    What will you do if the Giants upset your Blue boys next weekend Tony ? Set sail for NZ?

  4. Dave Nadel says

    Tony, Good luck to the Blues in beating the Dockers but before you get too triumphalist you might note that the Dockers’ best player, Aaron Sandilands was out injured. Kreuzer, not Judd or Murphy, is your most important player and after the job he did on Jolly two weeks ago he might almost have held his own against Sandilands. Then again he might not have. We will never know.

  5. Tony Robb says

    Dave
    Totally agree with the rap on Kruez. Sandiland should never lose a ruck contest with his height but I think the young bloke beats him around the ground and at ground level. Blues flag favouritism short lived once again after the ugly ducklings win in The swans are unbelievable at getting numbers to the ball and then clearing out wit hose same numbers. Tough task for most teams to break up
    Cheers
    TR

  6. Tony Robb says

    Pam If the Gnats beat the Blues ill move to Rooty Hill

  7. Prozac may help beat the blues.

  8. Tony Robb says

    Phantom
    You might like to slip a few pills into the oppositions oranges next weekend

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