I have to say this, but it's something that's been irking me and will probably not be very popular.

But i am sick of people having a go at her. Especially on this rubbish Footy Classified show, but she is one journo who calls it as she sees it, isn't afraid to cop (often unwarranted) abuse for more often than not being pretty much on the mark.

They constantly stick it to her, she is always willing to state why she runs articles that she runs (as opposed to many other journos) and whilst you won't like a lot of what she writes, it's usually pretty right.

Even if some of it is basic, i still like that she offers insight into what she says.

A very popular one to bag, but i reckon she's far ahead of many other journos.

I couldn't really care less about Caro.

She is an old ratbag who thinks gods gift to football!

  dazzledavey36 said:

she is an old ratbag who thinks gods gift to football!

This about sums up what i'm talking about

She is best in the business in my opinion 45hotgod.

Never pretends to be a match day writer. writes and speaks well and holds herself tremendously well when continually attacked by those that disagree with her.

As for Footy Classified, I enjoy it. mostly because I think Lyon and Caro are two of the best.

As for the ingrained chauvinism present in the AFL fraternity, I’ll leave that one alone for now.

Sometime Caroline Wilson gives me the craps, sure.

But I'll give her credit where it's due - she's just about the only true journalist, in the great tradition of the profession, covering AFL.

A fair portion of her articles have actually been researched, and involved talking to people and doing some investigating. She's rarely doing summary, full of herself blasts about the latest team she wants to have a go at (hello Robert Walls) or writing self-indulgent 'here's how I felt' stories (eg. Flanagan, but at least his are sometimes interesting).

Caroline Wilson remains Australian Football's best hope of piecing together all the $#^ that pours out of AFL HQ and constructing a compelling case to sack the bastard incumbents.

That buys her a lot of patience from me.

  Distance Demon said:

Sometime Caroline Wilson gives me the craps, sure.

But I'll give her credit where it's due - she's just about the only true journalist, in the great tradition of the profession, covering AFL.

A fair portion of her articles have actually been researched, and involved talking to people and doing some investigating. She's rarely doing summary, full of herself blasts about the latest team she wants to have a go at (hello Robert Walls) or writing self-indulgent 'here's how I felt' stories (eg. Flanagan, but at least his are sometimes interesting).

Caroline Wilson remains Australian Football's best hope of piecing together all the $#^ that pours out of AFL HQ and constructing a compelling case to sack the bastard incumbents.

That buys her a lot of patience from me.

Betting main reason she gets bagged , if people are really honest, is because she is a woman.

I have to agree........I like her!

It's actually good to hear a women talking about football and having an opinion on the game who knows what she is talking about.

I don't always agree with what she says, but it beats hearing from ex players in the media all the time who can get damn boring and repetitive. I'd rather hear her opinion on football matters than someone like Robert Walls!

I rate Footy Classified.......by far and away the best footy show on TV at the minute. But it wouldn't be as good if she wasn't on it........you need a contrast in people and opinions to make a show like that work, and I think they have a good balance at the minute.

  Distance Demon said:

Sometime Caroline Wilson gives me the craps, sure.

But I'll give her credit where it's due - she's just about the only true journalist, in the great tradition of the profession, covering AFL.

A fair portion of her articles have actually been researched, and involved talking to people and doing some investigating. She's rarely doing summary, full of herself blasts about the latest team she wants to have a go at (hello Robert Walls) or writing self-indulgent 'here's how I felt' stories (eg. Flanagan, but at least his are sometimes interesting).

Caroline Wilson remains Australian Football's best hope of piecing together all the $#^ that pours out of AFL HQ and constructing a compelling case to sack the bastard incumbents.

That buys her a lot of patience from me.

DD you're fast becoming my favourite poster on here. I agree 100%

  45hotgod said:

Sorry to say this, but it's something that's been irking me and will probably not be very popular.

But i am sick of people having a go at her. Especially on this rubbish Footy Classified show, but she is one journo who calls it as she sees it, isn't afraid to cop (often unwarranted) abuse for more often than not being pretty much on the mark.

They constantly stick it to her, she is always willing to state why she runs articles that she runs (as opposed to many other journos) and whilst you won't like a lot of what she writes, it's usually pretty right.

Even if some of it is basic, i still like that she offers insight into what she says.

A very popular one to bag, but i reckon she's far ahead of many other journos.

I'm one who reckons she does a pretty good job, can't stand all the sexist pseudo macho men like Newman and 70% of the male football public badmouthing her all the time.

I am yet to come accross a Journalist that I rate - Caroline Wilson typifies what journalism has become (misleading tripe), and with that in mind is exceptional at what she does:

1. Report only on a handful of facts, while deliberately excluding others to ensure an article has a sensationalised flavour that will sell / be contraversial but defendable.

2. When pressed, often goes against the spin she has put on an article by defending the 'facts' she reports, but not mentioning the inuendo or leading statements or "Questions"?

3. Often asks questions and provides her opinion as the answer - Then defends her stance by "Hey, I just asked the question".

Although the quantity of media coverage is now exceptional.... The quality has eroded like a Fremantle lead after 3/4 time.

  PhilReadFury said:

I am yet to come accross a Journalist that I rate - Caroline Wilson typifies what journalism has become (misleading tripe), and with that in mind is exceptional at what she does:

1. Report only on a handful of facts, while deliberately excluding others to ensure an article has a sensationalised flavour that will sell / be contraversial but defendable.

2. When pressed, often goes against the spin she has put on an article by defending the 'facts' she reports, but not mentioning the inuendo or leading statements or "Questions"?

3. Often asks questions and provides her opinion as the answer - Then defends her stance by "Hey, I just asked the question".

Although the quantity of media coverage is now exceptional.... The quality has eroded like a Fremantle lead after 3/4 time.

I'm sorry... I'm only forty so it's quite possible that I missed this golden age you speak of when journalists reported only facts, rather than half truths, innuendo and subjective opinions. When was that? I prefer Caro's view as opposed to the self inflated opinion pieces of Patrick Smith or the Cronyism of people like Rohan Connolly or Mark Robinson.

  PhilReadFury said:

I am yet to come accross a Journalist that I rate - Caroline Wilson typifies what journalism has become (misleading tripe), and with that in mind is exceptional at what she does:

[...]

She writes opinion, not 'facts' (aka hard news)...

  Quote

I'm sorry... I'm only forty so it's quite possible that I missed this golden age you speak of when journalists reported only facts, rather than half truths, innuendo and subjective opinions. When was that? I prefer Caro's view as opposed to the self inflated opinion pieces of Patrick Smith or the Cronyism of people like Rohan Connolly or Mark Robinson.

Perhaps I am guilty of the same... Implying there was once a golden age - It was more probably my ignorance as a youth believing everything I read in the paper.

  PhilReadFury said:

Perhaps I am guilty of the same... Implying there was once a golden age - It was more probably my ignorance as a youth believing everything I read in the paper.

There's an old adage about newspapers, which applies to journalism in general ... Lies, lies, damn lies.

I have to admit, I have plenty of time for Caro Wilson as a footy journo. She is not afraid to call it as it is, and most of the time she is correct. She's a brave soul in a male-dominated industry.

I must admit that I'm really coming around to rating her very highly as a football journalist. She gets her facts right most of the time and, although I sometimes don't like what she's saying, she usually has solid grounds for reaching her viewpoints. That's a refreshing change from some of the so-called journalists working in her industry.

The thing about Caroline is that you are listening to her and not looking at her!

Moose

  45hotgod said:

Sorry to say this, but it's something that's been irking me and will probably not be very popular.

But i am sick of people having a go at her. Especially on this rubbish Footy Classified show, but she is one journo who calls it as she sees it, isn't afraid to cop (often unwarranted) abuse for more often than not being pretty much on the mark.

A very popular one to bag, but i reckon she's far ahead of many other journos.

She's got more cohunas than sam mailbagger newman, & most journo's I know of.

She says what she believes whether It's popular or not, same with Robbie walls. They just happen to say the painfull truth to often for most one eyed supporters.

Her opinion of Buddy Franklin and the Hawthorn Footy Club is spot on the money.

She is a far sight better than the supposed "news-breaker" Hutchy, who is one of the most sensationalist journo's around, e.g. compating us to Fitzroy way back in about round 3!! At least she isnt afraid to say whats going on, even if that means making public her dislike of gardiner. in my opinion - Wilson > Hutchy

Big fan of Caro, the way she reports the news and the way she commits to research in her journalism. Caro will research the facts and then use them to develop an informed opinion. Muck rakers like Hutchy form a biased sensational opinion and then find facts to support them (no matter how reliable the source).

Whilst you're talking about Footy Classified, get rid of that illiterate fool they replaced Carey with. He adds nothing to the show and he is painful to listen to.

1. Caroline Wilson

2. Mike Sheehan

3. Robert Walls.

'Nuff said. And I'm a bloke.

  Chook said:

1. Caroline Wilson

2. Mike Sheehan

3. Robert Walls.

'Nuff said. And I'm a bloke.

When we played Geelong earlier this year, Mike Sheahan compared our list to Geelong's and reckoned that we didn't have one A grade player and only (from shaky memory) three B+ players. Ungenerous and mean spirited of him I thought, moreso because it's probably true. But if you turn the ratings table on Sheahan, how does he rate amongst his brethren?

For what it's worth, I'd rate him a B+ footy writer - good but not great, always hard on the Dees, nearly always toeing the AFL line.

Caroline Wilson's an A: good investigative reporter. Got a nose for news, speaks her mind. That said, I haven't forgiven her for successfully campaining against 'The Voice of the G' for refering to Richmond in '98 as the Richmond Netball team.

Robert Walls is an A: interesting, good analyst of the game.

Rohan Connelly is a B: annoys me, constantly criticizes our supporters, articles usually an exercise in the bleedin' obvious.

Gary Lyon is an A when he talks or writes seriously about the game - something he should do more often.

Trevor Grant's not bad either: B+. And I quite like Patrick Smith because he's a sour smart arse: A.

Any other rankings?

Anyone hear Paul Gardners's pre-match/resignation speech on the radio? He spoke about 5 minutes just on the journo's in the game today and had a crack at her... lol