30 minutes ago, binman said:

Good on rhe giants. I like them and hope they do well. I look forward to our rivalry.

I also like their song. With its gypsy, marching band vibe a clever nod to traditional club songs from a very talented muso, Harry angus of cat empire fame.

Is it just me - I loathe their song. Sounds like a Russian folk dance. I have to turn it off every time I hear it.

4 minutes ago, jane02 said:

Is it just me - I loathe their song. Sounds like a Russian folk dance. I have to turn it off every time I hear it.

I agree. It's awful

but then i am no huge fan of Cat Empire either. 

Very talented Musicians yes, but the arrangements are way to busy for me. 

47 minutes ago, binman said:

Good on rhe giants. I like them and hope they do well. I look forward to our rivalry.

I also like their song. With its gypsy, marching band vibe a clever nod to traditional club songs from a very talented muso, Harry angus of cat empire fame.

 

15 minutes ago, jane02 said:

Is it just me - I loathe their song. Sounds like a Russian folk dance. I have to turn it off every time I hear it.

Probably more Russian folk than Gypsy marching band....

Never heard a Gypsy marching band, Django marching with his guitar would have been interesting though.

Imagine running out to that song every game..... it would give you zero excitement.

And even worse imagine singing it after the game? I don't know which is worse, Freo, West Coast or GWS. 

Song of the vulgar gw yes-men.

Halways into the season, and the standing top-4 are...

The three clubs which have won 9 of the last 11 premierships, and GWS.

Exciting times.

If we are into songs I assume most of you know that the Bulldogs song "Sons of the West" comes form the old British music hall favourite "Bobbing up and Down"

Great little clip here to amuse you:

 

We had a dynasty to match the Hawks,last year of Daniher,Bailey,Neeld/Craig and Roos first two years. This compares to the Hawks of the 30's and 40's

1 hour ago, ENYAW said:

We had a dynasty to match the Hawks,last year of Daniher,Bailey,Neeld/Craig and Roos first two years. This compares to the Hawks of the 30's and 40's

Classic Post ENYAW

some of your best work!

Laughing in Bangkok

The rain is bucketing down..

Interesting article in today's Guardian newspaper

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/27/likable-and-watchable-gws-giants-are-becoming-many-afl-fans-second-team

One of the comments says they have had "21 first round draft picks"  (and a lot of those were in the first five or six picks probably). Add to that some one off salary cap relief and wow.

I know a number of people say they will have to give up some of the better players as they all peak together but I think that is the wonder of their strategy..they will give up some and top up again with early draft picks. If they recruit well they may be unstoppable.

On 6/26/2016 at 2:15 PM, Little Goffy said:

Halways into the season, and the standing top-4 are...

The three clubs which have won 9 of the last 11 premierships, and GWS.

Exciting times.

Good point LG.

 

Equality abounds.......

On 23/06/2016 at 0:22 PM, Sir Why You Little said:

Hey Ron are you on The GW$ Board?

You have been talking up these parasites since day one. 

Of course they are not going to fail. The AFL will shovel cash at them long after i am dead. 

But as i have said before, when they win a flag Will anyone care apart from the Broadcasters?

Dunno, the Sun isn't shining up on the Cold Coast.  Some were saying 'they' would be unbeatable.

I'm still waiting for that Giant to tumble.  maybe that will happen when our Jack is let loose ?  I'll expect an earthquake sometime after this occurs.

What do Cows fetch at the market these days, anyway?

We'll need to steal some talent, & maybe some F/S will produce Gold for us?

There are a couple of things here, GWS have been fortunate that in the years they have had top end picks, there were some good drafts and they were lucky to have picked up some pretty good talent.  They have also picked up some mediocre talent and have traded or delisted a number of players that weren't up to it.

With their preselections and mini drafts, combined with good draft years it would be pretty hard to stuff it up.

They have had a bigger list, a bigger salary cap and have been able to drip feed second tier players for reasonably high draft picks in return, but this is not going to go on for ever. Their list will have to come down, their salary cap will come down and they will struggle to pay all the ego's that are alive and well in their playing group.

 

Any club could have a dynasty ( demons perhaps not !!!! ) . A club needs to have astute coaching staff that can think outside the square and may employ people from other backgrounds. The club needs to be wary that if they recruit young players from interstate that they could end up leaving hence wasting their time on these players when the time could go into the locals.

58 minutes ago, DV8 said:

Dunno, the Sun isn't shining up on the Cold Coast.  Some were saying 'they' would be unbeatable.

I'm still waiting for that Giant to tumble.  maybe that will happen when our Jack is let loose ?  I'll expect an earthquake sometime after this occurs.

What do Cows fetch at the market these days, anyway?

We'll need to steal some talent, & maybe some F/S will produce Gold for us?

I never thought Gold Coast would survive long term. I still don't. 

But the AFL will ensure GW$ will survive. Too many $$$ at stake...

On 25 June 2016 at 0:01 PM, binman said:

Good on rhe giants. I like them and hope they do well. I look forward to our rivalry.

I also like their song. With its gypsy, marching band vibe a clever nod to traditional club songs from a very talented muso, Harry angus of cat empire fame.

BTW what was their song before the Harry Angus one? Did they have one? Can anyone remember?

Imagine how much better GWS would be if they didn't blow the 2012 draft, they could have Stringer, Wines and Macrae.

5 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Imagine how much better GWS would be if they didn't blow the 2012 draft, they could have Stringer, Wines and Macrae.

Although this is a good point and I agree, I really would have preferred you didn't post it. It's basically a massive red flashing light to picket fence.

His spider senses will be tingling right now.

On 6/22/2016 at 10:04 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

Lot of talk across the forum on how we are moving up etc but it caused me to think about the last two times when we made the GF (1988 and 2000)

Both times we came up against teams that were at the top of their games. Essendon lost one game in 2000.

The Giants lost their first three games of this season and then in Round 10 against Adelaide at home. Looking at their run home it is hard to see them losing another game other than perhaps against North in the last round.

Their art of trading good but NQR players for early draft picks means they continue to top up. Combine that with the home ground advantage of an interstate team and they have a lot going for them.

It would be very disappointing if we are remembered as the "bridesmaids" to another dynasty albeit an AFL "made" one !!

Might pinch one but way too mid field heavy for my liking to create a dynasty, unless they adjust.

Great teams have always had a good balance across the park not just one or two major strengths like the GWS Circus

On 6/26/2016 at 6:41 PM, Diamond_Jim said:

If we are into songs I assume most of you know that the Bulldogs song "Sons of the West" comes form the old British music hall favourite "Bobbing up and Down"

Great little clip here to amuse you:

 

So that song should really be Freos! The Doggies are hardly old saltys!

On 6/23/2016 at 1:46 PM, beelzebub said:

Spent the weekend up there...Hardly saw any mention of footy.. I will say however that on ONE screen inside Sharkies on Sunday they had the game.  One out of about a dozen...lol.  I just never here footy mentioned much in Sydney...Then again...Im hardly there.

They will never truly gain a footing BZ other than via the millions of $ being thrown up there from HQ.

Anyone who has spent any time in NSW knows there's only room for NRL and one AFL club. And that needed (and still does) decades of advantages and propping up from the AFL. The northerners just aren't interested in our game and at grass roots level it lacks a broad base.

I think free agency, without limits on the top clubs, was created mainly to suit the AFL's strategy of enabling the best players to filter through to their interstate expansions now and in the future. They had so much riding on Buddy getting to GWS before he was stolen. They hated the result.

On ‎22‎/‎06‎/‎2016 at 10:17 PM, hells bells said:

This is my worst nightmare.  Missing out on a flag for over 50 years and to miss out to a team fabricated out of thin air and gifted so much advantage in talent by the governing body in the name of progress.  

Supporters of a club that's been in existence for half a dozen years tasting the ultimate success before hardened passionate supporters who have been through so many hard times and continues to put money into the club for over 50 years.

It may happen to the dogs too.  

It'll break my heart.

Is this really different to the following clubs "fabricated out of thin air and gifted so much advantage in talent ".

West Coast: fabricated club - had all of W.A. players who were in the, (at that time very strong) WAFL, plus the return home factor of quite a few others playing in Victoria. Made a Grand Final in their 5th year and premiership in 6th.

Adelaide: fabricated club - had many SA players who the SANFL had contracted available to them from the beginning and again a strong go home factor. Won back to back premierships in years 7 & 8.

Since we won our last Premiership every other team except the Bulldogs has won at least one and most many more. We didn't play finals for 22 years whilst there were only 12 teams in the VFL and we finished on the bottom in 08 and 09 when GWS and GC weren't in the AFL. The expansion clubs are hardly what has stood between us and success.

I wonder which real Melbourne supporters would actually feel better, if Hawthorn, (who had 1 premiership when we won our 12th and have gone past us and matched our three in a row), won a 4th this year.

As for someone else who posted that they would prefer to join the Essendon cheer squad than congratulate GWS, - must have a short memory, Essendon have caused us far more grief in the last twenty years than GWS have caused us, let alone their arrogance and refusal to accept the consequences of their doping adventure.

Surely, all the angst about Scully is tempered by the fact we got Hogan with the compensatory pick, plus probably an agreement that allowed us to take Viney as a father / son at pick 26. On top of that we have made good trades with them since then.

Edited June 29, 20169 yr by xarronn
spelling

The National Draft started in 1986 and West Coast and Brisbane were introduced in 1987.  Go back and look at the success of those earlier drafts and you'll see they were pretty hit and miss, with a lot more misses than hits.  Adelaide came in in 1991 and while I'll acknowledge that both Adelaide and WC received advantages of players from the local SANFL and WAFL.  They received nothing like the advantages of the GWS and to a lesser extent Gold Coast.

Firstly, licenses for West Coast and Adelaide were applied for by the WAFL and SANFL so the money and establishment of the club's came from something other than the governing body.  

Secondly, these teams were fabricated in well established AFL markets where they were going to be extremely well supported both from sponsors and supporters.  Accordingly, there was no push from the governing body to make sure they were successful as it turns out they were successful and continue to be successful not because of the advantages provided by the AFL.

If you look at what the GWS were given and are continue to be given it's chalk and cheese.  

The major issue for me is that the AFL is conflicted, they run the competition and have a major and expensive investment in the GWS.  They need GWS to be successful and therefore will give them an unhealthy advantage (such as the Riverina zone and academy talent).

If the GWS were made to build the club similar to the way Port Adelaide and Fremantle had to, then I would have no problem with their success.  

Make no mistake the advantages they have been given are extraordinary.  The AFL are trying to sure up an investment club in a disinterested market.  They need them to be successful early and for a sustained period to make sure they get a return on their baby.

You might think that I'm sooking about the situation and being dramatic.  Let's revisit in a few years and see how things have gone.  

At some point in time the AFL has to decide if it's running a competition that is set up to be as even and equitable as possible or if it is running a series of events in the entertainment industry to maximize profits.

While they are conflicted, running the competition and only some clubs it will leave a bad taste in my mouth.  

23 minutes ago, hells bells said:

The National Draft started in 1986 and West Coast and Brisbane were introduced in 1987.  Go back and look at the success of those earlier drafts and you'll see they were pretty hit and miss, with a lot more misses than hits.  Adelaide came in in 1991 and while I'll acknowledge that both Adelaide and WC received advantages of players from the local SANFL and WAFL.  They received nothing like the advantages of the GWS and to a lesser extent Gold Coast.

Firstly, licenses for West Coast and Adelaide were applied for by the WAFL and SANFL so the money and establishment of the club's came from something other than the governing body.  

Secondly, these teams were fabricated in well established AFL markets where they were going to be extremely well supported both from sponsors and supporters.  Accordingly, there was no push from the governing body to make sure they were successful as it turns out they were successful and continue to be successful not because of the advantages provided by the AFL.

If you look at what the GWS were given and are continue to be given it's chalk and cheese.  

The major issue for me is that the AFL is conflicted, they run the competition and have a major and expensive investment in the GWS.  They need GWS to be successful and therefore will give them an unhealthy advantage (such as the Riverina zone and academy talent).

If the GWS were made to build the club similar to the way Port Adelaide and Fremantle had to, then I would have no problem with their success.  

Make no mistake the advantages they have been given are extraordinary.  The AFL are trying to sure up an investment club in a disinterested market.  They need them to be successful early and for a sustained period to make sure they get a return on their baby.

You might think that I'm sooking about the situation and being dramatic.  Let's revisit in a few years and see how things have gone.  

At some point in time the AFL has to decide if it's running a competition that is set up to be as even and equitable as possible or if it is running a series of events in the entertainment industry to maximize profits.

While they are conflicted, running the competition and only some clubs it will leave a bad taste in my mouth.  

As I said on another post, match-fixing. 

12 hours ago, hells bells said:

The National Draft started in 1986 and West Coast and Brisbane were introduced in 1987.  Go back and look at the success of those earlier drafts and you'll see they were pretty hit and miss, with a lot more misses than hits.  Adelaide came in in 1991 and while I'll acknowledge that both Adelaide and WC received advantages of players from the local SANFL and WAFL.  They received nothing like the advantages of the GWS and to a lesser extent Gold Coast.

Firstly, licenses for West Coast and Adelaide were applied for by the WAFL and SANFL so the money and establishment of the club's came from something other than the governing body.  

Secondly, these teams were fabricated in well established AFL markets where they were going to be extremely well supported both from sponsors and supporters.  Accordingly, there was no push from the governing body to make sure they were successful as it turns out they were successful and continue to be successful not because of the advantages provided by the AFL.

If you look at what the GWS were given and are continue to be given it's chalk and cheese.  

The major issue for me is that the AFL is conflicted, they run the competition and have a major and expensive investment in the GWS.  They need GWS to be successful and therefore will give them an unhealthy advantage (such as the Riverina zone and academy talent).

If the GWS were made to build the club similar to the way Port Adelaide and Fremantle had to, then I would have no problem with their success.  

Make no mistake the advantages they have been given are extraordinary.  The AFL are trying to sure up an investment club in a disinterested market.  They need them to be successful early and for a sustained period to make sure they get a return on their baby.

You might think that I'm sooking about the situation and being dramatic.  Let's revisit in a few years and see how things have gone.  

At some point in time the AFL has to decide if it's running a competition that is set up to be as even and equitable as possible or if it is running a series of events in the entertainment industry to maximize profits.

While they are conflicted, running the competition and only some clubs it will leave a bad taste in my mouth.  

Good post.

Also Gold Coast and GWS coming in so close together put a much larger strain on the talent pool than ever before.