Interesting we are discussing size, spoken to both Gawny and Mitch King, club still working on what weight ruckman should be playing at, balancing strength and size in the ruck contest with the aerobic ability to get around the ground, the game is changing

12 minutes ago, It's Time said:

Five teams in the 2017 Draft disagree with you and picked 5 players in the top 29 179cm or less. That's over 17% of the first 29.  I think the worm has turned a bit on this attitude.

Pick 17 Jack Higgins       178cm

Pick 22 Lachlan Fogarty 179cm

Pick 26 Liam Ryan           179cm

Pick 27 Brent Daniels      171cm

Pick 29 Spargo                 172 cm

i don't consider 178 (5'10") and 179 (5'10 1/2") as being short (other than in relative football terms)

19 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

In absolute terms, I'm sure this is correct, but I wonder whether the distribution curve of player heights has actually changed at all other than to shift along the axis as the average height of all people has increased. 

it's certainly true that average height has increased over time, but I would think that average football height has increased moreso

it's also true now that with professionalism the game has changed such that athleticism (vs raw footy talent) is being increasingly desired/sought/required.

BOOOOMER HARVEY.

What a tiny terror he was! Bastard ruined many a day at the footy for me?

Training will now be starting at 8.30am tomorrow due to the heat.

IMO the more they reduce interchange rotations the more you will see small/medium sized players on team lists. Endurance and footy smarts will be a premium. You will still need 2 KPFs but players who are a liability when the ball hits the deck will be made redundant 

7 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

IMO the more they reduce interchange rotations the more you will see small/medium sized players on team lists. Endurance and footy smarts will be a premium. You will still need 2 KPFs but players who are a liability when the ball hits the deck will be made redundant 

interesting. hope you are right

also interesting that our best 2 endurance players are a tall and a short(ish)

anyway, i agree less rotations should bring back more emphasis on skills (and more one on one) with a bit more space. i'm not too sure the afl will be reducing rotations much in the short term though

3 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Sounds like he had nothing at the bottom of his leg until his last year at school.

Explains why he’s so quick, three feet...

 

I’m just waiting to see the first couple of games to see how our guys handle the enivitable sledging as result of their decision to cancel the camp!   They have invited all other teams to give it to them on this issue.  I still cannnot believe this was made public.  What a bunch of dimwits to bring this upon themselves.

9 minutes ago, Soidee said:

I’m just waiting to see the first couple of games to see how our guys handle the enivitable sledging as result of their decision to cancel the camp!   They have invited all other teams to give it to them on this issue.  I still cannnot believe this was made public.  What a bunch of dimwits to bring this upon themselves.

Oh no!  They'll be sledged!  Whatever will they do?  

Give me a break.

11 hours ago, old dee said:

I know nine tenths of nothing about Spargo and as you say he is short.

In AFL you have to be at worst good and probably very good to make it when you are short.

Just look at Kennedy he was a short player of  average ability.

That wont cut it.

I hope he is very good and as always time will tell.

 

Might get us a lot more free kicks OD than we're used to, oops my big mouth again......

On a different tack , care to give Kenty a max game total, hmm.....?

1 hour ago, Soidee said:

I’m just waiting to see the first couple of games to see how our guys handle the enivitable sledging as result of their decision to cancel the camp!   They have invited all other teams to give it to them on this issue.  I still cannnot believe this was made public.  What a bunch of dimwits to bring this upon themselves.

Do you really think they’re going to give a flying turd what opposition players have to say about it? Water off a ducks back. 

6 hours ago, daisycutter said:

i don't consider 178 (5'10") and 179 (5'10 1/2") as being short (other than in relative football terms)

 

6 hours ago, daisycutter said:

it's certainly true that average height has increased over time, but I would think that average football height has increased moreso

it's also true now that with professionalism the game has changed such that athleticism (vs raw footy talent) is being increasingly desired/sought/required.

Hey Phantom it would help if you could tell us from what height position you are coming from ?

28 minutes ago, puntkick said:

Hey Phantom it would help if you could tell us from what height position you are coming from ?

Old jungle saying, “No matter your height, Phantom will always be taller!”. Oh, and that’s Mr Walker to you.

6 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

IMO the more they reduce interchange rotations the more you will see small/medium sized players on team lists. Endurance and footy smarts will be a premium. You will still need 2 KPFs but players who are a liability when the ball hits the deck will be made redundant 

You know what they use to say when there were less rotations, they might get tired but they don't get shorter, it will go back to the old days, in the 4 th Q teams would plonk  their talls in the goal square many goals were kicked in last  quarters, when men get tired they will spread out more, the game will open up.

25 minutes ago, hardtack said:

Old jungle saying, “No matter your height, Phantom will always be taller!”. Oh, and that’s Mr Walker to you.

Oh , and that's Mr Walker to you is too subtle for me unless you're giving a spray !

Great photoshoots to you and softtack too ta

3 hours ago, puntkick said:

Oh , and that's Mr Walker to you is too subtle for me unless you're giving a spray !

Great photoshoots to you and softtack too ta

Quote from the phantom wiki...hope this helps 'puntkick'.

"There are times when the Phantom leaves his jungle home and travels as an ordinary man." When he does, he wears a fedora, a trench coat, and sunglasses, and is known as "Mr. Walker". References to "Mr. Walker" are traditionally accompanied by a footnote saying "For 'The Ghost Who Walks'"

1 hour ago, rjay said:

Quote from the phantom wiki...hope this helps 'puntkick'.

"There are times when the Phantom leaves his jungle home and travels as an ordinary man." When he does, he wears a fedora, a trench coat, and sunglasses, and is known as "Mr. Walker". References to "Mr. Walker" are traditionally accompanied by a footnote saying "For 'The Ghost Who Walks'"

Oh for a return to the days of phantom comics and premierships.

6 hours ago, hardtack said:

Old jungle saying, “No matter your height, Phantom will always be taller!”. Oh, and that’s Mr Walker to you.

thank you, guran.........keep up the good work with the PFL

2 hours ago, rjay said:

Quote from the phantom wiki...hope this helps 'puntkick'.

"There are times when the Phantom leaves his jungle home and travels as an ordinary man." When he does, he wears a fedora, a trench coat, and sunglasses, and is known as "Mr. Walker". References to "Mr. Walker" are traditionally accompanied by a footnote saying "For 'The Ghost Who Walks'"

cheers

35 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

cheers

I  recently found a whole bunch of old Phantom comics from the 40s and 50s at a antique shop in Phillip Island

Since we're already a mile off topic, my nickname at my most recent cricket club was The Phantom or Phanto and it was nothing to do with a Bill Lawry batting style either. After only a few games and no nickname yet I was patrolling the covers on an absolute cow paddock of a ground when I had to make a spectacularly awkward looking save to a ball that changed direction about 6 times in 3 metres. Some joker yells out from the safety of the slip cordon "when the Phantom moves lightning stands still" and a legend was born...

Back on topic...who's at training this morning? Early start right?

11 minutes ago, Kumamoto_Ken said:

Since we're already a mile off topic, my nickname at my most recent cricket club was The Phantom or Phanto and it was nothing to do with a Bill Lawry batting style either. After only a few games and no nickname yet I was patrolling the covers on an absolute cow paddock of a ground when I had to make a spectacularly awkward looking save to a ball that changed direction about 6 times in 3 metres. Some joker yells out from the safety of the slip cordon "when the Phantom moves lightning stands still" and a legend was born...

Back on topic...who's at training this morning? Early start right?

They are all training the house down

15 hours ago, daisycutter said:

no one is claiming that there are no short footballers playing afl. there are, but their numbers are declining as are the available positions they can play. the odds against them are just increasing

the romantic notion of anyone of any size or shape has a reasonable opportunity to play football at the top level belongs in the past. it certainly used to be true and was one of the more endearing aspects of aussie rules.

I think it is purely a numbers game. There are only so many places on an AFL list. If you are selecting midfielders and there is a contested beast at a 187cm available that is considered equal in  talent to a 171 cm alternative I know who recruiters will be picking.

However as always - if you are talented then you are talented and should get picked before players of lesser talent - example Caleb Daniels and hopefully Spargo.

15 hours ago, daisycutter said:

it's certainly true that average height has increased over time, but I would think that average football height has increased moreso

it's also true now that with professionalism the game has changed such that athleticism (vs raw footy talent) is being increasingly desired/sought/required.

I'm sure for every person who claims that players are being recruited more for their athletic ability than their football ability there's another person claiming the exact opposite.