PRESEASON TRAINING: Friday 14th February 2025

[binman 44,843]

  On 16/02/2025 at 20:52, The Jackson FIX said:

Thanks - do you know what day/time? Not an easy find on our site 

Expand  

11am start.

Casey practice match at 2pm - which will be worth watching I reckon as there will be plenty of AFL listed players running around for casey who will want to impress, and push their case to be considered for senior selection.

[Ghostwriter 5,473]

  On 15/02/2025 at 03:29, dazzledavey36 said:

 

This has nothing to being isolated or left out. He was well supported by everyone at the club including the coaches.

Expand  

This was never in question.

But at the time Clarrie was his own worse enemy. A training block or a stint in the seconds simply wasn’t an option. The Olivers are lovely people but oftentimes their version of events and Clarrie’s version of the same events differs. 

[Ghostwriter 5,473]

  On 16/02/2025 at 20:57, binman said:

11am start.

Casey practice match at 2pm - which will be worth watching I reckon as there will be plenty of AFL listed players running around for casey who will want to impress, and push their case to be considered for senior selection.

Expand  

It would be great if people stuck around for the Casey praccy. I daresay North supporters will turn up in large numbers and hang around for the second match. Yes, 37 degrees is not ideal but slip, slop, slap, seek and slide and your good to go 👍🏽

[Slartibartfast 18,124]

  On 16/02/2025 at 20:52, The Jackson FIX said:

Thanks - do you know what day/time? Not an easy find on our site 

Expand  

11am

[jnrmac 20,377]

  On 16/02/2025 at 10:02, Roost it far said:

Yes he’s likely a bust in the cruel light of day but pick 28 rarely gets you a 200 game player.

Expand  

Projecting much?

But seeing as you has raised this the number of players to hit 200 games drafted at 28 or worse is high.

[Roost it far 10,152]

  On 16/02/2025 at 21:25, jnrmac said:

Projecting much?

But seeing as you has raised this the number of players to hit 200 games drafted at 28 or worse is high.

Expand  

I don’t understand your response. Plus I was talking about guys recruited from other clubs at picks in the late 20’s re number of games. Anyway, I just don’t see this as a massive mistake by the club. We rolled the dice and lost and that happens. 

[Dr. Gonzo 24,468]

  On 16/02/2025 at 13:35, DubDee said:

Watching the 2021 PF against the Cats as you do

My word we were ferocious 

Spargo was amazing too. Can’t wait to get him back

Miss Gus though. He could do everything

Expand  

Yes it's the ferociousness above all else which has been missing the last couple of years. We've seen it in bits and pieces but not consistently across the season like in '21.

[Roost it far 10,152]

  On 16/02/2025 at 22:43, Dr. Gonzo said:

Yes it's the ferociousness above all else which has been missing the last couple of years. We've seen it in bits and pieces but not consistently across the season like in '21.

Expand  

It’s also when players are “in sync” with each other and the game plan. Things start to get on a roll and in that  finals series we were “in the groove”

[Dr. Gonzo 24,468]

  On 16/02/2025 at 22:55, Roost it far said:

It’s also when players are “in sync” with each other and the game plan. Things start to get on a roll and in that  finals series we were “in the groove”

Expand  

And fitness early has an impact on our ability to maintain the level on a consistent basis

[Deestar9 1,855]

  On 16/02/2025 at 04:00, Cranky Franky said:

Am I obnoxious because I pointed out that a lot of posters are well meaning but clueless ?

Expand  

Oh the sheer arrogance…

[KozzyCan 985]

  On 15/02/2025 at 21:19, 58er said:

After saying so many times before please quote these and inform us of your opinion. Dont generalise back up with facts.

Awaiting your response. 

Expand  

I find it odd how touchy people get about any criticism of the club on this site but since you asked.

Some examples from just last year:

Spargo round 0, returning from an achilles injury had done very little conditioning and no match fitness immediately re injured it and has still not recovered.

Oliver has basically been mishandled since he did his hammy in mid 2023. Admittedly some of this is Oliver's fault but rushing him back to play in the early part of the season last year when he'd [censored] away his entire pre-season basically set him up to fail. We then played him through a broken hand for most of the year.

People can say that Petracca coming back on on KB was ticked off all they like. Within 30 seconds of him being out there it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs he was not right and he stayed out for over 20 minutes.

Other notable examples off the top of my head:

Joel Smith getting injured in a practice match in 2019, coming back on and not playing a single game for the rest of the year.

Goodwin screaming at a Doctor over the phone about pushing a concussed Brayshaw through his comfort-zone because he had been at Chadstone a few days prior.

Fritsch coming back from a broken foot to play a meaningless game to close out the season in 2023, which he then reinjured and was affected by in the QF two weeks later.

 

[Roost it far 10,152]

  On 17/02/2025 at 00:35, KozzyCan said:

I find it odd how touchy people get about any criticism of the club on this site but since you asked.

Some examples from just last year:

Spargo round 0, returning from an achilles injury had done very little conditioning and no match fitness immediately re injured it and has still not recovered.

Oliver has basically been mishandled since he did his hammy in mid 2023. Admittedly some of this is Oliver's fault but rushing him back to play in the early part of the season last year when he'd [censored] away his entire pre-season basically set him up to fail. We then played him through a broken hand for most of the year.

People can say that Petracca coming back on on KB was ticked off all they like. Within 30 seconds of him being out there it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs he was not right and he stayed out for over 20 minutes.

Other notable examples off the top of my head:

Joel Smith getting injured in a practice match in 2019, coming back on and not playing a single game for the rest of the year.

Goodwin screaming at a Doctor over the phone about pushing a concussed Brayshaw through his comfort-zone because he had been at Chadstone a few days prior.

Fritsch coming back from a broken foot to play a meaningless game to close out the season in 2023, which he then reinjured and was affected by in the QF two weeks later.

 

Expand  

Thats 5 examples in 5 years, so we’re averaging one mistake with an injured player per year. Now let’s look at each case. Spargo was determined not to have surgery on his Achilles and play the season. In mine and the clubs eyes he’s best 22 so he played. It did absolutely no further damage to his existing injury, none . So now we’re down to 4 in 5 years. 
To claim Oliver was mishandled without knowing what the club did with regard to his injury and state of mind is erroneous. Not to mention he was basically best on ground in round 1 so that kinda puts a hole in your theory. So we’re down to 3 in 5. That’s so low that I can’t even be bothered explaining the rest.

[KozzyCan 985]

  On 17/02/2025 at 01:09, Roost it far said:

Thats 5 examples in 5 years, so we’re averaging one mistake with an injured player per year. Now let’s look at each case. Spargo was determined not to have surgery on his Achilles and play the season. In mine and the clubs eyes he’s best 22 so he played. It did absolutely no further damage to his existing injury, none . So now we’re down to 4 in 5 years. 
To claim Oliver was mishandled without knowing what the club did with regard to his injury and state of mind is erroneous. Not to mention he was basically best on ground in round 1 so that kinda puts a hole in your theory. So we’re down to 3 in 5. That’s so low that I can’t even be bothered explaining the rest.

Expand  

As I said, these are examples I pulled off the top of my head. Particularly egregious ones at that. Trying to find an average out of that is pretty disingenous.

Spargo had just recovered from an achillies injury prior to the season then reinjured the achillies, so yes I think that constitutes further damage. 

Oliver went alright for a couple of weeks but his lack of fitness quickly caught up with him and when he broke his hand he was pretty oridinary for the rest of the year, even shirking contests at times which I'd never seen him do before. He was a liability for many games and only got put on ice once we were well and truly out of the finals race. So no, I won't accept that he was handled well last year either. The notion that the club played him when they shouldn't have because they were concerned about the state of his mind is absurd. That's an insane level of special treatment, not to mention the club is basically hamstringing themselves playing a guy who they know shouldn't be out there.

My view is that we have not handled injuries well in the past, embracing a philosophy of pushing players to play through injuries to our own detriment. We have gotten away with it at times but I think the negatives of doing so outweigh the positives.

[demon3165 2,865]

  On 16/02/2025 at 14:00, DubDee said:

you don’t think we should do what’s best for our players and the team?

Or are you just trying to vent about your own life? Us ‘normal’ people don’t kick a ball for a living 

There is probably a 9-5 middle class workers forum out there to rant on 

Expand  

Do you even think about what you write, that is the dumbest post I have ever read full stop and we are only 2 months in.

[demon3165 2,865]

  On 16/02/2025 at 10:56, Fuscias said:

Mate if you were better than 99.5% of the People in your chosen field, as AFL players are, you probably would be on the same wage and entitlements!  People are quick to forget this fact, even the last player on a list is better than 99% of the players in other leagues

(And to quote the great G Lyon, you've been "Mated")

Expand  

Jesus another one who cannot understand posts....

[Sir Why You Little 37,458]

  On 17/02/2025 at 03:47, demon3165 said:

Do you even think about what you write, that is the dumbest post I have ever read full stop and we are only 2 months in.

Expand  

After what has gone down over the last 2-3 years, i was a little surprised that the Club has given the players more time away from the Club, i am not saying it’s right or wrong, i am just genuinely surprised 

I hope it’s the right decision and the players stay fully focused. 

[demon3165 2,865]

  On 17/02/2025 at 03:52, Sir Why You Little said:

After what has gone down over the last 2-3 years, i was a little surprised that the Club has given the players more time away from the Club, i am not saying it’s right or wrong, i am just genuinely surprised 

I hope it’s the right decision and the players stay fully focused. 

Expand  

I do not begrudge anyone getting time off or what they are paid, and it is only an extremely small number of people who can play at that level. However, for people to say how hard it is for players who have only a limited time in the game is true, but they know that going into the system is no more important than Joe Blow down the street doing his or her job. After all, it is only a sport for supporters to watch, no more and no less.

[Sir Why You Little 37,458]

  On 17/02/2025 at 04:28, demon3165 said:

I do not begrudge anyone getting time off or what they are paid, and it is only an extremely small number of people who can play at that level. However, for people to say how hard it is for players who have only a limited time in the game is true, but they know that going into the system is no more important than Joe Blow down the street doing his or her job. After all, it is only a sport for supporters to watch, no more and no less.

Expand  

Yes, it is entertainment basically. But for the Club, it is a $Multi Million business 

How to manage the number one asset, would be a tough job, as every player has a different background 

[Ghostwriter 5,473]

  On 16/02/2025 at 06:35, WERRIDEE said:

Yeah I forgot the followers again. Do it all the time.

B: Lever, May, Bowey

HB: Salem, Petty, Windsor
C: Sharp, Rivers, Langdon

HF: Petracca, Turner, Langford

F: Fritsch, van Rooyen, Chandler

FOLL: Gawn, Oliver, Viney

IC: Howes, Sparrow, Lindsay, Billings

SUB: Laurie

Expand  

You have one job, Werridee. 

[binman 44,843]

  On 17/02/2025 at 01:09, Roost it far said:

Thats 5 examples in 5 years, so we’re averaging one mistake with an injured player per year. Now let’s look at each case. Spargo was determined not to have surgery on his Achilles and play the season. In mine and the clubs eyes he’s best 22 so he played. It did absolutely no further damage to his existing injury, none . So now we’re down to 4 in 5 years. 
To claim Oliver was mishandled without knowing what the club did with regard to his injury and state of mind is erroneous. Not to mention he was basically best on ground in round 1 so that kinda puts a hole in your theory. So we’re down to 3 in 5. That’s so low that I can’t even be bothered explaining the rest.

Expand  

One mistake a year - assuming you count the examples given as 'mistakes'.

But as you suggest, the implication was the examples given were indisputably mistakes, which is just complete nonsense. 

It never ceases to amaze me how people make definitive statements about medical stuff when, one they almost never have any relevant qualifications and two, don't have access to the players medical history, rehabilitation plans or any of the relevant data.   

I mean, it's not unreasonable to have as a starting point that highly paid professional medical and high-performance teams with access to all the relevant info and data are likely to be making informed decisions about the management of players with injuries. 

Take Spargo - it seems to be accepted as fact that playing him in round one did more damage and was a factor in him being out for the season. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn't. The point is we are making guesses either way. Correlation doesn’t imply causation and all that. 

What we can say with certainty is the medical and high-performance team, based on the information and data available to them at the time (info not available to us) made what they thought was the right decision for Spargs at the time. 

An interesting parallel to the decision to play Spargs was the almost identical decision to play Tmac in round one just two weeks after ankle surgery. Played, and i don't think missed a game for the whole season?    

Edited February 17 by binman

[Ghostwriter 5,473]

  On 16/02/2025 at 08:54, Sir Why You Little said:

Hindsight Bias, are you serious??

If you buy a 2nd hand car, do you study its history, finding out as much as you can? Or are you a fingers crossed “hope it will be ok” kinda guy…??

Pick 28 is 2nd Round, pretty good players have been secured at 28  

McAdam was in the “Give him a chance category” or should have been 

 

Expand  

Can you please stop! Shane’s a person not a second hand car! How about showing even a modicum of sensitivity?

And you’ve made your point over and over and over, again and again and again with monotonous regularity. This isn’t breaching DL rules but PLEASE know that it’s annoying as [censored], it’s mind-numbingly tedious and above all else THIS IS IN MY EVER SO HUMBLE [censored] OPINION.

[Sir Why You Little 37,458]

  On 17/02/2025 at 05:43, Ghostwriter said:

Can you please stop! Shane’s a person not a second hand car! How about showing even a modicum of sensitivity?

And you’ve made your point over and over and over, again and again and again with monotonous regularity. This isn’t breaching DL rules but PLEASE know that it’s annoying as [censored], it’s mind-numbingly tedious and above all else THIS IS IN MY EVER SO HUMBLE [censored] OPINION.

Expand  

Sorry that opinion is different to yours….

[Ghostwriter 5,473]

  On 17/02/2025 at 05:44, Sir Why You Little said:

Sorry that opinion is different to yours….

Expand  

If you really are sorry… don’t be sorry for a differing opinion. Be sorry for repeating the same opinion over and over again because THAT’S the excruciatingly exasperating aspect here. 

[dazzledavey36 56,345]

  On 17/02/2025 at 01:09, Roost it far said:

Thats 5 examples in 5 years, so we’re averaging one mistake with an injured player per year. Now let’s look at each case. Spargo was determined not to have surgery on his Achilles and play the season. In mine and the clubs eyes he’s best 22 so he played. It did absolutely no further damage to his existing injury, none . So now we’re down to 4 in 5 years. 
To claim Oliver was mishandled without knowing what the club did with regard to his injury and state of mind is erroneous. Not to mention he was basically best on ground in round 1 so that kinda puts a hole in your theory. So we’re down to 3 in 5. That’s so low that I can’t even be bothered explaining the rest.

Expand  

Sprsgo did have surgery on his Achilles. 

[58er 6,872]

  On 17/02/2025 at 00:35, KozzyCan said:

I find it odd how touchy people get about any criticism of the club on this site but since you asked.

Some examples from just last year:

Spargo round 0, returning from an achilles injury had done very little conditioning and no match fitness immediately re injured it and has still not recovered.

Oliver has basically been mishandled since he did his hammy in mid 2023. Admittedly some of this is Oliver's fault but rushing him back to play in the early part of the season last year when he'd [censored] away his entire pre-season basically set him up to fail. We then played him through a broken hand for most of the year.

People can say that Petracca coming back on on KB was ticked off all they like. Within 30 seconds of him being out there it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs he was not right and he stayed out for over 20 minutes.

Other notable examples off the top of my head:

Joel Smith getting injured in a practice match in 2019, coming back on and not playing a single game for the rest of the year.

Goodwin screaming at a Doctor over the phone about pushing a concussed Brayshaw through his comfort-zone because he had been at Chadstone a few days prior.

Fritsch coming back from a broken foot to play a meaningless game to close out the season in 2023, which he then reinjured and was affected by in the QF two weeks later.

 

Expand  

Fritsch’s game before the final was a hit bout after weeks on the side. It wasn’t meaningless it secured a double chance for us. 

I agree with most of the others and thank you for your efforts.

Goody has been responsible I reckon on at least a couple of occasions.