Skuit

Update: I just scanned the 21 pages of the 2017 Adelaide post-match thread (it's depressing how much we all just keep repeating ourselves - but it was definitely a pivotal match in MFC history in that there are still some lingering ramifications being felt today). @Dr. Gonzo gets in a early reference to woo-who without context or response. Then later on @dazzledavey36 says (with 14 likes): "Good to hear the 'whoo hoo' guy was back in action yesterday! Slowly becoming a cult figure at AO!" So Woo-who man emerged before 2017. I can remember the 2016 Port match in Alice in detail but the AO fixture later in the year is all fuzzy - which is strange because it was a super-important match in the run up to the finals. Anyway. Scanning through post-match threads from years ago is emotionally draining. Who wants to take on the 2016 one?

I was thinking you're from Adelaide?

If Woo-who is reading can you throw us a bone during the North match? Woo-D'land-hoo?

So this angle was part of my original post but I didn't draw the links together. They pump artificial crowd noise into stadiums, so my AO source said there's an outside chance it's a recording. Definitely don't get that vibe though.

Woo-who man knows who woo-who man is. Also - the crowd mikes thing. Have you ever seen them? A big fluffy boom-type thing in the stands. I can't recall ever having seen one at a stadium.

I'm thinking of making this into an eight-part podcast series: the unmasking of the mystery MFC woo-who man at Adelaide Oval. First point of order. I've given considerable time to reflecting on the ethical issues of this project and have reached a self-justified conclusion that it's perfectly fine. I'm a shifty journalist after all. And if Woo-who's identity is ever revealed he will probably also get shouted a drink by any poster on this forum should they ever bump into him. ............................................................................................................................................................. Now that the fiddly legal stuff is out of the way: hoping for some Demonland hive-mind on the basic facts. Woo-who man first emerged during our famous win at Adelaide Oval in 2017? Has always been just Adelaide matches? But we also last played Port at AO at the end of 2016? He was only audible in the final quarter last night? Memory thinks yes but has he been there for each and every one of our AO games since first emerging? ............................................................................................................................................................... If my podcast has any hope of getting past episode 2 and moving into Tiger King territory then I think the following is an important factor: my initial instinct was that last night's Woo-who man was an imposter. Anyone else get that vibe? Or any audiologists on here or even sound engineers who can pull the audio and run it side by side? Has Woo-who man spawned copy-cats? Now. I've already spoken to someone high-up in the AV realm at Adelaide Oval (who happens to be a very close relative) - but he works more on the conference side than in the 'bowl' (on field-stuff). His initial instincts were that Woo-who man is also AV. But the oval has two crowd-mikes in the stands. Woo-who man and/or any imitators would have to be savvy enough to know where to sit to be audible above the crowd noise. Did you know that stadiums even before Covid-19 pump artificial noise into the crowd to provoke cheering and such? Canned cheering. Crazy. My very close relative said it's the strangest thing when you're wandering around the ground on a quiet Tuesday morning and suddenly a massive cheer goes up when they're testing out the system. ................................................................................................................................................................ Anyway. First point of investigation. Woo-who man obviously has a sense of humour. The beauty is in the understatement. I'd also be willing to bet the house that he scouts this forum and is probably a poster. If my facts are in order, someone - original Woo-who man or not - made a deliberate effort to get on the soundtrack in the last quarter last night. Would he have any public recognition outside of the tragics on here? I don't think it's just a personality quirk and huge coincidence based on member's seating or some such. Can think of roughly four SA-based supporters on this forum off the top of my head. But the details escape me. There was someone who used to post pre-match footage with his kid. One of our older grizzly members who hates South Australia (who I would probably rule out). Someone who mentioned they were in attendance yesterday. Another younger guy from circa 16' who may have changed his username. Anyone else? Confession. I'm originally from South Australia. ProDee (whatever happen to?) called me out once in pure ProDee style for listing my team-sheet backwards - forwards at the top and defenders at the bottom. This may be a clue to any other closet Croweaters on here if anyone wants to scan the 'changes' threads. Anyway. Any confirmation of facts or clues or hypotheses are most welcome. Get sleuthing.

Choo Choo PF! And pooh pooh to the naysayers.

We planned around TMac. We got it wrong - but other than the hindsight heroes on here there's not a lot of blame to pass around. He looked the goods up forward. Got foot injuries, structure changed, is spent earlier than expected. The best and only thing we can do now is continually play Weid and Jacko and develop them into our one-two up-front combo. TMac goes to pasture. It's unfortunate but necessary. Edit: Or we recruit a forward.

Nothing much to add other than can we please resist the temptation of bringing TMac back in for any non-emergency reason.

Another Adelaide Oval who-hoo. Someone on here should put their hand up. Legend.

Who-hoo!. That wasn't the original but a copy-cat. Fantastic.

At least Tomald won't be in Harmes' or anyone else's way.

Perfect conditions for a spot of wadlopen.

My guess is AmDam is talking about here: (It makes me feel a little bit better anyway).

This, by all rights, should be an absolute thumping. We crumbled under pressure last week, but in the two games we've played against teams in the bottom half of the ladder we've looked a genuine class above - with good ball movement and scoring nous. Throw in a winless team on a short-turnaround and with eight changes and a 50-point plus win should be on the cards.

There's probably an element of confirmation bias here - as I had been concerned about the four day break leading into the match (and had quietly questioned our approach) - but within about two minutes it looked exactly to me like a completely flat team against one which had had a longer break. It's a sport of such tight competitive margins. But I get why everyone is angry. It looked like the same stuff we've served up in the past. It was. But partly in my mind because the short break exacerbated our obvious issues. Such as poor skills. We also made it worse at the selection table - another reoccurring theme. And we've definitely had games in our past where the players have showed zero effort. The reason I'm accepting that the short break had an influence however was because effort hasn't been one of our recent issues. Our structure is shot and almost all of our senior players haven't offered a thing. But I don't recall a lack of effort being spoken of once this year. People can be [censored] at those other things - but I feel anger towards the players is unwarranted.

I don't know mate. I don't know how many teams have had the four-day break so far. Finding it hard to watch. It's obvious everyone wants to be grumpy at the MFC. And I've made it clear I'm upset with the AFL scheduling and don't think the condensed rounds are cool at all. I'm still annoyed with our series of six-day breaks and travel and accumulation of injuries in the back half of 2017. But in saying that I also think it's too simplistic to look at the number of soft-tissue injuries across the league as a measure. Some players are more susceptible than others. Gawn has had soft-tissue issues before. The AFL has increased the risk to those players. It's okay to say toughen up but football isn't the EPL or NBA. The players also don't have the regular experience of backing up from short breaks.

Is that our first soft-tissue issue for the year? Right on the back of a four-day break? The AFL is putting livelihoods at risk for the sake of cash.

"Selecting coaches is the toughest job of all," Lyon said. "I won't apologise for the decision ever. That is life. Unfortunately it didn't work." Translation: "My decision and the selection criteria were perfectly fine. It was the other guy who was crap."

As to the above posts. Just in case anyone missed it - the NT gov declared COVID hot-spot status for greater Brisbane yesterday and I doubt it will take much to add the Gold Coast. It's going to make fixturing games in Alice and Darwin somewhat tricky now.

Is it possible that Clarry is a bit exhausted? He's now into third in the AFL for consecutive games. Plays high minutes. Huge contested numbers. Rarely gets rested on field out of the middle. Goodwin said recently that he was the hardest worker at the club. Would have to have one of the heaviest work-loads in the AFL over the past three years and he needed to work harder on fitness than most coming into the system.

Soccer players don't get slammed into the ground multiple times per game - although it does appear they cop the occasional sniper fire to the legs. Love Burgo (if I was Nick Kyrgios I would have him on the phone) - but I just hope we're being as tactically smart as can be.

Does Richardson now hold the record for the most AFL clubs coached?

Such a quirky sport that we all love. A number of rules where the umpire has to determine the intention of a player. The onus on the opposition to execute a skill in returning the ball following a penalty. Sometimes to a player running back from the mark. Who doesn't have to try in receiving the ball. We can't even kick it to our own teammates properly half the time. Fritsch was pinged because he transferred the ball from his left to right hand while getting up. He was expected to handball it back while off balance and on his back. Like Fritsch held the ball out twice. Bailey could have taken it and didn't make the effort. I'm also always amused when the umps award a free and then says it's Jack's ball e.g. How many sports where it's incumbent on a player to know all the names of opposition players?

Foolishly missed the game and haven't watched a replay (the highlights were frustrating enough) - but going by what has been said on here I think sometimes having such a dominant ruckman can be a detriment, especially when we have an elite extraction crew. Raised the same point a few years back when Gawn was sidelined and we had a good run with Pedo. I would back us in to win with equal caliber ruckmen and a 50-50 split on the tap. But when teams are certain they will lose the hit-out they can plan negating tactics. Didn't say it at the time but I felt Stef Martin going out wasn't a good thing. We set up as if we are assured of ruck dominance - not being reactionary is a mark of Goodwin's coaching - but it means we're constantly subject to defensive tactics such as sharking etc.