Redleg

You wonder how so called “football experts “ can’t see the quality in a player playing for them over several seasons.

Very important next season for Spargo. Another poor one will put his AFL career in jeopardy. Poor second seasons are not uncommon, but consecutive poor seasons, aren’t looked at favourably from average players, by List Management.

The real point is why did we not see what he could do and keep him. He left because we lowballed him. He didn't get bucketloads from the Pies. We showed him he wasn't wanted. We wanted Ben Kennedy, another master stroke.

I actually don't think it matters who is in the GF, as it is always a sellout and TV is there. With the Tigers or Cats, there would have been a Vic team anyway.

When you say we were " bankrolled", who isn't? We get much less than a lot of other clubs.

As with the MRO and Tribunal, an Independent, ex GC Suns official, will decide if they get pick 2 as a PP.

That keeps getting said, like when the last batch of Bartel, Stevie J, Enright, Scarlett, Mackie, Corey, Chapman etc left and yet they keep playing finals. They are a well managed club, like the Hawks and keep contending.

Why? If Ablett and Harry retire, that won't kill them and they have 8 guaranteed walk up start wins, at their own dung heap. An advantage that no other Vic team has. When Kelly goes they will get players or high picks. They have a potential forward star in Esava. Players seem to want to go there.

He left us with a navicular problem and it derailed his season. They are a shocking injury and have ended careers.

Ah yes recruiting. Is it important? Tigers get 2 GC Suns players, who kick 7 goals in a Prelim and take them to the GF. A bloke they got from the Bombers a few years ago is their 3rd best on the night and nearly best for the year. Get it right Dees, just get it right.

Dunstall just said a very poor look for the AFL and that former Pies players should have recused themselves, because of conflict perception. Eddie grinning like a Cheshire Cat saying nothing to do with Collingwood.

Talk about integrity, the AFL has none. Really, they are just a business that are motivated totally by the dollar.

Paul Williams and Shane Wakelin former Pies made up 2/3 of the Tribunal after Christian the MRO another Pie put Greene out against their former club. A shocking look for a Tribunal system.

How can it be allowed for a Premiership player of a club, to officiate in an incident, where a player of his club, or the club they are playing are concerned. Not only Christian who rubs Greene out, but 2 out of the 3 Tribunal members were past Pies players. This is a disgrace. Another AFL one. Justice has to be seen to be done. Oh and by the way, Christian who was all about the injury caused to the victim, in rubbing out players, totally ignored in this incident that there was no injury or severe action in the incident as stated by the victim Neale, the club Doctor and Coach Fagan. They were totally ignored. My favourite comment is "what would have happened if the charged player was a Collingwood player?"

From the AGE: "The AFL will not fine Matthews, Bartel or Connors for their heavily critical comments of the MRO and tribunal process." You know why not, because they want it to go away. Here is part of Ronny Lerner's Age Article today: But Matthews told Macquarie Sports Radio on Friday morning it felt like the Giants had already been playing Collingwood all week after 1990 premiership player Michael Christian first laid the charge in his capacity as match review officer while former Magpies Shane Wakelin and Paul Williams sat on the tribunal on Tuesday night. Greene’s appeal was dismissed on Thursday night, prompting Matthews to declare “the system has failed” Greene who got suspended despite the absence of “a shred of evidence”. “We’re a little bit disappointed in the fact that not once but twice Lachie Neale’s testimony or evidence was discredited and this is probably a bloke who’s at worst going to be on the podium for the Brownlow on Monday night for the best-and-fairest player. “His evidence they washed their hands of it, [Brisbane Lions coach] Chris Fagan’s evidence [was] thrown out the door, Brisbane Lions doctor thrown out the door, the footage of Lachie Neale rubbing his nose thrown out the door. “You have three very well-respected people ... it just felt like it was pre-determined all week the result and that’s what we have to deal with. I think it’s a bit of Toby Greene factor, I think we all take that into account.” Matthews also went on SEN on Friday and said: “It seems to me that the only issues with [Neale’s] eye region are the people who laid the charge in the first place. “If you consider the facts of the case and put aside the emotion that seems to surround Toby Greene, and others in the competition from time to time, the facts of the case didn’t support the charge. “It’s a very, very disappointing outcome and I can’t be any clearer on this - the system has failed Toby Greene this week." Matthews said Greene’s long rap sheet should have had nothing to do with this case and that he was entitled to have his circumstances fairly assessed in isolation. “This whole week I’ve watched the media put up his rap sheet, most of which are parking fines – engaging in melees and whatever else,” he said.

From the AFL site: McLachlan said match review officer Michael Christian, a former Collingwood premiership player, had done a "great job" in assessing incidents this season. The Giants are seething at Greene's one-match suspension being upheld by the AFL appeals board on Thursday night. GWS chief executive David Matthews says he now has little confidence in the tribunal process, while Greene's manager Paul Connors has lashed the system. Connors sat next to Greene throughout the two-hour appeals board hearing on Thursday night. "He's gutted. It's a preliminary final we're talking about, this is big and if this was a Collingwood player, there would be uproar," Connors told Sportsday. "In over 20 years of management, I've never seen a worse decision. "You can have your opinions on Toby, but on the facts of the facts, this is a disgrace. "If this was any other player, especially if he was at Collingwood, I don't think we'd be hearing the last of it." Greene has now been suspended for seven games across his 144-game career and racked up more than $26,000 in fines. Matthews on Friday noted Christian had played in a premiership for Collingwood. "And it feels like we've been playing Collingwood all week," Matthews told Macquarie Radio.

If Frost goes, Oscar stays.

Well, I suppose we will know the outcome in a few weeks.

What, rubbing his hand over a player's forehead in a pack? Everybody agrees there was no eye gouge.

That's it. Also unmarried coupling. Over and out.

Have no problem with improving our list. Just surprised he is possibly on way out and others who most don’t rate, stay.

Not worried about skill and talent?

Very likely, but in the case of the players we can see who are not AFL standard, what other reason would you keep them for?

The club are putting on an end of season showing of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and we are short, pardon the pun, a couple of dwarfs.

I am bemused that we have a player who has height and pace and played every game, in this his best season with us and yet we are not trying to keep him and while we allegedly extend a player like ANB, for 2 years, who is small, not fast, can’t mark, kick or handball and is one of several in his position and who has had a terrible season.