Webber

We wish. Wouldn’t have made an iota of difference.

Their defence is making us look hopeless, or just impotent. Probably both. Who needs Tom Stewart? Geelong’s flag to lose, of that their is absolutely no doubt. Red and blue glasses off, the Cats are just sensational, and have timed their tilt perfectly. I so wish it were otherwise.

You’re joking, yes?

One word. Uncompetitive when the finals heat comes on, and this IS a final. So much promise, so much hope, and bang. 7 goals in 10 minutes. That’s not just a fraudulent defence, that’s a contested embarrassment. In all honesty, who here thinks we can win the flag? And how?

And in the space of 10 minutes, we’re not within a bulls roar of the flag. They are slaughtering us, on every line, by every measure. They are flag favourites, by a long long way.

When are they going to start paying their throws? I’m not sure this is a contest any more, more like a slaughter. Oh dear.

Their finishing is far superior to ours. At the pointy end, this sadly means everything.

Dahlhaus goal, not 15 metres from Hawkins pass (not even 10). Selwood goal directly from May insufficient intent disgrace. Tell me bad umpiring can’t affect outcomes. Disgraceful adjudicating.

The blanket is to suggest his future and now current legacy, Demonstone (at least as it was when I painted it- GWS and GCS are now there, but no Tassie team, could be a future addition!), an impression of comfort in death to a troubled but inspirational man who wasn’t acknowledged as such in his time. The black with blue ‘V’ is the (Melbourne) University club, who were the 9th club member of the original VFL (Richmond were 10th!), until 1914, their demise largely being a result of their resolute non-professionalism when money started to become a dominant factor in the competition. Red pocket is to denote that he was driven by his heart, the scissors his mode of death by self-stabbing - in that very heart (likely during an episode of alcoholic psychosis, according to Greg de Moore). The cap colours are ironically that of both the “I Zingari” - a famed invitational team of professional cricketers in a time when playing cricket for money was a bit like admitting to prostitution, and of course those of the Indigenous flag - Tommy famously coached and managed Australia’s all conquering, all indigenous cricket team who first went to England (though he wasn’t allowed to go with them, on account of the drinking). The Currawong and boomerang are reinforcements to his relationships with native and indigenous Australia, the burning goalposts hint at his still complicated place in footy’s history. The empty bottle is sadly self-explanatory. Add : for you or anyone who doesn’t know about or hasn’t read Martin Flanagan’s brilliant novel (and who doesn’t love his writing?) inspired by Tom Wills, herewith - https://www.amazon.com.au/Call-Martin-Flanagan/dp/1922473626/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+call+Martin+flanagan&qid=1629535602&sr=8-1

I was sitting behind those goals…….grim stuff.

About 8 years back, inspired by Greg De Moore’s book, and Martin Flanagan’s 2011 John Button oration. Has done a couple of times. Currently residing in an apartment building foyer in Collingwood! Here’s a companion for those interested - an imagined meeting between Tommy and Ned Kelly (again inspired by Flanners comparison of their legacies)

No and no. Would that the Coaches Votes replaced the Brownlow. They’re the best table of who really deserves accolades, better than the media (possessions obsessed) and the umps (visibility focussed). They could be held in secret til season’s end, and would be much more suspenseful, with the broader spread of votes per game.

I’d say this is undoubtedly true. They’ve also been more vigilant on paying the throws. No Bruce, no umps, no Dogs.

….we play Brisbane (most likely), not Port.

We lose tomorrow, we finish third and lose home team status.

But for a 3 point turnaround, tomorrow night’s game has gone from dead rubber status to first week of the finals status. Regardless of whether we’re a better side or not, playing Port in Adelaide with their crowd, and only their crowd, is a 4 to 6 goal harder job. We don’t want that, and neither do Geelong. Port are now in the finals box seat. As the only club who’ll get a home crowd for two finals at least, they have to now be favourites to make the Grand Final. Seems wrong, but there it is.

Not what we wanted. Must win tomorrow now. Port in Adelaide is going to be very tricky. Dogs are gone….

Aliir has given Naughton an absolute bath.

Except it was the absolute definition of insufficient intent to keep the ball in, or not to run it out. A free kick every day of the week.

Acrylic on canvas.

Thanks Luther, was part of a series based around Tom Wills/football. Ironically, given the niche awareness, they sold very well. This one, apart from being a bit ‘dark’ in context, is rather large …. 7 ft wide, tends to dominate a wall.

Absolutely agree, LDC, he still hasn’t been given the ‘resurrection’ he deserves, although I suspect it’s coming. Martin Flanagan has been Tommy’s champion for years, for reasons his John Button oration outlines. It hasn’t happened yet, despite his bronzed immortalisation outside the MCG, probably because of the hangover stigma of his being an alcoholic suicide. I think it’s maybe now about timing more than anything, even if there’s a waning appetite for history and legacy in what has become an essentially corporatised sport. I would say that very few devotees or outright fans of the sport are aware of its significance - the oldest codified football sport in the world, of which MFC are the inaugural club, under whose name its rules were first written. The vast majority who I get to bore with these facts, young generations included, actually do find it fascinating. That there was such an extraordinary personality at its genesis is of course equally fascinating, but wholly unknown to those fans. That Flanners book and Greg de Moore’s remain the only substantial biographies of Tom Wills is extraordinary. I like your ‘Tom Wills round’ idea.

Extraordinary man, troubled yet transformative. Herewith a brilliant article by Martin Flanagan, who also wrote his own ‘fictionalised’ novel about Tommy - “The Call”, and my own portrait of Tommy (a death scene), the exhibition of which Martin opened… https://australianfootball.com/articles/view/Why+Tom+Wills+is+an+Australian+legend+like+Ned+Kelly/133

Don’t forget ‘sweeper’. Heard both Salem and Lever referred to as such this year.

Not to be confused with Geelong of course, who were ‘The Pivotonians” before becoming The Cats.