John Crow Batty

I second that

Despite Jamar's ruck dominance and astute tap work we've been smashed all too often all year in clearances and stoppages. Theres enough outside leg speed. We need players that can burrow in and get the ball out.

This is becoming more of a mystery than Allen Jakovich's whereabouts. If he's not 100% committed for playing with us even for one more season then I don't have have a problem if he goes. I'd have a problem if he stuck around and wasn't on board a full 100%. Not good having a sooking veteran sucking up the energy of the positive momentum that is building at the club. I hope there are sincere non club related issues for his continued absence and silence.

Heres another great Jako moment.

These Scott brothers are made of stern stuff. Jumping into coaching with the same determination they played with. Geelong perceived to be on the decline. North permanent survival battlers. Both poison chalice positions. I'm sure many other higher profile coaching aspirants wouldn't dream of going near these clubs at the moment.

It was reported in the Age today that jilted Geelong assistant Brenton Sanderson has attracted interest from us as replacement back line coach. I think it would be another coup if we could get him. What do you all reckon.

He was way before my time too. Perhaps you are right.

Far more worthy players move on without a word when they get dropped. This guy has to bleat to the media. Asks the question to how did such a non story ever get in the papers? Not exactly a household name is he?

I'd love to see him develop further. Needs to find a permanent position, develop a bit more physically and lose that inconsistency. I think he will get there.

Fantastic story. Lets hope to hear more.

I was there and the I what I remember the most was the bone crunching physical presence and attack on the ball by Hawthorn in the first quarter. Greg Dear's play made me wince. The rest of the game was a dull blur punctuated by piercing cheers from the Hawthorn fans. On the way home I walked past Glenferrie Oval and felt terrible.

I always thought Jeff White was a great player and gave the club great service but there was something intangible missing in his game that I find hard to identify. Perhaps a bit of mongrel or physical presence that could have turned games. He punched above his weight with minimal height but great leap and got a lot of the ball at bounces but not so often to advantage. I couldn't see him as a ruckman that would have led us to a premiership. Thats why Collingwood chased Jolly. During the Daniher years I'd reckon we were a bit soft as a team after 2000 and he fitted into that profile especially during our frequent fadeouts. Perhaps over used as others have said? He was never "The Great White Hope" that it was hoped he would become when picked up. From potential superstar quality he ended up as a great tradesman. Eventually he got squeezed out by Bailey despite us having no other perceived quality ruck options at the time. Thats why the likes of Robert Warnock were chased before Jamars stunning emergence. With Jamar I can see that premiership aura in him but one good season does not make a premiership ruckman. He has to go back to back and further and will need some help along the way.

There have been many great full forward goal kickers but I would rate only two as having irresistable goal face dominance and presence. Both too good to be true and only fate could cut them down. Peter Hudson and Allen Jackovich. Hudson was cut down by injury. Jackovich by his own excesses and also injury. Both would have racked up 1200+ goals easily if they had fully realised careers.

You must have been a sucker for punishment and loved seeing us lose on a regular basis. Wins were very rare for us at these suburban wastelands. Did you ever get to a cold, wet windy game at the Western Oval when we played there? Our performances were usually more miserable than the weather.

The tragedy is that there must be a lot of players around with "character" and work ethic that never get the opportunity. With Barlow, it amazes me how none of the Victorian clubs could find him in their own backyard.

Perhaps we should start a "Where is Allen Jackovich" thread.

A good point. These father/son guys get far more opportunities and leeway than the usual draftee. A good example is Jobe Watson. He would have been one of the first players scratched at draft camps if he didn't have the famous pedigree. Would have been perceived as too slow, average skills and questionable decision making. But to his credit he worked damn hard and made himself into a footballer. Chris had the same opportunity and didn't make the best of it.

As others have commented, the saddest thing about this episode is the bad blood formed between the club and a past great player and his family. Perhaps the family's expectations were too high for Chris. I always thought he was a marginal player at best and I wondered if he ever would have been drafted at all if his father was not Allan Johnson.

Cricket grounds overseas are all sorts of weird shapes and sizes and usually far smaller than Australian grounds. In particular the older ones. Oval ones are just another variation. The London Oval ground used to be ideal but a few years ago they reduced its size to make it just another small oval ground. But there would be quite a few that are suitable. The climate is another factor. Imagine trying to play our game in places like India, Sri Lanka, West Indies and parts of Pakistan with their oppressive climates. The most ideal time to play will also conflict with the local cricket season. A big turnoff to get the game going for the locals who would think it insane to play a punishing game like ours during the day. Could only play there at night. The big hurling grounds in Ireland would be ideal but as we've seen the Irish are not much interested unless we play that silly hybrid game on their terms. At least in Shanghai the weather is OK for half the year and this ground suits. Besides the Greater Shanghai area has a population of around 18-20 million in an area smaller than Melbourne and its suburbs. A perfect place to start a grass roots competition if we could overcome the logistical and cultural factors and get enough Chinese interested in the game.

Thanks for that. IMO the biggest problem for our game to establish itself overseas is the lack of suitable grounds. Theres nothing worse than our game being played on a soccer pitch, small cricket or baseball ground as in many exhibition games played in the past. From the footage I saw the game looked good. This is an opportunity for the the AFL. They should pull their finger out and exploit it if they want to get into China. As s a heritage site it would be obsolete for any of the more popular sports in China at the moment. From the pictures the stadium looks like a cross between the coliseum and Tianamen Square with all that Stalinist art deco architecture. Would be a great backdrop for our game.

Great pics and thank you. Lyndon Dunn got to do something with the bum fluff under his nose. Either make it pencil like or get rid of it. Can you tell us more about the stadium. How does it shape up to AFL standards? To me it looks very long but perhaps not wide enough.

Did you find out anything about him or what he's up too. Seems to be a mystery man these days.

And further, seeing him on his own in the goal square unable to help us out in a game played to the death brought tears to my eyes. After all he had done for us in many forgetable years, he was cruely cut down in what would have been his finest momment. He tried his guts out but his injury was too debilitating.

I wish some posters would read things more carefully before engaging in unwarranted personal attacks especially in dealing with these hypothetical whimsical topics that are just opinion based. I lamented he was crippled in his final game because it was a tragic shame his career ended this way and he also missed out on a GF after such an outstanding career. If he was fit that game we would have won. As for the pension comment it was relavent as it was common knowledge it was his final year. He played out his career on the forward line as many quality veterans do to ensure they have a good chance of seeing out the year. I also acknowleged that he performed there to his usual high standard. It was a shame his career ended just as we were getting relavent again. For the purpose of this topic I would agree with Tommo that he would be unsuited for a sub because he would be a regulation first pick starter in any game. It is beneath him to be a sub. Thats why I'd prefer a more multi role type like Grinter. But I do agree with you there was not much incentive to go to a Dee's game then without him playing.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda sums it up. This is just a hypothetical topic and not to be taken seriously. As you say, HIS HOME WAS ON THE WING. The Barassi years were a joke. He could have played anywhere and been the superstar in that team. A half back flanker is still an outside player. He could rise to the occasion in any position but I doubt given his build he could sustain the physical punishment for long in packs and heavily contested play. In his final year he was more or less playing for his pension fund. Still gave us the usual great service and it was sad to see him lame and crippled in the goal square in his final game in the 87 PF. If we made it to the GF he'd never would have played.