binman

By the by, dazzler, i wanted to clarify that leaving aside the issue of the impact of drugs on disadvantaged communities i wanted to make 1000% clear i think that as a society we should be doing everything in our power to reduce the likelihood all children (ie young people up to age of 18 and even a bit older) use drugs and alcohol whilst still children and their brain is still developing. The research on brain development has come a very long way since i started in community services and it is now clear that use of any toxic substances, including alcohol, hugely negatively impacts the developing brain - which research suggests continues to develop up to aprox 25 (and beyond but much more incrementally). And i'd like to add that the work you are doing is so, so important. There is no more important work. I often wondered when i was doing resi work, by far the hardest and most demanding work i have ever done, if i was making a difference. Quite a few years later i was in homelessness and a kid from one of the units became a client of service. Great kid. Hadn't seen in him since working with him. And when he saw me he beamed and talked at length about stuff we had done together stuff and things i had said to him (that i could barely recall saying). He told me that i had indeed made a difference and he very much took on board some of my advice (i wish my own kids would!). Said that he always loved that he could tell i liked and respected him - despite the bat**** crazy stuff he often got up to (and it was crazy). Said that had been really important to him. From that day on, when supervising staff doing direct service who were worried they weren't making a difference i used that example and reinforced that we may never see it, but it's there. Big and small. Thank you for the difference you are making in the life of the young people you care, support and advocate for. We need more dazzlers.

Well dazzler, I for one think yelling racist abuse is way, way worse than taking recreational drugs. Incomparably worse. For one thing yelling racist abuse is, at least in my opinion, morally and ethically unacceptable. In my opinion recreational drug use is neither. Of course drug misuse is damaging to communities, particularly the most disadvantaged. And the most disadvantaged of all are Aboriginal communities because of endemic systemic racism, which is underpinned by the sort of casual racism they are forced to endure (as bad as it is, the issue isn't really Walker yelling racist abuse at a local footy match - it's that he thought it was socially acceptable to do so). Drug misuse is a symptom. And for many a form of logical self medication. Recreational drug use harms the individual choosing to use them. Yelling racist epithets harms the person being subjected to the abuse, anyone who hears it and the society as a whole. And Aboriginal people. Made 100 times worse when it is someone people admire and put on a pedastool like Walker. You seem to be conflating drug use and drug misuse. Of course if drug use becomes misuse it can cause untold harm on communities, particularly as you say disadvantaged communities. And you are 100% correct there are many communities ravaged by drug misuse. I assume you have the same views on alcohol? That recreational alcohol use is worse than yelling racist abuse? I have worked in the community services sector for over 30 years. For many years I worked in residential care with the kids you work with now. Damaged, traumatised kids removed from their families for their own protection. I have worked in child protection, the youth drug space (rehab units), needle exchanges, harm reduction, youth refuges, family services, family violence, public housing and homelessness (family, rough sleeping, crisis). On a personal level I was a young fella in Melbourne during the heroin epidemic in the 80s and early 90s. The Herald Sun had a daily overdose count such was the devastation and the music scene I was part of as a punter was devastated by the dragon, as were close friends. I know the damage drugs can do. But i can categorically say that in my experience NOTHING comes close to the damage alcohol does. Nothing. It's alcohol and then daylight on the scale of harm its misuse causes to kids, families and communities. Particularly the most disadvantaged ones.

Fair enough. But leaving aside my belief the media interview was orchestrated or the fact that because he is from a small country town doesn’t mean he is a clueless country bumpkin (who by the way left said back blocks when he was 14 and went to boarding school in Adelaide- not to mention having lived in Australia's second biggest city for the last 4 years) I'd ask a simple question. If, as you suggest, he is not media savy (which I didn't suggest by the way - I said he is not interested - Harry is a smart bloke who has, in my opinion, just used the media for his own ends ie media savy) why did he stop for not one, but two media interviews? He could have chosen to do what he had no doubt done a million times - walked on by the gaggle, wavede his hands, and simply said not today fellas. I don't recall koz, who definitely isn't media savvy, getting sucked into doing a door stop interview when he was considering his future Again, Harry can do what he wants. And in the scheme of things it isn't a big deal. He'll play for us next year and perhaps beyond. And I'm not meaning to tar and feather Harry. But by the same token it is completely reasonable for fans who are passionate and for whom their support isnt a business decision to be upset. Or annoyed. Or frustrated. And by the by I reckon vitriol is a bit strong. I haven't read any posts going super hard at petty. As my dear departed mum said to me more than once - I'm not angry, I'm disappointed.

Reasonable points. I agree petty has every right to play where he wants to play - and for whatever reason he likes. It's a business and clubs will cut players - or not play them - when it suits them. Just look at the Billings situation. Forced out because the saints weren't gonna play him. Or ask Deakyn Smith about loyalty. But personally I dislike he chose to use the media to make his case and put undue pressure on the club. And choosing to play a round of golf with players from a club you are agitating to get to, regardless if they are old mates or not, BEFORE the trade period ended was very poor form. I mean c'mon if he was gagging for a game of golf with fogerty et al he could have waited 'till this morning. And making sure the SA media know ahead of time and are there to report on it and do a door stop interview? Please. If anyone thinks he and his manager didn't orchestrate that circus they are kidding themselves. It was particularly galling given petty does stuff all media or promotional work for the dees. Again, his call and he can do what he wants. As i said Its a business for players, clubs and managers. But it's not a business for fans, its a passion. And when a player jerks around the club they should understand it will upset and hurt fans. I would understand if he had an axe to grind and felt he was being treated unfairly. But by his own admission he doesn't and hasn't been. Have your conversations about wanting to be traded internally and show some respect to your current employer who has given you your shot at AFL footy - not to mention strongly supported you through the zorko drama and helped you be a premiership player. And show some respect to dees fans who at the end of the day are the reason he is able to be paid handsomely to live out his dream. I'd be more forgiving if he was a kid. For that reason I cut Horne Francis plenty of slack. But petty is a grown [censored] adult for petts sake.

RUOK?

Well, within 60 seconds this genius gave you Brian Wilson. Couldn't make it at the dogs, who were woeful at the time. The roos were better, but didn't set the world on fire and they were happy to ship him off to the lowly dees. The very definition of an unfulfilled talent. Small body too. And my oh my did the mighty dees make him better: - won the Brownlow in 1982, his first season at the dees - the only player to have won a Brownlow Medal at his third club - At 20 years of age, he was the youngest brownlow winner since Bob Skilton in 1959 - Melbourne leading Goalkicker in 1985 - Victorian State Representative in 1982, 1983 and 1988 Meet your definition? Or did you write 'recent' in invisible ink?

I think I'm right in saying he was a mature age recruit. Played his first game at 23 IIRC

pronoun [censored]knuckle

Yeah, but he is so big!

Well one that immediately comes to mind is another 'small body'. Brian Wilson started his career at the dogs, went to the roos before landing at the dees where he played 150 plus games. And won a Brownlow. Was that quick enough? I've got more if needed.

I'm spewing i have to miss seeing this game live. I just realized it is at Ikon park and 100% would be going if it were not for the fact i'm seeing Nile Rogers and Chaka Khan at the bowl on Saturday night.

Good nickname in an ironic way given her ability to put the cooler on oppo players. But she'll always be Shelly to me!

Fair points. The key for salo is some luck with injury and the thyroid stuff. If he has an uninterrupted preseason i'm confident he will get back to his best. If he does it will almost be like having a new recruit.

Love it. 100% agree. One of the things i've loved about the AFLW is that in a short period of time there are already a handful of players who are right up there with my all time favorite dees players - male or female. Shelley (who doesn't need a Australian style nick name ie with the compulsory y at the end of the name), Westy, Paxy and Hanksy are all all time favorites of mine (with Goldy not far off being added!). .

Or perhaps free up salo to play as a mid/high half forward/utility type?

Doesn't meet the Ross Lyon glass muncher threshold. Curious, because Goody has much the same threshold yet in Schache and Billings we have traded in two players who are far from being competitive beasts.

Oh yeah - good call. Completely forgot we picked him up. Couldn't get on the park because of bad concussion issues IIRC. Such a shame for the young bloke -seemed a really nice youg fella

Helps explain why she is such a brilliant and ferocious tackle.

Billings, Salo and ?

The top ten in the 2013 draft makes for interesting reading: Tom Boyd - Giants Josh Kelly - Giants (pick traded from Melbourne) Jack Billings - Saints Marcus Bontempelli - Bulldogs Kade Kolodjashnij - Gold Coast Matthew Scharenberg - Collingwood James Aish - Lions Luke McDonald - Roos Christian Salem - Dees (mid first round compensation pick from 2010 traded from Giants) Nathan Freeman - Collingwood Dees end up with three top 10 picks from that draft! (note: we picked up hunt and traded in Dom Tyson as part of the pick swap that saw Kelly go to the Giants and Salo to us. A Paul Roos call)

Never rated him. Do now.

The 'can kick the ball inside 50' line made me laugh. Summed up our key issue in six words - as opposed to my six thousand words making the same point. Not to self - sometimes less is more (and certainly less time consuming!).

Yes very true. Taylor and goody sing from the same hymn book in that regard - ie prioritising competitive will over all else. And for good reason given the intensity of AFL footy now. The contest has always been critical but it's next level now. No room anymore for pure 'outside' players. I was against trading Watts, but it was the right call (pro dee/gator says hi) - leaving aside any cultural concerns, goody could see where the game was heading. Ten years ago you could perhaps carry one or two players like Jack who have elite kicking skills but picked and choose when to go. Not anymore. (I'll concede I was wrong on Watts. But I'm sticking to my opinion we should have pulled the trigger on Josh Kelly, even with salo playing an important role in our Premiership). One thing I'll give the pies alot of credit for is their most skilled players are still hard at it and are competitors. The daicos brothers, pendles, Sidebottom and mcreery are all brilliant kicks. But all are also competitors and don't shirk the contest. Mcvee has the same qualities and will be a critical player for us in the next few years (which is crazy to think given he was a smokey to even be selected at the start of the season).

Yep Wattsy's off field stuff and 'cultural issues' played a part in him being traded (and by the by we won premiership so hard to argue it wasn't the right decision). But I wasn't suggesting JB has any concerns i that space. I was referring to the irony of bringing in player who, like Jack, has silky skills but doesn't have the intensity or attack on the pill that goody values so highly.

That's what we need some more off.