Bigdeeal

Obviously I hope I'm terribly wrong about this, but does the name Nick 426 Smith ring any bells? Big unit, sounded good, promised much, delivered little. And I'm not referring to his 426 injury problems. Or maybe Ben Holland in his later years with us? James has been playing in the SANFL on and off, for Glenelg, and although I haven't seen much of him, what I have seen suggests someone who should be smashing the opposition, but isn't. I could't even tell you what position he plays, because he seems to play everywhere and nowhere (baby!). He doesn't throw his weight around, and doesn't seem to use his height to advantage, and he's not a big goal scorer in a competition where he might be expected to dominate. He doesn't seem to play with any confidence, and maybe that's his major problem. Craig and Todd obviously know a lot more about him than all of us, and must think that they can get him up to speed. I guess we just have to trust that they know what they're doing. I suppose that on balance we don't have much to lose, and potentially a lot to gain, so maybe there's a silver lining (see the subtle connection there, for all you/us old guys!).

Have a look at the photo in the Age showing the family at the draft day in 2009. Have you ever seen a more excited group of people?? http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/scully-seniors-wage-counts-to-gws-salary-cap-20111027-1mkqb.html

Fantastic appointment! Whatever else you might say about the Crows, they're a very professional outfit, and I've always wished that we could be half as professional as they've been. So Craig knows very well what professional looks like, and he expects it, and I doubt that he'd tolerate too much unprofessionalism. So if nothing else, that's a big plus.

If the AFL are genuinely concerned about head injuries, then they should not be concerned about who causes those injuries, whether team-mate or opponent. They should only be concerned that the injury happened. So from now on, if a player for example, negligently and without duty of care, goes for a screamer on his team-mate's shoulders, and in the process fractures the team-mate's jaw with his knee, then he must be reported and penalised. We have to stamp these sorts of things out of the game. It shouldn't matter who caused the injury, only that it happened due to someone's negligence or lack of duty of care. And what do I think he'll get? Reduction to 2 weeks, because the AFL can't be seen to be backing down to the masses, but will throw them a small bone.

Just to set the record straight, you're technically right that Neil Craig has no AFL experience, however he was a very good player in the SANFL for many years, played in several premiership sides and captained SA. In fact, he turned down an offer to play in the VFL. That was at a time, pre-AFL, when in the SA mind at least (yes, I know!), SANFL and VFL were roughly equivalent in standard. Say what you like about the Crows, and I often do, but at the very least they're well drilled and well organised, and with only one recent exception, make us look like bumbling imbeciles whenever we play at Football Park. And they get into the finals on a pretty regular basis, unfortunately.

I've got four letters for you. A. A. M. I. I've been to so many ritual humiliations at this place (I live here), and seen us play like imbeciles every single time, that I'll believe we can ever win there if and when we do. So expect little, and you won't be disappointed. On the other hand, if by some miracle we do win at least one, then your joy will be boundless. Sorry to sound a bit cynical, but living in Adelaide means that most of the games I've seen in recent years have been at this hellhole. Leaving the ground, and the following week, wouldn't be so hard to take if we'd at least put up a fight, but we've been totally embarrassing, every time, even when our recent form has been good and Crows/Port's has been poor. So, I'll believe it when I see it. And I hope I do, but I'm not holding my breath.

Another slightly pedantic correction, WJ. Dean Ottens played for Sturt, not Glenelg. His sons, Brad and Luke did, however, play for Glenelg. Dean later spent a few years in gaol for drug offences.