Cranky Franky

14 hours ago, JimmyGadson said:

@binmanwith all due respect, it's near impossible to talk to you about Oscar. 

It wasn't long ago you were making bets that he wouldn't be dropped over the course of a season, then it turned to how many games he'd play in a year or something.. Now he's been delisted and you're trying to catch me out for something I've never said in the hope he's going to land a rookie contract somewhere? You're like the black knight from Python's 'The Holy Grail'.

I get that you're super passionate about the guy. Good for you. But you're wrong about him when it comes to assessing his ability at league level.

If we can all agree, (which we can), that there are plenty of footballers in this country who could be playing AFL level football but are not for varying reasons, then we can surely agree that there are footballers who have been and are playing AFL football who perhaps shouldn't be, also for varying reasons.

I don't understand this black and white 'AFL standard' BS at have been withat posters talk about. Oscar obviously has some level of ability and along with a myriad of factors, he ended up being drafted to a team extremely light on for key position depth and quality who ultimately decided that playing him early would fast track his development rather tan building him through the twos. In my estimation, that was an error. I said it at the time and ultimately, fast forward six years and the guy has been delisted. Not even kept for backup. What does orters that tell you @binman? I postedmean really, what does it tell you?

Oscar at best was serviceable. And at worst was a complete and utter liability.

He did not develop and his weaknesses were so clearly magnified at AFL level.

He lacked intensity and was too slow in his movement.

Take note that I'm not saying "I told you so". But you must wake up and smell the roses mate. He is not the player you thought he was and the club failed him as well.

Your comments about Oscar are the most sensible out of the 400+ that have been posted.

My real worry is that most average supporters worked out 5 years ago that Oscar was not up to 

It yet the highly paid professionals in our Footy Dpt couldn't see the obvious.

Well done AFL. Anything to cut down the congestion. Have stopped watching any AFL apart from Melbourne games as its become an ugly rugby scrum.

2 hours ago, binman said:

A sad announcement.

I have been following the dees passionately for forty odd years (defined by regular attendance at games) and in all sincerity Omac is one of my all time favorite MFC players.

My favorite demon players over my time of watching them are not necessarily among the best players in their respective team, indeed of my favorites probably only Robbie  was the best in the teams he played with. 

My favorite players are generally those whose effort and work ethic are perhaps greater attributes than their talent. Talent is overrated. Perhaps some might describe them as journeymen, a phrase I've never understood being used as a pejorative. 

Some of my favorites include:

• Ray Biffen (thanks Ray for signing my dees club song fable single) 
• Russel 'Rhino' Richardson (thanks Rhino for that game you won us at Princess Park after Leigh Matthews assaulted Steve Smith)
• Peter Giles (thanks Pete for taking on bigger opponents  week i week our - and your hair, of course) 
• Garry baker (what more needs to be said),
• Spud Dullard (best name in footy and thanks for rucking against the monsters of the 70s)
• Sugar Healy (thanks for being captain at tight time and unlike your brother remaining true)
• Jack Watts (thanks for your class - oh and you brilliant 2017 season which ensured PD had to use you avatar for a time)

All made terrific contributions to the club I have long loved, a club i could only dream of representing.  

And most important of all everyone them seem to be really great people. Respect.

And much respect Omac. Thanks for your contribution and joy you brought me. I really hope you continue your AFL journey. If not, no biggie, someone so smart and hard working will do great things.

And how many people get to play near on 100 games of football or play consecutive finals at a packed MCG heaving with delirious dees fans. Well played sir.  

One thing though. As i posted some time ago I tricked my family of naming our dog Oscar. But as my wife is German, unbeknownst to me, she registered his name as Oskar, which is the name on his dog tag. Apologies for that oversight Oscar. But I do wonder if its is fated and Oskar Baker will become one my favorites too. 

 

If you like them so much show some respect & spell their names correctly

- Its Ray Biffin not Biffen and Rhino Richards not Richardson

29 minutes ago, Grimes Times said:

Just to balance the argument out whats your football playing history Dr.???

Why - are you going to tell us that only people who have played at are serious level are qualified to comment about football ?

My 2 favourite Oscar moments.  1 - gets shunted aside by Jack Stevens in the goal square who goes on to kick the sealer.

2. Darwin v Crows. Marks the ball at half back, no Crows within 80 metres of him.He just stands there clueless until nearby Dees supporters start screaming at him to run. After what seems like an eternity a light bulb comes on & he runs off & kicks it.

Plays well when we have an easy win but is usually missing 

at other times

Covid has had an enormous impact on young developing players outside  the best 

22. It has hindered their development badly & they have had little or no opprtunity

To develop or show their wares.

2 hours ago, Cheesy D. Pun said:

I reckon this guy is close to the most important player we have. If he comes on and is able to form a formidable combination with Kozzy, then I think our entire game plan will look a whole lot better.

"The most important player we have."

This is arguably the silliest comment ever posted in Demonland.

Only had to behave himself for another 24 hours & he would have been fine.

Very average player IMO just like he was at GWS.

His recruitment makes me seriously wonder if our Brains Trust has any idea or is totally clueless.

Only if he turned up fit.  Clearly carrying excess weight & lacked fitness this year.

Definitely a yes from me.  Would of been well coached & developed at Geelong & has a bit of X factor.  Won't cost much. Go for it.

A pox on Geelong.  Hope they go the same way as the Crows after their 2017 Grand Final.

Goal kicking, quality small forwards seem to be popping up everywhere in trade

talk, Fantasia, Jack Lonie, 2 x Higgins.  We lack such players so I 

hope we make a decent offer & land one of these.

1 hour ago, Elegt said:

Should be playing in the forward pocket IMO

Agree.  Needs to improve his disposal which can be sloppy. Also slips over too often.

Mr Beige

Lacked aggression, not particularly quick, average kick, average mark.

46 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

The choice to pick your employer is almost a human right, the AFL did very well to get the restrictions they have in place. Top 4 bans and stuff like that are nonsense. Would never happen.

The issue is the initial free agency was meant to be a stop gap solution for a proper expanded system and its never happened. 
 

Expand restricted free agency back to 5-6 (or even 4) years and then unrestricted free agency after that and the salary cap would be more of an equaliser. 
 

GWS will match and force a trade I’m fairly certain. But if they didn’t match and just signed Cameron then other teams should be able to swoop in and poach a lot of Geelong’s lesser players and hammer their depth. As it stands teams don’t want to do that because they have to give up draft picks. 

Completely disagree. There is no such thing as unrestricted right to pick your employer in the AFL. The draft & salary cap are there to try & make a more level playing field.

Free agency has helped Hawks, Cats & Tigers to top up their lists.

Makes good sense to bar preliminary finalists from free agency.

Ma

5 hours ago, picket fence said:

Dawson was close to one of the worst footballers I ever saw, period! so your post is telling!

Exactly - an A grade spud.  He got awards as St Kilda & Freo's finals player 'cause Lyon was in love with him. Supporters at both clubs hated him. Turnover merchant with no skills. Clarkson delisted him at Hawthorn quick smart.

Saints would have won a couple of flags if they'd have had a quality defender in place of Dawson. 

3 hours ago, nosoupforme said:

Here is an artical on Hassa Mann .

Note that the reasons why he left is explained. 

There is also a link that l have provided of the full article as well.    Great reading.

 

Mann’s performance at Subiaco when the Big V won by nine points not only won him a nipple-pink coloured transistor radio, but the attention of both Fremantle clubs, who sounded him out as a prospective playing coach.

“I had no intention of moving from Melbourne Football Club, let alone across the country,” Hassa said. But when the two clubs pooled together to offer him and wife Glenys a trip to Perth he thought: “why not?” “We flew over with the aim of enjoying ourselves for a week or so; it was an opportunity too good to refuse.” Mann spent a few days as guest of East Fremantle, then South.

“I went back to Melbourne and advised the club that I’d been offered a coaching position in the West, told them I’d prefer to stay, and asked for a two year contract,” he recalled. “The Chairman of Selectors replied that he didn’t reckon I had two years left in me.”

At twenty eight years of age, the three time club fairest and best winner, most recent being 1967, current All Australian, and club captain, was justifiably upset by his rating at the Demons, and decided to accept South Fremantle’s offer.

https://ozfooty.net/newsarticles/pastnpresent/55-where-are-they-now-hassa-mann

Dreadful decision by the Club to let him go.  So many of our better players from the mid sixties to mid seventies were let go or left for greener pastures - Dillon, Parke, Brewer, Kenneally, Callery, Groom, Keenan, Fitzsimmons, Thorne

3 hours ago, Dr.D said:

wait, so you think Watts was a good player? 

For all the [censored] that Weideman gets he is miles ahead of watts and attacks the ball 100 times harder. 

Peoples infatuation with Watts is a clear example of fans' inability to concede that some players just dont work out. and don't give me games played nonsense. he was gifted most of them in a team that was bottom 4.

You really are a clueless nincompoop.

47 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Not sure how I feel about this to be honest..

I'm disappointed that you had to add the annoying post modern "to be honest".

Are we to assume that your usual comments are dishonest ?

May well we gloat but chances are that they will bottom out then rebuild & win another flag before we do.

On 10/2/2020 at 11:14 AM, Wobbly Bob said:

So one minute you say we're going backwards and the next you concede we're going forward.

Sounds like you don't know whether Melbourne or yourself are coming or going.

Not sure whether you are actually dumb or just pretending to be dumb so I will keep it simple.

Letting Frost go & keeping Oscar (& recruiting Tomlinson) did not improve our list & cost more $.

The reason our team improved in 2020 was less injuries, key players improving & some clever draft picks.  

Barely played this year & missed a lot of games last year.

Sign him up !

Great words fellers.

One of the great tragedies is that some of the magic he wove on the field was never recorded because not all games were on TV back then. I recall some incredible weaves & runs in the late 70's but alas no cameras were at the ground.