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  1. #1
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    It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

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    Swans win because they are more consistent, play more instinctively as a team and their effort is unconditional. I still have questions over Mackie’s desperation at times. Enright’s selectivity this year and their dependence on Hawkins to fire. On the other hand the Swans are relentless, hard and tough around the contest, perhaps lack the flair and instinct of the Cats but more than make up for it with raw courage and conviction.

    Aliir is an absolute beauty who belies his experience and seems to have the composure of a 150 game veteran. His decision-making in traffic is sublime as is his skill execution. He reads the play like he wrote the book and has the uncanny ability to leave his opponent on the death knock to go third man up and assist contested marking situations. I’m an Aliir believer.

    Heeney doesn’t worry about the pressure in games and just lights it up when he is needed. Love watching this young guy. His attack on the footy and elite ability to win one on one contests give his team mates the confidence to just kick long to him one out. Game-breaker.

    Similarly Mr Reliable, Dane Rampe is one tough unit. He’s an animal. Tough, relentless, never beaten.

    The only concern I have with the Swans is their selection and potential for unfit players not being able to contribute to the required standard. Kurt Tippett with his jaw problems and Gary Rohan with his bruised knee.

    If Rohan is near his best look out. I speculated some time ago he is a massive finals factor. He is the type of player that is unmatchable on MCG during the pressure of a final. Speed, leap, agility, competitiveness are all X-factor attributes that make him an opposition coaches nightmare.

    Aliir, Heeney and Rohan are the players I love to watch most and feel they will be the decider of the result. All that great talent and we haven’t even mentioned Hannebery, Kennedy, Parker, Jack or Buddy (who incidentally I think will be well held tonight).

    The mighty Western Bulldogs will throttle the Giants tomorrow in a David and Goliath tussle that will be very close. The Giants are clearly the Goliath with their vast array of first round draft talent (23 to be precise) – plus another 3 coming this year. It is inconceivable (frankly obscene) that in a COMPETITION, the governing or administering body can provide such a “leg-up” to a newly formed team. It defies the logic of the whole competition concept and meaning and in my mind utterly devalues the principles of a competition and by extension the premiership. But that’s another story.

    Luke Beveridge is an absolute master coach. The best I’ve seen since Denis Pagan in my view. His ability to manage, interact, motivate, direct and lead is ultra impressive. He has the uncanny ability to say the right thing at the right time, he has deep affection for his players and he knows what is required to prepare a team for a highly contested and pressurised event.

    I picked the Bulldogs for the premiership in June and I’m not backing off one bit. This is the game they must win of course to participate and if they do – look out!

    Bontempelli – enough said……………

    The guy is an absolute gun with a very controlled and mature head on his shoulders (more of the Beveridge influence). Johannisen will be the star tomorrow night against the Giants. Boyd and Morris will hold the defence adequately together and we are all hoping Stringer lets himself “slip” and throws caution to the wind with his attack on the contest. Dahlhaus is the most underrated inside, competitor in AFL ranks and won’t die wondering about the result.

    One must have great respect for the Giants as the talent in their team is off the charts. They have an arrogance that is nurtured and advocated in the remote AFL domiciled district of Greater West Sydney but we are talking Preliminary finals now and the Bulldogs don’t get intimidated.

    They hit the contest very hard, they pull the trigger with disposal – especially handball – and have the valued commodity of being prepared to lose to win. Don’t underestimate that factor. Many sides are not prepared to risk failure for success or a mistake for an opportunity. This is the fundamental that finals are built on, especially the most difficult one to win – The Preliminary Final.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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  3. #2
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    That last paragraph is a very thinly veiled swipe at Ross Lyon - not much love lost between those two.

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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Sedat View Post
    That last paragraph is a very thinly veiled swipe at Ross Lyon - not much love lost between those two.

    But, but, but. Ross has coached a winning prelim team. Its just that step further that he is either unwilling or incapable of taking.

    I am so glad that he isn't coaching my club to oblivion.


    Who is the article by? Bomba Thompson?
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

  6. #4
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Twodogs View Post
    But, but, but. Ross has coached a winning prelim team. Its just that step further that he is either unwilling or incapable of taking.

    I am so glad that he isn't coaching my club to oblivion.


    Who is the article by? Bomba Thompson?
    Grant Thomas
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  7. #5
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    Grant Thomas


    Cheers BAD. Grant Thomas makes me laugh. I cant believe he had the arrogance to think he was the man to coach St Kilda when Blight failed. And then staying on when it was obvious he had no idea what he was doing (NO ruckman? yeah riggghhhtto-whatever you reckon Thommo...)


    Thank god he did though. Someone competent in that job might have won flags. Even a moron like Thomas got them close.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

  8. #6
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Twodogs View Post
    Cheers BAD. Grant Thomas makes me laugh. I cant believe he had the arrogance to think he was the man to coach St Kilda when Blight failed. And then staying on when it was obvious he had no idea what he was doing (NO ruckman? yeah riggghhhtto-whatever you reckon Thommo...)


    Thank god he did though. Someone competent in that job might have won flags. Even a moron like Thomas got them close.
    I thought Thomas did a pretty good job at turning a St.Kilda team that was in disarray - into a good side that got to successive prelim's. In 2004 - they lost by 6 points in the prelim to the eventual premier, and probably would have won or gone to extra time if Guerra didn't miss the ball off the ground in the goal square.

    Thomas wasn't ultimately successful, but he took over a team that won a total of 6 games over two seasons under Malcolm Blight - and finished with a better than 50% winning record. (about 65% in the immediate three years before being sacked)

    To this day he still has very close relationships with many of the players he coached there.

    Must have done a few things right.

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  10. #7
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Ozza View Post
    I thought Thomas did a pretty good job at turning a St.Kilda team that was in disarray - into a good side that got to successive prelim's. In 2004 - they lost by 6 points in the prelim to the eventual premier, and probably would have won or gone to extra time if Guerra didn't miss the ball off the ground in the goal square.

    Thomas wasn't ultimately successful, but he took over a team that won a total of 6 games over two seasons under Malcolm Blight - and finished with a better than 50% winning record. (about 65% in the immediate three years before being sacked)

    To this day he still has very close relationships with many of the players he coached there.

    Must have done a few things right.
    I actually don't mind GT either - he's certainly not one for group-think and cares little about how he is viewed, just puts his educated opinion out there.
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Mofra View Post
    I actually don't mind GT either - he's certainly not one for group-think and cares little about how he is viewed, just puts his educated opinion out there.
    I think he gets plenty off side with both his strong views, and the sledge hammer way in which he puts it forward.

    Football wise - he had/has some philosophies that were unpopular or against the grain - and had mixed success in trying to get ahead of the game at times. But a positive is that you always knew where he stood, and what they stood for as a side. In some ways he and Ross Lyon are quite similar. Their game styles were polar opposites - but if you watched a Grant Thomas side, or a Ross Lyon side - you knew exactly how they would play/what they would look like every week.

    I'd prefer a coach like this - than coaches that sit on the fence and try to do everything just a little bit.
    (Example) - What is Richmond's style under Hardwick? I'm not sure he even knows.

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  13. #9
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    I guess I was mostly annoyed at how he just seemed to appoint himself to the job. But fair play to the man, he's coached an AFL side and I haven't.

    I quite liked how he used to serve it up on Footy Classified. That's not half as good a show since he left.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

  14. #10
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Hey, he's talking us up. Let's save the criticism for when he doesn't

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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by hujsh View Post
    Hey, he's talking us up. Let's save the criticism for when he doesn't
    I may be incorrect but I thought Thomas had it in for the Dogs and was always slamming the boot into us.
    It's better to die on our feet than live on our knees.

  16. #12
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Loved this part...

    "The Giants are clearly the Goliath with their vast array of first round draft talent (23 to be precise) – plus another 3 coming this year. It is inconceivable (frankly obscene) that in a COMPETITION, the governing or administering body can provide such a “leg-up” to a newly formed team. It defies the logic of the whole competition concept and meaning and in my mind utterly devalues the principles of a competition and by extension the premiership"
    [B][COLOR="#0000CD"]Our club was born in blood and boots, not in AFL focus groups.[/COLOR][/B]

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  18. #13
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by KT31 View Post
    I may be incorrect but I thought Thomas had it in for the Dogs and was always slamming the boot into us.
    He has a habit of holding grudges, jumping on a hobby horse, whipping it so hard he has to turn the whip around and bludgeon the poor creature to to death with the handle, and then deface its corpse. This, and his tendency to take deserved swipes at the establishment of the game is why he pretty much always burns out in the gigs he gets.

    Around 2009 and beyond he believed the Bulldogs to be a selfish team, full of selfish players, and had been for quite some time. Here's an article from 2011 about the club's leadership.

    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1226061583231


    His issue is that when he goes hard from the outside looking in he lacks perspective and is too narrow minded. When he comments on topics for which there is plenty of information to form an informed opinion he's extremely insightful.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by KT31 View Post
    I may be incorrect but I thought Thomas had it in for the Dogs and was always slamming the boot into us.
    He hated Rocket with a passion over a flood fest Sydney and Stkilda played in 02 .
    They blamed each other for one of the most turgid games in AFL history

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  22. #15
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    Re: It's Dogs and Swans for me - Thomo

    Quote Originally Posted by Remi Moses View Post
    He hated Rocket with a passion over a flood fest Sydney and Stkilda played in 02 .
    They blamed each other for one of the most turgid games in AFL history

    That was the first game I just didn't enjoy watching. I used to watch pretty much any footy they put on TV to watch. But I lost interest in that game completel
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

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