I'll be [REDACTED] if I'm going to sit around and listen to all of you bag the crap out of MY team.

Yes, we lost.

yes, it hurt.

Yes, we could have won.

But we didn't.

So, out of the rubble of round 9, and the disappointment of losing the (possibly) last match at PP, here is what keeps me positive tonight:

Kouta - Played strong. Not a perfect match by any means, but provided drive and strength.

DeLuca - OK, he was crap in defence, but when asked to fill in for Barney, he didn't do too bad.

Lappin - Was cool and classy through the match. Provided stability in various parts of the ground. His kicking sure could have been better though....how can you miss the same goal twice, one either side?

Youngsters - Simmo, Bentick, and Carrots did OK today, as did Walker. All of a sudden when Simmo was on, we had speed and accuracy. Could do with a few more just like him.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Collingwood won **ducks**

KOUTA!!

Our best by a mile.

I'll go to the footy each week and see us get done by ten goals but I'll still be smiling as long as that bloke is running around.



Another positive -
They played the Carlton song as we ran onto the ground

Ok, on a serious note, we didn't start as badly as the previous two weeks, and we were in a position to challenge them before we kicked ourselves out of it.

Deluca? Come on... the guy is no good at AFL level and if he is a positive for us then god help us!

The only positives worthwhile at the moment are 4 points.

Everything else is just pissing in the wind...

Kouta and Simmo did alright though.

Yeah, that's a positive in BIZARRO WORLD....

Tekno, I didn't say he was great, I just thought he did ok, given the circumstances. The rucking wasn't the worst I've seen it, including when Barney first came to us.....

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Actually, I've got a couple of extras to add.

The Jumper - Looked great. Took me back to my childhood and memories of 79, 81, and 82. All it needed was the Avco badge and the big white V symbol . It's just a shame the boys out there didn't do the jumper justice.

Fevola's attitude - Was soundly beaten and not supported or supplied by his teammates' delivery, but he kept pussing in second efforts, and didn't chuck a Richo-style tantrum.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Young Simmo had a real dig today when given the opportunity

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Erm, if I was watching the same game you were, Fevola did chuck a 'spaz' due to poor delivery, and was promptly dragged from the ground.

Didn't see that, I'm afraid.....glad I didn't too....

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Kouta was amazing! So proud of him! But i don't look at that as a positive! I remember thinking one day, "When SOS retires, we are going to be in some trouble!"
Well, now.........i'm thinking the same thing!

DeLuca..........did some good things, but was crap in defence and mediocre around the ground.

Simmo - yeah he did ok! So did Bentick, but i don;t think he could make it as an AFL player.
Carrazzo taking everybody on in defensive 50 was a great sight though!

Walker just seems to be holding back for some reason. But when he gets whatever it is he's looking for, he is going to be dangerous.
Waite played ok, but missed some marks.

The main positive for me is the fact that Kouta is going for a second B&F and (possibly - although with no help from his teammates it's going to be hard) his 3rd AA.

But to see Kouta grab that ball at the end and lead his team off made me cry!

Shit I was in raptures when we kicked three quick goals in the third - out of the centre. And who was in the starting centre: De Luca, Walker, Slimmo, and AB.


That few goals made my year. The kids have about 60 games between them.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Kouta showed(...dare I say it) LEADERSHIP, he was the only one up and going all day, great Captains day...he did us proud. Agree Deluca was good today(although wouldn't have picked him given the choice prior to the game).

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The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan

Kouta was good and tried to lift the team ...Brett Thornton was his usual reliable self...

kouta has shown LEADERSHIP all year! In fact, Kouta is the only player that deserves to lead this team.

I know there has been at least half a dozens posts suggesting that he hand over the rank at the end of the year but honestly.......tel me a player that is worthy of the posistion of Captain!

Stevens........................? His last few weeks have been awfull! A disgrace.
Admit, he was good after half time today and he's two goals came from him showing the rest of the team how to play with some BALLS!

Lance..........................? He's made no secret that he has wanted it for many years now, but has done nothing to prove himself worthy!

Fev.............................? IMHO, showed fantastic leadership in the Wizzard Cup. But will he even be at the club at years end?

Camop........................? Get's suspended to often!

Thornton......................? Well, considering that 90% of the game is spent in our defense, he's probably the best option.

Waite..........................? With the way he's playing latley, he could be a good option?

Who else do we have?

Bentick? Houlihan? Betts? Lappin? French? DeLuca? Walker? McGrath? Teauge? Carrazzo? Wiggens? Simpson?

Kouta was good. I cannot begrudge him that at all. Played very well, took some excellent marks and won a lot of clearances.

Defensive work and selfish play from some of the senior players still worries me. Whitnall was one, Stevens wasn't great in parts, just watching the ball, not his opponent (as Effes mentioned in another thread).

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

Essendon* are putting on a real spectacle.....6.10 to 25 mins of 3rd qtr.

Still, Port are 7.12....

Talk about a match neither deserves to win.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Vis-A-Vie my comments in last weeks positives thread, what is written there is a bone-fide positive. Simpson, Bentick & Walker were all put into the centre square set-up and this resulted in the most productive period of the game for the team. When looking for positives, that is what you should be looking for, not the stock standard stuff that is normally expected.

Seeing young players step up to the plate like those three did is what I consider genuine development, too bad Pagan didn't leave them there for the rest of the game.

Kouta showed the way but not enough followed.

Teague was good, but mainly later in the game.

Bentick Walker and Simmo were like breath of fresh air.

the last qtr was a positive. at one stage I thought we were going to seriously challenge them.

Essendon* 60 Port 85 - 26 in the last qtr. - But is that a positive or not?

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My Blue Heaven

Was a dig at those who claim we have none. Not at Kouta. The succession plan is a worry, but I listed it a while back before the Thorton thread started that Thornton is probably the only other possibily post Kouta or maybe Waite in a few years.

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The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan