4thchicken wrote:
Having said that though there was also an incident where Fev turned his back to complain to the umps whilst the play was still going on behind him (the 50 setanta gave away whilst fighting against 2 collingwood players) - the ball was still live and rolled free behind him yet Fev had his back turned to the play. Its these sorts of 'efforts' that discredits the many positive aspects of Fevs gameplay and consequently continue to make him 'tradable'
Fev was actually turning to the umpire to dispute the umpire BLOWING HIS WHISTLE. You could hear it very clearly on BOTH replays... the umpire blew his whistle, and THEN fev stopped. The other players didnt hear it, neither did the d**kh**d commentator one channel 7 who argued the same line you are.
Enough please. They poor guy cops enough when he makes a mistake, don't attack him when he has done nothing wrong.
** EDIT: Should have read all the way to the bottom of the page before posting as it appears my thunder has been ...ummm.... stolen

dannyboy wrote:
I still have reservations and its actually got nothing to do with his off field - its to do in fact with how good he is. He demands the ball, he demands the space, he demands to be The Option - to me that's shithouse, even though that's what makes him great.
This is a team sport - I want him to create goals for the team (take Grigg's, no please take Grigg's) but an argument that says he's kicked 7 or he's kicked 8 means jack shit to me. Yes he kicked 8 and we lost, yes he kicked 7 and we won - so its not just about goals. Its about the team, the whole team and nothing but the team. If Fev can become a part of the whole team , instead of team Fev (and I do not think he means to be this, its just the power of the guy) then Ratts & co will have done somehting the rest have failed to do.
If on the other hand Fev is always going to demand that space/ball etc - then I would prefer to trade him and create a forward line of moving parts - otherwise against the good teams we will struggle, becuase a good team will often hold the great player - but to hold a whole forward line is much harder.
That is a ridiculus thing to say. You are using irrelevant arguements that no one will refute to support your stance.
Yes all teams need a multi-target forward line BUT:
- They also need a focal point. We don't have much else... have you noticed?
- Of course good teams will find it easy to cover one man... but did it ever occur to you that while Geelong and Hawthorn are dropping an extra man to cover Fev we suddenly have a free player in our forward line? A team with a good defense will love playing teams without a player in need of double teaming, because the can back their defenders to play one on one, rather then sacrifice someone to get back onto the Franklins/Browns/Fevolas of the competition.
- Every forward demands the ball. Did you expect Fev to say "nah Stevo kick it to lance I'm going to struggle here"? You are supposed to back your midfielders to make the correct decision. The combination of having no other target and a coach that wasn't willing to push his players to look for alternatives was the reason we would kick to Fev vs 2 or 3, not because he was being selfish and demanding the ball.
- Fevola is probably the hardest working forward in the competition. Yes he has fade outs and looses interest... but how often? honestly? You only notice them because between 2002-2007 he was basically our only chance of winning a game, so if he wasn't in the right mood, you knew about it.
- Our reliance on Fev is due to a lack of options... how can you blame a guy for presenting well and being the only shining light in an appalling forward line for much of the last decade??
Its easy to have a crack, but the guy you are having a go at bleeds for this club and every Carlton supporter owes him a hell of a lot more then to have a dig at him.
I respect your view that he is not a required player, I just don't agree with your flawed arguments. Most of what you say comes back to the team, rather then Fevola.