Retired #43: Dean Rioli - 100 and out

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

How would have dropping Watson been anymore loyal?

It was the right move, he averaged 6 disposals per game in finals. I'll slag Sheedy when he deserves it and have done.

This is not one of those cases, the right decision was made, we won the flag, Kickett went to Sydney, played in a GF and didn't fire a shot.

How much more did he owe to Paul Hills? How many shots did Hills fire in the grand final and the following 3 seasons? A lot less than Kickett.

At least Kickett helped the Swans make a GF(with sweet irony in their 1 point win over the Bombers). No wonder you are still bitter towards him

 

[Docc03]

Why not give a bit back to a bloke who is a long servant of a club who has given plenty ,, he probably wont be able to walk in ten years anyway so good luck to him l reckon

 

[Longy413]

How much more did he owe to Paul Hills?

He had 16 disposals in the GF (more disposals than Kickett had in three finals put together), a quiet Prelim but his two other finals were very good. He was in much better form than Kickett.

How many shots did Hills fire in the grand final and the following 3 seasons? A lot less than Kickett.

Maybe, but Kickett walked. He wasn't sacked.
David Flood and Michael Symonds also missed out. They didn't walk.

At least Kickett helped the Swans make a GF(with sweet irony in their 1 point win over the Bombers).

Yeah, DK was awesome in the Prelim. He really set the SCG a-light with a 5 disposal performance.

No wonder you are still bitter towards him

I've got no ill feelings towards Derek Kickett. Infact he was one of my favourite players and I actually had his number on my jumper in 1993.

I'm just not caught up in the whole, Sheedy made the wrong decision in dropping Kickett bandwagon. Because the right decision was made and history proves that.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Counting Kickett's contribution in games by disposals only is a copout. FYI he did set a game alight with a 5 disposal performance. It was at the same venue against the same team in the same year(Round 17) as the 1993 grand final opponent.

He was also your best player and got 2 Brownlow votes in Round 20 when kicking 8.3 to get you over the line against the Bulldogs. Not that much notice was taken even when he did produce statistics that most people like to rave about

No matter how people try and disguise it the decision to drop him from the GF side stunk. I felt very saddened for Derek Kickett and I am pleased to see what Sheedy is now doing for Rioli, irrespective of his reasons. It is the right and honorable thing to do.

 

[Karlostj]

Talk about a long bow.

He doesn't have any kids
If he does they may not be boys
If he does have a boy they may not be any good
The league rules will most likely have changed in 18 years time

IMO it would be a kick in the teeth for the youngster he's keeping out of the team (or the player whose career is in the balance and needs to prove himself) when its clear fat chops is not getting a game on form or fitness.

There are 21 other players out there that could be dropped to make way for a young player in the side. Perhaps, you should be asking why bolton gets a game ahead of Jolley, rather then Rioli.

Having Rioli in the side does not mean that Jolley has to miss out. If Lovett just came available, would Jolley be dropped? Most probably. Would anyone be whinging about Lovett coming into the side?

There is plenty of room for young and developing players in the side along side Rioli.

I'd say that since having his knee operation Rioli would have worked harder then almost any player on Essendon's list to get back for 2 more matches, not a season, but 2 matches! The guy would most likely be in pain during training and when playing. Yet he's put this effort in because he wants to be remembered at the club.

I think it shows that Essendon is a club that looks after its players, and if I was an AFL player, I would want to play for a club like that!

To single out Rioli as being the reason why Jolley was dropped is unfair. The fact is that there were 21 other players picked ahead of Jolley in addition to Rioli!

Rioli has given a lot to the club, more then most. He deserves the loyalty that Essendon is showing him.

 

[Longy413]

He was also your best player and got 2 Brownlow votes in Round 20 when kicking 8.3 to get you over the line against the Bulldogs.

Everyone knows that, he was brilliant. He hardly had a kick afterwards.

No matter how people try and disguise it the decision to drop him from the GF side stunk. I felt very saddened for Derek Kickett

It was terrible, I felt for himself as well.
It doesn't make the decision a wrong one.

Wallis had a bigger impact in the GF than Kickett did in any final he played. Someone had to make way, Kickett was in the worst form in the side.

Sometimes loyalty can only go far, and yes Kickett gave our club a lot but that doesn't give him an automatic right to be selected. It was a shame he left our club on that note, but I'll take the flag.

 

[Karlostj]

As much as Im not fond of him taking a kid's place....its the end of the season. It would be the equivalent of junk time at the end of a basketball game...no real harm done and you never know....he might find something and produce some of that magic he's reknowned for. If we were vying for a place in the final 8...yeah, Id be dumbstruck as to the merits of including him at such a crucial stage of the season. Lets see what he does this weekend.
Great to see Solly back also

Even if we were vying for a win in the finals, I'd say that Rioli would probably have more of an impact then Jolley...

I'd be surprised if a guy that has played 3 games of footy would get choosen over a guy that has proven himself to be an impressive talent over a number of years.... Personally I'd take the risk that he'd get through the game unscathed.

After all, Jolley had about 4 kicks last week, not an immense task to have a similar contribution level...

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Someone had to make way, Kickett was in the worst form in the side

8.3 in round 20

It was a shame he left our club on that note, but I'll take the flag

You would have gotten the flag anyway

 

[Merv]

Again you are making presumptions based on his size. Did you know he actually has lower skin folds than Dustin Fletcher?

LOL, Longy i have no connection to the EFC , as in insider info, i know neither of them in person BUT i dont care what you think or say about that above statement mate, but if you actually believe that you are dillusional.

If that info came from an insider, you need a new source

 

[Longy413]

8.3 in round 20

Some five or six weeks earlier.

One goal in his next four games.

You would have gotten the flag anyway

That's rather speculative. Mil Hanna might have gone on to win the Norm Smith, Tim Watson's experience might have been telling.

 

[DaSawx]

I just wanna see 1 more gridiron style tackle if nothing else

 

[go_the_bombers]

I just wanna see 1 more gridiron style tackle if nothing else

Hopefully if he plays Saturday night he will put one on Vandaberg

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Some five or six weeks earlier

and some 14 rounds after anyone else had kicked a bag full for Essendon

That's rather speculative. Mil Hanna might have gone on to win the Norm Smith, Tim Watson's experience might have been telling

and Paul Hills might have set the world on fire


What amazes me the most is you seem surprised Kickett was disappointed. As far as sport goes Sheedy's decision ranks with the judges who said Jeff Fenech did not win his first fight against Azumah Nelson.

Both Kickett and Fenech had their hearts ripped out. End of story

 

[Longy413]

What amazes me the most is you seem surprised Kickett was disappointed

No one is suprised. Most Essendon supporters were disapointed as well.
I was disapointed.

But that doesn't make the decision wrong.

As far as sport goes Sheedy's decision ranks with the judges who said Jeff Fenech did not win his first fight against Azumah Nelson.

That is simple stupidity. We actually won the game, he was by no means wrong in the decision he made.

Why aren't you questioning the decision to drop David Flood?
Because Flood hung around?

 

[stander]

and some 14 rounds after anyone else had kicked a bag full for Essendon

and Paul Hills might have set the world on fire


What amazes me the most is you seem surprised Kickett was disappointed. As far as sport goes Sheedy's decision ranks with the judges who said Jeff Fenech did not win his first fight against Azumah Nelson.

Both Kickett and Fenech had their hearts ripped out. End of story

I know a medico at the club who said at the time, the decision to drop Kickett was the worst in the Club's history. You can only speculate the result if he played- the flag is in the bag. The way it was handled by Sheedy is reflected in Kicketts atitude towards him. It is generally regarded as selective loyalty by those who make the serious decisions.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

I know a medico at the club who said at the time, the decision to drop Kickett was the worst in the Club's history. You can only speculate the result if he played- the flag is in the bag. The way it was handled by Sheedy is reflected in Kicketts atitude towards him. It is generally regarded as selective loyalty by those who make the serious decisions.

Thank you Stander.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

But that doesn't make the decision wrong.

That is simple stupidity. We actually won the game, he was by no means wrong in the decision he made.

Nor does it make it right.

 

[Longy413]

Thank you Stander.

Just to fill you in, Stander has never agreed with any decision Kevin Sheedy has made, ever.

He's one of those supporters that jumps aboard the sack Sheedy bandwagon every time we have a poor season. Anything he says about Sheedy should be taken with a grain of salt.

Nor does it make it right.

Ah, so it wasn't wrong.

 

[Karlostj]

Just on the whole Kickett left out saga, who was the West Australian that was left out of the 84 premiership side for Essendon...?

I believe that Sheedy recently gave him a replica premiership cup signed by all the 84 premiership players with an enscription reading something like "such and such would have absolutely been the 21st players selected in the side"

Apparently the guy was very unlucky to miss out on his spot, and ended up leaving Essendon after that season. However, he still looks back at his Essendon days very fondly and Sheeds catches up with him each time he comes to Perth....

Kickett isn't the only player to consider himself unlucky to miss out on a place in a Grand final, yet seems to be the only player to maintain the bitterness....

I don't know if Sheedy managed the situation badly or if it was a bad decision, but its not the only time that Sheeds has been in such a position, and it seems that there isn't a heap of bitterness between towards Sheeds and previous Bombers....

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Just to fill you in, Stander has never agreed with any decision Kevin Sheedy has made, ever.

He's one of those supporters that jumps aboard the sack Sheedy bandwagon every time we have a poor season

And that makes him wrong?

 

[Longy413]

And that makes him wrong?

If Sheedy had of played Kickett instead of Hills, he would be arguing that Sheedy did the wrong thing in not playing Hills.

I'll ask again, why is there no critisism of Sheedy for dropping Flood?

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Kickett isn't the only player to consider himself unlucky to miss out on a place in a Grand final, yet seems to be the only player to maintain the bitterness....

I don't know if Sheedy managed the situation badly or if it was a bad decision, but its not the only time that Sheeds has been in such a position, and it seems that there isn't a heap of bitterness between towards Sheeds and previous Bombers....

He may well be the only player to play every home and away match, a qualifying final, a semi final and a preliminary final and not be personally informed he has been dropped from the grand final, which his team duly won. Leaving a phone message with his mother on the morning of the match is as weak as p1ss.

 

[Longy413]

Leaving a phone message with his mother on the morning of the match is as weak as p1ss.

That's not how it happened at all.

Kickett found out the side before Sheedy had the opportunity to speak to him. The team hadn't been announced.
When he tried to phone him he couldn't get hold of him.

He didn't actually ring Kickett's house the morning of the GF to say he wasn't playing, Kickett already knew by then.

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

I'll ask again, why is there no critisism of Sheedy for dropping Flood?

Ridiculous question - how many games and how much experience did Flood have?

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

That's not how it happened at all.

Kickett found out via the media before Sheedy had been able to speak to him. How the team got out is still unknown and it was never meant to.

Sheedy actually never got the opportunity to tell Kickett because he didn't turn up, when he tried to phone him he couldn't get hold of him.

He didn't actually ring Kickett's house the morning of the GF to say he wasn't playing, Kickett already knew by then.

Thanks Longy. It's even more pathetic then