Oppo Camp Non-Essendon Football Thread XVI

[ghostdog]

still think they need to find a way for Daniher & Hipwood to play in the same side
but the forward line looks pretty menacing now.

Dees are still my one to watch. And reckon the Cats remain strong for another year.

Hipwood having spent so much time on the sidelines can't have been helpful building chemistry. Fagan gets Daniher to roam up to the wings moreso than Hipwood. Gunston's role might complicate things as well. They'll need to have themselves worked out. I hope Connor is still agitating to play in the forwardline

 

[ant555]

Key to Brisbane is getting their team defense sorted . Dunkley helps their midfield in that regard but sides got on a role against them a lot. They have not fixed the issue of their half backs being average defenders.

 

[ant555]

Agreed. McKenna's a trophy hunter. He cares not with whom he acquires his trophies. Also, that ship sailed a long time ago. We're in rebuild mode and he isn't required. I baulked at Walla's return, but at least we're thinking laterally with him in terms of mentoring.

I think that is harsh on McKenna. Sure he has picked a side that should be playing finals this time around but if Covid had not happened he would have stayed on with us for a couple more seasons. Second he went home to his own club in Ireland. He was born in County Tyrone. Not like he went home and picked the best side to play in. On top of all of this we did not have a list spot for him anyway unless we went less picks in the draft.
He gave us good service. He went home early during the height of the pandemic. He played for his home country. To say he does not care who he plays for is rubbish. The other factor is he is back with his girlfriend and lifestyle was a factor.

 

[ant555]

If I’m honest….good.

Yes he’s a talent but to me he lacks maturity and resilience and his motivations are flawed.

Like JD I have always had the sense that he will let you down when it really matters.

It’s no great loss to us and no great gain for the Lions.

How are his motivations flawed ?
He went home to play with his home County.
He gave us good service that would have been longer if we where no in a pandemic and the media not all over him and the club imploding.
From what I know he would have signed another deal if we where not in the middle of Covid.
Now he wants another crack at it and has chosen a side that is in a winning window and it is certainly not about money as he could have earned more coin at several other clubs.
The fact is he was let down by the media here who hounded him all year. Yes he was always wanting to go home at some stage but we would have got 100 games out of him if circumstances where different. The other issue is we where hardly a club in a good place.
It is no different to a young soccer player going from Melbourne Victory to play overseas for 5 or so years and then coming home to win a title with Victory and then deciding to have another go overseas.

 

[boncer34]

How are his motivations flawed ?
He went home to play with his home County.
He gave us good service that would have been longer if we where no in a pandemic and the media not all over him and the club imploding.
From what I know he would have signed another deal if we where not in the middle of Covid.
Now he wants another crack at it and has chosen a side that is in a winning window and it is certainly not about money as he could have earned more coin at several other clubs.
The fact is he was let down by the media here who hounded him all year. Yes he was always wanting to go home at some stage but we would have got 100 games out of him if circumstances where different. The other issue is we where hardly a club in a good place.
It is no different to a young soccer player going from Melbourne Victory to play overseas for 5 or so years and then coming home to win a title with Victory and then deciding to have another go overseas.

All year seems a stretch. Can't recall to many articles once they realised they'd gone way to early on him having COVID.

 

[Vander18]

How are his motivations flawed ?
He went home to play with his home County.
He gave us good service that would have been longer if we where no in a pandemic and the media not all over him and the club imploding.
From what I know he would have signed another deal if we where not in the middle of Covid.
Now he wants another crack at it and has chosen a side that is in a winning window and it is certainly not about money as he could have earned more coin at several other clubs.
The fact is he was let down by the media here who hounded him all year. Yes he was always wanting to go home at some stage but we would have got 100 games out of him if circumstances where different. The other issue is we where hardly a club in a good place.
It is no different to a young soccer player going from Melbourne Victory to play overseas for 5 or so years and then coming home to win a title with Victory and then deciding to have another go overseas.

It’s an opinion based on my observations, it’s gut feel. I just don’t trust him as a footballer and I suspect his heart will always be elsewhere.

Not saying that’s a hanging offence, just that we need more guys who are totally committed rather than the opposite.

 

[ant555]

All year seems a stretch. Can't recall to many articles once they realised they'd gone way to early on him having COVID.

Apart from the photos every time the subject came up . He was hounded worse than anyone.

 

[boncer34]

Apart from the photos every time the subject came up . He was hounded worse than anyone.

Don't remember that at at all.

 

[ghostdog]

I think that is harsh on McKenna. Sure he has picked a side that should be playing finals this time around but if Covid had not happened he would have stayed on with us for a couple more seasons. Second he went home to his own club in Ireland. He was born in County Tyrone. Not like he went home and picked the best side to play in. On top of all of this we did not have a list spot for him anyway unless we went less picks in the draft.
He gave us good service. He went home early during the height of the pandemic. He played for his home country. To say he does not care who he plays for is rubbish. The other factor is he is back with his girlfriend and lifestyle was a factor.

I don't have anything against the guy. I would have gone home too under those circumstances. I never said he doesn't care who he plays for; I said he doesn't care who he plays with as long as he's in the hunt for more trophies , because he's a trophy hunter.

He went back to Tyrone at a time when they were still looking likely, having won in 2018 and making the semis in 2019. He watched their rise with interest while he played football here from 2014.

Goes back, wins the GF in 21. Wants to come back to what he himself described as "unfinished business." He said, "I wanted to come back to a club that was playing deep into finals pushing for a premiership..." Obviously that's not with us, that's with a club he can win a medal with. More power to him. He'll have a nice trophy cabinet at home.

As I said, I think we've moved on anyway and I wasn't particularly interested in him returning to EFC, although I agree that he served the club well and was a pleasure to watch.

 

[Ati Tude]

I don't have anything against the guy. I would have gone home too under those circumstances. I never said he doesn't care who he plays for; I said he doesn't care who he plays with as long as he's in the hunt for more trophies , because he's a trophy hunter.

He went back to Tyrone at a time when they were still looking likely, having won in 2018 and making the semis in 2019. He watched their rise with interest while he played football here from 2014.

Goes back, wins the GF in 21. Wants to come back to what he himself described as "unfinished business." He said, "I wanted to come back to a club that was playing deep into finals pushing for a premiership..." Obviously that's not with us, that's with a club he can win a medal with. More power to him. He'll have a nice trophy cabinet at home.

As I said, I think we've moved on anyway and I wasn't particularly interested in him returning to EFC, although I agree that he served the club well and was a pleasure to watch.

Fair enough. I will boo the cr@p out of him though.

 

[ghostdog]

Fair enough. I will boo the cr@p out of him though.

My understanding is that him not playing for us was just as much us choosing to keep our draft picks. So you'd be booing him for leaving us during the height of Covid, choosing to be with his family and not suffer the Melbourne media, or you'd be booing him for not choosing us when actually we didn't choose him.
Group think.

 

[Nifft]

Don't remember that at at all.

'I had a deadly disease': Conor McKenna slams door on AFL media on his way out

Conor McKenna won't miss the AFL media landscape after having every cough and blow of his nose analysed and broken down by pundits in the wake of his coronavirus diagnosis.

www.abc.net.au

 

[boncer34]

'I had a deadly disease': Conor McKenna slams door on AFL media on his way out

Conor McKenna won't miss the AFL media landscape after having every cough and blow of his nose analysed and broken down by pundits in the wake of his coronavirus diagnosis.

www.abc.net.au

All year seems a stretch. Can't recall to many articles once they realised they'd gone way to early on him having COVID.

 

[yodellinhank]

Had a deadly disease and went around snotting everywhere, but the media are the bad guys for reporting it.

 

[Nifft]

All year seems a stretch. Can't recall to many articles once they realised they'd gone way to early on him having COVID.

McKenna felt there was enough going on with the media scrutiny to potentially cause emotional distress. The problem with stuff written in the media is that the sheep take it as gospel and then you're forever tarred by the accusations.

It must have been horrific for the Hird family to put up with that for such a prolonged period.

 

[Ati Tude]

My understanding is that him not playing for us was just as much us choosing to keep our draft picks. So you'd be booing him for leaving us during the height of Covid, choosing to be with his family and not suffer the Melbourne media, or you'd be booing him for not choosing us when actually we didn't choose him.
Group think.

Is the AFL way. You always see some player cut from his team that gets picked up by another team then get booed by supporters of his original team because they forgot he got cut rather than walked out.

If it is clear he wanted to come back to Ess and we turned him down, that is one thing, but not sure that is the case is it? I'd boo him.

 

[boncer34]

McKenna felt there was enough going on with the media scrutiny to potentially cause emotional distress. The problem with stuff written in the media is that the sheep take it as gospel and then you're forever tarred by the accusations.

It must have been horrific for the Hird family to put up with that for such a prolonged period.

Not disagreeing with anything you've said. It's also not different to what I said.

 

[Nifft]

Not disagreeing with anything you've said. It's also not different to what I said.

Fair point.

 

[ghostdog]

Is the AFL way. You always see some player cut from his team that gets picked up by another team then get booed by supporters of his original team because they forgot he got cut rather than walked out.

If it is clear he wanted to come back to Ess and we turned him down, that is one thing, but not sure that is the case is it? I'd boo him.

ant555 said as much in an earlier post. Gets good mail.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Ratten lands new job after Saints sacking, rejoins old boss at AFL rivals

Ratten lands new job after Saints sacking, rejoins old boss at AFL rivals

www.foxsports.com.au

North covering their bases, in case Clarko goes down.

 

[eth-dog]

Ratten lands new job after Saints sacking, rejoins old boss at AFL rivals

Ratten lands new job after Saints sacking, rejoins old boss at AFL rivals

www.foxsports.com.au

North covering their bases, in case Clarko goes down.

He would have been one I liked as an assistant here. Wonder if he interviewed for the head of development job, he'd have been great at that.

 

[DERO]

All year seems a stretch. Can't recall to many articles once they realised they'd gone way to early on him having COVID.

*too

 

[windyhill]

Rutten paid out. Huge money. Lovely parachute into richmond. Easily 60-70k. Ratten paid out . Huge money. Lovely parachute into norf. Easily 60-70k.
Zero sympathy for these blokes because when you’re in the boys club, you’re in the boys club. Soft landing.

 

[ghostdog]

Xavier College hires Jobe as coach. I would have put that in the Jobe thread maybe? Dunno where that's buried though... Mods? Maybe there's somewhere more appropriate?

 

[ant555]

Rutten paid out. Huge money. Lovely parachute into richmond. Easily 60-70k. Ratten paid out . Huge money. Lovely parachute into norf. Easily 60-70k.
Zero sympathy for these blokes because when you’re in the boys club, you’re in the boys club. Soft landing.

Ratten paid out. Only 6 months. Lost most of the "huge money". Taking on a part time role.
Did not do as well as Truck.