The players who missed out...

[Markfs]

The Copeland trophy gave me another opportunity to think about the players that missed out on the premiership. I looked at all the videos online and my reaction was different for all of them.

I feel for Presti. He looked relaxed with his speech but I'm sure he's going to think about in years to come. That being said, he would have probably jumped off a cliff if he went into the game and let the team down.

O'Bree looked pretty resigned to the fact that he was going to get swamped by the new players in 2010. He looks like he's happy with his new coaching life and things are sweet.

A similar thing could be said for Tarks. However, it was a bit raw for him because I think that he really believed that he could do a job for the team. On the night, he looked both emotional and pretty excited with his future.

Paul Medhurst is the one I'm feeling sorry for. He was going away for two weeks overseas after his retirement - or so the story said when he retired - and that was 6 weeks ago. I would have assumed that he could make it to melb for the awards night....but I got a feeling that he wouldnt have wanted to be there.

I looked at the stats in the VFL finals games leading up to the end of the season. He was in pretty good form and even though he was a bit rusty when he was given that one seniors game, I think he would have improved.

I think about the premiership videos that I watched a million times and I remember Fraser and Swan briefly hugging awkwardly after the win.....I feel sorry for Josh but the video shows that he was there and goodonhim. I dont think that I saw Meds.

I hope young Blair turns out to be a star. He is a very very lucky boy. A very lucky boy.

I hope that Paul surfaces some time soon and shows that he's doing ok.

 

[Ed D]

In defense of Blair he was playing well enough to get a spot in the team and for Malthouse he offered more than the others. Add to that he's 10 years+ younger. Out of those players I think Tarkyn was the only genuine chance of playing (Presti ruled himself out). O'Bree retired before the season was over from memory. Medhurst was out of favour and didn't take his chances in the games beforehand, Fraser was never going to get a game.

 

[person_pitch]

Emma Quayle article about Josh:
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/standing-tall-20101211-18tmn.html

 

[Markfs]

As for Blair being 10 years younger, I dont think its relevant in a grand final.

But I agree with the rest. Fraser was given a good chance to get a good partnership going with Jolly but I cant remember tlay as a forward.

I remember seeing Tarks chasing everyone in the forward half in a game late in the season.... he just didnt have the pace to do the job.

I agree with all of that but I'm not so sure about Medhurst...."out of favour"....I cant say that I'm happy with that as an excuse for not picking a player

THere's something that happened between Mick and Medhurst that we havent heard about. I just cant see how he can get out of favour over a 12 month period.

Anyway, I hope he writes a book one day or tells his story to wikileaks

Yes....good article on Josh. I'm glad that he's doing well. Emma must have great breasts because she has a lot of problems with the english language..

 

[magman29]

In my opinion Presti with his unselfish deed by pulling out of GF 1 may have just about won us the premiership. If he had played, N.Brown would not have.. we all know how Brown went against Roo.. had Presti played on him the result may well have been very different... kudos to Presti

 

[Swooop]

The Copeland trophy gave me another opportunity to think about the players that missed out on the premiership. I looked at all the videos online and my reaction was different for all of them.

I feel for Presti. He looked relaxed with his speech but I'm sure he's going to think about in years to come. That being said, he would have probably jumped off a cliff if he went into the game and let the team down.

O'Bree looked pretty resigned to the fact that he was going to get swamped by the new players in 2010. He looks like he's happy with his new coaching life and things are sweet.

A similar thing could be said for Tarks. However, it was a bit raw for him because I think that he really believed that he could do a job for the team. On the night, he looked both emotional and pretty excited with his future.

Paul Medhurst is the one I'm feeling sorry for. He was going away for two weeks overseas after his retirement - or so the story said when he retired - and that was 6 weeks ago. I would have assumed that he could make it to melb for the awards night....but I got a feeling that he wouldnt have wanted to be there.

I looked at the stats in the VFL finals games leading up to the end of the season. He was in pretty good form and even though he was a bit rusty when he was given that one seniors game, I think he would have improved.

I think about the premiership videos that I watched a million times and I remember Fraser and Swan briefly hugging awkwardly after the win.....I feel sorry for Josh but the video shows that he was there and goodonhim. I dont think that I saw Meds.

I hope young Blair turns out to be a star. He is a very very lucky boy. A very lucky boy.

I hope that Paul surfaces some time soon and shows that he's doing ok.

Good post mark.

I saw one VFL game this year..round 21 Pies v Gold Coast. Leon and Medhurst both played and were both out to impress to try and grab a senior spot back.

Medhurst played his guts out, was all over the ground, got lots and lots of it, encouraged his teammates, including Leon, was very impressive.

Leon basically sulked, looked disinterested at times, terrible body language, looked embarrassed to be playing twos. Contributed very little.

Next week, from memory there was a late withdrawal, but one of them gets a game round 22.

Who?

Leon.

I'd have been gutted if I was Medhurst.

I also hope he's OK...

 

[jerry springer]

sentiment aside,everyone of those players had the chance to win a flag.Several chance's in fact

there were no Robert flower scenarios with our senior players....

 

[Markfs]

Thanks swooop,

Some of these guys have given years to the cause. For most of them, I can see why they had to be replaced. Medhurst, I'm not so sure.

He got the flick from Freo when it was "perceived" by that blabbermouth chris connolly that he and Jeff Farmer couldnt live together in the Freo forward line. Any idiot could see which one should be dumped but Medhurst was always treated like a second class citizen at Freo.

Thats why he played so well with the Pies...because he was accepted. His confidence grew.

I always thought he was a bit of a loner...someone a little different...but I can remember the times when he was the one that sparked a comeback by kicking a goal etc.

Anyway, I've said enough about Paul and the rest of them. They made a contribution far more than the rest of us. I've told the world what I think and now its on to 2011

 

[Ed D]

Medhurst's problem at Freo was that he had no direction and didn't know what role he was meant to be playing, plus they got him to bulk up way too much and he kept getting injured and was too slow because of it. It took him a while to fit in at Collingwood but when he did and he knew what his role was, that's when he played his best football.

But when I said Medhurst fell out of favour, what you said is what I was referring to, that something behind the doors happened and for some reason the selectors (includes Malthouse) and/or team didn't want him playing.

 

[Jelly Bean]

In my opinion Presti with his unselfish deed by pulling out of GF 1 may have just about won us the premiership. If he had played, N.Brown would not have.. we all know how Brown went against Roo.. had Presti played on him the result may well have been very different... kudos to Presti

I love it. People call Presti a hero for withdrawing from a final because he was injured. People call Josh a villain for doing the exact same thing.

 

[Thommo 42]

Thats because we lost the ones Josh withdrew from, so we were looking for someone to blame. We won the one Presti withdrew from, so we're looking for a hero.

Completely agree with you, but thats the unfortunate mentality.

 

[bucksisbest]

Medhurst is the disappointment and perhaps the real loss of the retirements , all of them had fired their final shot except for him. He had a troubling foot injury but he was still good enough to be a dangerous , effective AFL player.

A determined Krakeour and hopefully a refreshed Davis will probably make the loss redundant. But I felt Medhurst still had something to give watching him in the VFL.