the sun always rises.

There has been a fair amount of hate and love generated for the most talked about three words in the AFL vocabulary over the past couple of years. The three words have been embraced, frowned upon, cheered, laughed at and ridiculed. But it is a project created by the AFL that requires time and patience with a lot of money being injected into it. I’m sure you’re all aware of the words I’m referring to; Gold Coast Suns. And yeah, you could even make a strong case for Gary Ablett Junior. (Boom Boom)

But no, i’m referring to the newest franchise inducted into the AFL this year. The hype around this one club has been monstrous. And they thoroughly deserve it. Once the AFL Commission approved the club’s new identity, Suns, this new AFL start-up side began its quest to rise up by wearing the red and yellow of the iconic Queensland lifesaver.

Over the course of the first 7 rounds, we have seen quite a few negatives on display but with that we witnessed a few positives that would have seen the big shots at AFL HQ crack a smile. The initiation over the first 3 rounds wasn’t pretty. 3 losses with a combined losing margin of 290 points doesn’t bode well. However it was clear to see, in spits and bursts, that there was young talent in Queensland waiting to be unleashed. And in the 2 awe-inspiring wins to date, we clearly saw just what the list is capable of. Showing plenty of guts and passion, the Suns notched wins coming from two highly different positions.

In round 5 against Port Adelaide at AAMI stadium, the Suns were down by 40 points very late in the 3rd quarter but managed to show determination to keep fighting until the siren. It was this attitude that achieved the unthinkable of winning a game in their first season. This was achieved with a 3 point margin. They could have given up and gone on to say it was a majestic loss and we tried really hard but a valiant loss wasn’t good enough for the Suns. They wanted a win and saw an opportunity in front of them and took advantage of it. History was created and the memory will be forever burned into the minds of everyone associated with the Gold Coast Suns.

In Round 7, the first ever game between the two Queensland teams took place at the GABBA. Billed as the Q clash, the Brisbane Lions went in red hot favourites which was an odd situation as they were sitting rock bottom of the competition. However, the Suns came out to compete and quickly took up a 20 point lead over their much fancied opponents. They played highly competitive footy and maintained the lead throughout the game. As is the case with a very young team, they tired in the last and the Lions mounted another challenge. Scores became level and with 5 mins left, it was anyone’s game. Gold Coast discovered the character within them and kept battling to grind out a nail biting 8 point win. This win displayed plenty of maturity amongst the team to lift in the final moments when the game was there to be won.

The season summary may only read 2 wins and 4 losses with a shocking percentage of 52.89 but it shows that the Suns are capable of winning and are more importantly being competitive with teams that are on a similar level as them.

Amongst the plethora of junior talent, are senior players recruited from different AFL clubs. Since their first game, the media and public have shown a negative nature towards the senior talent. Some have said they are only there for the money, treating their time up there as a holiday or even as low as saying they are simply not that talented. But these players are worthy of pulling on the jumpers for the Suns. Each individual possess skills that will help create the Suns into a force in the near future. In Gary Ablett Jnr, Michael Rischitelli, Daniel Harris and Jarad Brennan, the Suns have 4 physically capable bodies of winning the hard ball and providing contests around the ground. Nathan Bock is the solid pillar in defence while Jarrod Harbrow provides the dash and carry off the halfback line. Campbell Brown is simply there for his toughness but getting suspended for 4 weeks was a poor result on his behalf. Nathan Krakouer is used as a livewire forward and to encourage the youngsters into applying forward pressure. Josh Fraser is used to bolster the ruck stocks however it is his tutelage of fellow ruckman, Zac Smith, that is really paying dividends. Zac Smith has a brilliant footy brain and his ruckwork to date has been very appealing. Under the guidance of Fraser, Smith received the NAB rising star nomination for the round 7 win against the Lions. The second most hyped about recruit though has been Karmichael Hunt. The rugby league/union convert has adapted to AFL in a mediocre manner. He hasn’t provided anything amazing for the highlights reel. Plenty of laughs though. He only manages a handful of possessions a game and still lacks match awareness and fitness. I believe he will find his feet eventually but for the time being we will have to cringe every time he goes near the ball. His recruitment was solely for a marketing purpose anyway and it has helped greatly in the rugby orientated state.

Gold Coast received numerous concessions in the 2010 draft and with that they were able to select the majority of the young raw talent that the country had to offer. These kids dominated at juniors level but have found the going tough in their first year of AFL. No one is hassling them for out-performing though.They are simply lightweights taking on the heavyweights. Their bodies are not hardened enough, they lack in match fitness, they lack team cohesion and also are simply not used to the step up in intensity of AFL games. Without a doubt, there has been improvement over the course of the year. They show pure brilliance for a quarter but then get blown away in the other 3. The consistency will arrive for the kids. They have played football for years and it wont be too long until they are regular performers each week. The likes of David Swallow, Brandon Matera, Josh Toy, Trent Mckenzie, Charlie Dixon, Zac Smith, Liam Patrick and Tom Lynch have future stars written over their gameplay.

The team being built up on the Gold Coast is a scary prospect. Already showing guts and determination within 6 games, the AFL public ponder how amazing will these kids be at their peak in roughly 6 years. Sure the mature age recruits would be nearing the end of their own careers but the foundation has been laid for these batch of youngsters to play with each other for a lengthy amount of time. There is a strong possibility that a premiership could be achieved within 6 years. Let the bodies of the Suns’ players harden up over the next 2 years and they will seriously mount a challenge for that holy grail.

The public need to lay off the criticism of the Suns. Just simply sit back and appreciate the fact that we are part of a revolution within the AFL. Yes the maulings aren’t ideal to watch but in order to reach the top, you have to start from the bottom. I’m a big fan of our new team and can not wait to see the day where other teams fear the Suns

essendon fc quarter season update.

I figured it would be wise timing to provide some thoughts about the Bombers seeing as we have completed 25% of the season. After 6 rounds, we have had quite a few surprises thrown from the Bomber camp. Ive accepted these little gifts with open arms and cant wait to see what else ill receive from the rest of the season.

It doesnt take a genius to work out that the main reason behind the resurgence of Essendon is simply down to the coach, Mr James Hird. He is a club legend full of passion and love for the club. It surely would've hurt him to watch the laughing stock that we had become in 2010. So good on him for taking the challenge of turning the club and it's fortunes around for 2011. The AFL world didnt expect the transformation to occur so quickly. However, the players have taken the "playing for the coach" attitude seriously and the rewards are slowly taking shape. Off the field, Hird formed his own dream-team style coaching staff and with so much of knowledge and experience on offer, the youngsters at Essendon are thriving from it all. We wont win the flag this year but we are definitely mounting a serious challenge against the other clubs to show us the respect that once went hand-in-hand with the Essendon Football Club.

A very successful NAB Cup saw the Bombers lose to Collingwood in the Grand Final by only 22 points. The Bombers were highly competitive in all matches and unearthed some stellar players that would shape the Bombers for the year and the future. 3 of the core players are Dyson Heppell, Stewart Crameri and Kyle Hardingham. Michael Hibberd also made a strong case however injury delayed his injection into the team. For me, these 3 players have become vital cogs in the playing style of the Bombers. Heppell is in his first year and just recently turned 19 years of age. Yet he shows the determination and poise of a 100 game player when rebounding off the backline. His skills are sharp and his ability to use his left foot to hit targets is a real weapon. Stewart Crameri was a major finding and a revelation in the NAB Cup. He had a solid pre-season and worked hard in the NAB games. His stunning performances virtually warranted his selection in the senior side for round 1. And James Hird agreed. Crameri works hard up to the wing to win possession and then pump the ball into our 50 with his booming left kick. While roaming the attacking 50, he uses his strong dukes to rake in the marks and pepper the goals with accurate shots. Hardly a household name, Kyle Hardingham, is vital to the functioning of our back 6. With his tremendous vertical leap and strong marking ability, he has the courage to throw himself into every contest. But what is more important is his tenacity of "killing" the ball which is performed by spoiling or punching the footy over the boundary. Even if he is out of position, outnumbered or lending support, his ability to kill the ball is a big advantage. In my eyes, these 3 youthful players are very important to the structure that Essendon employs week in week out to win a game of football.

So what is this highly effective and season transforming game plan that Hirdy has employed?? It is simply the blueprint initiated by Matthew Knights but Hirdy has fine-tuned it to make our team competitive with the top 8 teams. And the results speak for themselves. So far. The main ingredient of the game plan is to run and attack with the ball. However there is a heavy focus on defensive pressure once the ball is lost. Clearly Collingwood revolutionised this defensive aspect. Hirdy simply brainwashed it onto the players. Our relentless forward press is so effective that it enables us more inside 50's for the game and hence more shots on goal. The fact that we attempt to run our opponents ragged is a key indicator of the sucessful pre-season achieved at Windy Hill too.

So after 6 rounds, Essendon has achieved 3 wins, a draw and 2 losses. The 3 victories were all thumpings. 55 points against the Bulldogs, 52 points against the Saints and the monstrous record breaking 139 point demolition of the Gold Coast Suns. The 2 losses were valiant and competitive ones. 5 points to the Swans up there and 30 points to the Pies on the blockbuster arvo that is Anzac day. It isnt all doom and gloom with the Pies loss though. We matched their intensity for 3 and abit quarters. Unfortunately, the class and skill of the Pies shone through and they kicked away in the last. Also, we had to endure a pulsating draw against Carlton. Having lost both Winderlich and Dempsey to season ending knee injuries in the first quarter, we were up against it all afternoon. But the new found attitude of the Bombers stayed competitive the whole game and continually provided a contest. It's fair to say that even though the points were shared, we gained 2 points and the Blues lost 2 points. Carlton shoulda ran away with the win.

Sitting pretty in the top 8 is a rarity for Essendon. It wont be taken for granted as I can assure you that the wise heads of Hird and his coaching panel will continually bring our boys back down from cloud 9. The season has been set up with a solid platform. The next 3 games against West Coast (H), Brisbane (A) and Richmond (H) are all winnable. So there is no reason that the mighty Bombers will be locked away with 6 wins after 9 round with the bye to follow in round 10. I eagerly look forward to the rest of the season and GO BOMBERS!!

new age bombers.

i feel like i should be jumping on top of the world like nearly every other bombers supporter at the moment. as impressive as the bombers have been thus far in the nab cup, it must be said, IT IS ONLY THE NAB CUP. a competition shown no respect by coaches and players. the games are used to scope out the teams' game plans, structure and personnel. yes, we defeated the saints by 39 points. but i can guarantee you that for 80% of the match, ross lyon wouldnt have been looking at how essendon played. it would have been spent on how they moved the ball. ross and his coaching team would have been tinkering with their own game plan and see how it unfolded. he would have played the kids and see how they performed in an afl environment. he would have put players out of position to find out if they are capable of playing dual roles within a game. st kilda had no interest in exerting energy to win the game. they still get to "play" next week in an exhibiton/practice match.

last year for example, the bulldogs won the nab cup. and then suddenly the afl world put them on a high horse and presumed yeah they'll be in the grand final for sure. what we saw over the year was an inconsistent brand of football played out by a heavily aging list and a small injection of youth. the nab cup doesnt mean anything.
i reckon the format of a 4-5 week pre season is too long anyway. the players have already played a quarter of a season before the season has begun. just have 2 scratch matches. then a week off before the season opener. that week before the season, teams can fine tune skills with an intra-club match or simply rest up for the weekend before hitting the training track hard again.

anyways back to my bombers. i love the fact that hird has kept the same principle wit our game plan; run, carry and attack. however, he has instilled a heavier focus on defense than knights did and it shows with our tenacity and desire to keep the ball in our forward 50. leroy jetta is a perfect example of the revamped game plan initiated by hird. jetta works up the ground to bring the ball int our 50. he then puts in third and fourth attempts at chasing a player down to keep the ball in our territory to have more shots at goal. it is fair to say that collingwood revolutionised the term "forward pressure" last year but im glad to see that the bombers coaching staff have adopted the same method. there has been remarkable improvemnt in the players' disposal efficiency and the fitness has lifted a few notches.

the dream team of coaching panels is working so far but lets remember, it isnt these guys running out on match day for us. they can impart their knowledge of the game and tips and what not, but it is up to the 22 players to execute the plan and play to their best of their ability and get the coveted 4 points week in week out. go bombers.

cwc 2011.

sup peeps.
this is my first entry to the blog for 2011. i figured seeing as it's my first day back at uni, i should find somethin to deter me from doing my homework. so what better way than writing about sports haha

figured id kick things off with a quick take on the cricket world cup taking place over in the sub-continent. we got off to a bang with sehwag blasting and thumping his way to 175 against the hapless bangladeshis. few days prior to that he said his new goal was to bat the full length of an international one day match. he fell agonisingly short by being dismissed in the 47th over, if memory serves me correct. since then, the majority of matches have been heavily one sided or a snooze-fest between the minnow nations.

we did however witness a thrilling draw between the indians and england. india posted 338 and you would have though that they'd be in the box seat playing on their home turf. however, england challenged with a great captains knock of 150 odd from strauss. eng required 34 runs off the final 3 overs and got there with their tail wagging brilliantly. it was more so india's failure to execute a successful "bowling at the death" plan which forced them to lose this match. a crazy incident about that game was that the legendary shane warne predicted, on twitter, that this match could be a tie. odddd.

i could ramble and rave about ireland's great win against the poms where they looked down and out when the situation was 222 runs required off 150 deliveries. but we'll simply say that england fucked that one up and gave it to the irish on a silver platter.

it seems that the poms have been involved in all the headline-grabbing matches thus far. they produced a win against the south africans that forced the media to bring up the chokers tag for the south africans. after a commanding performance by their two spinners, petersen and tahir, the south africans merely had to chase down 171. yet the pressure and small total wreaked havoc with their mindsets and they fell 6 runs short. there must surely be question marks hovering over the heads of the tournament favourites.

our beloved australian team hasnt been challenged as yet. 2 easy victories against zimbabwe and new zealand have however given them much needed confidence after suffering losses in the 2 warm up matches. on saturday, we took on the might of sri lanka. it was billed as a potential finals match. however, the rain gods played their hand and put an abrupt halt to the match. if i was in sri lanka's position, i would have gone for the win knowing the rain was coming and that only 30 overs were possible. they won the toss so could have dictated the game on their own terms. they could have gone for broke and put up a competitive total in approx 13 overs and then declare. that would given them around 12-14 overs to bowl us out. on a pitch with a fair bit of turn, they should have made a real fight and put a scare through our camp by continously being on the front foot. maybe im just an attacking player when i play the game, but it's the world cup and success often follows after taking calculated risks. clearly they wouldnt have bowled australia out but having them 4, 5 or 6 down for not many within 15 overs would give them a massive psychological edge coming into the finals series.

i cant wait for these nonsense group stage matches to finish up. then we'll be constantly watching matches of a high calibre and thrills. im gunna back the lankans to take the glory. they have 4 players of absolute quality and if all 4 are on song then look out. these players are sangakarra, jayawardene, malinga and murali. add dilshan to that list and it becomes very imposing. for us, we need krejza to start taking 3 or 4 wickets a game to be be right up there for the challenge. the title is anyones for the taking. whether it be south africa, england, india or the two mentioned before, but all that remains certain is that there are plenty more twists and turns to evolve before the tournament is done and dusted.

it's the afl that is tripping out.

so after the whole haze of the ben cousins docu had settled, we see troubled hawthorn player travis tuck get done for drugs. it was his third strike under the drugs policy enforced by the afl. the statement came out and said that tuck had been battling personal issues for a year and used the drugs as a form of therapy. thats understandable.

but what isnt fair was the way the afl went about resolving the issue at hand and making an impact on drugs in our sport. benny boy never failed an afl drugs test (he escaped them more like it) but got suspended for a year. yet tuck has failed a drugs test 3 times but only gets suspended for 12 games. after 8 games though he can resume playing with the vfl team. also during his suspension he can train with the seniors side at any time. it is a punishment of sorts but there's no malice in the verdict. tuck will only miss half a season. basically the message being sent out is that, if we catch ya using drugs 3 times, you only have to miss half a season and still stay in the same environment that you're accustomed with. psssssht.

my anger isnt directed at tuck. just a young player caught up in the fantasy world of drugs. the afl is bringin its own game into disrepute with its two faced attitude. after the whole benny situation, they've been gifted, harsh to say i know, an opportunity via tuck to set the standard and take a VERY hard stance on drugs in the game. yet they've wimped out and let tuck continue to train with the hawks from tomoro onwards, if he wants, and come back to the vfl within 8 games and afl in 12. and he's allowed to play nab games next year. great image for the game and the younger generation. the afl needs to be more open on the whole situation instead of hiding previous strikes. here's a hypothetical; lets say tuck didnt OD. then the hawks delist him. new club drafts him and then one week into 2011, tuck picks up his 3rd strike and suspended. the new club would be pretty pissed off.

the afl is fucked and anderson just simply enjoys having his fist up demitriou's ass.

missing person unit.

so i havent been blogging in quite some time. the reason?? the death of all young adults, university, consumed me. but im back. my last multi came through (when i say last i mean the multi posted on this blog. ive made shitloads since haha) so this puts me in the positive by $66.30. we'll leave it at that for now.

here's an interestiing episode that happened yesterday and concluded today.
i made a multi just for friday matches. could have had a massive pay day. i wrote down on a piece of paper that i was going to make a multi with st kilda to win between 1-39 points, raiders to win between 1-12 points and titans to win between 1-12 points. this was paying a handsome $37.38. would have put $3 on it and as the games unfolded last night, i could have had a massive winner and an extra $100 in my back pocket. but when i was at the tab, i left the piece of paper at home and decided to make one up on the spot. so i went with raiders for the win, titans for the win and the margin in the geelong-st kila game to be under 15.5 points. this paid $7.20 so put the $3 on this. now that multi came through so i won a whopping $21.60 (cue sarcasm.) BUT last night, i thought i made the big $37.38 multi and was real pumped about the good win. i check my ticket this morning and the payout column said $21.60. i was like wtf?? then i realised, i didnt put my original paper bet down. fml.

just call me fevola.

after an outlay of $70 last week, my safety bet came through. it paid $100 so im gunna use the profit of the $30 from last week to make one solitary bet for the week.

geelong, hawthorn, st kilda, collingwood, storm, chelsea.
this gives $2.21. put $30 on this.

winner winner chicken dinner. one can hope anyway!!

pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.

HEY ESSENDON BOMBERS FOOTBALL CLUB.
ONE HELLUVA BIG FUCK YOU.
AN ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING PERFORMANCE.
LEARN TO FUCKING HANDBALL.
LEARN TO EVADE A TACKLE.
JUST LEARN HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL AGAIN FOR FUCKS SAKE.
SHOW SOME HEART AND PASSION.
IF US SUPPORTERS ARE STICKING THROUGH IT, THEN REPAY US BY AT LEAST TURNING UP TO PLAY.

this wanker performance was against the magpies round 20, 2010.
got smashed by 98 points.

over and out.