Panpardus Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Is Melbourne being beyond useless count as one of the 'few surprises'? @10-3: I would imagine if there is a restricted amount of games being shown, that one will be picked, as it is between two of the likely Premiership candidates. I'm pretty sure I called that before the first bounce this year. Geelong, West Coast, Collingwood and somewhat Hawthorn would be a surprise to me, Hawthorn only because of the injuries that they are carrying. Geelong are good, but I didn't think that good, their setup at the moment is fantastic and it won't be long before it gets copied. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 We get a 'game of the week', and we haven't seen Hawthorne in awhile. And is Melbourne as useless as GWS seems to be looking at the ladder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazars Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 We get a 'game of the week', and we haven't seen Hawthorne in awhile.And is Melbourne as useless as GWS seems to be looking at the ladder? You would not believe how hard Melbourne is getting hammered, both on the pitch and in the press. Even for someone like me who follows only casually it's impossible to ignore. GWS is bottom with no wins, but Melbourne only has the one win against GWS, and that was only by virture of a record last-quarter that got them over the line. They were just mauled by the Gold Coast, the other expansion team in their last match. Main thing that people are going on about is that Melbourne seem to be a) lacking in basic skills and b) absolutely gutless and not even trying. I can't imagine what it must be like being a Melbourne fan right now. @Pan: Geelong are amazing in terms of how long they have managed to sustain the ability to compete for the Premiership. In a league system which is designed to level out the players and knock established clubs down a few notches the fact that they are looking a near-certainty for top-4 and thus a good shot at another Premiership has to be respected, and is also quite surprising. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 We get a 'game of the week', and we haven't seen Hawthorne in awhile.And is Melbourne as useless as GWS seems to be looking at the ladder? Melbourne are worse and honestly I cannot see them doing anything in the future so bad is the rut. What will happen is their better players will leave through free agency (restricted or unrestricted) and they won't be able to attract anyone worth a damn, so they will need to rebuild from the draft which will take a while as the last two drafts have been compromised because of the expansion teams GWS and Gold Coast. Their decisions over the last 3 years have been poor at best, the way they let players go and the choices they made in replacements have been staggering. To appoint two captains one the youngest ever in the history of the comp (Trengrove 20) and the other 22 (Grimes) was to put it mildly so f*cking stupid it defies logic in a team in their situation, but they were keen to alienate the more experienced and older players it seems. (Alot have left the club and the replacements have been crap and never should have been brought in) Don't get me wrong both would have and probably still can be great players but the pressure put on them in a team in their position was stupid. All the Jacks actually would have been guns in pretty much any other club (Watts, Grimes and Trengrove) They will probably lose Jack Watts this year who has been much maligned (much like JaMarcus Russell from Oakland) except Jack Watts isn't a complete and utter tool, just a comparison in what people are saying is the worse #1 draft pick. He'll go to another club and be a good player and they will teach him right. It doesn't end there though, the only good thing they have done in the past is wipe out the huge debt thanks to club legend Jim Stynes (RIP) who would turning in his grave to see what is happening with his beloved club. Thankfully they have appointed Peter Jackson as their new CEO who actually has a clue and he might do something. They will need a new coach, one with experience, my personal choice will be Kevin Sheedy from GWS when he leaves this year so he can instill some culture in the side and then have a younger coach who will share the load and take over in one or two years. Paul Roos has said he won't coach, so that leaves maybe Rodney Eade, Brett Ratten and 'Choco' Williamson as possible other candidates. I could go on and on and on and on and I'm not even a supporter, Melbourne suck, fullstop and will go the way of Fitzroy if they are not careful (well they probably will anyway) Now GWS, everyone knows GWS is going to struggle it's their second year and so far have had a lot of injuries to key players and with their squad it was going to be hard, atleast if you look at their list there is talent everywhere, they have a great squad and in 3-5 years they will be a power house, they have already signed a lot of their players to longer term deals. They also looked to trade again last year to get better experienced players but no one wanted to trade with them apparently so they are a little light on. If you look at Gold Coast this year they have improved a lot (3rd year), sure a lot of that is on the back of the best player in the league and possibly in the history of the AFL (Gary Ablett Jnr) but they are on an upward curve. Both expansion teams are only going to go forward, Melbourne even though its hard to see are going to go backwards still, so what that means is they will loose more sponsors, fans even more disillusioned (they are one of the lowest if not the lowest supported teams in the league) The best thing the could do is disband the club, move to Tasmania call themselves the Tassie Demons and maybe exist. Hope this helps!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offspring8 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Anybody want Shogun 2 Total War? I have a 75% off Steam voucher to give away! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I was about to say yes, I'd love to try that game out, before then realising I already have it. Obviously it didn't impress on me too much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic_1967 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 Offy, over here!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offspring8 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 What's your steam username Mikey? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic_1967 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 celtic_1967 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 That was so tense, right to the end. Bale's late winner didn't do us any favours either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offspring8 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 celtic_1967 I never could have guessed it, dammit. Will send it across now but I think its expiry date is the 23rd. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wegason Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Gav and all the other north-easterners on here. I am going to Sedgefield this week for a wedding. Is there anything nearby that I really ought to go visit or see? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic_1967 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Gav and all the other north-easterners on here.I am going to Sedgefield this week for a wedding. Is there anything nearby that I really ought to go visit or see? May I be the first to suggest the southbound carriageway of the A1(M) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 why not northbound just remember to leave a bomb at blairs home before leaving Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celtic_1967 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 why not northbound Because from Newcastle you can only go south on the A1(M) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jibby123 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 ....just remember to leave a bomb at blairs home before leaving I'd be careful posting things like that online. The suits have no sense of humour/reality anymore. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wegason Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 why not northbound just remember to leave a bomb at blairs home before leaving You know Blair doesn't live in Sedgefield, it was just his constituency Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfan2 Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 BTW, anyone in need of a bit of uplifting get onto to YouTube and search for 'Josh Turnbull - sign him up'. Essentially it's a little boy scoring a goal, combined with a quite life-affirming display of what a higher grade of human being the average football fan is. It made me smile. go on then, here's the link Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 You know Blair doesn't live in Sedgefield, it was just his constituency You guys are mean. We'd never suggest anything like that here in the States. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 BTW, anyone in need of a bit of uplifting get onto to YouTube and search for 'Josh Turnbull - sign him up'. That .. is .. absolutely .. wonderful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offspring8 Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Absolutely sickened at the attack in Woolwich earlier today - not sure that we have any punishments severe enough to fit their crime either. For those of you that might not have seen: http://news.sky.com/story/1094380/woolwich-soldier-dead-after-terror-attack Have to say the reaction from the authorities has been pretty decent in my opinion. The Army have been all over it - I start Army Basic Training in July and we have a group on Facebook for everybody that starts on the same day as me just so that we can all get to know each other before we start training. The Army got into contact with the group owner and told him to change it from a 'Public' group to a 'Private' group to protect new recruits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 WTF? Oh God. That is... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Offy, my son starts his Army basic training in July as well. I wish you well and thank you for your service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offspring8 Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Thank you very much, tenthree! Best of luck to your son as well, hope it all goes well for him. What job is it that he's going for, if you don't mind me asking? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfan2 Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Yeah, good luck to you and your fellow recruits, Offy. It's good that some people are still willing to step up to protect this country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 Thank you very much, tenthree! Best of luck to your son as well, hope it all goes well for him. What job is it that he's going for, if you don't mind me asking? He is going to be a medic. His eventual goal post service is to be a surgical tech or a nurse. He wants a good job and I'm sure he'll get one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 I would have liked Dortmund to win the Champions League Final last night, but Bayern Munich were just a bit too clinical. What I saw of Ribery in that game just further inflated my dislike of him as a person. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 Hard to argue against Bayern's body of work though. Deserving winners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 Dortmund had the first twenty minutes and Bayern had their keeper kept them in it. Bayern deserving winners in the end and just had that extra quality in the final third. Imagine what it will be like when Gotze is in that team. Is there ever a more depressing race than the Monaco grand prix? Turned it off halfway through thanks to it being a never ending train of cars. The only thing that heeps that race interesting is the crashes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted May 26, 2013 Share Posted May 26, 2013 Is there ever a more depressing race than the Monaco grand prix? Turned it off halfway through thanks to it being a never ending train of cars. The only thing that heeps that race interesting is the crashes. You missed out quite an entertaining second half of the race then. There was some overtaking action later on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Has everyone gone on holiday then? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swagat sinha Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Seems like it. I'm just enjoying a rare sunny weekend in Kent. If this is what you lot call summers, :/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 I'll be in Thailand for a bit of a jolly (not really) the next few days, so it's probably going to get even quieter... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Taking a few days off from posting (my close season, if you will). In the meantime I watched North Melbourne and Hawthorn this weekend and ... Yes. North Melbourne really is THAT useless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfan2 Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 It's Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney this weekend. Going to be just a bit more one sided that the Alamo I think...... I'm pleased with how they stretched away from the Gold Coast Suns this weekend, scoring 11 of the last 12 goals, from being level at three-quarter time to winning by, I think, 51 points. Nice to see the Suns improving, but nicer to see my Geelong stuff them ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Taking a few days off from posting (my close season, if you will).In the meantime I watched North Melbourne and Hawthorn this weekend and ... Yes. North Melbourne really is THAT useless. It's just Melbourne that Hawthorn played, North Melbourne aren't having the best of seasons seeing they have choked rather badly in games, but they have lost 4 really close ones (4,3,2,1 points) Melbourne's coach will be sacked soon I would think, they will need to make sweeping changes, but I see a mass exodus of players at the end of the season which will kill them as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 It's Geelong vs Greater Western Sydney this weekend. Going to be just a bit more one sided that the Alamo I think......I'm pleased with how they stretched away from the Gold Coast Suns this weekend, scoring 11 of the last 12 goals, from being level at three-quarter time to winning by, I think, 51 points. Nice to see the Suns improving, but nicer to see my Geelong stuff them ! Geelong have been super impressive this season and look a real danger for the flag. Sun have improved a lot, it was expected that once the players started getting around the 50 game mark that the improvement would start to come but I think everyone is a little surprised at just how much they have improved, they have a good core squad of players now that is only going to get better and when you G Ablett in the team he makes your team twice as good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Pleased to see my Hawks topping the ladder after ten, though, and the match broadcasters noted that every time Hawthorn has started 9-1 they have reached the Grand Final. Yes, it was only North Melbourne, but it's hard to hold a team to only three behinds in a quarter and IIRC it was something like 76-21 at half. Even I could see that the Ds were having a horrible time moving the footie around Hawthorn's smothering defense and even on a day when Buddy didn't bring his best game they were still more than good value. Looking forward to the rematch against Geelong. I hope they show that match here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Pleased to see my Hawks topping the ladder after ten, though, and the match broadcasters noted that every time Hawthorn has started 9-1 they have reached the Grand Final.Yes, it was only North Melbourne, but it's hard to hold a team to only three behinds in a quarter and IIRC it was something like 76-21 at half. Even I could see that the Ds were having a horrible time moving the footie around Hawthorn's smothering defense and even on a day when Buddy didn't bring his best game they were still more than good value. Looking forward to the rematch against Geelong. I hope they show that match here. Hawthorn are doing well at the moment, covering their injuries nicely. Sorry 10-3 I didn't clarify myself properly. (I didn't mean its just Melbourne meaning don't get exited they are crap, I meant there is no North in front of them, that's a different team, so the team name is just Melbourne) There are two teams with Melbourne in the title Hawthorn just played Melbourne (Demons or D's) Melbourne are effing pathetic. North Melbourne is the other team (Kangaroos, Roos), North are a decent team who have lost a couple close ones. (They just beat St.Kilda) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Wow must be quiet in here if I get consecutive posts six days apart!! The frustrations of coaching are something that I didn't expect to be quite as bad as they are. As I posted a bit earlier, I now coach the under 15 Girls team and we are doing quite well, but the difference in boys and girls is very apparent in the training sessions which has me tearing my non-existent hair out at times. We train two nights a week and play on the weekend, and we are good for the majority of time we are good, but when we are bad we are real bad. We do drills with four groups for example and the girls will turn around and talk to each other and watch the ball go past and laugh, does my head in!! It's usually followed by a lap or two, me screaming and them wondering at what I am ranting about! In saying that we then go and play on the weekend and I see them doing all the things we practice, or trying to and it works pretty well, it's frustrating that if they actually paid attention and did more at training it would be easier come game day and our skills would at a higher quality. You expect some attitude but farking hell, sometimes it's bloody annoying and I actually swore in front of them for the first time last friday night and told one of them if they didn't like training then they could quit! It's pretty strange that by the end of the week after training I feel like just saying screw it I will let someone else do it, but when I watch them play and they do the things that I ask I feel like yeah! things are going great only for training to again come along and change my mind. We are second in Div 1 at the moment by goal difference and only lost the once after 7 games and we just knocked out a Premier League team in the Cup today so we are doing better than what was expected, so I can have no real qualms besides from the fact that it's frustrating come training!! Anyway, thought I would share seeing the forums are so quiet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 It is quiet. The close season does that. By the way, Pan, did the Ds make that coaching change they were threatening on the broadcast last week? And great to hear about your team. I've coached youth here in the States (coached both my children, in fact) and there's no feeling like when the kids do what you tell them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panpardus Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Melbourne had their board meeting the other day and Neeld has kept his job. They have a new CEO as well so will need time for the changes and the most likely rumour at the moment is that Melbourne can not afford the 600k it would cost to sack him, so I guess they will wait and see. I think if they take to much time though they will lose players in the free agency period. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 It's pretty strange that by the end of the week after training I feel like just saying screw it I will let someone else do it, but when I watch them play and they do the things that I ask I feel like yeah! things are going great only for training to again come along and change my mind. I used to feel like that every Thursday night when my 6 a side team was getting battered every week. Been running the team for 3 years and for the first year we was lucky to concede less than 4 a match. 3 years on and we've just won the league and are 2 games away from finishing unbeaten and qualified for the cup quarter finals for the first time. It's times like these what make it all worth it so stick with it Pan Don't think the forums have recovered since they was down for a few months. A shame really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 We had trouble when the forums went down for sure. But I prefer to be an optimist - we've got a nice crop of first-year writers this year and hopefully we can keep everyone around for awhile. Yes, you heard that right. The Curmudgeon is an optimist. For a change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balthazars Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 We had trouble when the forums went down for sure. But I prefer to be an optimist - we've got a nice crop of first-year writers this year and hopefully we can keep everyone around for awhile.Yes, you heard that right. The Curmudgeon is an optimist. For a change. Proof that the end is nigh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Wow must be quiet in here if I get consecutive posts six days apart!!The frustrations of coaching are something that I didn't expect to be quite as bad as they are. As I posted a bit earlier, I now coach the under 15 Girls team and we are doing quite well, but the difference in boys and girls is very apparent in the training sessions which has me tearing my non-existent hair out at times. We train two nights a week and play on the weekend, and we are good for the majority of time we are good, but when we are bad we are real bad. We do drills with four groups for example and the girls will turn around and talk to each other and watch the ball go past and laugh, does my head in!! It's usually followed by a lap or two, me screaming and them wondering at what I am ranting about! In saying that we then go and play on the weekend and I see them doing all the things we practice, or trying to and it works pretty well, it's frustrating that if they actually paid attention and did more at training it would be easier come game day and our skills would at a higher quality. You expect some attitude but farking hell, sometimes it's bloody annoying and I actually swore in front of them for the first time last friday night and told one of them if they didn't like training then they could quit! It's pretty strange that by the end of the week after training I feel like just saying screw it I will let someone else do it, but when I watch them play and they do the things that I ask I feel like yeah! things are going great only for training to again come along and change my mind. We are second in Div 1 at the moment by goal difference and only lost the once after 7 games and we just knocked out a Premier League team in the Cup today so we are doing better than what was expected, so I can have no real qualms besides from the fact that it's frustrating come training!! Anyway, thought I would share seeing the forums are so quiet! They're teenagers. They get distracted. That's what they do. I wanted to say something when the forum went all quiet, but I forgot what. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistahc Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 I'm still around, just got a bit of life stuff going on. Still check in daily but work is really busy at the moment and the sunshine and late evenings a distraction. Also having a tough time with my long-term girlfriend which isn't helping me get any decent alone time to write. I find my writing is like my fm games; if I leave it too long I find it hard to easily pick up where I left off and temporarily lose the connection with the players/characters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfan2 Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Well, I would join in but without football my life is just an empty meaningless void, so I have nothing to talk about ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenArsenal Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Well, I would join in but without football my life is just an empty meaningless void, so I have nothing to talk about ! You can talk about love, life, or just plain nonsense in general. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenthreeleader Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Too, I've been taking a bit of time with my son before he leaves for boot camp. His graduation party is Saturday, Father's Day is Sunday here, and then we only have two weeks before he ships out to Fort "Lost In The Woods" (Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri) on 1 July. As I've mentioned, he'll be gone for six months so I'm trying to get in as much Dad time as I can. After that you guys are stuck with me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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