Indeed Len, makes one appreciate the value of early draft picks. The youngsters in the Waikik midfield (Fyfe, Hannebery, Ziebell, Crouch, T Mitchell, I Smith and - touch wood - Nick Graham) mean the football department can now concentrate on the weaker areas in the squad. Seeing guys come through is cool - as you would have experienced watching Whitfield, Stanley, Greene, Cameron and Ross emerge!
chels wrote: Indeed Len, makes one appreciate the value of early draft picks. The youngsters in the Waikik midfield (Fyfe, Hannebery, Ziebell, Crouch, T Mitchell, I Smith and - touch wood - Nick Graham) mean the football department can now concentrate on the weaker areas in the squad. Seeing guys come through is cool - as you would have experienced watching Whitfield, Stanley, Greene, Cameron and Ross emerge! Loving my young guns indeed, Ross especially atm as he was both speculative and a home boy pick... I am a full member of both St Kilda and GWS, so I have a lot of home boys now lol
chels wrote: feck ant I feel dreadful, after we drank the retsina and vodka shooters what happened? I seem to recall saying 'so who do you want for Kurt'? but cannot remember what you said. Hang on while I void my stomach again. Where are we in this 'negotiation?' Oh mate, fair enough not being able to remember... It's all a bit hazy for me too. I think I was demanding Tom Mitchell or Nat Fyfe in return, but we ended up talking about other things, such as Ancient Greek mythology and the medicinal qualities of Retsina... I'm pretty sure we got nowhere in our negotiation, but I am sure it was decent entertainment for the crowd at the auditorium.
<p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]Our internal review of the first ten rounds of the season is now complete and available to all members, supporters and other interested parties. We have consistently stated that our ambitions were for season 2014 onwards so the series of encouraging results this year, while welcome, has been a surprise. We continue to build towards next year and the possibility of a top four finish will not detract from that goal - however welcome success might be. <p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]Our new assistant coach Jose Mourinho has a theory that you build a house on a strong foundation, hence the recent addition of Duffield to the basis of our back division - Hibberd and Taylor - who have been ably assisted by pre-season recruit Staker. We hope the anticipated return from injury of Maguire and Sam Shaw might allow Stakes to move into our forward division at times. <p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]Our midfield, McVeigh, Fyfe, Hannebery, Ziebell, Isaac Smith, Tom Mitchell, Brad Crouch and the still to debut Nick Graham, is much admired by many commentators. We hope to keep them together for an extended period. We also hope the admin team has noted McVeigh now plays as a half back flank and reclassify him next year. <p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]We welcome Hamish McIntosh to the established pairing of Jacobs and Hickey in the ruck division and trust the injury woes are behind the big, athletic fella. <p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]Apart from Knights who is out for the season our young(ish) forward line is starting to find some form. In particular Macaffer has presented strongly and is repaying the faith we put in him in the pre-season draft. Crameri, Elliott and Robinson have all performed well but not quite consistently enough to guarantee selection every week. We hope to see Wright on the park soon. <p style='margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;]The mid-season draft holds some opportunities we hope to cash in on (sorry no hints at this time) as we build towards next year and the longer term future.
Hope Duffield is settling in well mate. I didn't know you ended up with McIntosh - how'd that happen?
You must pay closer attention Chris. I traded Tayte Pears and my second round pick in the MSD for him and a very nice young lady's fourth round pick in the MSD.
Two snippets today (15/06/2013): First, welcome back to the JPod, his irresistible form since being cut in the pre-season clear out meant we were delighted to bring him back into the fold. Great to have you back big fella - may the form and the goal kicking continue. Second, some encouraging news from the afl's state league wrap: '...first-year midfielder<strong style='color: #2e2e2e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: 15px; background-color: #ffffff;]Nick Graham[/b]- who missed eight weeks with a knee injury - was best afield in his return game with 23 disposals.' Some fitness work and a few more games may well see Nick putting Brad Crouch on notice for the final spot (please, no injuries) in the seniors later in the season.
Undesirable alien alert The Misfits are inbound Would very much appreciate an abundance of Martinborough pinot noir and for the Incorrigibles to score 100 less than last week.. Alert ends
Looking forward to the visit of you and the Misfits Len. We will have no problem providing all the pinot noir you can imbibe - although we are not fully convinced that Martinborough pinot is the best available. Perhaps you will change you mind before we pour you onto the plane. As to your second request, I must inform you our plan is to score something like 100 more than the week just completed. We have distributed copies of your post that you hope to go the rest of the season unbeaten to all our players and there is a quiet, but fierce, determination to see that hope dashed this weekend. In the end it will come down to correct team selections - last weekend we had 21 players to choose from and it might be higher this week. There is a real chance that Nick Graham will make his long awaited debut - but who should we drop to find a spot for him given Crouchy's 76 was the lowest score among the seven midfielders who played last week. Any ideas Len - who you would like to see missing?
Thank you chels, appreciate the seriousness with which the Misfits are (finally) being taken.. I think wise men would suggest that Tom Mitchell's young body is due a rest this week My favourite pinot ever is a 2007 Tirohana estate.. still have 2 bottles.
The 2007 Tirohana was by all accounts a cracker - cannot comment as have not been lucky enough to taste. But I will be looking on restaurant wine lists ... The 2010 and 2013 vintages are and promise to be, respectively stunners. If you have a contact at the Estate you might want to enquire. Am happy to store for you in my cellar (BTW, this is a genuine offer) if you can access. Good luck for the weekend - a rest for Tom M? I'll think about it. But then we are taking you guys seriously.
chels wrote: The 2007 Tirohana was by all accounts a cracker - cannot comment as have not been lucky enough to taste. But I will be looking on restaurant wine lists ... The 2010 and 2013 vintages are and promise to be, respectively stunners. If you have a contact at the Estate you might want to enquire. Am happy to store for you in my cellar (BTW, this is a genuine offer) if you can access. Good luck for the weekend - a rest for Tom M? I'll think about it. But then we are taking you guys seriously. Perhaps you and Snoz need to take the pinot a little more seriously. /Portals/0/User%20Images/wine%20bottle.jpg
The Waikik Match Committee would like to congratulate the playing group on over-achieving this year. Our plan was always to try to mount a serious challenge next year and we would like to think that was still the case, but the boys have excelled. Perhaps it is the relaxed environment, the supportive community or just the skills of coach chels - who knows? The are some big challenges ahead; the experiences will only help next year. There are some pretty excited supporters holding large numbers of tickets that will pay $19 for $1 should the team luck in. My advice is take the trade-in price offered on 'betchief' and reinvest on Iron Knob. The end of season awards beckon. The B&F looks like an even money bet between McVeigh and Fyfe. The rising star looks very even between Crouch and T Mitchell. The comeback of the year award is heating up with the welcome return of favourite son Sam Shaw to test Staker and Macaffer. There is a lot of hope that next year's comeback award will also be close between Chris Knights and Hamish McIntosh. (Ant, there are four fine rucks on our list - don't be shy!) The less coveted WOFTATM award looks like a no-contest win to the de-listed and almost forgotten Angus Graham. Our final award will be a new rad but one that many ORFFA coaches will be able to empathise with - the FWITTM award for the most annoying coach, the coach who could not see talent if it were poking him in the eye with a stick. Early votes poured in for Vossy but there is a strong, late surge for Mughouse for his 'handling' of Robinson and Graham. All other coaches are encouraged to vent their spleen here with their own 'worthy' choices. The
As expected Jaeger O'Meara won the NAB Rising Star with 44 of the possible 45 votes - congrats to the young Nunawading midfield maestro on a well deserved award. The Waikik supporters club would like to commend the perspicacity of the Waikik football department in drafting the runner-up (Brad Crouch, 31 votes) and the fourth equal ranked Tom Mitchell (11 votes). A rare pat on the back for the much maligned and misunderstood chels. A quick drink at the end of a day's pig hunting in the rain with a swag of Waikik players working on their strength and fitness will be his reward. Apparently at some of the more fashionable clubs such an activity (pig hunting not drinking) is called 'cross-training' and conducted indoors. No wonder their players go missing when it gets cold and wet on the footy fields away from Etihad Stadium.
chels, for some reason beyond explanation, your PMs to me are not arriving in my mail box on TS but are appearing (copied to) my personal email. As such, I will respond when able.
So that there can be no confusion and no recriminations I would like to advise that either Dan Hannebery or Jack Ziebell (not both) are available for a discussion of trade purposes. I seek an young, outstanding elite Forward who must not be in danger of having his designation changed when the positions for 2014 are announced. I would insist on tagging the trade as reversible should a position change happen.
chels wrote: The Waikik Match Committee would like to congratulate the playing group on over-achieving this year. Our plan was always to try to mount a serious challenge next year and we would like to think that was still the case, but the boys have excelled. Perhaps it is the relaxed environment, the supportive community or just the skills of coach chels - who knows? The are some big challenges ahead; the experiences will only help next year. There are some pretty excited supporters holding large numbers of tickets that will pay $19 for $1 should the team luck in. My advice is take the trade-in price offered on 'betchief' and reinvest on Iron Knob. The end of season awards beckon. The B&F looks like an even money bet between McVeigh and Fyfe. The rising star looks very even between Crouch and T Mitchell. The comeback of the year award is heating up with the welcome return of favourite son Sam Shaw to test Staker and Macaffer. There is a lot of hope that next year's comeback award will also be close between Chris Knights and Hamish McIntosh. (Ant, there are four fine rucks on our list - don't be shy!) The less coveted WOFTATM award looks like a no-contest win to the de-listed and almost forgotten Angus Graham. Our final award will be a new rad but one that many ORFFA coaches will be able to empathise with - the FWITTM award for the most annoying coach, the coach who could not see talent if it were poking him in the eye with a stick. Early votes poured in for Vossy but there is a strong, late surge for Mughouse for his 'handling' of Robinson and Graham. All other coaches are encouraged to vent their spleen here with their own 'worthy' choices. The Lenh191 makes Vossy look like an angel.