Saw a little bit of Adelaide Uni vs Vale.

Vale had a real crack and were right in it but for goodness sake you're a 5 goal better side with Burgess in the ruck. Stop playing him as a book end!

Uni lacks a bit of polish, would assume players will return this week.

what do you expect this week in both As and Bs against Houghton 2 comfortable wins for Houghton. Despite our good form Houghton are a class above.

U couldn't have watched to much of the game. He was in the ruck for 80% of the game I watched the first half, Burgess started in the ruck and then the long sleeve bloke played the majority of the rest of the first quarter and start of the second quarter and you got belted. Moved him back in there at the end of the second and you went on a scoring spree. Must have played the rest of the game in there?

With Gollan and Varcoe in there being able to direct the tap to give you first use would make that starting midfield deadly.

Correct Dogwatcher!

Overblown player payments affects everyone involved in football. From the "top" to the bottom.

In fact I would go as far as saying that the increase in player payments - not just in amount either, but in the depth to where players are getting paid, D5 clubs with $100k budgets?!?? D7 players on $650/game!?!? - and our inability to compete at that level is perhaps the biggest problem facing Mitchell Park's sustainability moving forward.

Hit them hard

No, no, you heard wrong, they said - "Gee, that Ellingham bloke has been in a good paddock"

Lightning McQueen wrote:I would've thought that the SCG would've been a bit of a "safe haven" for him and he could get on with enjoying his footy again, but then I'm not Adam Goodes so I wouldn't know.

If only more people took this standpoint.

marbles wrote:has morell been banned again or something?

Again? I've never been banned before...

Just need to start getting involved in the lower divisions forums. That's where the real work gets done.

The dude in the pink helmet.

For some unknown reason (I think it was started by our Reserves coach) the rumour went around that he was a legitimate Lithuanian Sprinter and it stuck. It proved to be quite funny as the day wore on.

What about Phantom Gossiper?

That bloke was a dead set pillock.

Anyone that thinks unregulated football budgets for community football leagues are harmless and won't affect them need a lesson in fundamental supply and demand economics.

It's a similar story to how unaffordability in the housing market is actually extremely dangerous for real estate investors. As it's impossible for people to buy a property, the demand decreases, when demand decreases, you have an oversupply, when you have an oversupply the value of the good drops, when the value of the good drops investors start to sell, which exacerbates the oversupply and the market "crashes".

In order to be competitive some football clubs and leagues have effectively created a market bubble by overpaying and over inflating football budgets. As clubs struggle to remain competitive and generate enough revenue, the market of playing football becomes unaffordable for those clubs, then they start shutting their doors. As there is nowhere local or convenient to play for the kids of the area the demand to play football drops and they decide on Soccer or Basketball or Video Games instead. After a while there are more clubs than there are kids to fill them and the football market crashes. The feed of young men that these high playing leagues and clubs are so greedily snapping up all of sudden won't be there anymore. They'll be playing Soccer. Those clubs will then become a victim to the same economic cycle and will have to shut their doors, or reduce the number of sides or junior programs...

Is this what we want? Clubs folding, leagues dropping away, reduced junior programs and kids choosing Soccer? Just so you can have a paid-for-premiership? It seems unimaginable but let's stop pretending that this is a Country vs Metro issues or an SANFL vs GSFL issue. It's more profound and critical than that. This is a survival of the sport issue. It has to be done - some clubs might feel like they're being dealt the rough end of the stick, but regulating and controlling football budgets will ensure that the stick only hurts a little bit now so that they can survive and be around in 2050 to enjoy the sport.

This is great! popcorn.gif

Also, HT is spot on, you can't have anyone outside of the match committee have anything to say in regards to selections. Doesn't matter if they donate a meal voucher or invest 100k.

Mixture of Sponsor's Vouchers ($20 for the Maid of Auckland) Meat Voucher ($25 from Springfield Butchers), $20 Bar Voucher and $20 Meal Vouchers for the kitchen.

Yeah, we're poor.

If the safooty forum software supported hashes, like BigFooty, you'd be very surprised at how much better it makes reading and categorising content.

And thinking hashtags is only for twitter is a bit like my mum thinking the internet is just for Facebook.

#GetOnBoardFC

If the safooty forum software supported hashes, like BigFooty, you'd be very surprised at how much better it makes reading and categorising content.

And thinking hashtags is only for twitter is a bit like my mum thinking the internet is just for Facebook.

#GetOnBoardFC

Go back to BigFooty
You can be on more than one forum at once.

I know right!

http://i894.photobucket.com/albums/ac142/mellingham/Technology_zpsdemeyiri.png

Yeah but each club has their own unique culture and "personality". The Old Collegiate sides are a unique beast.

Hahaha that would be Brandon "Susan or Ballsack" Walscak. The only player in the history of the game to have missed a week because of a pimple.

In Susan's defense, it was quite a bad case of I think an infected boil, as in, he could barely move let alone play football.

Still, as you could imagine, he has copped it rather relentlessly since. Including the great nickname - Susan Boyle.

In the middle of GTA V or Vice City would be acceptable excuses.

I've dead set skipped training because my mates needed me in a Call of Duty clan battle Sorry Scooter!

The worst excuse I have heard was a guy who didn't want to play footy because he wanted to go to the Crows game. Which is a bit of a shit excuse in itself but perhaps understandable. Except the game was Saturday night and we were playing at 2:15.

When pressed about this oddity said player stated that he wanted to get there early to reserves his favourite seats.

He didn't play many games after that.

:Hangman:

What's the point in it then? Wouldn't they want to try and make some money off the event!?

Who's your source marbles?
safootynet rule #16: Take no notice of marbles. Ignore him and he goes away....................for a little while.

Duly noted, if only Zartan was like that :lol: Learning quickly young Harry!

An upset??? We beat them by 12 goals and lost by 1 with half a team. If we lose we have under achieved. We will put them out of everyone's misery and yes we will be at full strength Q with a couple of very unlucky lads not playing. 47 years of history versus 1 year of........well you work it out.

Sledge on. :D
BANG!! I have to admit, I really liked the way St Paul's went about it. They were very physical - much more than us - and really put the acid in the game. They'll be successful if they keep that core group together.

But I did have a bit of chuckle to myself when at 3/4 time one of their leaders was grabbing his guernsey and yelling "for this lads!! do it for this!!" - errr, you mean the carbon copy of the Glenelg/Richmond strip which you've worn for 12 months? Really? I like the spirit but would've taken a different angle perhaps...

Immensely proud of my footy club. Great effort.

Q. wrote:I don't think a bookie would ever go that long on the underdog in this situation.

Port were $9 against Hawthorn two weeks ago.

No mind games at all - Houghton are about as favourite as favourites can get.

12 months after both clubs are on their knees both Kilburn and Mitchell Park make Grand Finals.

Very impressive all things considered. We're still struggling. On field results in a very weak division don't mask that. We had a few reserves games this year where we really came close to not fielding a side and financially it's still looking a bit dire. We dipped into a player payment scheme for the future just to get through the year.

The good news is, provided everyone who contributed this year, off field and on stays next year and contribute again, we should have a foundation that is in my opinion more sustainable than any other period in recent memory. Even when we won the D7 flag in 2012, I always had the uneasy feeling that we had too many eggs in one basket. Sure enough all of those eggs fell out of the nest and made an omelette on the floor.

This time the workload has been spread. So you have the fantastic coaching and people skills of Shane Lynch , the leadership and discipline provided by Tom Roberts , the administrative, football ops and experience of Wayne Wyld , the organisation and logistics from Ken Kelsall , the recruitment gold mine and network of Lachlan Pike . The inspiration and hard work by Joe Leck . The off field contributions by Bill Decelis and the rest of the committee. Plus the enthusiasm and commitment provided by all the new players to the club.

Still a massive journey ahead for us though. We survived - which is great. We made some big changes to the sporting club hierarchy as well. Now to flourish.

Q. wrote:Does anyone give our boys a chance against the Pines? It looked like they ran out of legs at Houghton two weeks ago, the wide expanses of Thebby may test them.

Absolutely! And I'll be hitting you all up for a Brown and Gold scarf in that game.

In all seriousness, having both Houghton and Mitchell Park in a grand final at Thebby is fantastic. Both teams have a strong supporter base and there will be a great atmosphere with a lot of colour about the ground in Saturday.

Both teams play a similar brand of footy, pressure and tackling orientated, it should be a great display of hard finals footy that will draw plenty of neutral observers to the game. Yeah I like that fact both sides are A grade's. Just means a little bit better atmosphere on the day. If we didn't win it (and in all honesty my expectations have already been well exceeded this year - I was secretly hoping to maybe just make the finals) then Houghton were my next personal choice to take it out. 2 close calls in recent years and a tonne of hard work - you guys deserve any and all success that comes your way.

I thought it was pretty much a proven fact that D7 to D6 was a huge leap?

This year was weird but traditionally its been 50% C Grade in D7, compared to D6 which is 0% or Adelaide Uni sometimes.

That difference makes the leap immense. You're no longer playing sides every second week which don't train, don't get paid and don't really give a hoot and run into clubs desperate to improve - which includes massive budgets.

Hahahaha and people say I am nit picky with language.

Whether you rock up and play and get a payment, or rock up and play well and get a payment, doesn't change the fact you're getting a payment! Ergo you're paying players. And there is nothing wrong with it, I am not being critical of anyone here.

The context of the discussion was when going from D7 to D6 the standard climbs dramatically, because you hit semi-professional clubs, like Lockleys and many others - replete with payment schemes, incentive schemes whatever the **** you want to call it - they have a football spend budget ... as opposed to complete kick and catch C Grade amateurs, where people PAY THE CLUB to play...

For more context our best on ground gets a meal voucher for the kitchen.

And ours get a club drinks card and a $30 voucher for a pub who sponsor us.. Does that mean we pay players also? Can those players take that drink card and and/or voucher and take it into Harvey Norman's and contribute to buying a Plasma TV? Can my employer start paying me with Woolies vouchers? If that voucher was given for just about any other service would it be taxable?

No? There's your answer. When you start giving players hundred of dollars a week, you're paying players, and you're head and above the vast majority of D7 teams. That's all my point was. End of !

Id say the only clubs that wouldnt of paid players this year in div 7 would of been Mitchell Pk as you say, Flinders and Adelaide Uni. All other clubs would be paying some sort of money not including best on's to a few players. We paid a couple this year.

But my point was, in D7, traditionally the teams have been made up of 50% C Grade sides, which clearly do not offer payments, incentives, rewards, legal tender, cash, coins ...

jo172 wrote:

morell wrote:Yeah there is usually good money to be had on GF day for first goal kicker. 2008 was Tom Lonergan from memory and paid a fortune. Josh Carr in 2004 was quite nice as well.

I've never forgiven Brett Ebert for hitting the post in 2007

huh? The AFL had a break year in 2007.

Q. wrote:

morell wrote:Hahahah. What would that be paying Robb?

And who will be lining up forward? So I can ensure the punters get a fair book. We wouldn't want aspersions to be cast in regards to the equality of morells bookmaking.

D.Keetch

Oh phew. Had me worried there for a little while.

Can someone get the crackers out for this circle jerk.

Q. wrote:How good is training on the week of the granny! Blokes up and about everywhere.

hahaha ours was terrible!!! bit of nerves I reckon, balls flying all over the place.

Sounds like my exes love life.

I may have made that up hoping that he would forget he didn't actually say that and just go along with it. I'll be in his ear though!

But in all seriousness D7R football is pretty much bruise free and we would love to have someone like Steady. it's a great way to stay included with the club, get a bit of fitness but have a few less commitments and demands.

AWWWWW yis

Where are all the Houghton people??

Don't tell me there was a coaches instruction to stay away from safooty last night?

Too busy trying to figure out my bets for the weekend ;)

Also i copped it from a couple of players who didnt get mentioned in my match up write up :lol: hahahaha yeah a couple of our guys were dirty.

Q. wrote:

fisho mcspaz wrote:Please note this is intended in good spirit and not as an insult. Nothing wrong with sheep!

Haha, nice work fisho, that's going straight up in our private group

Private groups are for pussies.

Q. wrote:Personally, I reckon the umps have got it spot on the last couple of years

Interesting fact: A ruckman has won the D7 medal in the last four years - Dow, Gannell, Bellman, Schutz.

Do you really want to me to prove how much umpires got it wrong statistically? I don't have the time man!

Our last game against Adelaide Uni in the magoos, we had Damien Loades play and he was CLEARLY best on ground - would've had 30 touches in the guts and kicked a cutla goals - he was a beast. He is a new player for us this year and I am certain the ump got him mixed up with Danny Chronis - another new player, who played in a forward pocket and was serviceable, kicked a goal, but wasn't in the top 10 players on the ground let alone BOG.

Then we have old mate Lachlan Pike in the last round against Flinders Uni. Kicks 6 goals from a wing/half forward and had a stack of the ball - 0 votes. Old mate Ringo hardly played at all for the second half - 1 vote.

I geddit, its not the umpires job, so give it to someone who can more easily adjudicate.

There was always going to be some weird voting decisions. Some of the umpires in Div 7 can barely get to a contest and do a ball up let alone realise who is playing well. I think the coaches should discuss after games. And that's the A Grade umpires!

Reserves umpires... if they know some of the rules and don't blatantly cheat - you're ahead of the bell curve. But most of them barely know their arse from their face let alone the names of the subjective best player on the ground.

Coaches may be biased or slanted, but so what, I really like the AFL Coaches MVP award where each coach gives their votes 5 to 1 for BOTH teams. So if they both give the same player 5 votes, that player gets 10 for the game. That would go a long way to removing any bias.

At least someone gets it. Thanks Zartan.

I've been invited a few times and have never been. It's a naff award voted by to be honest, mostly naff people, especially in the lower divs. I wouldn't trust umpires in the lower divs to pick me an ice cream flavour, let alone contribute to what should be a prestigious award. Most of the people at Mitchell Park I speak to feel very similar. Most years people don't even know what it is!! Its the same reason why people aren't keen on going to the Power/Freo game now. As soon as you take the legitimacy out of the competition, people lose interest.

Coaches in general, perhaps except for a few notable exceptions... are good, knowledgeable and fair football people and are in a much better position to adjudicate the best and fairest player in their respective competition.

Jeez. I know this, and if I hadn't known it I certainly would today after reading everything... but for whatever reason, it has only just sunk in that the motley crew in white whom I've been heaping crap on all year... are the ones responsible for handing out the votes.

HOLY F***ING BLIMEY O'REILLY'S TROUSERS.

These are the same blokes who allow people to handball out of the goalsquare, who yellow-card a player for swearing (not at the umpire, just swearing in general), whose idea of a 25m penalty is anywhere from the length of a paddling pool to the length of the entire oval. Some of them take that long between blowing the whistle and getting to where the ball is that they should call time off. I understand that in div 7 you take what you can get, and these guys are giving up their time to umpire our game, and I respect that. But there were times this year when they struggled to keep control of the game; I'm not convinced a lot of them even know one player from another, and I think having these blokes responsible for who wins the medal is pretty farcical, to be honest.

Let the coaches of each side pick their 5 best and be done with it. If that seems too biased, have a third person pick THEIR 5 best - one of the field umpires would be easiest. That way the umpires still get a say, but they're not in charge of the whole thing. You'd have two coaches and an umpire, three lots of 5 votes - that shouldn't be too hard to work with. http://i.giphy.com/GhxhCIa8eYqti.gif

Fussing about splitting the rounds here or there, where to host it, how the count gets read out, what to charge, what colour the power point is or what type of beers to serve is dealing with the minutiae. You're fixing the knobs on the radio of a burnt out car.

It wont be that popular or thought of in an esteemed light until you take it away from the umpires. Its that simple.

FC I love you, but if you can't see that fundamental point, then I can't help you.

Twelve!! :D

morell's Myths!
1. You play the way you train.
2. Pre-seasons are really important in amateur football.
3. Stretching achieves anything, ever.
4. Every club pays players.
5. Getting to a game early allows for a superior preparation.
6. Business slacks make you a more professional and disciplined club.
7. Strapping does anything, ever.
8. Outside players are soft.
9. Going up a division attracts better quality players and people.
10. Voice and communication is REALLY important
11. Hiding your better players by not putting them in the paper is effective
12. Umpires are capable of adjudicating best players

Since they clearly get names and brother mixed up, how do we know Schutz didn't nick votes from Schulz for Houghton? I mean ... they got Damien Loades and Damien Chronis mixed up with us in the B's in the Adelaide Uni game. Clearly mixed up B.Weekley and C.Weekley in the Flinders game.

This is the point, because they get so much wrong, it means the entirety of the award is a farce.

It is legit comical.

I wouldn't pay too much attention to how the umpires voted. They are struggling to keep up with the play most of the time to even worry about who is doing what during the game. :shock:

Yet they appear to have got it right?
Cmon Arch, you're smarter than this. Using the metric "does the winner deserve it" - it's nigh on impossible for them to get it wrong .

Any of the best 20 players in just about any amateur comp would be a "deserving" winner.

I was waiting for you Morell :lol: I believe if there is no complaints of the actual winner they have it right mate.
Now lets not take away what is actually happening tomorrow. What's your tips Morrell?
Arghhh damn you and you disarming nature.

Tomorrow I think Smithfield will bounce back sorry mate. Even in their game against Lockleys they managed to kick a score. The result earlier in the year went their way to the tune of 42 points. I cant see them losing two games in a row at home.

In the magoos no idea, but I have heard Zartan has stolen my tactics from earlier in the year which would explain their success :D . But again, at home, Smithfield for me.

Just wanted to take a quick moment to throw some love out there for Shane Lynch.

After being treated pretty unfairly by a bit of a media circus in 2014 I don't know of many people that would've got through it and decide to saddle up straight away and try again. Let alone with a club that lost by bigger margins than the ones he was pilloried for previously. Still surprises me that he took on the challenge.

The job he has done has been fantastic. His ability to relate to everyone, build relationships and gel everyone together has created a real team of blokes than genuinely care for each other and the club. Giving Lynchy a massive hug after the Adelaide Uni pre-lim win and seeing the obvious elation on his face and tears in his eyes was a great moment for me and it bought it home that football clubs are amazing places.

Win, lose or draw tomorrow I am incredibly proud of my footy club for not only giving Lynchy a chance to coach again and prove the doubters wrong but also for providing an environment where a potentially lost football person has come back to the fold and enjoyed himself.

Love ya guts Lynchy!

Bwhahahaha. Very good.

I agree.

Lynchy's people skills, player network and football nous will be invaluable for Mitchell Park for hopefully years to come.

Good luck to both sides today. Nothing but respect for everyone up at the Houghton Footy Club. Everything I see, read and hear about you guys reminds me so much of Mitchell Park - if you in any way know me (the actual me, not morell) and what I am about, that is as high a compliment as I can bestow.

Obviously hoping for a Lions victory but am already incredibly proud of our club and whats it has achieved in 2015. Been a great year!

Blown away from the support from our community - if you haven't seen it check out the link to the Facebook group in my signature. Absolutely brilliant.

Roar restored

Some highlights from my perspective, you will have to forgive me as I am going to wax lyrical a bit!

Nick Leck, 16 years of age, son of a gun, wearing the number his dad made his own. Would be 50kgs and runs around in the shower to get wet, comes on the ground and smashed a bloke on the wing. Gave a free down the ground, our supporters were a bit miffed with him and Q. gave him a gobful but I loved it. Absolutely loved it. In reality he shouldn't even be playing with his physique and age but in the end was one of the players that won it for us. Loved the Jesus celebrations as well.

Walking into the ground and seeing a familiar figure out the corner of my eye. Thought it couldn't be. The one and only Luke McDonnell caught the red eye from Darwin especially to come and see his twin and football club play in another grand final. Wanted to keep it a surprise for Nat and sure enough he physically lifted after seeing his brother. Was great to see the big galoot and give him a hug.

Simon Stead of Tarth. Amazing game on a very good player. Outsized, out muscled, out-aged. Yet won his position. Houghton put it to a contest time after time and he repelled or halved them all. Was my BOG.

Seeing Scooter (2014 coach) come to the game. Made me smile. Talking tactics in the grandstand like old times. Love the grumpy bugger.

A player who will remain nameless but is very special to me - I had given him a rough time before the finals for a couple of poor performances. To say I dumped the acid on him was an understatement. He is so important for the footy club for so many reasons but his Grand Final and finals series in general were outstanding. After the game seeing him so happy was the thing that made me cry - the prick. Then to hear how he and his Dad hugged for the first time he can remember after the game again made me wonder how football clubs can be such amazing places.

Seeing Ben Weekley kick the sealer. Won Best and Fairest after Best and Fairest. Left the club in 2012 to play Division 1 footy for a year and lo and behold we went and won a flag the same year. I vividly remember being next to Ben after the 2012 GF and seeing the mixed feelings he had. I told him that I promise we will win one for him when he comes back. He came back in 2013 - disaster. 2014 - disaster. He would had to have been thinking it would never happen, even this year. His family ARE Mitchell Park. He is an amazing person and I couldn't be happier for him Meeks, Sahra, Clayton and TBC.

Siren goes, running down the stairs, leaping the fence, and running straight up to Yank Man and giving him the mightiest of hugs. Don't know how but he lifted me up the old fella, must been working out! You've done a power of work this year mate, you shit me and I shit you, but we both know that we're after the same goal. Thank you for everything.

Giving Footy Chick a big hug and introducing her to a couple of fans. Loved it.

Seeing Ringo711 though a crowd of people and locking eyes with him and just having to give him some love. Sounds a bit homoerotic but I couldn't care less. Been a great mentor for me, both personally and football wise this year. A huge get for the football club and when talk around the traps was starting that he might actually play for us, the whole group lifted such was his influence. Is my best and fairest for 2015.



Out of all of that, the indelible image that keeps popping up is one of the Houghton players in the middle of our celebratory huddle. He caught my eye and our players reaction to him was strange and then he turned towards me to shake another players hand and I saw his face...

He was an emotional wreck and was unashamedly crying his eyes out. Seeing him like that snapped me out of the hysteria and whilst a dose of empathy swept over me the overriding emotion I had was one of admiration and respect. Here is a bloke who wanted something so much that when it didn't happen he was overcome - yet he had the strength of character to face it, make his way over and shake the hand of the very people that denied him. People talk about putting your head over the ball and going back with the flight but what that Raider did was raw courage in my opinion. Much respect to you, whoever you were.

Nothing anyone can say on here or anywhere will make it any easier Houghton people. The only thing that will is getting back together. Being there for each other and winning one next year.

Been a swell year people! Loved the D7 banter, we've dominated the forums and been the thread of year.

This is fantastic and gives you an insight into Lynchy. Very calm, methodical, clear and precise. No ranting or raving or over the top hyperbole.

No sleep shall be lost here on the issue - we will control what is within our control, prepare ourselves for Saturday the best we can and focus on our game plan and structures.. Who plays on the opposition is irrelevant in my eyes, we have a job to do. Simple as that.

Now I also like food so I'm off for 2nd lunch. Focus on one contest at a time. Hit the body hard but fair. Use your team mates. Cliche #4. Cliche #5

Just implement morell's meadow mate and you'll be fine.