Paul Thomas gets 2 weeks

[wycbloods]

Is Psuedo's "mini-thug award" still Michael Curtis? Or is Dean Howard downgraded to that?

I'm more keen to see who will inherit the mantle of "slughead" from Dean Galea

Methinks that mantle will be harder to replace than the thug one.

I don't think a footballer in the country can take that one

[whufc]

He is turning into the modern day "Angry Ant".

His been hanging around the Elizabeth Grove Soccer Club way to much, and the way we us peckers are going would make you very very angry.

[Blue Boy]

Just an opinion but when I do see him play I rekon he does play angry or is he frustarted !!!

[Big Phil]

Just an opinion but when I do see him play I rekon he does play angry or is he frustarted !!!

Not too far off the mark there Blue Boy...

I know Thommo quite well personally, we were best mates through school and I chat with him most weeks before games. I just think that when he takes the field for his beloved Doggies, he is just so passionate and determined to do well for his side and the jumper that he does come across as playing angry or frustrated. He is just a super competitive person in everything he does and this is evident with his football as, like most footballers, he just doesn't like to be beaten by his opponent(s).

I haven't seen a footballer in a while that has the high level of work rate that Paul does and his competitve nature is as strong as any footballer I've seen in watching Centrals in the last 20 years or so. His determination and pride in his ability and fitness level is such that he is probably our best tackler in the club and always has a fairly high tackle count on a weekly basis. The only downfall to his game, that he has admitted himself, is that too often he gives away silly free kicks, 25's or down fields because if he decides that he is going to chase someone down and gets to them just before they disose of the footy, he sometimes still carries through with the tackle, hence a high personal frees against count at times.

This is because, like I say, his work rate is so high that he never gives up on winning the football, running to support a team mate or as I said above, chasing down an opponent. Paul knows that he has to work on this, and at times his disposal when he has got the ball, but I can assure you, nothing will change that hard working, competitive nature that he has shown in his 118 SANFL and dozen or so AFL appearances. I think sice he has taken on the captaincy role with Matty Slade he probably feels that he has to set a high standard for his fellow team mates and I guess because he standards are so lofty, this does come across, at times, as being angry or playing frustrated. He proved how good he was by winning the Magarey Medal in 2004, thus leading to his 12 month stint with Essendon, and while I think he has probably been one of our most consistant performers this year, having been reported and suspended twice in 6 months, he just needs to find that self control once again.

GO U DOGGIES & THOMMO...

Big Phil...

[Adelaide Hawk]

Just an opinion but when I do see him play I rekon he does play angry or is he frustarted !!!

A season with Sheedy would do that.

[Big Phil]

Just an opinion but when I do see him play I rekon he does play angry or is he frustarted !!!

A season with Sheedy would do that.

Well Adelaide Hawk, the main reason Thommo still isn't playing in the AFL is because ALL of the coaching panel at Essendon, barring Sheeds (the one that matters) didn't like the way Paul played his football. I know this as fact as it is pretty much straight from the horses mouth...

So I guess you might be right, maybe he is taking his frustration with Sheedy out in the manner in which he seems to be playing this year ???

All I know, is I'm glad he is back playing for Centrals and I would not be suprised if he goes onto play close to 300 league games for the club and ends up being a club legnd and record holder...

Big Phil...

[Adelaide Hawk]

the main reason Thommo still isn't playing in the AFL is because ALL of the coaching panel at Essendon, barring Sheeds (the one that matters) didn't like the way Paul played his football. I know this as fact as it is pretty much straight from the horses mouth...

Which makes you wonder why they recruited him in the first place. Didn't they see him play before drafting him?

[Big Phil]

the main reason Thommo still isn't playing in the AFL is because ALL of the coaching panel at Essendon, barring Sheeds (the one that matters) didn't like the way Paul played his football. I know this as fact as it is pretty much straight from the horses mouth...

Which makes you wonder why they recruited him in the first place. Didn't they see him play before drafting him?

Yeah, I've often wondered that as well but I think his form of 2004, regardless of the way he played the game, was too good to refuse and the Bombers thought that with such a late pick (draft pick # 60, 2005) they'll take a bit of a punt on a reputable mature age recruit. In the end, it netted Thommo a brief 8 game AFL career and I'm really glad he at least made it to the big league, albeit briefly.

I spoke in an earlier post of Paul's rugged determination and desire to get the best out of his ability for as long as he can. This was evident to me pretty early on, way back to our year 12 graduation party where we all signed each others school jumpers to remember who our mates where through school. I remember Thommo wrote on my jumper.... "Thanks for being a great mate, I'll be sure to get you tickets for my first game when I make it in the AFL"

GO U DOGGIES...

Big Phil...

[Blue Boy]

Just an opinion but when I do see him play I rekon he does play angry or is he frustarted !!!

Not too far off the mark there Blue Boy...

I know Thommo quite well personally, we were best mates through school and I chat with him most weeks before games. I just think that when he takes the field for his beloved Doggies, he is just so passionate and determined to do well for his side and the jumper that he does come across as playing angry or frustrated. He is just a super competitive person in everything he does and this is evident with his football as, like most footballers, he just doesn't like to be beaten by his opponent(s).

I haven't seen a footballer in a while that has the high level of work rate that Paul does and his competitve nature is as strong as any footballer I've seen in watching Centrals in the last 20 years or so. His determination and pride in his ability and fitness level is such that he is probably our best tackler in the club and always has a fairly high tackle count on a weekly basis. The only downfall to his game, that he has admitted himself, is that too often he gives away silly free kicks, 25's or down fields because if he decides that he is going to chase someone down and gets to them just before they disose of the footy, he sometimes still carries through with the tackle, hence a high personal frees against count at times.

This is because, like I say, his work rate is so high that he never gives up on winning the football, running to support a team mate or as I said above, chasing down an opponent. Paul knows that he has to work on this, and at times his disposal when he has got the ball, but I can assure you, nothing will change that hard working, competitive nature that he has shown in his 118 SANFL and dozen or so AFL appearances. I think sice he has taken on the captaincy role with Matty Slade he probably feels that he has to set a high standard for his fellow team mates and I guess because he standards are so lofty, this does come across, at times, as being angry or playing frustrated. He proved how good he was by winning the Magarey Medal in 2004, thus leading to his 12 month stint with Essendon, and while I think he has probably been one of our most consistant performers this year, having been reported and suspended twice in 6 months, he just needs to find that self control once again.

GO U DOGGIES & THOMMO...

Big Phil...

I thought I knew my stuff