mcdermott sunday mail comment

[topsywaldron]

Yes we'd be so much better off with Caro and Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith is a ripper sports writer IMHO, not afraid to stick it up everyone. Unlike most journos he doesn't seem to see his primary role as acting as an unpaid spruiker for whatever sport it is he's covering. We'd be better served, as sports fans, by having a lot more writers with his sense of independence.

Martin Flannagan is another great sports writer we don't see enough of in the SA media.

[am Bays]

The Cornes column...............
The McDermott column......
been saying it for ages....... Welcome to Adelaide

then you show them Peter Goers column....

[GWW]

Yes we'd be so much better off with Caro and Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith is a ripper sports writer IMHO, not afraid to stick it up everyone. Unlike most journos he doesn't seem to see his primary role as acting as an unpaid spruiker for whatever sport it is he's covering. We'd be better served, as sports fans, by having a lot more writers with his sense of independence.

Perhaps he could mention in his articles when talking about the sportsmanship of today's sportsmen then how he was suspended in Melbourne Grade Cricket in the 70's for dissent, when as a fast bowler he threatened opposing batsmen. Its all very well for him to get on his high horse, but when he's just as guilty as anyone, he should at least mention this in his articles.

[am Bays]

Martin Flannagan is another great sports writer we don't see enough of in the SA media.

There's this new fangled internet thingy Topsy, which aparently transcends state boarders...... Lucky we in SA can try www.theage.com.au/realfooty for one of his many epiphanys on the virtues of aboriginal footballers.

Do you have a copy of his book 1970 and other stories of the Australian game

[Columbo]

For those of us who were younger at the time of Port's original attempt for entry to the AFL in 1990 (i was 14 and remember all the fuss and the end result but not all the details) what was the plan?

Did the Magpies plan to enter the AFL and abandon the local comp altogether?
or
Was the plan to have a team in the AFL and SANFL, similar to what we have at the moment?

[JK]

For those of us who were younger at the time of Port's original attempt for entry to the AFL in 1990 (i was 14 and remember all the fuss and the end result but not all the details) what was the plan?

Did the Magpies plan to enter the AFL and abandon the local comp altogether?
or
Was the plan to have a team in the AFL and SANFL, similar to what we have at the moment?

IIRC mate it was just the 1 team in the AFL

[Ian]

Did you just cut and paste a text message?

I was thinking the same thing before I read down to your post.

[beenreal]

Perhaps this might put McDermott's article into some perspective. He's doing drive with Rowey for the week while Cornes is on the Kokoda Track.

[Jimmy_041]

For a start, the Crows should move to Adelaide Oval and Port take over Football Park, but the Glenelg mafia, who actually created the Crows, would never let that happen

[LBT]

For a start, the Crows should move to Adelaide Oval and Port take over Football Park, but the Glenelg mafia, who actually created the Crows, would never let that happen

About as likely as Norwood moving to Golden Grove!

[Ronnie]

McDermott is no cretin but i understand the sentiment. McDermott was a great player but as a columnist he lives off his playing reputation. He is all over the shop.
last year it was expand the SANFL, this year it is basically destroy it.
In between he claimed to be a Glenelg person first Crows person second which is just a con. On radio yesterday he called the SANFL 'old history' with no modern importance, which presumably includes Glenelg and anyone who bothers with them. he couldn't do much more to run down a unique and quality competition.
I respected his playing performances, his charity work, no doubt a lot of things about the bloke (although turning up to formal occasions in jeans and shirt hanging out is poor) but let more competent people get on with the task of maintaining the SANFL. A failed Port Power model is just that, not worth sacrificing one SANFL club over or trashing the comp for.

[JK]

I heard a bit of McDermott on the Radio yesterday, and like him or hate him (which many seem to lol), you can't ever accuse the bloke of not saying what he thinks.

He's p'd me off at times in the past too, but if he stands by his comments (which he does), I can accept that, even if I think he's completely wrong.

[Ronnie]

I heard a bit of McDermott on the Radio yesterday, and like him or hate him (which many seem to lol), you can't ever accuse the bloke of not saying what he thinks.

He's p'd me off at times in the past too, but if he stands by his comments (which he does), I can accept that, even if I think he's completely wrong.

Seems to depend what month of the year we are talking about. If he wants a 10 team SANFL and then months' later an 8 team comp running around in a mickey mouse league then i question his thinking. Fair to say that no one on this site would share his vision for the SANFL, its more like our nightmare scenario. He's entitled to think that way of course.

[GWW]

As bad as McDermott may be (i do actually think his articles have improved of late), i think he's better than Naley who wrote for the SM about 15 years ago. Naley's articles were massively sensationalist.

[JK]

As bad as McDermott may be (i do actually think his articles have improved of late), i think he's better than Naley who wrote for the SM about 15 years ago. Naley's articles were massively sensationalist.

In line with his commentating then?

(Fair point you make too btw Ronnie)

[Barto]

If you go by the overwhelming opinion on the Port forums, their supporters pretty much agree with Bone.

[Sojourner]

I didnt appreciate his comment about the SANFL in that we should stop trying to be the second best competition in Australia after the AFL, maybe it was edited incorrectly and came out wrong, yet I find that quite offensive.

Football Park, the Crows and Power all exist due to the formation of the SANFL in 1876, that is our history and where we have come from, sides have come in and others out, yet the competition has been consistant through various trials including two world wars which far outweigh any current financial problems that people may be experiencing! Its not about the SANFL being downgraded but the other clubs making themselves better by their own initiatives.

That said, it was placed on the table that the Magpies would drop out of the SANFL to be in the AFL when the bid was first made. I am not saying they should go now either, yet it was what was originally intended and that probably could be argued about if that is really what the majority of their supporters want which I highly doubt!

The other point that I would make is that the SANFL need to embrace change to survive as has been our history as clubs come in and others go out. We need to be expanding to all metropolitan areas including places like Tea Tree Gully and Mt Barker if we are to stay relevant. The whole point of the SANFL is even representation of Suburban Adelaide and if we black out various groups of supporters we will indeed lose relevance. There are developments all over Mt Barker and it is the fastest growing area of Adelaide, if we dont represent those people in the SANFL what right do we have to expect them to support it?

[UK Fan]

What I dont understand is how did we get involved.

Port Power are deliberatly running severely over budget. What has that got to do with the 9 SANFL clubs and the SANFL comp at all.

Its not our fault 1 club is to proud to stick to a budget.

Any chance the AFl clubs could actually thank the SANFl for what we have sacrificed for them over the last 18 years. Any gratitude at all ????

Nope just going to continue to complain and demanding more.

So glad we entered this failed experiment that is the afl.


Best of luck Port . Im sure crowds will go thru the roof now gold coast and west syndey are joining.

[Footy Chick]

For a start, the Crows should move to Adelaide Oval and Port take over Football Park, but the Glenelg mafia, who actually created the Crows, would never let that happen

It was Glenelg that took Port to court in the first instance Jimmy to stop any attempt to join the AFL.

Then when it all went pair shaped and we had to come up with a team quick smart, they appointed the losing grand final coach over the winning grand final coach and the losing GF coach biasedly stuck half the GFC on the initial list.

I wish I still had the tape of an interview I did with Cornesy for my Yr 12 English Major assignment.

I still remember to this day him saying that he'd always had doubts about taking on the coaching because he thought that the Crows would be a fizzer. This was in 1991!

I mean, Allan Bartlett... WTF were they thinking?

[Pseudo]

Then when it all went pair shaped and we had to come up with a team quick smart, they appointed the losing grand final coach over the winning grand final coach

Or, without the anti-Glenelg spin, a coach with a proven record at achieving success with high-level composite teams (i.e. State Of Origin), over a bloke whose record outside of his SANFL club was average at best.

I mean, Allan Bartlett... WTF were they thinking?

Probably thinking much the same as when they picked Darren Smith.