CONFLICT OF INTEREST

What's that? The president of Collingwood might do something untoward with his football club? How do I know? Well, I read it in the Age in a letter from a bloke called Sanaghan. Yes, Brian Sanaghan reckons the Magpie supporters need to keep an eye out in case the boss gets a call from the real boss, K Packer that is, who tells the aforesaid boss he wants to do something a bit creative with the other boss' footy team.

Well, imagine if the Collingwood pres tried to bring in non-voting rights for some members, said Sanaghan when I got him on the blower.

And what if K Packer wanted to ........

More to come.........

 

FLOODING-THOUGHT OF THIS?

Along with umpires shirt-fronting players, flooding, many claim has become the scourge of AFL football. What some commentators don't want to grasp is that such is the fitness of modern players and the precision of defensive play it's inevitable that the forward half will be a virtual bottle-neck and that high marks will be at a premium.

It's no surprise that the old VFA with its 16-a-side teams was a paradise for Fred Cook, Jamie Shaw, Ian Rickman and the blokes who regularly kicked the ton. That's what made the game great to watch. The only way to combat players running into defence in numbers (something we did under coach Colin Kinnear at Coburg in the late '70's) is to bring in an off-side, copy the old VFA, or produce a designated kicker who can bang through torpedo goals from sixty five metres and collect 9 points for the effort.

It's ironic that as so much of the old VFA is being lost to progress the radical approach to scoring implemented by that VFA sage of yesteryear, Alec Gillon, is being hotly discussed over a pint.

GRASS ROOTS?

Now forgive my mirth but a day after announcing a strategy to examine the health of grassroots football and ensure its future isn't it a bit odd for the boys at Jolimont to be glowing about a breakthrough that will see AFL games beamed into Victoria on a Saturday afternoon in competition with the ABC's broadcast of VFL football.  

The cultural tapestry of football. Having a kick at Sandy.

 

Isn't that what killed the old VFA and led to a takeover by the AFL?  But of course!  Competition truly is a beautiful thing when you're the boss cocky?  But let's face it, would you really watch the Eagles v Adelaide on Ten when you can catch a live ad-free, urbane coverage from Willi on your ABC?  I'll leave with that one to think about.  

We wait with bated breath to hear who the AFL will recruit to undertake this survey of grassroots football.

stay tuned..