If you’d told me 5 years ago that Richmond would have more indigenous blokes than us as the coin toss at Dreamtime I’d have said you were on crack
3 Likes
Heppell at the end of this game
Stack is evidence to how stupid recruiters can be.
4 Likes
I don’t disagree, but it’s not like Richmond took him at the ND either.
1 Like
Agree, he was a top 30 talent and he’s playing like it
2 Likes
Above my pay grade that one, really not sure. We did last year in the men’s at least, not sure about the women’s.
A top 30 kid not picked for non-football related reasons, would seem like a perfect pick up for a club without access to the top end of the draft.
But are we happy rookieing Dea for a part of the ground that we could not possibly more stacked in…
15 Likes
Is already a star at this level. Much more robust and hard hitting than his slight frame would have you believe.
Oozes X factor, agility and evasiveness with ball in hand and in even after his stints on the wing he was able to run half the field dodging opponents in a run that at AFL level would be #1 on the Rounds highlights.
He seems to be gaining match fitness and adapting to this level fast.
I don’t want to talk him up but he is much more than a green shoot, he is a bright light. 2020 can’t come quickly enough !.
6 Likes
Gleeson ready to come in? Or needs another week?
Absolutely a talent. Absolutely earned a chance in the AFL But there were issues which made recruiters shy.
He was late to training during the week and Dimma suggested he "take his head out of his ***** "
That’s probably a bit of a red flag tbh, but some may say it was harsh, Dimma has apologised, but maybe some tough love is what Stack needs to keep him grounded. Certainly his coaches prior to drafting put a lot of effort into instilling responsibility and self discipline into him. That’s all on the public record .
Its all too easy for stars to get a big head in this competition and they can be cut down fast if they are not very careful.
Mozzie is going to be fantastic for us next year, just a cut above the rest with skills and pace. He’s not as lightly built as I thought.
I think Marty looks some ways off, as you would expect.
Clarke payed well, and should be in next week for mine.
We have some talent amounts the big blokes, I wonder if any might get a rookie spot mid season or end of year.
Number 70 is a tank. Want.
Highlights were standing near RAZ and Stewart, who is a very big bloke with cool hair.
4 Likes
Number 70 is Liam McKenna @hambo and I are the front seat of his bandwagon. Love what he brings to the game, just an old fashioned tough footballer.
4 Likes
The eternal recruiting question: guy who is definitely capable of playing good AFL football but may require the large and well paid coaching and welfare staff to do their jobs, or dedicated and disciplined good bloke who does everything right but can’t play football.
2 Likes
He is awsome. Goes hard and straight. Massive unit.
Im on his bandwagon now.
1 Like
So are my kids. At the North game in Werribee there was a good dust up and straight away “where is 70? He’ll sort them out”
2 Likes
Funnily enough, pretty sure McKenna is a HR manager.
4 Likes
See, this is my issue with a lot of the guys I pump up who go undrafted, and how redundant AFL thinking is in this area. I’d say tough love is actually about 30% effective. I’m not saying it doesn’t work. I’m just saying it’s not the silver bullet in solving the sort of issues guys like Stack have/had.
The key is inclusion, and social responsibility. Indigenous people do really well with transition to cities when they feel part of a ‘family’ and that the family has faith in them.
6 Likes
Even with our clubs history with indigenous people and education that has been provided to EFC supporters… they still believe equality is more important than Equity.
At work during the week, I was talking to a group of indigenous kids who have been struggling to find work. They were talking about the fact they have the same qualifications as the white kids they are competing with for work… and cannot secure a job.
As one young bloke said to me, “I just wish they’d give me a chance, and I won’t let them down”.
These kids can’t even get in the front door for an interview.
We’ve talked about it constantly on this forum, but supporters and people at the club continue with rolling out tokenism… rather than being a leader for Equity.
That is where we are at.
I was f*cking embarrassed to see 5 Indigenous Richmond players step forward before the game… and look at their Essendon counter part in the eyes.
3 Likes
Me too, we used to give Richmond so much ■■■■ about it when the shoe was on the other foot
2 Likes
Unlucky not to be on a list.
State teams throughout his juniors and was reportedly told by Richmond they would take him in his draft year only for them not to call his name out leaving him very disappointed. Continued with Peel in the WAFL, averaging big possession numbers in the reserves but clashed with coaches who dressed him down over his skinfolds more than once. Tranferred to Perth and played consistent high possession league games before a recent stint in the country leagues. Good on both sides of the body, good in the contest and feel he may have slipped through the cracks somewhat.
An angry ranga through and through.
2 Likes