Whipping Boys - 2008

[Ghost Like]

If the delistings are true, that will really shake up the Whipping Boys 2008 Calendar!

We, as all footy club supporters, seem to take great delight in picking a chosen few and blaming them for all things ailing our club and regardless of evidence to the contrary will be the sole reason we didn't go that step closer to the holy grail.

I'll be interested now to see how this calendar is received now some of the perennial favourites, Brooks, Watts and McQualter appear to have become yesterday's zeroes.

Mr January: The Blake, 9th in the B&F doesn't seem to have put an end to his fans.

Mr February: The Ferg, has he been played out of position or simply an easy target since his delisting and re-drafting?

Mr March: The Rixster, very harsh when it's obvious he's hampered by the amount of blood needed to pump through a very big heart.

Mr April: The Gwilt Edge, has the romantic notion of being a smokey worn off and expectations increased?

Mr May: Milney, busts a gut, cannot spell first option let alone use one, seems to get under the skin of opponents and supporters, always good to have someone oppo supporters hate so much.

Mr June: The X Man, much maligned, much expected, only needs to get a gig in the middle so people can criticise his efforts there. Will polarise but cannot question his loyalty and untapped talent.

Mr July: Raph, cannot have one without the other. Still young in terms of games played and that is also a point of frustration, probably more for him as much as his supporters, still there's talent to be tapped.

Mr August: Gardiner the 1st, will we see him pull on a Saints guernsey and kick another football in anger?

Mr September: Dal, the perfect fit for September, should be playing finals and would excel in finals although some expect more???

Mr October: Bally, love this bloke and would hate to be fighting the anguish he must feel over his inability to do what he knows he's capable of. Yet some cannot stop drooling over Judd and what might have been.

Mr November: Dempster, some new blood on the list and appears to have all the attributes to make him the quintessential whipping boy, honest toiler, no fan fare, some fade outs but plays to instruction and within ability. Been nicknamed, The Dumpster, let's hope it's for his tackling.

Mr December: Gardiner the 2nd, was a whipping boy at Geelong and appears to have the attributes to continue that here. Not his fault Johnson found the 12 steps during 2007. Would like nothing more than having this bloke in particular have Geelong supporters choke on their own bile.

Honourable mention to CJ but figure he has enough going on modelling himself on the Club Mascot. Let's hope his desire & passion = improvement & value.

[Solar]

post of the year, take a bow !!

[Otiman]

CJ will be whipping boy #1.

[Ghost Like]

CJ will be whipping boy #1.

Maybe we can set aside the cover for him then?

[markinUSA]

Spot on! Great post!

[stinger]

great post...you have this forum's number.....

[ausfatcat]

Mr January: The Blake, 9th in the B&F doesn't seem to have put an end to his fans.



not a chance in hell.

[midas_touch]

Fiora no longer a whipping boy?

[G-Unit]

great post, but i think howard may be pushing for a spot in the calendar in 08 and should cement his postion in 09, even though we know he is a long term prospect

[Spinner]

Whipping Boys......But for Saintsationalites, its impossible to have any bad players. Even when they encounter embarrassing loses.

They are all stars.

[saint66au]

Whipping Boys......But for Saintsationalites, its impossible to have any bad players. Even when they encounter embarrassing loses.

They are all stars.

Well....maybe just a few of us recognise that no matter how badly an AFL player performs on any given day, they are possess still athletic ability far beyond anyone who posts here.

Really annoys me how some people think that bagging players makes them credible thinking supporters who watch the game far more closely than those who are less critical. If only they realised that often exactly the opposite is true

[Ghost Like]

Fiora no longer a whipping boy?

There comes a time in a man's life when he must move on from the Kylie Swimsuit Calendars as there a bigger, better and bolder calendars to hang on the wall.

[stinger]

.

Really annoys me how some people think that bagging players makes them credible thinking supporters who watch the game far more closely than those who are less critical. If only they realised that often exactly the opposite is true

aint that the truth.....

[Iceman234]

Post of the Year IMVHO.

Can't believe you couldn't possibly fit the Fizz in there though.

And young Jayden Attard had his share of detractors as well from memory, although I rate him highly - apparently doesn't get enough possessions.... - can't find the post though


CJ = Trevor Saint

Always thought they modelled it on Luke Penny.

[Spinner]

Whipping Boys......But for Saintsationalites, its impossible to have any bad players. Even when they encounter embarrassing loses.

They are all stars.

Well....maybe just a few of us recognise that no matter how badly an AFL player performs on any given day, they are possess still athletic ability far beyond anyone who posts here.

Really annoys me how some people think that bagging players makes them credible thinking supporters who watch the game far more closely than those who are less critical. If only they realised that often exactly the opposite is true

It gets me no end how 'posters' confuses the term 'whipping boy' and just stating a player played a bad game.

It is near impossible to say so and so played awful without some clown dismissing the analysis on the basis of that player being a 'whipping boy'

And I wouldn't be comparing players abilities with average poster....I unlike the few you are referring to, like to contrast their performance and ability against that of their opposition.


And BTW, I wasn't having a pot shot at the players....It was directed to the turkeys that are blinded by the colors a player is wearing. Players play bad games. Players have bad seasons. Both are not always an equation to ability....personal issues can contribute too. But you cant dismiss the fact that average players can sustain lengthy careers while others hardly get a chance.

Players get delisted every year. And as I previously stated - They are NOT all

[bigcarl]

i'm sure raph will remain a favourite whipping boy of some posters.

i don't bag him because i'm convinced he has abundant talent and it is only a matter of time and hard work before he really sets it on fire.

sure is frustrating sometimes though

[mad saint guy]

"Whipping Boys" are generally players who turn the ball over too much and don't look confident on the field.

Blake will have plenty of baggers no matter what. He was a decent player in 2007 but he still makes the occasional shocking turnover and that sticks in people's minds.

Jones is one player that I personally think is nowhere near AFL level and towards the end of the season most people thought the same. His turnover rate will ensure plenty of baggers and his hair colour will ensure plenty of fans.

Gwilt is being forced to play in a position that he isn't suited to, and he will never be a top quality fullback. For that reason, people will bag him. Often has a blank look on his face when he's got the footy which angry drunken crowd members are drawn towards for a shoutig session.

Raph Clarke won't espace criticizm. It is true that he has a laconic demeanor, but it is also true that he is lazy at times. Will have plenty of detractors.

Rix seems to be considered a fair player by most people, but many (myself included) don't see the value of a ruckman who offers nothing more than "an honest contest."

Those players will be the main ones IMO, while Milne, X.Clarke and Dal Santo always cop a spray at some stage. If Armo doesn't perform this year plenty will be on his case.

[Eastern]

When our rucks dominate in 08 (-Rixy) there is a poster on here who might become a whiping boy. I can't recall his/her/ it's name at the moment !!

[mad saint guy]

When our rucks dominate in 08 (-Rixy) there is a poster on here who might become a whiping boy. I can't recall his/her/ it's name at the moment !!

I will be more than happy to accept the title of Village Idiot if our rucks dominate in 2008.

[Eastern]

When our rucks dominate in 08 (-Rixy) there is a poster on here who might become a whiping boy. I can't recall his/her/ it's name at the moment !!

I will be more than happy to accept the title of Village Idiot if our rucks dominate in 2008.

I think there is someone just ahead of you in that queue !!

[St. Luke]

Fiora no longer a whipping boy?

Not in my eyes. Fiora has taken massive steps this year IMO..... he'll make even bigger steps in 08 and finally prove how valuable he is.

[killa_gram]

Fiora no longer a whipping boy?

Not in my eyes. Fiora has taken massive steps this year IMO..... he'll make even bigger steps in 08 and finally prove how valuable he is.

He's still mine. Soft and crap, like a runny turd.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Really annoys me how some people think that bagging players makes them credible thinking supporters who watch the game far more closely than those who are less critical. If only they realised that often exactly the opposite is true

From your keyboard to gods ear.

If it does prove to be true that we've delisted a group of our most controversial players, perhaps we should be looking to take a flyer with pick 9, to divide for years to come.

Can Howard step up and turn from a much questioned draft selection to a genuinely controversial player? Can CJ get his kicking eff and contested ball up to a level where he can develop a cult following? Can Birss play at a level where he appears too good for VFL, but not good enough for AFL... how will (C) Gardiner and Dempster be recieved. How long will we tolerate a lack of games from (M) Gardiner before deifying Tim Houlihan?

Can Kosi convince the old annoying guy who sat near me a couple of times this year that he's not the worst player on the ground... (seriously)

[BAM! (shhhh)]

"Whipping Boys" are generally players who turn the ball over too much and don't look confident on the field.

Blake will have plenty of baggers no matter what. He was a decent player in 2007 but he still makes the occasional shocking turnover and that sticks in people's minds.

A thought... maybe, just maybe, Blake's days as a favorite whipping boy are winding down. Due to the aquisition of Dempster.

Hypothetical situation, King and Gardiner are healthy and rotating through the ruck, with Kosi up forward. Blake's only job is that of tall tagger - can Dempster step up and take charge of the role, including it's proponents and detractors?

I'm not writing off Blake yet, I thought when Lyon came to town the writing might be on the wall, now I doubt Lyon buys groceries without Blakey there to lay the shepherd when Lyon chooses his lettuce, but IMO Blake's greatest attribute is flexibility, and with healthy talls in defense, and a healthy ruck brigade, come Baker's return to first tagging option, Blake could find that it comes directly down to a single role, and then he may be vulnerable... to the joy of some, though the detractors may like the cure as little as the disease.

[saintly]

birss, charlie gardiner, and mcqualter