Good luck to The Big Boy

[dragit]

No doubt.

Winning a flag is now no. 1.

If your mates are with you or not now seems almost irrelevant.

This pic on the age is pretty funny… each player signalling how many personal flags he has won.

[Dave McNamara]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

[philtee]

Congrats to Ben.
In some ways you could call him a 'reverse Pelchen'.
He's a player Pelchen cleared out, to set the framework for 2016 and beyond,
at the same time giving the Hawks a player to top-up the work he'd done there
between 2005 and 2011.
I'm thinking Pelchen could be sitting at home tonight with a glass of fizz, as one of the
architects of the Hawks' 2014 victory, quietly contemplating things to come in the
next 5 years for the Saints.

[Sobraz]

No doubt.

Winning a flag is now no. 1.

If your mates are with you or not now seems almost irrelevant.

Couldnt disagree more..

This is exactly why Hawks just went back to back, and I hope beyond hope that we are approaching it the exact same way..

But you're right. This is exactly why Hawthorn won the flag.

Hawthorn footy club. Training at Waverley. Playing at the MCG. Half their home games in Tassie.

Full back and CHB from different clubs. Both Ruckman, medium forward, and their best utility in Burgoyne all from other clubs. Coach from Port via North, Melbourne and the Saints. Assistants from Carlton and other clubs.

That's modern AFL footy.

Footy 'loyalty' does not exist. Hasn't for years.

I've said many times - the only people left that are still foolish enough to believe in loyalty in football are the fans.


It's a business.

Spot on about your key point re. us fans, but to get more fans and be a successful brand and business, success is essential. So agree with you premise, but do not think this is new.
Your breakdown of today's Hawks team is not so different from the successful Kangaroos of the 70's about 40 years ago, they were just operating on a smaller scale.

[Wayne42]

Big Boy would be in hysterics, if he'd stayed at the Saints he'd never get a Premiership medallion, he gets ousted to the Hawks and gets one in his first year.

he who laughs last........

[plugger66]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

Glad you mentioned you missed most of the first half. Best 3 on the ground at half time. Hopefully its a win win but at the moment the hawks and Ben wont give a stuff. Well done Ben. I think you and Hale proved hit outs are like paying for pros at the parlours. A waste of time and effort.

[Enrico_Misso]

Well done Macca.
Well deserved.

[saintspremiers]

I'm delighted for Ben and still happy with what the Hawks gave for the trade. Still a big win win for both clubs.

[bigcarl]

Very happy for Ben.

It would have been a different story had he jumped ship and fled a la Luke Ball 2009, but since we didn't want him ...

[plugger66]

Very happy for Ben.

It would have been a different story had he jumped ship and fled a la Luke Ball 2009, but since we didn't want him ...

As opposed to really wanting Luke Ball? I actually don't care why anyone leaves. Its a job to them and like most of us we leave jobs for more money or to be hopefully happier at another job. Don't boo our ex players and don't cheer for them but I did for Ben yesterday. His firt half was fantastic and helped set up the win.

[magnifisaint]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

Glad you mentioned you missed most of the first half. Best 3 on the ground at half time. Hopefully its a win win but at the moment the hawks and Ben wont give a stuff. Well done Ben. I think you and Hale proved hit outs are like paying for pros at the parlours. A waste of time and effort.

McEvoy certainly wasn't in the best 3 to half time.

[plugger66]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

Glad you mentioned you missed most of the first half. Best 3 on the ground at half time. Hopefully its a win win but at the moment the hawks and Ben wont give a stuff. Well done Ben. I think you and Hale proved hit outs are like paying for pros at the parlours. A waste of time and effort.

McEvoy certainly wasn't in the best 3 to half time.

Well IMO he was. Is there votes given at half time to say who was best or not? Can you tell us the telly at HT.

[magnifisaint]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

Glad you mentioned you missed most of the first half. Best 3 on the ground at half time. Hopefully its a win win but at the moment the hawks and Ben wont give a stuff. Well done Ben. I think you and Hale proved hit outs are like paying for pros at the parlours. A waste of time and effort.

McEvoy certainly wasn't in the best 3 to half time.

Well IMO he was. Is there votes given at half time to say who was best or not? Can you tell us the telly at HT.

How about Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge. Throw in Langford for good measure. And that's at HT

[plugger66]

Caveat: I missed the first quarter and a half.

Ben didn't get dominated, which I see as the number requirement from a ruckman. But apart from a couple of defensive punches, I can recall one mark and maybe one or two handballs(?) Resting forward in the final quarter he was twice (too) easily out-positioned and out-marked by his smaller Swines opponent.

Remember that he only got a game by the skin of his teeth... in a team where his only competition is the career underperformer in Hale, and an ex-Skunks player who then came of the Dawk's rookie list. Or put another way, he wouldn't attract a draft pick anywhere around No 19 this trading period.

Hey, he's clearly a really good bloke, and now a premiership player, so I wish him well, but it really was a case of being right place, right time.

Same goes, though even more so for Spangher. There would be few more ordinary footballers who have gained a premiership medallion, but again, good for him.

Glad you mentioned you missed most of the first half. Best 3 on the ground at half time. Hopefully its a win win but at the moment the hawks and Ben wont give a stuff. Well done Ben. I think you and Hale proved hit outs are like paying for pros at the parlours. A waste of time and effort.

McEvoy certainly wasn't in the best 3 to half time.

Well IMO he was. Is there votes given at half time to say who was best or not? Can you tell us the telly at HT.

How about Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge. Throw in Langford for good measure. And that's at HT

I had him level with Langford and behind Mitchell and Hodge. I had him in front of Lewis.