Here are some observations on the Bombers in 2017.
BURNING QUESTIONS PART I: DID TY VICKERY GHOST US, CAN THE TIGERS REALLY WIN IT ALL AND WILL ABLETT STAY A SUN?
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Burning Questions will appear during the 2017 AFL Grand Final Series. It will look a many questions that need answering to issues or thoughts that have gone unnoticed or ones that need a definitive stance. This is Part I.
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Is there any way the Fifty can produce their own All-Australian that is more inclusive of every player, more of a celebration of AFL, rather than scraping together a top elite list based on stats? YES! Funny you say that. Next week we are publishing the “2017 Travis Cloke All-Australian Team”, a team praising all kinds of AFL players who deserve kudos. It’s going to be great. And an annual Fifty tradition. Stay tuned for that! Continue reading “BURNING QUESTIONS PART I: DID TY VICKERY GHOST US, CAN THE TIGERS REALLY WIN IT ALL AND WILL ABLETT STAY A SUN?”
BEEF OF THE WEEK: BRAD HARDIE V ROSS LYON
Last weekend, former Brownlow medallist and now 6PR radio disc jockey Brad Hardie revisited a claim from five weeks ago, that Dockers coach Ross Lyon – or, more specifically a “third party” connected to Lyon – reached out to the Pies for a coaching gig in 2018. As you would imagine it playing out in the media, a fuming Lyon responded by saying it was a “complete fabrication and a falsehood.” Continue reading “BEEF OF THE WEEK: BRAD HARDIE V ROSS LYON”
THE AFL HAS A CONCUSSION PROBLEM
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The Pies had skipped away to a 39-14 lead against the Roos just before half time. Play was on centre-wing of Etihad Stadium and the bulky, curly-haired forward, Ben Brown was on the end of a handball. Moments later the 200-cm frame had his arms pinned with the ball by Pies ruckman Brody Grundy. To stop Brown from wriggling out of the tackle, Grundy slung him to his left and Brown hit his head on the ground, unable to soften the fall with his hands as they were pinned around his waist. Brown lay on his back motionless and moments later was stretchered off the ground and treated for concussion. Continue reading “THE AFL HAS A CONCUSSION PROBLEM”
ENCOUNTERS WITH FOOTBALL CELEBRITIES
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Bucket list or not, it’s likely you’ll meet a football celebrity once in your lifetime. It’ll be this random occurrence where you’ll feel like an unprepared mess and have nothing to say that sounds remotely great and wonderful. It will be largely weird and meaningless for the footballer, and the meaning will have an expiry date for you, but what else can you expect when you meet an iconic athlete or coach?
“BUCKETS”
I watched the Saints take on the Bombers in mid July, which was the first time Jake Carlisle faced off against his former club since he opted for a clean slate. I dialed in because I wanted to see if he had evolved as a player and a human. My final memory of Carlisle was when he shouted “this club is f – ‘ed” in a match against the Giants in 2015.
The outburst was heard by officials and fans. This on top of telling a Bulldog forward he was counting down the matches before leaving the Bombers at the end of the season and admitting to a Crows forward he didn’t care about the result of that particular game because he’d be gone by the end of the season. If the Essendon drugs saga wasn’t enough to dampen his mood, then the shift from the backline to forward line certainly did.
Continue reading ““BUCKETS””
EXPLAINING HOW THERE IS ONLY, REALLY, ONE TONY LOCKETT
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“There’s a pig on the ground. There’s a pig at full forward!” – Sandy Roberts, Channel 7 commentator.
The play had stopped and Roberts cried: “He’s on a lead, he’s on a lead!” Laughter filled the commentary box as a small pig that resembled the likes of the famous Babe, rather than the modern-day Peppa variety, ran riot on the paddock of the Sydney Cricket Ground. Continue reading “EXPLAINING HOW THERE IS ONLY, REALLY, ONE TONY LOCKETT”
WHAT ABOUT THOSE FORGOTTEN AFL PLAYERS, PART II
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We’ve started a series on AFL’s forgotten players, legends, characters, overachievers and underachievers. To catch up, you can read Part I. Here’s Part II. If there are players you want us to write about, email us at: thefiftyfooty@gmail.com. Continue reading “WHAT ABOUT THOSE FORGOTTEN AFL PLAYERS, PART II”
RANKING THE BEST FOOTBALLERS WHO WORE JUMPER NO. 1
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In celebration of the upcoming first round of AFL Football, I decided to rank the top 10 players to ever to wear no.1 on the back of their jumpers. I hope this raises debate about who should be on this list that didn’t get selected, but most of all, these are the players, I remember, who dominated no.1. Continue reading “RANKING THE BEST FOOTBALLERS WHO WORE JUMPER NO. 1”
HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE TIGERS AND FOOTBALL AT NORTH HOBART OVAL
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I wasn’t born into a footballing family. But the older I grew, the more I realised how one game was the beginning of my affection for life.
Childhood memories often hold funny and bizarre recollections that are vague in parts. But there are few things that stand out from this cloudy day at North Hobart in early 1998. From the Murray to the Derwent – I was a nine-year-old kid raised on rivers moving from Riverina town of Albury, to Olde Hobart Town a couple of years prior. And there was a lot to learn about the culture of an Aussie Rules match in Tassie. Continue reading “HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE TIGERS AND FOOTBALL AT NORTH HOBART OVAL”
The Fifty 