from FootyHeads

TOP MARKS FOR THAT SHINBONER SPIRIT

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 at 6:22 pm

MIKE “Magic” McLean from Triple M Football chooses his top five from round four.

1. Kangaroos - Smashed all week for off-field issues and written off as a non-competitive unit on-field, the Roos were fantastic against the Brisbane Lions. The Lions form was far better than the Kangaroos but the Roos committment was first rate and they showed the Gold Coast community what the club is famous for.

2. Robert Murphy - A knee injury took him out of the game last year and his first couple of games this year made you wonder if we would ever see the sublime Murphy skill again. Our fears were allayed on Friday night as Murphy turned in a classy second half performance to ice the Doggies cake against the Tigers.

3. Essendon - Many thought the Bomber bubble would burst after their second half fade-out against Carlton. However they showed they are a real threat by diposing of St. Kilda on Saturday. The Saints are seen as a quality outfit so for the Bombers to knock them off so easily is a very good sign for Kevin Sheedy and his team from Windy Hill.

4. Josh Mahoney - Has always been a strong performer for Port at home but very rarely fires a shot away from AAMI Stadium. On Saturday against Collingwood at the MCG Port trailed at three-quarter-time and needed someone to step up - enter Mahoney who had a slashing final quarter having eight quality possssions and laying some solid tackles in the wet.

5. Adelaide - While Melbourne and to a lesser extent Richmond are being let off the hook because of injuries no side has an injury list as bad as the Crows. After round one when they were beaten by Essendon they were gone - but three weeks later they have wins over the Dogs, Port and Sydney. This is a very good footy team that is only going to get better as the season goes on.

Apologies to - Brendon Lade, Paul Haselby and Hawthorn

Must do better - Richmond, Geelong and Brisbane Lions

David James on gay footballers

David James on gay footballers

April 16th, 2007 · 4 Comments

People often wonder why I love sport so much, especially football of all codes. My one true love though is football of the round-ball variety and it’s not just because I love the game. It seems to have the ability through it’s sheer popularity and deep history, among other things, to offer up moments that just make me smile, like when Barcelona PAID UNICEF for the honour of wearing their name on the Barca shirt. (Barca had never had a shirt sponsor previously).

Today there’s a little item in The Guardian written by David James, currently a keeper for Portsmouth. Even though he used to drive me crazy with his ‘Calamity James’ antics when he played for Liverpool, he has always struck me as someone with half a brain, which sometimes seems like a rare commodity for a footballer. In his item he addresses the last great taboo of English football - the gay player. He points to the hypocrisy of some of the players, the nastiness of gossip and the media and wonders when and in what environment will a player finally be able to come out and be allowed to continue to play football, not suffer the same fate as the only player to have come out, Justin Fashanu.

from FootyHeads

LIONS FUME OVER LAPPIN INJRUY

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 1:18 am

BY BRAD KLIBANSKY

THE Brisbane Lions are fuming that co- captain Nigel Lappin may miss a third consecutive week with a calf injury sustained from an attempted trip by Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge.

As today’s Herald Sun reported, the Lions are livid that Lappin has yet to play since sustaining the injury, while Hodge escaped any penalty and has been free to play.

Brisbane Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said the club would not seek an explanation from the AFL, despite the perceived injustice of Lappin missing the early rounds of the season.

from FootyHeads

LIONS FUME OVER LAPPIN INJRUY

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 1:18 am

BY BRAD KLIBANSKY

THE Brisbane Lions are fuming that co- captain Nigel Lappin may miss a third consecutive week with a calf injury sustained from an attempted trip by Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge.

As today’s Herald Sun reported, the Lions are livid that Lappin has yet to play since sustaining the injury, while Hodge escaped any penalty and has been free to play.

Brisbane Lions chief executive Michael Bowers said the club would not seek an explanation from the AFL, despite the perceived injustice of Lappin missing the early rounds of the season.

Injustice? Robbed more like.

from FootyHeads

SCRAP THE INTERCHANGE SYSTEM

Thursday, April 5th, 2007 at 8:41 am

BRISBANE Lions coach Leigh Matthews wants scrap the interchange bench and turn footy into a gladiator sport.

The Herald Sun reports that Matthews wants to get rid of the interchange bench and go back to old reserves or substitutes system.

“once you re off the ground - you are off the ground”, Matthews told the Herald Sun. “It would be survival of the fittest”.

Not sure about this. It would be an entertaining experiment. But let's focus on the this year's matches first.