Here's regular updates on the meanderings of Tony's Tongue for Season 2001
Round 20
This week it's traditional for Tony to select his Team of the Year
Here it is:
Backs: M. Johnson D. Fletcher B. Hart
Half Backs: J. Akermanis D. Gaspar A. Yze
Centres: B. Johnson M. Voss S. Camporeale
Half Forwards: A. McLeod J. Brown M. O'Loughlin
Forwards: B. Pickett M. Lloyd A. Lynch
Followers: M. Primus B. Ratten B. Cousins
Interchange: S. Black N. Brown J. Johnson J. Hird
Captain: N. Buckley
Coach: R. Eade
Assistant: R. Harvey
Runner: Kent Hannan
"Georgie" Award: Troy Wilson
Round 18
Tony is alleged to have said, off-air, that Brad Ottens..."is a handy player, but he's five years away from it yet"
Asked to find similarly prematurely lauded players at the other fifteen clubs, Tony bobbed up Peter Everitt at St Kilda, Troy Luff at the Swans, and Darren Jarman at the Crows...while adding that Brad Ottens is the best kick for goal for his height in the history of football.
Round 16
After 15 Rounds, Tony, by tradition, rates all 16 Presidents on a scale of 1 - 10
The highest scoring prez receives the annual, perpetual, McAllister Trophy, named in honour of Big 'MAGPIE CHIEF HITS OUT!' Al.
This year's winner, with 8.5, is Richmond's Clinton Casey, ahead of an improving Ross McClean at Fremantle, and Richard Colless at the Swans. If Melbourne actually had a president, they might've been a chance.
Rod Butterrs' last minute surge at the tape was not enough to impress the Big Man Who Travels By Train, but watch out for this eyecatching newcomer in 2002.
Round 10
Tony has examined and analysed the kick-in setups for all the Clubs. Here are his expert recommendations:
Adelaide - Jarman to Riccutio to Mcleod
Brisbane - Mal Michael to Leppa
Carlton - Ratten to Campo to Sir Craig
Collingwood - Tarkyn to Buckley
Essendon(the one that started it all...) - Fletcher to Wellman to Misiti
Fremantle - pass
Geelong - B.Graham to King
Hawthorn - M.Graham to anyone
AAAs - King chips to himself then zig-zags up the ground
Melbourne - Neitz to Schwartz who bombs it with a Torp.
Port - Dew to Tredrea
Richmond - Leon Cameron to any of the left footers...
StKilda - Aussie to Festival to Stewie
Sydney - Maxfield to Schwass to O'Loughlin and Goodes
Eagles - Wirrpunda to a pack
Bullies - Eagleton to Darcy to Nathan Brown
Tony has ranked all the assistant coaches to determine this year's winner of The Wayne Brittain Medal.
Mark Harvey bobbed up.
Round 8
Tony ranked the supporters of all the clubs on the basis of how their supporters will turn on them. Suprisingly, Geelong were out of the placings with Gold Silver and Bronze going to Richmond, Collingwood and StKilda.
Round 7
Last week, Tony looked at the ones they've forgotten about . Players who no one knew anything about, then everyone knew about them, and now everyone's forgotten about them...
Adelaide - Darren Jarman
Brisbane - Mal Michael
Carlton - Craig Bradley
Collingwood - Simon Prestigiacomo
Essendon - Scott Lucas
Fremantle - Adrian Fletcher
Geelong - Darren Milburn
Hawthorn - John Barker
North - Michael Martyn
Melbourne - Steven Febey
Port - Darren Mead
Richmond - Matthew Knights
StKilda - Ozzie Jones
Swans - Troy Luff
Eagles - Bansfield
Bulldogs - Craig Ellis
Round 5
Tony thinks that the competition cannot support the number of Clubs in Perth.
Perhaps two of them should merge...?
Four rounds was enough exposed form for Tony to rate the clubs' chances for this season
In racebook order :
Adelaide - gone
Brisbane - a disappointment
Carlton - struggling
Collingwood - look for something big in 2003
Essendon - on the slide
Fremantle - No
Geelong - no sign of any promised improvement
Hawthorn - haven't played anyone yet
Melbourne - past it
North - even more past it
Port Adelaide - should sneak into the eight
Richmond - haven't beaten anyone any good
Sainters - Uhuhuhhhhhhh
Swans - got away to a flyer against the three bottom teams
Eagles - gone
Footscray - too inconsistent
So there you have it. No one can win the flag and only about three teams will make the finals
Round 4
Inspired by Troy Wilson's Round Three blitz, Tony has urged all clubs to follow the Eagles' lead, and introduce an age policy
Here's Tony's recommendations, club-by-club, for a veteran to add to the list.
Adelaide...... Adam Saliba
Brisbane......John Hutton
Carlton......Vinny 'the Cat' Catoggio
Collingwood......Paul Rizonico
Essendon......Darren 'Doc' Wheildon
Fremantle......Brian Peake
Geelong......Brian Peake
Hawthorn......Craig Hoyer
Kangaroos......Adrian McAdam
Melbourne......Darren Cuthbertson
Port Adelaide......David Granger
Richmond......John Manton
St Kilda......Con Gorozides
Sydney......Tony Lockett
Eagles......Troy Ugle
Bulldogs......Robert Groenewegen
First up for 2001, Tony rated all the Clubs on his Parko-meter.
Tony rates your team following David Parkin's recent comments that football has
become boring.
Tony's ratings are based on a scale of 0-10
10 if
they're a bunch of crashing bores
5 if they're "ho-hum"
0 if
they effervesce and display plenty of color and oomph.
Adelaide.......0 "I could watch them all day, any day," said Tony. "In fact, I'd be happy for the Doggies to play the Crowies five or six times this year!"
Brisbane.......7 Carlton..........5 Collingwood...3
Essendon......9 "Fletcher kicks it to Wellman and no-one stands next to Misiti. How boring can you get?"
Fremantle......2 Geelong........8 Hawthorn.......7
Kangaroos....10 "They just kick to No.18 all the time."
Melbourne......5 Port Adelaide..7 Richmond.......2
St Kilda..........0 "Malcolm does it again."
Sydney..........5
West Coast....-2 "The real entertainers. I could watch them playing against Adelaide every week!"
W'Bulldogs.....5