TOPIC:

We spend a lot of time on this site debating topics with negative connotations, something I don't shy away from being guilty of at times myself. I thought I'd put out a challenge to all Oz Footy members to express what they found to be their own personal highlights in season 2014 now it is all over....some footy talk...the positive stuff.... so we can all learn a little about the good things happening at each others WAFL clubs.


For me hands down was watching the development of youngster Adam Faulkner at SD. Still struggling with his disposal, which I'd love to go help him with over the summer months as I find it excruciating at times when he turns it over recklessly but all up his ability to find the ball this season in the clinches was a delight to watch, especially some of the combination work with the ruckman "Doc" Blakeley. Some of the clearance work was exquisite at times between them 2. Still my favourite part of the game in footy, the centre clearance battle and these 2 were brilliant at times. There were a few moments in the first 3 qtrs of the first semi when Adam came charging out of the middle of the ground ball in hand where it was like watching an art form being expressed in it's finest.

Other highlights for me from the season were Ricky Cary's performance. He still has a long way to go with regards to 4qtr intensity but a quality year from a young upcoming forward. His hands proved to be way better than I thought they were thru the year and is a big plus for the club in 2014. Liking the look of Rudy Riddoch also and the performance of the 2 little backmen, Jetts & Ugle were shining lights for the senior team all season. The fact that I'm a short arse too they gain my respects even more.

Greg Harding's 3qtr time speeches calling on the era of great speakers & motivators like Barassi, Jeans and even our own legend John Todd, can not be overlooked. As much as I might have commented that the first semi 3qtr time speech might have been off the mark that particular day throughout the season I doubt there would be one Swans diehard who did not enjoy the 3qtr time huddles which consistently got the blood boiling, and i add me included. My opinion is Greg is doing a formidable job with limited resources at the club in the current economic climate, as are Tommy, Pete and the board. I also found our diehard fans down at Basso most entertaining throughout the year. The cross section of our supporter base, old & young is never short of a word and loved the banter throughout 2014.

Can't let the year pass without a shout out to our scoreboard operator who gave us all the biggest laugh re 2014. A point well made and in reality was in good humour so settle down Bronte.

Meeting and chatting with Percy Johnson for the first time during the last home & away game at Shark Park was a conversation I'll never forget. If Percy does read any of this stuff a big thanks to him for taking the time to talk about yesteryear to a complete stranger. It made my day to hear a few things about the days when my Grand Dad was around the club and has led to a few stories I will tell of in coming weeks after speaking with and confirming a few details with my uncle in a fortnight's time.

Finally to Trent & his colts boys, a tremendous year from all reflectively positively for the possibilities in 2015 & beyond at the SDFC. I didn't get to witness much of the year due to work commitments but congrats where it's due. Well done to all involved with the colts.


EDIT: shite, almost forgot, joining the old boy for a few frothies on game day. Never should underestimate these moments as being golden times after near on 3 decades of not being able to enjoy the game with me Dad due to his work commitments. Thanks old boy!!!

Young Adam played his guts out all year against some big strong bodies in the midfield and stood up. Cary needs to keep his eyes open when he marks and put some meat on those bones.

Highlight for me was seeing at the end of the year the bottom sides (apart from Peel) play some good footy to come close to fianls calculations. 3rd and 4th were still reachable for some teams like Claremont at the end of the year.

Seeing 3 sets of brother pull the boots on in the league side next year is rather tasty..................

Does he really close his eyes Turtle??? Funny if true

Great post DW.

Plenty to be positive about at the club as long as we can get the finances sorted which the current staff & board are working hard to turn around.

Basso Oval on a Saturday arvo in Winter certainly is a great place to be and watch footy as it always has a great atmosphere especially compared to the almost morgues at other WAFL venues and there is always a good cross mixture of age groups including plenty of kids where the only other venue that compares with the amount of kids at the games is at Joondalup.

It was a good competitive season, the results of many games were unpredictable and created more interest. Teams such as Claremont, South Fremantle and West Perth were knocking over top 4 teams towards the end of the season and 2015 is looking like there will be a real dogfight for finals action.

Great to see a non aligned team win the flag so well done Subiaco

From Swans point of view, it was the revelation that adversity can create opportunity and because we were unable to recruit due to financial issues this forced Swans to look inside and hey presto, look at the riches that were discovered in the youngsters such as Cary, Blakley, Anderson, Howard, Greskos, Kirkup, Broad, Faulkner, Manton, Boekhurst etc. The Senior players also were lifted by the enthusiasm of the young group and they were an exciting team to watch this season. With the Colts group coming through this "local flavour" will be even more prevalent next season. I can't wait.

I also would like to give credit to some coaches who I think excelled this year. They can be a much maligned group but some of these guys really improved their teams this year. Jarrad Schofield for bringing Subiaco from 8th to Premiers, Greg Harding for lifting Swans to the finals when they weren't expected to. The much maligned Steve Malaxos who brought his team oh so close to a Grand final appearance before they shot themselves in the foot with 7 goals 26. Also Michael Broadbridge who overcame a very shaky start to have Claremont miss the finals by only 1 game and kudos to Paul Haselby who had the humility to coach the season out even though he knew that he wasn't going to be there next year. A lesser man may have picked up his bat and ball and gone home. He was rewarded by a great finish by his team.

One thing I am hoping for in 2015 is better times for the Perth footy club, Particularly for the sake of the passionate supporters who post on this forum. The WAFL needs clubs that are competitive and create players who want to play for the jumper and PFC's choice of a new coach is a critical part of how they will fare into 2015 and beyond

Well I'll join the Swans love fest, but only after stating the obvious high of highs with my beloved Lions rolling the Filth in the GF, gunna take a lot to top that .... maybe doing the Ferals back to back would do the trick.

Apart from that you really cant go past Swans G & D to perform against all expectations and make the finals, they ran out of puff a bit at the end but great credit to the players coaches etc for having a red hot go and when compared to the Ferals who claimed to be in similar financial despair, Swans chose not to take the easy, unethical and morally corrupt route to success.

After that is the late season form of Souths and Claremont, expect both to have a big say next year, will be interesting to see how The Tiges cover the loss of several very experienced players.

While it was fantastic to see my Swans do well I cant go past Subiaco beating those cheating scumbags as my highlight.

Some highlights for me were:-

1. Seeing the banding together of the G7 club supporters on here
2. Mandurah Crack addicts finish stone cold motherless
2b. West Coast Wankers finish the next best thing to stone cold motherless
3. Laughing uncontrollably at Wanchorman's number one fanclub moniker (fark that's some ghey AFL brainwashed shit right there hahahahahahahahahaha )
4. Seeing yet another Pilchard choke at the death (7.26 bahahahahahaaaaa geez )
4b. Imaginging the look on Squeezin's moosh at the above
4c. Laughing my guts out at the above
5. Reading Coxhead's book exerpt about that pissant Cousins & his many lowlife common drug trash team-mates
5b. Further proof that the above was always covered up & swept aside like some sick joke
6. Seeing how fat Todd Shimmon has got since we were teenagers (eat another 2 Pies lardboy hahahahaha)
7. The perpetual continuation of the WAFC ineptness
8. New barchicky in the members was ssssssssmoking hot best half time entertainment all year
9. Well I haven't got that far as yet >>>>> but I have all summer to decide

Senior Seagull wrote: Well I'll join the Swans love fest, but only after stating the obvious high of highs with my beloved Lions rolling the Filth in the GF, gunna take a lot to top that .... maybe doing the Ferals back to back would do the trick.

Apart from that you really cant go past Swans G & D to perform against all expectations and make the finals, they ran out of puff a bit at the end but great credit to the players coaches etc for having a red hot go and when compared to the Ferals who claimed to be in similar financial despair, Swans chose not to take the easy, unethical and morally corrupt route to success.

After that is the late season form of Souths and Claremont, expect both to have a big say next year, will be interesting to see how The Tiges cover the loss of several very experienced players.

SS, not intended to be a love in for SD mob when I started the thread. Complete opposite actually. Was hoping to hear of some of the highlights from the rest of the clubs action we missed whilst following our own clubs throughout 2014, hence the challenge to all ozFooty posters, just this one time, to keep it positive and take the opportunity to talk our comp, the footy itself and maybe in that its future stars up. Something Southerner just said struck me "1. Seeing the banding together of G7 supporters on here." I will 2nd that immediately. its nice to think we can all put the intraclub hatred aside for a minute when we are seeing the future of our beloved comp threatened. Maybe we can even have one thread for the year where we don't thrash the shit outta of each other and talk about the great things in WAFL we most enjoyed during season 2014. That in itself will be a season highlight if we can manage it. Thanks to all who take up the challenge

Southerner wrote: Some highlights for me were:-

1. Seeing the banding together of the G7 club supporters on here
2. Mandurah Crack addicts finish stone cold motherless
2b. West Coast Wankers finish the next best thing to stone cold motherless
3. Laughing uncontrollably at Wanchorman's number one fanclub moniker (fark that's some ghey AFL brainwashed shit right there hahahahahahahahahaha )
4. Seeing yet another Pilchard choke at the death (7.26 bahahahahahaaaaa geez )
4b. Imaginging the look on Squeezin's moosh at the above
4c. Laughing my guts out at the above
5. Reading Coxhead's book exerpt about that pissant Cousins & his many lowlife common drug trash team-mates
5b. Further proof that the above was always covered up & swept aside like some sick joke
6. Seeing how fat Todd Shimmon has got since we were teenagers (eat another 2 Pies lardboy hahahahaha)
7. The perpetual continuation of the WAFC ineptness
8. New barchicky in the members was ssssssssmoking hot best half time entertainment all year
9. Well I haven't got that far as yet >>>>> but I have all summer to decide

That is Gold Southy!!