TOPIC:

Anch: I don't pay any attention to football scribes. Can a critic really be taken seriously if they did not have the Eagles in the 8 before the season. I certainly did and for the three very good reasons below:

they will play half their games in Perth
they had two key forwards and a solid midfield
big NN was coming back

all pretty good reasons to have them in the top eight, I would have thought?

Just another example in regards how poor football scribes have been accross the ages Anch, think about the WAFL at the start of the 1981 season.

Guess, what? The majority of writers did not pick Claremont to make the final four -- many of them had Old Easts in instead. How that possible?

[quote="anchorman" post=148218
But make no mistake , they (Dockers) will be top eight and maybe top four contenders around finals time.
[/quote]

You have a highly developed sense of humour, anchor.

jackspratt wrote: [quote="anchorman" post=148218
But make no mistake , they (Dockers) will be top eight and maybe top four contenders around finals time.

You have a highly developed sense of humour, anchor. [/quote]

I think he was talking about GWS Jack

Not how I read it, mike.

Perhaps anchor could clarify it.

ArkRoyal wrote: Anch: I don't pay any attention to football scribes. Can a critic really be taken seriously if they did not have the Eagles in the 8 before the season. I certainly did and for the three very good reasons below:

they will play half their games in Perth
they had two key forwards and a solid midfield
big NN was coming back

all pretty good reasons to have them in the top eight, I would have thought?

Just another example in regards how poor football scribes have been accross the ages Anch, think about the WAFL at the start of the 1981 season.

Guess, what? The majority of writers did not pick Claremont to make the final four -- many of them had Old Easts in instead. How that possible?

Spot on AR I remember those predictions that pre season too.
Seems hard to believe now looking back considering the all conquering Tigers went on a goalscoring rampage that season in waltzing to the flag having only lost 2 games all year (kicked 18.15 123 vs your beloved SU & 13.17 95 vs SF in the losses) but it just goes to show really!
I still say that was the best season of footy I have seen by a side in my time watching footy especially considering the top quality opposition of the day and the players competing against.

BH I agree with all of that. It is good that you remember all of those predictions pre-1981, it was the first time I had seen them in print.Claremont had been as weak as piddle in the previous two seasons, especially in finals, but, in truth, in 1980, the third came on the back of nearly winning the 'escort cup'. The side was creammed cracked by the time it played EP in the first-semi final. As you said Bease, all of the above were reasons to put the tigers in the four not out of it -- laughable.

In 1981, they were superb, against some good opposition, and deserve to be regarded as the best side seen in the state since the 1950s. Interestinglly, though, BH, as you know, they slipped up against Subiaco in round 2; and, as you can imagine, the reviews of the match make for some readding, even today, Rob Benett giving them a right serve for their performance. Forrtunately for Tiger's supporters, the players seem to have taken the criticism to heart, as they were almost football perfection after that match.

a great era for WA football, Claremont and your beloved black and whites even more.

AR you bring up a good point re the mid week Escort Cup comp.
The poor little modern day afl darlings whinge and whine about having to travel every once in a whilst the tough as nails WAFL boys back in the 70s & 80s would travel East midweek in between their normal fixture games on the weekend!!

Vfl Park Waverley.Hawthorne V Claremont.Either 1978 of 79.The automatic sprinklers turned on midway through the last qtr. Claremont where in front. They had already beaten Melbourne+ Carlton and a SA side.Into the last 4 teams.

gtrxuone wrote: Vfl Park Waverley.Hawthorne V Claremont.Either 1978 of 79.The automatic sprinklers turned on midway through the last qtr. Claremont where in front. They had already beaten Melbourne+ Carlton and a SA side.Into the last 4 teams.

The Krakouer's were killing the Hawks until they deliberately turned the sprinklers on to stop Claremont's run gtr!

Beasley Hutton wrote:

gtrxuone wrote: Vfl Park Waverley.Hawthorne V Claremont.Either 1978 of 79.The automatic sprinklers turned on midway through the last qtr. Claremont where in front. They had already beaten Melbourne+ Carlton and a SA side.Into the last 4 teams.

The Krakouer's were killing the Hawks until they deliberately turned the sprinklers on to stop Claremont's run gtr!

There was also a good Sanfl side that went well in 1986-87-88..North AdelaideThat won games in Melbourne under lights and made the final 4 in at least 2 of those years. That team had to really good ruckmen Redden and Parsons,Jarmen Brothers,Mathew Campbell,Darryl Hart and a very solid back line.A physo little rover called Tony Antrobus and a power forward call Grenville Dietrich.