It seems like years ago that I first came online. Until then I thought that most supporters where much like me. ie Barracked for all the players on the team, good or bad and hoped that they all did well. Cheered when they did well, groaned when they made a mistake, but supported them all the same.

Oops wrong.

Anyways since I have been online, I have learned that supporters have favourite whipping boys. While I am not against crititism, at times some of the abuse is personal and uncalled for and I do wonder how some of the harsher critics would respond if treated in the same manner

When I first came online the abuse was directed at, amongst others, Mansfield, then it was Martin, lately it has been Campo and Whits. Sooooo I am wondering that when these two go who will be next? Waite? Kouta in his last year? Maybe Setanta? Or will it be our Number draft choice?

Cheers

A slightly grumpy BM.

I will watch with interest.

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

My experience too BM. Over the last couple of weeks I have seen what I thought were the early signs of the cross-hairs settling on Jordan Russell.

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

BM, I think it's just supporters who are sick of mediocrity and having certain players looking after their own interests rather than the interests of the club...

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I stole Sheedy's Gatorade...

Four year at the bottom does that to you.....

Its not like blokes on HUGE dollars with minimal output and effort dont deserve it..

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

It would be quicker to name the players that the on-line community haven't turned on this season.

Kouta has copped a bit this season.

For the future.

Already we have had murmurs during the season on Thornton and his form.

Walker and Simpson play the style of game that could see them get some attention. Outside ball carriers are such early targets when things aren't going well.

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Working alone. At the coalface. Scott's gone for lunch! Said he would be back in 30 mins.

you cannot have a good side without at least 3 really good scapegoats! I remember Mario! I remember Justin (early days)! I remember Braddles!

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

We can bring Justin Murphy back....

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

There's a big difference between having a crack at a youngster who's trying his guts out but not quite getting there and sticking it up a bunch of self-centred greedy little egomaniacs who don't give a @#$%&! about the club.

When it comes to the first type of whipping boys I find it distasteful and completely unnecessary.

When it comes to the second lot - hand me the crop.





Oh - and I shouldn't forget the third lot - supporters who "support" through thick and thin by deciding to wear blinkers when it comes to the motivation of their superheroes. I'mm happy to hold the crop for them too...

The problem with that is, as the years go by the youngsters become self-centred greedy egomaniacs. Back in 2000, no-one would've even contemplated Lappin would be in this position now, five years later. So you would prefer to have a team of 25 year olds and under, with no-one on more than $150,000? The business of footy doesn't work like that. So whilst you can complain about players being paid too much, that's all you can do as that's how the system works.

Obviously the objective for all our youngsters must be to get yourself onto a backended contract - cause as Mr Malouf has just explained to all us proles - once you've done that nothing is ever your fault, and it's only dumb supporters who don't get stuff who think that it is

i still feel sorry for simon fletcher

Bullshit.

When did Peter Dean, Bruce Doull, Andrew McKay, Michael Sexton, Ange Christou and any number of others who spent their careers putting the club first hold the club to ransom and allow their agents to manipulate the media to get themselves an extra few bucks whilst dragging the club through the mud?

Those guys are the benchmark and as far as I'm concerned any player who doesn't want to go that route can @#$%&! off.

If the youngsters are following the greedy egomaniacs down the same path then, as has been suggested by many, we obviously have a seriously destructive culture at the club.

Ask Akermanis how much he's been offered to play elsewhere not to mention how much he's forgone in marketing that he would have earned if he was a Melbourne based player. Why did he stay at the Lions? Because he put the interests of the club at least at the same level as his own interests.

That's what we need.

Look , the club has to be careful with what they say about contracts because they are trying to attract other players from other clubs here and all this talk about excessive contracts scares people off...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

[quote="crikey.com Sept 2003"]Brisbane Lion Jason Akermanis is a genuine one-off larger than life AFL personality. But it is his team-mates cross to bear that every now and then he suffers the most appalling foot in mouth. However, it’s not unrelated to the rewards than can flow from keeping a high profile as a provocative media performer. So being a major league “toolâ€

Depends whether Houla is at the club next year.

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Congratulations CK95

When are you guys going to understand that ALL players want more money? There is so much money floating around these days. You don't hear the younger players talking about it because they haven't been around long enough. And read the papers. We are not the only club suffering this so-called cancer.

I want a raise too, but I spend too much time on the internet while I am supposed to be working {malleefowl looks over his shoulder again}.

[quote="crikey.com Sept 2003"]Brisbane Lion Jason Akermanis is a genuine one-off larger than life AFL personality. But it is his team-mates cross to bear that every now and then he suffers the most appalling foot in mouth. However, it’s not unrelated to the rewards than can flow from keeping a high profile as a provocative media performer. So being a major league “toolâ€

The players want to be well paid pro sportsman....welcome to pro sport....
more intense scrutiny comes with the territory.
There is more information available these days and clubs have to be more transparent with the operations in every field...the average supporter is better informed and wanting more for his membership dollar....
When I have contributed my hard earned to certain players lavish lifestyles..dont tell me I cant have my say if they are not performing...ditto for the entire operation at the club...

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Richmond like.


So glad u blokes are not running the club.

Aker admitted it all in his book. Besides, you should see his house.

As Elwood mentions, the environment is changing in a way like it never has before. Gone are the days of Doull and Dean. That's an era which has long passed us by. We are entering an era where it will be normal for 22 year old footballers to be part owners of pubs.

One thing will always remain, that success breeds loyalty. It's why Ang stuck around 11 years ago instead of heading off to Sydney. It's why the Lions stuck together. So what's going on with Power then? Brisbane look like they'll be at the arse end of the ladder for a while now. Most players these days are only prepared to make sacrifices if it is foreseeable they will have some sort of opportunity to play in a premiership side, and it's increasingly becoming so, right across the board, and that's the way footy is headed.