What does "the former player" think?

[Tigeritis™©®]

For one as much as we might think that our players are going to war ,they are not ,it is a game ,suggesting that the players put their life on the line for a game is stupidity. And before you say he/she didn't say this, what does attack each contest like it is your last mean? All AFL footballers are some of the bravest sportsman in the world and all are trying their very best, again I say if you have played much football you would understand that sometimes things just don't go your way. To many people buy into the media groupthink about a loss in a final, or even three finals. If you listen to the commentators you would think that they never ever played a poor game.
Getting back to tigeritis, I have every right to question what knowledge/experience he/she has to personally denigrate our players. If you have never played the game at afl level it is very hard to understand how hard it is. You can have an opinion but I don't think abusing players is fair to them.

We all have opinions but remember not to abuse the players. 

I for one would like to know what the excellent Dogged thinks of our current list and our players now as he for one can give a balanced opinion since he played the game at the highest level. 

I wonder if he will grace us with his vast knowledge and experience, I certainly hope so.   

[Diocletian]

Never played the game in his life....internet fantasist...

[dogged]

I still think we shouldn't denigrate the players but you go ahead it obviously makes you feel like a big man.

[dogged]

Never played the game in his life....internet fantasist...

Have you incompletion?

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Honestly all players have to be brave to run out on the field and put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

The problem is, there are a few that don't put in as much as others. At Richmond we have a few of them. That would unsettle a team. If you put your body on the line one moment and then a team mate doesn't the next you would feel aggrieved as your efforts would be all for nothing. I never played at the highest level but I have played footy and when a team mate shirks a contest the rest of the players notice. I would have thought that would be amplified at the highest level.
Players also forget that their wages are paid by the fans. The same fans that want their team to be as competitive as the next. Why should Richmond fans put up with players that "squibb" situations while they watch Hawthorn fans wonder at the bravery of their players? Why should fans of any team watch their players pull out of situations one week or even one season when they didn't do it the previous week or season?

Thoughts dogged?

[Yeahright]

Honestly all players have to be brave to run out on the field and put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

On that note, I don't think it only implies to AFL players like dogged thinks. Just because some peanut isn't good enough to make it past surburban footy doesn't mean he doesn't understand the guts it takes to back into a pack or put your head over the ball. Even in my local team (as you pointed out) there is an expectation that you do the bloody hard stuff. I've watched plenty of games over the fence with past/current players and coaches (some from high levels some from low) and one thing they all have in common is they hate seeing someone squib it as it just shows they're soft and can make the whole team look soft.

[Tigeritis™©®]

I still think we shouldn't denigrate the players but you go ahead it obviously makes you feel like a big man.

Genuinely thankful for the reply but I still am curious of your thoughts on our current predicament and mostly about your thoughts on our list, which is the question I posted in the first place.

Thanks.

[dogged]

Honestly all players have to be brave to run out on the field and put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

The problem is, there are a few that don't put in as much as others. At Richmond we have a few of them. That would unsettle a team. If you put your body on the line one moment and then a team mate doesn't the next you would feel aggrieved as your efforts would be all for nothing. I never played at the highest level but I have played footy and when a team mate shirks a contest the rest of the players notice. I would have thought that would be amplified at the highest level.
Players also forget that their wages are paid by the fans. The same fans that want their team to be as competitive as the next. Why should Richmond fans put up with players that "squibb" situations while they watch Hawthorn fans wonder at the bravery of their players? Why should fans of any team watch their players pull out of situations one week or even one season when they didn't do it the previous week or season?

Thoughts dogged?

Fair call its the public denigration by some said fans that I don't like , especially cheap shots on the internet, I'd imagine though that most sides have players that the supporters feel don't go hard enough.

[dogged]

Honestly all players have to be brave to run out on the field and put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

On that note, I don't think it only implies to AFL players like dogged thinks. Just because some peanut isn't good enough to make it past surburban footy doesn't mean he doesn't understand the guts it takes to back into a pack or put your head over the ball. Even in my local team (as you pointed out) there is an expectation that you do the bloody hard stuff. I've watched plenty of games over the fence with past/current players and coaches (some from high levels some from low) and one thing they all have in common is they hate seeing someone squib it as it just shows they're soft and can make the whole team look soft.

Agree but surely the most guts is needed  at the level where the largest bodies are travelling at the quickest speed. F=MA, I think that's right from yr7 Physics.

[Yeahright]

Honestly all players have to be brave to run out on the field and put their bodies on the line week in and week out.

On that note, I don't think it only implies to AFL players like dogged thinks. Just because some peanut isn't good enough to make it past surburban footy doesn't mean he doesn't understand the guts it takes to back into a pack or put your head over the ball. Even in my local team (as you pointed out) there is an expectation that you do the bloody hard stuff. I've watched plenty of games over the fence with past/current players and coaches (some from high levels some from low) and one thing they all have in common is they hate seeing someone squib it as it just shows they're soft and can make the whole team look soft.

Agree but surely the most guts is needed  at the level where the largest bodies are travelling at the quickest speed. F=MA, I think that's right from yr7 Physics.

Where the bloke who's taking the impact is a fully developed man who spends near on every day in the gym and out on the track to develop the strength and skill to properly take the hits and bumps as best as possible? Or the young bloke who pounded down a meat pie before the game after missing Thursday nights training session but was still thrown into the one's because his teams in shambles and gets knocked about by the premiership contenders where there is a lot less emphasis on protecting the players because umpires are nuffers? The gap between AFL players is much smaller than the gap between surburban players.

[(•))(©™]

I still think we shouldn't denigrate the players but you go ahead it obviously makes you feel like a big man.

Sadly, denigration of consistent weak performances are what make footy forums go around.
Similarly, social networking companies.

[dogged]

I still think we shouldn't denigrate the players but you go ahead it obviously makes you feel like a big man.

Sadly, denigration of consistent weak performances are what make footy forums go around.
Similarly, social networking companies.

true.

[Diocletian]

dogged - OER's very own Strauchanie.....

[dogged]

dogged - OER's very own Strauchanie.....

ok...yeh

[Stalin]

Saints have a female coach ...

Having the game doesn't equate to much