'The Spine' = Idiot Buzzword

[Bansai Pipeline]

Any idiot and his dog - including this idiot and his dog - have been talking big about the importance of 'the spine' recently.

Story goes that unless you have creative, game-breaking fullback, hooker and half, you may as well up stumps and go home.

What a load.

Melbourne's current brand of ball-tearing football is very different from the kind of footy they were playing a few years back. Back then they relied less on 'the big 3' and more on their massive pack and outside backs. They could - and did - score from anywhere.

Back when we were firing a decade ago it was on the back of brutal gang defence. We'd elect to kick off because our defence won us matches. Sure we had Freddy and Wing and Mullins, but our game didn't revolve around them.

Pretty soon some team is going to start winning games off the back of centres running off second-rowers or something. Could even be us.

All this Spine bullish!t is just a buzzword for the obvious: if you have three brilliant playmakers, you're going to win your share of matches.

But it's sure as sh!t isn't the only way to win.

Spine this, spine that, please...

[Guest]

it does help though.
minichiello, anasta and friend dont fit the criteria.
why do you think we got mortimer, maloney and are chasing stewart?

[Bansai Pipeline]

Sure, but we can't all be Melbourne.

Hell, even Melbourne weren't Melbourne three years ago. And they still killed everyone.

[Guest]

I think your right to an extent. Its these innovations such as having an extra creative player at fullback or the gang tackle that we employed in the early 2000's that gives you a first mover competitive advantage. It then seems as though everyone tries to copy the success of the best team.

not all of these innovations work though. i remember such things as having extra back rowers at prop to have a quicker, fitter side was eployed to varying success. and lets not forger the genious of having 1 marker so we can have an etra man in the defensive line employed by chris anderson at the chooks.

i wonder what the next innovation will be...

[Guest]

How wwere melbourne not melbourne?
they had slater, cronk and smith.
and inglis, folau, dallas johnson ...

[Red.]

Sure, but we can't all be Melbourne.

Absolutely.

I want to be the NEW Melbourne! Whatever that is.

[Bansai Pipeline]

How wwere melbourne not melbourne?
they had slater, cronk and smith.
and inglis, folau, dallas johnson ...

They played a different game.

[Bansai Pipeline]

I think your right to an extent. Its these innovations such as having an extra creative player at fullback or the gang tackle that we employed in the early 2000's that gives you a first mover competitive advantage. It then seems as though everyone tries to copy the success of the best team.

not all of these innovations work though. i remember such things as having extra back rowers at prop to have a quicker, fitter side was eployed to varying success. and lets not forger the genious of having 1 marker so we can have an etra man in the defensive line employed by chris anderson at the chooks.

i wonder what the next innovation will be...

No markers.

[melon....]

No markers.

Loose arms in scrums. Maybe even feet across.

Actually whats the rule on pushing in scums, because Everyone talks about Braith's flukey FG in 2010 against the tigpies, but we all know it was "nerf ball" that pushed them off the mark and actually won a scrum and fell on the ball that gave us the last shot.

I say push balls deep in scrums.

[Guest]

I must disagree with you on this one. Having a solid spine is one of the most important things for teams trying to win a premiership. Sure some teams without solid spines have won games and have had good seasons, but to go the whole way and win a GF I think it is essential to have a good core in the correct positions.

If you look back on the last 5 years of GF winners you can see a pattern emerging of teams winning the GF on the back off having a very good 'spine'.

2011 - 1 Stewart 6 Foran 7 Evans 9 Ballin
2010 - 1 Boyd 6 Soward 7 Hornby 9 Young
2009 - 1 Slater 6 Finch 7 Cronk 9 Smith
2008 - 1 Stewart 6 Lyon 7 Orford 9 Ballin
2007 - 1 Slater 6 Inglis 7 Cronk 9 Smith

These are some of the biggest names in the game, and are definately a huge contributing factor to these teams winning. I'd love for you to prove me wrong, but with our current 'spine' we have no chance of winning the premiership.

[melon....]

I must disagree with you on this one. Having a solid spine is one of the most important things for teams trying to win a premiership. Sure some teams without solid spines have won games and have had good seasons, but to go the whole way and win a GF I think it is essential to have a good core in the correct positions.

If you look back on the last 5 years of GF winners you can see a pattern emerging of teams winning the GF on the back off having a very good 'spine'.

2011 - 1 Stewart 6 Foran 7 Evans 9 Ballin
2010 - 1 Boyd 6 Soward 7 Hornby 9 Young
2009 - 1 Slater 6 Finch 7 Cronk 9 Smith
2008 - 1 Stewart 6 Lyon 7 Orford 9 Ballin
2007 - 1 Slater 6 Inglis 7 Cronk 9 Smith

These are some of the biggest names in the game, and are definately a huge contributing factor to these teams winning. I'd love for you to prove me wrong, but with our current 'spine' we have no chance of winning the premiership.

Rubbish. More like Archer-Archer-Hayne-Archer. That Saints spine is shit.

[crikey chris]

Rubbish. More like Archer-Archer-Hayne-Archer. That Saints spine is shit.

The 'spine' that beat us in the 2010 Grand Final

1. the boss
6. ref #1
7. ref #2
9. video ref

R Finch - Archer - Hayne - Harrigan


'off the bench' the Touchies
Paul Holland and Jeff Younis

Phucking CHEATS!

[Andrew Walker]

Loose arms in scrums. Maybe even feet across.

Actually whats the rule on pushing in scums, because Everyone talks about Braith's flukey FG in 2010 against the tigpies, but we all know it was "nerf ball" that pushed them off the mark and actually won a scrum and fell on the ball that gave us the last shot.

I say push balls deep in scrums.

Melon I think The rule is you cannot push until the ball is fed At least that i what it was a year or two back

[Guest]

Loose arms in scrums. Maybe even feet across.

Actually whats the rule on pushing in scums, because Everyone talks about Braith's flukey FG in 2010 against the tigpies, but we all know it was "nerf ball" that pushed them off the mark and actually won a scrum and fell on the ball that gave us the last shot.

I say push balls deep in scrums.

Shit, i had to re-read that i read it as

" Push Balls deep in Bum"

[chook 56]

Shit, i had to re-read that i read it as

" Push Balls deep in Bum"

Thanks for that :/ LOL
John........
"River Deep, Mountain High" please