Dear Santa,
I am the coach for ________ (team) and below is what I would like to see for Christmas for my ________ (team).
Apart from no injuries to my star/ irreplaceable players I would like to see for 2009.Thank you
Coach for _________ (team)
Thanks to ContestedFooty for the idea about what every club would be wishing for Christmas, hear is what every coach would be writing on their Santa wish list this new season along with the irreplaceable players that the club cannot see injured.
Can the young talls of Adelaide improve enough to give the old legs of McLeod a chance for a third premiership? Craig is asking Santa for it...
Adelaide Crows Christmas Wish List
Neil Craig would be wishing for a continue quick development with Tippett, Maric and the other talls while he still has his old stars of McLeod, Burton etc.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Nathan Bock
- Andrew McLeod
- Jason Porplyzia
- Brett Burton
- Kurt Tippett
Brisbane Lions Christmas Wish List
Michael Voss would be after finals after four years out developing the squad. Also with position development down back and either Rahn Hooper or Rockliff establishing themselves as a third target down forward to release pressure of Brown and Bradshaw.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Jonathon Brown
- Daniel Bradshaw
- Jaime Charman
- Simon Black
- Jed Adcock
Carlton Blues Christmas Wish List
Finals, everyone down at Carlton is fast realising that they can actually play finals next year. Ratten would be wishing that the club and players just focus on football instead of the excitment of possible finals. Ratten would also like to see two of either Wait, Bower, Santana and Thornton develop as key backmen with Yarren living up to the hype placed on the kid.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Chris Judd
- Brendon Fevola
- Bryce Gibbs
- Mathew Kreuzer
- Jarred Waite
Collingwood Magpies Christmas Wish List
Malthouse gets a perfect Christmas gift every year with their fixtures given to them on a gold plate by the AFL. Other Christmas wishes would be Maxwell improves out of sight as the new captain for the club and Pendlebury and Thomas develop as stars.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Paul Medhurst
- Scott Pendlebury
- Heath Shaw
- Dale Thomas
- Nick Maxwell
Essendon Bombers Christmas Wish List
Knights would have to ask how many black cats, ladders and mirrors he and the club passed in 2008. Injury luck and continue development with the game plan and the young kids he groomed last year would be high on his Santa wish list.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- David Hille
- Dustin Fletcher
- Scott Lucas
- Mark McVeigh
- Brent Prismall
Fremantle Dockers Christmas Wish List
Where do we start down at Fremantle? A culture change, player development and the ability to pick stars in the draft. If any of these happen they will be laughing and finally may have a chance come finals.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Mathew Pavlich
- Luke McPharlin
- Rhys Palmer
- Hayden Ballantyne
- Antoni Grover
Geelong Cats Christmas Wish List
Gary Ablett personally would like some better treatment by the umpires as he has been unlucky twice not to win the Brownlow, however Cats coach Thompson would be sitting on Santas lap asking for a hunger from the club like in 2007 which imo went missing in 2008.
Thompson is wishing for some hunger this Christmas
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Gary Ablett
- Mathew Scarlett
- Cameron Ling
- Brad Ottens
- Joel Selwood
Hawthorn Hawks Christmas Wish List
The Hawks coach got all his Christmas wishes in 2008 with a fast development of his club, several players became super stars and they won the premiership. A continuation of the clubs development to become a Victorian super club with another premiership would be high on Clarksons and the clubs presidents Santas list.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Trent Croad
- Luke Hodge
- Lance Franklin
- Sam Mitchell
- Campbell Brown
Melbourne Demons Christmas Wish List
I can just see the Demons coach siting on Santas lap and just pleeding, crying and complaining for some descent players who are fast developed. They recruited well in the Draft and with some injury luck to key players getting off the bottom and getting rid of the debt would be high.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- James McDonald
- Russell Robertson
- Aaron Davey
- Brock Mclean
- Brad Miller
North Melbourne Kangaroos Christmas Wish List
The players call Dean Laidley “The Bible” due to him being hard to understand, so maybe a preacher to translate could help them become a serious threat financially and premiership glory.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Drew Petrie
- Brent Harvey
- Adam Simpson
- Daniel Wells
- Daniel Pratt
Port Adelaide Power Christmas Wish List
I know I wish for Mark Williams to actually coach along with Malthouse and stop winging and complaining. Williams would be hoping that the club turns around a terriable 2008 were they went from 2nd to 13th with no major injuries to the club.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Shaun Burgoyne
- Brendon Lade
- Warren Tredrea
- Chad Kornes
- Kane Kornes
Richmond Tigers Christmas Wish List
Wallace would be wishing upon many stars for a contract extension, he has had four years to develop this side and it would suck if after his fifth year the next coach takes them to finals success. One of the stars he would be wishing upon would be Ben Cousins and that he stays away from the bright lights.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Ben Cousins
- Mathew Richardson
- Trent Cotchin
- Brett Deledio
- Nathan Brown
St Kilda Saints Christmas Wish List
St Kilda imo are the most over rated club I have seen since the West Coast of the mid to late 90s. Coach Lyon must be wondering what is in the drinking water down at Saints land with injuries to key players of Ball, Maguire, Hudgton etc and consistent club rumblings with ex coaches, ex players and ex officials. Some stability would be high as they build for another top four finish.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Luke Ball
- Nick Riewoldt
- Justin Koschitzke
- Nick Dal Santo
- Steven King
Sydney Swans Christmas Wish List
Roos would be saving all his sticky tape from his kids Christmas presents this Christmas, to help keep his old players stick together and also the fragile ‘Blood Code’ that got a beating (pun intended) from some ill disciplined acts in 2008.
If only Hahn and some other Bulldog Forwards could grow 6 inches
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Adam Goodes
- Barry Hall
- Tadhg Kennelly
- Jarrad McVeigh
- Brett Kirk
West Coast Eagles Christmas Wish List
Worsfold must be wondering how his club can fall from such grace from premiership glory and chance in 2005 – 07 to struggling to not get the wooden spoon in 2008. Lets hope that rudolph’s nose shines brighter this year for this proud club.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Dean Cox
- Darren Glass
- Daniel Kerr
- Quinten Lynch
- Brett Jones
Western Bulldogs Christmas Wish List
Eade would be asking Santa if his midget forward line could grow another six inches and Williams actually could play at least double digit number of games this year.
Five Irreplaceable Players:
- Tom Williams
- Adam Cooney
- Daniel Giansiracusa
- Ryan Griffen
- Ben Hudson
What do you reckon? Do you think a certain club coach should be wishing for something else? If so, let us know in the comments and the team at Kick2Kick wish you our readers a Happy Christmas and a good and safe New Year.
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December 22nd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
as a saints supporter the accuracy of your comments make me sad.
thanks for referencing the idea : )
good post!
James Roses last blog post..Top 5 AFL Forwards in 2008
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December 24th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Firstly, festive felicitations to all at Kick2Kick. I’ve enjoyed participating and have appreciated your contributions over at my blog.
I have some quibbles with your “irreplaceable” lists.
• Prismall is an unknown quantity at Bomberland. Replace with Alwyn Davey — he IS irreplaceable!
• Brad Miller irreplaceable? Often a cardboard cutout would do.
• Daniel Wells doesn’t do enough, isn’t consistent enough to warrant this ‘accolade’.
• Warren Tredrea is crippled by a failing body and could be adequately replaced by almost any vaguely fit human being.
• Richo… Enough said.
• Cousins — see Prismall
• Quentin Lynch — see Miller and Wells.
aussierulesblogs last blog post..Festive felicitations…
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December 24th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Merry Christmas from those of us over at ContestedFooty.
James Roses last blog post..Top 5 AFL Key Forwards in 2008
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December 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Merry Christmas to my readers
Im up in sleepy old Geraldton at the moment (Home town of Chick, Halseby, Green, Mainwearing etc)…
@James Rose – Yeah sorry about the accuracy of what I said about the Saints, I think poor recruiting of recycled players (Gardiner etc) does not help but I like Lyon as he brings a good culture from Sydney down which imo is helping.
@aussierulesblog – Hey I hope my list of irreplaceable’s cause some disagreements and I will let you know WHY I have them as irreplaceable for their team.
- Prismall = Yes his injury would be a concern but what he did down at Geelong this year is worth the risk as he will add so much to the young and undeveloped midfield. and yes you raise a good point, I prob should have included Davey.
- Brad Miller = imo he adds structure to the Demons which they lack as Watts is too young at the moment.
- Daniel Wells = yes hes inconsistent but when he plays well, hes dynamite/ Matera like and he is the only talented silky skilled midfielder the Roos have.
- Warren Tredrea = Yes ready for his ‘retirement watch’ but imo the Westhoff brothers are still a long way to take the mantel and the best defender from him.
- Richo = I love Richo, imo he is their best player and if he can again play midfield, they will almost have the best midfield with Cousins added.
- Cousins = Again you are right as he is an unknown but can you imagine him playing like he did for West Coast for Richmond?
- Quentin Lynch = He is imo the x-factor for the Eagles, does he play midfield or forward?
Again please disagree with me
Jermayns last blog post..Saint Nick, Saint Who???
[Reply to Comment]
December 26th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Apart from Richo, I don’t have much serious argument with your comments. Perhaps we could discuss what irreplaceable means? I think we’re thinking of something quite different.
On Richo, I’d make the same comment that I made elsewhere recently on Franklin — when he does the ordinary as well as he does the freakish, I’ll rate him. I think Richo has been massively over-rated for almost his whole career. His downside has almost always been bigger than his upside. Yes, I know he’s kicked bags here and there, but I think his (inadvertently) negative influence on the team has been an important factor in maintaining their mediocrity. I place Campbell and Knights in the same category, and have said for years that the Tiges will be mediocre until those three, and their influence, have moved on.
aussierulesblogs last blog post..Festive felicitations…
[Reply to Comment]
December 29th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Irreplaceable means to me: “A player that you can least afford to loose for your finals chances”
To me Richo playing midfield could be anything (even a brownlow imo) and he just adds so much to their side especially if Riewoldt and Hughes can play solid football down forward. I think yes Richo’s antics do have a negative influence but to me he has improved so much in this area that its not as much as a problem as before.
[Reply to Comment]
December 29th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
The wing certainly suits Richo’s athleticism and takes him away from the place where a good percentage of his clangers occur — the goals. It’s not just antics. I still wouldn’t rate him as irreplaceable. I don’t think he hurts oppositions and he doesn’t provide drive that others can’t. I confess he’s been a bit of a whipping boy for me over many years.
aussierulesblogs last blog post..Festive felicitations…
[Reply to Comment]
December 29th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Think he is a whipping boy for a lot of people but you cannot take away what he has managed to do for a consistent under performing team (a lot like Pav).
Jermayns last blog post..Christmas vs Xmas: Is Xmas really evil?
[Reply to Comment]
January 5th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
791 goals (and counting) at an average of nearly 3 per game (791 / 276) is nothing to sneeze at, but I’d still argue that he has been a very mixed blessing for the Tiges. I’m sure he’s a very likable bloke who breathes and bleeds yellow and black, but I think his presence and treatment has been disruptive to the Tiges’ efforts to return to their glory days. As a ‘favourite son’, he’s got away with a lot of poor on-field performance that provided a terrible example to teammates. Interestingly, Pavlich’s goal average is under 2 per game (379 / 194), which surprised me.
aussierulesblogs last blog post..Rushed behinds
[Reply to Comment]
January 5th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I agree that Richo got away with murder when coached by Frawley and co. His antics were embarrassing and he rarely was dragged. In defense to Wallace, I remember him dragging Richo a few times when he carried on like a pork chop.
In regards to Pavlich’s goal average, you need to remember for about half his career he played defense and midfield. His positions for his AA years are Full Back, Forward Flank (from memory), Midfield and Center Half Forward.
Jermayns last blog post..The Air I breathe
[Reply to Comment]
January 12th, 2009 at 5:47 am
I hope Richo is kept under check.
[Reply to Comment]