Newell’s Notes Round 9 Greater Western Sydney v Carlton 2019

Fabulous Phil

The 93 point win by the Giants was the perfect thank you to co-skipper Phil Davis who celebrated his 150th AFL game. An absolute stalwart of this club. From baby faced kid, to a deep thinking man, Phil has impressively grown into the job as a leader. In the song huddle, he was embraced by Adam Kennedy, another player who’s been there right from the start of the Giants. Kenna’s linked arms with Davis and despite the ease of the win, Phil looked relieved and contemplative during the singing of the GWS song. One of our favorite memories of Davis was when he stated several years ago at a post-game presser after another large belting, that he was fed up with a “credible loss” and that it was time to draw a line in the sand and make a stand. Slowly but surely after that the Giants began to win more games and then came finals. It’s a shame Phil’s career has been interrupted by injury as he would have been closer to the 200 game mark.

Phil Davis (right) The early days, baby faces full of ambition. Photo: Jodie Newell

A classic modern day footballer, Davis’s views on the game are interesting. Sometimes I don’t agree with them, particularly his response to remarks made last week by GWS club board member Jimmy Bartel on the shocking MCG loss to the Hawks, but so what? Davis is fearless on and off the park. Fingers crossed there will be bigger milestones and games that Phil can add to his playing career scrapbook.

A few seconds of contemplation. Phil Davis with Adam Kennedy in the sheds. Photo: Jodie Newell

Perspectives..A Rudyard Kipling “If” moment

Brendon Bolton is under the pump big league from all in the industry. Brendon can’t get any momentum with his team and despite the current fashion of “sticking fat” with losing coaches, patience is wearing thin and there are now calls from learned AFL commemorators that his time is almost up. It was a very tough day for Carlton on Sunday. They lost Marc Murphy early to a nasty, solid hit from Giants ruckman Shane Mumford. Marc was taken to a nearby hospital for precautionary reasons and was later diagnosed to have fractured ribs. The Blues got hammered by a slick Giants outfit by 93 points and again the Blues were the main story for much of this week with pressure heaped on Brendon Bolton.

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs & blaming it on you” – Rudyard Kipling Photo: Jodie Newell

One story you wont hear too much about was this observation I made about an hour after the game had finished. Amidst the dark silence of a losing team’s rooms with bandages, cups and boot mud spread around the floor I spotted Brendon talking to a young Carlton fan and his family. Afterwards, I went up to the family and asked them about the meeting with Bolts. They told me they were with their son Archie Cronk who has a serious life threatening illness and is a massive Blues fan. Carlton Football Club officials embraced the family and invited Archie into the rooms. He met with Levi Casboult & Patty Cripps and Brendon Bolton. He was given a Carlton jersey and Brendon Bolton gave him his Carlton jacket. It made Archie & his family’s day. They must be going through a really tough time. Sure Carlton is having a very awful patch and it’s valid to be fired up about it, but I think when you see gestures like on Sunday night, it gives you faith in people regardless of the current circumstances. The word hope comes to mind. There will be better days for Carlton. I’ve witnessed the GWS boys cop similar pastings year after year and of the 100 point variety. Sometimes it’s how you deal with adversity that makes you a champ. Perspectives, etc. I hope Archie gets better, our prayers are with his family and mates and that the visit helps. I hope Brendon Bolton and his team win a few more games. If there ever was a better example of the “If” poem by Rudyard Kipling, particularly the “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same” line. Wow, great job Brendon Bolton you “won” on another level.

A wonderful gesture. Carlton coach greets Archie Cronk & his family in the Carlton sheds post-match. Photo: Jodie Newell

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

– Rudyard Kipling 1895

The Lachie Whitfield 40 disposals return & a chance of MCG redemption

Lachie Whitfield was back on the park on Sunday and it was like he hadn’t missed anything after being out of the side injured. Lachie picked up 40 touches, laid 4 tackles and booted 3 goals. Whitfield remarked he was a little spent after Sundays game due to the break but was looking forward to spending more time onfield. After the game we asked him about the upcoming fixture against Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a place that is “poison” to the Giants gameplan. Currently Greater Western Sydney’s MCG numbers are terrible = 12.50 % winning percentage (16 games played 2 wins and 14 losses), making it the worst record of ANY current AFL team (Only the defunct Brisbane Bears and University are worse). Whitfield expressed genuine confidence that his team will be able to overcome those bad numbers. If he plays like he did on Sunday night, the Giants will have an excellent chance to snag a much needed win at the MCG.