Headlines and Opinion - November 8th

Just a quick reminder everyone to keep an eye and ear out for the up-coming draft in a couple of weeks.

Pies return to Arizona
Collingwood returned to their high altitude training, which they believe is the reason for a successful 2006. 3 weeks spent in the US state of Arizona is apparently good conditioning for the pies according to senior coaching staff.

First a quick question; Why don't they just use the mountainous areas of Australia in southern New South Wales and Queensland....what about the high altitude of Tasmania?

It seems like such a waste of money and time to travel to another country to undergo the same intensive training that a team would be put through over here. For one thing, training for 3 straight weeks rather intensively will increase the fitness of any athlete, it's an obvious fact. To come back home and state that the team is looking fresher and fitter is a complete farce. Collingwood management and coaching staff should be questioned about this.

The Passion of the Dew
Port Adelaide premiership player Stuart Dew has left football. In a shock announcement, the 27 year old stated that he has lost the passion to play the game.

Apparently it was the highly regimental lifestyle of the AFL which he had grown tired of.

Well Dew boy, you might think that your doing the club a favour by stepping out (and you are) but don't think for one second that you're going to get it easy in any other avenue in life. Life is all about hard work and effort and if you are willing to give up playing the greatest sport on Earth at a professional level, and for money, then you never deserved to be up there in the first place.

There are other players who are left out in the cold, even after showing great talent and commitment to the sport, players such as Shane Woewodin, who is, in my opinion, the most dedicated and hard-working football player around today. Where is he? In the WAFL (see my post from 2 months ago)

Anyway I just don't understand who someone with the ability to continue playing a professional sport, can just quit due to lack of passion, especially in Aussie Rules.

Aussie Women Lose to Irish
Well it looks like our women have a lot of work to do if they want to improve on their performance against Ireland this year. A 39 - 18 victory in the second test was the decider for the Irish who pounded our women throughout the series. The first test's score line was a massive 130 - 15, the biggest blowout ever seen in the game.

Hopefully next year our ladies can redeem themselves.

And that's all for the news today. See you next time.