Page 1 of 10 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 12 of 110

Thread: Footy lingo - especially for newbies

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1

    Footy lingo - especially for newbies

    I came to footy relatively late and have been slowly and then steadily learning and getting more interested for the past 20 years, to the point that I now watch all our matches (live or on tv) and spend on average more than an hour day following football and Swans news, I know all our listed players and something about their back stories and have a fair grip on the rules etc. Still, despite now following with passion and dedication, it's still not the same as growing up with the sport or having played it. One way this manifests is that there are still footy expressions where I am uncertain of their meaning. I daresay this must be true for many others in the same boat as me and for some who, perhaps, are even more recent converts than I, especially given that many Sydney-based Swans fans didn't grow up with the game. So I invite any of you who are wondering 'What is Tiggy Touchwood?' or 'Is there a difference between a banana and a checkside?' to use this forum to ask your questions and get enlightened.

    I will get the ball rolling with a couple of questions:

    * What is a "required player"? As best I can tell it means a player we don't intend to de-list. One that we'll keep if they don't feel like moving on or we can't get a decent trade for. It doesn't seem to mean a player that there is no chance we'll let go of. Nor does it seem to mean a player in our best 22.

    * What does it mean to be "running on top of the ground?" My best estimate is it means to be fit and able to cover a lot of distance running at fair pace during a game - is that right? Whereas if a player has "wheels" it seems to mean they are quick.

    Please explain!

    The last two questions, I don't really know the answer to. But now I'll throw in a bonuse trivia question that I think I can answer: who can name the plumber, carpenter and electrician amongst the Swans?

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by bloodspirit View Post
    But now I'll throw in a bonuse trivia question that I think I can answer: who can name the plumber, carpenter and electrician amongst the Swans?
    Current or former Swans? Mattner trained as a cabinetmaker and Seaby was doing an apprenticeship as a plumber I think.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by bloodspirit View Post
    I came to footy relatively late and have been slowly and then steadily learning and getting more interested for the past 20 years, to the point that I now watch all our matches (live or on tv) and spend on average more than an hour day following football and Swans news, I know all our listed players and something about their back stories and have a fair grip on the rules etc. Still, despite now following with passion and dedication, it's still not the same as growing up with the sport or having played it. One way this manifests is that there are still footy expressions where I am uncertain of their meaning. I daresay this must be true for many others in the same boat as me and for some who, perhaps, are even more recent converts than I, especially given that many Sydney-based Swans fans didn't grow up with the game. So I invite any of you who are wondering 'What is Tiggy Touchwood?' or 'Is there a difference between a banana and a checkside?' to use this forum to ask your questions and get enlightened.

    I will get the ball rolling with a couple of questions:

    * What is a "required player"? As best I can tell it means a player we don't intend to de-list. One that we'll keep if they don't feel like moving on or we can't get a decent trade for. It doesn't seem to mean a player that there is no chance we'll let go of. Nor does it seem to mean a player in our best 22.

    * What does it mean to be "running on top of the ground?" My best estimate is it means to be fit and able to cover a lot of distance running at fair pace during a game - is that right? Whereas if a player has "wheels" it seems to mean they are quick.

    Please explain!

    The last two questions, I don't really know the answer to. But now I'll throw in a bonuse trivia question that I think I can answer: who can name the plumber, carpenter and electrician amongst the Swans?

    'Running on top of the ground' just refers to a visible sense of effortlessness and flow, as opposed to that kind of slogging through the ground that you see with fatigued teams. It's like being 'up on one's toes', which captures the feeling of running without effort, and extends to the comportment of one's body even when not running: the head held high and shoulders back, rather than hands on knees and bent over. The great rugby league halfback Peter Sterling used to talk about never letting his head drop, not only to ensure that his attention was 'out there' across the entirety of the field, but also to deny his opponents the respite of seeing his fatigue.

    The other great expression is '(delivering the ball) lace out', referring to a perfectly shaped drop-punt that presents itself to a player's chest for an effortless mark. Of course the ball will be spinning through the air, and cannot actually be 'lace out' when taken; the expression points to a sense of perfection, though, and captures it perfectly. And of course the drop punt is always better when the lace is out and facing forward as it is kicked.

  4. #4
    Can you feel it? Site Admin ugg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Chucked into the ruck
    Posts
    15,929
    Plumber is Papley as we heard ad infinitum during the finals series.

  5. #5
    Veterans List dejavoodoo44's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Gold Coast
    Posts
    7,331
    I think Derickx had gone back to working as a carpenter before being thrown a lifeline by the Swans.

  6. #6
    Can you feel it? Site Admin ugg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Chucked into the ruck
    Posts
    15,929
    I'm pretty sure Derickx is pursuing a music career (not joking)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by ugg View Post
    I'm pretty sure Derickx is pursuing a music career (not joking)
    Didn't Teddy give him a shout out in his retirement speech? And then there's also his modelling career. Despite Ludwig's numerous posts this is also not a joke.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by bloodspirit View Post
    Didn't Teddy give him a shout out in his retirement speech? And then there's also his modelling career. Despite Ludwig's numerous posts this is also not a joke.
    Even Horse made note of what a popular member of the playing group Tom was, every footy club has a Tom Derrickx and they are usually the centre of all shenanighans

  9. #9
    Senior Player
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Inner West
    Posts
    2,402
    Lace out also means when you kick the ball it is done so precisely that the laces on the ball don't touch the hand
    of the person marking it. The idea is the smooth side of the ball is easier on the hands of the person marking it
    because there are no protruding laces on the underside of the ball.
    It's meant to be kind of a joke, but a way of describing a perfect kick.

  10. #10
    Veteran Site Admin
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    16,395
    Both Skilton and Kelly were also plumbers by trade.

  11. #11
    Senior Player Swansongster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    St Kilda West
    Posts
    1,260
    Quote Originally Posted by liz View Post
    Both Skilton and Kelly were also plumbers by trade.
    Bobby Skilton did the plumbing on my cute little art-deco investment unit in South Melbourne. That was 20 years ago though. With his son as apprentice from memory.

  12. #12
    It's Goodes to cheer!! ScottH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Master of the house, keeper of the zoo
    Posts
    23,665
    Blog Entries
    2
    Grundy and Malceski were doing a carpentry course recently.
    Papley is definitely the plumber.
    No idea on the sparky.

Page 1 of 10 12345 ... LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO