About a "no-@@@@head" policy and where it's coming from

[Zlatorog]

A very interesting reading in the Australian about the so called "no-@@@@head" policy and who originated it. Apparently no one at the Swans.

Here's the article by Matt Price:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19192626-39778,00.html

It looks to me that the policy is becoming an urban legend.;)

[anniswan]

Boy life in Canberra must be quiet for Matt.

[NMWBloods]

Good - so RWO can let this rest now rather than assume all our recruiting is done on this basis!

[ugg]

I'm sure it was Ricky Barham who used the word @@@@head but its been misquoted. I believe he said something along the lines of "you won't find a @@@@head on our list" rather than "we won't recruit any @@@@heads".

Edit: found the article
http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/one-for-all-all-for-one/2005/09/22/1126982179230.html

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by ugg
I'm sure it was Ricky Barham who used the word @@@@head but its been misquoted. I believe he said something along the lines of "you won't find a @@@@head on our list" rather than "we won't recruit any @@@@heads".

Edit: found the article
http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/one-for-all-all-for-one/2005/09/22/1126982179230.html That to me sounds like a no @@@@heads recruiting policy.
But "no @@@@heads" is also recruiting policy. Many times, says Barham, potential recruits with superior skill have been overlooked in the draft because they have not had the right character.

[Sanecow]

So I guess NMWBloods can just lump it.

[NMWBloods]

I think RWO's interpretation of the policy and the club's are not really the same...

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think RWO's interpretation of the policy and the club's are not really the same... How do you mean?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by goswannie14
How do you mean? I think some RWOers base their entire views of recruiting on the dhead factor first and foremost, and most of this is based on whether they like the player or not, whereas I think the club looks at a lot more, and the dhead policy is just one thing, and it's not as straight forward as 'is he a dhead or not'.

[swansrock4eva]

Agreed NMW.

One thing that I've heard brought up in the past is a situation where there is one spot on a list, and 2 players. Player A has superb ability and is a great, down-to-earth kinda guy who clearly is willing and ready to apply himself to the art of being a footballer. Player B has superb ability also, but has a history of poor commitment, lack of focus and fickleness. Player A wins these days because he seems to be a better long-term investment - he's shown already he's most likely not going to up and leave, or just not be bothered - he's going to be a contributor to the club and to his own development, whereas player B, although he could be great on the field, may not add anything to the club as a whole, and is no guarantee of success. But in situations where a player clearly has an amazing playing ability, depending on the club's needs at the time, the @@@@head factor may sometimes be ignored, or at least downplayed, but it has to be a truly outstanding talent.

[goswannie14]

It's too easy to say " I don't like him so he's a @@@@head".

[giant]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think some RWOers base their entire views of recruiting on the dhead factor first and foremost.

Makes a nice change from the previous RWO recruiting policy which seemed to be based on "I think he'll really like the mild Sydney winters".

But seriously other than the very occasional complete ratbag, who knows whether a 17 yo is a @@@@head or not?

[swansrock4eva]

Cage em up at a camp for a week and see how they go! Veeery quickly sorts them out!

[Old Royboy]

The clubs look at lots of things. If Dad turns out to be an unemployed beer guzzling Norm, there?s a weeks dishwashing piled up in the sink and the school reports are rubbish etc then a kid will be tagged a potential Richard Cranium and ranked accordingly in the clubs draft wish list. But I suspect our club may dig deeper and place more emphasis on the potential Richard Cranium ranking than others.

As well as attitude to footy and the team, our recruiters have to face the fact that nearly all our draftees are dragged away from Mum and the girlfriend, so it?s natural that the Swan?s would look for strong character. After being burned by Rocca, Grant & Co of course we would be more careful.

All clubs are wary of it. I remember that Fevola was drafted way below where the pundits ranked him because it was obvious even then that he was a @@@@head.

[goswannie14]

Just a thought, and it may be way off the mark, but could the no @@@@heads policy have anything to do with how the Sydney public view the team? Trying to make AFL players look better than their NRL counterparts. After all in a historically non AFL city there would be the wish that the code is shown in it's best light.

[swansrock4eva]

The way the league guys keep going you don't have to try to hard to outshine them!

[wheels27]

I reckon player behaviour is a by-product of how they are treated in the public domain, hence AFL "heroes" in Melbourne or NRL "heroes" in Sydney get a bit big for their boots. Yet swans players (who?... Oh,yeah I think they won the GayFL or something in Victoria...snigger, snigger) would tend to be a bit more humble and less conspicuous if they can help it.

Enough people tell a young bloke how great he is, he's bound to show signs of @@@@headedness (is this a word) eventually.

[giant]

Originally posted by swansrock4eva
Cage em up at a camp for a week and see how they go! Veeery quickly sorts them out!

Worked a treat at Guantanomo Bay.

[cruiser]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think some RWOers base their entire views of recruiting on the dhead factor first and foremost, and most of this is based on whether they like the player or not, whereas I think the club looks at a lot more, and the dhead policy is just one thing, and it's not as straight forward as 'is he a dhead or not'. And your agenda here is recruiting Akermanis?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by cruiser
And your agenda here is recruiting Akermanis? At the right price Akermanis would be a great recruit for us.

[The Big Cat]

Originally posted by giant
Worked a treat at Guantanomo Bay. No Hickshead policy?

[giant]

Originally posted by The Big Cat
No Hickshead policy?

Pay that.

[graystar]

The way spider everitt carried on this week I would hope he would never come to the swans.

[Missy]

What constitutes a @@@@head anyway? The list is endless.

A friend of mine met one of the younger swans at a club a couple of months ago. Shes not an AFL supporter and had no idea who he was. They hung out for a couple of weeks after that but the way he treated her was appaulling! Total and utter @@@@head, but certainly does not affect what a great player he is on the field and how he bonds within the team.

I wonder what the club preaches to the players in that respect?

[wheels27]

This is the exact problem with thinking the club has a no @@@@heads policy.

Every single bloke in existence would no doubt have at least one person who thinks they are a @@@@head, as you say, this doesn't affect their place in a footy team.

[katie-scarlett]

Perhaps the rule applies to @@@@headisms on field & as a media personality (i.e. on behalf of the club).
Their personal lives = irrelevant?

[giant]

Originally posted by Missy
What constitutes a @@@@head anyway? The list is endless.

A friend of mine met one of the younger swans at a club a couple of months ago. Shes not an AFL supporter and had no idea who he was. They hung out for a couple of weeks after that but the way he treated her was appaulling! Total and utter @@@@head, but certainly does not affect what a great player he is on the field and how he bonds within the team.

I wonder what the club preaches to the players in that respect?

But..no...wait...our angels don't go to clubs. And if they did they wouldn't pick up girls. And if they did they'd act like total gentlemen. Must have been a case of mistaken identity with one of those nasty league types.

[katie-scarlett]

I don't think her point was that the Swans are 'angels'.


Total and utter @@@@head, but certainly does not affect what a great player he is on the field and how he bonds within the team.

I think her point is somewhere in those lines.

[wheels27]

I would guess that he must have waited a while to reveal true @@@@headism, as you mentioned they hung out for a couple of weeks.

So, at least initially, his @@@@headism musn't have been obvious, or is your friend a glutton for punishment?

(I also like saying "@@@@headism" - what a word!)

[katie-scarlett]

Originally posted by wheels27

(I also like saying "@@@@headism" - what a word!)
haha indeed!

[S.U.D]

Originally posted by giant
But..no...wait...our angels don't go to clubs. And if they did they wouldn't pick up girls. And if they did they'd act like total gentlemen. Must have been a case of mistaken identity with one of those nasty league types.

Yes, so nice in fact that they can't say no and have to keep multiples on the go.... isn't that right Nicky D??

[Missy]

If I remember correctly it was something along the lines of "He's so nice, he's not like normal football players" blah blah blah Ad then within about 8 weeks she was like "He only ever calls me at 3am in the morning, why is he treating me like crap" blah blah blah.

It was funny how things panned out, but some things he did were a bit dis-respectful.

I saw it all first hand and I stil cheer for him on game day and hope he kicks some serious butt! As I said, his lack of respect for women doesn't change his performance on the park.

I suppose it might become a bit of a problem when he gets a bigger profile (ala Nicky D).

When it happened I always wondered if the club had any sort of influence as alot of the young guys (including this one) are plucked out of home at a young age and thrown into an environment that they haven't experienced before, living away from their parents and the guidence that comes with that.

Meh, I dunno. I don't really care. But it is something to think about. I suppose boys will be boys.

[wheels27]

I don't reckon we (or the club) should care how they treat women, other than being disappointed, but problems arise when players think they have an inherent rite to treat others like crap, because "I play for the swans", that attitude brings the club into disrepute, to borrow a cliche.

If they treat others like crap simply because they are young blokes who have no inter-personal or relationship skills, who cares... we all learn eventually.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Missy
If I remember correctly it was something along the lines of "He's so nice, he's not like normal football players" blah blah blah Ad then within about 8 weeks she was like "He only ever calls me at 3am in the morning, why is he treating me like crap" blah blah blah.

It was funny how things panned out, but some things he did were a bit dis-respectful.

I saw it all first hand and I stil cheer for him on game day and hope he kicks some serious butt! As I said, his lack of respect for women doesn't change his performance on the park.

I suppose it might become a bit of a problem when he gets a bigger profile (ala Nicky D).

When it happened I always wondered if the club had any sort of influence as alot of the young guys (including this one) are plucked out of home at a young age and thrown into an environment that they haven't experienced before, living away from their parents and the guidence that comes with that.

Meh, I dunno. I don't really care. But it is something to think about. I suppose boys will be boys. This doesn't make him a @@@@head does it? Just acting like most young people these days as they find their way through the relationship maze.

It was no diferent when I was younger. (Does that make me sound old?)

[Sanecow]

I used to knock my girlfriends around, steal money from their wallets and sleep with their friends when I was young. Who didn't? Boys will be boys.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Sanecow
I used to knock my girlfriends around, steal money from their wallets and sleep with their friends when I was young. Who didn't? Boys will be boys. I wasn't that bad, but I couldn't keep a girlfriend for more than 6 weeks without getting bored and looking elsewhere.

It must have taken him 8 weeks to realise that he didn't like her and maybe even for her to get the hint.

[katie-scarlett]

Originally posted by Sanecow
I used to knock my girlfriends around, steal money from their wallets and sleep with their friends when I was young. Who didn't? Boys will be boys.
Note to self, stay away from WA.

[wheels27]

Cow Carey?

[Missy]

Originally posted by goswannie14
This doesn't make him a @@@@head does it? Just acting like most young people these days as they find their way through the relationship maze.

It was no diferent when I was younger. (Does that make me sound old?)

lol..yes it does make you sound old!

It's abit of a generalisation to say 'most young people these days'. I think thats crap. If some guy rang me at 3am just for a shag I'd be telling him to bugger off.

Maybe I'm just naieve. I'd hate to be treated like that though.

[Mel]

Originally posted by Missy
lol..yes it does make you sound old!

It's abit of a generalisation to say 'most young people these days'. I think thats crap. If some guy rang me at 3am just for a shag I'd be telling him to bugger off.

Maybe I'm just naieve. I'd hate to be treated like that though.

Maybe that's the problem. Some girls like/are willing to be treated like this so the boys get away with it.

I agree with GS14 (or whoever it was) sounds like a general lack of experience in dealing with relationships. We all fumbled our way through late teens and early twenties. You learn and grow.

[Sanecow]

Originally posted by Mel
We all fumbled our way through late teens and early twenties.

I mainly fumbled through fives and tens. They never carried twenties.

[wheels27]

Maybe they hid them.

[Sanecow]

It's exactly that lack of trust that killed the relationships.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Missy
lol..yes it does make you sound old!

It's abit of a generalisation to say 'most young people these days'. I think thats crap. If some guy rang me at 3am just for a shag I'd be telling him to bugger off.

Maybe I'm just naieve. I'd hate to be treated like that though. Maybe I should have said most young people. I don't think you guys are much different than we were in our late teens early twenties 20 odd years ago.

[katie-scarlett]

Originally posted by goswannie14
Maybe I should have said most young people. I don't think you guys are much different than we were in our late teens early twenties 20 odd years ago.
except now you can text 'wanna shag?' @ 3AM, as opposed to calling ;)
and you can also break up via sms.

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by katie-scarlett
except now you can text 'wanna shag?' @ 3AM, as opposed to calling ;)
and you can also break up via sms. Is that the modern equivalent to not returning phone calls?

[katie-scarlett]

Nope, they still do that too!

[C-Train]

Originally posted by Missy
If some guy rang me at 3am just for a shag I'd be telling him to bugger off.

hmmm..... would you really???

Whats your number?

:D lol

[ScottH]

Originally posted by SwanSong
hmmm..... would you really???

Whats your number?

:D lol :confused:

You like being told to bugger off at 3am?

[Mel]

Originally posted by ScottH
:confused:

You like being told to bugger off at 3am?

I'm a bit confused by that answer too :confused:

[C-Train]

was just joking... testing you to see if you would say bugger off...

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Missy


It's abit of a generalisation to say 'most young people these days'.



It's also a generalisation to say...



Originally posted by Missy
"He's so nice, he's not like normal football players"

[Lucky Knickers]

Originally posted by Ruda Wakening
It's also a generalisation to say...

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Missy
"He's so nice, he's not like normal football players"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OUCH - a direct hit!
LMAO

[goswannie14]

Originally posted by Lucky Knickers
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Missy
"He's so nice, he's not like normal football players"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


OUCH - a direct hit!
LMAO Yeah I thought it was good as well.:D But I didnt have a comeback.