Feb 3, 2012 - Just a quick reminder that our AGM will kick off at 3pm this Sunday. Please make your way up to The Marquee in Gifu (Giffo's bar) for some important business followe by some Redbacks classic matches and plenty of beers.
January 2012 - When the Swans lose to Carlton, I find it hard to call my die-hard Carlton supporting friends for months. I guess in a similar fashion, it got really hard to write about our efforts on the field in 2011. We picked up some fine new players along the way, such as Takeya Ito and Henry Jones, but getting everyone to the games or even training at the same time proved a significant challenge. The results of our lack of cohesion were clear for all to see - five big losses. It's as hard for me to write five losses as it was for the Fonz to say sorry. Anyway, with an off-season behind us, we're rearing to get going for 2012, and prove last year an apparition.
I've just been searching through the annuls of AFL history to try to find some inspiration for the Redbacks as we prepare to tackle the enormous challenge of winning the wooden spoon in one year, and following it up with premiership victory in the next. Unfortunately for us, in the 115 year history of the VFL/AFL, only Essendon (1907–1908, six position improvement) and Collingwood
(1976–1977, ten positions) have ever received the
wooden spoon in one season and proceeded to the Grand Final the next
season. No team has earned the spoon and then won the Grand Final the following season. Luckily for us, this isn't the AFL. This is the JAFL. And here come the Redbacks!
For anyone interested in the 2011 season, here's what happened. Decimated by departures, last year's grand finalists, the Goannas and Redbacks combined for only two wins this season (if we got none, then they got two) and filled the bottom two spots on the ladder. The Japanese teams continued to show excellent improvement both tactically and in fitness, but try as they may, 2011 was the year of the Dingoes. The Dingoes followed up a victory in the Japan Cup with a great win in the grand final. Bar for a controversial one-point loss in round five, the Dingoes would have had a perfect season. Sorry about the umpiring, guys! Anyway, congratulations must go out to them. They've been developing a side for the past two seasons, and they've really set a high standard for the rest of us to achieve. Well done.
Finally, for those who've been checking out the site daily for updates, sorry for the wait. If you'd like to try to make some money out of your pain, I've started a book on when the next update will be posted. Here are the odds;
Within the next week 100-1 (31278)
Within two weeks 50-1 (31279)
Within a month 20-1 (31280)
Within the next three months 5-1 (31281)
Inside a year 2-1 (31282)
More than a year 1-50 (31283)
THe number in brackets is the TAB Sportsbet number. Good luck.
