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All duck no dinner

Sydney can win the flag, a salty Chris Scott will make up for Melbourne not being in it.

You could list 100 chronological events of the past and they would mean precisely nothing when evaluating this potential trade. It's a non sequitur argument. There are legitimate reasons why some aren't sure of a Grundy trade; Lumumba, et al, isn't one of them. As for the trade ? I'm open-minded. The idea that the competition's best core midfield is serviced by multiple AA calibre ruckman for 100% of game-time is somewhat compelling. In and of itself it's a tremendous advantage going into any game. But how would it work ? For the longevity of both players, as well as integrating a workable system, I suspect you'd look to play both for approx. 75% game-time. It feels like Grundy would be the main ruck and perhaps play 60% ruck with Max at 40%. If both are playing 75% game-time then they're on the ground for roughly 90 of 120 minutes, i.e. Grundy 54 minutes as main ruck and Gawn 36 minutes. This would then leave Grundy with 36 minutes not in the main ruck position and Gawn with 54. Btw, this isn't meant to be a precise exercise and their time on ground together would be staggered across 120 minutes. Under the above scenario Gawn has approx. 13.5 minutes per quarter of game-time where he's either in the forward half or behind the ball - just under half a quarter while he's not the main ruckman. The corresponding time for Grundy is 9 minutes per quarter. Is it workable ? Can either hit the scoreboard enough to concern the opposition ? Or are they a liability while they're not the main ruck ? What other tactics does Goodwin have in mind ? For me it's workable IF the forward-line is potent without either player's presence up forward. If the connection is much better, if McDonald gets back to his best, if van Rooyen is somewhat of a revelation, if a key forward trade target comes to fruition, or if Brown returns to form (I have dounts). One expects more of the same from Fritsch and Pickett. But general ball movement from defence to the F50 needs to improve a heap. It can. There are pros and cons for me, and I fully understand the skepticism, but I also see a pretty exciting upside. Imagine it worked while we're in our flag window. Some times you have to take a risk. *I'm assuming both Grundy and Gawn have no ongoing injury concerns. They're both in their prime as ruckman. Many rucks play to 34-35 years of age. Plenty of smart people can't see it working, plenty of smart people can and plenty have an open-mind.

Seriously, people declaring what our cap space is, is ridiculous , when they haven’t got a clue as to the actual figures.

That image of Jeremy Howe with the crowd at his back, head in hands is so satisfying

Just here to say SUCK [censored] COLLINGWOOD! Poetic justice that you went out the way you’ve won it all year. Now Sydney, for the love of god, do us a solid and smash Geelong next week.

Jeremy Howe go and suck eggs.

He will be cleared to the club of his choice by the end of trade week.

I admire the way the Pies go about it. They just will not lay down. As a supporter you couldn't ask for anything more.

Interview Howe. Do it.

All aboard the bloods bandwagon. They are so much more admirable as a club than Geelong. Collingwood have definitely played the most exciting brand of football this year, but their fairy tale was not to be.

Sort of satisfying that the close game specialists lose two finals by a goal or under

Like almost the rest of the AFL watching and commentating world I've been confused by Grundy as a trade target as well. But regardless of where they specifically lined up, the Gawn-Jackson combination delivered us a flag in 2021. Maybe the forward craft isn't as important to Goody and the footy department as having two fresh rucks available at their disposal? Neither Grundy nor Jackson contribute all that much in terms of around-the-ground contested marking, but Grundy is noted as a follow-up specialist at ground level post-tap - exactly what Jackson excelled at - except Grundy is still probably better. People speak of Jackson's influence in the third quarter of the grand final. Max wasn't at full forward at the time. It was a change out and fresh legs. Grundy is currently a much better player than Jackson by almost any objective measure - who cares where he and Max line up and fit in together? And who knows what influence fresh legs have in the middle? Honestly, I don't even know where Jackson was playing most of the time. I want to see more flags in the next five years. Having a ruck like Grundy on board will help with that, and his cost is the same as what it would have been to retain Jackson.

At the Swans game, I had the fortune to have Jeff White sitting in front with his 3 sons, which augurs well. Kalani is much older than his siblings and is seriously tall but he is a kid, and looks 16. The trend is now to draft players for the now and the next 2 seasons. Geelong, Sydney and the Hawks all bought in players from other clubs. The days of drafting and getting a 10-year, 200-game player have been diminished. If grundy comes in and gives 4 years of good service then he has paid his way. To me Jackson is a speculative future champion getting paid more than anyone else on our list. Gunston for 1 maybe 2 seasons will be worth the investment and clubs are getting smarter about how they rebuild their lists. Geelong got smashed last year's prelim have this year bought in Stengel and debuted De Koning. They introduced Holmes last year and changed Atkins role this year. Dahlhaus, Narkle, Higgins and Parfitt cannot get a game nor can Ratugolea & Menegola. 4 minor changes and Geelong are revitalised and play a different style of footy. Our challenge is to find better players than Jackson, Hunt, Hibberd, Melksham, Spargoi and maybe ANB. I don't care if they are 18, 25 or 28 just do it

If I get the same image with danger instead of Howe next week the season will be somewhat less depressing

Seeing Howe lose yet another close final will sustain my heart for many years to come.

My god Sydney nearly choked then. I was dead set certain the pies were going to steal that. I had images of them kicking a goal or receiving a free kick. But then I think how sweet it is they lost by 1 point & how all there supporters paid outrageous flight prices to travel and now they have to fly, drive, bus or train it home miserable. But the kicker for me is knowing Jeremy Howe will not get a chance to have a crack at a flag this year and he didn't have a great day

Got what you deserve filth. Be barracking for Sydney next week but When you look at it, it will be Geelong who will throw the flag away if they lose.

The world is a better place if Collingwood aren't in the Grand Final

Stuart McGill was one of the top 5 spinners Australia has ever produced but it rarely made sense to pick him in the test team alongside Warnie. We would be better off allocating our salary cap space elsewhere to improve our forward line.

I work with numbers too 2 x big mac 1x large chips 1x large coke

Yes but the 3 years prior they lost in a gf, preliminary and a semi. 17th was the outlier.

I'm defo not sad that they've lost, but the way they play is bloody exciting. If they'd gone from 17th to a grand final, that would have been ridiculous. I'm relieved it hasn't happened though. I really like McCrae as a coach.

GET [censored] COLLINGWOOD COLLINGWOOD GET [censored]

Late first rounder from Essendon Other clubs..early third rounder

Cerra would've been wearing red and blue if we had the draft capital to get the deal done. Had nothing to do with salary.

In case anyone would like to read some additional context regarding why paying respects to Queen Elizabeth II is a complex conversation, please see the attachments. At the Melb v Bris game I was actually quite shocked at the way it was handled, moving straight from the Welcome to Country to the minutes silence without any context or meaningful segue. At the time I found it quite confronting and confusing. I do understand that the Queen was the political Monarch of the Australian state and therefore is acknowledged at such events. Whether or not that is a good thing, and whether or not we need to continue to advance the relationship between the first nations people and the current Australian state is irrelevant of the fact the ceremony lacked cultural tact. I do think that something needed to be said to link or distance the two cultural moments, to avoid the very uncomfortable and tone deaf situation that occured. The rendition of an old tape recording of God Save the Queen, complete with lights turning on and off at the wrong moment demonstrated how poorly thought out the situation was.

You'd have to think that Selwood, Danger and Duncan would consider retirement if they win it this year. Maybe Smith as well.

The AFLW attracted controversy last weekend when it ditched plans for a minute's silence to remember the Queen because of Indigenous round. Here's an articulate, intelligent and passionate explanation of why it matters from Daisy Pearce. For all those people who say Indigenous round is just a tokenistic, virtue-signalling concept, here's proof from our skipper that there's real substance behind the sentiment and a willingness to stand up for principles when it matters most. You might disagree with her stance, but there's no denying that she's taken the time to consider her position and has thought about these issues at length. If that's not the purpose of Indigenous round, then what is?

It's ok Jeremy, your ex teammates can show you what a premiership medal looks like

I hopped off the bandwagon slowly in the second half of the season as we went 6 wins/8 losses! If you think our static, defensive second half 2022 game plan will cut it in 2023 with a set of injury free players you are mistaken. The best Teams are moving the ball at breakneck speed through the corridor (as we saw tonight) and delivering it fast and low into their forward lines all to negate our strengths, May, Lever intercept marking and Gawn’s marking down the line. The game evolves so do we need to review how we play.

The game plan would not have delivered us anything. As the plan evolved or maybe a better description is degenerated over the second half of the season, banged up players or not, we were barely a top 8 team.

Quite possibly the least interesting two teams we could have. It’s frustrating because if Melbourne were still in it I could see us easily getting out to a 30 point lead and then choking against either of these two teams.

Collingwood so brave, have to give them credit.

Daisy is a true leader, what a champion she is. All the nuffies getting offended by her comments is hilarious to see.

Oh, damn.

Eat [censored] Howe

So how about swans win, beat Geelong next week, buddy gets his swans flag, retires & we don't have to worry about him ever again, Dangerfield is heartbroken & we move on from the 2022 season

You need to post more.

Finn’s a terrible person who makes jokes about Jake Melksham’s child and is a difficult team mate. (None if that is true but we need to keep spreading information to make sure he doesn’t go top 40)

Add in Ben Kennedy ❌

I’m still nervous. Why help the Pies with their issue. It might work out but I’m cautious, anxious you know why! Dawes Lamumba our wins from trades with the pies seem to be to help their problems not necessarily our solutions.

As much as I dislike Scott and his smugness his tactical brilliance is to be admired. Like Longmire he has a clear plan for the opps playmakers while backing in his system. For them it isn't either/or. They do both. Successfully. Geelong didn't tag Neale. Scott said before the game they knew he would get the ball but try to control where he got the ball and they would have several players for him. At half time Jimmy Bartel said Geelong let Neale get the ball when he was facing the wrong way. They shut Neale out by having Atkins on him at stoppages, someone to close his space and stay goal side of him. He was picked up by whoever was closest to him. The latter is how they played Oliver. If Sydney win today, Longmire vs Scott will be a fascinating GF to watch.

Good on Dais. This stance will always get blow back from some, and they're entitled to their opinion. But the fact the AFLW prioritised Indigenous round, and the position of the Indigenous people involved, doesn't concern me at all. The Queen has received due respect from an enormous majority of the population and society as a whole. This one act, to prioritise an Indigenous position during Indigenous round, doesn't diminish that for mine. And before people say 'it's white people speaking for Indigenous people', don't forget this started because the person doing the welcome to country was not comfortable doing it with the minute's silence. And if First Nation's people say this is a legitimate issue for them, then it's not up to us to tell them it's not.

It’s the potatoes and the soil. Put a stick in the ground , water it and watch it grow

Im disappointed in Daisy, I thought she would understand the significance of the Queens passing for which AFLW failed to do this. We stand and listen to Welcome to Country when we are meant to be one country. We are not responsible for the past and cant undo history, all we can do is continue to try and undo these.

Daisy is so well spoken, what a legend. Succinctly and eloquently put while not stepping on the toes of the Queen's legacy - so glad she's a Demon