M_9

My mate played with Hird snr in he Dons VFL Reserves side in the 1960's. He also worked alongside him in the education department. Father and son had a falling out many years ago, partly as a result of Jim Bob's choice of a wife. They've been estranged for years. Essentially Hird snr is trying to curry favour with his son.

From The Age: "..as Melbourne Magistrates Court heard details of the seven charges laid against him which included the alleged trafficking of ecstasy and ice, each of which carry maximum jail terms of up to 15 years...." 7 x 15 = 105 years. I don't reckon he'll get that. On the upside, my mate learnt a trade during his time in the Big House. He's a tiler now (formerly an arsonist).

IMO it's petty to be associating Geelong's success or Essendon's 'issues' with the trouble Thompson finds himself in. I learnt some time ago about Bomber and his tenants from a mate of mine who was a bikie in a former life.. It sounded like he (Thompson) was quite open in his dealings, and I'd be very surprised if many of his mates didn't know he dabbled. I was going to post four months back about what I'd heard from 'Bill' - a very reliable source, but could see no point. Bill was adamant Thompson would be charged.

Jack's Supercoach scores have been 97, 44 and 67. The fact that the Power have a very easy draw over the coming weeks may be the only thing saving him from being dropped.

Joel may be in a spot of bother: (the Age) GetSwift and its former AFL playing boss hit with $300 million claim By Sarah Danckert 20 February 2018 — 2:53pm "GetSwift and its former Melbourne Football Club player chief executive Joel Macdonald is facing a class action from shareholders that could cost the logistics software company $300 million after the company admitted it had not told investors it had lost key contracts......"

Covered in the first (locked) thread. Down 200 on same time last year.

Reported on BF that Joel's company may not be travelling as well as has been made out: (there is a firewall) http://www.afr.com/business/banking-and-finance/hedge-funds/getswift-too-fast-for-its-own-good-20180116-h0ji3t " ...Tim Hannon, chief investment officer at Newgate Capital Partners, is shorting the stock. "We think GetSwift is a company that has developed a product with a useful but very limited application," he said. Mr Hannon said the company has made "a series of regular, high level announcements that lack substance or are unclear ...."

Charlie Spargo's dad is Paul. Peter Spargo is probably the person you're thinking of.

Ditto (two scarves and Trac on my tik). Shirley there's a better action shot of Trac that could have been used.

Looking at Monday night news clip I reckon you've got your 'hope' (wish). The comment was made by the reporter that Trac has slimmed down somewhat.

As far as I know all the major Victorian clubs have a long waiting list (and charge a huge quid) for GFG membership packages. I let mine lapse in 2000 and I was filthy at having to leave the prelim (when Farmer blitzed) at 3/4 time to queue up, Promptly re-joined the next year. I'm pretty sure what I pay is substantially less than what my mate (a Tigers' man) pays. He lives in NSW and rarely gets to a game, but 30 years of loyalty paid off this year.

I know for a fact that Dank was interviewed by Customs (at Tulla) approx. a month before the 'blackest day' announcement. He had more than 15,000 messages on his phone. Some very notable persons among his contacts. My mate (co-incidentally a Dons supporter) who gave me the info said Dank will never talk (a matter of life and death you could say).

On the subject of concussion, what is the purpose of the 'helmets' that a number of NRL players wear (a la Dunstall's)?

Rubbish. "Change of direction wizardry" is one of his strengths. Witness his first game for us v the Saints. He had 32 disposals including 18 kicks. The majority of those kicks were from the middle of the ground out to a running player on the wing or flank. We would not have won that game without his contribution. Lewis had a shocker on Monday with just on half his usual number of disposals. Look for him to be a major player this Sunday, particularly on the tight confines of that god awful stadium.

My understanding is that NLM could issue Dank with a civil subpoena and if Dank was a 'no show' then he could be charged with contempt of court and be hit with jail time. He could however, refuse to answer any questions that he felt would incriminate him. That's my 'uneducated in all matters legal' take. BTW I've mentioned this before, there's one bloke who was paid close to $1 mil to make sure the records he has, or had, never see the light of day. I was told that by a very reliable source.

A good mate of mine played VFL with the Dons in the 60's and attends all Past Player functions. He said the reason that Dean Robinson was paid a motza was because he is the one with all the records. Apologies if this has already been mentioned.

Darren Kane has been 'all over the shop' in regard to his view as to whether or not the 34 players were guilty. I reckon he may have assisted either Essendon's lawyers or Hird's lawyers early in the piece. He penned an article in Jan this year titled 'Why Essendon 34 could have a chance if they appealed CAS decision'. IMO the bloke has zero credibility.

Hibberd not lacking any G&D and I like his kick. The left footers now on our list approaching Hawk proportions.

I'm in favour of the trade suggested elsewhere - Melksham for Hibberd.

Mathieson's collapsing legs and 'air uppercut' mentioned at length on League Teams tonight. Tony Shaw suggested that his coach should have a word to him.

Nah, haven't changed a bit. As they say in the classics, 'you're only as old as the woman you feel'.

I think the shredded paper followed on from the streamers. In my youth it was common for people leaving by ship to throw steamers to those bidding farewell (on the port). Confetti was thrown at weddings (a big no-no now). It was a 'celebration thing'. There was no concern for the environment in them olden days.

G'day mate. I'm Graham (originally from Parkdale). The only people I can remember are you, Ken Baines and Malcolm. I moved down the West Coast and rarely got to games from 1966 until 1984. I've hardly missed a Vic game since (and catch a couple of interstaters each year). In the 80's we sat behind the cheer squad who'd moved to Bay 12 (?) top level in the Southern Stand and sat with John Hartman, Animal and Gibbo. We need to catch up. It's only been 50 years!

If you look at vision of games from the mid-60's to early 70's you'll see the goal square and surrounds were covered in shredded paper, streamers and toilet paper (used as a streamer. That's why I mentioned in an earlier post that we'd raid all the toilet blocks around Yarra Park for toilet rolls. Occasionally (when the 'confetti' got too deep), the goal umpire would endeavour to clear a path for the full back to kick out. Probably a good thing that it doesn't happen now!

They were used as 'confetti'. Tearing a phone book into small pieces was a Friday night ritual. You'd take a huge plastic bag along to the game. On another note, I remember attending a match at Kardinia Park in the 70's where a group of guys carried a full size iron bath full of VB and ice into the ground. Doubt that a plastic bag full of shredded paper would get past security now, let alone a bath full of VB.