Uncle Fester

It's all Mickey Mouse. I'd rather they spent the time honing their craft - which is, as you may remember, playing football against the best in the land. And abseiling down a cliff or climbing a mountain doesn't make you a better footballer - it makes you a better abseiler or a better mountain climber, and having a brick dropped on your head is highly unlikely to make you a better anything. I think the players got it right. They couldn't see any tangible benefits from it, and based on last year, only negative outcomes. This isn't giving the kybosh to a time trial run. This is saying no to something that won't make them better footballers no matter how many times they do it. And, hey, they showed some pretty smart and clever teamwork to get the win on that. Edit - and I can't begin to tell you how much I liked the comment about if only the Essendon players stood up to the club about OH&S concerns.

If I go into work tomorrow morning and give notice, I'll get 4 weeks pay + my entitlements, escorted to clean out my stuff, then escorted off the site. It's a pretty common practice across all fields. It's not that they think you will sabotage the place, it's that in those 4 weeks you can gather some pretty good intel to take to a competitor. And you add that to a booting... well, it's a lot safer to pay them out than have them around. It's a sad fact, but a true one, that business is not run on feelings. It's run on what is good for the business, and feelings be damned. People come and people go, but the business lives on.

Just makes me sad

i'm more worried about the plaid jacket

About bloody time Sylvia had a good pre-season. Brownlow for sure this year.

I really wonder why I keep coming back to this place. 50% is mindless point scoring on mindless points, and the other 50% is insults. Most of you people have no idea. You really don't. You read the Age or watch the news and think you actually know something. Then when people that do know a little bit about the game say something you all line up with BS stats or insults. Most of the best posters here are the ones that get the biggest kicking. Hmmm.

Thanks for your insight. It will be be filed under 'B' for bin. Now run along or talk about Lever and Hibberd.

Once again... Lever??? Hibberd??? If you want to make an Omac thread... then go for it. BUT... and this is the only time I'll derail here... he makes it to the contest. That can't be taught. The rest can.

No. Offers very little. I'd rather a rookie punt.

Agreed. A massive pick up. And Omac is still a kid. Give him 10kgs and 50 games and we have a very, very good backline in the making. Backs don't win Norm Smiths, but they do win most flags.

Meet, greet, and punch in the head, more like. For some of our boys it seems like a good chance to get on the p!ss and play the sort of footy you'd get in the Reservoir seconds. If anyone knows whose brain fart this originally was, I''d be interested to hear it.

Hibberd? Lever? Anyone????

It depends on why we don't. We had a horror run in the middle of last year with the draw and injuries. That is in the hands of the football gods. But if we get a good draw and injuries only affect depth players, then I'll start questioning the coaching staff.

I picked the Ty Vickery part.

This. Flat track bullies last year, and melted when the blow torch was applied. None of those three will change that. Yes, they will smash sides like Brisbane, and the press will [censored] off about how Motlop and Watts kicked 5 each, and Rocky got 40 touches, but wait and watch them when they play (say) Sydney in Sydney. That will be the game that they go missing as fellas like Wines carries the rest of them.

No matter what camp you are in on this divide, all have to admit that is classy.

I don't. He plays for Port. I hope he gets gang tackled every time he goes near the ball. Just as I wish on every other player not wearing the red and blue.

If that is bad, wait until you see the video of Goodwin strangling a puppy.

His 'Leave Britney Alone!' you tube vid.

And he is out! After a sometimes shaky knock, he managed to make a career best 232 before being comprehensibly bowled by an inswinging yorker. The new man to the crease is Oscar McDonald, who will join Leaver who is unbeaten on 170.

Was talking to a (very) passionate Collingwood supporting friend last night and asked her if she'd seen the latest trade news - that Collingwood had offered #6 for Watts, a pick in the 20's and some late swaps. Also told her that it was Howe getting into Buckley's ear that got them to put it in the table. I had to hold the phone away from my ear to save my eardrums. Other than a lot of swearing I got 'Are you [censored] kidding me?!?! That Howe can [censored] right off back to Melbourne!', 'It's bad enough we took Dunn!', 'Buckley needs to be sacked for making that deal!'. About 2 hours later I got a call back. 'We never offered that! You are an [censored]!' I laughed, and said, 'Yep. I am. But that is payback for Harry'. I expect a punch in the face the next time I see her, but, geez, it will be worth it.

Yes, I do think he has coasted for all of his career. Just doing enough to keep his spot on the list, and not a lot more. I have no doubt that he loves the club and is hurting that the club has fallen out of love with him, but his love for the club never stopped him taking the easy path too many times. And I see this as just another time. Staying would be the hard thing. It would require that he gives 100% on and off the field, and prove the football dept wrong. It would mean taking ownership of his efforts. Leaving is easy. New start, new life, a nice little honeymoon period before Port (or whoever) begin asking the same questions of him we are asking now. And not for one moment do I believe that Goodwin and co would be shopping him around if they thought there was any chance of him becoming the footballer he should be. But they don't. So he is on the market. 'Stay or go' - if he stays then it means he wants to prove the doubters wrong, and we will get a better player out of it. If he goes then we haven't really lost much, and have an example of what not to do to the younger talent. Either way I do hope it is a wakeup call to him. He has too much talent to end up a shoulda coulda player.

Professional heckler, or just an amateur attention seeker?

If 30 & 33 can be then again bundled into an early pick in the 20s, or for a player that we think is worth that, then I say go for it. The team has been set non-negotiable KPI's under Goodwin, and, for whatever reason, at least twice he broke them. That he seems shocked is probably the icing on the cake. He got a bloody good contract and then coasted. Same as he has done for all of his time with us. A highlight here and a great Q there, doesn't make up for the days he wanders around making half arsed efforts. Every player has to go hard in every quarter of every game - or go somewhere else. Players like him will never win you flags, but they can sure help lose them. I also reckon that the 'poor bugger... he went #1 and has all the pressure in the world on him' is crud. It's been the other way - 'I went #1 so I can get away with not working my arse off like that bloke that went #72'. And popular doesn't cut it. You can be the most liked at the club, or you can be the bloke that the coach and captain DON'T throw their arms up in the air every time they are asked about you. And loyalty is BS too. We have invested more into him than he has returned. If he was loyal he'd be saying 'No. I'm not going. What I will do is work at every facet of my game. I will be the first there, the last to leave, and go harder than anyone at any contest - just like my captains do.' Not holding my breath on that one. Stay or go. I don't mind either, but FFS pull your finger out. Don't be another Sylvia.

Him or the trade?