Gator

Had a great year.

He showed he's an AFL quality tall forward.

Get the ice out of there...

Do Freo have one last game in them next week in Perth ? Can they redeem themselves after yesterday's horrible loss ? If we win our final two games, which I think we can, we'll be top 4 if Freo beat Collingwood at home. Unlikely, but not impossible.

He just needs to play his role, which is compete in the air, don't get out-marked, bring the ball to ground, and present to the ball carrier. And hopefully make the most of a few opportunities.

Of course, man. It goes without saying we're rubbish too. This is obvious and not needing to be stated. When you can't beat rubbish teams it's pretty obvious you're rubbish too. But when you're younger than every other top 8 team, when you're the no.1 contested team in the AFL, when you're the no.2 ground-ball get team, when you're the no.2 centre clearance team, when you're the no.1 goal assist team, and when you're the highest scoring team you have ENORMOUS upside. It's kinda the point...

Sydney are rubbish and we should have won. Port are rubbish and we should have won. Geelong are rubbish and we should have won. I can't remember another era with so many rubbish top 8 teams. Ever West Coast are rubbish and we should win. I believe we will. Time to flex a little bit of muscle and show we belong in the finals.

Fantasy Freako‏ @FantasyFreako 53m53 minutes ago Port's off-season recruitment drive has been a failure. Watts (worst season since 2010) and Rockliff (worst since 2009) based on ranking points. Motlop just so, so. #AFLPiesPower

He's averaging 13.9 disposals and 1 goal per game. I suppose miracles do happen.

...

Thankfully, it appears to be caught relatively early. It's not the end of the world. Rejig and make the forward-line less predictable. McDonald plus a slew of midsizers in Melksham, Hannan, Fritsch, Petracca, plus ANB, Spargo, etc., or give Weideman his shot. Our problem isn't getting it forward, so all is not lost. This isn't a flag year anyway. Hopefully Hogan, Lever, and Viney can have injury free years in 2019 as we hopefully start taking the next step. Hogan hasn't been moving well for weeks and I doubt you suddenly get sore overnight, so it may explain what's been going on.

I don't get much mail and I'm careful to share unless it's impeccable. And it is. Hannebery met with Goodwin early in the year and was rapt the Dees had interest. He's happy to stay at Sydney, but was keen to entertain the idea of coming home and playing with the Dees. And it was the MFC in particular that excited Dan, because he rates our list and future. We may have now gone cold for the reasons mentioned by the OP, but this was most definitely 'on'.

My claims to leadership ? I have a PHD in Leadership my dearest picket. Send me a pm and I'll link you to my website. As for Jones ? In all my time watching him I've never seen him drag us over the line in a game. Ever. I think he's been good with his off-field leadership, but he offers nothing from an on-field leadership perspective. Nothing at all.

Once again Jones doesn't stand up. He's a dumb and limited footballer, and he's certainly a poor onfield leader.

Goody hasn't been wrong this year with his playing predictions. When I saw Picket had the inside word that there may be a late change I knew we were all good to go.

Just use the ignore function and put me on it. I have about 20 posters on ignore and it works a treat. Until, they're quoted.

The degrees are marginal. I think your views are self-serving because you can identify with Melbourne players. And I suspect we're a similar age, we just have different views.

Completely relaxed. Sydney are rubbish. If we can't beat them and beat them comfortably then we don't deserve to play finals. Naturally, I'll take a one point win, but I expect a 30+ point victory.

It's extraordinary to me, completely unfathomable to me, that someone would suggest a ban over a photo of a statue in someone else's avatar. It's one of the more extraordinary comments I've seen on Demonland in 16 years. So one ponders what this individual must object to in real life. The conclusions are as obvious as they are sad.

And I don't follow your logic. You're saying that if Smith didn't get these symptoms your views on the hit would soften. The hit was the hit. It wouldn't be mitigated by a lack of headaches. Tony Lockett was the greatest full forward I've seen. He was also a thug. But because he doesn't have a Melbourne player as one of his high profile incidents he seemingly isn't put in the Matthews basket. Carl Ditterich was a thug. But because his victims were often on the end of someone wearing red and blue he doesn't get mentions. It's all very hypocritical. I can judge the footballers and leave aside some of their brutal moments. It was a different era. Every time you think of Matthews you think of brutality. I'm aware of all that too, but I can also compartmentalise the football exploits. Happy to have a differing view.

I was going to change it today. It was only ever meant to put the wind up SWYL. I'll keep it a bit longer. Btw, what is it with Leftists who want to ban or close down everything they don't like ?

It doesn't make sense to me that any ongoing headaches can be attributed to one hit decades ago when the player in question played 200 games. Smith may lay all of the blame at that one hit and he may be right, but I doubt it. That said, and listen carefully, it doesn't change the act for me either way. It was a callous brutal act that was shocking. Whether he has ongoing headaches, or not doesn't change my view of the hit. I find it strange that your view of the hit is affected by any resultant headaches. For me it was terrible either way. The ongoing headaches don't make it worse.

I doubt your or my "concern" makes any difference. How do you think it would ? Can others confirm there was an 'open Mike' with Smith.

The point I've been making. I'm dubious about headaches today being attributed to this episode from decades ago, but even if it were true it doesn't make the act worse. It was what it was. That's why I said "so what", which you seemed to take umbrage with. Wikipedia supposedly lists every 'open Mike' interview dating back to 2010, but it makes no mention of an episode with Steven Smith.

A couple of things... So you think the incident is worse because of ongoing headaches ? You mean it would have been not as bad if there were no headaches ? Is that what you're telling me ? Also, I can't find the episode. Wikipedia has dozens and dozens listed, but not any with Steven Smith. Please link it for me. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Mike_(TV_series)