hemingway

Forward delivery was hopeless after quarter time. Slow and indirect with the ball just being pumped into the forward line. On most occasions TMac competed with 3 or 4 Tigers and even the odd Demon. Rance beat him alright but whilst Rance was leaping from behind, Tom rarely got off the ground so that his long arms were of no advantage..

Description is unfortunate. However, of all those on the list, I see little upside with JKH. He reminds me of many we had on your lists over the dark years. His skills and attributes are very average. He does not excel at any facet of the game. He tends to get caught a lot and does not have the ability to break away from a contest. He is one of those players that follow the play rather than initiates play. I really hope that I am wrong and he comes of age but I just have yet to see any glimmer that anything will change this season,

Terrible things to wear playing footy. Was always taking it out when not near the ball. However, if the choice is between discomfort or not having a full set of teeth, I would choose teeth every time. Handy things teeth particularly for chewing. My female friends all preferred a mouth with teeth. Taking out the dentures before bed is never a good look. I suspect that some of BBO's house maids don't have teeth but that's another matter.

Nicely put EO.

Maybe, but your use of the words "innovating the product" assumes that it is necessary to change the product to keep consumers (supporters) interested. That the product needs to be changed. First, I am one of those folk who think footy is a game not a product and those that follow the footy are supporters or fans not consumers. I don't hear many people say that they are looking forward to watching the product on the weekend. Second, I get concerned about the use of marketing terms and the introduction of innovations that are intended to grow the market, and to ensure more opportunity for advertising and the growth of revenue streams. Will more people follow the footy or attend games due to product innovations? We have a game that has existed more or less in its present form for 160 years. The game has a history, culture and continuity that is unique. The continuity and uniqueness of our great game is one of the reasons why it remains popular. Why it is in the blood for many of us, why people refer to footy as a religion in Melbourne. The history and traditions of the game are important to maintain its continuity and on-going popularity. Third, there is no sign that the existing game is waning in popularity. I am not sure that you have to innovate to keep young people interested. One of the things you notice at the footy is the large number of kids and young people (and women). It is a dubious assumption to think that you have to make changes to the game to maintain the interest of the young. I don't get the feeling that young people at the footy are impatient or bored because the game is too long. Change is required when there is a demonstrated need for it. If evidence show that footy is losing its popularity and that fans are calling out for change then fair enough. Some of the rule changes this season have been sensible and will improve the spectacle. No problem with that. We need to be cautious about innovations or changes that dilute the appeal of the game as we know it. .

Yes, they had the good sense to squash the idea, so I give them some credit. The AFL stopped it before it became an embarrassment. Overall it seems like a stuff up. It seems like a decision made and announced on the run, without sufficient time on research, discussion and thought.

Just looking at the list of "high earners" is a warning for clubs thinking of paying big bucks to players on the basis of potential. Similarly, paying big bucks to players with an injury history. I hope the Demons appropriately reward their young guns rather than go out and pay big bucks for a trade.

Team success is obviously critical for a club to retain its good players. If the MFC enjoys that success, it is going to put a strain on the salary cap as players become more valuable. That is a challenge for the club as compromise and balance become key ingredients of successful salary cap management whilst retaining your best list. What history has told us is that players are prepared to forgo money to remain at a successful club. Dusty Martin is an example. There will always be star players that remain loyal and stay at an unsuccessful club (ie Flower/Jones), but it has become less the case over the years. There will always be the star player that leaves a successful club for money. Ablett is an example. But that is the exception rather than the rule. For both club and player the one common ingredient is team success.

Agree Smokey, some really good points. Drug taking in all its forms does not discriminate on grounds of gender, age or social class. I have lived in country towns and cities and it is destroying the fabric of both. As time goes on and nothing changes in terms of government policy, more and more criminals are encouraged to get involved in sourcing, making and distributing drugs, with violence and reprisals a daily reality. I know of one country town where locals are afraid to walk the streets after dark and where farmers in the region cannot sell their farms or pass them on to their sons because many of the sons have become addicts. This occurring after the crims moved in to town and started distributing to the teenagers. Until we treat it first and foremost as a health issue and decriminalise its use, we will never win the war or begin to reduce the users and the suppliers. It will continue to grow and create ever increasing social problems. There are problems in the short-term in decriminalising its use, but unless societies make radical changes rather than piecemeal changes, we are in for a very bleak future.

You may be right having watched him closely at Shepp. However, I think my expectations of him were unreasonable. I expected or hoped to see a big guy that could make an immediate impact. Unfortunately, you can't help but compare him to Max and the difference is huge. But one's an All Australian and the other, a bloke who has been playing in the twos for North. Preuss is still young and we know that big guys can take years to mature and find their feet in the big time. So we need to lower our expectations and give him time. He has had little experience at a senior level and was almost forgotten at North. After a period in the wilderness, he has come to a new club and new environment. If he is going to develop and improve, the club will need to give him adequate game time, and not have him languishing at Casey. I still think his recruitment was a good one and that he will play a role this season, and, as you say, at least be a solid backup to Max when required. And Max and the club will need a backup.

I think we know that like all politicians, Gil has selective hearing. Like many who hold the reins of power, acting for or in the public good is not a priority and sometimes not even a consideration. For people like Gil, acting in the interests of those that support his own position of power is paramount. Unfortunately, those that support him are those vested interests who gain financially from the cash cow created by media rights and advertising. Those vested interests include the clubs and players on which the game is dependant. Here's an idea. If the AFL wanted to show that public opinion matters to their deliberations, why not take a poll of the membership of all AFL clubs, the poll commissioned by the AFL but run by an independent body that could verify the process and the accuracy of the result.

Thanks Stretch, glad some-one could explain it.

Good idea Jim. I have been to some country games in the last few years, some in SA and some over here. Going up the highway to Shepp, I was wondering what the hell I was doing but it was really good to go despite the loss. You realize what you have gained and lost. Going to AFL matches particularly the Mecca, we have gained a lot of benefits. The great atmosphere, comfort, amenities, seats, scoreboard replays, indeed, the whole comfort and convenience thing. But for many of us, ""the entertainment factor" is annoying and a distraction. As i mentioned in my earlier post, you feel the game is losing its nitty gritty feeling, or, bit by bit, losing its soul. Going to the country or local games you have no amenities to speak of but you get heart and soul stuff from the players and spectators. And of course, there are no distractions from the game and the conversational interactions in the crowd. So as a spectator you can suffer from the lack of amenities but enjoy the atmosphere in a different way than at the Mecca. The only distraction is the hot dog stand and some of the locals who very much reflect the local culture.

That's a worry, we need to sign this boy up. Always a concern with the Pies and Eddie Underhand.

Well the German name Helmut does mean Helmet in English.

What the hell was Clarry doing in Middle Camberwell ? Did he get lost coming off the Hume from Mooroopna.? Came off the Ring Road and headed down Burke Road until he landed in Barry Humphries old hood. We don't want a country boy like Clarry being identified with Camberwell. No vanilla type bushies. By the way Pineapple Only a true Camberwelltonian calls Middle Camberwell, Middle Camberwell. Woolworths was once Angus Tuckerbag run by Geoff Angus ex Hawks Footballer and Premiership player and prior to that Geoff's dad who ran a small licenced grocer for 50 years.

We have all become cynical about the motives of those in charge of governments, institutions, organisations, and sporting bodies etc The difference is that for many of us, sport is different, particularly footy. It is not about hard headed business decisions or beancounters dictating changes that do not benefit the footy public.. It's about passion and soul. The game has an existential existence for most supporters. The more changes are made, the more cynical people become. Cynicism breeds contempt and then anger and then disengagement, often both. At Shepparton on Sunday, it was wonderful to see the hard core Richmond and Melbourne supporters enjoing a day at the footy. And also those folk without club allegiances wanting to see a good game of footy. Men, women, kids of all ages and social class. At the ground enjoying the purity of the contest. A sport which at its heart, is a simple game. I stood there thinking, now, this is the way it should be, this is footy No bells or whistles. Just the game. Just the game. Yet the decision makers increasingly make decisions that chip away at that passion, that chip away at the very soul of the game. Its similar to the demise of our confidence in parliament, government and our democratic institutions. Its similar to the banks. After a while people lose faith in the leadership and lose faith that the leaders are acting for the benefit of all. People disengage and detach from caring about these things. Will we get to the stage where we stop caring about our footy? With footy there will always be the game. However, I fear that we are seeing more changes and rumours of change that are driven by the advertising dollar. It threatens to accelerate the transformation of the game from something that its been for 100 years supported by the match day supporters, to a game viewed on TVs, tablets and devices where viewers are looking for entertainment for their ever decreasing attention spans, happy to absorb advertisements for junk food, cars and gambling. Moving to a night grand final will be another nail in the coffin. Another statement to us all that the AFL does not care for the football public. The sad thing is we all know that in our heart of hearts it is going to happen. We all know that decisions are made that are not in the interests or for the benefit of all the passionate supporters that love their club and love this great game we call footy. .

Whatever plays out this season, the Dees needed another big guy as insurance.

Yeah he always found a player alright not always near the ball.

great summary ding , and I agree the surface of the ground was superb, I suspect better than the AFL grounds they play on. the locals should be very proud.

Agreed. I think Frosty might get squeezed out. I love his attack on the ball. He has pace and can compete in the air and on the ground. He breaks lines and is unpredictable. But as we all know that is also the risk. But if we can keep our key defenders on the park, I don't see a spot for Frosty, although I prefer him to Oscar but Oscar is a better fit at FB.

I hear what you say 56, but the ball would have to come down very quickly for the big Prussian, and then you have the problem of the ball hitting the deck and rebound. He may be useful as a decoy once in a while but not for a sustained period of time. If he gets a reputation for his physical contact the umpires will be all over him. I prefer more mobility down forward than the big fella.

Stood behind the Melbourne goal end each quarter. Both he and the Weed had trouble finding the pill. On most occasions Rance who has a great leap and anticipation, was able to punch the ball away with the support of other defenders. Tigers were quick to get a couple of guys back when Dees were attacking. Our ball movement was poor. The ball came down haphazardly and slowly on most occasions, unlike what we saw in the two winning finals. Both Tom and the Weed tended not to lead but drop back where they were covered. Both seemed easy to brush aside and were light in the body compared to their opponents. They are stick thin. Tommy would stick his arms up, which were easily knocked away from the pill. He did not get off the ground on too many occasions. I wondered if this was due to his foot/toe.

Despite some disappointments on Sunday, these two showed that they can step up and make the grade. Keilty in particular shows that patient development can work, improvement take place and perceptions change. Petty looked hopeless last year although he was thrown to the wolves. However, he seemed to have no appetite for the contest but he disapproved that yesterday. A couple of good back-up players but will need to step over a couple of bodies in front of them.

True enough Junior, Williams was similar, but I regard Williams as odious, given his on-field antics.