Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

'Finey' on SEN the other night noted that Johannisen's win of the medal named after our greatest coach had added another aspect to our curse also named after him: we are - ironically - now the only team of the 'original' 12 not to have a Norm Smith Medallist since its1977 inception. So, another 'record' to put on the (thankfully otherwise shortened in 2016) list? And, by the way, when we do break it, I'm expecting it not to be of the Rioli/GazSnr/Buckley/Judd type!

Is the rookie list continuing next year? I think it's AFLPA that wants it scrapped and playing lists extended (mainly to up the pay of those who would previously have been rookies). Would the change matter anyway, if the club wanted him? I've seen him play quite a few times and add my enthusiasm, for his Robertson-skills and Lovett-hardattheballness. However (and maybe someone out there knows him?) would there be a query on his capacity for the constant training and other rigours at AFL level? He seems to be in the 'country footballer' mould (apologies to country footballers present and past!)

Thanks d+ for clarifying your results. Ladder updated accordingly (and I'm happy to be 'bumped'!): 1. daisycutter 68 2. old dee 67 3. dpositive 64 4. Timothy Reddan A’Blew 61 5. Beelzebub 56 6. bjDEE 54 7. Red and Bluebeard LII BBO, your number is impressive, whatever it applies to. On the trend towards plausibility, though - from age, through IQ - I'm pondering the truth: girth? But, on the strength of it, the Number 2 Ticket Holder in our little old league is yours. Hemingway, though only 116, is deceased - and famous - so he holds Number 1, posthumously.

So... 20,000 safely passed (with some ceremony, I was chuffed to see!), here's the Geriatricity Ladder. Representing only 6 results in, so far, plus one score to be clarified - dpositive, in referring only to "pensioner" status - we're still about a dozen match reports from a proper 18-team ladder. C'mon, folks, put on your reading glasses, force those arthritic digits to the keyboard and claim your spot. And there's room for a Second (or will it be Fiftieth?) Division. Congratulations, daisycutter, undefeated* - so far - atop the ladder. And we're not talking Finals yet, of course ('cos they really are final!); it's just one year at a time. 1. daisycutter 68 2. old dee 67 3. Timothy Reddan A’Blew 61 4. Beelzebub 56 5. bjDEE 54 6. Red and Bluebeard LII * So worldly-wise, I suspect Hemingway to be a contender. However, as a deceased person, he is - by definition - defeated, thus disqualified? (I tried to find out from your profile, Ernest, but could not access your headstone for birth date details)

Your pension admission also qualifies you for a position, dp, in the geriatricity ladder I'll be putting together once 20,000 has been passed. And quite a high one at the moment, too!

(A quiet announcement that the minor prize, for ticking over the 800th page, goes to the old(ish) devil himself)

Well done, you old devil! Once we (i.e. you all) pass 20,000, I'll come back and do a 'ladder'. Three qualifiers so far. Keep 'em coming!

Anyone else? (Respect, OD)

It's late on the Sunday of a GREAT and PROMISING win, and a very pleasantly celebrated Mothers Day meal, so indulge me, please. And I promise (having raised it) that I'm not jockeying for the 20,000th! But, if I may, can I take this wide-ranging thread off on yet another tangent for a while? I have oftened wondered, Old Dee, how 'Old' you actually are and, by extension, how old the oldest of us are (in stark contrast, by the way, to our youngest-of-them-all team!) So, I'll start: 61. I stand ready to be beaten, and significantly.

I'm not sure if this is what you meant Mr Leg, but I wasn't meaning to criticise the thread. It was just my ham-fisted way of pointing out the huge milestones that were approaching (and, I guess, the human nature that kicks in when milestone opportunities present themselves!) Nothing but respect (and fascination!) for the threadies here.

...And by the way, are its regulars jockeying to become the 20,000th poster, shuffling in the queue to win the choccies? And will it be on the nice round 800th page? Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen (and posters)

A while since I've looked in on this thread. How on EARTH did it become a FOOTBALL thread - AND in real time!? Aghast I am!

Until the game day threads start, this is the nearest next best for this: Love the photo on the promo for Sunday just sent to me by the club. Chunk in fist-pumping exhultation after another rousing goal; Cotchin looking downfield with a worried look on his face!

Two words from JH's 'Burgo-poster': "WE" and "BELIEF"

Steady BA, we all have to start somewhere. I'm just impressed they've known how to start a thread!

"Kalani"? Anyone want to forecast other first names in that 2024 premiership team (apart from the Jesse/Jack/Angus/Christian(s)/etc senior leadership)?

Sorry if this has been raised/asked before in this looooong thread (or the other JM thread), but which of our rookies do we think will be the elevated to replace JM? The chosen player will, to some extent (maybe substantially?), offset or compensate for the lost year of JM's services. Another possible 'offset' to the damage for us, by the way, is what might be unfolding for how Essendon can accommodate its additional players in their salary cap: that is, I suspect, that there will be an AFL-proposed/endorsed arrangement that the suspended players, because they are not 'playing', will become outside the player salary cap (though maybe not the 'taxable' football department spend). So JM would go outside our cap, if that is relevant to the rookie, or for some other reason.

As an aggro type (apparently), anyone in the current playing group he's rubbed up the wrong way?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but is there a limit on years as a rookie? I think Max K has had 2 years already?

Norf in Round 1, please! MCG, too (though nothing to fear at Colonial any more)

Thanks for the reminder rpfc. I think I overstated with the use of 'worry' in my original post (I'm not one of the shadow-jumpers, I think - more likely to just stick my toe in occasionally!) I do think - and was left with this overall feeling after hearing the interview - that he's definitely 'invested' for the short/medium haul while the team becomes the special one of his belief. The equivocal answer about living in Melbourne was perhaps more about what he might do after that, and I meant to point it out as a piece of 'information'. Saying 'worry' made my post subjective, which I didn't intend. And, consistent with that, McQueen, I hope (think?) he likens current MFC to the 12 year old Jason Day and the team he believes it will become to the 17 August 2015 Jason Day!

p.s. I must say, though, that there was otherwise a good feeling about his immediate life here (a running theme was his jibing of TMac on golf matters and other things. TMac as in the studio, too, I think, and they were fresh from a round at Albert Park; Jesse the hacker (his words, sort of) and TMac the Jason Day wannabe)

Scratching my memory a bit, Sku (it's nearly a week now since I heard it live and tonight's libations are kicking in), but his answer was along the lines of a very limited list of "good stuff to do here" (and one - surfing - wasn't even 'here') as opposed to a deeper "I feel at home" response.

This was interesting: http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/shows/rush-hour-with-james-brayshaw-and-billy-brownless/podcasts/ If you're OK to download the 53MB and get to the Jesse interview, his somewhat equivocal (look it up?) response to the "How do you like living in Melbourne?" question was where the worry lies for me. Meanwhile, though, it's great to have him with us - with a bunch of other good stuff (albeit spasmodically!), it makes watching/following the Dees a little bit better than it has been in recent years!