Mach5

Really? It's exactly what I'd have expected before hearing it from CIP.

Just think how hard it'll be for Melksham to crack this side next year...

It fascinates me when people fail to grasp the concept that players being fatigued at this stage of the season has nothing to do with how many games they have played, but rather the effect experienced by the reduced interchange cap and the additional running required during the course of a match as a result.

I just think we will be forced to relinquish exclusive rights one day eventually. The discussion comes up every year and things will change. But I also think we need to prolong our grasp on the match as much as we can, and make hay while the sun shines.

I do however wonder how much QBD has hamstrung us in the past on fixture requests with the AFL. "No, sorry Schwabby, you can't have more than two Saturday games a season, we already gave you QBD... yeah, that's right, same thing with playing home games at Etihad against GWS... you have got to learn to compromise..."

ANZAC Day is traditionally Collingwood v Essendon, and this year we have 2 very poor teams facing off, leading to questions of whether they deserve to keep the rights to the match. Why should we care? Well, I think we should care simply because it's a slippery slope and if you let other clubs have access to this "sacred" match, then Queens Birthday becomes open slather also. Yes, good teams should be rewarded in theory, blah blah blah. If we are honestly altruistic and care about the game first and foremost, then the answer is simple: award the slot to 2 deserving teams, like the previous year's grand finalists. But I am always strongly guided by self-interest, and the self-interest of my football club. And for the future strength of the MFC, I think it is vital that we retain the lucrative QBD match on our schedule. Supporting Essendon & Collingwood's claim to ANZAC Day, I think, can only assist that. One day however, I think we will eventually be forced to let go. Until that day we should hang on like grim death. That's my 2 cents.

I firmly believe that if Watts had been injected into the same environments with the same opportunities, he'd have done better than Gunston. It's pure speculation and that's fine to disagree.

Said it before... Jack Gunston is a poor man's Jack Watts.

It took 3 years to build a list capable of implementing it.

Salem was our most damaging driver out of defence early last year, and set up all our best forward movements. When he did his hammy, we fell apart. He hasn't had the same impact this year, but he is solid as a rock. I love seeing his name in the side each week.

Interestingly, does anyone recognise the fact that one Brooke Cotchin is actually Clint Bartram's ex and the granddaughter of Kanga Kennedy? Obviously it means nothing, but it piqued my interest. I'm not even sure why it occurred to me, or why I've retained that information... but I have.

When he was able to squeeze his way into the 22...

Just the opposite, Ox created a situation where Jesse was under siege, and gave the club and teammates an opportunity to get around him, protect him and build some stronger relationships.

If I have to hear about bloody Daniel Menzel again... He landed in the luckiest place a player can, managed to get the opportunity to play some great footy in a winning side and in big finals in his first few years, AND has made it back, into a side that is still better than most. Cry me a bloody river. Shoulda heard him when he was in rehab, all the other players thought he was nuts and he spoke about himself in the 3rd person like he was the second coming of Jesus, awaiting resurrection. Even Trengove has nothing on poor Morabito. A kid like Jayden Pitt or Damien Cavka even moreso.

*cough* Mind you, one of my sources said even later (10-12) but I don't believe that.

Never understood all the love for Murphy, on or off the field.

I think the Suns' running patterns and movement/spacing without the ball are helping him to make better decisions. Amazing how they have turned it around so significantly. I'm impressed with Eade's work.

Wow. If anyone comes across any more snippets like this, I find it hard to express how much they'll be appreciated. Great stuff.

Are you really silly enough to think that is what leads to a lack of respect? They all do it.

Round 7-8. Book it.

I actually got to the point where I now consider there to be an unspoken postscript of "...but not by much" just so it is bearable.

As bad as any forum can be, it can never contend with the unbridled stupidity of facebook.

I do, but what sort of fool would engage in a football discussion on facebook, with the armies of mongoloids there to contend with?

I actually know this, and it used to bother me... but some reason I elected to stop swimming upstream. Chalk up 1 for the ignorami.

Plenty, and most are disenchanted after years of being beaten into submission by the supplements scandal.