Mazer Rackham

Interesting point

We rose to the occasion and were far too good. and fantastic to see our crowd was bigger than the night before's! Only empty seats I could see were right up next to the scoreboard where presumably you can't see the whole ground. Our last two games had us primed perfectly in every way. Theirs, the opposite. Second q, they were close to outright panic. After 1/4 time their game was all about nullifying us. That's partly why we were so off beam in our goal kicking. (Same why they were so bad too -- pressure.) But there was bugger all in their game about scoring themselves. It was more or less hoping that Hawkins would kick a bag. Captain Selwood saw off that threat. Watching Gawn, Oliver, Brayshaw, Harmes conversing and geeing each other up before ballups. At the start of the year, who would have picked this 4 as our starting midfield? Ablett looks like a footballer dismembered by mad scientists and sewn back together, badly. The "holy trinity" experiment has failed. He was in their team for finals success and it counted for nothing. He is like a Lewis or Vince gone one year too many. Still has his footy brain, knows where to go, what to do with it, but can't quite pull it off any more. A little tacker next to me stood on his seat and sang the song at the top of his voice each time all the way through. Felt very happy for him.

Haven't we already got a boy named sue on dland?

"Darling" Weideman Because there's no way we can have a "Murray" Weideman at our club.

Next week we will take a slash on some Mayblooms

This morning, Eddie McGuire's toast tastes like ashes and his coffee is exceptionally bitter. Moore was supposed to be their Weideman but he picked the wrong father-son hero.

Jesse will have to wins his flags with Casey. Can't fit him in the 22 now

"Grandson of Magpies legend stars in final"

You had me at bullied. We bullied another team! GO DEMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose on that lonely island for all those years, with nothing to do, all kinds of strange things ensued. Must be the tropical water. (Me, even at a tender young age, I always envisaged "crossing" with Mary Anne.) I guess you learned about MFC from distant 3UZ broadcasts. The professor must have got the radio working then?

Tom & Jesse alternating CHF and CHB, Weid FF, Tom & Weid sharing stand in ruck duties. Lots of variation and a headache for oppo coaches

I have no idea what you're trying to say but what's that little squiggle after the 7 and the 0? Seriously cool! Like an old man wearing glasses or something. Loving it. Anyone know where I can find one?

Mobile with tank, very good reader of the play, good vision, good decision maker, lightning hands, decent field kick, mediocre kick for goal. No brainer that he's a mobile CHF and not a stay at home FF, which does not play to his strengths, and leaves him vulnerable to monstering by at least 1 and usually 2 gorilla minders. He gets no protection from the umps (possibly because he whinges to them so much). Still hasn't really clicked in this team. Hasn't hit top gear yet. Will be something to behold when/if he does.

No, we need to keep Jesse at Casey as a backup for Pedo. Pedo can't play 5 games a year forever, you know.

Let's face it. We're pretty f***ing awesome.

Compare the Brayshaw family's demeanour with facebook nuffies who whip up a frenzy if someone next to them on the plane farts. Dignity compassion and restraint in the face of a genuinely upsetting incident. Admirable and a great example.

Treat 'em deranged to keep 'em estranged. Old jungle saying.

They're highly conditioned athletes. Surely you can't expect them to get to their feet without using some kind of leverage against the ground? If the oppo player happens to be under the biometrically optimal location to do that, it would be unfair to penalise the player with the ball. Also the player lying down, by being face down, is not watching the ball and not participating in the play, therefore it follows as a matter of law, that any action by the other player is not "in play" and therefore no infringement can be said to have taken place. I'm getting the hang of this. Anyone know of any openings in the AFL umps dept?

If they paid the "tiggy touchwood" frees, they might be amazed at how quickly the players adapt and stop conceding them. When players are allowed to body surf oppo into the ground and it's somehow not "in the back" ... when they can freely throw the ball ... scrag and monster oppo forwards without penalty ... then just about anything that is in the actual laws of the game does look "tiggy touchwood". Ref it according to the rulebook and a lot of the game's ills will disappear, and the players will adjust quickly. Like they did with the "tough love" deliberate OOB. The AFL can do it.They just don't want to do it.

Referee the game in accordance with the rulebook? Novel concept. Can't see it taking off.

Thanks DD. That's good news.

It would seem to be a fundamental skill of the game, and one that if mastered, gives a big advantage over opponents. I have heard (don't know how true it is) that senior coaches tell their players DO NOT kick with your non-preferred. Play the percentages instead. A mediocre kick on your "right" foot is likely to be as good as or better than a good one on your "wrong" foot. That would filter to junior ranks in a jiffy. "To prepare you better for AFL level, you are now banned from kicking on your non-preferred." It would explain why we see so many awkward kicks under pressure. Not a good look. Another area where coaches are harming the game. Not sure what can be done about it though.

Remember when he was gone He copped knocks on the scone Shine on, that Brayshaw guy can Now there's a look in his eye He's set to crucify Shine on, that Brayshaw guy can He was caught in the crossfire Of beltings and king hits Barely remembered his name Come on you talent, you dual-sided star Come on you magnet, you legend You Demon, and shine (segue to screaming guitar solo interrupted halfway by cheesy MFC theme song)

Caro is not a football writer. She is a gossip writer, specialising in the world of AFL. Big difference. She has good sources and can and does get "scoops" but it's still firmly in the murky territory of "maybe it did and maybe it didn't".