Mazer Rackham

In days of yore, we had to do that. Shirts vs skins. Of course some days it was so effin' cold it didn't matter even if you had a shirt on or not.

When coaches and clubs start jumping up and down that there are jumper clashes and it could cost someone a flag!!! then I will believe it is an issue. Until then it just the typical AFL bullsh!t inconsistency and making it up on the run. The last time I heard clubs grumbling was when the AFL themselves engineered a clash between us and the umpires!

Round 3, 2017 Round 20, 2017

1. Dank probably won't show up 2. His "legal team" will be straight out The Simpsons 3. as an appeal, it won't be a re-hearing of the case. So no introduction of new evidence. It hinges on whether the AFL applied their own rules properly. 4. if the ban was quashed, the AFL drug tribunal can sit again and ban him again. No "double jeopardy" because they're a sporting tribunal, not a court. 5. either way, what sporting club wants to attract the kind of attention that Dank brings? So, a circus, but not the expose that many of us would like to see.

I wonder what the international audience of 2.5 trillion people in 1,250 countries will make of the comp putting a drug ringleader on the main stage? What a showcase for the game!

His lawyers and "legal advisors" are usually class acts. This could be very entertaining, assuming it even gets to the starting line.

Not much danger of him spilling the beans at a sportsmans night as he has threatened that umpteen times and never done it. The kind of people who would fire shots into his house are not the kind to worry about what he'll say at a sportsmans night. they're more worried about what he'd say to cops, lawyers and govt investigators. Hence the gunshots. They're not into subtle.

Remember that ASADA only found out about Dank as they were tipped off by the Aus Crime Commission who were investigating organised crime and bikie gangs. This guy Dank appeared on their radar and the trail led to Essendon. The rest is history. (The ACC had plenty on the drugs used at EFC but for legal reasons ASADA couldn't use it and had to start their investigation from scratch ... after the shredding machines got burnt out from over use.) One day the ACC report may be tabled in parliament. I expect it will be eye opening. The gunshots fired into Dank's house? Strangely reminiscent of warnings given by crime/bikie gangs to other crims ...

What was he buying, magic mushrooms and calf's blood?

Right now Gil is in his study sitting in a leather upholstered chair in front of a roaring fire. Nursing a huge balloon of brandy, smoking a Cuban cigar. Congratulating himself and contemplating how he has managed to steer his prodigal son back to bigger finals attendances the path of righteousness.

Cricket. Yes, Harry wanted to bring this impenetrable game of elites to "the people". Somehow ignoring that not only toffs, but also bogans, and everyone in between, played it in droves every weekend. Problem was, Harry and his crew didn't know much about it themselves. I think Bill Jacobs had a fair cricket brain but the rest of them were of the "ooh, he's had a big hit at it" ilk. It was like listening to when your uncle who watches one ODI every three years sits down in front of the TV. "Now why didn't that bloke run then? There must have been a run in that!" "He dropped it! Did you see that! How can he drop that catch!?" "Why doesn't he just bowl at the stumps and get him out?"

Harry used to get horribly frustrated by "tiggy touchwood" free kicks. So much that sometimes he could barely speak as he raged over these .... these .... tiggy touchwood frees! No one ever knew exactly what he meant as he never went into any detail but it was assumed he meant the soft frees that were "technically" there but which fans often don't want paid (especially against their side). He wanted 20 frees paid a game. Circumstances be damned. And this was when he was the umpires' boss! The first advocate of not umpiring according to the rules. Maybe that's when the rot started to creep in.

Let's cross to Tommy down in the rooms. Are you there Tommy? I'm ere Arry. Can you hear me? Tommy, have you got Phil Carman there? I don't fink so Arry. I can't see anyfink because it's dark in ere Arry. I fink I've locked meself in the broom cupboard Arry.

Hird's "good bloke" genes must be something powerful to overcome landing the AFL in its biggest scandal in its history. game in disrepute bees d*ck from an entire team being suspended swathe of sackings and resignations fines galore possibility of future health issues ... stacked up against: good bloke

Just like the AFL exec. Going hard on the easy targets and looking the other way the rest of the time. Could be an admin role in Jobby's future! AFL football ops manager, after an apprenticeship as personal barista to Gil.

Wow, the drugs must have finally worn off.

They tried to cheat their way to a flag, but it is for the above reason that they deserve the eternal condemnation of the footy loving public.

Dank is the guy who gave growth stimulants to a rugby player who had had cancer, who later died of that cancer. If there's one thing cancer cells love, it's a growth stimulant. Dank also sued reporters who said he gave warfarin (a blood thinner) to Cronulla players. (Do you reckon they get many bruises?) He won the case but was awarded minimal damages because the jury accepted he had done much worse things! Who wants this bloke injecting ANYTHING into them?

They took drugs meant for horses and they took drugs meant for treatment of multiple sclerosis. Very very fortunate to only go down for TB4. Dank was reckless beyond belief and EFC and AFL have just stood back and let him get away with it.

If he took it further EFC might have to prove that their drug regime DIDN'T cause the kid's condition. Difficult proposition. Presumably they would then have to cough up a list of drugs that they gave. Can't see how it would be a criminal proceeding, I think reasonable doubt applies only to criminal. NLM not checking with/lying to ASADA is a sporting tribunal matter and the supreme court wouldn't care. They'd probably be more interested in whether NLM gave his consent.

I think this is covered under the "so brave" clause in the secret agreement between the AFL & EFC. (Probably Masonic.)

Still "celebrating" yesterday's win?

The Fitzroy (Brisbane Lions) team of the century poster is a beauty, set against the backdrop of the old Brunswick Oval grandstand, with Butch, Murray, Bunton, Quinlan, some bloke called Roos.

Dom seems to be a slow starter after injury/interrupted preseason. Takes him some weeks to ramp up to his best. But when he's there, he stays there. Keep playing him.

I'm happy to keep talking up the EFC/AFL failings until the cows come home. Never forget!