Mazer Rackham

I didn't see any cup or medal awarded to any club at 2PM Thursday. You don't "win" or "lose" at trade week. You "improve" your list, or you "don't". We won't know for sure until next season is underway, but at this stage it looks like we have improved ours. That's the nearest to "winning" we can do in October. Go Demons!

PJ is crouched in his office ... actually a domed clay hut in an office at AAMI. He is wearing an ill-fitting sack-like garment made of rough cloth. He sites on a crude stool at a crude table, clutching a few printouts in his clawed hands, which he reads by candle light. "Hm! Letters from members, these are. Powerful language! 'You f**ken pr**ks' says it does. Hm! Understand I do not but much anger I sense. And this one? 'I commend you on making the tough and unpopular decisions in pursuit of success'. Ah yes. Brings balance to the club, it does. Hm!"

.

My view: I don't see it as we are constrained by the available picks of the suitor clubs. We can't force Port to give (eg) pick 20 if they don't have it. Moreover, they are going to be swayed more by their own assessment of JW than by public utterances of football managers, player managers, and supporters Yes. On the other hand we are constantly told of the blandness of modern footy-speak. (You have mastered it yourself in your "straight bat" dialogue!) One could mount a case that it was refreshing to hear the unvarnished truth. I don't see how some more carefully worded utterances would have affected anything except a few less pearls being clutched. I think a lot of the maligning was actually done by our rank and filers who projected more than what was actually said back on to our leaders. And again, no material difference. By pre-season, everyone's expectations will be re-set, and in the lead up to the season there will be bugger all talk of JW (unless we are looking in diabolical form).

Torn strips off him? Norm isn't around to ask but maybe there is a clue in this story .... Anyone remember David Cordner? Melbourne royalty. Part of "the" Cordner family. Tall, skilled, showed enormous promise, etc. Nearly drove Barassi mad. "He looks like a professional but he thinks like an amateur" he would say (or something very close to that). Spent hours in one on one skills sessions trying to get him to mark at arms length, to protect the ball from spoils, and trying to get some mongrel into him. The experiment went for a few seasons and finally an underperforming DC was shipped off to the Swans where he played only a handful of games and that was the end of that.

Assuming the club had followed your hypotheticals to the letter: how would the outcome be materially different?

If Weid thinks JW is an awesome role model and someone to emulate, then that by itself shows why he had to go.

I think he would agree with you. What's coach to do in light of such a failure? More of the same, but with fingers crossed?

Jesus Christ. Some posters might be better off calling beyond blue than spending time here.

"I hope we win a flag next year"

Neeld was a cartoon tough guy who thought it was about threats and thumping tables. Winning matches has this incredible balming effect that tends to sort out confusion like that (*snaps fingers*) If we win, JW will only be remembered when we play Port.

What? Wi' oak shaft an' nickel scoop wi' copper rim edging?

Word is we're paying $365 and Port $135

He's more kid eager than aunty jack

I think his invention of the steam engine was pretty good. It certainly inspired a lot of innovation and transformed entire economies. I'll always treasure the sight of him streaming down the MCG members wing with a centrifugal governor in his hands.

It's not just about Watts. He's the lightning rod. But there's more at play. Goodwin is making a statement. And it is not "if we can only get rid of Watts, we'll be a finals winning side". You can bet your behind that this is not the only aspect of his stand. This is only part of it. He will having quiet words to Gawn, Bugg, Kent, probably Jesse in the pre season when 2017 is behind him, and others. Assuming they don't get the message anyway. It's about setting standards that cannot be dodged or done in a half @rsed fashion. If he got rid of Kent, would everyone get the message? Maybe, maybe not. But he's gotten rid of Watts. Is anyone in any doubt at all of his determination to succeed? Go Goody. Go Demons.

Just as a reminder. We lost to North twice, Freo once, had Brisbane on toast and nearly collapsed, and flubbed it against C'wood in rd 23. After another season of tripping at important hurdles, and with our stumbing, bumbling end to the season, Goodwin, the guy with his nads on the line, made the call that something has to change. Otherwise we'll forever be flubbing it when it counts. If this doesn't send a message to the players, then it's time to step down and join the VAFA.

You can always switch allegiance to that marvellously impressive outfit. It's a choice available to you at any time.

'rope aisle at Bunnings' -> 'national superbeings' Christ. This thing is even bigger than I thought.

An obvious ruse. The dad knows a lot more than what has been revealed. Watts leaving or not leaving is only part of a bigger more ominous story. The media is burying the chilling truth. It's a trojan horse ... or is it a golden calf? You can't be sure of anything in these troubled times. I can't reveal my sources as they would be hunted down by the forces of evil (or good ... we can't even be sure of that).

It's quiet in here ... too quiet.

Well? Start buying call options on tripe!

Deep breaths. In .... out ..... in .... out .... Think of a peaceful forest. Maybe go for a long walk. It's okay. It's going to be okay.

If Jack can somehow amass a greater fortune than Murdoch, he's got a very very good show She's a bit of a climber, after all.

OK, I'm seeing a way through this that will satisfy all parties. We keep Jack on the list as a specialist kicker, like in gridiron. We park him on the bench, and when we get a game where it's a kick after the siren to win, we pull the kicker and ON COMES JACK to save the day! Win-win-win.