Mazer Rackham

Probably a sign that he's in Brownlow contention.

I recall it. The high and mighty SAFL was too good for the nasty Victorian "Australian" Football League. They wouldn't have a bar of it. Rejected all overtures. They were never going to enter it. They renamed the SAFL as the SANFL as their pitiful revenge. That really showed us! They were facing being locked out of the national comp due to their trivial spite. Locking themselves out, that is. Then when they found out Port was making secret overtures the facade dropped and the rubber hit the road. Boom, the South Australia Adelaide Football Club was born 9 months later. Shotgun wedding. Had the side effect of killing off interstate football as they could get their jollies every week instead of once every couple of years. (Although the VFL/AFL coaches did a great job of putting it on life support first.) As for the local fans, rellies in SA tell me that the general mood is, they'd rather a Vic club wins than the "other" SA club. Now that's hatred!

What?!?!? Get a hold of yourself man. Next thing you'll be feeling sorry for certain other Vic clubs currently down the wrong end of the ladder. Just imagine the insufferable entitlement that will exude from them if they make their way back up the ladder. The attitude that they are in their rightful place and deserve to be looking down on the rest of us. Feel better now?

Hogan is an excellent reader of the play, a strong overhead mark, has quick hands, is prepared to offload to a player in better position. Is a good kick in general play. Just needs to get over whatever niggle he has, work on his set kicking (which needs work but has not served him too badly overall), and no one will any longer question his worth or whether we need him.

McKenna was on SEN a few weeks ago talking about this very thing. Said it drives him mad watching most goal kickers these days. They spin the ball in their hands as they walk in. They move it from side to side. Their run up is at crooked angles. Walk/run in in a straight line at at the target, drop the ball vertically down to your foot, keep your hand on it as long as you can, leg goes straight back and straight through. Goal.

The news will be arriving there in approx 6 months.

"Get your hand off my bum. And don't vomit on young Scully, there's something special about him."

Well, Tiges. You'd better use that as a spur next week against the Saints or I'll lose respect for you.

Six goals up at 3/4 time and NO SCORE in the last. Poor stuff, Tiges. We don't do that. Not any more.

Last time we talked like this was under Bailey in his second season. About round 13/14. Then we promptly flubbed it with some soft losses and that was that. One of them was to Carlton. I look forward to us hammering the Blues and then spending an entire week discussing all the beautiful possibilities of PLAYING FINALS. (Come on Sydney, do your part too.) Haven't looked at any of the permutations but is it possible we could play Geel in the last round and again in an elim final?

GO BOM-- GO B--- Can't bring myself to do it. I hope they both fall over with 44 hammies and both teams get relegated to the VFL.

Garlett will probably be saved by his two late goals. Might be a confidence boost for him. But most of his problems lately have been from laziness near goal. He continually gets behind his opponent, on purpose, to try to tip the ball out the back and go for the flashy goal. Low percentage. Also he has "small forwards disease" where he wants to dribble the ball through the posts. Like his point last night. Why give the ball an opportunity to take a bad bounce or slice like a golf shot. Unless you're on an impossible angle and the only way to get it though is to try for the sideways bounce, kick the thing in the air, over the line. Balls don't tend to take bad bounces in the air.

Yes. It means they're both going to Freo. It's like a secret handshake.

Hogan is playing like a bloke who has a niggling injury. Almost there, but not quite. Recall Tyson last year carried a leg injury all season. A Hogan fit in body and mind will be something to behold. Jonno Brown all over again.

Sorry to report that Jesse was really getting into the team song. For all you body language experts.

That, in spite of all the panicky comments in the game day thread, was a very good win. Three in row -- we don't do that. Away win -- we don't do that either. Against Port -- we don't beat them except in the NAB cup. Blew them away with one big burst -- we don't do that either. They hit us with the kitchen sink in the 3rd -- never got closer than 4 goals. Didn't panic. Held it together under fierce pressure. Our best 4 players hardly in it and other players down too. And we won. Only a good side would do that.

Hey guys. We're going to win. On their home ground. We don't win away you remember. Against Port. We don't beat Port anywhere except the NAB cup. Three in a row. Anyone still whingeing?

Jones and viney more prominent this quarter

Why would you want that? You seem to be happiest when we're not doing well.

Ordinary third quarter, host of players down, and we're still in front . Just need a couple of steadiers and we'll kick away.

Settle down. They're throwing everything at us and we are resisting.

This is good. We have them under extreme pressure when they have the ball. Our slick disposal and ball movement wore off a bit in that quarter. Watts Hogan Viney out of it and we are still thrashing them. Jones also quiet.

No, I made it up. I guessed that it was Collingwood and Bulldogs were playing. Holding off the ball? the umps have barely paid one all season. It's like it's not even in the rules.

Bucks: It's the injuries. We can't get a consistent line up on the park. Eddie: Oh, I know, Nathanial. I know. B: We've got some youngsters coming through. Moore is progressing, Aish is starting to show some form. E: I know. You look so handsome tonight Nathaniel. B: It's the unforced errors that are killing us. And some senior players are well down in form just at a time when we need them. E: I know Nathaniel. I know all about ... needing someone ... B: We're going to have to think really hard about trading Cloke. E: Oh let him go! There's only one man I want in *my* team. B: Trouble is we don't have much trade bait apart from him ... E: Oh, Nathaniel! Let's not talk about boring old football! B: We need more skill around the packs but we can't wait for draft p---- what? E: Nathaniel .... kiss me you fool!

Bucks has mastered the art. Under him, the Pies have had fewer wins each year, lower percentage, lower ladder position than the year before. Showing all the sublime skill and super consistency that he did as a player.