Mazer Rackham

3) They show Rebecca on a stretcher for a few giggles. Later in the show, they show it again. A bit later, they show it again. Then again. Then again. Then again. Next week, they show Rebecca on a stretcher for a few giggles. Later in the show, they show it again. A bit later, they show it again. Then again. Then again. Then again.

How about: we have an exciting list finally coming together and believing in each other and ready to charge up the ladder, and he's an integral part of that. Versus going to Freo just in time for their plummet down the ladder, the vampire Lyon having sucked all the football life out of their decrepit list.

Dunno if that's praise or not. Plough might not even get a game these days. He was a terrific ball extractor but a horrible kick. Worse than Todd Viney.

From that facebook page ... Adam Woods Go Deez! Win it for all the clean clubs out there.

The hoo hah was a manufactured drama centering around a guy who worked for the AFL, who seemed to be at the centre of every manufactured drama regarding indigenous players.

Do you remember a couple of years back when rumours were floating around about Essendon players receiving "show cause" notices, ie ASADA had started proceedings against a bunch of them. That bastion of integrity Robbo wrote a story in the HUN naming 14 of them, and in the very same issue wrote an opinion piece bemoaning how unfair it was that the players privacy had been invaded. This "hair drugs" story, if published at all, should have been about the number of players in the pool of AFL players using illicit drugs and how that compares to the rest of society. (I don't know if it's more or less or equal.) To make it about Collingwood is taking the easy way out and is just the kind of thing we have come to expect of the HUN and those who work for it.

I won't boo the players on field (even though it's near certain that some of them dodged a bullet). But if Hird shows up ............

Can you think of a circumstance where MJones would play and Brayshaw not?

How awful. Still, look on the bright side. From 9th you can almost see the 8.

We're all getting a little too philosophical here. They are the enemy They are wounded BURY THEM

I don't have a "thing" for or against Razor Ray. I understand that umps make mistakes, just like Jesse had a day where he clunked every mark and looked like he wanted to burn holes in his palms with his x-ray vision. I get that I can see a clear throw in the stands but the ump might not see it due to obstruction, movement of bodies, parallax, seagulls, southern aurora, or whatever. I do not get that certain rules can not be enforced consistently, especially when they require no "interpretation" or split second instinctive judgement calls. Such as the new 10-metre protected area rule. Even when it was 5m it was poorly policed. Or kicks less than 15m, or running without bouncing more than 15m. See these every single game. The umps can look at the cut marks on the grass to get a feel for the distances. Usually the grass is cut in 10m bands. Or players roaming off the line (from goal through mark) after mark or free. They just drift sideways, and a bit more, and a bit more, and the umps just let them! We have a game that has "interpretation' seemingly built in to the rules. Only sport in the world that has rules that require "interpretation". Then we have umpires directors that embrace this "interpretation" bull, and we've even had ones that make up new rules impromptu mid-week (Gieschen and his "natural arc"). Then we have new interpretations shoved on us every single season and even this year, we have had a 3-game trial of a rule only to have the trial called off after 2 games and the rule engraved into bronze. I thought trial periods went for the whole trial period to glean as much information as possible so as to make an informed decision? (Unless the decision was already made before the "trial".) No wonder the umpiring is in such as mess when we have poorly framed rules, a culture that encourages management to twiddle the rules at will, and no insistence on enforcing even the rules that require no interpretation. Where does that leave us with rules that do require interpretation? (prior opportunity, deliberate out of bounds etc). A fracking mess. You may as well toss a coin.

I had heard that but somehow it slipped my mind. Just as well I'm not a selector. But if we're playing Essatan, does it really matter? He can get some game time and experience into his good ankle.

Next week is an opportunity to get some extra game time into Frost and OMac. They need development and time on field, let's give them another chance to show what they've got (or not).

Tiges wanted to blow away the Blues and set their season up. Worst possible way to win for them. Now the doubts have set in already. A loss wouldn't have been much worse. Blues ... well let's see how they hold up. The Tiges may have flattered them.

Well, this is what we want. No one gets gifted a game. If you're not in the team, you have to work your ar$e off to get in. Whether you're "best 22" or not. Same for Brayshaw. No walk-up selections. A very good sign.

Also Darryl kept falling of the stage.

Did Eddie have a go at "you people in the media" ? It's now 2 strikes but there is still a loophole in that if players "self report" they can avoid the second strike. Rumours abound about players who have "self reported" and are suffering mysterious injuries keeping them off the field.

Transcript: 4 Corners "Whatever it takes" It's worth watching however just to see the look on Charter's face as he admits that, um, yeah, they're not meant for human consumption. But no worries! It's WADA who got it wrong! They don't understand!

(Scene: A luxury suite at AAMI park. Jesse Hogan reclines on a golden couch. Jack Grimes and Viv Michie are standing by, stripped to the waist, waving huge feathered fans. Daisy Pearce and Jess Trengove are feeding grapes into Hogan's mouth. Paul Roos, Simon Goodwin, Josh Mahoney and Todd Viney are kneeling in front of the couch.) Viney: Jesse, we PROMISE to become an elite club. We PROMISE! JH: Oh yes? Now where have I heard that before? Goodwin: Jesse, we're doing EVERYTHING we can to get there! JH: Everything, you say? I recall last week my ostrich steaks were distinctly overdone! When I ask for rare, I mean cold on the inside. No one here knows how to cook ostrich to perfection. Roos: Jesse, don't do this to us. We've got Petracca, we've got Brayshaw, we've got Oliver ... what more can we do? JH: Oh, I don't know ... perhaps KICK THE BALL TO ME from time to time? Goodwin: Jesse, we're TRYING. We really are! But if they double team you --- JH: Trying. You Eastern States guys don't know the meaning--- Where's Jackson? Roos: You ... you mean PJ? JH: I was told that Jackson would be here. Viney: But Jesse, he's out of town at the-- JH: So that's another broken promise. When I speak to Fremantle, their CEO is always there, and he always gives me lavish presents! Did you see the last one? My new Mercedes? I don't even drive! (sighs) No one here knows how to cook ostrich properly. The Western Australian climate is perfect for ostriches, you know. Roos: We can buy you an ostrich farm, Jesse. Buy you a farm and ship the ostriches in! At our expense! JH: It's not the farm, you fool. It's the luxury. Thing is, I don't even like ostrich. Ostriches are so last week. My new favourite thing is ... hmmm ... Roos: Jesse, tell us! Just tell us your new favourite thing! We'll get it for you! Mahoney: We'll get you ten of them! JH: Silence! (There is instant silence.) JH: Now here's the team for Saturday. I want Kent Oliver Harmes and Bugg in and playing forward. Kennedy and Garlett can have mysterious injuries. I don't want them stealing any of my goals. Keep that horrible McDonald away from me. And that other tall fellow. I don't want to see them outside the defensive fifty. Keep Gawn away from me too. I'll do the forward ruck work AND kick all the goals. No interchange. And do something about those godawful umpires! Mahoney: But Jesse, that will-- JH: I can always have my manager be seen in a discreet meeting in a Fremantle coffee shop ... All: Yes, Jesse. JH: Now go. I will summon you at my convenience. All: Yes, Jesse.

Southern stand you will have sun in your eyes. Olympic stand you will have your back to the sun (so to speak). Avoid Ponsford at all costs. You might not get out alive.

He meant, the AFL would not allow anyone to find out about it if it did happen. That's "governance and management" AFL-style.

"The mail" only goes every second day and costs more. "The mail" isn't what it used to be. ... How many times have you heard "mail" like this that has turned out to be 180 degrees wrong? There aren't enough hands in Australia to count on the fingers.

Speaking of banks, the bank of the AFL will keep them afloat. I don't understand why the AFL, in their zeal to rehabilitate EFC so it can mix in polite society, has not insisted (ie forced) that everyone who was there at the time, in any off field capacity, is replaced. Purge first, then clean and rebuild. On the other hand, I am enjoying the many faceted never ending story.

Approach another AFL club and say "I've got this opportunity but I would prefer it if YOUR players came instead ..." One of them might bite.

Cognitive dissonance in action.He's struggling to reconcile that the club did something to him, something bad, but he loves the club and knows it wouldn't do anything bad. At some stage (and it may take a long time ... years) he will work out that the club has betrayed him.