Mazer Rackham

It's more important at this stage to get some confidence in the boys. But agree, don't want round 1 to be the first time we try our 90 rotations.

For a bunch of slow, poorly skilled, second rate headless chooks with a leaking defence, that wasn't too bad. Shame our season's over already.

For a bunch of slow, poorly skilled, second rate headless chooks with a leaking defence, that wasn't too bad. Shame our season's over already.

They start at 1. Then there's 2, then 3, ... it keeps going all the way to 46.

Oh no! THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH BETTER IT WILL BE IN FREO!!!!

I've got the sound off. How's Dwayne coping?

I'm seeing ..... CLEARANCES!!!!

Awwwww! Can't we panic for just a bit longer?

Scene: AFL house, Gil's office A knock on the door. Gil (not looking up): Come. Enter Paul Marsh. PM: Mr McLaughlin? GM (still not looking up): Hmm? PM: Mr McLaughlin? GM (still not looking up): Yes. What is it? (Looks up) What? What are you doing here? My office was cleaned last night and you're not supposed to come in business hours. PM: It's Paul Marsh, Mr McLaughlin. GM: Oh yes. I remember you. Players' man. Well? PM: I've, er ... I've, I'm, that is ... GM: Yes? Out with it, man. PM: ......I'vecometonegotiatethecompetitivebalanceagreementMrMcLaughlin! (pause) GM (leans back in chair): You have, have you? PM: Yes Mr McLaughlin. Don't get angry please Mr McLaughlin, the player managers made me come. You know how they can get. GM: Now Peter. PM: Paul. GM: Paul. Do you enjoy being head of the players' association? PM: Yes Mr McLaughlin. Very much Mr McLaughlin. GM: Have you ever considered being head of say ... the Siberian soccer players' association? PM: No ...... ? GM: Because that can be arranged. PM: (gulps) GM (goes back to his work. Thrusts a sheet of paper at Marsh.) Here's the outcome of our negotiation. Take it back to your people and I expect it to be signed by noon Friday. PM: Yes Mr McLaughlin. Thank you Mr McLaughlin. (leaves backwards, bowing)

We hope that our best players don't get picked off by the ones at the top of the ladder. And when they do, we hope that our subsequent draft picks turn out to be ace players ... so that they in turn can be picked off ... There's "restraint of trade" and there's "killing the goose that laid the golden egg". Which do the players believe in? (both it seems)

Agree with all your points, BR. This is why the AFL will, in spite of no clamour from the fans, switch to a night grand final. "Because the half time entertainment is so much better under lights." Strike me pink!

I'd been planning to wait until a disappointing loss, where JH trudges off the ground without smiling. But now's a good time too!

DVC, it's the hypocrisy that BB is objecting to. The AFL comes down like a ton of bricks on the easy target while tacitly supporting the 34.

In an ideal world, there is a chance that this could happen. If the media were up in arms and lobbied for such a thing. Wasn't there once talk of boycotting Etihad over the food pricing? However our empty headed and easily manipulated fanboy media will not do this. They will encourage the opposite because "they've suffered enough" and "surely WADA isn't appropriate for AFL" ... even supposedly neutrals like Any Maargh and Luke Farcy.

Hear, hear. On SEN this morning, KB & Smith were bickering about whether Essendon should pay for Carlise, Melksham, etc. Was it caveat emptor, or should EFC wear all costs? Neither made their case very well. I felt like calling in and saying EFC should pay because they should be hit from all directions with whatever penalty. They not only caused immense damage to the game of Aussie Rules, but to our nation's standing in the world of sport. Hit them with everything so that no-one ever dreams of doing such a regime again. (but I know from experience that calling SEN is literally a waste of time.) The Dealmaker had his chance to show the world where he stands on drugs in sport ... and he took it. He's shown the world.

Funny how if you're too critical of the AFL or too probing in your quest for the truth about "supplements", your media accreditation and other reprisals come into play. But if you support the 34 ... I bet Gil and his crew are absolutely furious with SEN and Fox. Furious!

The 34 probably don't even regard themselves as being suspended. Let alone restricted from certain activities. What's happened to them is like a freak accident, a legal piano dropping on their head, all caused by some furriner lawyers from Switzerland who couldn't possibly understand Aussie Rules, that Dank went rogue, they were duped, etc. It's bewildering, but with the encouragement and support of those who properly understand, like Robbo, this sham suspension will be over before you know it and they can get back to being completely innocent of everything except victimisation.

I'm not getting what sins have been committed by Chubb. It's not like they said, "oh okay. It's not covered by the policy but here you go. $$$$$ for your lawyers. I guess everyone else's premiums will have to go up now." If you want to look at it another way, they've taken EFC's money and pocketed it. Maybe they're the good guys!

So it seems we have so many players vying for a place in the 22 that if a few of them hit some form, we will have a selection dilemma. Finally! Gifting matches to players who haven't really earned it because we don't have enough class will be a thing of the past? Hope so. Grimes is no different to Dawes is no different to Melksham, to Trengove ... doesn't matter how or why, but they're on our list and it's up to the club to get the most out of them, in whatever capacity. Good players in form who can't get games? Can't wait.

No, the failing is theirs. They obviously don't understand that he's James "Effing" Hird.

Hird's take: the entire affair was an attack on his reputation. (Players', club's, competition's: mere collateral damage.) Therefore any action he takes in defence of that reputation is justified and in fact required. Doesn't matter if any step in the defence is reactive or proactive. It's all part of the same game and the one end. Surely any reasonable insurance company can see that? In the "legends of the game" clause for instance?

JOE GUTNICK WAS THE BENEFACTOR!?!?!? Now I've hird everything.

Crikey ... I didn't know Slobbo earned all that much! Maybe someone else "chipped in".

Can't wait for the first bounce of the ball.

There was a time in the early/mid eighties when it seemed like literally every club had a "Williams" on the list. Ours was David Williams. Greg Williams. Mark Williams. Daisy Williams. Who can name the others?