Mazer Rackham

In the heat of a grand final, when everything was on the line, Gus performed, which is exactly what we would want of any player. Gus now premiership hero. Go Gus! Harmes, Kozzie ... lean pickings on the stats sheet, but contributors in big moments. They can all hold their heads up. GO DEMONS!!!

Just the casual mentions in the press of things like "Luke Jackson, premiership player", while going on to talk about the other things going on with Luke Jackson ... oh, man. We're back at the grownups table, and we're not going to sit with the kids again.

Actually, I have tried that on my phone, and Siri just plays the audio from a scene from the movie "When Harry Met Sally". It's just a bunch of groaning and then a lady says "I'll have what she's having." Nothing to do with football at all. Siri may have been hacked?

OK, I had my facts a bit garbled. It wasn't the Freo recruiting guy but an ex-Freo player. (What with all the premiership winning in these parts, my poor noggin becomes unreliable more than somewhat.) Unfortunately the company of Karl Langdon reduces his credibility significantly. Nonetheless .... read on, dear listener. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/08/23/the-talented-teenager-fremantle-should-trade-every-draft-pick-for/

Down the pub. I met this bloke who was a goldmine of information. He used to own Black Caviar. He also told me that Joe Root bet $100K on Australia to win the Ashes 5-0. I can't remember all the amazing things he told me, but it was a lucky encounter for me. He sold me a brand new iPad for $150. (I knocked him down from $250. He didn't know who he was up against!) I haven't been able to turn it on yet. I think it might be the way I'm pressing the button.

I think it was the Freo recruiting guy (their Jason Taylor) who said he would give up his entire draft for Luke Jackson. That might be 20-20 hindsight, but whatever, other clubs rate him. A guy with 11 players in front of him in our B&F. GO DEMONS!!!

That's not good.

Take a drink for every mention of "so, um, yeah", "so, obviously" and "appreciate that". Only joking, Clarrie. You cashed in all your public speaking points for an upgrade in football talent. A wise decision! GO DEMONS!!!

There has never been a shortage of clubs believing that they will be the one, that their strong wonderful culture will be the game changer, that this wastrel prodigal son can be reformed for the better. Most times the player continues doing what they did at the previous club. There are of course exceptions (Ablett Sr comes to mind) that make the risk/reward enticing. That's why clubs will beat down the door to have a crack at de Goey this year. At Melbourne now, the base criteria seems to be appetite for the contest, every contest. Skill flaws can be overcome, as can diet and training. But you don't get in the door if you don't already have the number one requirement. That's why we don't have a Watts and we don't have a Hogan.

End of discussion

He's done enough for us already, for God's sake. Ship him off to some other club. Give the boy a chance in life.

Cordy probably would have missed it even if he was in the goalsquare on his own. He had that kind of game. Gave away the free to Brown that led to Petracca's second goal. Was on Fritsch when he got his 2 goals in a minute shortly before that. Was everywhere but nowhere.

Alright. Here's the first installment. I have work to do you know! O gather round ye people be rich or be poor And hear the lay with which I now ye bore The tale of a man bearded, tall and lank And of another constantly running the flank And of yet another e'er under the pack And yet of one more holding down the back I sing of a man both painted and hairless And of some other weird-haired and fearless And so many more of whose tale I sing And yet I forerun this tale I bring Forebear me my friends to start at the start And list to the saga of which I will chart The tale I tell is one of great gladness Yet borne of long years of many a sadness Of years of tanking and losses and death And how the great club near took its last breath I sing of long years under shadow of dark Of Flower and Wells and Alves and Parke When glory was ever a long way far And club was learning of failure and scar I sing of the coaches, Swooper and Neale Who made dreams of glory appear almost real And yet this same glory was proved to be wrong The team failed September, many a year long I sing of the years of a man named Bailey When teams of the demons were made to play fraily The rumours of tanking were wild and rife These sorry tales cost Dean his life I sing of the tragedy of hundred eight six Of Schwab and of Szondy and sad politics I sing of the years of a man name of Neeld When weekly the teams of the demons would yield But lo, all my lay is not sorrow and drear For man name of Jackson did sudden appear And soon thereafter the man known as Roos Who 'gainst all good reason the Demons did choose This saviour shored up our leaky defence And brought some degree of respect and hence The start of a sense of belief was born When down at the Cats emerged the Gawn Then in year sixteen the Hawthorns were downed To end their fourpeat, Dees were back in the town Then Paul turned over the team to Simon Who sent the demons the ladder a-climbin' Yet stumbles appeared in our rise up the ladder To make the top eight was proved to be harder A saviour appeared in the man named Hogan Who sadly turned out to be but a bogan Then on the Queen’s birthday in year seventeen The Demons with Watts arrived on the scene The party got started the following year The Demons in finals announced we were here The Cats were demolished in very short fashion And next week the Hawks were trounced with no compassion At this point the party was halted so sadly And next year the Demons performed rather badly In twenty the fortunes did barely arisen With no sign of what was just over horizon

They rushed back Martin hoping he could do a Clark Keating and work Max over physically. But he was a long way underdone. What happened to the old grand final rule of thumb that you do't play unfit players? I suppose desperation will do that to you.

Two things. Hubris, injuries, and players getting into scandals. Three things! Hubris, injuries, players getting into scandals, and other clubs poaching our players. Four things ...

So I just watched it again again ... with SEN and MMM commentary ... I'm slowly coming around to the belief that this was a memorable game and a good outcome for the Demons.

For research purposes I felt compelled to watch "that ten minutes" again. Thirty seconds left ... little one from Viney ... SURELY NOT ANOTHER ONE ... handball to Oliver ... STREAMING THROUGH ... BANG! BANG BANG BANG!!! More than "bang bang bang", I love that comment "surely not another one" ... the incredulity of the commentators at what is unfolding in front of them ... and it's Melbourne doing it! I still laugh out loud every time. GO DEMONS!!!

Out of reverence for a biblical-level devastation, before their very eyes. These things only happen in books!

Just remember it's their first time obliterating a good side in a grand final. They'll tighten up these silly errors and get better at it. In theory, sure. But it takes a hell of a team to actually go out and do it. It's a one-in-57 years event. She must have made a deal with the devil to gain fame in this way. Now immortalised as part of "bang bang bang". Not what she intended at all!

In the lead-up to the season opening grand final replay, what vision will the TV promos show over and over?

Write to the RFC and say this. Dusty probably deserves to hear that his self control in the moment was a winner.

Sounds like Mr Finance here hasn't heard of bitcoin. JK!

Last time we dared dream was in 2008/2009 and it was all about our forthcoming dynasty in 2011/12/13. That was several footballing lifetimes ago, it feels like. At least we're now on track to become the New York Yankees, which is the real dream.

Sounds like a '70s "road buddies" movie. Demonland and the Skipper. An overworked underpaid football fan forum operator finds himself accused of theft of a sports trophy shaped like a giant egg cup. The only way to clear his name is to find it and take it across country to a Las Vegas silverware convention. But there's a catch. Quirky giant "The Skipper" also needs to find the cup to to clear his name of a casino gambling debt. It's laugh-a-minute hijinks as these two oddballs try to find the cup and somehow get it to Vegas before the Mob or the cops find them.

I recall a game in the Roos years when we were pushing for finals and in the second last round (I think) put in a limp performance against the Blues on our home ground which finished our chances. Embarrassing to watch their goals raining over my head all afternoon. We owe them, cue in rack or not.