Mazer Rackham

No, it's football groupthink. Let's take the player who's fired up, who's got a rush of adrenalin, who's jumping out of his skin to do it again, who might actually do it if the ball goes near him .... let's take him off the ground. The same kind of genius that doesn't believe in practicing goal kicking.

Another thing to kill off VFL Park was that it was the coldest, iciest, most windswept place in the southern hemisphere, apart from Cape Horn, and Ballarat. Plus, modern stadiums are shaped like bowls. Waverley was shaped like a saucer. If you weren't in the first tier of seats, you needed a telescope to see what was going on when the ball was on the opposite side of the ground. And that stupid bloody giant brown TV.

Amen. Look at the list of the team that won it. Christ. They should have been nicknamed "the NQRs"

Not to mention, they take a mark 40 out and turn around and stroll away from the goals. Don't turn your back on the play!! It's as basic as a bowler not getting behind the stumps at cricket.

My god. This boy is so good, they make him play with one arm tied to his side.

It appears in a lot of matches, and not just our ones, that the ruckmen don't seem to hit the ball anywhere in particular, it just drops to their feet or within a metre of them, then a pile-on ensues. There appear to be very few "set plays" where a ruckman can put the ball down the throat of one of his mids, which is something I would have assumed would be gold standard for a midfield coach.

Watch old replays, the umps all bounced it all day long, all over the ground, dry or wet, grass or mud. And they were variable, both in direction and height. It made an "art" out of ruckwork, rather than having two beanpoles stand under a ball plummeting vertically from on high (only to then tap it to their feet). It really can't be as hard as it's made out to be. The throw-ins. Why oh why the boundary umps can't just get the ball, turn around and throw it in. Any old height/distance/direction. They way they do it now, it's like they have to apply for a permit from the council first. All that waiting around. Coaches love it because their players can "set up". (Then they complain about long quarters.) Yes, I know ... ruckman nominations. Another ill-thought out rule to "fix" something which then created another issue. Also, the umps are alleged to be unhappy about bouncing the ball because of potential for injuries. Slamming that ball into the hard ground. Funny, the boundary umps nearly dislocate their shoulders hurling it in like Olympic hammer throwers, but we don't hear about their shoulder issues. Could it be that umps just don't WANT to bounce it?

We are still learning how to be a team that sits up at the pointy end of the ladder. Every week we are a scalp, particularly to lower teams who don't play as well. It's a paradox, but those sides shut us down more effectively than better teams who trust their system and ability to outplay us. GWS & Hawks both flooded, cramped us for space and we ended up in fumble city. Then got lucky in that we panicked. That the HFC goal kicking was a lot straighter than ours helped their cause, but really our destiny was in our own hands.Adelaide, it was more that it was just their day. Everything worked for them that day. Collingwood, the occasion was made for them and they responded. Regardless, each time we had it in our power to prevail. The players make some noise before the season about how angry they were about last year. I hope there is still some vestige of that left over, that they can use to motivate themselves to be up all the time.

They don't even have to be the best in the land. There must be ammo coaches out there watching and shaking their heads in disbelief at the travesty playing out weekly.

They can't waste time practicing kicking for goal. It would take away valuable time from working on things that help win matches. To see blokes lining up 30m out on not much of an angle and then kick sideways around their body ... in the top competition in the land. Words fail. Meanwhile ... Adelaide 1 pt. Hawks draw. Two more straight kicks = 2 more wins.

That would have to be the worst spectacle of football since Melb v St K, round 16, 1981. And absolutely the worst umpired game since Fitz vs Ess, round 3, 1921. But really. 11 13 to 12 7. At 15 9 to 12 7 it's game over. How many chances does this team need to put away another team? Also it helps when you play in front. And when you don't give them a sniff. As good as a loss.

Maybe the answer all along was that there is no answer ... now enjoy tonight's game while thinking about that ... if you can ...

I'm proud of my participation award. I was fishing for clues and accidentally solved it. I would have had to hand the gold back if WADA got involved.

The 33 was key to knowing if your answer was the right one.

Are they all snooker players? Hurricane Harmes? Fast Teddy Fidge?

It's really quite the test, this brainteaser.

Slowly people are finding their line and length. Eventually someone will catch on.

The "sir" has got nothing to do with it. The recent clues provided by TR-A'B have been absolute long hops.

It's not Popes (unless there was a Pope Brian somewhere along the line), Knights of the Round Table, Aussie Governors-General, or elements of the periodic table.

At risk of treading on TR-A'B's toes, here's a clue: TR-A'B has already given a clue.

Maybe because of his youthful good looks?

Prelim 87 GF 88 Merger game plus many more I am too traumatised to recall A severe mauling on Sat will only go a small way to redressing the balance BURY THEM DEMONS

This is demonland. The site you're thinking of is bigfooty.

Their "4-peat" was in an era where you could win a flag by your captain challenging and defeating the opposition captain in a mule wrestling contest.