45HG

Round 6, 2006. Neitz was a late withdrawal, I remember thinking "here we go..." Dunn started well but midway through the 3rd we were getting done. Hunt took a mark 30 out from goal and mocked a Melbourne player - he missed and we came back to win by a kick (thanks in part to a wonderful Davey goal from deep in the pocket toward the city end. A lifetime ago.

To be honest, the intimation was more of a tag-line to my main idea. But it's there nonetheless.

I'm not fazed over Dunn. If he stays it'll be as the 40th-ish player, if he goes we won't lose out too much. A shame - on mum's wall at the family home, she still has a paper cut-out from the day after we rolled the Cats at the G on a Friday night intimating that he'd be our replacement for David Neitz. How far away any thought such as that seems.

Absolutely. Those umps really wanted us to get Mitch Clark!

Now, we've been disgusting this year. This post is not an attempt to dilute or draw attention from that fact. It's not to hide or to say "it's ok, another team has been rubbish too," but honestly - the Bulldogs have been utterly atrocious to the point of the T word. At Round 12: The Dogs were 5 and 6 with a percentage of 88.83 (843 for/949 against). We were 1 and 10 with a percentage of 55.92 (699 for/1250 against). Currently: The Dogs are 5 and 15 with a percentage of 68.15 We are 4 and 16 with a percentage of 69.81 In this period we've gone 3 and 6. They've gone 0 and 9. Now, obviously the draw comes into this, but it's the consistent effort (or lack of) that I'm alluding to. The Dogs' percentage in this time has been 51 (563 for/1117 against). Ours has been 90 (760 for/840 against). Of particular note is the Dogs effort in the second halves of matches. During this period, the Dogs have scored 228 in the 9 second halves they've played. They've conceded 636. Their second halves percentage in this period is nothing short of a pathetic 35.8. This adds to the fact that, at round 8, they were 4-4 with a percentage of 95.19. Now - I'm not one to bring draft picks into things... But haven't they activated their compensation pick this year?

If he can get his body right, he'd be a handy pick up. Not going to change our fortunes though.

You've really got it in for him, hey?

I think North played a mini grand final last night and are due for a bit of a lull (Adelaide last night perhaps?) and Freo haven't been too bad in Melbourne this year. I wouldn't put it past them. We'll have a clearer picture next Sunday night, but you're right - it'll likely come down to Freo needing to drub us to make it. Which is ok because they will.

Obviously the AFL is responsible for the mess at the bottom end (alleviated in future years from our end with no more compensation/priority picks) but if we were 14-6, you'd be pretty hell bent on winning next week! It's up to the team to lift performance to ensure winning is the sole objective each week. Hopefully the cutting of dead wood will speed up that process.

The only drawback there is that Carlton play after us - they'll know what they need to do. Still think Saints will beat them anyway. I even have a sneaky feeling about Freo next weekend.

Had the same conversation last night. If only the Blues game was on the Saturday - we'd have a clearer picture. I thought this in 2010, but I'm hoping this is the last year that I have to care about draft picks/positioning for a long time.

Only half of Green's contract counts in the salary cap though. The money may not be an issue for the first couple of years, but I'm not sold on the 3+ years after that.

Don't go near him!

The AFL is footing much of the bill for Folau - I don't think that he's too much of a burden on their salary cap.

I have North beating Freo next week - meaning it'll come down to Carlton vs St Kilda and, the night before, how much the Dockers [censored] us by.

I thought the move was sorted...?

I remember what he was like before the mo...

Mike responds - "er...wha...yeah... absolutely they are Gerard. It's a real worry."

Ah - does this explain why we can't hit targets less than 20 metres away with any regularity?

Not sure why people are being smart arses about a member of the MFC family leaving. Sure he wasn't able to crack it for a game, but making an AFL list is a great effort, he didn't cost us much and hopefully he gave it his all while he could. I wish him well for the future.

Sylvia and elite does not compute with me. He spends most of his timely vaguely looking for easy ball and the rest of the time putting in single efforts on the hard ball.

You wouldn't go with Land Down Under? Really?

Chris Scott has had a whinge in his press conference about a range of matters. He seems to enjoy a sook after a loss.

Tonight's game is yet another examples of a massively over-umpired game of footy between two good sides dominating the landscape. I swear - Geelong are the most blessed side in the AFL when it comes to umpiring.

You've been quiet on the hockey front HT :-p