The Panglossian

Mr Morrison should say....”anyone who sacks an employee for not turning up tomorrow is a bum!”

And kicking for goal at a normal level of accuracy

More important than being polite to the runners, etc., I think, is....be polite and friendly to the umpires. I think it could be worth a free or two, or a non-holding-the-ball, if you're chummy with the umps. Remember the Brayshaw/Razor Ray exchange? So players should always pick up the ball for the ump when getting up after a scrimmage. A smile or a wink when returning the ball to the ump after a stuffed ball-up, could just counteract one of those dubious "blocking" frees against Gawn at the centre bounce. The one time I was in the rooms before a game, when the umps came in to check the players' gear, they hardly acknowledged them. That was the perfect opportunity to ingratiate themselves! Please don't think I'm suggesting that some umps might have a weakness in their psychological make-up by making these suggestions. Surely not!!!!

Hey Skuit, I wish you'd pressed "Kaspa" on whether he hit it. It didn't look like it to me. But I'll never forgive Ponting for sending them in. Actually, the question was whether his gloved hand was on the bat when(?if) the ball hit it. Have you met Craig McDermott at any cooking shows? I want to know whether that ball from (?Walsh) hit his helmet or his bat when we lost by one run in 1996.

Go Hawkers!

How did we get so close with so many useless players, Joeboy?

On the podcast, Binman (or was it George?) recommended Steven May to mindToby Green. So who takes Himmelberg and Finlayson? I think it should be Michael Hibberd on Green, leaving May, Lever and Petty to cover their tall forwards. Should Harmes chase Whitfield? Interesting that they dropped de Boer, who did ok on Clarrie last time. Do they have another tagged.

I’d like to lure Harry Himmelberg to the Dees

I’m worried about Green, Himmel erg and Finlayson. I’m a victim of MFCSS.

I just googled it. William Bruce played in Tests for Aust in 1885-1895. I should have known I think they’re all Australian test cricket surnames.

Their surnames are the same as past or present Test cricket players ....but I can’t think of a Test player called Bruce....the other 23, I can.

Wilbur Wilde’s brother, Chris Aitken ( I think), played for the Dees in the 70s. ? your Dad, Smokey?

Hibberd always surprises me with his quickness off the mark. He’s fast for a strongly built player.. He’s very gutsy, too.

Still angry about the loss to the Bullies in the pre-season?

I wonder whatbStorm and Victory would think about that. Though Storm are doing something out Wyndham way, I think. Melbourne Rebels involved, too,.

Gosh, CHF,........you sure don’t suffer from MFCSS! I wish I was 50% confident of wins v WCE over there, at Geelong, and Port at AO. More like 10% , if you ask me. I’m very worried about the Essendon game, too.

I’d like to see Weideman playing at CHB for Casey. He might develop some confidence in his marking there. He might also learn a bit about when and where to lead , if he plays on a lead-up forward. Though BBB put in a shocker in his last game for Casey, and hasn’t had a chance to regain form, he couldn’t do worse than SW did against Collingwood.

Give him a few games at HB for Casey. Perhaps he’ll get his marking confidence back. This should have happened 2 or 3 years ago.

When we were struggling, and Coll. were doing well, they'd always condescendingly suggest that the Queens Birthday game was "their Grand Final".

I'm worried...... this QB is their grand final. Nothing else to look forward to, for them.

We don’t get Beetoften

The less crowd the better from a Demon point of view. We saw what effect a home side crowd has on the umps last week.

Can anyone get the Livestream up?

Eighteen games, actually.