Deemania since 56

Major problem is that Selwood has got away with it for years - almost every match he has ever played - so it is now a 'normality' associated with his footballing and - because he plays for Geelong - the umpires never notice it. The umpires thus exhibit and seemingly encourage (at some AFL executive's pleasure) selective inattention to violations of the rules for certain clubs. Stinks, doesn't it? The AFL's piety is sickening...

Nailed it! Wear him out with a game-based half marathon.

Was hoping for a Bulldog win for that very reason. Sadly, it did not eventuate. At home, with the crowd and umpires ready for some crowd-pleasing decision-making, plus a heap of last quarter luck, Geelong got up. We will have to go super-hard against all vying teams at the top of the current ladder in the rest of this year's fixture. We can do it to ideal effect but we must sort the forward line and midfield ordinairiness.

Probably correct, DD. I still think that poor decisions have no balance in the wash-up - and the umpires' efforts to create that balance, to create an even, entertaining, crowd-pleasing event has no place in our great game when administered by them, not by the players themselves in playing at their best (for all that 'their best' might incorporate). The spectacle panned out as intended and the exposure to supportive advertising from a million sources was achieved - that is all that the AFL is interested in when 'staging' a game, offering advertising spaces, selling broadcast rights, fleecing supporters at the turnstiles, affecting the where, when and why aspects of umpire attention, oversights and decision-making of the game and then, re-selling the whole process once more in replay and media without thinking of the consequent/subsequent anomolies. I feel like having a beer in recollection of it all.

LAZY and over-regarded. Couldn't pull the skin off a custard.

In his sixth year of ever-improvement expectations, why bother?

My parallel observer of the TV coverage of the game counted 10 hits to Oliver's head (most from behind as haymakers) before half time so I guess the effects were quietly carried across the rest of the game. As we know, Max gets his unfair share of these head and neck clouts each match despite the failing, oblivious eyes/decision-making of the snot goblins.

I'd like to see Petty having a couple of runs as a forward instead of 'you know who'. Some specialist coaching and experience might be very handy. There is quite a deal of skills and intellect in the forward's role, and perhaps, he might display these to good effect.

Petty should be trained as the backup forward.

...and how many non-performance games must we endure from the Weed until he gets the Casey practices blocks needed for his ever-hopeful improvement in form, desire, effort, onfield ingenuity, mongrel, development, (better stop there!) The whole team almost by-passes him - he must be regarded as a waste of delivery effort.

I'd reckon EM would be better understood, now that he has passed through some recent trials invoking an interesting footballing history lesson on ego and aptitude. The Filth may be better off without him. His media interests would also be better off without him. 'Good riddance' is a quote that I hear often in conversations from many footballing addicts, from many varied AFL club supporters. It's harsh, but it is rather frequent when the topic comes up (this topic surfaces rarely now since his departure from the Presidency of the CFC).

Save yourself a fortune, if still playing and wish to improve the sticky hands situation. Buy some Kiwi Dubbin, use that and carry a rag in your socks.

Max King, StKilda full forward, ex Demon down at Casey - not selected for the big time. Bit of a gun, better than the Weed.

Keep these thoughts current and public. You never know.....

Apparently I had AstraZenekar, and waiting for the second shot in late June. Absolutely no reaction, not even needle-site irritation. Always had a strong immune system avoiding bugs and reactions to certain exposures. I put it down to 15 Marlboros per day, killing the bugs for me. Of course, that is absolute rubbish but it is consoling in these highly critical times :-)

That would suffice - otherwise we might think (as is the current thinking) that we are a man down per match due to repeated selection.

...and to think we gave up on King. Who is next? Petty?

As a policeman directing traffic at Camberwell Junction, he'd (Parke) stand close to the tramline at the intersection, enabling me and a mate to knock his peaked cap off his head each morning on our tram going to school. Always met with smiles and laughts, always pretending to be irritated, always straight back on the job at hand. He must have been a good bloke, too, don't you reckon?

Always something cynical. Oh well, I liked Greg Parke despite his kicking being erratic. He gave us terrific possessions and his handball was excellent across distances to a teammate.

That is most probably what is wrong with his grab. Too far forward in the competition and too early to occupy a space in the forming pack. He needs to consider entering the pack on top - he has the height and leap - but to come in from either side of the pack relatively late, at the front - he has a light frame to assist with the elevation required. Then he would be less likely more often to be brushed, pushed, bodied aside or into 'useless land' where the mark just ain't. He would also be less likely the suffer so many blatant 'arm chops' from opposition defenders. He would also be less likely to be injured as this is a key fear his body language portrays. If he was built like Greg Parke, none of the above would matter. But he ain't.

Agreed, Hibberd must be on Cameron - a real 'stopper' will be required - one that is a physical beast, as well.

His movement is what makes him potent. He's already a good kick, a good mark, a good anticipator and reader of the game. Same for the re-newed TMac - movement clears the zone and creates a definable target for his teammates.

There is one element of the free kick continuum worthy of consideration - in terms of handouts and game-levelers. Years of appreciating footy had taught me that it ain't the number of frees you get (nor the differentials between teams awarded frees during matchplay), it is really just a blatant matter of WHEN, WHERE and WHY the free kicks are awarded. Some teams are blessed with oodles of frees in the backline. Some teams are blessed with oodles of frees in the forward line - particularly near the goals when a 'catch-up' circumstance is required (this equates to rigging a win, in reality). Ask yourself: Where would you rather earn a free kick? When is it most important to be awarded a free kick near the goals in a game of footy? How many matches in an entire season are won from the award of free kicks or the contrasting 'overlooked' incidents that should be awarded a free kick in front of goal but were not for some unexplained reason that many experienced spectators cannot articulate - let alone understand? For the purists among us, '..heil, heil the conspiracy theory...' (simply because it is logical evidence of 'the fiddle' with games. For the optimists among us, '...it's all just fine...the umps did a good job...'

Cerra is OK, ready for the next step. The Dees may be that stepping stone, and there is a strong culture of competition and game structure(s) from which to benefit at the Dees - at present. He ain't no Brayshaw; the little brother would be an ideal asset onfield, and imagine those walks onto and off the ground (at the end of a game) holding hands with big brother, Gus. Just lovely! I am sure that Gus would ensure that he was well cared for in the Red'nBlue! As for Merrett, do we wish to enter into a contest of bidders for his services given our recent recruitments from elsewhere? Would he be so vital to our line-up? Nah!

These are simple - but essential - qualities that he frequently demonstrates. For very useful, good players, these qualities far outweigh the negatives.