Mel Bourne

Having just read the ABC article, I’m having a lot of trouble conceiving how such detailed and unusually harrowing accounts could possibly be concocted. The accounts of the women affected in particular seem so specific and shocking in their severity, that I’m at a loss as to how anybody could make such a thing up. There are obviously many more steps to be taken in this process, but man….. If true, this is the darkest day I’ve ever witnessed, not only for the Hawks, but for the entire sport. The Bombers’ scandal was one thing, but this is far worse. And if true, Clarkson/Fagan are done, and should never show their faces at a footy oval again. I’ve always thought Clarkson was a complete and utter xxxx (and have heard first-hand accounts that back that up), but the soft spot I have for Fagan has evaporated

I was on the Collingwood FC Reddit page last night (reading an article about Grundy) and noticed this exchange between two supporters…. Did anybody catch this on SEN? Seems absolutely ludicrous that we’d even consider giving up JVR for Grundy, but somebody at SEN obviously needed to flap their gums about something. TWO picks AND JVR?? Methinks these two are sharing the same crack pipe, right?

About four pages back, Chandler/Bedford taking over the ANB/Spargo roles. But you’re right, it’s off topic. It’s very tempting to start the “Pointless Spargo Jabber” thread for the title alone, though. By the way, can somebody check on Picket? He’s lost almost his entire body weight in vomit emojis.

The way FORWARDS is not to cut and run on a 22 year-old who vastly improved his game between ‘20 & ‘21. He’s got footy smarts, is a huge tackler for his size and brings pressure. He’s also one of our players who lets me relax when using the ball by foot. You’re right, he does need to get near it more often, hence why there’s room to improve. He deserves another season to do that.

Are we seriously discussing dumping Spargo at age 22? The kid will improve.

Love the ol’ onus-dump. “Here is a wheelbarrow full of two year-old potatoes. The onus is on you to peel them and tell me if they are rotten.”

And it’s ok to be cool with it, or not be. Times two 🙋🏻‍♂️

Not sure how that is relevant here. There are a lot of fiercely independent people who cut the apron strings, well below that age.

Lots of compelling reasons to stay, listed here. I guess though, when you weigh them up against some PlayStation 5 with your homies in a Cottesloe McMansion, they’re just not compelling enough.

“How do you feel about Lever ? I'm sure you loved that he came to us.” And I’m sure Adelaide fans didn’t. The discussion here is not about how Freo/WCE supporters feel about getting Luke Jackson. “And what do you know about Luke's situation. Nothing I imagine.” Is that really a prerequisite for feeling disappointed? Are we expected to know the personal goings-on of all players before being allowed to feel let-down? We pay our memberships, and the kids are paid untold amounts of money themselves, so we can skip the whole “getting to know you” process, and treat this for what is - mass entertainment. “Supporters get way too caught up in emotionality about an individual they know nothing about.” No, they do know about him. They know that he’s a guy we drafted three years ago, who we elevated to the heights of AFL glory and who collected a Rising Star for himself along the way, and now he wants to go home where he’ll get paid more than what we can afford, and that’s all they need to know in order to form an opinion about him. This is footy, not Oprah It’s perfectly acceptable to be ticked-off that this guy is leaving, for the exact same reasons we were so jubilant that Trac and Clarry signed on for life. Club loyalty is a quality which has become more and more unique to our game, and I for one see this decision - after merely three years - undeserving of any kind of admiration. Across the 215 pages (god help us) on this topic, there’s been a lot this “you don’t know his situation” lecturing towards people who dare suggest they’re unhappy about this. It’s not like anybody is planning to actually harass Luke Jackson or give him a piece of their mind beyond this forum. If I ever met the guy I’d express my gratitude for the ‘21 cup and happily leave it at that. But you’ve got to allow people express their frustration, disappointment and even anger (within reason) if the only reason not to is because “there might be something you don’t know”.

Putrid effort. Absolutely soulless and weak. See you next year, Landers.

I highlighted that line because you seemed to be pointing at DD saying “listen to this guy, he knows what’s up”. I think we all realise that the Demons aren’t looking likely to win a flag this year, and nobody deserves credit for pointing out the bleeding obvious. But the pre-emptive “I told you so” posts of late (beginning with that boring “We Won’t Win The Flag” thread) are just increasingly tedious to trawl through. I get that we’re all frustrated with how these finals have gone so far, and DD may very well be correct, but I’m choosing the foolish option of having some faith. At least this week.

I’m not a monarchist at all, but I’m not sure I can get behind the idea that she never worked. It seems like her entire life was a series of obligations, which might not directly translate to “hard work”, but certainly doesn’t resemble a life of leisure either. In a weird way I’ve always felt sorry for the Royal Family. They’re like living dolls walking around a public dollhouse, living an incredibly strange, inhuman life. Anyway, here she is with a footy…

There aren’t many great ladies around these days? What a strange thing to say.

The thing is, he and everybody else who’s tolled the bells of failure pretty hard of late are likely to be correct, because we aren’t the favourites this year, and we’re looking sore and sluggish. But it’s not exactly risky or insightful to suggest such a team won’t win the premiership, is it? I don’t think anybody here deserves an “I told you so” if we don’t win a flag, because it’s just so obviously the likely outcome to any half-interested observer of the game But taking a dump on people who like to think there’s still an outside chance is just a bit unnecessary and boring. Do we really need to lambast people for the crime of being hopeful?

Carlton three rounds ago?

So I guess the definition of sanity is to do the same thing and expect the same result? Good, ‘cos it’s the same team that beat Brisbane two rounds ago

Was there a lot of drinking on this flight? Syntax-horror aside, interesting.

Wow, that is pretty wild.

I don’t subscribe to the theory that medical staffs always make the right decision. AFL history is littered with stories of quite the opposite. Medicos are always trying to mitigate other factors that aren’t exactly in the player’s best interests. Strangely, one of the biggest forces that go against the welfare of the player is the player themselves.

I said this on the other thread and I think my logic is pretty sound here… Lions are well and truly a rung below Geelong, Sydney and the Pies as far as current form goes. Therefore if playing an injured Trac (and risking any further injury to him) is seen as the crucial difference in us getting over the line, then our season is rooted anyway. A win over the Lions without Trac will build confidence. A win with Trac will likely make him less prepared to face Geelong the following week. A loss without him will tell us we weren’t good enough anyway. And a loss with him would amount to a pointless and potentially damaging risk.

I have a feeling you might get you wish. But I maintain the position that if we need to play somebody with a hairline fracture just so we can beat the Lions, then our season is over anyway.

Yeah the idea of Zorko or Mitch Robinson targeting Trac’s injury on Friday is a horrifying and not in any way unrealistic one. We need Trac healthy for the next several years, and resting him this week is a no-brainer as far as I can see. If Trac is genuinely crucial in order to beat the Lions, then that should tell you we don’t have what it takes to beat the remaining teams.

Huh? It wasn’t even high contact. Cripps’ incident ought to set the tone for at least the remainder of the season.

How was his goal “lucky”?