Mel Bourne

Insane that you can watch Kozzie Pickett play a game like he did today, but not see his name mentioned once in this thread. Why? Because there were several others that played EVEN BETTER. Gotta love it.

Don’t get me wrong. Not for a moment was I suggesting he doesn’t have a spot in the starting lineup. He does. But I don’t think his looming 300th should be a part of the conversation for “best starting 22”, nor should anybody’s ever be.

Nah, we’re definitely a better team this year. Skills are silkier. Players look in tremendous physical shape. Just look at the difference in somebody like Jayden Hunt for example. A few stories like that across the team. But I’m in agreement that it’s far too early to make any big calls.

Unpopular suggestion perhaps, but I don’t think NJ’s looming 300th game should be a factor at all in team selection. Form, and form only.

This, among many other things, is a lesson in hubris. A handful here suggested that he’s been unfairly dealt with - that a person has to be “perfect” or not slip up once to keep their position in this current culture. That is of course, total bollocks. We live in a world where corrupt, malevolent or, in this case, just plain ignorant people repeatedly offend, and not only go unpunished but thrive. And I have no doubt Eddie McGuire could have been one of those people had he chosen to refrain from plastering his bloated head on every billboard in town, and donning an ill-fitting suit to appear on whatever hack tv or radio program provided him the opportunity. He is seemingly of the opinion that he is some kind of broadcasting legend, and that you basically can’t get enough of him. Most reasonable people, even the most innocuous television muppet, would have a voice in the back of their mind saying “maybe you’re over-exposing yourself a bit”. But not Eddie. Eddie has serious tickets on himself. And when you’re the kind of person who gets pretty easily irritated by this kind of arrogance (the kind that comes with zero benefits - at least some [censored] are funny, clever or insightful) you just can’t wait for cretins like McGuire to make that fatal mistake. And yes, a lot of people were hoping for that mistake. A lot of people thought the former CEO of Channel 9/Triple M Radio Host/A Current Affair Host/Footy Show Host/Game Show He Couldn’t Even Pronounce Host/Collingwood FC President was perhaps a little too ubiquitous, especially given his almost phenomenal ability to remain completely and utterly charmless in front of a camera or microphone. He is part Icarus, part used-car salesman. But of course, we can expect to see him hosting “Australia’s Tastiest Hot Dogs” or “Jetski Olympics 2026” or whatever other lowest-common-denominator rubbish he likes to roll around in. He might have lost his club, but we’re stuck with this corporate slob for a long time.

Also people, it would only be human for Jake to come here and see the reaction to his arrival by the supporters. I’m confident players quickly learn to avoid this place, but factor in him or his relatives possibly reading this stuff, and consider positivity instead of projecting your MFCSS all over the kid. Further to this, the Spargo trashing on this site is [censored] pathetic.

Not long enough.

If he can't find a new team there's always more podcasts with the Institute of Public Affairs waiting for him.

This is something I’ve been advocating for a couple of years now, so it pleases me greatly. He’ll be head coach in 2022.

Interviews with him show him to be a very thoughtful and intelligent person, so it must be pretty draining having to deal with our coach.

Sure, but it has about two months left until it gets relegated back to the C Division.

That’s bizarre. And kind of disappointing to discover the AA team is the best 22 AFL players in the league according to...some dudes.

First call was the winner!

Indeed.

I think Jordan Peterson’s demise must’ve hit him pretty hard too.

I’m very uneasy with this growing sentiment that none of the media can be trusted. I suspect the majority of people who spruik such an opinion were on very poor diets (tabloids, A Current Affair etc) and were never that interested in quality journalism to begin with. Widespread-condemnation of an entire profession (and a profession that a cohesive society relies heavily on) is an extremely irrational and dangerous practice. What next? Doctors are out to kill us? Edit: Apologies. For a moment there I forgot that there already are many “interesting” people in the world who do believe that doctors are trying to kill us.

There are at least twenty newspapers, news services and journals I could list off the top of my head that subscribe to and endorse the SPJ Code Of Ethics https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp There are always going to be errors, inaccurate reporting and hype in the media, but I’d sooner put my trust in a publication that holds those standards, than some dude in his shed with a webcam.

Thanks for the clarification. I hope you’re not conflating “all media” with “Lunkhead footy pundits”. There are still reputable and trustworthy news sources in the world, y’know.

Surely these two have some kind of deal to stick together...

Would be interesting to have Jaws (from the Bond films) in the team, no doubt.

Ben Brown would be a better get than Joe Daniher Both key forwards out of contract 200cm tall, but there are some key differences, specifically injury history in Daniher’s case The praise for Daniher is on his day he looks great, possibly brings in more memberships and is a year younger than Brown. Perhaps a fully fit Daniher has more upside but history tells us “fully fit” isn’t his usual status Nobody would disagree Brown had a year he’d rather put behind him, but has been much more consistent over the last 4 years, kicked 60+ goals 3 years in a row. He’s a hard runner who often clocks up the most kms in a match (not including his run up), and would cost significantly less than Daniher Daniher is 14 games for 18 goals over the past 3 years and averages less goals per game than Brown. Also way less accurate 57% vs 67% at goal. But here’s a contentious opinion: I think the team we already have is capable of winning a flag. A smarter head coach, and some gun line coaches are what we need. Sure, we’ll lose a few at year’s end and will need to replace them (and hopefully not screw that Very simple process up). But if Sam W can ‘find himself’ next year, and our young players continue to build on the promise they’ve all showed us at different times, just watch us go.

I wasn’t privy to the actual interview but apparently Alan Richardson dropped Polec’s name on SEN. Did anybody else catch the interview and any other names he mentioned? Interesting that we’d be targeting another winger. Tomlinson not to fill that role anymore? Oskar Baker not worth developing in that position? Thought he showed promise there against the GWS.

Even just writing these words in the comment box feels like conjuring the biggest hex on the planet.

“Hot Sexton!” Not my words...