Neil Crompton

Haha, no one is that old, hardtack! Suggestion for Blake Howes : “Crowded”. (Inspired by @Timothy Reddan-A'Blew).

Normally I’d just put a laughing emoji on your work D but not enough in this case. Just brilliant!

Binny, why are you suggesting that the SCG has "ridiculous dimensions"? From a total area perspective (set up for AFL) its middle of the road from all the grounds we play on. From a length perspective its only 5m shorter than the MCG (at 160m), but while it is the shortest of the main grounds we play on, it's only 1m shorter than the Gabba. In terms of width, there are only 3 grounds wider than it - with the MCG (at 141m) being 5m greater. It is actually only 2m less width than the Gabba, but 13m wider than the Adelaide Oval, and a massive 21m greater width than Kardinia Park. It's approx the same size as the Gabba in length and width, and I cannot remember hearing any adverse comments about the "ridiculous dimensions" of the Gabba (although I could be wrong here). At 5m shorter and 5m less width than the MCG, the SCG therefore has similar proportions to the G - ie its exactly 96% of both its width and length - and therefore you wouldn't think it would affect the Dees too much. If the MCG is the benchmark for length to width ratio - (L:W 1.13 : 1), then the Gabba at 1.13 : 1 and the SCG at 1.14 :1 are all very similar. With Docklands at 1.24 : 1, Bellerive at 1.29 : 1, Adelaide Oval at 1.36 : 1, and Kardinia Park at 1.48 : 1 bringing up the tail. All this perhaps begs the question, should the SCG be copping such flack about its "ridiculous dimension"? I also cannot think of another code of football that doesn't have same set dimensions at every ground it plays on. This, I believe, is a unique character of AFL, and therefore makes it more interesting in so many ways - to my eyes at least. (dimensions taken from a 2022 ABC analysis article).

My memory could be bad but I was of the opinion that the only player that had a Flower-like gate that I’d seen was Keith Greig from North.

Wasn’t Waverley the site of the Packer cricket circus, and the site of the world’s first drop in wicket?

Could be a lot worse.

So by your rules Gus becomes Guy?

Can someone please enlighten me as to the definition of a centre bounce clearance - and who gets the stat? Is it the player who gathers the ball and handballs it to another, or is it the player who receives the handball and kicks it away from the centre? (if it’s the latter, then the old saying that “it is better to give than receive” obviously doesn’t apply to AFL stats).

I love Jack, but after listening to over half of that podcast, he still hasn’t grown up and he still hasn’t acknowledged that he could have changed his whole image at the Dees by simply meeting whatever standards we had back then. One day, hopefully, he might wake up.

I thought Lever had a shocker, including giving away 5 free kicks.

So is Queen Jaded. Nice to have you back.

Excellent win today - a great response to last week. And think how much better we will be when Lever, Fritsch and Sparrow don’t have shockers like they did today.

Hi Picket, how did Sestan go please? And where would you place him in the pecking order at present, and into the future?

Thanks WCW, I like this thread. I'm absolutely positive of all of the following: - that we win the flag this year - that the DA will win the best cheer squad award this year - that Maynard is a [censored] - that Eddie is a [censored] -that BT is a Richard , with a capital D. - that Robbo needs to sign off - that Gus Brayshaw earned and deserved a better way to end his career, and for that, once again, Maynard is an absolute [censored]

These pies fans must go to a different Centrelink than most people if they can afford $90 tickets.

He might be rich in “learnings” but it seems to me Goody is [censored] at “rememberings”.

You are sounding more and more like Jaded No More. It’s scary.

Pies too ugly to be viewed in 4K

I thought the rule change this year that allows ruckmen to use a straight arm fend-off at center bounces would be perfect for Max. So why didn’t he use it when Grundy was charging him at the centre bounces? He appeared to just meekly accept Grundy’s actions. I think he has now, by his inaction, just shown to every other opposition ruckman how to counter Gawn. Unless he finds a way to counter this action, I think he is doomed to be monstered every week at the centre bounces.

I’m going to say that I don’t believe that getting a good key forward would make much difference to our current woes - not without massive changes to the way we play the game and to our skill set. Firstly, we don’t have a forward coach who can effectively teach leading patterns, and proper forward skills - either that or our players are too dumb to follow instructions. (I have never seen a forward line as stagnant and crowded as ours often is - or as many players flying for a mark at any one time, - or so few players roving the packs for the inevitable spills). Secondly, we don’t seem to have the skills in our midfield to hit leading targets, even if our forwards did offer leads, nor the nous to move the ball quickly forward so that the opposition don’t have the time to flood our forward line. Fix these issues first, then we might find that our current forwards might actually be all we need. Until we do, a new key forward would simply be a waste of money. We had a great forward recently in Jessie Hogan, and we wasted his ability with our our game plan (or lack there of) and our inability to hit his leads. I think it all boils down to coaching - and, on evidence so far, we are failing badly at this.

How good was that goal from Hogan!

Great to hear the crowd booing Maynard - you [censored]

Hogan looking great!

That animal Maynard showing his true colours again. Smacked Cadman in the face disguised as a spoil attempt. Love someone to hurt him, and badly.

Thanks SWYL, but I also have some bad news. Our premiership window will close after this year. Selfishly, my daughter has decided that this birth will be her last!