Rab D Nesbitt

As for the ability to secure more marquee games our reputation of falling over on the big stage doesn't help our cause unfortunately. It hasn't seemed to hurt a club like Carlton however who for some reason have managed to keep their "big club" facade intact whilst crumbling from within. The phrase 'all fur coat and no knickers' immediately comes to mind whenever I hear them mentioned.

Funding aside my overall feeling having watched the podcast episode was that we have two capable and calm people in charge to help navigate our way through the financial issues without jeopardising the core values that now drive everything we are about.

A leading health figure has suggested the AFL could tell fans to keep booing and shouting to a minimum if they’re allowed into matches later this year. Can't wait for the WA state premier to wade in on this one.

I'd rather see the players get removable game day sponsors tattoos.

If we were playing the world game of football those are two cracking home and away kits. Visually though on an AFL guernsey they would look awful. Sponsor logos have already ruined the club polos that players and staff have to wear and we currently have ads plastered all over the field of play and even on the ball.

The proletariat in the outer might be happy to take their yuan but I can't see the cheese platter brigade going for it. Having to drink Tsingtao in the bar would be my only red line. When it comes to my beers I'm pure bourgeois.

I'v actually got a lot of time for the guy Ding. Governments of both the liberal and conservative persuasion (even though the latter call themselves the former over here) have been sucking at the teat of China for a long time and it has been a major factor in our uninterrupted (until now) run of continual economic growth. The key is to find a balance that benefits us without selling our economic soul. Our moral soul in relation to China died a long time ago unfortunately.

Maybe we can build a man made island in the bay or on the Yarra from the rail tunnel spoil. Or commandeer Herring Island.

This isn't exactly a new concept by the way. Celtic have been filling their ground with 60,000 plastic paddies for as long as I can remember.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the cardboard cutout cats and dogs at Hawthorn home games.

Our forward 50 issues are still a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

You'd think that with one WA trip already out of the way and us having been being scheduled to play Freo at home on the previous fixture that the AFL would have other clubs in their sights when it comes to potential trips across the Nullarbor. I'd be happy to play both Qld sides away back to back if we can do the same at home against GWS and Sydney, if that makes things a little less complicated.

Surely any of the WA and SA sides relocating to Queensland will be playing home games whilst up there until they can start playing back in their respective states? I read something recently suggesting that it would be Victorian side that forfeit their home games to play up there which can't be right. I understand that from a training and playing perspective that the weather conditions might be more conducive if they're based up there for a period of time but they can't have it both ways where potentially everyone else travels up there to play them before then returning home to get a run of games at the back end of the year where they don't have to leave their own states. To me it would make more sense to have at least some of them based in Victoria where they do something similar to Gold Coast when the Commonwealth Games were taking place at Metricon by having away games at the front end of the season and genuine home games at the back end when restrictions are hopefully lifted. If they haven't been then they can make a decision to nominate Queensland as a home base for those games when they would have had plenty of time to work on the logistics to get their set up just right. Playing genuine home games at the back end of the year would then see them having the advantage that Richmond had last year in the run up to the finals which has got them all jumping up and down. Whilst based in Victoria at the front end of the season they could perhaps stay in relative isolation from the public at one of the accommodated wineries down on the peninsula where they could take over the entire place whilst it's effectively mothballed during winter. They could then be bussed to Sorrento to train for example.

Hi DJ. Yeah, fair point. I just thought that those three weeks might create just enough wriggle room for the border situation over there to end and avoid any hubs.

I just saw that the WA premier intends on keeping the state border closed to prevent possible infections arriving from NSW, Queensland and Victoria. No mention of SA there so perhaps playing a round robin between their four sides plus a local derby might see that state open in time to avoid their sides having to move to a temporary Victorian hub.

The police officer responsible will probably go down for longer than Laidley. If you pardon the pun.

I remember watching the first series and being happy to see them go down after seeing how toxic their fans were. I've just started watching series 2 and now that they have Jack Ross sitting in the dugout I'm cheering them on. He did a good job at both Alloa Athletic and St Mirren in the lower divisions in Scotland and is one of the better young managers north of the border. I know Sunderland ultimately let him go but he's now back managing Hibs where I'm sure he'll do well.

As much as I thought Waverley to be a soulless, windswept paddock in the [censored] end of nowhere (and I lived within walking distance of the place) I don't think it played much of a part in the finals we lost there. Didn't Geelong thump us by ten goals at the 'G one year (1989?).

Yup, and the fact it was Eddie that mentioned it is a plus as it would be his team that stands to gain if they get to host back to back QBs. On balance I'd take the early trip across the Nullarbor if it means we get our two home blockbusters back. If the Tigers get the chance to host Carlton again in front of a home crowd they should also be amenable to us hosting Anzac Eve. I'd just have to change the dates on my flights to Hobart for round 23.

Yup, fair point. I guess it depends on how much of a mickey mouse season 2020 ends up being in regards to draft picks.

Had a look at the latest episode of Footy Classified this morning and I'm pretty sure that Eddie McGuire suggested that we should use this years fixture for the 2021 season and that sides still get the opportunity to host their blockbuster games, hopefully with the idea that fans would be able to attend. It's an interesting idea as it would nullify ladder positions in whatever ends up being a 2020 season and yes, it would probably then mean a return to Perth for round 1. I don't know who hosted the Richmond v Carlton season opener but as no fans were present you'd think the same side would be given the opportunity to host the game again if that were the case. On the face of it it sounds like a good idea but there might be other issues that could stymie it I guess.

Yup, that for me was definitely our best (worst?) missed opportunity. Pretty much everyone inside the club at the time were super confident that we'd see off Hawthorn in those back to back games and then getting the week off courtesy of the West Coast - Collingwood draw set everything up beautifully. Then we failed to turn up at Waverley against the Eagles. 1990 was a free hit with no dominant force that year, unlike our two recent Grand Final appearances. I think it might also have been the year that big bad Billy Bennett kicked six at Windy Hill to see us storm home.

After much deliberation on possible hubs it appears that the AFL have now narrowed the field down to ....erm...every state in the country.

Class act from the skipper ?

Here you go DJ. I'm a Rangers man myself but have no time for this sort of sectarian rubbish. It's the same tune as the Adelaide song though and is the only reason for me posting it. It's also been a while since we we're league and cup champions ?