Rab D Nesbitt

GC could be a potential banana skin if we’re not fully switched on. The few games they win each year tend to be very early in the season. I saw a couple of highlights of a recent Victory game played down at Kardinia Park and it looked like they had demolished the city end to make room for another new stand. If this is the case then it’s a bizarre decision to have any Melbourne based teams play down there next year.

Good to see Hawthorn being shunted up to the top end to play a game. I hope they get the 3.20pm Mothers Day slot at the G again too. How the mighty have fallen. My rationale behind us playing there relates to us also having a presence in the NT and the draw of having the reigning premiers come to town if we can split the coin with GC. It would go some way to making up for the money both sides lost from not playing in in the NT last year. Just an idea though.

I wonder if the third of those games might be a Gold Coast home game against us in Darwin where we could split the $800k between us. That way we each get $1.2 mill to play two games in the NT but we only have to give up one home game.

I'm half expecting next time I fly in from an overseas trip to find one line for citizens, one for non residents and another to get a photo with the cup. It would make a great passport photo.

It all kicked on at the London Tavern afterwards. The cup was there for anyone to get their hands on and a lot of the past players too. The whole day was really cathartic.

I spent six months travelling through Central America way back in 1998 ( I think) and hooked up with some lads from the American Midwest in Guatemala. Anyway, we went our seperate ways after a scuba diving course on the island of Utila in Honduras. A few months later I bumped into one of the lads in the lobby of a $4 a night hotel in the old town of Panama City. He was a huge cubs fan and was desperate to find somewhere in town to watch their first playoff game in a very long time so we spent most of that day driving everywhere in a cab until we did.

Melbourne 0 CH7/AFL 1 Pert (o.g 1st minute)

Just listened to Perty's radio interview today. Don't know where he's getting the impression that most fans are open to a Wednesday night season opener. I thought this was about making it up to all of us that couldn't get to the actual GF. Anyone outside a two hour radius of Melbourne who has a regular job and or young kids are likely to be highly inconvenienced.

The AFL has picked up what was a great idea by our CEO and wasted no time in trying to compromise it.

Absolutely BDA. Bar Josephine likely to get a look in and maybe the Victoria Hotel near the ground.

I see it's just been announced that our girls will open their season against the Dogs as well. An early opportunity to strut our premiership attire on their turf.

What's your bookstore called bananas and where is it?

Hi Bananas. I ordered a copy from Booktopia in the link that was attached to the facebook post that advertised it with a release date of 06 December. Walking past The Avenue bookstore in Swan Street, Richmond yesterday though they had a copy in their window.

I think the writer got Neil Daniher's saying the wrong way round. Wasn't it "when all is said and done, more is said than done"

Don't worry monoccular. They're all on three year contracts earning hard currency for the state as part of the secretive Bureau 39.

The hermit kingdom has proven to be very fertile ground for us lately.

M54. Right on the 50m arc in the Northern Stand. Get in!

Got my free ticket and plan to head to the G early doors on Sunday morning to try and avoid a long queue as I just want to get in and out with a photo to show for it. I wonder how early that will have to be though.

I like that we're trying to be the club that represents our city. If you call Melbourne home then we represent your city in the AFL and if you've just moved to Melbourne then we should be your team of choice, like they were for me.

Hi Waverley. I stopped over in Berlin for a few days when I moved back here from the UK in late 2014, renting an airbnb near the old Tempelhof airport that they had turned into the most amazing public park that incorporated the runways and old terminal building. I think they converted the place into a refugee camp for a little while recently. A fantastic city that had been on my list of places to visit for a long time.

I can see this all playing out again in six months or so when booster shots are required once the effectiveness of the initial shots begins to wane. Rather than lockdowns being the cause of suicides I think the virus has just magnified areas of our society that have been chronically underfunded or ignored as a result of bad political policy for a long time. Private nursing homes and suicide rates are two that have stood out.

Sixteen minute quarters and a seventeen game season helped get them to that final game of the season where they went missing after half time. Overall they are still a very capable side but I wonder how they will fare when the likes of Danger, Selwood & Hawkins hang up their boots. Not just because they are quality players but they're arguably the three most driven individuals at the club and help set the high standards Geelong have been known for. I went back and watched our first game against them early in the season and we could have won by fifteen goals. Outwith a crazy ten minute period in round 23 we've completely owned them this year.

Kozzie Ardiles.

Still got the flag flying from the front porch. It’s easier for passers by to see since the cherry blossom tree on the nature strip blew down on Friday. I think I’ll do what that fella in East Melbourne does and fly it between our first and last game each season.

If they're expecting a near full house I wonder if we get to sit in our designated tridents seats and if the bar on level two of the northern stand will be open? Back to The Tippler for espresso martinis afterwards if not.