Ollie fan

That YouTube of Greg Parke - amazingly, he kicked some good goals from set shots. Generally, that was what let him down and stopped him being an all-time champion.

He was always one of my favourite players. Never shirked, gave everything he had, terrible luck with injuries.

I’ve heard similar. Going back watching the videos for the season, it reminds me how much teams target him, totally unfairly, usually just behind the play and like Maxy, he gets minimal protection from the umpires.

I certainly want him next year. Who else would you play on Toby greene, or dusty, or jake stringer? To my mind, he is our best option for each of those, at least until Tomlinson is back

More than interesting! Apart from anything else, he makes it plain that avoiding injuries is not luck, it was part of his method. It is so dreadful that we have lost this genius! We can only hope that he has been able to teach those with whom he worked.

Outstanding news!!!!!!

What we will find out now is whether these players have as good a character as Tom McDonald did.

Fair call.

I may be biased and one-eyed but I can’t think of one player in our premiership team that I would want to replace with a player from another club. To take a ridiculous example: if Dusty was available, who would we replace with him? Not Oliver or Petracca - they are as good as him or better. Sparrow? - Dusty is certainly a better player but Sparrow had a particular role as a blocker/pressure player which is a role Dusty could not play. Same with Viney, or Harmes, or any of them. Each player we have is perfect for the role they are asked to play. Yes, it is a ridiculous example. I am sure we would fit him in somewhere! But a lesser player like O’Meara -why bother?

Re-watching some of the games of the year, I watch how these two interact. Each time either of them gets the ball, they look for each other with an absolutely beautiful connection. To me, the only way to describe their connection is: love. There is obviously total trust between them, and why shouldn’t there be? They each know that the other one will respond with ability, cleanliness, determination, and overall brilliance. For decades to come, we will debate which is the better, but there is no true answer to that. We are just so lucky to have them both. it seems to me we have two other superb combinations. One is Lever and May in the backline, and I think the word for their relationship is: respect. We also have Langdon and Hunt and to me the word for that is: fun. Or perhaps: joy. And for us supporters, the three words together: love, respect and joy.

I couldn’t back against us for the premiership but, for the grand final, Essendon would be the smoky there!

I will look forward to that. I remember him very well as an outstandingly strong mark and an absolutely shocking kick.

That sets out the All Australian team and their draft selection. Only 1 no 1 pick. 5 picks over 40 including one rookie draftee. I have always thought the draft is overrated and I think a club is mad to trade a good player for a draft pick. A draft pick is the hope of a good player; a good player is an actual good player.

So many great possibilities. We already have the best captain in the league. In waiting: Petracca, Oliver, Lever, maybe Brayshaw and then the generation after includes Jackson and possibly Bowey (Mr Cool Head)!

And I am next to certain that you see him shedding tears with Goody towards the end of the game. Hopefully he has enough of a bond for him to want to stay. Why can’t we maybe have him live in Adelaide but basically do Telehealth, plus fly over weekly for 2 days?

That’s interesting. As you say, selfless.

Three things in the change in the third quarter: Petracca turning it on Jackson Oliver going onto Bont and keeping him quiet (hardly noticed by anyone but Daisy).

I’m glad he’s staying. We have had an extraordinary run of luck with injuries but we can’t expect that to last. I’m certain he has the necessary desire and the necessary character to be an asset to the club. One day he will get it all together and then we might be very very happy that he has stayed.

I have always believed the draft is overrated. I would never trade a good player for a high draft pick. A high draft pick is a hope, a good player is a good player. The overvaluing of the draft can be seen if you go through the all Australian team in any year and check their draft positions. If the draft was completely effective, they would all be top 10 picks. They are not.

I have said for years, he’s our best since Barassi and now he’s heading towards being Barassi’s equal. However, I would not describe it as a “dramatic rise”; he has been outstanding since his first game in which, I believe, he polled two Brownlow votes. The other thing that the article doesn’t mention is a story that went around, I think, last year, that someone – it might have been Burgo - suggested to him that instead of hand passing as soon as he gets the ball, if it all possible he should take two or three steps at full pace and then dispose of it. He has obviously listened to that advice and it has taken his game to an even higher level.

9 - don’t forget Brian Dixon!

I have a memory of a Jakovich goal where he had a mark or freekick – can’t remember which – on the boundary line. Chris Langford was his opponent and was standing the mark. Jakovich ran in to kick but instead of kicking, he just kept going, straight at Langford, who did not know what to do. He was so bemused; Jakovich ran straight around him, and kicked the goal. It was outrageous play.

For us oldies: Hassa Mann v Hawthorn 1964.

Jeppers, Luke Hodge has been in a good paddock!