Leopold Bloom

So 100 years ago, the Hawks were road kill. I think they stole our thunder from the late 1960s after which they became a regular power and we were meh for so long.

We were favourites against Norf.

I’ll have a crack: Carlton and Melbourne are both out of finals contention with six wins and eleven losses, and are undoubtedly the two most underwhelming and disappointing teams of 2025. Both had high expectations at the start of participating and advancing deep into the finals, but instead, they have consistently underperformed and disappointed themselves and their supporters throughout the year. However, I am inclined to give the Demons the benefit of the doubt, as they have made some progress in addressing their issues after a disastrous start. In contrast, the Blues are struggling across the board and do not appear to be making any notable improvements. They are regressing, and a significant loss is looming on Saturday night. Max Gawn in the ruck will be huge and the Demon midfield have a point to prove after lowering their colours in so many close calls.

A very tactful comment from Bucks.

Good health Dees

You can take out Johnson and Jefferson. Billings is available.

From a match report “James Jordon impressed with 26 disposals and a fourth-quarter goal playing on-ball. He could prove an important player in Sydney’s midfield mix if Gulden is forced to miss a chunk of time.”

Has there been any announcement about Shane McAdam’s status on the list?

Followed by the conversion …

Doesn’t really matter because the link is fairly tenuous and there’s no tie unless the player in question is an NGA or in the father/son category or the family comes from Samoa.

First squad members announced and Kozzy is in!

Kanga the clown at the MRC is making himself look stupid with his ill-conceived comments about dog walkers at the racecourse. The vast majority of residents want this redevelopment to happen and happen sooner rather than later.

The pair who trialled at Melbourne and some other clubs in October were Eoin McEvoy (County Derry) and Davy Colbert (County Dublin). Bith tested well at the combines and are elite Gaelic footballers while McEvoy is a top line young rugby player. Both tested well at the draft combine but as yet, have not signed on to play AFL in 2025. You are thinking of two other Irish players. Geelong signed Cillian Burke of Kerry as a Category B rookie in late October while St Kilda similarly signed young Gaelic prodigy Eamonn Armstrong from County Meath last week.

Up and about in Mansfield.

Is there no insurance cover for a situation like Brayshaw’s?

If that’s right then we play our only Thursday night and our only Friday night game for the year against Richmond. This at least is an indicator that we play this year’s (and likely next year’s) wooden spooner twice. One benefit from finishing in the bottom third of the ladder is a notionally easier fixture. If we win games, then the fans will come in the long run and if we stay fit and healthy as a side then we have a much better opening to play finals football which is what it’s all about.

Surprised to pick up the paper this morning and not find an article on the back page blasting the club for the absence of some of our top players from training and speculating that there are open rifts and cultural issues connected to anonymous tip off the writer received from a bloke in the toilets on Oaks Day.

We’ve had a review of the football department and Goody has now been cleared by whatzisname of anything to do with drugs as has been falsely reported. Time to move on …

Anyone else sick of Michael Warner’s style of agenda journalism and the way he’s gloating today about so-called arrogance from the MFC. Pot. Kettle. Black.

Rough to get suspended the night we played against Port in the rain in 2023. Was doing well until then and slipped in form after that game.

The first night of the AFL Draft promises to be an exciting one for the club. This is the order of the first round as it stands before the final day of haggling.

While talks for a number of trades continued, the Demons maintained their composure and snaffled a late trade welcoming Harry Sharp to the fold.

With picks 5 and 9 we virtually don’t have to worry about the second night of the draft. Just do your thing in the first hour of the first night JT!

This is the top 30 list from today’s Age 1. Sam Lalor GWV Rebels/Vic Country Midfielder/forward, 187cm, 30/8/2006

 2. Levi Ashcroft Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro Midfielder, 179cm, 18/12/2006 3. Alix Tauru Gippsland Power/Vic Country Tall defender, 191cm, 16/11/2006
 4. Jagga Smith Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro Midfielder, 181cm, 28/1/2006 5. Harvey Langford Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country Midfielder, 190cm, 15/3/2006 

6. Isaac Kako Calder Cannons/Vic Metro Forward, 175cm, 7/3/2006 7. Finn O’Sullivan Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro Midfielder, 182cm, 30/5/2006 8. Josh Smillie Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro Midfielder, 194cm, 17/5/2006 9. Leo Lombard GC Suns Academy/Allies Midfielder, 178cm, 5/10/2006 10. Sid Draper South Adelaide/South Australia Midfielder, 180cm, 5/7/2006 11. Harry Armstrong Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro Tall forward, 195cm, 14/6/2006 12. Tobie Travaglia Bendigo Pioneers/Vic Country Defender/midfielder, 187cm, 26/10/2006 13. Xavier Lindsay Gippsland Power/Vic Country Midfielder, 183cm, 3/8/2006 14. Luke Trainor Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro Tall defender, 194cm, 10/4/2006 15. Joe Berry Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country Forward, 180cm, 18/4/2006 16. Taj Hotton Sandringham Dragons Midfielder/forward, 182cm, 17/6/2006 17. Jobe Shanahan Bendigo Pioneers/Allies Tall forward, 194cm, 2/8/2006 18. Murphy Reid Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro Midfielder/forward, 181cm, 30/7/2006 19. Bo Allan Peel Thunder/Western Australia Defender/midfielder, 191cm, 16/2/2006 20. Ollie Hannaford GWV Rebels/Vic Country Forward, 180cm, 1/9/2006 21. Sam Marshall Sandringham Dragons/Allies/Brisbane Lions Academy Midfielder, 185cm, 19/1/2006 22. Jack Whitlock Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country Tall forward, 200cm, 16/5/2006 23. Jonty Faull GWV Rebels/Vic Country Tall forward, 195cm, 1/2/2006 24. Alex Dodson Sturt/South Australia Ruckman, 203cm, 15/6/2006 25. Jesse Dattoli Northern Knights/Vic Metro Midfielder/forward, 179cm, 7/8/2006 26. Matt Whitlock Murray Bushrangers/Vic Country Tall forward/defender, 199cm, 16/5/2006 27. Cooper Hynes Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Metro Midfielder/forward, 190cm, 28/2/2006 28. Tom Gross Oakleigh Chargers/Vic Metro Midfielder/forward, 181cm, 15/9/2006 29. Harrison Oliver Sandringham Dragons/Vic Metro Defender, 181cm, 15/6/2006 30. Christian Moraes Eastern Ranges/Vic Metro Midfielder, 183cm, 8/11/2006

Unless the club can start the draft with three picks in the top 20, I fear that we won’t be coming out with much more than little things.