Chook

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but in 5 quarters of footy against the Dockers this year, we've been outscored by around 135 points. That's got to be some kind of record, doesn't it? Having said that, in the other 3 quarters, we've smashed them by around 85. I've long thought of Freo and Melbourne as the two teams who's gap between good and bad is the greatest. This just emphasizes that fact.

I think you and I are in the minority, buddy.

God, I remember that Sunday night. We were on top of the ladder and I was playing soccer in the back yard thinking, for the first time (I'm only 19) "[censored], we could actually win a Premiership." Fast forward to our 5-point loss against Essendon in the Elimination Final just a month later and my emotions could not have been further apart. After that loss, I just felt sick to my stomach until at least a week after the Grand Final. To me, that year was a million times more disappointing than our loss to the Dons in 2000 because, let's face it, nobody but the Blues were ever a chance of knocking them off that year. As some Essendon player once put it, "Footy sucks sometimes."

Don't let anyone fool you. We are a dead-set chance to win less than 5 games next year, too.

Where's Yze_Magic when you need him?

Johnson of the Dockers sprays a kick from just inside 50, scoring a behind. Fremantle 2.6.18 Melbourne 6.3.39

Buckley injured from a pack marking contest as a Miller kick is touched on the line, resulting in a behind. Fremantle 1.5.11 Melbourne 6.3.39 Freo getting it together as Pavlich marks 35 out, directly in front, from a good passage of play though the middle. Goal. Fremantle 2.5.17 Melbourne 6.3.39

Ibbotson sneaks a goal from one of the worst passages of football I have ever seen. Fremantle 1.5.11 Melbourne 6.2.38

A goal to Jamar from 35 directly in front, from a pass by Brad Miller. Fremantle 0.4.4 Melbourne 6.2.38 Jamar's around-the-ground work is a little better this week, as the Dockers kick another behind, this time from a shot outside 50. Fremantle 0.5.5 Melbourne 6.2.38

Another behind to the Dockers from an errant kick to Pavlich. Fremantle 0.4.4 Melbourne 5.1.31 A rushed behind spoiling a nearly magical Davey goal. Fremantle 0.4.4 Melbourne 5.2.32

Rushed behind to Fremantle, tapped through by Garland. Fremantle 0.3.3 Melbourne 5.1.31 Fremantle still goal-less but playing a little better this quarter.

Couldn't agree more. If we can keep this up, we might be in front by 50 points by half time. And we all know that games between Melbourne and Freo are always decided by then, right? I was kind of hoping Jonesy would be a little more prominent, given what happened to him las time these two teams played.

Ibbotson gets a free inside 50 and shanks the kick. A behind. Fremantle 0.2.2 Melbourne 5.1.31 Valenti having a good game also.

Johnson marks inside 50 directly in front and slots another. Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 5.1.31 As good as we're playing, Freo are not here to play, and as Demons, we all know how frustrating that can be.

Morton sharks a loose ball from a stoppage inside 50 and runs into an open goal. You little ripper! Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 4.1.25 Freo don't look like scoring and the Demons' pressure is insane. Good skills too.

Brad Miller kicks a good goal from 40 meters out as a direct result of a Ryan Crowley 50 meter penalty for arriving late to a marking contest against Valenti. Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 2.1.13 The dees are on fire, as Newton kicks a ripper from the boundary. Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 3.1.19

A loose ball dribbles through our goals and we score a behind. Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 1.1.7 Aaron Davey getting so much of the ball.

Chris Tarrant scores a Tarrant-like behind from 30 meters out, directly in front Fremantle 0.1.1 Melbourne 1.0.6

Miller's playing a little too far up the ground for my liking. Would prefer him closer to goal. Good run down by Newton. Good to see.

Good point. I hope so too, as Cale Morton kicks the first goal of the game. Fremantle 0.0.0 Melbourne 1.0.6 Aaron Davey looking lively.

Come on, purple, green and red are perfectly cromulent colours.

I've always thought of setting up a team where the players all look the same, so that they'd get lost in all the symmetry. If your entire team looked like Jones, Chapman and so on, the better players would be more difficult to man up specifically, especially if they interchanged often and ran up and down the gound a lot, changing their positions. Just a thought.

He seems like a pretty cool guy. Loves the game and has natural talent, but knows how unimportant football is in the scheme of things. I hope he continues to do himself and his mother proud.

Don't underestimate what MacGyver could do with a wooden spoon, a newspaper and some tape. The guy could probably win a Premiership with it. Particularly with a couple of good draft picks.

I think the new teams will definately benefit the game once they develop a two or more generation supporter-base (i.e. parents and their kids), but until then, I hope the AFL as a whole stays strong, including some of the smaller Clubs.