Frosticles

... or even ... 3D footy ... with added Snakes and Ladders

Just make it so that years 6, 7 or more are pro-rated against year 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in terms of how the AFL monitors the salary cap -- so you can still do a 6+ year deal, but all of that deal is treated as years 1-5 in the cap -- prevents lawsuits about "restraint of trade" and so on -- but perhaps that might introduce distortions in years 6+ so ... maybe ... dunno ... LOL

Just before 3/4 time I was busting for the loo and had to leave the room for a few minutes. As I was sitting on my throne and pondering our comeback (Brayshaw's goal gave us the lead) I could hear shouting from the other end of the house. I missed seeing the last minute of the 3rd quarter happen "live" so I missed the whole bang-bang-bang moment. "What happened, what happened?" Damn.

People are losing their minds. This thread is the evidence. LOL

Curious as to when people knew that 2024 was all over for them. I suspected we were not going to make finals all the way back after the R3 win over Port Adelaide. Our midfield got absolutely smashed that game and I have no idea how we actually ended up winning. But of course, I wasn't sure, just shocked. Getting the two wins in Adelaide papered over the cracks. Then Brisbane beat us on the MCG and my suspicions deepened. The loss to West Coast R10 was a bad omen ... but sometimes teams just have a bad one and the oppo play really well ... It was the demolition by Fremantle in R12 that ended season 2024 for me. Fortunately I was away o/seas for the middle part of the year and I didn't have to watch that debacle. I'm having bad flashbacks to 2019 and 2020 ever since.

Watched the game at home with my son. We were both so frustrated during that 2nd quarter. But I kept telling him how much I was enjoying the game overall. Really strong effort and intensity. I thought Viney had a great game too and was pleased he got up after we saw him on the ground in pain. Knowing it was Viney and not some normal human being, I thought someone might have near killed him. Fritsch is such a talented forward. If he has a fault, it's that he seems to be playing half-pace sometimes. But he knows how to use his body to bump to his advantage and no doubt he's a class kick for goal. But best on ground for mine -- for Melbourne -- was Cameron -- jeez I laughed at Jezza and laughed and laughed some more, as he kept missing his opportunities -- he had an absolutely filthy game -- and don't forget it was his complete lack of intensity and pressure in the first minute of the game that led to Windsor getting the ball and hacking a kick forward to Fritsch for a goal.

I was very impressed by Windsor. There were little things he did which don't get a stat but which won us the ball at the contest, or enabled us to break from a contest. Plus the run-down tackle to win holding the ball inside the Dogs F50. He's got smarts and speed.

Dead-eye Chandler

After the way we started today, I am just relieved to bank a win

It's hilarious being old -- I'd have to find room for Robbie Flower, Greg Wells, Brian Wilson, Peter Moore and a few others

Smoke. Fire. Its clear some serious stuff happened. But let's be clear what being a witness means. Don't throw the word around lightly. If you are a witness, you were there. You heard what was said, to whom it was said, when it was said. If you weren't there, you only know what you were told. That's what judges call hearsay, right? If there really are witnesses, then it's game over. Testimony from two or more people who were there, against someone else who denies it, is surely a slam dunk.

I'd like to see two things: (1) expand scope of inquiry to all clubs; and (2) expand scope of inquiry to all AFL players (not just indigenous, not just young). Of course, that won't/can't happen. But I think that is what is needed to determine: (A) whether this is just a Hawthorn or an industry-wide issue; and (B) whether this is racism, or age/new-player-related abuse/bullying, or some combination thereof.

Other musings: 1. does anyone think this is isolated to just Hawthorn? I expect it isn't. Just watched some of AFL 360 and listened to Eddie Betts and the others. Suggestion was made that all clubs need to do a review. How can they/we not do so? 2. does anyone think this is isolated to just indigenous players? I expect it isn't. If you asked all young players over the past 10 years how they've been treated, I wonder what we would learn? What a mess. Got to drag it all out into the light now.

My mum, God bless her, used to say "be sure your sins will find you out". What is surprising to me is that it has taken this long for this stuff to surface. I feel sick in the pit of my stomach, thinking about the pressure brought to bear on young people. I have young adult kids. If someone treated them the way some of these young AFL players have been treated, there would be hell to pay. If even half of the various allegations are true ... how does one explain the apparent lack of a moral compass ... and why weren't there some adults in the room who were prepared to speak up and intervene?

Yeah I'll do that -- brown coal though. not black -- hope that's alright