Skuit

Some of the scheduling hard-ships Richmond have faced this year: An 8- and a 9-day break in the first five rounds. Consecutive 6-breaks on one occasion: with a resultant walloping by Adelaide and a defeat to the Dogs. A nasty travel schedule of Brisbane and then Adelaide within a one-month block. Go Crows.

Paul Roos snapped up Lumumba in an instant and played Dawes whenever fit despite some serious on-field short-comings. He's keen on certain personalities and has his blind-spots like anyone else.

Stringer to Essendon is set in some fateful stone in at least my mind. Something about the name/player/clubs involved but it's as good as mentally done for me. Motlop to the Festival State isn't far behind in this regard. Trengove to the Bullgogs seems a given. Excess GWS players to Carlton as per usual. We're running out of the slimmer-pickings. Hope there's still some bargains for us. Menzel maybe?

This is the most done deal on gut-feel in recent MFC history*. Well, maybe Hibberd as well. We're gonna pay what feels like slight overs in wage and trade, and then we're all going to forget about after Round One, 2018, just like Hibberd this year. *So why do I insistently keep checking this thread for any hint of an indicative rumour?

How did we get three pages in without anyone directly questioning the bolded statement? Clarry clean-cut? Otherwise, I think there is something there deep down in the hypothesis. I'm not sure that Jack Watts would have had the level of defence that he has had with our supporters as compared to certain other clubs. And we do turn against/shy away from any hints of impropriety rather quickly despite the potential upside. Garlett was a win with a checkered history. But mention someone with the level of latent talent as Stringer and most immediately balk as if he has the ability to poison the club at its very roots.

G. Ablett (Gold Coast) traded to Geelong for D. Lang. Imagine crystal-balling that sentence with the bookies ten years ago? You'd be richer than Jake Lever is going to be.

Bulldogs 2016 and Tigers 2017 would seriously devalue Demons 2018. Go Crows.

The poor form of our players returning from injury this season was curious. It hasn't been an issue in the past. Misson was in the same role in the past. So it must be a result of something new. Goodwin is something new.

I've avoided the post-mortem thread, but; we had injuries like anyone else and then we had mounting injuries on top of that courtesy of our super-challenging back-end fixture. We had some pretty poor showings in the front half - Freo, Hawks, Essendon and even the Suns, so it's hard to claim injuries, but by the time we'd accounted for the Bulldogs I thought we'd ironed out some of the kinks and were ready to peak. And then a crazy schedule of short turn-arounds exacerbated by travel to all points and the resultant struggle with a massive injury-list. This, while fielding one of the youngest teams in the comp most weeks. We have some other issues, but we undoubtedly missed out on the finals due to our fixture/and then injuries (which can at least to some extent be attributed to our fixture). Still, I have two questions: Is our game-style contributing to the injury-list? And as to the 'other issues', is our game-style difficult to execute when the intensity is lacking in return?

Hate to say it, but I use to experience a Demons/Crows clash (as one of the very few). If we were to meet them in the Granny and they finished above us, I would just have to suck it up I suppose. I'd rather not lose a coin-toss going in. But god forbid we win a flag wearing that white Bali monstrosity of this year.

Greater detail as to your creative vision? You're amongst friends here - lay it out.

If you'd put your foot down over Fitzpatrick and/or Toumpas you could have celebrated a premiership by now.

The AFL doesn't have any outwardly homosexual competitors to parade before the media so it forwarded a Kiwi and and two unfortunate hairstyles to demonstrate its diversity and commitment to anti-discrimination.

We've demonstrated that we're a fair club when it comes to trading. We have some chips in our favour if we're the chosen destination, but there are of course some other factors in play. I think somewhere between a first and a third (or a commensurate player) is fair for Jake - muddied slightly by the suggestion of a disparity in 2017/18 draft quality and current/projected placings - but that's exactly what I expect the end result will be. I think a 1st and 2nd (2017) is about right, and that the Crows should be pretty happy with that. If it falls somewhere close to that either side I'll be happy also.

McQueen - have you ever visited the Daintree? Quite another substance for that toast. Indeed, they just bake it straight into their bread and cookies.

Thought this was going to be an announcement of our new offensive coach. Was strangely okay with the notion.

Judd's Granny is an anagram of Grand Nu Sydj'. Grand New Sigil? A flag could be considered a type of sigil, right? Bam! The Riddler has been Scooby-Doo'd and we're still three weeks shy of Trade Week.

Hey wait. How come you get to say [censored] and we can't?

That's stone-cold dee-tox. You sound like you work in the financial sector.

I saw Bruce McAvaney looking at real estate in Western Sydney so it must be true. He said the region was special but I think he was exaggerating a touch.

For all those lauding Trenners for his perseverance and commitment to the club, Jake Spencer probably deserves a small mention too, no? Sentiment shouldn't be based solely on talent. The big guy gave ten years to the club and had his career cruelled by injury also, as well as the misfortune to get stuck behind a pair of AA rucks (without seeking better opportunities). Well done Jake, and thanks for your loyal service. And for those criticising Jake for injuring himself this year, while demonstrating his commitment to the contest; seriously?

Do we get to learn the identity of the Riddler? I suspect Nasher is somehow in on it.

As said, it's my first time reading Doyle, but based on my supreme powers of deduction, I can best presume that beware of the 'damned waterfall' can only refer to this . . .

Articulate as always puntkick. But judging by your post I'm not sure if you're infuriated by a man named Dan or a toy called Troy?

I have a degree in literature but was just reading Conan-Doyle for the very first time in my life today. It has to be a sign, old Watson. Or a 'sign of four' (including Lever, Kelly and Motlop).