Skuit

I had to double-check you hadn't misspelled Petracca on this description. Could ex-ball players Petrucelle and Petracca come together to perfect the 'petra-dish' (TM) in the MFC forward line? Need to get Bugg in that mix as well. Apologies - I'm avoiding a work assignment. Please carry on with your adult discussions.

This is a classic Paul Roos move coming out of the Cattery. Put a casual focus on a perceived inequity with a mildly disruptive play and then quietly walk away. I see the Cats have backed down now.

A big congrats to Bernie on his 208th career game. Hope the club sees fit to relax the drinking restrictions so the boys can have a small celebration.

Baulderstone - absolutely yes. Big body and beautiful booming kick for a ruck. Put him in an AFL program and see how he goes. Barry - I was going to raise his name the other day when someone argued the merits of sending JKH to Darwin, because, you know, he's indigenous and all that. I think Neeld thought the same and selected Dom for the trip. His blistering speed wasn't much use on the day finishing with maybe one kick and a handball (though, to be fair, I think he may have been the sub).

You went and got a tattoo after just a four-game winning streak? Would love to be around for your post-GF celebrations.

Last time I went (2015) I caught a regular bus from Casuarina. And I'm pretty certain it was free even without a match ticket. Otherwise, public transport is super cheap in Darwin.

I'm a fan but seriously, talking of trading a player is not highly disrespectful. Indeed, his name was raised as having some genuine trade value - i.e. he was respected as a player. Todd Viney and Jason Taylor must be some nasty pieces of work.

Jack 'Ruby' Watts?

Yup, and JKH hasn't been seen since.

Jake's girlfriend is a private-school teacher, right? Surely the esteemed MFC is far better placed to cough cough help her with potential employment opportunities than those ferals out West?

How about if ProDee agrees to exchange 'gun-shy' for 'tentative' or 'hesitant', and you can use 'unfair' in place of 'outrageous', and we can prevent this forum from sounding like Hansard or the Herald Sun comments section?

Love this, but I desperately want to come against Richmond and Geelong again in our march on the flag. (Note: will regret writing this no doubt - no need to bump - I'll take superstitious revenge on myself). Anywho, great to look ahead, but a few weeks back I would have said we'd be good for at least six wins. Future injuries and return-from-injury-form will play a part. We're banking on the return of some of our key players, but lose some others along the way due to the extra workload or misfortune and we could be focaccias. I won't raise specific examples.

How am I coping? Through alcohol. Just the same as when we were losing, but now it's to calm the nerves and in celebration. Hooray.

It can't be understated how much I hate pineapple in curry . . .

I'm not saying I personally think it's an issue. But if a slight alteration in the events on the w/e would have likely led to a serious public outcry followed by ad hoc AFLHQ tinkering, then they haven't thought it through or they have a contingency without a plan.

If ANB had taken the full-allotment and turned around and kicked 15m laterally toward the boundary or slightly backwards to a player within say a fifty-sixty meter range (Tmac for example, who would be more of a bet from that position than ANB from 40m), there would be serious media/public fall-out this week and a working committee assembled to come up with some adjustment in the rules. It demonstrates there's an issue. And that the AFL doesn't generally conduct thought experiments when implementing new rules.

That's one helluva honeymoon. I'll step in as proxy: Tyson's disposal continues to improve - not a single clanger on the w/e. Watts still not going hard enough on occasion. Jake Melksham best-on with 6 tackles.

Is there something going on with Goody and Jay? Really, really vague recollection, but there was a comment at a post-match presser early on, and I'm pretty sure it was Clark who had asked a question re. an injury or potential MRP issue - of which Goody obviously didn't know the full details yet. There was a loaded response from Goody, along the lines of, 'look, we're going to find out more later, and I can you a call during the week'. And a memory of Goody empahsizing Jay's name in the same slightly odd manner he did on the weekend. The only reason I can remember it, was my thoughts at the time were something like, 'why would you bother calling him?' - and that it felt there was a definite subtext which I couldn't quite work out. Please note, my memory is generally pretty destroyed. There would have been a few football reporters digging around Simon during the Essendon saga - wonder if he's got some slight grudges - or favours owed?

There's some seriously mangled straws here with the strength you've clutched at them. A contested mark in the forward line guarantees a shot on goal. Curnow and Casboult took 10 of them while Tmac, Hogan and Pedo combined for 3. Weids has taken 5 for his career. It also allows for an easy solution to a flooded forward-half. A contested mark on the defensive flank means relieving the pressure of a forward press and can open up the opposition behind. Don't know how many Docherty and co. picked up in this regard but it felt like a heap. On the attacking side, a contested mark on the forward-flank results in a repeat deep forward-50 entry and a disruption to kick-in plans/confidence. It's not a thread about our wins/losses, but while we may have just beaten Carlton despite our deficiencies, the ultimate difference in our loss to North Melbourne was for this same reason - out-marked in crucial areas of the field. It's also not a thread about contested marking, but my original point was more along the lines that it's understandable that we look sideways in envy when young players like Curnow come straight in and can impact by taking big, sure-handed grabs. Weid will come good. In fact, I think he has the tools to become a better contested marker than Hogan.

An important step into the bargaining phase. There are many who are only just now progressing from denial to anger.

Yes. And Pedo. But our prized young forwards aren't particularly threatening in a pack situation.

Yup. We have a 1-1 record against teams above us and a clean travel sheet. We've been dealing with key injuries all year, and the loss to Sydney was a clear product of fixturing. I understand the supporter apprehension with our inconsistent performances, but we have to get used to the idea that we're now competing with the top echelon of teams. It wasn't so long ago that we were bemoaning a couple of the unlucky losses - which, had the results been reversed, would see us on top of the ladder right now. Would we still be writing off the GWS game if that were the case?

Yup. We have a 1-1 record against teams above us and a clean travel sheet. We've been dealing with key injuries all year, and the loss to Sydney was a clear product of fixturing. I understand the supporter apprehension with our inconsistent performances, but we have to get used to the idea that we're now competing with the top echelon of teams. It wasn't so long ago that we were bemoaning a couple of the unlucky losses - which, had the results been reversed, would see us on top of the ladder right now. Would we still be writing off the GWS game if that were the case?

It's the goddamn contested marking. Every single week we get flogged in contested marking. It makes you look sideways with envy when young oppo kids pop up and add to the party while ours are praised for their ability to 'bring the ball to ground'. May as well use our first pick on gravity.

I said at the start of the year that once Stretch gains some more confidence he'll become a solid citizen in our team. But I'm really not so confident myself anymore that he can make it in our set-up. His confidence hasn't come, but I think it's due to the speed we're trying to move the ball. Seems to be a tad slow in decision-making and off the first step - also doesn't have the strength to shrug contact. And it's leading to fumbles. It's hard to pin-down, but there's something about his positioning or initial movement on receiving the ball - like he's always pointed in the wrong direction or can't pivot tight or evades to the indirect space. Ben Kennedy does this far better - snatching the ball in close from under or around of a pack and forging a direct line to goal. Disposal an issue but so it is with the MFC. I think Billy is a decent ball player, but perhaps not best suited for Goodwin's Demons. In: BenKen Out: Stretch Gawn, Smith and Hoges evidently underdone but to go again. Pedo and Gawn may have to swap roles until Gawn gets his body right. Kent rusty - but somehow headed in the right direction. Wagner a big improvement on last week, and much better disposal than earlier in the season. Although it's super-clear we're hurting with injuries - smashed in the clearances with Jones, Jack and Dom out, and lacking the delivery class of Watts and Salem, we beat Adelaide last time through pressure not class. And we have the scraggers and hustlers in place. Watts and Tyson to save themselves a flight and get super-fit and fresh for Port at home. Go Dees.