Skuit

A bit disappointing that this club once again needs some form of external motivation to fire up, but I am still glad that they dug deep for my milestone 2000th post. I'll let Jack and Oscar chair me off. Or across the head. Whichever they see fit.

Don't get too excited JV7. Whenever we have the chance to break into the top-5 by beating a team below us on ladder by 30 goals we seem to fluff it. Just can't handle the pressure of expectation. Mental fragility still defines this club. Will never change.

It leaves me with a heavy heart that I'm not sure I will ever shake. Does anyone know if he dropped by to watch our Alice match?

Feels like we haven't had a really big one for a while. Watts has been threatening some massive grabs the past two seasons but takes his eyes off it at the point of contact (ball not man). Jeff was getting up a bit in his first year with us but doesn't fly anymore. Hannan looks a likely sort and Hunt could pull off a ripper. Harmes has courage in the air. Joel Smith?

That was his other one-hander. The one I'm referring to was at CHF - leapt for the ball, it got past him a bit, and he stuck out a hand and took it as clean as you like. Edit: Found it in this package. (His 5th game).

Get it done Dees.

Cheers Ash. A great reminder of Robbo's aerial talents (Jeremy Who?). Robbo always reminded me of a kid playing 'classic catches' into the pool - leapt early and threw his body in all directions to exaggerate the effect. But kept his eye on the ball. Missing: Liam Jurrah's one-handed grab in the air in the middle of a couple Cats. Always sticks in the mind. Took a couple seconds to work out what had happened. Freakish talent. Great work.

It's an annoying cliche but don't get too caught up in whether it's appropriate. Jane and Tarzan refer to characters from a work of fiction. That fiction may be dated in terms of gender representation (although hardly uncommon still with regard to Hollywood) but it's different from saying so and so plays like a girl etc. Personally, I find the term 'soft' to describe players as lacking in class.

Cheers for one of the funnier things I've read in a long while. Jack Watts is going to go and intimidate the newbie!? Even his wildest apologists wouldn't make a case for this ever being a possibility. But my god, it would be entertaining to watch it unfold and see the response. I'll become a monarchist on the spot if it does. Long live the Queen!

thankyoumuchlystevetheman. Stat Heaven. And an unusually reflective AFL.com article. Firstly: Intercept Possessions? If Tmac intercepts in defense and passes off to O-Brother Where Art Thou is that an intercept-possession stat for Oscar? Spoils? Is there a 'spoils lost' stat for flying in a pack or crossing for coverage and allowing your direct, grounded opponent to score? It won't come up in the one-on-one column . . . or anywhere else. Both Macs have been highly guilty of this this year (with Goody's encouragement). Omac could pick up 8.8 spoils this way yet leak four goals for failed attempts and still be considered elite in this category without a losing corresponding stat. Of note: Tmac is pretty much nowhere to be seen. Is he just average at everything? Lynden still one of the top one-on-one defenders. Yet jettisoned. Just another confirmation of where our priorities are at. But top-five in meters gained? Do kick-outs get recorded? Maybe a bit of reach? Talia for e.g. has five one-on-ones per match. He wins 49% (2 and a half contests) of those and loses 16.5ish (one and a bit), with the other 35% split. Across ten games that's 50 one-on-one contests for the season with 24.5 won, 8.25 lost and 17.25 split. A couple of those go the other way and the percentages change quite dramatically. Surprised not to see Kade Simpson in any of the stats. But haven't watched much Blues this year at all. Has he dropped off dramatically, or is it an issue with stats being assessed after a position is determined? (note: Kade here is being used as a synecdoche for my point). Alex Rance is a dick. Out. .

From: Bugg, Melksham, Harmes, JKH, OMac, Spencer, Wagner Some talk on here previously of whether Spencer should actually come back in and I kind of understand it. Is it better knowing you're going to lose the taps than it going back to a 50/50 thing? That said: Spencer can cover as a tall forward and Pedo is capable in defense. So, with Collingwood relatively small up front, Spence in for Omac gives a little extra flexibility. Salem for Wagner. More flexibility again. And JKH coming in would be ridiculous. In: Spencer, Salem Out: Omac, Wagner

Is Ling a redhead or a ginge? I've never been able to work out if there's a difference . . .

A couple quick questions Saty if I may; Why do you say Hullet has had to play as a defender for Casey 'out of necessity'? Have they had holes back there or it is it a Roos-Fitzpatrick style move as a last ditch effort? And what is it about Benken specifically that makes you think he may be delisted? Something you've picked up on around the boys or just a hunch with non-selection etc?

And if Nev's surname was Selwood he'd have a couple extra frees per game. The most hit-in-the-head non-rewarded player I can recall.

This is worth re-quoting. Often, and whenever necessary. This, you may want to double-check the contemporary usage of the phrase. (I can't Freud for [censored], but I can pedantize till Armageddon ).

What is Spencer going to say when we offer him another one-year contract with the off-chance he might get a game vs. a three year-offer somewhere else with more opportunity and likely more cash? Spanks for the memories.

I don't own a hat. But I'll go out and buy one just to eat it if we end up with Kurt. Seems to fly in the face of what we've been trying to create as our player model. Where did these rumours come from?

Mitch will do.

Where Demonland posters go to get their insights on the MFC . . . Nasher: ToG% stats on Match Centre. Saty: the Viney-family garden. ProDee: bah. Ethan Tremblay: reruns of Hawaii Five-O. SWYL: 9/11 footage. Beezlebub: The scoreboard stupid. Old Dee: The 1965 VFL season almanac. Wiseblood: the contraindication info on the back of a Percocet packet. BBO: subspace Picket: sheeeit! I am the ORACLE!!! Stevetheman: the police report from that time Oscar tripped over his cat the clumsy stupid doofus. Stuie: Stuie’s facebook page. Clint Bizkit: personal stopwatch splits for players getting behind their mark. hemingway: whisky and soda. Puntkick: whisky and rum. AF: Dom Tyson.

Cheers Deespicable for the enjoyable read.

Would be surprised to see Spencer stay. Add in Lumumba as a certainty, and Trengove as a near certainty. I imagine we'll also cut our losses with Garland. And Mitch White is looking shaky to retain a rookie spot at the moment (two years up - how does it work if a player was elevated at some stage?). That's four seniors gone from the main list. And the quality of our delistings is getting better each year. Might be in for a few surprises. We also haven't traded a decent player out for years - so we're probably unaccustomed as fans to expect such. This is also Goody's first full year at the helm - even Roos was somewhat conservative first-off with his delistings. I think Simon will be keen to make his mark (in his own mould, or the Demons 'brand') - and anyone not showing enough competitive spirit or not daring enough might be facing the axe. A quality player such as Stretch might still not have the desired moxy in Simon's mind. And I've made my point on Watts. Tea leaves: the footy dept. see something in JKH that escapes me and may stay. Hullet perhaps in trouble. Kent on the serious outer. ANB and Bugg safe. Kennedy a bit of a mystery. Johnstone really not adjusting as expected. Maynard and J. Smith are liked (and probably T. Smith also). McKenna - who knows? My random prediction: another 8-9 turned-over from the primary list with a few surprises in store.

Added bonus in getting Levi would be to contribute further to the Blues' forward-line diaspora. Betts Casboult Garlett Waite Kennedy I'm Forgetting Someone

You've swayed me with your insightful analysis. We should just get Fyfe and Dusty instead.

Kicking straighter than anyone at the Dees this year. I know, right? Been working with Sav Rocca and the shrinks. Trigger warning: John Ralph. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/carlton/levi-casboult-has-realised-goalkicking-is-about-more-than-physical-routine-its-a-mental-game/news-story/e3847aa3d78eebbcdffec81ecbbbab41

Five, six, you screwed your picks. Seven, eight, it's now far too late . . .