Skuit

I had a quick look. Your figures were correct according to AFL Tables and the AFL.com Match Centre stats (for the Essendon game). But my guess is that they've keyed them in the wrong column. My original perception stands though - he's had some unlucky frees against, and I've felt that these were a matter of not being afforded enough respect yet as a 'name' player. I also think this may be changing.

Exactly what I've been banging on about. The only hope for sustained success nowadays is in gaining an advantage through sacrifices in the area of player salaries. Build a culture and give a taste of success. Geelong and Hawthorn (and Sydney with their cap concessions). The former didn't bring in any big-ticket players during the course of their success either. My contention is that Jackson knows this is the model - and hence why all our core players are signed up until around 2019 and not beyond. We're banking on a tilt in the next couple years and then a reduction in follow-up contracts.

Really? I could have sworn there was one match where he had three bs frees given against him alone.

All roads lead to Melbourne. It seems lately that if we had a keen previous interest in you around draft time or if you were selected with a pick we traded then you will find your way to us in the end. Welcome to the Melbourne Football Club Jake Lever and Josh Kelly.

Could someone please tell the admin to pin the 'helmets don't help' response?

I'm not usually one for tapping into external or peripheral motivations. Or that the distant past bears any relation to the present. Or that our losing streaks against certain teams means anything other than we've been hopeless for a long time. But I think we should pin up the long list of losses against this mob in the locker-room with 'Make Melbourne Great Again!' scribbled over the top in big fat texta. Do it for the club boys!

BBO getting a traditional kimono tailored in red and blue in order score his free international student beer . . .

Ranked 67th* in Total Kicks. Must be crap. *made up figure.

He should teach Watts how to take a proper chest-mark. Although I'm not exactly sure the mechanics of how Trac manages them so cleanly in the contest himself.

I also trust the club (for as much understanding as they can have on the subject). Just got the impression that the two-week lay-off for concussion was mandatory as per reported club policy. And he's been listed as 'concussion'.

As above. He was given 'permission'. This would have come about by Barret letting the club know that he knew and leaning on it to publish. Concessions and caveats then follow. The club is perfectly capable of announcing it themselves. Why would Purple need to be involved? Because 'journalism'. I can just imagine the rush he got when he first got wind of the story and it makes me sick. I would hate to think we'd ever need a favour from the likes of him - but he probably thinks he's already given us one by not breaking the story over the weekend.

Have you ever worked in a newsroom Chris? Do you think it was us on the phone to him? He was given permission - which means he had the story and was pushing to publish. I could tell you almost exactly how the conversation likely went down. The fact that Purple and Caro are fed by the AFL doesn't make them any less of muck-rakers - and the AFL are complicit. They, and what they represent, are a modern blight on our sport.

You're in the right ball-park.

This is what I was told also. Could well be back in a couple weeks. Club doing the right thing and giving him some working space with public expectation (and I'm sure all the genuine time he needs).

I suspect a fair few people knew - even some on here - but that everyone respectfully kept the details out of the media/gossip columns. Till that purple pissant came along.

He reminds me of Dane Swan on occasion. But the good parts. And I would be disappointed somehow if he didn't end up better. Reasonable bar I've set there.

And if it was like that, and stayed like that, it would be a just about perfect finals scenario as well . . . West Coast travel the Nullabor to match up against us at the G'. Hehe. Port and Adelaide belt the absolute living bejeesus out of each other in the first week. Doggies account for GWS to send them packing; The Swans, Hawk, and Cats are nowhere to be seen. And Richmond come up against their bogey-team for another humiliating elimination final exit from 5th.

Here you go guys. Fixed. The ladder if two-goal (ahem, 13 point) thrillers were reversed . . . Melbourne 8 7 1 111.9% 28 Port Adelaide 8 6 2 150.2% 24 Adelaide 8 6 2 127.9% 24 West Coast 8 5 3 112.9% 20 Bulldogs 8 5 3 108.8% 20 Richmond 8 5 3 107.7% 20 Gold Coast 8 5 3 86.1% 16 GWS 8 4 4 120.5% 16 Geelong 8 4 4 116.5% 16 North Melb 8 4 4 92.8% 16

The Demonland biological censor test: [censored], semen, scrotum, penis, spermatozoon, anus, rectum, clitoris, [censored], labia majora, breasts, areola Why is [censored] banned but not penis?

Highlights the nullity of 'pressure acts' in isolation. The difference between 'corralling' and making the opposition absolutely [censored] themselves into a hurried disposal. You can see he's really getting his kicks from it and has had a few direct holding-the-ball rewards this season. The big improvement on last year: I said before that I actually thought he was down on touch on the weekend, but he didn't drop his head and kept the intensity up. And in some of the wins/losses where we've been behind toward the end, he's been consistently one of the few to really lift and try and create a spark up the field. Worth adding - since the preseason, I've noticed he's quite often there in the right spot when we've raffled a goal (one of Pedo's on the weekend was an example). Could have been on the end of a more still.

Pedo mentioned it used to feel like a funeral after losses (which, it should be pointed out, were every week). Even the pressers have that atmosphere. The 'I'm not angry, just disappointed routine' with a big dose of patronising school-teacher.

I actually think we're a sneaky chance to steal a flag this year. How's that for optimistic? The responses are predictable, but our best footy is as good or not better than anyone's this year, the harder-nosed teams are mostly languishing down the bottom, and we have home-ground travel advantage over the fancies. GWS are also as young and as inexperienced as us in the big dance. The problem is making the 8, and hopefully avoiding a trip to WA.

Apologies for the self-quotation, but I thought this was pretty amusing in the lead-up to the 2015 draft: 'I went to Bali with Vanders and Dom somewhere around round 21 and just emerged out of the back-end of the West Papuan jungle. I'm nowhere near up to speed, and usually pay little heed to draft prospect propaganda, but the kid appears to spend it before he has it in the best possible way. Seems to read the play a step ahead of normal human beings.' Ironically, I had no idea who Clayton Oliver was back then and was commenting on Darcy Parish.

Corey Maynard given a two week stand-down for concussion as per suggested club policy (as related by a posted via Brayshaw's dad) but Jayden Hunt 'test'?

It's going to be mighty interesting when these players become potentially available all at once and if we don't cop any further serious injuries. Especially if we just happen to be traveling well at the time: Gawn - probably goes without saying. Spencer - will maybe have a week or two ahead of the pack and then what? What if he plays a couple blinders? Pedo's form suggests he'll take the forward/ruck option (but not necessarily), although I believe that the club had genuinely been flirting with the dual-ruck idea - so will Pedo get squeezed out with Hogan and VDB also due back? And what if Tmac gets a full-time shift up forward and proves a missing ingredient? On top of all that, the club ideally want to get games into Weideman and the he may also 'click' over the next six weeks. VDB - I think he's rated far more highly internally than by many on here as a strong, mature body earmarked for the problematic HF role. Yet the club are evidently placing a premium on forward-pressure and athleticism and would we want to see him come in for Hannan/Kent? I believe that he's been pretty seriously hampered by injury the past two seasons and if he gets his ankles right he could reveal some surprising ability (based on the pre-season vs Port last year where he looked like he was ready to storm the league). Hogan - see the 'no Hogan effect' thread. People are already going as far as to suggest a move to CHB. The more sensible consensus is that he's better suited to a CHF role roaming up-field (although Watts is probably also better suited to this role), yet the club seem to want to persist with majority FF. Smith - again, the club appeared to have penciled him in as a best 25 and most of us liked what we saw in his brief senior cameo. There's also a sense that we're still not quite settled with our defensive line-up and there's an element of shakiness. Yet, Wagner may be in the same bracket and there's not really room for Frost, Tmac, Omac, Wagner and Smith down back. Of course, it will come down to form/new injuries etc, but providing everyone plays well until then, who will get the priority in selection if we're trying to establish our best 22 mix in a run to the finals?