Skuit

We'll get them this year. Well, according to my dodgy rendition of mathematical odds, there's a 80% chance of 100% of a 33% chance that we'll get them this year. It's looking likely (to me) we'll both finish in the bottom half of the 8, where we will play one of three other teams in an elimination final, and if it's them we'll beat them hands down.

Managing the ruck component of a list is a constant tightrope nowadays with high mid rotations and no spare spot on the bench for a #2. If your back-up is good enough as a back-up he'll want games and be lured elsewhere - an issue compounded by the time it takes to develop a ruck in-house. You need a second ruck with a second discipline and then an insurance ruck in the waiting.

How would this work? Players just walk from their clubs? Why would any team release a ruckman to us? And what's stopping our opposition from targeting M. King in an effort to undermine our chances further?

I'm quite aware of who went after JKH in the draft. There were a few teams interested in Brown. I've often wondered if we were one of them, and that if maybe we hastily abandoned our draft approach when JKH unexpectedly slid - be it with Brown or whoever else was intended. My post of course was borne of frustration - I really wish we had bothered to target a forward/ruck at some stage rather than recruit an undersized mid with limited pace.

Out: Pick 40 - Jay Kennedy Harris In: Pick 47 - Ben Brown Yes - unnecessarily snarky and partially a matter of hindsight.

I can't express how lovely it is for my inner-peace having Michael Hibberd in our back-line.

I'm not going to argue with you but sometimes I'm staggered at how two people's perceptions watching the same game can be so radically far apart.

Weids. You're into the ruck this week young man. Go earn your keep.

We've been playing with a super-charged level of intensity at times this year (the most I've ever seen from the MFC). If our rotations are hit we are going to struggle late in matches.

With a 30+ point lead in place.

The thing is, Oliver is being continually lauded by the coaching department for his acceleration into packs.

I am certainly excited to hear that Trac is into the midfield this evening, and I'm by no means conservative, but I find the metaphorical footy comparisons to erections and ejaculation a very very odd development in Australian culture. Is it because of that Safe Schools thing?

Really appreciating your reports @Melon22. I get a real sense of objective balance. Cheers and well done.

Be fair. If it was North Korean radio scripting the AFL's report, we would hear, 'Our Exulted Supreme leader Kim-Gil McLachlan has Single-Handedly officiated every AFL game in the History of Time and committed 0 errors while contributing a record 16 million goals across all proud and beatific member-teams.' I suppose it does sound somewhat familiar.

You can hear it every week from the AFL.

Play like we did against the Cats and we will destroy them by no less than 8 goals (with 5 of them made up from accumulated behinds).

The thread is things you'd like to hear - not things you're likely to hear. I think the idea is to exaggerate a bit.

Unlucky, but not necessarily random. Sniped after the kick. ANB plotting to take his spot. There may be elements that can still be addressed to reduce the potential for knocks - such as learning to be more alert to the whereabouts of opponent and ball.

If we lose, it'll already be double-duty without Nasher absconding. Deleting the proliferating threads alone will be a full-time workload.

Anyone else have this horrible sinking feeling something something mojo? What's Tammy doing nowadays? I think I need her help.

We had the exact same sample in the past two years (to go with a Queen's Bday triumph) and it didn't do us much lasting good. Our real problem is that we can't play on the small stage.

Two matches. Broken jaw.

As well as Puop-aloo. @Biffen must've missed this open invite or gone to bed.

Is it the way he plays? Didn't we at one stage have to remodel Viney's body-positioning or approach to packs or tackles or something? Is he susceptible to concussions from moderate head-knocks? I'm scratching my brain trying to come up with an ethical way to test for this.

Are tackles a targeted KPI for Pedo? 8 is pretty good from the big man . . .