Skuit

I'm holding JKH responsible for Nat's cheekbone. WTF was that hospital ball?

You're right. My mistake.

So I wandered over to BigFooty and some bloke posted this in the rumours thread: 'The deal is effectively signed off on. Gaff to Melbourne on $1.2M for 5 years with a side trade to WC of a very promising young mid. This trade facilitates a smooth transition. Gaff's manager is in Perth this week to finalise the details with WC. We met Melbourne end of last week. Evidently it is all remarkably amicable.' Passes the first filter of my bs detector as to language/content (though the reported cost is quite something) and fits with my vibe on the subject. But the side-trade of a promising young mid? And I assume we get something decent trade-wise in return for it all to be above board. Any idea/speculation who these parties might be if the post is accurate? Note: the suggested offer from our side and the trade facilitation for a matchable restricted agent doesn't exactly match up, but maybe the figure is off the mark or that is indeed Gaff's worth on the newly inflated market.

The last potential finals ladder manipulation occurrence that springs to mind was I think 2015 and involved us. The memory is very vague, but my recollection is that if Freo tanked against us in the last home and away round they could play the Eagles in WA in the first round of the finals rather than travel to Geelong. They didn't tank, and went on to score a rare win at Kardinia after playing exceptionally well. But it was maybe Blight who suggested in the lead-up that they should tank - and that speculation alone is an incredibly bad look for the AFL and exposes the flaws in the current finals system. I've been banging on about the potential of a higher-placing finals travel disadvantage for years as to our nation-wide competition and 'double-chances' - and I'm horrified that it may be us who cops the exact worse scenario this year (placing behind a WA team in second with a Vic team in fifth against an interstate or weak team in 8th).

This was the close to scenario I was talking about. We win all four and swap with GWS and the path to the GF becomes harder. Crazy - but we need to drop one of our matches. Even sixth could end up better than third.

Third will be a horrible spot to finish. A likely trip to Western Australia - the second in a month - and then a potential return to play 5th spot - possibly vs Collingwood or Hawthorn - at 'home' - possibly again after one of these Vic teams played the same venue vs 8th spot the week before without having to travel. Finals format is flawed. We need to take it easy the next few weeks. And a tank may be on in round 23 if third spot is in play.

220 × 293 - en.wikipedia.org

To me it looked like the ball actually went through the points. Never mind it hitting the post. Could be a massive fall-out if that's the case.

Nathan Basset. It's not often spoken of but Port have had the least scoring against for two years running. All Australian defender (alongside Goodwin) and multiple premiership coach with Norwood. Hard nosed, a strong communicator and development coach with an aggressive defensive outlook. Previously followed Goodwin to Essendon. Former Demon The missing piece of the puzzle.

I still see the tackles against as an issue. We've been the most tackled team for the past two years but we brought these numbers down a bit earlier in the year. Now we're back on top. Is there a link between the tackle against stats and our parallel post-bye form drop offs and injury counts from this year and last? The team seems fit enough. But across an AFL season, getting slammed into the ground and jumped on more often is going to add up on the body.

Hey @ProperDee - any idea who this Larwood bloke is?

Hehe. No one got behind my Chew-Baker campaign for our wild red-headed recruit Oskar but I certainly endorse Lukes for this random new guy on our list. Maybe they can form a little crew together with CP5-O and Clayton 'hands-solo' to track down Princess Lumumba.

I'm absolutely convinced this is the case. I attended the 2016 preseason match vs. Port and maintain that AVB looked ready to bust the competition open with the body strength and presence of a dominant CHF. A revelation. Then I think he first tweaked his ankle vs. the Bulldogs in the next JLT (after showing strong form again) and went on to miss some matches with it after the first few games of the season. Was a shade of what I saw in the preseason. But if he can get back to where I thought he was going we're going to have an absolute freebie (and some structure/selection issues - being that his best position/skill-set sits somewhere between Tmac and Hogan and Tyson and Melksham).

It was actually a spelling mistake. I meant to spell it Bugg, as an argument he still has a role to play in the team(sheet).

The new team selection thread assessment system in honour of the Demonland centre-line bug: ?Bernie Vince, Sam Frost, Neville Jetta ?Christian Salem, Oscar McDonald, Jordan Lewis ? Dom Tyson, Clayton Oliver, James Harmes ? Aaron vandenBerg, Jesse Hogan, Bayley Fritsch ?Jeff Garlett, Tom McDonald, ?Jay Kennedy Harris ? Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Angus Brayshaw ?(from): Christian Petracca, Charlie Spargo, Dean Kent, Cameron Pedersen, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neal-Bullen, Tim Smith, Joel Smith ? Aaron vandenBerg, Dean Kent, Cameron Pedersen, Jayden Hunt, Tim Smith ?Jake Melksham (hamstring)

Yup. The Darwin game - JV took a mini step back and played a perfect complementary role, the same way Jones has when Jack is in the team. Was just starting to get the balance right.

We're up to our necks in this season, premiership quarter dominance or not. All the current teams are flawed, as they have been for the past few years. Last year, the third quarter was a sticking point for us, this year not - but we can still be pretty sure of building a lead and giving it up or bridging any sort of deficit in most of our matches. At not one stage vs Adelaide did I think we were out of it or otherwise had it in the bag. It's the new MFC normal. Anything can happen this year if we reach the finals - as most of the less MFCSS-scared on here would be already aware - knowing each week that if we play at our best we're an equal or better chance of taking out any team in the league.

SWYL: You forgot mention that we won the third quarter in round 23 2017 against Collingwood.

Pragmatic dream ladder after round 23? Pretty much the automated AFL ladder predictor. Week one: Richmond v Port (Richmond in cruise control without a proper tune-up before yet another bye) GWS v Hawks (goodbye long-term nemesis) Geelong v MFC (at MCG after we've dominated them for the past three matches w/o the W) West Coast v Collingwood (Pies go on the road to WA) Week two: Port v GWS (goodbye scary upstarts) Collingwood v MFC (Pies returning from WA road trip) Week three: Richmond v MFC (our best chance against an underdone Tigers outfit before the big dance) West Coast v Port (see-ya Jack) Grand final West Coast v MFC (glory)

AVB now has less AFL experience than Josh Wagner, JKH and Mitch Hannan.

Eastern European credit-card hackers just pegged your age as under 38 Jaded. Most likely from Melbourne, middle to upper class suburbs. Possible name Jade. Probable pin-code: 1964.

During the coding stage obviously.

I grew up in Adelaide surrounded by Crows fans and attended hundreds of games at Footy Park. Never any grief in all that time. And it was known as the Chardonnay Club back then. They may be one-eyed but they don't act with that aggressive pack mentality. 45,000 Crows fans used to get intimidated by 40 or so Richmond or Collingwood supporters. And they were the type of Tigers and Pies fans who could actually afford flights and would be let on the plane.

dude, read the nuance in my post. Sometimes I really wonder how you managed to earn your doctorate.

Drop by the boat today mate and we can discuss footy through our mouths as if it were 90s. Bring your Clint Bizkit hat.