Dee-tonator

These appear to be Collingwood cows. No wonder they look overweight and undisciplined.

She seems to be an excellent choice but may need some curing of the following ailment, recorded earlier this year: Q: Which AFL club do you support? MM: “I go for Collingwood, so last year was a good year. Loved that.”

Melbourne were absolutely right to stand firm if a fair trade could not be agreed. All I am saying is that I don't know whether Tayla's feelings will be of resentment that the move failed or of determination to prove the Hawks' judgment wrong in rating her as below the value of pick 14. I hope it will be the latter. We certainly don't need any more clickbait material for the media.

It seems that Tayla has run out of options and will have to stay next season. But even with a topline performer, there are always potential risks in compelling a player to remain when she obviously wanted to leave.

Nothing to do with Judd as an individual, but in the light of tight AFL salary caps this news shows how small our competition is, compared with the crazy financial world of sport in the United States. Juan Soto is staying in New York, but he won't be with the Yankees. Instead, the New York Mets, long believed to be a frontrunner to land the 26-year-old superstar, have landed him on an MLB-record $765 million contract over 15 years, according to multiple reports. That astronomical number gives Soto the largest contract in professional sports history.

Zippy Fish. Elite in every department. Height:160cm. D.O.B:04-06-2006 Zippy Fish has the most recognisable name.has the most recognisable face in the 2024 AFLW Draft crop, She lives up to it too, with an explosive burst that once she is goalside, it is game over for opponents. Bursting onto the scene a few years ago when she won MVP for Western Australia during its internal Under 16s Championships – prior to playing other states – Fish has long racked up the accolades left and right. An All-Australian as a bottom-ager for the national championships, Fish starred last season for the Sandgropers and will again headline a squad that is stronger than years gone by. Playing at East Fremantle where there is no shortage of talent on-ball or around the field, Fish has ascended to the top of the most damaging players there, and her teammates look for her at every opportunity. At times it is mind boggling that opposition teams don’t place a tag on her, as Fish slices them up; able to burst from centre stoppages, run forward and kick goals from 40 metres with a classy finish. Oh, and last year she won best on ground in the WAFLW Grand Final leading her Sharks to a premiership. In any other year, Fish would be a pick one lock, but the sheer strength of this draft means she is currently third which is no slight considering the two players above her. From and outside craft perspective and athletic profile, there are none better. She could go close to beating the 3.1-second mark in the 20m sprint, having clocked 3.14 seconds in the past at official preseason testing. Her agility and outstanding clean hands are other strengths in her game, as well as her aerial ability which pound-for-pound is as good as anyone’s going around. The main knock on Fish is her contested ball-winning ability as she is small and naturally has speed over strength, though she does lay some seriously strong tackles. A perfect second possession winner who also can balance between loose ball gets and handball receives to explode forward, she would complement any midfield that has pure contested ball-winners.

Do I back the considered judgment of JT or the posters who have already written him off before a ball has been kicked? The answer's obvious.

It's make or break next season for Clarrie. He will emerge at the end of it as the true champion we all know he can be, or as a rare but flawed talent undermined by injuries and off-field issues. I just hope the media sharks will give him the break he needs to get his mind and body into the right shape.

The skill in draft selection is not in seeing what youngsters can do now. It is the much rarer ability to spot what they can develop into. All the speculation is interesting, but I have no doubt Jason Taylor already has his priorities sorted out. And in Jason I trust.

President Roffey: gone. CEO Pert: gone. Petracca and Oliver: unhappy last season and clearly open at one stage to the chance of leaving. Dan Houston: club culture blamed in backflip on move to Demons. Joel Smith: gone, but the mysterious investigation lingers on. Caulfield project: minimal progress, with funding looming as a major problem even if feasibility study is favourable. Premiership window: still ajar, but once Gawn, Viney and May have all retired, a rebuild may be needed, especially if Petracca and Oliver depart as well. None of us outsiders know the full details in the issues listed above, but to deny that our club has serious unresolved issues is to put one's head in the sand. Pert's departure just confirms that.

Sam's a nice guy, but unfortunately ended up somewhere between an excellent VFL player and a genuine AFL forward. Apart from an occasional purple patch he never kicked enough goals to justify becoming a first-team regular. Sadly, in the contested battlefield of the inside 50 zone, he just did not seem to relish the contest. But at least he can look back on an AFL career, which is more than most players ever achieve.

One of those borderline decisions that could have gone either way. Next season's injury toll will probably indicate whether it was the right choice or not. Thommo has always given of his best when selected but unfortunately is way behind May and Lever in the picking order. He should go with the best wishes of everyone at the club.

Great draft hand now. but I'm more cautious than some posters who seem to have jumped straight from despair to elation. Drafting is never an exact science, so it is crucial that we get it right with picks 5 and 9. If so we would be well set up with young talent, given the compromised Tasmanian-team drafts that lie ahead. Maybe an infusion of classy youngsters would also make Oliver and Petracca realise that another Demons flag is still possible in the next few seasons.

If Oliver is indeed trying to force Melbourne's hand, I just hope the club stands firm. Geelong have nothing to offer in terms of trading or draft picks which would come anywhere near Oliver's value as a player. If he then refused to play for us, he would be in breach of contract, potentially leading to a fine and/or non-payment of his salary. That would be more of a legal and financial nightmare for Oliver than for the club. The AFL really ought to be investigating Geelong for such a blatant attempt to poach a contracted player from another club.

The trouble with our Ferrari is that it keeps blowing its gaskets. We need to get its engine running smoothly again.