The Great Pretender

Who wants a training base in the middle of a rain belt?

Big wrap for Clarrie here - Track watch: Star Demon back to his best as electric forward continues midfield trial

Could be the AFL’s payback over the Mac Andrew fiasco but that wasn’t really the AFL’s fault. The public was calling for change after the Bulldogs got JUH on the cheap.

My mother used to say a half truth is worse than a lie. There’s a lot of that in the media these days.

You’re starting to sound like a broken record. Anyone can start a suit. Most of them don’t get to the hearing stage so why not wait to see how that pans out before adding fuel to the fire?

If there’s a positive announcement tomorrow then perhaps we might be better enlightened as to the roles of those involved. Let’s wait and see.

You mean we get a future first for him as well, surely?

Before we think of trading early draft picks we need to get a handle on the depth of the draft. According to the pundits this one is deep at the top end. We don’t have to trade picks up from 6 to 4 - we might get our player anyway.

Chadwick is such a celebrated person in the club’s history. Surprised that he bucked authority to get his own way with player positioning. My guess is the coach was no good.

My MFCSS tells me the most experienced umpires have been selected to bury us. Just like they picked incompetent maggots last week to miss that obvious 50m penalty and Toby Greene staging for a free in front of goal by dropping the knees. They’re always out to get us.

Wonder whose idea it was to draft a player we have no faith in to select as a ruckman in the circumstances where we have to put an injury prone defender in the position? Can this possibly end well?

This week’s team is going to look far different to that one

Watching Adem on AFL360 I noticed that his hair’s greying very quickly. Who would be an AFL coach?

If you look at the teams on an individual basis they’re pretty evenly matched. Who will dominate? Petracca (in game #182) or Neale (in game #250)? Love Steven May’s courage! Can the Lions stop Max? Will Melbourne kick straight for goal? How will Brisbane cope without the loudspeakers playing their favourite songs when they kick a goal (I anticipate they won’t kick many anyway)? Demons win because the Lions will simply suffer stage fright on the G.

Who do we death ride in 2024?

Carlton and GWS Giants were seemingly out of contention well past the halfway mark last year and yet, both finished close to playing off in a grand final. Even at 0-4, I wouldn’t write the Pies off.

Seriously, didn’t play for Casey at the weekend and didn’t train yesterday. Not on the injured list. What’s the story?

We can all laugh but regrettably they have the silverware from 2023 and we don’t.

After the election, the Tassie Devils will be cactus.

6. A. Bannan 5. K. Hore 4. O. Purcell 3. R. Watt 2. T. Hanks 1. B Mackin

The remaining free agents - 2023 AFL FREE AGENTS * Previously delisted ** Restricted free agent ^ Previously a free agent ADELAIDE (1) Tom Doedee** BRISBANE (3) Nakia Cockatoo* Rhys Mathieson* Dayne Zorko CARLTON (2) David Cuningham Sam Durdin* COLLINGWOOD (1) Cooper Murley* ESSENDON (1) Will Snelling* FREMANTLE (1) Joel Hamling^ GEELONG (2) Tom Hawkins Rhys Stanley GOLD COAST (5) Jed Anderson* Levi Casboult* Charlie Constable* Sam Day Jake Stein* GWS GIANTS (2) Matthew Flynn Lachlan Keeffe* HAWTHORN (1) Fergus Greene* MELBOURNE (2) James Jordon* Jake Melksham NORTH MELBOURNE (5) Todd Goldstein Daniel Howe* Ben McKay** Liam Shiels* Kayne Turner* PORT ADELAIDE (1) Scott Lycett^ RICHMOND (1) Bigoa Nyuon* ST KILDA (5) Tom Campbell* Jade Gresham** Daniel Mckenzie Liam Stocker* Jimmy Webster SYDNEY SWANS (0) WEST COAST EAGLES (1) Zane Trew* WESTERN BULLDOGS (3) Taylor Duryea^ Toby McLean Roarke Smith*

As noted above, ZZ at 196 cm won't cut muster as an AFL ruckman so the question is what are his credential as a KPP? Forward or back?

6 Hore 5 Hanks 4 Purcell 3 Lampard 2 Pearce 1 Heath

A mate of mine who today is a very jubilant North fan is going to Casey today but isn’t confident. Tells me that by his reckoning, the Kangaroos have only 7 AFL listed players and Casey should win easily. I’m not so sure.

If Ben Brown’s injury woes continue I think the club definitely needs to have a conversation with him regarding retirement from the AFL. He could play next year with the Casey team or take on a coaching role. After all, aren’t we being constantly told that we need a forward coach who has played in the role, rather than a ruckman presiding over the forwards.