Ron Burgundy

The first half of the season was characterised by several competitive losses that we should have won. Since the second half of the Suns' game, it has been characterised by several epic wins, a couple of which we might easily not have won. There is clear belief in the team now. Nothing bonds a squad more tightly than these sensational team-oriented wins. I reckon injuries going forward hold the key. We're good enough now.

You won't be able to attend?! I don't wish to pry but I cannot think of any reason that would rule any of us from attending the Grand Final. Not one.

How loud will the roar be for Jones when he lifts the premiership cup?

Love him. Knew he'd be a gun. And he has been. Simply has to be in any AA conversation.

I love Tom Bugg. He's pressure personified.

I just sent the following email to a stack of my Adelaide mates, many of whom passionately support the Crows (even though they all fled Adelaide as soon as they got a driver's licence or could afford to buy an airline ticket). It's always nice to see grown men speak with fondness and humility about their upbringing in front of others, and gratefulness for the opportunities that others have given them. Craig Bradley did this super well when he announced his retirement. And now another SA boy, Simon Goodwin, has done much the same. We are lucky to have this man. I hope he creates a Sheedy-esque dynasty at this club. Celebrating growing up in Australia - best articulated by two SA dudes Many of you are provincial Crow-eaters, so I thought I’d share this with you. When I worked in London, I used to carry Craig Bradley’s media release announcing his retirement in my wallet. I thought it best described what I liked about Australia, and good Aussies in particular. This morning as I got Henry ready for pre-school (which involved a lot of contested possessions, tackles, hard-ball gets etc), I listened to the speech that Simon Goodwin gave last night upon being inducted to the AFL’s Hall of Fame. Goody is a truly great Demon (obviously), but it’s fair to say that the Adelaide Crows were also mildly influential in his life. If you have the time, listen to this from the 8.30 mark: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2017-06-21/hall-of-fame-simon-goodwin-speech. I expect it will trigger fond memories for some of you. I really hope he gets to achieve the rest of his childhood dreams at the MFC. Here’s Craig Bradley’s media release for those of you who wish to read it: https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/craig-bradley-retires-official-release.53010/ Stay classy. Go Dees.

Yet we share those odds with a team that we absolutely mauled on the weekend, on their home turf, whilst resting two key players for the final quarter, and also having key players out who will return for the run home and finals (i.e. Gawn, Hogan). They did win the flag last year though ...

Jones injury aside, I think Mark Neeld had a bit to do with that win-loss record.

I think I'm right in saying that we are the number one or two defensive pressure team in the comp, and Jeffy is the number one defensive pressure forward in the comp. Given how the game has evolved in 2017, that alone has got to put Garlett firmly in the mix for AA this year. Surely. Not to overlook goals kicked and general influence in the forward 50 etc. He simply has to be a serious candidate for AA selection (along with Hibberd, Jetta, Watts and Oliver).

I got the feeling yesterday (based on observation alone) that there might be some friction between Stringer and a couple of his team-mates. There were a number of interactions where I thought 'that doesn't look that good' in terms of team harmony, one of which was with the Bont. Didn't think anything more of it, until I read this post. Stringer looks to be carrying a fairly sizeable ego - in fact he looks like a bit of a [censored] to be honest. Let's get him.

Up by 50 points at three quarter time against the reigning premiers on their home turf. Effectively rested two of our most important players for the final quarter as a precautionary measure for next week, and still won the quarter. That confirms 'never in doubt'. I love Tom Bugg.

I agree. Almost worthy of a 5 year contract extension. The bloke's a legend.

I don't disagree. It's exactly what happened in the first half against the Pies, and it was ugly. But I think this game is one in which not having a recognised ruckman won't be such an issue, particularly if it gives us more mobility/variety/run around the ground.

Exactly. We ended up doing really well in the clearances against the Pies and they have an excellent ruckman and a very good midfield. So why change it up against the Bulldogs at Etihad, especially considering we need to be quicker around the ground and they will not have a ruckman anywhere near as good as Grundy.

Plenty!

I would absolutely love to land Lever. I suspect we have zero chance of getting him though. There's no way the Crows will let him go. The 2014 draft was our chance. In fairness to Paul Roos and the recruiting team, we were well aware of this and it seems we tried pretty hard to get him.

Hardtack is right in his use of the word 'eerie'. It was a truly bizarre yet thoroughly fascinating thing to observe. I suspect one had to be at the ground to truly experience it. I too think it was one of the most extraordinary things I've seen (and felt) in all my years of watching football. Many factors went into creating the theatre of the moment. The game had been an emotional roller-coaster for all supporters. It was big crowd. An expectant crowd. It had been an absolutely frenetic game to that point, and the game was clearly drawing to a close. It was literally on a knife's edge. Both sides had a lot to lose, and a lot to gain from the victory. The last 10 minutes of the final quarter seemed to last an eternity - I found it to be absolutely torturous and emotionally-draining in the extreme. It was also dark and cold and, as such, the floodlit arena commanded everybody's complete attention. For this very moment, the ground became a theatre and this was the final act. And everyone seemed to know it. As soon as Watts gathered the ball, it was as though time had just been suspended, and no one could do anything about it. Everyone was absolutely transfixed by this moment in time: the players, the coaching staff, the umpires, the entire crowd. It seemed as though everyone was acutely aware that a significant event was about to unfold right before our eyes, but we were all powerless to influence the outcome. It had already been scripted, but no one, including the central actor, knew what was about to happen. That it was Jack Watts who commanded centre-stage added to the spectacle. The spotlight was on him. And him alone. You could hear a pin drop. And then Watts threaded the needle. It was a bloody tough kick. Most players would've missed it, even though they'd have slotted the same shot every time in practice. The gravity of the kick would've been too much for most to handle. As ProDee observed - it was pure redemption for a player who'd carried so much torment over so many years. That it occurred on the very stage that had initiated so much of the negativity just added to the episode. An unbelievable moment. I'll never forget it.

We were watching the game from the nose bleed section in the Members. You could see absolutely everything. The game was completely in the balance. Time was running out. 71,000 people had their hearts in their mouths. Harmes kicks it long to a player in space. It was to Watts who had sprinted from the CBD to run onto the bouncing ball on the wing. The rest played out in agonising slow motion. Watts, with ball in hand, laconically moved into the forward 50 looking for pass options. Jones was on. Bugg was on. Not sure he saw either of them. Garlett was in the goal square but was well covered. Watts was on a tight angle. And yet he kept inching towards the goal square, almost begging for a Pie player to approach him so he could give it off. And then he seemed to realise that it was he who had to do it. He had to kick the winner. At that moment, he seemed to slow down, focus on the goal, and steady himself. It was like the bomber in the Dam Busters knowing that he had just one attempt and he simply had to hit the target. Civilisation depended on it. And he nailed it! A truly seminal moment in his career. A truly memorable footy moment for the rest of us. I still get nervous watching it on replay, which I have about 350 times.

We just have to win this game. It feels like the most important game we've had since 2006.

I feel bad for asking this because I really rate Brayshaw as a player and as a clubman (I like him wearing the red and the blue), but who would you take at pick 3 now: Brayshaw or Lever? Lever was apparently seriously considered by the MFC for this pick at the time.

Really like Garland - would be nice to see him at the club in the longer term. Seems like an astute appointment.

Spoke to the most passionate (and possibly the most knowledgeable) Swans fan I've ever met at the Swans v Dogs game last night. He seriously rates Reid. Reckons he has the best hands in the league. Said he'd be very surprised if the Swans were to let him go. This bloke was in the Swans coterie - seemed more connected than the average fan on the street (i.e. he knew the players' names and didn't yell out nice 'catch' etc).

Will be happy with a 60 point belting in front of 85,000 people, and Dunn and Howe being reported for cheap shots in the final quarter, each of which managed to draw nothing more than laughter from the Demon 'impacted' and his mates near the play. ( ... I like Dunn, for what it's worth.)

Rohan would be a great addition.

The only player I was super worried about losing for any games at the start of this season was Gawn. A fully fit Gawn for the entire season and we are/were playing finals. Gawn is possibly the single most important player to any club in the competition given that we have built our game from the contest out. I wouldn't have thought this was a controversial perspective. That we have been able to cover for his absence at all has surprised (and impressed) me, particularly with Spencer also going down. Your mate is not just delusional, he's insanely one eyed and possibly not that clever.