pitmaster

Goody currently on 90 wins 58 losses and one draw (60.4%). Take out that rogue 2019 year of 5 wins from 22 and his winning percentage would be extraordinary.

Smith was enormously effective in his one quarter, whereas BBB, despite pushing upfield and making himself a target at times, seemed unable to get to contests in the F50 which allowed numerous virtually uncontested intercept marks for their defenders. I suspect Smith's agility would enable him to make those contests BBB could not, so maybe he should be given a full game. The only query is that he seems to fade out of games when he takes the field early. Is he fit enough, mentally sharp enough, to be worth the gamble?

Port should have put it out of reach in the third quarter. Seventeen points did not do justice to their dominance in that term. Their pressure was great but sadly all they achieved was another boost to the Pies' sense of invincibility.

Hype is right. He was a talent but his impact on games rarely matched the chatter. More generally, it's heart warming to see the Eagles so utterly bereft, both of the players they do have, and the young talent they don't. Long may they rot. It's just a shame we don't get to even the score somewhat by playing them twice this year.

The AFL has an entire department of nerds whose assignment is to come up with half-arsed ideas like this. It's just stuff. Flakey nonsense that's only remotely plausible because we all know the AFL is driven by goons at Channel Seven and Foxtel who'd turn the game entirely into a TV spectacle if they could. Dismiss it with the contempt it deserves.

Ideally, a keeper, but he can't be blamed for thinking about a move. At 29 he needs to make the most of the time he has.

I'd exclude Matthew Lloyd from that list. He's OK.

Two years ago I bought tickets through the agency (Tek or Master, whichever handles football) in the grandstand on the wing. Seats were perfect. Some people will tell you to go GA on the hill but there's no elevation, no protection from the elements and if it's sunny you have it in your eyes the entire game. As for hotels, anything on Salamanca Place will be howling with Demon supporters, although I do like the Customs House Hotel. Folks used to head to Rockwall bar and grill post-match since Garry Baker ran it but Garry's retired and has sold it in the past couple of years. If you don't mind a hike up to Battery Point (15 minutes) the Shipwrights Arms Hotel has a good vibe and food, but there's no shortage of places to eat and celebrate (hopefully). As for going to the ground, there is a ferry from Salamanca that will take you within a 10 minute walk of Bellerive so you don't need a taxi or a car.

So we're...gulp...barracking for Hawthorn tomorrow in the vague hope that they could move above the Dockers by season's end?

Suns had the chance to take a stranglehold in the first quarter but lousy "connection" has left the door open.

Nice finish Jackson. Aish making stuff happen.

I think we best leave those judgements to those empowered to do so. Clearly Max and Simon sold Grundy on a concept of forward-ruck mix, maybe something like 50:50. That has not worked so now the job is to make Grundy work predominantly as a forward and taking boundary contests in the F50. Max thrived last night in the role that has made him AA but he is a couple of years older than Brodie and has taken a lot of hits, so over time Grundy's predominantly rucking days will return.

Agree. He won several contests with that awkward lump OscarMac who is an absolute hand full. Really good effort on JVR's part.

And Nathan Williamson (22) should never umpire again. But of course he will. He is a West Australian. I'd hate to see him in charge of one of our games against the Dockers or the Eagles. Maybe his gal is from Brisbane.

I don't see how anyone can watch the games and take time to post in the game day threads except maybe at 1/4 time and 1/2 time. I'm too focused on the events onfield to worry what fellow demonlanders are rabbiting on about, but these comments do make great reading with hindsight. Heh heh. Not that I am suggesting I saw that ending coming. I'd written us off as having been exposed as pretenders so I was very calm at the finish, and until we hit the front, happy that we'd been able to stop Brisbane's run and overlap which carved us up for two quarters. For me the disappointing thing was that we had not regrouped earlier, at half time. We stopped a similar style of game when we played the Woods but were slow to match the Lions. Their dominance stemmed from a mix of superior leg speed, our poor positioning, lack of concentration in the back 50 on our part when they were in possession and stronger foot skills on their part. They made great use of the MCG's expanses and had no trouble with the venue. That we were able to wrestle back that advantage is testament to a different kind of Melbourne team to what many of us have been used to. Gawn, Viney, Petracca just made it work. Melksham, the hero at the finish started badly with a couple of bad blues but was clearly determined to make amends and did so with assists in the first half as well as nails in their coffin in the last. A very mature performance. And while Woey did not do a lot that running goal showed presence of mind and the skill to match. Now off to watch the replay to try to work out how we did it.

Given that Geelong will virtually live at home for the rest of the season, enjoying the advantage that confers, best it be the Bombers that win this one. Also hoping the Swans knock off the Dogs (not impossible), the Suns to account for the Saints so we score some breathing room.

First, spelling ain't grammar. For the record, something else that gives me the irrits is the fact that almost no-one knows the difference between "less" (which relates to quantity), and "fewer" (which relates to number). These two are messed up constantly, as in "we have less games at the 'G", or whatever. And, BBB, rest assured it doesn't take any spare time at all, merely seconds, and most of the time I let it go but every now and then I can't resist. I'll try to avoid policing you next time.

Why is it so many people can't spell 'lose'?

No chance. Nor should there be.

My understanding is that he told Roos he was not quite ready and needed more time. Suggests he's an honest man and a realist.

That’s the spirit.

But do you find yourself counting his steps? I've had to force myself to stop. Got all the way to 27 one time, 26 another...there's no single result.

I was snarkey about Darcy's barracking too but I don't think it had anything to do with us making amends for 1954 (with interest). It was solely about what would have been a great talking point had the Saints been able to win against the odds. The problem was, talking about it before it happens puts it in the if-your-aunty-had-balls-she'd-be-your-uncle category. Seems the fool can only handle one idea at a time and worked it over and over.

Never before have I worried much about the commentary but Luke Darcy's barracking for the "brave Saints" was so damn irritating it drove me to the mute button. Yes, if they'd won against the injury gods it would have been historic but wait until it happens FGS. And don't comment on any of the dodgy umpiring at any cost. Since when was an over the head handpass penalised as a throw? As in, almost never, until Spargo fired one off tonight. Elsewhere I've moaned about the non-free to Grundy directly in front of goal when he appeared manhandled by a bouncer. Some good stuff in there - Sparrow has grown these last few weeks, young Woey showed promise, May, Lever, Petty and Salem were brilliant and Trac should have gained confidence from that. Brown was better and threatened. Glass half full.

How was that not a free to Grundy??? These umpires are seriously crooked.