pitmaster

That would do it for me.

Perhaps I sold myself short in my earlier post, dpositive, since I did attempt a reasoned argument in my email to that fellow. It's just that earlier I offered the punch line. In the email to the biomechanic, and in response to his evidence that having jumped in the air Maynard was "essentially a projectile", I remarked: "What you are saying is that an athlete who jumps in the air is a missile with no ability to shape what happens next. Good luck with that line talking to a room of gymnasts." I pointed out: "as a professional athlete of many years' standing Maynard has spent half his lifetime in gymnasiums and has a strong core formed by weight training and pilates sessions. He was able to guide himself in mid-air. Your projectile comment would be laughable had it not helped create a precedent for future concussion events." See? It wasn't all slagging off. Just some of it, and I would say, deservedly so. I stopped short of calling him bogus, so there was some restraint.

Word from a journo who observed the hearing was that the AFL ran a very weak prosecution...going through the motions.

I challenged it. Tracked the clown down on google (not difficult) and wrote to him the morning after the hearing at his Catholic University email. Told him I was no bio-mechanic but I could recognise tripe when I see it. Still waiting for a reply.

You've just identified the fundamental problem with the game at all levels at the moment. The AFL's push to keep the ball moving means free kicks that would have been obvious in earlier eras are now just ignored. The could start by banning the "overhead backwards handpass" which is almost invariably a half throw. But if the rules were played as written the game would eventually become cleaner and better to watch as played adapted to the new interpretations. sorry that should read "rulings". "Interpretations" is the AFL's word and it's messing up the game.

Exactly. North bring heaps of pressure but bugger-all skill. It was true against us and again today. The women's game is almost unwatchable atm and will remain so until that skill so evident in other years can survive the pressure of battlers like North.

You do realise all those red brick primary schools built in the 19th and 20th centuries we all attended were built with (gulp) debt? The point being all the generations that benefit from such assets bear a share of the cost. There's probably, somewhere deep in the government's books, a smidgeon of the cost of the school I attended back in the 1960s. That's how public debt works. No need to freak out.

...an exercise in self-delusion.

Carlton surely is the most Liberal (in politics terms) of clubs with big money going back all the way to Sir Robert Menzies via Sir Maurice Nathan, John (Liberal Party bagman) Elliott and numerous others. But Hawthorn is one of the most strongly Liberal voting areas in classically loyal Liberal localities until the Teals came along. Geelong is a different matter. Lots of votes and multiple electorates. Labor and Liberal governments (think Bracks-Baillieu- Andrews) have thrown money down there.

So was Fritter, from memory.

Unfortunately this headline writes itself. Going to be some unfortunate comparisons to the men's exits last two years.

Opportunities to attack have been squandered repeatedly by weak, half bandpasses failing to find targets or not carrying to the targeted player. looking reactive and lost.

Interview in The Age today identifies North, Hawks, GWS and Gold Coast as the clubs that have interviewed him. Interesting that we apparently have not shown interest, at least so far.

The advantage was a shocker but also bad were the penalties for high tackles awarded to N Daicos who dropped his knees every bloody time. He should be called on it.

OK. Bright side. And I know it's not blindingly bright but Carlton supporters will be seriously snaky about the Pies joining them on 16 flags. (I knew I'd find some schadenfreud somewhere.)

Keep reminding yourselves that we were good enough to beat this mob even playing one man short for all but five minutes, until we kicked ourselves out of it. We are still right in the window.

Exactly. That's why the Brownlow is over-rated, on account of the fools that decide it.

This is a question to be put to the board at the next AGM.

Why would you let meanness get in the way? I'm in the same boat and while it's not a great ticket, and I am only half-hearted about it, I am going to go so that's one less Collingwood voice there.

Even in our premiership year (his first with us) BBB only played 13 games. That he managed 19 games in 2022 looks like a miracle in hindsight. He came to us with the words of North supporters ringing in my ears "his knees are gone", so I really don't think we can expect much more from him. Just 7 games this year. He has been coaching the girls. His leading was sensational in his younger days. We can use a forward coach - maybe spread his pay through the men's and women's squads soft caps. As others have said, considering the pay-off from his recruitment it's been an outstanding success.

That was Callum Brown. He was otherwise terrific and a few minutes later kicked a ripper goal, but that was a costly mistake that undid some of his good work.

Don't know about that. Last night's game was seriously high quality. I felt at half time, given the Giant's aerial dominance that they would have the edge on us. They were very impressive. Collingwood's chaotic style undid them in the third quarter. Giants could not slow the game down and reassert control which is all a bit sad really. Very much hoping the Lions get it done for Chris Fagan.

Massive blue. He only had to run straight at the goal and kick through the ball. Tried a too clever by half screw kick.

Not worried by this. His comments are glib, superficial and easy. When any club is knocked out in consecutive finals they are fair game for "tough talk". There's no nuance, no grey area allowed. We here can note playing a man short, losing incredibly narrowly both times with a team that was already diminished by injury, rotten umpiring...dozens of small things that would have had us win, not lose against Carlton. That's all we need to know. Campbell Brown is bit of a donkey. Care factor: zero.

Nah...I want them destroyed in the manner of Sydney in last year's GF plus some. Give them a belting that will damage them psychologically for seasons to come.