Tony Tea

Sticks was important last night, and I'm disappointed I couldn't slot him into the votes. PS: The highlights video missed a fantastic smother by Angus on the outer wing down at Geelong in 2015.

Hibberd - licence to blanket.

6. Petracca 5. Salem 4. Oliver 3. Jackson 2. Viney 1. Langdon

Best style of win since I don't know when.

I'm expecting a loss, but hoping for a good performance. Our defence has been our key by keeping oppositions to scores low enough for us to win by kicking a moderate score. Today our forward line has to show up big time. Simply put: we miss our chances, we lose.

... be surprised. Looking at the recording of the Hawks game, I got a bit disheartened about or chances Saturday night.

I always expect a slump, and we have not beaten anyone yet, but at least we are playing proper grunt footy.

6. Gawn 5. McDonald 4. Oliver 3. Salem 2. Lever 1. Petracca

The noise of the AFL's "game day experience" wore me down a couple of years ago. I've stopped going to games.

I'm not as bullish about our prospects with May out. He's our most important player, and you can't easily replace gun key defenders.

6. Petracca 5. Oliver 4. Gawn 3. Viney 2. Salem 1. Fritsch

The usual big name Herald Sun footy journos, after years of barracking for Kelly in the Kelly vs Salem/Tyson/Hunt deal, slunk off back to their desks when the editor called on Marc McGowan talk up Melbourne's end of the trade. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2021-christian-salem-repays-demons-faith-after-draft-gamble/news-story/67410111c25ecb5f0be0068b7fbfaba0

Cam Luke, one of Hutchy's pets.

6. Gawn 5. Langdon 4. Lever 3. Viney 2. Petracca 1. Brayshaw

6. Oliver 5. Salem 4. Petracca 3. May 2. Langdon 1. Jordon

Cardwell had a massive advantage over Taylor. He could pretty much approach any player he liked and offer him a run at a successful club, and every second week on the MCG. And if I could bother doing the research, I'd probably - okay, possibly - discover that lots of Melbourne players retired with plenty of petrol in the tank when the Collingwoods and Carltons and Richmonds got plenty more footy out of their stars. Did we try hard enough to keep our stars? Barassi, anyone?

6 May 5 Oliver 4 Lever 3 Petracca 2 Langdon 1 Jordon

Choco seems to have comfortably slipped into the mentor role.

I wonder how much Clarko learned at Port under Choco. Or how much Choco learned from Clarko. Either way Clarko's tactics at Hawthorn seem an extension of Port's style circa 2004.

They have. And each time MFC personnel have been there and given talks.

Actually, that's a fair call. I just had a re-read.

The Demons season launch is not the same thing "2020 Coterie Season Launch Dinner." Yes, 2020. The 2021 brochure is not on the Demons website. Previous Demon season launches have been at Crown, so it would be difficult to fit a Crown crowd into an Australian Club room, even in these Covid-straightened times. The Australian Club has hosted several Demons functions that I am aware of (and, for the record, have been invited to), and it is totally within their rights to host Coterie events which invite Demon personnel to speak. But it is nigh-on impossible to believe the Demons would have their own season launch at a restricted club. Is it possible that Zalika Rizmal, the ABC reporter, has confused the Melbourne Football Club season launch with the 2020 Coterie season launch dinner? And as for "The event, promoted on the group's social media page, is being held on March 9, the day after International Women's Day" - that is just journalistic garnish.

Best first 100 games since Judd.

No. Not like Tom Lynch. He's a significantly better player.

Sorry, I forgot: [Joke] sauce [/joke].