Demonised

You know who we're really missing? I never thought I'd say this, but Joel Smith would have been very handy to have on hand the last few weeks.

And whatever happened to Ben Brown taking marks on the wing? Has that part of the game plan changed?

One too many injuries and our systems broke down. That second half ... I haven't seen as many panicked 'just hoof the thing out of here' kicks for ages.

At the ground, I was watching Weideman closely. As the ball came into the forward line, a Freo defender would make body contact with him. As soon as that happened he was out of the contest.

El Dorado.

I had this weird feeling before the game, one that I'd never felt before. I'd heard other supporters talk about it but I thought it was a myth. 'Confidence', I think it's called. I was 'confident' going into this match and it turned out to be well placed. Weird.

100% agree. And if any were positive, were they asymptomatic? Or sick?

Could we have a specific 'Concussion Sub' the way the discussion is going right now? Only allowed to be used for that purpose, none other?

If a team goes through a season undefeated, aren't they entitled to add 'Champion'? That is, 'Premiers and Champions'? Has a nice ring to it.

'Reigning premiers Melbourne are undefeated after Round 6.' So much in this sort of sentence that still has me bewildered. Is this what supporters of other teams like Hawthorn, Geelong, have experienced over the years?

The chapter on John Coleman is a cracker. Gives some insight into how good he was.

Caribou are deer, aren't they?

Mr Mojo Risin'

Struggle and win. Struggle and lose. I know which one I prefer.

You have a good point. Our game seems full of grey areas - at least, the way it's organised/officiated these days ...

In this scenario, all the player going for the ball needs to do is to initiate contact with the blocking players and he would receive the free kick? Or am I visualising poorly?

Only 72,000 at the "traditional season opener"? Will there be head shaking over this crowd size, too?

I won't agree until I see him in some other roles.

Makes me think Andy Dufresne was a Demons fan and he tunnelled out just so he could get to the Grand Final.

I only just realised that our 21.14 (140) GF score was our highest all season. A sensational case of peaking at exactly the right time.

He's a doctor, dammit, not a football coach!

Grand Final? It was the Grandest Final.

The Expanse, Amazon Prime. Best SF going around at the minute.

Watching the GF so many times, I'm now appreciating some of the more overlooked moments, like this one attached. It's a little hard to see, but I think that Oliver basically flies along horizontally over the top of fallen and flailing Bulldogs, grabs the ball and handballs it mid-air in a breathtaking display of skill and focus. Amazing ninja level stuff.