Dappa Dan

We're a couple of years away from that. I reckon you trade, or pick players up from the scrapheap (Stuey Dew) when you have a number of veteran players who are on their last 2-3 years of having a chance to win a grand final. Our top-age players (25+) are only Green, Sylvia, Jamar, Moloney... and a couple of those could have 4 years left.

I've been hearing this from a friend who knows the Pies players pretty well. Very impressed with the man's character.

Phillies looking dominant. A lazy 9 in the 8th...

That's awesome. Hence this year where we play Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks as all won their divisions, as did the Iggles... So we play both our division rivals twice (6 games), then everyone from the NFC West once (4 games), everyone from AFC East once (4 games) and then, as you say, the winners of the two remaining divisions of our own conference (NFC division champions Bears and Falcons = 2 games)... I like it. Makes my head hurt, but I like it. Kind of like a complicated seeding program there, where the best play the best every year. The more I see it, the more it makes our own scheduling look amateur.

Is he that good though? I guess he's still young and might be one day. He's in their leadership group now, and they're gonna have heaps of room in their cap. Doubt he'll move.

My gut feeling is that you are both right AND wrong. As anyone who's gone through personal tragedy like this will tell you, the way he's feeling won't last forever. But regret WILL. AFL footy is a gift to anyone who is good enough and more important LUCKY enough to have a crack at it. Wonna's low point in his life won't last forever. He may take a year out of the game to get his head right, but I think given he played at the highest level AND played well, he'll be given another crack. Provided he's under the age of 25, whether it be us or someone else he'll play AFL footy again. The system is setup where rookies can start their careers in their mid twenties and have an impact. I think at worst, this is what will happen. At best he'll come back for a big 2012. He has close mates at the club that will miss him and cheer him on when he gets back. I reckon the question of whether Bailey stays may hold the key here too. Lord knows he loves him. Doesn't stop it being a very grave tragedy, of course. And I don't think anyone in or around MFC would begrudge his leave of absence. If they did, then they can get stuffed anyway. Footy isn't everything.

Trying to only offload centres? I don't need one... Any chance you could wiggle out a defender? Gonna be huge. 7 rounds to go I think before finals. Swan? And yeah, funny thing is I traded McEvoy for Clarke during the weekend, and during the round he gets hurt. Typical. When it rains it pours. I like the trade though. Sandi and he will be back in time for finals. Just have to GET there now. Interesting. If he plays I might have a sniff... But I had a look on centrebet, and the odds at the moment are Dappadan's drongos out to $4.50, Jayceebee's Jeniuses tightening to $1.15...

That's what I just said...

HUGE call. Our midfield has Moloney, who's near the top in many media awards... Jamar and Martin, an AA and an up and comer in good form, Scully and Trengove who will add spark, Sylvia who's our best footballer and Jones who's gone up a level this year. And then McKenzie and Gysberts/Nicholson. Granted they have two terrifying players in Martin and Cotchin... Both of whom I think would be the first two picked of MOST fans of opposition teams of the 44 playing this weekend. But after that we have it over them. Midfield depth is where we have it here.

This is the most anticipation I've had for a game in years... I love that in the midfield you have 4 guns (two each) that are unlikely to be matched up on one another... and better yet, if they ARE matched up on one another, wait for the fireworks as they're all one-way players for the most part who are accustomed to being tagged, not doing the tagging. Big matchups absolutely EVERYWHERE: Trengove/Scully vs Jackson/Foley + Martin/Cotchin vs Jones/McKenzie - This one is huge. If I was coach I'd send Jones to Cotchin and McKenzie to Martin and say run with them everywhere even into their team meeting at half time, to the bathroom if they need a waz... What I think may happen though is that our big two and their big two will go to the guts at some point in the third quarter when the game's up for grabs... if that happens... open your eyes, sit back and watch the future of what will be the most dynamic two midfields in the league. Jamar/Martin/Gawn? vs Graham/Browne/Vickery - Not sure which 4 of the six will be selected, but I think regardless we win this, especially with Beamer in the guts. The interesting part will be when Vickery goes forward do we let Martin go forward too, or follow him into defence? If we can get on top, it might just be the matchup that defines the outcome. Riewoldt vs Frawley - All day. Frawley to win. Garland vs Miller - Garland to rebound all day. If he doesn't get up have Warnock and McDonald rotate. Again, we win this one. Watts vs Rance - This will be awesome. Pretty even matchup, but if Watts runs far and wide, he'll carve him up. Jurrah, Green vs Ummmm...? - Who knows. Whoever it is, look out. :D And here's the big one... Newman, Houli, Deledio vs Bennell, Nicholson, Morton, Petterd, Sylvia. This one I think is a win for them every time. They're some pretty impressive names rebounding, particularly Deledio and Newman. Look out for Deledio to go to Watts potentially if he gets up and about onto a wing... They'll likely win a lot of the ball. The X-factors: Nahas, Houli vs Sylvia, Howe. Who's on who's not on? No predicting this. All in all, I reckon there's nothing that can split them. Besides maybe Bailey vs Hardwick, where they have the edge. I think we have a few more names in the bottom 6 of our 22 that will cause problems. Guys like Howe, Nicholson... I also didn't give much mention to Jones and Moloney above who have had really great years so far this year. Those second and third tier players I think will tell the tale. Also, I don't think Vickery will get away for four goals again, nor will Riewoldt kick a bag on Frawley. So that means we have to hold Martin up somehow. Easier said than done of course... This is gonna be a cracker. It may be the most excited I have ever been for a football game, somehow...

Yeah. True that.

Tappy still out is odd. Hope it's not masking something more sinister. Would have loved to see him on the push up King this weekend... not to be, as neither are playing.

Kangas fans say hi... :D

Not by everyone... Y_M would have claimed you were copying him... :D I thought exactly the same thing this weekend, that him at 70% of how good he can be will still equal 4 goals and Riewoldt-like importance to MFC. For mine, the answer is McKenzie. He will be as important to us as Lenny Hayes is to the Saints. Nobody says he's their best player, they always say Riewoldt (read: Watts). But it's absolutely no surprise to me at all that he comes out of the team, and they all fall apart. So in the Meida, I think they'll say Watts. In the real world, Jordie. Though it could easily be McKenzie, Gys, Scully, Trengove... Depends on what week. :D

6 wins of nine will get us in, mostly because the other games are often those mid-rage teams all against each other... ie, Essendon v Richmond, Saints v Freo etc...

I have never once in 30 years been interested in a single word he said, or in anything he's done. Not even now...

I don;t watch so much of it... I catch up over the net though.

Match of the round. My prediction? A draw. :D

How good was he looking before he went off? We're so much of a better team with him. He's really not far behind Chip at all as our most important defender, if he is at all. As for the injury, has anyone else noticed how many times he's been in the hands of the trainers, looking like he's done for the year, then he comes back on the ground and plays well... He's done it to me about 6 times where I've turned to my mates and said he's done... So I'm hoping the punching the ground is just another example of that.

Draw #5 for Jayceebee!!!! Range Rover absolutely caning it in now. A game and a half clear on the top of the ladder.

Amen to that. The big one in my time was Brock, who was all but guaranteed as captain.

Except, um, weakness... Be interesting to see what kind of player he ends up like. Loved his cool head in traffic, starting to look VERY confident. Didn't have him as BOG though. I thought McKenzie, then maybe Scully were ahead.

Yeah, I could be wrong, but isn't there a limit on the amount of trades you can do? Maybe that's why... Hate that... Massive. Not gonna die wondering...

Huge win. Is 22.5 the record this year? I think it is... I guess that's what happens in UF... I like how you don't mention who the sock actually belongs to...

Grew up 2 streets from there... Essendon colours? (red sash)