Nasher

They'd be playing on a cricket pitch.

Gotta feel for the guy. I think from a team perspective it's not going to make a lot of difference, but Jetta has admirable qualities (toughness and work ethic), so on a personal level it's a shame.

Yes, I'm on a power trip - that's why I've been deleting and editing your posts, and banning you etc. Oh wait - I haven't done any of that. I always get a great belly laugh when people accuse me of being a power tripper - no clue whatsoever. I'm just in a bad mood, really. Yes, you're allowed your opinion, and guess what? I'm allowed to dismiss it, just as the same as any other poster on this site.

Any judgement you make on the pre-season cup is premature. Whether it's outrageous or something semi-reasonable, if your basis is any pre-season match, it's wrong.

Yeah, that's good to know. I had us pinned for the flag until this. Wooden spoon certainties for sure.

Sack him.

Centuries to Cowan (what an amazing two seasons he's had) and Ponting (his three scores since being given the axe from the ODI side have been 75*, 130 and 111), WA dismissed for 241 in the second innings. Tassie's total for outright victory is 21 - pretty sure they can manage that Jackson Bird's figures for the match were 11/95. You'd think the bowler would win the MOTM award - not that any of you care Oh, and some guy from India retired the other day.

I think the last thing Watts needs is to be tossed about here, there and everywhere position wise.

I completely agree Clint, and have removed the posts accordingly. People, please don't use this thread to discuss the incident or the possibilities of the trial.

They're milking the topic for all its worth - this'll go on for ages.

The club has an obligation to protect its investment - you're right. I can see where you're coming from and I don't think the club can entirely absolve itself of responsibility. As others have said though, this is ultimately bigger than the club and a finger pointing exercise isn't going to accomplish anything though, so why don't we just leave it at that?

Benny, if we sought to reprimand you we'd have just tossed you out - that's not what this is about. It's about calling for calm, and I agree with Fan that having circular arguments that are only going to end in posts at each others throats without finding any common ground isn't helpful. That's all.

+1. A transcript would be nice if anyone is feeling _reaaaaaalllly_ generous.

If Tassie can roll WA in the Shield in the next three days then they'll hit the top of the Shield table, and where they play just depends on the result of the Queensland/SA game. Looking good so far after skittling WA out for 142 and are 1/72 in reply. How great would it be to have Ponting lead Tassie to a Shield victory?

Exactly. And while Clint bravely played, I doubt anyone begrudged Jarrad McVeigh for missing the match after his daughter passed away - though some people here obviously believe he shouldn't have been paid that week. No situation is equal when it comes to personal difficulty.

That is spurious reasoning at best. This has got nothing to do with Jimmy whatsoever, so don't try and make it about him. This is the third time I've made this point in this thread, but as it seems it's not getting through I'll say it again. The club (like any good employee) has an incentive to do the right thing by its players. It instills a belief (a culture, if you will) where players (and other employees) know they are valued and know the club will stick by them when they need them to. As a player I'd be mortified if the club knifed LJ for this. How could I be sure I wouldn't get the same treatment if I ever needed time away for personal reasons? How would the next Chris Judd (or Mitch Clark) - coming out of contract and considering a return to Victoria view this when considering the MFC as a potential club to play at?

Really? It's a sensitive subject that you and others aren't showing a great deal of sensitivity towards. You should expect some flack - but at the same time I don't think anyone's said anything that's crossed the line or it would have been deleted. Frankly, I'm impressed with the restraint the folk of Demonland have shown towards some of the less savoury posts in this topic.

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE, WHAT ARE OUR INCOMPETENT MEDICAL STAFF DO... oh.

You play it by ear. I doubt the club expects Liam to be gone for 4 weeks. It's clear the club believes this to be temporary and is treating it as such. And I think you'd be surprised how many employers would grant you paid leave if you applied in an appropriate fashion and said "I've got xxx extenuating circumstance, but I'll be back in a week and I won't ask for this again". Good employers will go out of their way to help good employees; it's a two-way relationship. , As I said, instantly drawing the hard line is a great way to go about alienating your current and future players.

The club may not be a welfare agency, but if it wants to be an attractive club to play at, showing some compassion for its players when they go through a tough personal time is essential. I'd be horrified if the club treated a player in need in that manner, and so too would players considering signing or re-signing with the MFC. I don't believe it's in Liam's character to "chicken out" of what he's made a commitment to - to both his community and his club. He'll be back.

What Rogue is (presumably) saying is that the pilot's extensive experience allowed him to make the judgement that flying and landing would be okay - this far and away trumps anything an iPhone app will tell you. That he made the wrong call is largely moot - you'd never trust the judgement of an iPhone app over that of an experienced pilot.

Common sense prevails. I reckon every non-Essendon and probably many Essendon supporters would agree that this is the right result.

Correct me if I've misunderstood you, but in 40 years, you've never seen a runner? All my ammo footy viewing has been in Tassie I'll admit, but I've watched footy at most levels down here and I don't think I've ever not seen a runner. Often it's the team physio, one of the twos players or just a bloke they've plucked out of the 7 people in the crowd, but they've always got one.

The fact that St. Kilda managed to get there says plenty, really. Definitely should be a Bummers loss, and that's not just because I hate 'em.

To be fair, we beat about the only team that plays there less often than we do. Still, it's a nice one to have on the board.