Nasher

Nope. If we finish 2nd, we play in the Qualifying Final against 3rd. Winner then goes directly through to the Preliminary Final and has a break, loser goes on to the Semi Final. We can only finish 2nd or 3rd now, highly likely we play the Swans in the first QF (unless they unexpectedly get defeated by St Kilda, and one of Collingwood or Freo win) - just a question of where.

One of Kozzie’s goals in the second quarter came from an absolutely glorious bed s*** from Brisbane #27, who flinched and dropped an easy mark right in front of me. They were completely rattled.

I’ll just watch the live ladder and let the AFL do the calculations for me. No way am I trying to calculate percentage on the fly.

Great night. First time at the Gabba for me. The Benny Brown half time goal was right in front of me. Extremely hostile crowd for about 10 seconds. Could just about hear a pin drop by half way through the first quarter.

While I appreciate your point BBO, it's a bit rough to use Viney as the benchmark. I don't reckon I've seen a player as tough (the right type of tough) as him, ever. He is just built for football.

Hahaha. I just love the look Melksham gives him.

Yawn. You do this all the time. How about you just stop bagging Melbourne players all the time?

Top of the ladder problems I reckon BBO. Rivers and Bowey have both been stiff this year too.

In: Brown, Harmes Out: Weideman, Sparrow

I reckon Harmes, ANB, Melksham and Sparrow are currently in competition for 3 spots. Melksham coming in and making a great contribution has thrown a spanner in the works IMO.

Unexpected emotional response to seeing that again!

Viney likes direct, blunt feedback. I'm shocked!

In his podcast interview with Neroli Meadows in the off season, he said the premiership was just more fuel for his motivation, because he wants that feeling again. I thought he was cooked with those repeat injuries early in the year. Now he’s flying. And I’d say playing better than he did at any stage in 2021. He was right place, right time last year when Hunt and Smith got injured in my view, and hung on to his place for the GF by the skin of his teeth. This year he is back to his best and firmly entrenched in the team. Loving what the pig has to offer this year!

I developed hardcore fandom in the late 90s.

And I’d also love to see Yze make it on a personal level. He was one of my favourites as a player, and there have been no MFC players gone on to be full time AFL coaches in the era I’ve been a fanatic other than Clarkson, who in my mind only technically counts, as he was a journeyman.

If we’re a strong organisation, we take pride in developing elite leaders, watch him go with a smile on our face, and back ourselves to find/develop the next one. If we’re weak, we crack the sads, hope he doesn’t get the job, and establish a culture of stunting the growth of our staff.

Hope he gets the GWS job. Perfect job for a first time senior coach; capable list that needs a fresh voice. Leave North to Clarkson or some other egomaniac who wants to play hero.

Did my usual “dodge Demonland after a poor loss for my own mental health” trick this week, and glad I did if this the mood after a grinding win!

Every one of the considerable number of games we lost in 2019 were because of that one game we didn’t review.

Love the change of course on the talls front, and that they’re backing Toby in. The development of Bedford and Jordon has been a real highlight this year. Can’t wait for this one.

I stopped participating, or will occasionally pop in during a quarter break if things are going okay. The over the top catastrophising just does my head in.

Spelt van but pronounced fon. I suppose. I have a mate whose last name is van Rijswijk, which is pronounced “fon Rays-vayk”. Took a bit of wrapping my head around, but I’m pretty happy with Dutch “ij” being a hard “ay” sound now, and a w sounding like an English v is common in a lot of languages.

That GWS game WAS one of the most fun games to watch though. Michael Evans kicked 3 goals in that last quarter. A star in the making! He got delisted the next year, with a year to run on his contract if I remember rightly.

What do you mean? This is literally the most critical bit of info since he was drafted! The van Ruin thing has been driving me spare, even Max says it! @Roger Mellieback me up here!

BUMP CONFIRMED on website interview; correct pronunciation: “van Royen”. Anyone heard calling him van Ruin from now on is going to HEAR ABOUT IT FROM ME!