sue

Probably, but we don't dare enter it. The again maybe we don't have to enter to win.

Clearly had plenty of time to avoid hard contact even if he was initially going for the ball (which I doubt). If Merret now thinks he can get away with that in future, he'll regret it when he hits a player from one of the big clubs.

I'm sure the AFL and most non-Essendon supporters hope Essendon doesn't make the 8. Life will be a lot simpler if they don't play finals.

Good to hear some Essendon supporters at least have a sense of right and wrong strong enough to overcome their natural inclinations.

that.

Sure do - it would be more entertaining for me if they just ran off in a random direction. Think of the fines the AFL could amass.

yes I was wondering if that is 'legal'? Presumaby it is. Amusing same article has $cully 'tanking'

Always enjoy a good whinge about umpires. Here's another one: Why on earth do they always take time and breath to indicate that they are going to move backwards when they do a ball-up? They always go back on a line perpendicular to their bum and the the vague wave they do doesn't indicate that any better then just standing there. Do the players really need to be told?

We are not in violent disagreement - quite the contrary. I wasn't saying you were suggesting Arrow's source was unreliable, just that it follows logically from your argument that if players and agents have reasons to keeps quiet that we should be suspicious of any 'sources'. Obviously there may be real leaks. I'm just presuming (as you say) that no agent/players are that incompetent. Perhaps not the wisest presumption but presumably true most of the time.

The figure which doesn't lie that you are neglecting is that we are not getting whacked by 10 goals every week this year. That implies we have improved with respect to the rest of the comp. It is more significant than St Kilda or some club fluking a win over some top club (when we failed to fluke the win by a few points) and thus putting us on the bottom. I can understand the emotion about being last, but I don't agree with it. We are all agreed that we want to win as many games as possible in the coming weeks.

That all makes sense, but it implies that Arrow's source is unreliable because no player manager or player wishing to play their cards close to their chest would tell anyone for it to leak to Arrow. For what it is worth ($0) I'd put my money on Frawley leaving.

Of course winning a few games will do wonders for morale. But if Roos is half the coach we think he is, he can get the players focussed on how they have improved and how they can improve more. I don't think anyone here is suggesting they'd prefer to finish bottom. No one is suggesting 'going down that path'. Just some of us less emotional supporters are more interested in the improvement we have seen rather than what is a somewhat arbitrary position on the ladder.

If the good authority has told Arrow why hasn't the good authority told Roos? And then why is Frawley not playing at Casey?

Here is some thinking outside the square, possibly well off the planet: A lot of bad umpire calls are obvious on the broadcast. A few are obvious to the crowd, but usually only spectators reasonably close to the action can know with any confidence - those further away can easily be biased in favour of their team. So how about instant free kicks awarded by an umpire looking at a broadcast. Not the Fox broadcast but a special one for umpires. (or even better use 2 cameras and umpires). No replays - just their instantaneous decision relayed to the umpire on the ground whose main job is to blow the whistle, enforce decisions and maybe look for off the ball frees. Maybe 3D cameras would help Must stop eating those mushrooms.

good. Then he should be for the high jump - which is what he deserves for the way he has conducted things recently even if he was innocent of the original 'program'.

Yes, but I don't recall he was involved when their workplace was unsafe, only afterwards I think. Was he on the board during the year of x,000 injections?

Some mild amusement http://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/2014/07/28/paul-roos-jake-king-ty-vickery-calls-shaped-afl/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+New+Daily+Tuesday+2972014+Australian+Super&utm_content=The+New+Daily+Tuesday+2972014+Australian+Super+CID_28947fae45fa1c6d469ea1cf9897e460&utm_source=&utm_term=Caught%20on%20tape%20Paul%20Roos%20Jake%20King%20and%20Ty%20Vickery

Massive injections!? Which thread am I reading?

Hugh Laurie is a Demons fan? There must be something in that for the club (and I don't just mean money). Get him to a few matches and his face will be all over the broadcast - may inspire some new members.

Not in my mind. I don't care because I have seen enough improvement and competitiveness to realise we could have won more games with a little more talent and luck. Whether 16 or 18 or whatever, the position on the ladder is related to how many 'flukes' other bottom teams have pulled off etc. If I was sure that a wooden spoon would somehow affect the club in the future, then I might be more concerned, but since I'm not sure of that, I don't really care. Some see that as a weak supporter/bad attitude/all that is wrong with the supporters, I see it as realism.

I think everyone is hoping we'll win as many games in the rest of the year as possible and finish as high as we can. But with the improvement we have seen I'm not slitting my wrists if the vagaries of how other bottom teams had a win when we had some non-disasterous losses causes us to finish below them. Not happy but not despairing.

The original question was how annoyed will you feel. So I'd separate the personal feelings from the issues some have raised. Sure being bottom may have an effect on next year's membership (though I doubt it would be significant). It may affect the player's morale (I have no way of knowing). On the other hand it may lead to better draft/trade options (heaven forbid tanking). etc. etc. But in response to the original question, I personally don't care much. I have seen enough improvement and know we could have had a much better win/loss ratio with just a bit more improvement and luck. I don't care if others think we are a laughing stock as long as I feel confident in our future. I do.

Bit?

All true, but I feel it was more interesting to watch in days of yore.

Being on display may be why it was easy to trouser.