sue

I reckon this is going to enrage supporters all year if they persist with it. Unless the player directly shouts abuse at the umpire, there is no way umps will be consistent in interpreting swearing and exasperation gestures etc. For a start, how do they decide at whom were those things directed - could be the player themself, their team mates, or just fate?

I can't work out if you mean the last sentence or are being ironic?

Looks like the email is being sent out in batches or whatever, presumably to not overload a computer somewhere. Spouse got theirs a day after me.

Yes I noticed that at the time and wondered if feinging a delay would become a new art form. Will the AFL in its infinite wisdom penalise players who feign a delay and reverse the free/mark.

Re the umpire abuse issue (sorry I can't let this go): When free kicks and old-style 50m penslties are awarded, the spectator can see and make their own mind up (however prejudiced!) as to the quality of the umpire's decision. So for viewers not to be totally confused with the application of the new abuse interpretation, we need to hear the ump's microphone at all times. Of course, it will still be difficult to judge the extent of eye-rolling and head shaking that justifies a 50m penalty.

Further analysis here is interesting to read, but this is the main stat for me: INJURIES Melbourne: Nil

Is anyone saying we 'lost' because of the 50m penalties? The concern I have is that penalties which depend on how the umpire intreprets a player saying [censored] because he had a free paid against him will be yet another mess the AFL has created.

What's the definition of umpire abuse? Clearly "youre a fckn [censored]" is abuse but is it not ok to say that decision was crap anymore?

I'd have thought they'd have more opportunities to call the dogs (ie warders) bad names if they had barracked for Melbourne. Maybe says something about why they ended up in jail.

One good thing about Round 1 being a GF re-match is that both teams are '6 weeks behind' or whatever. Gives both an extra week to get back into it (and on equal terms).

Asked my o/s mate. They stream it when it is on but with no advance notice in their match lists. He says currently they are streaming some other practice match. So our game may not be on or missing first half.

But why say anything now publically? I can only presume he is playing to the Cat supporters.

This is the current standard political apology coming from governments. If you say "I apologise if you are offended" with the implication that no reasonable person would be offended, you can appear to be apologising and can't be proved to be not apoogising. I'd reject any apology with this qualification was insincere.

I was in need of a good laugh and reading this I got it: https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_rankings?year=2021&rt=LA&st=CG

What is new about the bolded bit?: They will also penalise players who don’t legally dispose of the football if they’re "balanced and steady" when tackled, if they have previously been awarded a mark or free kick, or if they drive their head into a legal tackle.

Sorry if this has been answered earlier, but is any of this event going to be streamed for us Demon supporters who are not in Melbourne? Even those in WA may want more.

With Gawn making those undoutably wise comments, he can expect a lot of flak by the media next year,. Very brave of him.

Thanks for those who answered this. I was aware of the Clarrie and Gawn 'moves'. I just thought there must have been more than that. And Jontee says there may be even less.

Probably I missed it, but I can't recall any posts discussing what coaching changes (if any) were made in the second half. Any ideas?

If only they were joking.

Yes, but could they couldn't do it in time to wind down the player's swearing. Personally I'd prefer swearing to BT.

They also need to consult on friction.

Is that true? I reckon we only hear a fraction of what the umpires say or the whistle blowing volume. And I don't think it is because it is simply drowned out by BT's bliterhing. I assume they wind it down and up?

Yes, but if they got that 1 goal closer they could have overtaken us wihtin the quarter. A team can be apparently far better than the opponent and still lose. That too is footy. If you weren't nervous at that point in the game you couldn't possibly be a Demons supporter. 😀 Anyway, while we had a great year and a great final series all I'm saying is we shouldn't get over-confident about the size of the gap between us and other teams. But if it makes any of us happy to be over-confident, fine. Just as long as the players are not. (Confidence within bounds is of course good.)

But I bet you were feeling nervous in Q4. They had significant injuries, we didn't. Yes, we were probably the better team, but if they got an extra goal at a critical time, who knows... I'm just saying the gap between the teams is not as large as some on here are saying.