Little Goffy

While footballers aren't the tip of the spear as far as vaccine rollout goes, you'd expect that for the economic/social significance compared to just a couple of thousand jabs required they would be in the fairly early rounds. Of course, we're still waiting to see exactly what community-level protection the various vaccines offer. One strange case came up in Germany recently where multiple people at an aged care facility tested positive despite having been vaccinated. On the one hand, it was a little worrying, on the other hand, pre-vaccine the same circumstances would have meant the entire care centre infected and dozens of people dead. It did appear that even in this incident the vaccines a) provided really effective suppression of transmission, and b) eliminated symptoms to the point where Covid was only detected due to routine screening! It is reasonable to expect that by very early in the season the AFL clubs will be generally vaccinated and highly safe. The only way I can see Covid seriously derailing the season again is if the Demons are top of the ladder by August and a new mutant COVID-MFCSS strain breaks out.

The recent Sydney outbreak had the merciful benefit of beginning in the inbred coves... ahh... northern beaches area. By quirks of geography and sociology it is almost as separate to the rest of Sydney as Geelong to Melbourne. Maybe even moreso considering the number of Geelong-Melbourne commuters. The location of this outbreak in Melbourne was a real bastard; fairly central with numerous connections, as well as an unknown period of potential infectiousness. It's kind of similar to the 'pizza shop guy' in Adelaide who got the whole state closed down simply because if he had actually been working shifts at that time there could have been 40+ people infected before anyone even knew about it. That said, knowing people who have worked in the quarantine hotels I am staggered at the gaps in process and reporting that still exist. Then again, I'm still pre-occupied by little details like the hotel quarantine staff are still getting the same old 21.58 an hour as they did before their every slip-up could cost a billion dollars. Not to mention, you know, every reception greeting and room service drop-off is now an unpleasant and dangerous experience. In the circumstances the 5-day lockdown is probably the right call because constraining this outbreak might just be enough to get us to the point of vaccine-based control without having any further major outbreaks. Shouldn't have been necessary though.

Reminds me slightly wistfully of what it looked like might happen with our mix of flexbile forwards who could shift around, as well as mids who could play forward or attack effectively from the midfield role. We had half a dozen mids average half a goal a game in 2018, and then all the loose forwards like Nibbler, Hannan and Melksham. Our 2018 was exactly the 'mesmerising, constantly mutating attacks' this article was talking about. Worth noting that the group of mids there were kicking goals at a rate comparable to Richmond's 2019 fleet of small forwards, as well as being near-full-time mids. Also worth noting that our recent drafts have added an awful lot of very dynamic mutli-role players who can cause that kind of trouble up forward and maybe restore that impossible-to-cover whack-a-mole party of 2018. It's been noted that the new guys are all on the short side, but it is worth remembering that we actually have a fairly tall midfield group as it is so the balance isn't too strange.

When T$ retired, the mods decided to return this thread of B$ to the main board.

That's a whole lot of potassium. Don't go swimming for a while!

In his defence, he was playing on a pretty rough wicket. Indeed, Vietnam has managed significantly less famine, less political murder, less poverty and less disaster than pretty much any other SE Asian nation. And I say that not as if I think the country has some kind of clean slate - I am well aware of the Montagnard persecutions both present and historical, as well as the incredibly callous, almost Haig-like ruthlessness of Vietnamese war planning, the mass 're-education' programs and refugee 'pushing' as well as the general chaotic mismanagement in the initial post-war period. I just don't like the silly sweeping claims, is all.

And as they say, "football was the winner." Also the Demons. Definitely the Demons.

"Paxman has been having a pretty shaky game by her standards..." was what I was thinking moments ago.

Well, we're not playing against the bottom team, that much is clear. Really looking to weather this storm and kick away from them again. Currently a bit rattled and clumsy.

Unselfish, too. Huge asset.

Gee, Cunnginham is beginning to look like it is all coming together.

Well, I haven't seen a family member in a tick over 13 months so the 'G isn't high on the list. On the other hand, get some good vaccine coverage that successfully suppressed spread as well as controls symptoms in individuals and we're really in business and it is very easy to imagine the whole family getting a good screech going at the 'G. Dear Science, Please save us. Regards, Everyone.

I'm going to make the observation that this thread has descending into uselessness and ask that the mods close it.

I was going to say, Robertson is a bit unlucky to miss out on a forward spot but you can also see why.

Both Long and Winmar were booed, but as it was just part of the orchestral arrangement of foul abuse they copped it didn't stand out so much. I guess it counts as progress that the more explicit material is no longer accepted and booing was the remaining option. I wonder if Aboriginal people would be content to see 25 years of change amount to reaching the point where the King Kong idiocy is the club president's contribution from the tip of the social iceberg, compared to the predecessor; "As long as they conduct themselves like white people, well, off the field, everyone will admire and respect them … As long as they conduct themselves like human beings, they will be all right. That’s the key." (Collingwood president Allan Mcalister responds to criticism of Collingwood fans abusing Nicky Winmar.)

Poor Sam. Talk about doing it the hard way. But he'll be cherry ripe for finals which we all know is when he plays his best footy. Sigh. This and BB setback surely sets Tom to the forward line for the near future. Jackson will definitely be getting games in the circumstances and I can see Gawn being used forward more often to at least demand a defender on him. Meanwhile, M Brown surely will be called upon to be the Pederson successor he was obviously recruited to be. Could be a very interesting stimulus for the coaches, forcing them to innovate with options like Petty and of course Rosman's big athletic contribution may be called on just to keep getting to contest after contest and hope the squadron of smart speedy little guys can work magic from the fall of the ball. It does also add a wink and nudge in favour of the 'mysteriously' overlooked Kaine Baldwin. Even if he just spends a season on minimum pay being scrutinized while giving Casey an additional tall option. Because we don't want the 2s playing without any talls at all! It sucks that it happened but we could learn a lot about a few players while we wait for BB and then Weid to return.

I'm going to go early with a little crystal ball tip. About six months from now there will be a reality/documentary series of Eddie visiting all kinds of marginalised people and having very sincere conversations with them and showing how much he cares and listens. There will be some kind of catchy title about change and redemption, and then Eddie will be officially rehabilitated. Possibly even reinstated as the great defender of the little people that he always imagined himself to be. Also very likely to be part of Crown's attempt to regain its gaming licence. (haa haa haa, it's been a big week for $rseholes.)

They've been going into bat for him over and over and over already. There's only so far you can go on the plaudits for being the person sitting in the chair that decides who gets the goodies. Have Collingwood really been that much more generous than any other club, or have they just done a lot more publicity about it?

Just one little slip-up and everyone piled on. ? Edit: please turn on your sarcasm filter, everyone. I thought the boggly-eyed-tongue-out face would be the giveaway!

For those who can't view the presser live, I've found a copy online.

I'll set the bar high for this press conference; "They are not yet come back. But I have spoke With one that saw him die; who did report That very frankly he confessed his treasons, Implor'd your Highness' pardon, and set forth A deep repentance. Nothing in his life Became him like the leaving it."

Yep. Eddie has stepped down effective immediately. Edit: And Hardtack gets in with the scoop by a whisker

That's intriguing. Good job digging it up. That would be from some time from 2006 (Jack Anthony's first season) to 2008 (Scott Burns retires). By coincidence, I've just finished reading a short book that was a kind of 'live memoir' written during the 1989-90 wave of liberation from the communist regimes of Central Europe. A point that was observed many times was the sense of 'universal complicity' created by the totalitarian system; everyone felt that they were both victim and perpetrator because of the necessity of participation in the system. "I am Cain AND Abel," was a famous banner. In a complex way that also has been pointed to as a key reason that those 'revolutions' were almost entirely bloodless (setting aside poor old Romania). The sense of guilt was universal and the need for mutual forgiveness was also universal. It's unfortunate that the kaleidoscope of suppressions in Australia is so fragmented and multi-directional that it is not really possible to all come together in Wenceslas Square and collectively reject it. It's just so easy for everyone to imagine themselves to be exceptionally the victims or to be particular targets. Overthrowing Communism would be so much simpler to think through than dealing with this mess.

Thing is, that percentage is largely because nobody has thought to kick a goal against them. When be unleash a seven goal blitz in the third quarter this weekend, they won't look so great.

That leaves us with 'people are the worst people.' Which I guess is not a bad starting point for accepting each other.