Little Goffy

Angela Merkel will be retiring from politics at some point, she would whip a football club into shape and the sponsorship exposure would be incredible. If you're not constrained by reality, you might as well think big.

I'm pretty sure I'm at least 4 years older than I was eight months ago.

Hogan for pick six turned out to be a huge gain and pick six for May appears to have delivered us a crucial premiership quality key defender and club leader. What I like is that we've also managed quite a few respectable successes that were neither boom nor bust but good value and appropriate for the circumstances. Hibberd, Lewis, Vince, and Melksam in, Frost and Watts out. All good value. I don't think we've really fluffed a trade in a few years. The missing piece now is a couple of bonus free agency signings. But that really only comes when you're already performing and an attractive prospect for 28 year olds looking for less responsibilty and a premiership.

I'm drawing a link in my mind between this and Nathan Jones playing on for 2021. Am I crazy? Casey will need leaders when on-field resources are tight, Jones will need something to do when he's not in that magical last burst of refreshed form that will bring him to a triumphant 300.

Paradoxically, when that day comes this time of year will very much feel like the best times.

I guess my point is in two parts, a) a speculative pick in the mid-season rookie draft is hardly team-defining, and b) You're insistence on superiority over Taylor is at least a year out of date given the acquisition of Jackson, Pickett, Rivers, Langdon, Tomlinson and Bennell in a single off-season, not one of which is the plodding inside mid you believe he needs to 'change his attitude about' this year.

May I just clarify, you're all fired up at the club and proud of yourself for 'knowing' that a player picked in the mid-season rookie draft might not develop to high levels? And you also believe selecting Dunkley shows how Taylor is obsessed with slow inside midfielders... such as Jackson, Rivers and Pickett... and that "He needs to change his attitude for this year." I don't think it even counts for trolling credit if people are smirking when they see your comments.

I guess something positive to take from Richmond getting a third it is the reminder that their success has come from a transformation in the lower half of their best 22, not from needing to gather superstars. They've now got a heap of quality players but you don't look at them and go 'wow'. Check their 2019 best and fairest - Dion Prestia 91 Votes Shane Edwards 79 Dylan Grimes 75 Nick Vlastuin 70 Tom Lynch 69 Dustin Martin 67 Bachar Houli 64 Kane Lambert 63 David Astbury 55 Jason Castagna & Daniel Rioli 47 Rance is the only major difference in the previous years, too. For me the most exciting thing about 2021 is that I might get a chance to visit my Mum. With that in mind, it's never a bad time to thank everyone who has done their best to do the right things in 2020. It's been a tough year and could have been a whole lot harder if the local hospitals had been hopelessly overwhelmed as well.

Irony. The AFL designed free agency on the assumption that players only cared about money, and as a result the clubs with the most resources/money are able to get advantage from the nobler sentiments, ambitions and professional pride of the top players. But that's not to take away from Geelong; a well run and well respected club getting rewards for being well run and respected isn't so controversial. The trouble is the other sentiment, that AFL clubs shouldn't be allowed to die. Right now there isn't enough professionalism and respectability available to sustain all 18 at the top level. Imagine if a club run 1980s style tried to compete in 2020s football!

There's an interesting flux going on with what a 'mental health issue' is. It used to be that anything 'mental health' referred to having a problem within yourself that in some way made participating in life or coping with 'ordinary' stress disproportionately difficult. But I would be surprised if anyone said that it was in any way abnormal or deficient or dysfunctional for someone who has just had the year Rhyce Shaw has had to decide that it would be a good idea to take some time without pressure and scrutiny while you got back to appreciating what really matters to you. No doubt, AFL coaching is one of those niches where what is 'normal' is not 'normal' at all!

A much-hyped Naitanui was invited to the 2008 AFL Draft Camp and his results were impressive. He managed to equal the running vertical jump record previously set by Jared Brennan, but fell short of Trent Croad's standing jump record. His sprint, agility and endurance tests were also impressive. Many media commentators believed that Naitanui was in contention to be taken as the number 1 pick in the 2008 AFL Draft.[6] The Melbourne Football Club, who retained that pick, had looked at Naitanui, but raised concerns about his skill level, in particular his kicking, and instead selected Victorian Jack Watts.

Maybe we need a thread for hindsight drafting, where we have to declare who we would take with our picks from at least 8 years ago.

Where's that .gif when you need it?

Experience at losing finals. Richmond - three losses, no wins, a year out, then boom, premiership. Geelong - three losses, two wins, a year out, then boom, premiership. Colonwood - 50/50 in finals, and then 2 losses one win in 2009. Premiership 2010. Port Adelaide - SIX losses, two wins, over three years, then premiership. Sydney - six losses, three wins over seven years, then premiership. West Coast - three elimination final losses in a row, then runner up, then premiership. Bulldogs - eight losses and four wins over ten years, then premiership. Essendon - five losses, three wins, and five losses two wins, ahead of each of their recentish premierships. The only exceptions in recent history are Brisbane (Merger/Salary cap) and Hawthorn (freakshow / tanking draft pick jackpot) Clearly, we got something wrong by winning two finals in our first return to action. Also, Brisbane's 1w 3l is making them look ominous. And put your house on Geelong with 6 wins 12 losses to build from. What's the saying, to win, first you must know how to lose?

Close the thread before someone pulls a muscle rolling their eyes too hard.

Pretty sure that once you consider things three-dimensionally, Gawn's face was safely 1.5 metres away from anyone else. I strongly suspect that Oliver's laughing was also Gawn related. I really doubt there was a single midfielder Brownlow vote at Melbourne that wasn't being counted towards an unofficial tally for the Ruck/Captain. What did he finish with, thirty something? Would easily have beaten Neale if Brownlow votes were counted 'properly'.

I'd add that they also under-invested in developing that pool. Eyes always on the bling at AFL HQ, and the second-tier game and development pathways have been neglected for far too long.

Back to Shaw and North, though... For him personally it is easy to see how you'd be crushed as a new senior coach of a season where the club simply failed to function and it seems like everyone was on blame and attack mode as soon as things got difficult. Add to the the collection of 'we saved the club' coterie types who want a say, the large number of disgruntled ex-players, bloody Covid, and the massive pressure that comes from the ever-present threat of the club actually closing down on your watch... I'm not sure any individual could have achieved much with North Melbourne this season. But what about next season and beyond? Things may be even worse and the thought of the club folding or being merged away is one that has to start lurking in the back of people's minds. They have less talent under 24 years old than we have talent just from the 2019 draft. They need to find a ruck and a key forward, we're seen this season how much their midfield relies on Ziebell and Cunnington, both currently 29, and supported by the likes of Aaron Hall (also 29), Jared Polec (28) and Shaun Higgins (32 and leaving). They have a couple of respectable key defenders but Robbie Tarrant is crucial and, again, is 31. They're delisted 11 players, will lose/trade perhaps four more, and they've recently cut six assistant coaches of all kinds of levels. They've got no financial reserves, the AFL's smallest supporter base which has already been bled pale for extra contributions, dysfunctional club leadership, unhappy players and an old list with not a single potential star coming through among the kids. I hate saying it, but right now it is hard to imagine North Melbourne still operating at AFL level in five years time.

If an AFL player turns up to the Brownlow with their girlfriend, that's coming out? No? Because if an AFL Player turned up to the Brownlow with their boyfriend... So, shall we reword it - "So far, no AFL player has ever felt able to do normal (for an AFL player) relationship things with their partner." There are several gay AFL level footballers and that does included top quality players. There has been for twenty years just that I know of, and who knows how long before that. Ah, it must have been such fun to politely smile along to the 90s Footy Show. Anyway, the only connection to the thread is someone raising it as an example of how much pressure there is in the AFL community to not have any apparent 'vulnerabilities' and how that can lead to silently escalating stress for anyone who feels like they aren't keeping up. Not least, a senior coach of a club that is imploding at every level.

Essendon start negotiations by asking for Curnow. Carlton agree but ask for some loose change late draft picks, as they really value having a mature body in the midfield... I mean, really, Saad for Walsh, Curnow or McKay is like... well, it's like trying to trade a very handy mature player for a young potential superstar.

That's so strange and pointless I'm struggling to believe it. The only justification I can think of is some kind of religious need to play at least in part 'on the MCG'. Or maybe it is fine print in a contract somewhere that says all grand finals will be played on the MCG turf...

Sometimes when you love someone you have to let them do what's best for them, even if it means being apart.

Very much in the 'maybe a fresh start will sort him out' category of players. A trade to the dogs where he'd already know a few people courtesy of VFL time would seem like a good result. Dogs won't be too attached to their pick 12 given it'll be burned for Academy ugleharglebargle. Despite this being a relatively small trade it may end up waiting until our other small trades happen so we can bundle 23 and a bunch of other draft points value burners to get that 12. Everyone is a winner including Mitch.

Officially the most AFL games played without a final. Incredible that he nearly tipped 200 games given the substantial periods of indifferent form, but full credit to him for working his way through each dip and getting back to solid AFL standard. Demonstrated character despite terrible haircuts.

Love the way Jackson keeps upte enthusiasm whenever the ball is near, like an excited puppy. Love Pickett's energy. Love Rivers' composure. Not pretending tbey are instant stars but I have full confidence in their progress. To get a quality 'full career' player at any number in the draft is always good. To get three in one draft is magnificent. It will be fascinating to watch what Taylor does with the 2020 draft. We already had multiple late selections so would already have been looking at the speculative variety. And that's a big group now, especially local. If we don't have any major players traded in, I'd hazard a guess that we may even look to bundle pick 23 and some of the modest trade gains from our departing players and turn it into an additional mid-first round pick for 2021. Final picture; many late picks in 2020, fewer but better selections in 2021.