Little Goffy

Wow, Harmes is twice the player he was in round 4. In fact, by the numbers he is just shy of being 3 times the player, comparing the EF to Rnd 4! Very, very different scene now. As I see it, Harmes gives us another competent player inside the mess of pressure and tackles. I'm more concerned about that overall weight of struggle than about a specific tag, given that the Hawks must've gone close to the season record for tackles (113) in the round 4 game, which is close to double their normal output. All the talk of methodical and precise Hawthorn is fine and true enough, but they beat us with berserk pressure then, as did Collingwoodand and Richmond, making up our only three losses of any significant margin. Clarkson will know that weakness and the Hawthorn onballers will be under instructions to sacrifice their own game to unsettle and disrupt ours. It wont make so much difference up at half-forward (where it is always a nut-house for us anyway) but from the clearances, and in the general tangle, we're gonna need every competent body we can get or the quick handballs and tap-ons will all be happening knee-deep in brown streaks.

Have you tried laying eggs? I hear now is a great time for it. Get that summer body with just a few minutes effort each day. No more brooding, you'll be back free-ranging in no time. All the chicks are doing it and they say everyone loves their thighs. Ok. I'm letting that one go. Apologies all around. I'll get m' coat.

A bit of 'feeding the chooks' as they say in the National Party. Get the media part done enough to keep everyone happy, then get back to focusing on the real job. Hopefully helps clear the noise from player's minds, 'That's done, don't need to think about that now.

Probably clean it off for this weekend, just to be sure nobody thinks you're a Hawthorn supporter.

Just 3 clearance and 3 inside 50s. Also spent time forward yet didn't kick a goal and only managed one assist all game. An occasion where the stats do a reasonable job of telling the story - Dangerfield was often sighted but rarely noted. With all the frees against and clangers, yep, he'd have to be below a 5. As for the ratings of the Demon players, well, I think the main thing I thought was important was that very few, if any, players really failed on the day, and as long as their ratings reflect that I can't really worry too much about the details. Still wrapped for any extra praise on Weideman as I think every little extra piece of confidence that comes his way will add up. Looking more and more like we're going to have to figure out a permanent 3-talls forward line next season. I'd say it can work if they balance their loads to all spend as close to 100% time on field as possible, letting the mids use the bench more.

Has there ever been a better way to say hello to the Demonland crowd? Welcome to the nut house! We're all on the happy meds this week! I can't suggest anything better than online searches would find for you, but I wish you luck!

In my mind Salem is emblematic of our strength of excellent players a step down from the hyped star level. Also emblematic of the number of players we have, who have had to overcome all kinds of strain and pain and frustration to get where they are now, at a personal level mirroring the club's overall experience.

My fear of bathwater is simply gone. I'm hereby never mentioning the stuff online even again. Bubbles might still get a mention, but probably not in a public forum.

I know it is just a trick of the light and the image resolution but to me it looks like all the Geelong players are covering their eyes. There was a moment for me, I don't eve know when in the game (oh no, I'll have to watch a replay I guess), when Neville Jetta just completely dominated Dangerfield, even though the incoming ball was a bit to Dangerfield's advantage. I stopped worrying then, started soaking it up.

Yep, the Sydney pub I ended up at was all about the Rugby League, barely an AFL person, let alone a demon. But even that crowd was cheering during Hannan's run-in - possibly helped draw some attention when I momentarily lost it when his opponent slipped and I yelled "RRRUUN" like some kind of horror movie cliche.

Yep. Yep.

What the hell, I've got the startup music for PacMan running constantly in my head. FOCUS.

I am lying absolutely still listening to the rain up here in Sydney. So calm, so peaceful. Except for the continuous feeling like someone has, just accidentaly, not very hard, kneed me in the balls 30 seconds ago.

One things that would really help the gameday threads is a crowd roar function where all the dozen or so simultaneous posts of 'wooo!' or 'damnit you sp-ud' can be merge into a swirling animation or something. When you're trying to get more info on a game you've only got sporadic online radio for, it isn't much help scrolling trough an entire page of 'Tyson you %*}@' or 'Yes, Petraccaaaaa here is my daughter's phone number'.

What is wrong with me, I just checked the ladder. Creeping, creeping, tension, the occasional shiver up the spine or through my ribs. Much more affected than I thought I'd be this far out from it. Gonna be trouble tomorrow night.

Ok, so I can now conclude you genuinely didn't understand my response. Always a comfort. Hoarding distorts the market, reduces production, creates an artificial shortage and inflates prices overall, not just for the specific sale involved. It is absolutely not a victimless crime. By seriously, if such things as social contract, meaningful regulation, non-exploitation of vulnerable people and so on are all so troubling to you, you're quite welcome to move to Kentucky and vote for Gary Johnson. Things are really rocking in the appalachias, I hear, pretty much your dream come to life. Please, go, and stop sponging off the good life created by other people's commitment to coherent civilisation.

Are the AFL just keeping it a surprise, or do the umpires have to book through Ticketek?

The hype about Melbourne has reached the point where I am getting nervous again. About 5 days ago I was downright placid in my confidence, but now... there's a veritable geyser of bathwater.

Somehow I'm as tired of Richmond winning premierships after one, as I was of Geelong winning them after 3. Strange that I've grown to really dislike Geelong only in the time since they became zombies - marching on into finals every year but not really alive. Entitled, arrogant, sooky, soft-cheating zombies. Hawthorn I've never much liked, the only thing better than beating them next week would be beating them in the grand final. Y'know, for all that, I think I've joined the 'don't much care, just bring 'em on' crowd.

Lol, I'm guessing your not an economist. Buying something to specifically withhold it and create a shortage, and then exploiting the crisis prices, is historically the greatest scourge on the market system and is directly responsible for a variety of financial crises and even of famines multiplying in scale. Come to think of it, I'm guessing you're neither an economist nor Irish. In this particular instance, you have a simple situation where the withholding of tickets in a context of already tight supply is inflating prices far beyond affordability for a 'reasonable' consumer. In turn, the actual provider of the product (the MCG) is being denied the revenue from their product because there are fewer seats actually filled and thus fewer people making ancilliary purchases (overpriced food and drinks). As the crowd also contributes to the value of the product (you don't go to games to experience the fabulous plastic seats) the actual value of the product is diminished. Every single person and business affected by the scalper's behaviour is disadvantaged. It is the embodiment of 'market failure' and one of the few areas where even the most rigid of free-market flag-wavers will sternly bring out the red tape for fear of, you know, total collapse of the system, or at the least riots.

Deliberately drink too many of a variety of incompatible drinks so I get a mighty hangover the next day, so that every hangover for the rest of my life reminds me of the moment, easing the pain. Because I know how to plan ahead. Nah, I'll probably just enjoy a few deep breaths and a smile.

Carlton, surely?

What really pisses me off is that those prices are set with no expectation of actually selling them all. Sell 5 at 500 and toss 5 in the bin, still better than selling all 10 at 200. Derty precks.

Proverbially. I believe there was a baby involved.

Anywhere suitable in Sydney? The pub around the corner is alright but might have a bit too much of a 'normal' friday night crowd. Would want to have at least a few proper football people around. Even Geelong supporters to point and laugh at. Will be taking the lovely person who often struggles to watch games because she feels like it is her fault if we're doing badly, and also the impending father-in-law who is visiting, speaks barely a word of English, but 'gets' AFL and sure as all bleep knows how to get into the spirit of it. The pure joy of not being able to understand a word of what Bruce or BT are on about, I am truly jealous. But seriously, any recommendations for inner-west or CBD Sydney?