Little Goffy

But also, if Davey could get our entire team kicking the way he could, it would just be magical to watch. We could play the Blue Danube from the speakers all game and it wouldn't match the grace.

Yeah, I get a bit annoyed about whole separate streams of development and 'special programs' and the like in a lot of situations, but this is one where it makes sense. And importantly, has a sunset to it - once it succeeds in the goal of normalising the idea of Indigenous people being coaches, it'll wind down naturally. In a professional community as small as AFL-level coaching, personal contacts make all the different. Because of the legacy of separation, because of the competing priority of supporting your community (e.g. Neville Jetta) and because many indigenous players emerge from comparatively remote places (the article notes "... trips to the Northern Territory, Cairns and regional Western Australia to target those who typically aren't exposed to leading coaching strategies "), the direct personal connections aren't going to be as strong. Plus, somehow still, there are little bits of creeping racism which can really stink up efforts at networking. Networking is particularly vulnerable to pissy little low-key racist exclusion. All it takes is just a couple of soft-racist types to do some moaning about how "such-and-such is only getting an interview because we want to look politically correct" or "that guy is only at this event to make up the diversity numbers" and an Indigenous prospective coach is having their credibility and worthiness questioned by people who would otherwise not blink at giving them a chance. Even quite earnestly not-racist people can be influenced by the grumbling of someone they respect, particularly because the actual racial motive might be all but invisible, so to anyone listening it just sounds like a colleague making an honest observation. So that's the lay of the land, but with the momentum for change now, through the likes of Davey and Whelan and Jetta, it really should just be a matter of time. I'd understand if you still find it irritating, but at least take comfort knowing it is a temporary effort that'll just straight-out solve this particular problem in the long run.

Wow. People forgave Denis Pagan faster than they are letting go of the hate for Neeld. It is starting to get a bit cringeworthy.

Not everyone can be Neville Jetta. For us mere mortals it gets much harder to spoil or outmark an opponent if you're giving away 20cms. Thing about the base numbers of tall players on our list, sure we have fewer in total but we have the 'set' required to get the match-ups on a given day. Especially in defence, Lever, May, OMc, and Frost give us 4 defensive tall options of varying but acceptable quality. Smith and Hibberd both play a little taller than their height but are not at the Jetta level for that and aren't really set for directly managing true tall forwards. Forward line is an interesting one in that while we only have a couple of 'true' talls up there in TMc and Weidemann, we've actually got a tody collection of mobile tall forwards just uner that 190cm mark, including Hanna, Fritsch, Brayshaw, Vandenberg, and oliver when he slides forward. But, just two genuine rucks on a list is a little bit scary, even if one is the best ruck of all time and the other is a proper workhorse. So overall, except for ruck exposure to injury (TOUUUCHHH WOOOOD), I'd say we have enough height to match up relevant positions, especially in defence where you can't give away too much height without being punished. Up forward we set the agenda because (at least in theory) we are the ones sending the ball in and we can deliver it to suit what we've got up there. I'd hate to be an opposition coach going into a game with a bunch of big defenders if they are going to spend all day chasing around our mobile formation.

Curious thing about Petracca, agains the flow of the usual 'young kid' story, is his consistency. 16 games this season fell in the 19-24 disposals range. Also worth noting that, just by a glance at the numbers, he got significantly fewer touches in losses than in wins. Now the haters and the fluffers can have a whole new round of debating whether that is because of poor attitude or a consequence of the role he plays.

In 2018, Essendon had about 70,000 higher total attendance at home games than Melbourne did. For the effect of the Darwin and Alice Springs games, knock 40,000 off (crowds being 26,000 instead of 6,000 is a fair enough call I'd say) Counted that way, the difference is about 5%, ignore that effect, the difference is still only about 10%. Essendon ain't what it used to be. Seems like, for some reason, a layer of their support may have been brushed off by accident. And Melbourne are a lot more fun to watch, too.

For discussion's sake and as a quick reference, here are afl.com and foxsports projected best 22 for the cheat club. afl.com B: Conor McKenna, Michael Hurley, Marty Gleeson HB: Aaron Francis, Cale Hooker, Adam Saad ? David Zaharakis, Dyson Heppell, Andrew McGrath HF: Orazio Fantasia, Shaun McKernan, Devon Smith F: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Joe Daniher, Jake Stringer FOLL: Tom Bellchambers, Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel I/C: Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford, Patrick Ambrose, David Myers foxsports B: M.Baguley, M.Hurley, A.McGrath HB: A.Saad, A.Francis, C.McKenna ? K.Langford, Z.Merrett, D.Heppell HF: J.Stringer, C.Hooker, O.Fantasia F: A.McDonald-Tipungwuti, J.Daniher, D.Smith FOL: T.Bellchambers, D.Zaharakis, D.Shiel I/C: D.Parish, J.Laverde, J.Stewart, D.Myers I'm now officially declaring Essendon to beat a team packed ful of pretty good but definitely over-rated players. End to end, it is the defining feature of every line.

That May change now. I've got to add my voice to the collective bewilderment that Essendon are clearly being spruiked by the AFL as media darlings and next year's feel-good story, as if this season's throat-gargling commentary on them wasn't bad enough. Adding tangible commercial benefit to that is just an insult to the several honest struggling clubs. They cheated, systematically, and actedlike the victims of a conspiracy when it was uncovered. I'm not a football sadist, I have a natural sympathy for clubs when they are struggling, but I would savour every moment if the Demons put on a show and crushed Essendon to the tune of 20-goals. Hell, I'd savour it no matter who crushed them. In fact, I would have long term more positive feelings about any club that put a boot in Essendon.

Colin Syliva, RIP, gave me one of the most sublime football moments I've ever seen. There was a long high ball coming forward towards an already-formed pack, which was scrambling and scuffling all over the place. Syliva was perfectly positioned, got a clean run right into that pack and was the only player with complete concentration on the ball. The mark itself wasn't even that spectacular, but there was the grace of a shark swimming through fish. And because he was so perfectly set up and so clearly the most alert to the flight of the ball, it was obvious what was about to happen, long before it happened. A moment of football perfection. Must have been a decade ago but I still remember it vividly. Which probably means it will be with me permanently. Thoughts for his family and friends. He will be rememebered.

Maybe this is why so many delistings. This way, we will have plenty of new kids with nothing better to do with their time and a chance to show a bit without anyone really caring about the result. They can fill the AFLX numbers, fans get a look at them, and none of our core group faces the daft risk. All a cunning plan.

Back in the day, had the pleasure of a quick chat with Dean Bailey at my old habit cafe in Canberra. Was quite startling to see him and maybe four of our coaches, lounging and relaxed as if they had always been regulars. Maybe that was the old slope-backed chairs with the metal base that always made people slide forward in their seat whether they meant to or not. I had only meant to shake hands and wish him luck, but he was quite friendly and seemed to enjoy being welcomed. Had really memorable eyes that always looked interested and ready to laugh.

At the very least we should make enquiries and kick up rumours every single year for the rest of his career. At best we get a gun player, at worst we push up Freo's salary cap and give the Brayshaw family a little extra cash.

As much as I am impressed by Hogan and think he will give something extremely valuable to Freo, I don't think we'll miss him structurally a whole lot. May coming in means Gawn drifts forward more than back, which has been shown to be good for clunking a goal a game. The rest is easy to picture. We're looking at having a dynamic, unpredictable and intimidating forward line. Speculatively, the 'compulsory 6' at centre boucnes might look like; F: Hannan Weideman Preuss/Gawn HF: Petracca McDonald Melksham with Spargo, Vandenberg, Fritsch, and Neal-Bullen all ready to roll through. There's a good dose of contested marking, marking on a lead, goalsneaking, bullocking and forward-50 pressure in that. Not weak in any area at all. I think we'll have no trouble being the highest scoring team in the game again in 2019, and we'll do it while also having a fair bit stingier defence. All is well. No tears here.

It's a shame Lever will miss a bit at the start of the season, otherwise we'd be spruiking for 4 separate All-Australian prospects in our defence in 2019. Lever. May. Jetta. Hibberd. Meanwhile, when do we play Fremantle? Because you'd bank as a certainty that Hogan and May will line up on eachother. We've got nobody else who could match up on the likes of Hogan. Which I daresay is right on the whole point of why we got May.

Brayden Preuss right now...

Save it for the AFL broadcast tonight. Everyone is refusing to get their [censored] sorted until then.

I just figured it out - Jessie Hogan is allergic to finals. That's why he is pretending his foot is injured and that's why he wanted an 8-year contract with Fremantle. It all makes sense now.

Looks like we wont make it to 400. Meanwhile, I wonder... all this talk of how the whole of trade period and every other deal is being held up by Freo... even trades that don't seem to involve Freo a whole lot like the Beams and Shiel trades... Have we just quietly been working behind the scenes to shift the story and put pressure on Freo to pull their tiny finger out?

I must've missed the resolution of the Wingard / Burton kerfuffle.

You've just gone for the ultimate shoot-the-moon. Immense kudos if it makes the crater. Hell, I'm giving credit just for trying.

Once someone has expressed a desire to play for Fremantle under Lyon, does 'right mind' really bear consideration?

See, now that seems sensible enough. Doomed.

I had a reliable auditory hallucination that one of the issues other clubs perceive as a problem with Hogan is that he allegedly wanted to go to Fremantle. List managers and coaches just not prepared to take the risk trying to manage something they just can't understand. Rumours are he's had this condition for years and it has been interfering with his focus, but it has only become a serious problem recently. Please help raise awareness: Wanting to go to Fremantle, together we can find a cure.

Hogan is in the situation of someone who for years has never quite been able to let go of an ex, with that ex constantly trying to convince you to leave your partner. Finally you have the heart-to-heart with your partner, the 'I love you but I can't let go of my ex and I need to see this through' and then the ex says 'oh, no, not really, I was just saying that, I don't actually want to be with you for real, too much responsibility'. Now Hogan is left where? In the situation of begging his ex to take him, going back to his old partner who still loves him, or trying to start out all over again with someone else? Whatever the case, it is hard to imagine any of Hogan's family being happy about this. The harder Freo have pushed in the past, the more Hogan's family will be angry about the bizarre behaviour now.

Sitting out a year is the Fremantle way of playing football. Sylvia, McCarthy, Bennell... Lyon...