Little Goffy

WE HAVE A WINNER! @demon-4-life comes through with the breakthrough. He also got there just moments before the Allen Jakovich clue was given so gets to feel extra smart. As reward he gets his choice of any past or present player named Smith to revive and add to the Demon's 2026 list.

Since Allen Jakovich came into the conversation, it could be a powerful clue to mention that Allen has yes another thing to blame on his brother - if not for Glen he would be on this team for sure! Of course, like most brotherly quarrels Glen might say the same thing right back at him.

I'm getting pretty anxious about it, to be honest. But I swear I double checked them all.

When that gauntlet was thrown, I saw it flying directly at me and thought I was about to get smacked in the face with an answer, but no, somehow it sank... soooo... close... In this team, indeed the uncommon thing is the thing they have in common, though as you say they do not have it in common with each other. The individually unique is the collectively unbiquitous! But the confusion of the inclusion of Jefferson may be iniquitous! Oh, also, were I to play at AFL level, I would in fact be eligible, though only by the narrowest shave to another who, it turns out, could also be on the team. But I don't like him even though he grew up as a Melbourne supporter. I've only got one more clue coming, and if that doesn't give it away it is every man for himself and each to their own.

In a wild coincidence, George Margitich is also eligible. I checked only when he was mentioned here but I was not at all surprised. Quite something to see a player kick 267 goals in just 5 seasons, at over 3.5 goals a game. Perhaps a precursor to the fabulous Allen Jakovich, who is definitely not in the team.

Time for a close to home clue. There are a few more 2025 Demons who are eligible from the current team but really it is quite a surprise for each one; I was straight-up shocked that Christian Salem, Bailey Laurie and Harrison Petty were in. Judd McVee is in but that's probably a lie anyway, and Jai Culley I was also a bit surprised to see. Kolytn Tholstrup... actually not so much a surprise. Historically, I found a 1-game Demon (Fuschia?) from 1930 who was eligible and I just have to give him a nod because the poor guy kicked two goals in a team thrashed by then powerhouse Richmond, but still didn't get another call up. So raise a glass to; Geoff Frood.

Righto, I am surprised that people are stumped, but I guess it is a case of 'if you know the answer, the pattern is clear'. Time for another clue. Perhaps a very helpful one. What they have in common they also do not have in common!

Whole season missed is something I tried to skew towards to confuse people, so for removing a distraction the reward shall be a clue! The shared feature is something which (without grinding statistics) I'd say has become more common in recent decades, but is still far from normal.

Well, here goes. This one is so obvious I made a point of finding as many other things the players have in common as possible, just to cause some confusion. That said, I was absolutely amazed to discover some of these players were eligible. Even as I was posting the final 22, I was going back to check muttering "Really? Him? Really?" All of these players were playing in 2025. It is an extraordinary team which would crush all before it. So why is Matthew Jefferson there? Is he a red herring? Harrison Petty would also be eligible and is a 'ranga' which would make him a Red Harry, and almost as surprising an inclusion as Jefferson. Bailey Laurie is also apparently eligible but I simply refuse to believe it and nobody sensible would. So, what is it that binds this incredibly powerful best 22 together? B: Dane Rampe Tom Barass Sam Docherty HB: Harry Sheezel Jacob Weitering James Sicily C: Hugh McCluggage Marcus Bontempelli Errol Gulden HF: Jack Gunston Eric Hipwood Jake Melksham F: Cam Rayner Aaron Cadman Mark Blicavs FOLL: Max Gawn Scott Pendlebury Zak Butters INT: Tristan Xerri James Worpel Jayden Short Matthew Jefferson As always, answers in PMs. Unless you have checked and they are definitely wrong in which case blurt on the thread to vent your rage.

Bear with me. I've evacuated my work-from-home arrangements while half a dozen guys have an obviously [alleged substances] tinted rave / removal of scaffolding party on the rear side of my apartment block. Y'know, I've never seen scaffolding being removed by free-fall before, but I guess the 'woooo hooo' calls are an optimal safety guide. Unfortunately that also means I'm away from my best procrastination space. Fun side fact? The Pleiades cluster of stars within Taurus is known to many cultures as the seven sisters. In widespread Australian indigenous tradition there were originally eight sisters but one went away. In unrelated work, astronomical assessment of the movement of these stars has found that from about 15,000 years and further back there would indeed have been an 'eighth sister' visible to the naked eye, which would have faded from view as it moved behind other stars. The oral history tradition has held so stable that this change is still recorded. Also, Pleiades is only 440 light years away. So if the spaceships launched from the pyramids were travelling at 1/10th light speed, they would be arriving by now.

Ugh. Thought I had it, again. Noooooo. It was another good theory but I'm not even going to hassle D-stone's inbox. I'm producung the next one of these so I don't have to feel like a flailing [censored]. And I'll make it easy so everyone else can get it and feel good too.

Does that make him Wrench? I bet he drops by anytime he wants to be reminded he's a legend. Couple of people who cracked the sulks on here about drafting Latrelle had better wear shoulder pads when they visit training. Geez, people are going to learn quickly not to talk back to this new coach. I like this. Feels like Heath being challenged by a smart and dogged veteran with experience as both forward and defender and who even understands ruck duties. TMac given the classic defender's challenge to outpoint an opponent a little bit taller and faster than himself.

Finally I got one. They are all background characters in a bar in Mos Eisley. Although I suspect that is more than 10% of Demonlanders.

I'm gunna have to go with 'wut?' and 'huh?' I'm in a cranky mood because I had a theory and it was very nearly great and because I was embarrassed about firing off a dozen guesses for a recent quiz, I wanted to check it thoroughly which meant I wasted about half an hour figuring out something which could only be shown wrong once I had the full set checked. You [censored verb]] [censored noun]

I think I'm just reiterating what multiple people have argued already, but I'll point to an analogy; In the current game, Fraser Gehrig would be a borderline liability. It would be a balanced equation between his contested marks and his goalkicking accuracy on the one hand and the sheer number of easy rebounds made possible by his lack of agility to chase, and lack of versatility in how to create goals. Mark on the powerful lead or mark overpowering a one-on-one... then dust. Even Jack Darling, whose strengths are superficially similar, became a dramatically more mobile and flexible player who could get involved in other moments. The contrast with Gehrig would have to Tom Hawkins, whose sustained a decade of top quality football when he parked the traditional 'forward ego' and became a really effective, smart team player. There are multiple seasons where he was the standout lead in score involvements and he never dropped out of the top-10 of that rank, alongside and ahead of the likes of Bontempelli, Petracca, and Martin. The only other key forwards to get into that range include Jeremy Cameron consistently and then Taylor Walker and Charlie Curnow when they are in good form. Fun fact - there are multiple seasons where Hawkins and Cameron went 1 & 2 for score involvements at Geelong. In the premiership season they went one and three for the whole competition, with peak Petracca slipped in between. A well organised system with players who believe in it will get you the results. It helps if they are athletic beasts but it is not crucial. What matters most is that they are still useful when their proverbial one-wood can't be part of the play. As a side note. Tom McDonald's successful, premiership-crucial, foray as a forward was built on second efforts and chasing and staying involved. He led our 2021 goal assists, was third in score involvements, in the top handful for tackles inside 50 (as well as Ben Brown which is unexpected and supports the argument), and was our highest ranked non-defender for 1%ers (again with Brown in the vicinity). Get tall forwards who can play like they aren't only tall forwards, and you're going to do well. Get medium forwards who can also play like they are tall when needed, and you are going to do well. [rant over] [apologies]

Oh no Demonstone has hired a social media hype agent.

The optimal result long term for Australian football is that West Coast win a majority of their home games to keep the fans entertained, but then lose everywhere else to ensure the Eagles never again soil finals with their presence. Also, if west Coast consistently have an early pick and use it on local talent, it really helps other clubs with the 'go home' problem

I little voice in my head says this 'one day or half day each week' will be taking the form of a long lunch and Cook provudung Guerra with a series of well lubricated introductions to a procession of power players.

That's the most Picket Fence thing you could possibly say!

There's a solid chance that Clayton will do very well at GWS. What we know about him is that the one thing he's good at in life is football. It's not just his job but his vocation and solace. As we've seen, when that goes wrong, he comes a bit undone and it takes a ton of effort and love to get him out of the spiral. GWS will likely get some top grade football out of Oliver, but the risk is that even as he does he'll chew up the time and energy of coaches, leadership players who could be doing better things. Who could Gawn have been mentoring instead of babysitting a 27yr old? What revitalisation could Goodwin have been doing instead of being stuck holding his stars by the reins? It's sad we had to move him on. It's not a mistake. He had only marginal interest from only a few clubs, even with a discount of half his salary.

I'm posting here just to bump the thread because I'm interested in any updates people have about Lever, AMW, and our general health, but... Surely at this point we can confirm that Essendon is just straight up cursed? afl.com.auTop Bombers draftee laid low by back concernSullivan Robey faces a delayed start to his first pre-season at EssendonAs they should be, but it's pretty rough on the kids forced to go there.

So my scrabble points theory was pretty close to the mark... sort of. As per tradition, I will take my participation award and eat it.

Huh? One? I count two; Langford and Humphrey. A few others might be a little stiff to miss out. Despite a poor season Van Rooyen deserves more respect for the way he kept plugging at it with defensive efforts and team play, in contrast to unaccountable ball-butcher Caddy. I'd also certainly take Van Rooyen's poor 2025 ahead of Amiss' poor 2025. Windsor and Lindsay have both shown real promise but on gross output in 2025 it is fair enough that they're just outside the list. I strongly suspect our places on lists like this will be very different 12 months from now. So much change, so much opportunity for any given player to assert themselves. It'll be fascinating.

Coincidentally (I'm sure, thank you non-corporeal robot overlords) my facebook spam just offered me a link to an article in The Atlantic about how utterly messed up the sports broadcasting has become in the US. Paywalled, of course, but the intro paragraphs kind of tell you the thrust. I presume. Who can be bothered signing up for a free trial of such things? The AtlanticWhy Can’t I Just Watch Sports on Television?It shouldn’t be this hard to be a fan.

No longer teetering between glory and madness, but fully embracing both! I'm still stuck and teetering between surly and sullen.