Little Goffy

Most annoying part is, it doesn't even work out financially in the end. Having, what is it, seven clubs (Richmond, Geelong, Sydney, Brisbane, West Coast, Collingwood, Hawthorn) win all but two of the last 23 premierships is draining people's interest in the game, particularly when there's so much of an establishment 'favour' implied and there isn't even that wide a participation in grand finals or preliminary finals. Ten thousand extra Collingwood memberships vs 20,000 other memberships lapses for disinterest and despair.

Well, we already know which side the umpires are on.

North with the all-important 'first to reach 60 wins the game' milestone. That's the one, isn't it. I really thought West Coast had sealed it when they kicked that sixth goal. Amazing effort by North to almost double their score in the last 20 minutes. This might actually be the worst round of football in the AFL era.

Checking scores on the North v West Coast game, and I find myself picturing a see-saw in a playground where there is just one fat kid running from one end to the other to make it swing. Oh, no, wait, somebody forgot the rules just before 3/4 time and now BOTH SIDES HAVE KICKED MORE THAN ONE GOAL IN A QUARTER. An absolutely breakthrough game and clearly the AFL should expand to 22 teams as soon as possible with such a depth of talent available to cut through dour defensive systems.

Other commitments and a general lack of appetite for the game at the moment has meant I've watched a total of not even ten minutes of football this round. A round with an average score below 60 but still an average margin over 20. My appetite is not whetted.

I had a look at the scores just now, and I must say a good laugh does ease the pain. A game where the team that kicks 0.6 in the first quarter won because the other side severely fluffed their goalkicking! And that was 2nd v 3rd on the ladder. Yeesh.

A raft of Bananas wrapped in cellophane probably would last longer than a regular banana boat. Would it help them preserved longer as emergency rations? With each crew member cannibalised, you would need slightly less raft space, so you could even get a reasonably balanced diet going.

Remarkably, I think this is a 'merge thread' case. @Go Lordie You'll be pleased to know that this ad has irked a wave of people already and you are not alone. BUT...

I find comments like the 'average workers don't have to work evenings or weekends' and 'it is so harsh to have to not drink while injured' really galling. I have alot of respect for the focus and dedication to excellence which is required to be a high performance athlete, but in my time I have also known a bunch of people who have done their 'average worker' jobs, including weekends and actual night shifts, and then been high performance athletes on the side for maybe a shoe sponsorship or if they are lucky expenses paid to travel to compete. A long distance cyclist trying to inhale enough nutrition to meet their loading targets during a 30 minute lunch break is a spectator sport in itself. And don't get me started on the way Australian football's funding distribution creates artificial shortages (and therefore price spikes) of AFL-grade players by neglecting junior development and second-tier competition salaries for both players and coaches. Anyway, it is a side argument to the goalkicking issue. There's a finite amount of time any athlete can commit to their craft without going insane and, for example, Max Gawn has focused on being the supreme around-the-ground ruckman and reached near-perfection on those duties. If he could also kick set shots like Matthew Lloyd he would not only step up to become the undisputed greatest AFL player ever, but he would still be playing well into his 40s by transitioning to a less physically exhausting marking forward role.

Kozzie has cleared heard about the Oracle confirming our 2028 Premiership destiny.

I like the structure of having to permanent key forwards, almost tag-teaming between offering the connecting leads up the ground and staying at home so there is always a target ready to take the mark inside 50, whether by precision or simply making the contest meaningful. Ideally you would also have them both be close to 100% time on ground, with the frequent 'rests' as the forward remaining inside the 50 allowing plenty of time to replenish. Around that, of course, the ideal would be to have multiple players who can rotate through the middle, half forward and wings and be used forward whenever the situation calls for it. And, of course, the joy of the swing tall defender-forward. Important to remember that in 21 we only had both McDonald and Brown available at the same time for the later part of the season, and that it was actually Fritsch who benefit the most from that. The evolution of the game since then kind of confirms that it is necessary to be flexible and be able to move away from or closer to goal as circumstances demand. So, yes, I agree with the heart of your post and just wanted to add a long-winded rant!

So glad you got in before me, because I'm not sure I had the courage.

With the soccer balls and sherrins in the same picture, I immediately pictured them combining to become pear-shaped, to reflect the Alice Springs game. Actually, pear-shaped balls might correct our goal kicking problems.

ok. The only possible objection to the suspension would be the inconsistency of the MRO/tribunal circus, but, if that were a cause you could get anyone off anything.

Can we start the post-game thread yet? I'm really keen to hurry up and not bother posting on it. What a way to throw away a season.

The basics. The most important basics. Missed shots on goal. Thoughtless kicks which end up with opposition. Gaps left in the defensive net. Also, missed shots on goal.

From what I can gather, the entire margin is 12 point turnarounds from us missing shots and then letting it go to the other end. NNNAARGGGH.

FiveAA just gave a shout out to 'Adam Mutton and friends' in Thailand. And now Trac with the goal to remind us of the objective of the game. Clearly a connection.

Oh dear. How quickly can we get Callan Ward to Alice Springs to give a speech?

And we've now got the percentage advantage over the Saints on the ladder, too! Would appreciate updates on Melksham if anyone is following a better broadcast than I am.

I suspect I'd just be despondent.

Quite something to add a zero to the margin between half time and full time! Here's hoping that taking a baseball bat to a watermelon is as therapeutic and confidence boosting for Casey as it is for me.

And the question to be asked, will the remarkable end to the Giro D'Italia have compelled Max to stay up late? Will it inspire him to an epic effort or will he be left languishing on the mountainside? Will he get a more aerodynamic beard cut?

Hawthorn just lost 7% in a single game. The simple margin difference between us and them is now just 206. Win or lose, just 3 goals per game better margins cover that gap by the end of the season. In the spirit of one week at a time, we also go ahead of St Kilda on percentage as well as improving the win-loss if we win by... um... exactly one goal, actually. Yep, that'll do.

The rational preference tonight is for Collingwood to win by about 100, and then be hit by dysentery. In fact, a simple transfer of e. Coli. from one team to the other tonight would be ideal.