Little Goffy

Let them take/promote extra players post-draft from the WAFL to top up their list and add a bit of depth. Personally I think that is a much better system than the academies anyway - we should never be risking the creation of dominant super-teams. Instead focus on minimising the non-competitive bottom-out process while also giving a little extra significance to the state level leagues. Meanwhile, does anyone really doubt that the Eagles tanked post-Judd to get Naitanui and Shuey and then again in 2010 to get Gaff and Darling? Chroistos on a bicycle, they got the same number of priority picks as we did.

Which I can assure you is textbook body-on-body positioning every time. ;)

My brother is a Carlton supporter and when we were chatting about the weekend's football - as much as he was pleased to have a ten goal win - he had real concerns for some of the decisions made in that game. He particularly noted a couple that went against Toby Pink (either paid against him, or not paid for him) which he felt were just appalling. For a tall defender in their third game with very limited support to be coming up against Curnow & McKay is hard enough, but to then have a string of very bad umpiring decisions go against you turns it into a serious test of character. It simply shouldn't be happening. One of my deep concerns about our game is that the AFL is happy to 'run down the asset' and not do the fundamental maintenance of investing properly in umpiring, junior development, second-tier leagues, and so forth. The particularly visible and risible umpiring decisions affect the game in much the same way as having a couple of utterly non-competitive teams, or having a wildly compromised draft. There's only so many times people can think 'nah, I'll sit this one out and just check the results' before it becomes habit.

Do you get bonus points if you tip all the away teams for a round?

Booooooo. I still believe one day he will play a game where he has a stat in every conceivable column.

Fun fact time! Nibbler has only polled Brownlow votes once before and it was some years ago. Even better, it was a remarkable 3 votes in a game where he and Angus Brayshaw had three goals apiece in a beautiful 15-goal margin splattering destruction in Alice Springs which many of us will recall fondly as the peak of the time we were pushing for the most consecutive quarters won, ever. At the time we had only three players on the field with as much experience as Nibbler has now. The opponent? Adelaide! Got another one in you, Nibbler?

Clayton Oliver closing in on 5,000 disposals (current 4838). Going at >50% contested, too. I suspected that Christian Petracca was closing in on the all-time record for score involvements but then I had a dig around and found that 'they' actually didn't record the stat systematically until exactly when Petracca was drafted. It is basically his personal statistic and everyone else is just visiting. Sorry, Gary. Oooh, fun thing I just discovered - Jack Viney got his 1000th clearance just last week! And Gawn is right on the cusp of a major milestone - his 1st bounce in AFL! Be ready, it could happen at any moment.

Towerview Store, Benalla. There's your value burger. You know it is a legit fish'n'chip place because the tradies all detour to go there. Also, if a burger is promoted doesn't that make it an alderman?

Yeah, I don't get the disdain for him. He's already a solid player in an awkward role and growing into it steadily.

The trade cost would be too much. Freo would expect two good first-round picks at least.

That's the key - if the whole team is willing to run hard and often sacrifice their own stats just to force the opposition into more predictable attack flows, our defenders are all highly capable of reading the play and getting to where they need to be. I'd rate all of May, Lever, McVee, Rivers, Bowey, McDonald, Petty, Tomlinson and even Hore and the kid Howes as above the league average when it comes to anticipating where they need to be defensively. It is built into our defender's way of being. The Tao of the Demon defender is to know one's place in a deeper story.

I propose the collection to be auctioned off at the Best and Fairest. Quite an artistic piece, really. Turn them into a photobook; each one with match details and a highlight photo on the opposite page of the magic hands at play. Can they get a premiership cup into one of those scanners?

Howes, Windsor and Woewodin are eligible and currently playing at the level, and we've got another eight players eligible waiting for their chance. That's actually a pretty long list of kids whether you cut it by 'playing at AFL level already' or by simple total numbers. I did some poking around other club's lists to confirm. For example, our coming opponent Adelaide is yet to have an eligible kid play a game this season. Neither has Carlton, Collingwood, Port and probably a few other teams but I think the point is made. At this point only North have a stronger complement of Rising Star eligible players.

6. Nibbler. Best mid of either side on the day, when probably 5 or 6 of the top mids in the game were on the field. Makes me so happy. 5. Gawn. All day all day. 4. Lever. Maybe should be higher because he took on so much responsibility and out of his comfort zone. 3. Langdon. Vintage Positive Lingers. Yes, created chance, but even more he took an edge of the Port space. 2. Ben Brown. Career not over! WOO HOO! Let's goooooo! 1. Rivers. Loved the way he responded to the free kick - looked like three major 'moments' in that last five minutes.

Some seriously slippery midfielders at Port. Better get our heads settled quickly.

Seriously, I'm already checking for score updates even though I've got the game on screen in front of me. It appears I am a bit hyped up for this one.

Traditional demands it. What St Kilda does in a game, Essendon does over a season.

I know everyone else is irritated by an Essendon win for their own reasons, but I have to live with the knowledge of just how insatiably [censored] by bomber ex is right now. Many years pass but some memories stay. 🤣 So glad there's a Demons game coming up to keep my mind off it!

2023 - he missed two games, for one win, one loss 2022 - he missed two games, both losses, and we also lost the game he was subbed out of. 2021 - he missed two games, both were wins, and we also won both games he was subbed out. Long story short, if we win without May we win in September!

It was originally a typo by an overly-excited Adelaide fan on a forum maaaaany years ago. The mocking snowballed and was helped along by Conan the Barbarian's deity being Crom. At seven goals a game, not sure too many Crom fans will be getting too excited just at the moment. Will be interesting to see how the showdown goes between Port's leaky defence and Crom's inability to score.

Well, the battle to be our end of 2025 free agent ruck recruit remains interesting; Xerri; 13 disposals at 84%, 32 hitouts, 8 tackles, 10 clearances, but only 24 metres gained. De Konig; 13 disposals at 84%, 31 hitous, 5 tackles, 4 clearances, 1 goal assist, 6 score involvements At this stage I'd give it to Xerri given that a lot of the difference can be attributed to a ruck free kick differential of 8 in De Konig's favour, and as a Melbourne player he would not get that kind of service.

Honestly, from what I can piece together without live coverage (ahhhh, Sydney life), it is a little embarrassing for Carlton to only be four/five goals up. I stand by my theory that Carlton continue to be in weak form to start the season and that has been balanced by very, very good personal form from Harry McKay. 3 goals and 4 contested marks in each game, and already 3 goals and 3 contested marks to half time against North. Voss and the Carlton planners would be absolutely thrilled to be clocking wins. That said... every Carlton opponent so far has remained winless this season. The Blues would want to get things working properly before they come up against opponents that aren't either in mental disarray, managing an awkward rebuild, or outright led by teenagers.

Like many, I can't get to the 200 in Adelaide so I will have to wait for the 300. Considering he appears to be climbing back to career-best form and consistency, I feel confident. It is only 4 seasons.

Just choose your meme, really.

Starting from the 2017 draft, I don't think there's been any club which has been more 'pick value efficient' in their drafting for even one draft in that time. Maybe 2020 - we only had three picks including Laurie himself. It has been an incredible run that clearly requires both good drafting and good development programs. It doesn't automatically mean Laurie will join the trend, but it is enough for me to think our development team has a plan for how to get the most out of Laurie. Something I find interesting is that he has only ever played one full game and was only on the ground for 64% of that one. Clearly there's still a question mark on his ability to run out whole games. Could the whole situation be as simple as the club believes he needs another preseason or two in order to fulfill his potential?