Little Goffy

That is actually a missing lyric from 'What does the fox say?'

Losing interest now. Collingwood winning is boring and joyless and only Essendon being humiliated could give it flavour. Time for a nap and then some history of early modern medical-botanical science in the Netherlands. Is something only Demons fans say.

Cutting him some slack sounds like we're doing him a favour by just not hanging [censored] on him. He is definitely working himself back into form bit by bit. Did some important non-stat work, demanded attention, kicked a couple of goals. I feel confident about how his 2025 will progress. The real issue remains the weakness of our 'true' key forwards.

I really want him to work out. I have a lot of sympathy for his 'journey' and all that. We don't need him to be a star, just a role player. He showed some value last week. But... at 200cm you should be able to take at least one mark in a whole game of football, even by accident. Sometimes I worry that in the presence of a hero like Gawn, others in similar roles start to spectate rather than emulate. Most of what makes Gawn the greatest is a matter of choice, not magic.

6 Max Gawn. Clearly cooked and time to retire. SnorkSnorkSnork. 5 Jake Bowey. Has emerged from the workshop with major upgrades. 4 Trent Rivers. Because I give extra when players fight their way out of a form slump. 3 Christian Petracca. I recognise this Petracca. 2 Kade Chandler. Quietly becoming a more complete footballer. 1 Tom Sparrow. I've been on his case this year, but like Rivers I like to reward turns in form.

Anyone else flick over to 7 and just get static and blips and boops? I mean, pre-game it is a better broadcast than usual, but I would actually like to see the game when it starts.

"Another star rejects Freo" and "Go home factor fading across the league" should be the subtexts for Warner's decision to say in Sydney. Forever the optimist, in football. But seriously, have Freo broken their window? How important are/were Fyfe and Walters? Did they overdo it to get Jackson, Bolton, and even Hogan? How much did Will Brodie's inflated salary affect them? Anyway, whatever comes, it is nice of Pickett to get himself into career-best form prior to any potential trades!

I love Spargo because he is eminently team-first and has moments of true football genius, but gee I as he was just that little bit stronger, a little bit quicker and could kick that little bit further with the same effectiveness. Just a few tweaks and trims and he'd be Brent Harvey level small mid-forward, but as it is he is just barely sustains a place at AFL level and if he is off even a little he drops well below. I guess you could say his advantages come in moments while his disadvantages continue all game.

Okay, is it time to start thinking of Jefferson as a Watts-type tall rather than as a key forward? Do we need to stop looking at what we hope he can be and start looking at what he can be?

Is on a five year deal to the end of 2027. In a letter to members on Friday morning, president Sonja Hood said Clarkson's signature was a "real watershed moment for our club". "Our former number 23, Shinboner #781, and four-time premiership coach will lead our talented, young group from 2023 until at least 2027," she wrote. If North have to pay out more than two years of Clarkson's contract, which must have been pretty solid to lure him to what was a bit of a basket-case, it could wreck the club. How would it be processed under the coaching soft cap? Even the simple bottom-line of effectively paying the salaries of one ex coach and the new coach for two years would be massive for a club operating on very tight financial margins. Of course, if Clarkson has lost the players and/or the plot, keeping him on for the remainder of the five years, right into Tasmania coming in, could quite literally end the club. Imagine the tension in the air at Arden Street. The pressure to turn things around right [censored] now.

Tell them to go back to their own forum.

I'm sure we could do better. We're just too nice. Bailey Fridge. He's gone cold. Jacob van Ruined. Demon's forward system wrecked a good young player. '50 shades lighter'. Tom Lynch can be officially demoted to 'the other Tom Lynch'. Hopper must surely be BTD: 'bulk trash disposal'.

AFL website; "Nash tried to make a physical impact on the contest when Miers had the ball, but his arm stayed high and collected his opponent in the head. The incident, which left the Geelong dynamo staggering from the field, has been graded careless, severe impact and high contact." Nash did not put his body into the contest. He can be seen doing a cute little 'oh my, a football' dance right after smashing Miers. Miers did not have possession of the ball. Nash's arm did not 'stay high', It was swung to go high. Miers did not 'stagger from the field', he was immediately knocked out and into the highest-alarm 'fencer pose', and after regaining consciousness was assisted from field by two trainers. Aside from that, a very accurate summary. I'm also curious about the definitional boundaries of 'I intentionally smashed him, but was careless in that it resulted in him being smashed'.

At about $400 a pop, I reckon you could develop a good market for punching people in the head. Delivering personalised custom options or catering to events. Ooh, you could set up syndication tickets and annual subscriptions! Maybe I'm just bitter. All those school years of random attacks with no consequences, and then I put one guy on his [censored] and it's like I invaded Poland. I wonder how many kids Balta bashed at school?

You've lost so much respect today. Massively projecting.

I left the room and came back to a Geelong player wobbling horribly as he was helped from the ground. Commentators obviously not going to make a fuss about a Hawthorn player being a thug, so I've got no idea what actually happened. Can anyone fill me in? Was it as serious as Kozzie near-fatal bump on Moore?

wtaf?

Is it possible that he has actually got chewy on his boot? So funny that at just a couple of absolutely crucial moments for our club he became goal-kicking champion.

Yep, Howes is one to keep developing. Wouldn't expect him to be a superstar but there's always room in a list for solid citizens who can sustain an AFL standard. I feel like as he progresses consistency will become a feature. Which is weird because obviously it isn't his top card right now.

Could be an important 8-point game in the hunt for the 8, too. Let's see how Freo go against, Crows, Saints, Magpies, Giants, Port and Gold Coast in the next 6 weeks.

The Crowd. 25k is perhaps 10k more than many would have realistically expected. What a club. That is some proper resilience and everyone who went deserves the win. Virtue rewarded.

Aw, thanks. Now I get to celebrate both an excellent, dynamic, character-filled win by the Demons, AND I get to prove my point that some people put indulging their vendettas ahead of the enjoying the club's successes.

Yep, I'm going to call that a full form turnaround from Rivers. Tense final ten minutes now.

oh Gawny, just cursed

Raising an eyebrow at Max Gawn steadily getting more and more involved as the game goes on. I suspect he loved having a half of football where he wasn't required to be in two places at once. Might be relatively fresh for the final quarter, which could be important.