Little Goffy

The only thing I took from the crowds on the weekend was that for the second week in a row the stands were empty for the final quarter of a Collingwood game. They were outta there like the police had shown up with a search warrant. Pathetic soft as butter club.

What is this 'suspended for making contact with his head' business with Rosas? And why didn't it apply to Maynard pushing his head into Viney's face?

6. Gawn - just quietly grinding out three Brownlow votes against an All-Australian opponent with a monster for backup. 5. Billings - bonus points for how important it could be for our season if he has rediscovered this level of form. His best game since 2021. 4. Petracca - Continuously involved the way a star should be. 3. Oliver - Continuously involved the way a star should be. 2. May - not all of his kicks were long up the left! Also a generally terrific tall defender I'm told. 1. Chandler - bonus point for how different 'good' Chandler is compared to 'slump' Chandler.

Oooh, cutting them apart in the last. Very satisfying. Kicking a big score while Fritsch is having a poor day is also a very good sign.

Was right in the middle of thinking 'Hmm, Pickett has been fine but a bit quiet for a lot of the game but seems busy in this last quarter'. And then I actually did some kind of witch cackle. Glad I'm not in a public place.

I've finally stopped procrastinating and got stuck into Orwell's 'Down and out in Paris and London.' Truly special. That art of observing reality and presenting it to the reader thoughtfully with only limited judgement of what is being described is sorely missed in our world of 'aggressive reputation management'. Y'know, Orwell did some sports reporting for the papers, back in his day.

I genuinely thought Tom McDonald would be out until mid-season or maybe never return, so that spoil was a particular joy.

I genuinely thought Ben Brown would be out until mid-season or maybe never return, so that goal was a particular joy. Meanwhile, in-form Chandler is as good as any small forward in the game. Smooth out his slumps and he is an absolute gun.

Household ritual: Celebrating: "Nibbler gets a goal?" Genuine concern: "Who is going to hug him?"

I've only got radio and stats to watch here, so maybe I am missing something? 7 disposals, 3 marks, 4 clearances, 2 intercepts, 2 rebound 50s, 3 score involvements, 130m gained at 85% DE seems like a pretty good first quarter for a ruck.

It is one record that should actually be marked with implicit honour in our history. Half our 1941 premiership team was at war by the time the 1942 season got underway. Melbourne was led on to the field by RAAF air ace Squadron Leader Keith "Bluey" Truscott, DFC and Bar. Truscott unfurled Melbourne's 1941 premiership flag and, very obviously lacking match condition, played an average game, kicking a single goal in his team's 79-point loss, which proved the last of his fifty career senior games.

Taking a moment to appreciate North making Collingwood's start look even worse.

Okay, but are these pots and kettle half empty or half full? Apparently that is crucial to knowing if you are management material.

This is consecutive game 216 for Crisp, so it would take this season and one more to pass Stynes.

Fingers crossed the open-goal-run-out-the-back is the psychological breaking point for this game and Sydney can get the six or seven goal margin their performance deserves.

Just trimming off a little to add to the 50m.

Must've confused the hell out of Maynard to see something change direction in mid-flight.

Collingwood are still in this game on pure 'luck'.

I missed it - what time of the quarter was it?

How, in all that is censored, was Maynard not pinged for walking the ball back over the goalline then. On the tape it'll be the rushed behind at the 15 minute mark. He was one the behind line, wanted to go out, walked a few steps across and no Swan player came to him, and then he has walked back over the goal line with the ball. Free kick any day. It's exactly what the rule is for.

Laurie, Schache and Spargo out doesn't raise anyone's eyebrow, and Bowey of course is injured. Tomlinson I can't quite agree with it. Searching for the panel's perspective all I can think of is that they looked at the various tall opponents they might put Tomlinson on; Ugle-Hagan - too mobile Lobb - too big. Naughton - too strong English - too big, too strong and too mobile But how that translates into Hore and McDonald, I don't know. Still, I'm thrilled for Hore and between him and McVee I expect we'll see a tribute match to each half of Michael Hibberd's career!

They make you thirsty?

Bwa ha, excellent. First saw them in the club context during the 'lockdown life' videos during Covid. Clearly a key ingredient for our success. Perfectly respectable snack, too. Ready to have your mind blown? In my home we eat them with chopsticks - no greasy fingers. #multicultural Regular crisps are both too clumpy and too loose for that to be practical, but harvest snaps it works a charm and is particularly suited to the deep bag design. Okay, my ad is over, can I have some influencer perks now?

Would have been better to say 'a loud crowd is good, but we don't want to end up like that bunch of screeching nuffies'. Did anyone else notice the crowd at the Collingwood-Giants game in the final quarter? F'ing beeeeyoootiful. Not a Collingwood jumper in sight. I was just thinking to myself this morning that there are a lot of Magpie fans but they are actually as soft as tepid butter. Public bragging and private begging, it is the Collingwood way. It is time we all understood what that club's hierarchy has for decades; put your foot on them and they will squib.

Disagree. Smith has never managed to be more than depth despite his athletic ability. His game in the semi-final was as a makeshift stay-at-home forward. He had 6 disposals, 3 of which were shots on goal, and he had no involvement in any other scoring. He was also basically unsighted in the final 50 minutes of play. His absence is not a factor in our structural problems.