Little Goffy

Unless there's a freak occurance in the West Coast v Fremantle game, we're looking at a round 6 ladder with five teams on one win or fewer. Played out over a season that would mean just three or four wins each by the end. I've been looking over past ladders to find an example of such a long 'tail' to the ladder. For a moment I thought 2020 (two teams with 3 wins, three teams with 5 wins) but of course that was Covid-restricted and there were only 17 games. Other than that, the weakest tails I've found are; 2018, with Carlton on two wins and three other clubs with 5 or 4. 2012 have a five-team tail, with the Giants and Suns doing their early-career tanking strategy, Melbourne close to their worst, and Port & the Dogs only managing 5 wins. Incredibly, one up from that pile of failure, 13th place on the ladder had ten wins, and it took 14 wins just to make the finals. This could be a very skewed season where clocking through the 'regulation' wins becomes very important for sorting the finals order when 16 wins might not even be top 4 finish, and an alarming share of the games are the proverbial '8-point' games. As it stands, 4-2 is barely enough to keep us in the 8, but considering the level of disruption and missing/underdone players going into the season, we've done well to be in that leading pack. We should thank Richmond for their effort against Sydney and politely but firmly ensure they don't do it against us next round!

To be fair, last season they started 4-1 then went 7-11. Looks like the fast start is a Brad Scott specially.

Personally I'm torn between appreciation of Indigenous representation and dislike of 'love hearts'. As for the flags being on this year, I suspect that's a product of finally resolving the long and bitter legal dispute about commercial IP 'ownership' of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

So... who else is riveted by the prospect of tonight's game? Adelaide v Essendon to for the levitating potato cup.

2023: 39 goals for the season, averaging 1.5 marks inside 50, both behind only King at the Suns (and ahead of any Demon) Took more contested marks than any of our forwards did, whether you split it by average or total. Led the suns for goal assists and was behind only Noah Anderson for inside 50s. I suspect he is in fact a key forward. Possibly even a textbook modern CHF. When the coach permits it!

Best part is that if he does it again he will still be able to affirm to the tribunal that he has never been suspended. Reminds me of a guy a used to know who had [definitely not Serbian mafia] lawyers who got him off driving charge after driving charge with 'good record' and 'first offence' arguments. None were recorded as convictions therefore the defence could be recycled every time. A little side note; I think it is time we started systematically tying the little red strings on the wall chart back to Channel 7. Starting to look like that network is leaning on the scales of the AFL, it's coverage, and it's administration in numerous 'unhelpful' ways.

Shades of when Hawthorn gave Franklin a long early contract when he was still a teenager, and Franklin went on to kick 300 goals over the next 4 seasons. Definitely the same. Okay, so maybe just 200 goals, but that's the effect of the modern game. ;) But, seriously, Van Rooyen has shown enough that we can be confident he'll be a valuable contributor and a relatively flexible key forward throughout a full AFL career.

The 2023 version of Lukosius would be a potent structural addition. Takes marks - including inside 50 and contested when the coach permits it. Can kick goals (39.22 in 2023) and set up goals (15 goal assists for 2023 and 6 score involvements per game) Gains metres and can do it in ways that disorient opposition defence thanks to his ability to roost it with accuracy over 40-50m as well as launch credible shots from outside 50. After having an excellent season in 2023 he appears to be pushed out of his best role due to pecking order and only being adequate so far this year. Getting him now and using his attributes as a mobile, connecting CHF would be like trading for Bailey Fritsch at the end of 2020, right before he was allowed to settle as a forward.

Officially official for Murphy. https://www.afl.com.au/news/1110220/collingwood-magpies-defender-nathan-murphy-retires-due-to-concussion

Not sure I could ever feel comfortable supporting him or going through the annoying conversations with people having a laugh at his haircut, off-field antics, and his on-field... hmmm... can't quite find the word for it to bypass the censors. Half-gluteal contributions to defence? Plus; knee, season. Our priority aside from the talls would be a more rounded and complete midfielder in the Andrew Brayshaw, Luke Davies-Uniake style. (RFAs, 2025)

THE BUTTERING RAM A short graphic novel Mate, may I please have some duty of care please now? No. Look at me going for this ball... over here. 360 degree 'low impact' spin from contact to the face. Still looking for that other ball.

Oh Richmond. Oh my. Oh me oh my. And is it too early to start the 'Jake Waterman restricted free agent 2025' thread?

It actually doesn't look like much in the action but it followed the worst case scenario of being tipped at the same time as momentarily losing consciousness and then having a second heavy head impact with the ground. The image of him slow-spasming on the ground is true horror and it apparently wasn't until after he had been stretchered to the rooms that he regained consciousness, which is a frighteningly long time. Wishing the best for him.

Sounds like the game has lifted in pace a bit - or at least the pace of scoring?

Fun Fact: When Kolytn Tholstrup was seven years old, Ben Cousins was arrested at Esperance Airport and found to have meth stashed up his Maynard. Definitely should ask Tholstrup about it next time he joins the podcast.

I wonder if he'll get a 'simulation' fine for his bit of theatrics in the game against us? He clearly felt something brush his hair and then four steps later he put on a poogasm face and clutched at his head. A bit embarrassing.

Not going to analyze that very much. We were beaten and eaten by Harris Andrews. I don't think I've ever seen four marking forwards (Brown, Van Rooyen, Petty and Fristch) all have such bad days at the same time. Without taking supercoach seriously, still, they had 85 points between them! Overall we looked lethargic and only seemed really competitive in bursts plus the last quarter when Brisbane had also become tired. Umpiring seemed a bit iffy but it felt like it was just part of a pattern of poor luck in all things on the night. Windsor and Tholstrup are fine young players and will be fun to watch grow. Woewodin needs to spend a couple of months being Nibbler's shadow and absorbing everything he does. The bye is very much welcome.

Don't think so, but he wears 39 and has ambitions to be awesome, so Neville Jetta is perfect.

I think it is particularly scurrilous that they have bypassed the auto-censors by changing one letter to a symbol.

Agreed. With Jason Taylor steadily churning out quality players everywhere except over 193cm, we really need to make that investment. Fullarton hasn't had a chance yet and I instinctively like him as a prospect, but we can't keep churning through other club's surplus. Taylor, Weitering and Harris Andrews are all free agents at end of 2025, for what it is worth. ;)

I did some digging on their other recent outgoing player trades. Lewis Jetta, Tom Mitchell, Gary Rohan, Nic Newman, Darcy Cameron, Zak Jones, Aliir Aliir, Dylan Stephens. A lot of those were traded for absolute peanuts in return, too. Dawson for a future end of round 1 pick. Nic Newman for a pick that the Swans didn't even use. Aliir Aliir for pick 34. Darcy Cameron for pick 56 which was then packaged with Zak Jones to get 32. Ex-Sydney players seems to be a lucrative trade area for the receiving club both in cost-effectiveness and total value. Sydney might be doing okay from trading Dylan Stephens (plus pick 25) for North's 2024 first round pick. Yikes.

binman, good to see you visit but I think you had better stay focused. You have just a couple more days to eliminate the ums. Have you considered developing a stutter, that usually helps.

We'll all be pleased to know that Tim Miller has done a neat 180 for tone on Pickett.. "The 22-year-old jumped off the ground and made glancing contact with his opponent’s head during the Demons’ 15-point win at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. Soligo finished the game and on Friday played down the incident." Presumably someone had a word with him. Considering he's never had a job except at The Roar but his 'dress for the job you want' profile picture makes him look like the host of a Young Liberals cocktail party debate night, you'd suspect he was quite ready to duck for cover.

That evaluation is so unreasonable and personally vindictive is raises an eyebrow towards racism. The only other possibility is that he's still in a sulky about the Dog's getting annihilated in the grand final that he's still coming after Melbourne as if we must be bad people because we did something that made him feel the sads. EDIT: Here is the same person discussing Peter Wright's full-force impact on the back of the head of a player who was backing into a mark; To begin with, let’s call it what it was – a collision, and not a hit, nor a bump, and especially not a snipe. It’s the sort of incident that, up until recently, was seen as an occupational hazard of one of the world’s most brutal, fast-paced sports. Those times have changed, and it’s no longer safe to wave such collisions away without attempting to stamp them out of the game, especially when they result in a serious injury as Wright’s did, with Cunningham suffering a serious concussion. But it’s worth noting, if for nothing else than to defend Wright’s character, that the only thing he did wrong was, in the split second it took to make the decision, brace for contact rather than continuing to fly for the mark and risking his own wellbeing.

Quoting just to give credit for the precision call.