Little Goffy

It'll be iodine pills next year. Must say, there would have been a little bit of concern about club revenue problems from having the Grand Final in another country but if you crazy people are anything to go by the club will be in a position to buy Google during the off-season.

There were just enough 'either way' calls to make me nervous that it might be beginning to tip to the Bulldogs, but even early in the third I was still not having any serious 'grrpmh, umpires' thoughts. I actually think the most important single moment in the game was that the team didn't go into any sulk mode after what should pretty clearly have been a free against Caleb Daniel for his late/dangerous/sling/off-the-field-of-play tackle on Gawn. Of course, by halfway through the final quarter the umpires could have been penalising us for having asymmetrical neck hair and it would have neither mattered nor upset me.

Unfortunately there are only 16 cannon shots in the 1812 overture or it would be the perfect music for our second-half highlights reel.

I was thinking the other night about ways that Nathan Jones is the same as Melbourne supporters; - was often hard to see buried under a pile of other team colours - sometimes it felt like he was almost the only one doing his share - never really considered switching clubs even though it would probably have been much easier and more fun - wishes he could be there tonight - will probably have to get up a couple of times during the game to change nappies. Any others?

"In the 18 months before the 2000 season, three of the club’s Team of the Century members had retired: Jim Stynes, Garry Lyon and Todd Viney." On will be presenting the cup, one has their son on the field, and the other has become the deepest spirit within the club.

I finally cracked. The weight and emotion of the last 15 years in particular hit me in a wave. I'm not actually nervous now. There's a certain calm acceptance that it is out of my hands but also a slightly savage demand for the very best from those who can shape things.

Best typo ever. "Pope Pervious IV, known for launching the crusade against those little holes in public toilets." But returning to the point... I feel reasonably confident that the Demons are walking the right side of the line in that they won't be soft and certainly won't allow themselves to be dominated, but aren't going to go out looking to inflict any thuggery. Besides, from either team it would be quite confected and against the usual style so the mental switch would be counter-productive.

"He's Melbourne's modern-day Barassi" "Goodwin's future was under a real cloud this time last year." "The Dogs have won it before from outside the top 4." "Hasn't Optus Stadium put on a great show." "Beveridge will have his team really fired up for this first quarter." "Daisy, I'll have to cut you off because I need to make some non-verbal exclamations here." "Lever is vulnerable if they can get him one-on-one"

Magnificent effort to get that much gear organised. What's the method for getting the broadcast in Cambodia? Any tips for how to get a broadcast for my vast group of Vietnamese in-laws? (Without buying a crazy long-term subscription?)

It is late September and I'm trawling through a trade rumours thread looking for distraction. Good to know some things don't change.

Ash! Well, that's a happy reminder of the community we've got here. You'll be delighted to know that the tone here has seriously lifted and that was even before this season made us all happy clappy besties! There's so much less personal abuse, it even saves a lot of time going through the posts. Would be great to have you back around some more.

They have all been suspended or fined for something a Geelong player got away with the previous week?

Now THAT is definitely an omen. 100% prediction that we will not kick any goals against Port this weekend! But I think we all know what is going on here (via the old xkcd site)

It's a little known fact that the 'Can Can' song is actually the 'Galop Infernal'. It is literally the song of the wild party going on in hell, personally led by the devil. Written by Jacques Offenbach as a mad parody of all the snobbery of classical music and performance at the time. It also will lift you hair off your head with a good sound system or headphones and a proper orchestra and choir going at the full speed intended. Best I can find is from 1991! INFERNAL GALLOP This ball is original with an infernal gallop let's all give the signal! Long live the hellish gallop! Let's give the signal with an infernal gallop! Friends, long live the ball! La la la la la!

Dammit, can't use the 'thank you' and 'vomit' emoji in the same response.

The possibilities for Viney in the grand final are a little bit scary. After his suspension and now the two weeks of rest mixed into the finals, he will basically be as fresh as a player gets. All his injury history related to things which continually wear out and need to be rested or monitored - this could not be a better set-up for him for this one game. His finals were probably two of his best three games for the year (Geelong round 4 the other) and add to a pretty good finals record overall. Really possibility of doing something special. Maybe not pretty all the time, but special.

"X would have been a star at a better club."

To be fair on picket fence, he was on record as hating almost all of our drafting from about 2008-2013 and he was almost always right! His mood lifted significantly after Clayton Oliver arrived, though.

Should we politely request that the umpires who gave the 2 and 3 votes to Adelaide in round 22 excuse themselves from the grand final?

They should arrange a tie-breaker next weekend maybe?

The only period I lived in Melbourne when Melbourne were making finals I was so poor I would walk from Windsor to Carlton to save the tram fare when catching up with friends. In 2005 I listened to the round 22 game against Essendon on the radio because I didn't have a TV and couldn't afford a drink at a pub to justify using their space. Suck it up. We'll all have a big party together soon enough and the victory will be with us for life.

Reminds me of the traditional Brazillian joke; "Brazil is the next big economic power and has been for 50 years."

If a change of club will bring Melksham back to top form then it is frankly good for football. His best is football art. We have a lot of small attacking options around at the moment including some more kids looking for opportunities. Any salary cap difference it makes would be handy but minor. Respect is the modern football version of loyalty and if he gets a reasonable offer somewhere else I'm quite sure the club will facilitate. Yep, I've basically said nothing there. It's all okay, that's all.

Best week off ever.

Good call, that would pretty much swing the game. Can't think of any other single contest which could make so much difference compared to the pre-game assumptions and ratings, and Petty has it in him. Another might be Ed Langdon controlling the ice-boy and winning a few counter-attacks. Dominating there would realistically stall two opposition goals and create two for us and we'd really be cooking.