hardtack

You might want to read this article. Particularly the bit that cites the Victorian police categorically stating that none of the fires affecting the state, were deliberately lit by arsonists. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/08/australia-where-lies-and-conspiracy-theories-spread-like-bushfire?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

If you’re referring to the SMH article quote I posted, then...no. Those are factual figures, but they are arsonists who were caught lighting fires, and as far as I’m aware, none of those fires took hold. Only one fire, again, to the best of my knowledge, was caused indirectly by humans, and that was a large fire in SA that was started by sparking electrical wires.

Yes, I know about them... but even if it was arsonists, who are responsible for lighting such fires every year, the fires should never have taken off the way that they have; that is purely down to conditions that have become increasingly volatile over the years courtesy of, gasp, climate change. I liken the deniers to fundamentalist christians who deny the science in favour of their own belief systems. The fact that these fires are unprecedented and the fact that by the end of November, the fires had burnt out more bush land than the previous three bushfire seasons combined, tells me that this is more than just fires being a normal part of the cycle. The deniers are so short on arguments, that they try to blame the Greens and protestors for the fact that the conditions are so bad... something that has been refuted by even the fire fighting agencies.

I like the Paul Anka big band version

This from the Sydney Morning Herald: “This fire season, police have taken legal action - ranging from cautions to charges - against 180 people including 24 people charged over deliberately lit bushfires, 53 who allegedly failed to comply with a total fire ban and 47 who allegedly discarded a lit cigarette or match.” https://www.smh.com.au/national/teenager-among-180-people-facing-legal-action-over-lighting-fires-20200107-p53pla.html

Just as you climate change deniers will conveniently take everything that Murdoch chooses to publish, as gospel. And I'm referring to the Murdoch press who relegated the fires to page 4 in favour of a picnic races day last week (oh, and you have to love this bit: "The Shoalhaven fires were lit between July and September last year, with Kempsey recording 27 deliberately lit fires, NSW Bureau of Crime and Statistics and Research data shows." - nothing to do with the current fires). Approximately half of the fires each year are caused by a combination of human activity and lightning strikes (the latter being attributed the the largest of the current fires). The other issue is prevailing weather conditions and fires spreading through cinder attacks. A report from a source that stands to gain nothing through bias: https://globalnews.ca/news/6366259/what-causes-australia-wildfires/

Thanks mate.

I have friends who lost their house in Malacoota, and my two brothers and sister who all have houses in the Bermagui area, have had to evacuate to Canberra.

I don't have the Air Jurrah shirt, but I do have his signed St Pat's Day jersey, which I don't think he got the chance to wear.

Thanks for that info GV... Richardson’s name does ring a bell, and having moved from Melbourne to Sydney in 1979, perhaps I had read his Age contributions back in the day. I’m down in Melbourne mid January, so I’ll keep an eye out for his book.

Having misspelt the word, I would say that writing is not my strong suit. Now, rather than deflecting any further, perhaps you’d like to explain just how Flanagan’s insights into the operations of a club, could be dismissed as mere fluff pieces?

I like to think “gulpable” might be a better word... the OP being culpable with regards to the veracity of his post and the posters accepting the post at face value being gullible.

Reading’s not your strong suite? I can’t think of any one other sports writer (or non sports journo, for that matter) who comes close to capturing the spirit of the game in the way that Flanagan does.

Can we somehow work the Illuminati into this... or does that only apply if we were to recruit Mason Cox without having to pay anything for him.

Have a great time in Melbourne... I head down with my youngest son in early to mid January to catch training in the new year. Those YouTube clips probably all have different personnel in the band. Last Saturday we had a couple of members of The Hitmen sit in for a number, while one of our regular full time guitarists (who's currently holidaying in NZ) is a guy named Ged Corben who was a founding member of The Cruel Sea and was a member of the Lime Spiders. Would love to do any pre-game events you have going.

It just occurred to me that it might be insurance related? As he's not yet a member of the club, and only has permission to train, could it be that he's only insured against club training accidents? (I know, clutching at straws ?) The smoke where I am (inner west near Marrickville) is the worst we have had to date. I went out for a coffee and my daily constitutional, and arrived home with a sore throat and heavy lungs. I hear that liquid refreshments are a good antedote, so if you're suffering too much, head in to Dulwich Hill this Saturday arvo where my band is playing. https://www.facebook.com/events/2581052898797186/

My bad, I didn’t notice that. Apologies. Then I guess the answer is that the AFL has rules regarding those invited to train, only being allowed to train... and I imagine the club would see more benefit in having him training than hitting golf balls and playing table tennis?

Definitely... he already showed us glimpses of what a fit AVB will be like, in the run up to the finals last year.

I think you’ll probably find that the idea of the camp is to introduce these kids not only to the club, but also to an AFL system that they have never been a part of. I’m pretty certain that Tomlinson, Brown, etc weren’t invited either. (edit: corrected by It’s Time... Tomlinson etc were on the camp)

Max

And he was a great proponent for indigenous players.

Who cares? I’m sure there’s plenty of other deserving players not included as well.

You missed “approaching towards...” in the paragraph before that one?

Indeed... almost Seinfeldian.