hardtack

When the Dees played in Shanghai, Expo was in full flight and so there were millions more visitors from all parts of China, and the queues for the Australian pavilion were hundreds of metres long, yet they still couldn't get more than maybe 5,000 mostly expat and die hard AFL tourists, along to the game (which was widely advertised). It's nice to think the Chinese would like the sport, but I think you'll find it's an uphill battle.

Yep. I went to the Dees v Lions game at that same stadium and I would have guessed a capacity of 10 - 15K max. The figure of 10K might be accurate, but I doubt very much they had many interested locals; rather, I would say that at least 75% were tourists and expats, with the rest being local dignitaries or friends of expat Australians who had had their curiosity piqued.

Jesus H [censored] Christ!! To have this on top of all of the other things that have been going on in his life is beyond cruel! He WILL beat the cancer, but even if it is a 4 to 8 week recovery period as mooted above, I hope he takes the time to make a full recovery (physically and mentally) and doesn't feel pressured to return this year. He needs to be with his family now... I just cannot even begin to imagine how they must be feeling.

On 12/05/2017 at 2:13 PM, hardtack said: Didn't Weids do that (kicked 2, was it?) in our win against Hawthorn last year? And if superstition is to play a part, let's not forget that Hogan was absent for both of our biggest wins against all odds... Geelong at Skilled and then Hawthorn at the MCG. Could this be the trifecta? Ahem

"This umpiring is disgraceful as is commenary.. cant take anymore..good night"

Didn't Weids do that (kicked 2, was it?) in our win against Hawthorn last year? And if superstition is to play a part, let's not forget that Hogan was absent for both of our biggest wins against all odds... Geelong at Skilled and then Hawthorn at the MCG. Could this be the trifecta?

When we (eventually) beat Adelaide, I will... hope that my kids are close to a ouija board, so I can send them expressions of my joy!

Agree... should have kept him in the named side with Kent as an emergency, and then swapped him out at the 11th hour :-)

They'll be doing all they can to win this week, for fear of another pen lashing from "the bloke".

Well, even when we don't agree, we can still agree to disagree

Not usually... but in the case of someone who responds in the way that person did, quite possibly.

I would take Johannisen in a heartbeat! The thing with players like him and Hunt is that you are essentially getting two speedy running backliners who are supplementing the midfield (if that makes sense). However, I would also like to see us get one more big bodied tall defender to shore up our last line of defence - one who can deliver the ball and who isn't prone to slow/poor decision making in tight situations.

So he's a serial bandwagon jumper onner/offer (or at the very least he is, to paraphrase Gilbert and Sullivan, the very model of a fair weather supporter)

Indeed it is my assumption... one that I think is more likely than not correct.

But the fact that the "bloke" sent the letter to the Ox at SEN is probably an indication that he wanted this to go public (what else was he thinking the Ox was likely to do with it?), in which case he probably should not have singled out any particular player as an example or otherwise... the "bloke" was simply a moron however, and you are correct, the Ox is the real villain in this piece as far as the JKH shaming went.

Sorry, but I see it very differently. He was called out for being physically inferior, not AFL standard and essentially not contributing anything at all worthwhile to the club's onfield presence, to teh point where the club is taking to the field with 21 players rather than 22. If I were a player in the AFL trying my hardest to help the team, I would be pretty humiliated seeing those comments being put out there in a letter that is condemning the club with me being seemingly the only player who is worth identifying as letting the club down. Perhaps you do work in an environment where you can be told your performance is sh!t, but I'm sure your performance won't be criticised for all to see outside of your workplace... in fact, I'm sure that JKH would have no issue with being told such by his coaches or fellow players, but I doubt he would like to be wandering out in public wondering who has or hasn't taken note of the letter writer's words.

So you do consider it acceptable to publicly humiliate a player... ok, your choice. And you may have noticed I stated that I do not accept derogatory comments about players on here either... so NOT head in the sand mentality from my position.

Did you read my comments closely... there is a hell of a difference between bagging of a player on Demonland (which I personally don't agree with anyway) and doing it on social media (Facebook and Twitter)... the numbers of people viewing these comments via social media can be ridiculously high and they are far harder for a player (in this case JKH) to avoid. And then for the actual news/sporting news media to get hold of this and run with it, then the impact on the player is going to be far greater. Sure JKH may not be performing to a level that many here and elsewhere don't consider to be acceptable, but do you really think such a broad public humiliation is acceptable, particularly when he is most likely trying his hardest and considering that he does not choose himself when it comes to playing in matches?

Perhaps, but I find it extremely distasteful that this letter has been spread through the media, singling out and no doubt completely humiliating JKH. I don't care what anyone thinks of his skills, or lack thereof, this should NOT have been put out there for the world to see... JKH is a young player trying against all odds to become the best footballer he can and then he is hit with this???? To put it mildly, I was disgusted and I don't know who I dislike more... the moron that wrote the letter, or the morons sharing it all over the internet and the media outlets displaying it in related articles.

Let's hope that doesn't result in any more suspensions.

There are some interesting answers to the question as to why the NBA is so popular in China, and few of them seem to be centred around Yao Ming's popularity... in fact most seem to think it became popular long before he came onto the scene. https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-NBA-so-popular-in-China

Likewise netball and volleyball... I believe netball has (or did have) the highest number of registered players on the planet (and volleyball not far behind), yet it is afforded very very little coverage.

Well, it looks like they have at least got a fairly accurate representation of the commentary team then.

Yes, but damaging for which team?

I get the feeling Hogan and Stretch will come in, with JKH being dropped and ANB possibly being rested. I suppose there might also be an outside chance that Wagner could come in at the expense of melksham, but I get the feeling he may get one of two more games at Casey to get himself up to speed first.