Webber

Wow!

I know! Surprised how long it took for someone to nail the irony. Well done @Monocology.

Think of it as resting the foot. An abundance of caution. I would remind everyone also that when he came back on the ground on Sunday, he was totally unhindered and kicked 3 more goals. And he left the ground that way at the siren. Relax.

Yep. Posted the following on post-game, and sadly, it’s the reason we should expect the worst- I’ve just learned that Goody said it’s looking like an ACL. This would mean Jake had a positive Lachman’s test, which is close to definitive in the rooms if the knee lets you apply the test effectively (able to relax, not too much swelling yet, or unconscious muscle ‘guarding’). MRI to seal the deal.

Can be either, in truth. There’s no way of knowing based on pain alone, and one personal experience is close to useless balanced across the spectrum of possible experiences of either injury. I’ve just learned that Goody said it’s looking like an ACL. This would mean Jake had a positive Lachman’s test, which is close to definitive if the knee lets you apply the test effectively (able to relax, not too much swelling yet, or unconscious muscle ‘guarding’). The reason for MCL guess is twofold - that the knee collapsed ‘inwards’, and his indicating his inner knee on the bench. I don’t doubt he has some MCL, and over half of ALL ACL ruptures come with MCL concomitance, a bit less so the medial meniscus.

Could be anything, but ACL seems very unlikely given his ease and no apparent swelling. If I HAD to guess, I’d say medial ligament (MCL), gde 1+, which would make him a non-starter for the QF anyway. 🤞🏻 it’s nothin’.

And a prime-cut steak in French is called an ………?

Yeah, nah, not that simple I think.

Noticed this too. Must be on account of the ‘dead rubber’ status for us. Not that we’ll deliberately try to lose, only that our incentive to win just doesn’t exist. Will be very weird to watch. Assuming Tmac gets a run, and possibly Disco, I reckon it’s all about them and their exposed form. Bailey Laurie, too, and of course Fritta. For the rest, just no injuries, please.

It’s a multi-faceted, variably hued glory bonce.

Are you though? (Asking for a friend)

Remember an interview with Burgo in 2021 (maybe 2020), where he said Kozzie was the most exceptional combination of speed and endurance he’d seen over all his elite sport gigs.

It’s par for the course, Jaded. None of us have the vaguest idea what they’ll do at any time. It’s a complete mess. Meanwhile, we’re playing very poorly.

As we’ve become used to, the umpiring is inexplicable. Hawks picking us apart with apparent ease. Will we wake up?

Part of my point is that they’re never all assumed goal kickers at the same time. ANB and Spargs are not ‘small forwards’. Nibbler’s game against North in Tassie was the perfect example of how his role gets confused. He kicked 3 goals, but he was everywhere on the day (as he is every week, an endurance freak), not predominantly up forward. Other weeks he’ll score donuts, yet play his role to a tee as prescribed. As to his landmark, what an extraordinary achievement. 150 games of sheer determination, dedicated team work and on field ethic (and all for a whipping boy!). He’s a special player. Well done Alex Neal Bullen. 👏🏻

Spargs role is not the same as Nibbler. Nibbler plays ‘on-ball’ a lot, to say he’s a regular ‘first hands’ attendee at stoppages (rarely CBA), so will obviously get more possessions. Spargs is never that, he’s next layer out, wider for the release, of which he’s just one of other options. All players spend time in defence, as defined by the back half of the ground, given the high press. Chandler is always the last line, the most attacking line, as per JVR. Spargs will be higher in that press, closer to the defending goal. Different role. There’s no doubt that Spargs possession numbers are his weakness, but I reckon he’s top 5 for ball use in the team. Top 3 probably. Bringing the two together is obviously the goal, and he’s taken his chance to offer just that again. He gets 15 possessions, the team benefits hugely.

Seconded.

Nailed it. And yet, what do we hear from the AFL?……………..(forever waiting)…….

Great pod again guys, so good that it puts me in mind of a quote from that recent font of all wisdom, the current-day, cinema Barbie - “I have no difficulty holding both logic and emotion at the same time, and it does not diminish my powers”.

Well put by Ian Munro, but IMO he doesn’t go hard enough. There will need to be a persistent chorus of outrage (directed at the AFL, not the umps) around the inconsistent and illogical adjudicating of the game to force change.

Hmmmm…..you can’t re-write what’s already out there, Caleb.

Agree. And it’s becoming near impossible not to conclude as such. We know they are media obsessed, of which the wildly uneven venue fixturing is just one example - Collingwood to play at the Cattery anyone? - but everything they do now seems designed to fuel the controversy fire. And during the quiet weeks, something always crops up to stoke it again - protecting the head, sling tackles, the ‘stand’ rule, 50m for dissent and so on, the adjudications of which all sink into the umpiring mud-pile as the season rolls forward. Meanwhile, despite the brilliant structural designs of the draft and salary cap, how they run the competition as a whole merely entrenches a ‘haves and have-nots’ mentality. The big clubs (we all know who they are) vs the minnows. It’s short-term dollar-driven, reflexive, and takes no account of the game’s long term future. The need for fixes across the game are now glaring, but the AFL couldn’t give a rats, as long as the punter is fixated on click-bait, media-fertilised, changes-every-week issues. What to do? A soft revolution is needed, but how?

What a shock!

Was at the game yesterday, and Spargo was outstanding with ball and without, huge running efforts and making position, efforts which were often ignored or just bypassed his teammates lack of awareness. Tommo was excellent (as usual). Tmac was horribly short of a run. Struggled to accelerate, get any elevation, and was gassed after moderate efforts. I’d be staggered if he gets anywhere near fit enough for promotion over the next month.

If it were likely to provoke change, this entire thread should be sent to the AFL. Would that they listened! Brilliant stuff, terrific reading. For those who can’t accept that umpiring affects results, think about the illogic of that. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that happens during a game is sanctioned, or not, by the umpires. Otherwise put, the game doesn’t even start, and no result is achievable without their action or inaction. If you think all W-L results are ‘perfect’, i.e. every W-L result is ‘right’, it’s saying that across their 120 minutes of decision-making, the balance of their decisions is also ‘perfect’. I hate to be conceptually pedantic, but this is nonsense. At its fundament. The fact of umpiring’s imperfection renders occasional ‘imperfect’ results. By definition. The problem with AFL umpiring (and as so many of you have rightly said it’s on THEM, not the umpires) is that it’s never been more imperfect. The question then to ask, and as you’ve all astutely outlined, there are obvious, simple solutions, is why aren’t the AFL improving what is a horrible shambles?