John Crow Batty

Carlton Coach Bolton was not happy after the game. Very Neeldesque.

Sad, I remember those days when not many of our players got reported. Was around the Bailey and Neeld days I remember.

Ugly game. We were at our 2016 worst for part 2nd and entire 3rd quarter. Last year we would have rolled over in the last quarter also. Good sides find a way to win. Jetta put in a fantastic effort in last quarter where he didn't get the ball but we ended up goaling which turned the game our way. Brayshaw is struggling bad. Hogan still misses critical easy goals though generally I thought he was OK. Jones and Clarey were awesome. Garlett did a great small forward job.

Signs of Melbourne millionaires that quarter.

Flattery won't get me to sign up.

Bought one of the new fancy OLED TV's. Aside from footy I only watch DVD's so I would now appreciate footy broadcast in HD more than ever. Having the most premium sport in the land not in HD on FTA is a huge insult to fans and FU Foxtel!

BTW where is Stuie?

Blame the usual suspects like Watts, Neeld and Schwab.

Brussel sprouts are delicious after a win.

Very anxious this morning. I'm alternating between"we can't possibly lose this" and to the possibility I won't enjoy my dinner tonight.

Do you know what the northern AFL TV ratings are? I bet they are not impressive. Sport viewership is now very fragmented with a lot of competition and also social media. Casual viewers are not watching as much as they used to. Even in the US, TV ratings for all the major sports have declined. With four basket case expansion clubs to support the AFL would have to ensure their continuous success for decades just to maintain a tenuous toe hold. Bad for the heartland competition.

I would say Canberra has far better opportunity to develop grass roots support than Western Sydney. Better go for modest success than going for the big lottery win. The AFL is going to keep gifting premierships to those northern clubs for decades. That is going to eventually kill the game.

I always thought it was a mistake with two more northern missionary clubs whilst the Lions and Swans still depend on continuous success to remain viable. One of the expansion clubs should have gone to Tassie for sure. The arguments against as put up br the AFL are weak. All they could see was population size and potential $$$ to be earned. The north/south Tassie divide would evaporate once there was a complete Tassie side. Crowds have been good for other AFL matches and home games can be alternated north and south. TV audiences would have been far better with aTassie side than with either GC and GWS. Time to pull the plug, cut losses and relocate GC to Tassie and prepare GWS for eventual move to Canberra.

As long as the free hand has a clenched fist and is reasonably close to the hand with the ball it seems OK to the umps. As you say the arm holding the ball should be reasonably still with a visible stop movement at the moment of contact. Now players can loop their arms quickly from knee level to above their heads before releasing the ball with no perceptible punch or stop movement to continue in the same direction. Keep a fist closed and hands close together they can get away throwing it every time.

Trump proclaims that James Hird is innocent. Trump buys the AFL. Trump appoints James Hird as CEO.

Good point. My aural threshold for pain from the idiot box is high but has its limits. He has upped the BS meter this season. Likely to get worse still as the season progresses. He needs to be struck down by a long term throat infection.

I usually don't get bothered by most commentators but BT is starting to irritate me. Getting like Rex Hunt or that idiot Murray Walker who used to think boring race car processions were the most exciting experiences on earth. Oversells everything especially himself. Like with two minutes to go he is still hyper ventilating like the the game is still up for grabs. Does it quite often.

YOu can the rest of the PLAYERS to the list.

I like it. Finally we renounce Mamby Pambyism for good I hope. Sorry mums if it frightens the kids.

That's good. They could talk about them all the time while they rot. Hope its a long slow painful process. Meanwhile, hopefully we can quietly go on accumulating wins without the gushing hype. Too much media attention has never done us any good.

Dustin Martin is starting to love his 'don't argues' too much. Been pinged twice in the second quarter for over embellishing.

Good to see Stef Martin getting in also. Was badly burned by a previous administration.

Neville Jetta is filling the Wreckers role quite admirably now and not because he is also indigenous.They both play similar hard no nonsense small defender roles.

Jetta also started in 2009.

The player Oliver reminds me the most is Greg Williams. DIfferent players from different eras but have similar impact around the stoppages. Quick of mind, hands and decision making.