John Crow Batty

Throw in Howe as the free steak knives.

Not impressed with both sides. WC soft track bullies. Carlton our successors?

How true, too many things can happen. Early last season, Hawthorn were being pummelled on the ropes due to their injuries.

His career was finished by the time he got to Richmond. Looks like there were two good reasons to get rid of him.

I am sure if Essendon got away undetected with their drug culture, Hird and his media stooges would now be talking up the "great culture" at Bomberland for their success.

I think Geelong have been worried about the quality of new players developed by the club. That's why they went for someone like Clark and to a lesser extent with Bleese. Looking for immediate impact to compensate and not to fill gaps in their side. Not sure it will work. Players of questionable smarts and flawed talent. Further heavy losses may erode that culture.

If he got sledged about his depression it was maybe perhaps because the sledger does not believe Clarks schtick about his illness. For someone alleged so ill that he could not play for us, he certainly looks impressively virile, fit and healthy these days. A regular Adonis he is. I think the vast majority of football followers don't believe the sincerity of his illness as demonstrated by the boos he got from Hawthorn supporters. One would think he jilted them and not us.

There were a lot of geniuses here that thought he was no good.

I recall back early last season when we got smashed by WC. In one early play on a break Tom fruitlessly chased down three WC players with no support. They got the gimme goal. He had no chance but busted his guts. While this was happening Frawley was just casually ambling into space making no effort at all to impact on the play. I could see then Tom was the man.

I always thought the silly season starts here after our first defeat.

He tried but he failed. Big issue now is to get his game back in order. A telling fact is that he was not missed last weekend. He hasn't progressed in the past 3 seasons. Neville Jetta is now doing his onfield role but a whole lot better.

Anyone that thinks Grimes is a great captain is still living iin Schwabovia.

If we have improved we should be competitive at least. That will be a good barometer game.

Anyone who's copped an elbow to the side of the head knows the feeling. Can take a while to shake off the stars and unscramble the brain. He copped a beauty at full momentum. If he wasn't so tough he would have stayed down longer. He didn't shirk the contest either.

The game is more dependent on momentum and conversely momentum killer moments these days. Cool heads can counter momentum. If Ablett kicked that goal, their momentum could have been unstopable as they were surging. The game turned back our way after that fumble. Luckily Lamumba made that great play after Toumpas mucked up. We havent had many cool heads in the past.

Irrespective of his general decision making and flaws, Frawley seems to have made an astute decision in joining the Hawks. Problem is his flaws are now more glaring. Still he will be an asset when the opposition are having a crack and pumping the ball forward as long as only he punches the ball.

At the moment Clark must be feeling nothing much has changed since playing for us.

Unlike some other players with issues, Roos seemed to have lot of patience for Garland. He gave him a good run last season thought NQR. Appears to be paying off.

Yes Watts is responsible for everything good and bad that happens to this club.

Ablett's fumble in the goal square. The rarest of errors from him. GC repeatedly fought back hard and if Ablett got his third in as many minutes it could have been the end of us. The gods and destiny were on our side to win this one.

Practice makes perfect.

It's going to be a tough year with many ups and downs. This IMO looks like our most competative seasons for close on a decade. What I don't want to see is another capitulation like the second half of last season. Fighting out a solid season is a must for us.

The curse of 31 and our 1987 Preliminary Final Loss Team bus was 31 minutes late in getting to Arctic Park Said bus parked in Bus Bay 31. Tempreture at Arctic Park always feels like 31(farenheit) Jim Stynes wore 31 inch boot laces. Final quarter went for 31 minutes. Buckenara kicked for goal from 31 metres out. These facts are undisputable. Anyone thinking any different are wrong as official records and memories have been bewitched.

Thanks. Avoid at all costs.

Don't ever walk under ladder outside a building with the street number 31. 31 is 13 back to front. 3+1 equals 4. Very unlucky number in China. It is no co-incidence there is no 31 tram route. Make light of forces of darkness at your own peril.