monoccular

Do we know when it is on yet?

Mess with form at your peril - one could only even contemplate resting Max v Swans if we get Hawks tomorrow.

Exactly - just bloody well win. It is entirely in our own hands. But if we can't get second (highly unlikely) then from a purely selfish point of view, Collingwood 1st and us 4th would mean that us Victorians have the opportunity to see it all live at the Melbourne CG.

So how much better would their losing be? Risking injury by not playing is IMO fraught with danger - flirting with form: however not playing players carrying injury, which may be aggravated, is an entirely different matter. We can only beat those who turn up to play against us. But WWWWW is all that concerns me. They can lose the next one, as long as they win the next 5.

Collingwood really looking shaky especially in defence. Are they that bad, or are Brisbane that good? Actually neither defence looks particularly solid.

Has Maynard been appointed as a playing umpire? Mouthing off to the one in yellow, with impunity. And seriously these "insufficient intent" are just so annoying. One was a side of the boot kick off the ground and another player tackled running head on the boundary. Hate to say it, but Cox has been pretty influential at centre bounces in particular. Very annoying. And I wonder what Michael Christian will say about the dump tackle by McCreery? Remind me who did Christian play for?? PS: was anything said about the one on Rivers late last week? Or was the Carlton exemption card played?

Underwood's voice, regardless of chromosomal makeup, is like fingernails on a blackboard and I for one just cannot listen. Also her obviously pre rehearsed attempts at humour are very "dad like".

Commentary talking about great defences - that must be why there have been 13 14 goals kicked by now. 🤫

Pity they don't have to play at Cat Park, ever +1 Just enforce the 50 meter when opponents hold on to or scrag the man with the free / mark. IF they insist on retaining it then they need to make the kicker line up over the mark, yes even when deep in defence: otherwise it is a complete farce. And the insufficient attempt requires an already confused umpire (far too many 'interpretative' rules) to read the kicker's mind. Just keep "deliberate"

Except when you can. Cripps, many at Geelong etc

My greater concern is that JVR could have broken his leg, or has a knee or ankle injury. And I am sure he would have kicked it at least to the hot spot. Are you suggesting that all players, not just Cripps, are allowed to throw when tackled with impunity. CFC got a free in the attacking goals square when Clarrie (allegedly) threw when tackled.

One thing that has contributed to the poorer standard of umpiring, and which will not be reversed because the AFH said that it would improve the standards, is the introduction of the fourth field umpire. It has to - the talent pool is diluted. A suggestion somewhere I think earlier in this thread, given the AFL's opposition to full time umpires across the board (it would encroach on the directors' bonuses for starters) would be for one "professional" umpire and two or three if they insist part timers. The senior or professional umpire would mentor the others and maybe only cruise around the centre calling out wrong decisions such as the JVR legging one. At least they would only have to employ maybe 9 or 10 full timers, not 40. Have the pigeons disappeared from the MCG? I realise that smoke signals wouldn't work now that there is no smoking allowed. And one thing really irritates me: when this anonymous bozo makes his or her or their decision, why not just say ":goal" or "behind" instead of wasting a further few seconds by announcing "decision on scoreboard". Next they will add the audio drumroll, or maybe Edelstone's cheer leaders !!

Add an i to the end of his name and claim him as a descendent of a club legend.🤔

The time it takes for the review they could have Nathan Brown calling the odds -$.50 for goal, &50 for touched. 🙄🙄🤮🤮 Post of the year, binman, though I cannot agree with the last touch OOB free. Possibly if it is an uncontested kick or handball but not from a contest. I am sure they could justify an overseas junket to investigate how the Americans do this, though soccer probably does it best. And s second post of the year binman. You are on fire. Looking forward even more than usual to the podcast 🤗❤️💙❤️💙

Trying to find “the forward connection”?

mania - interesting thoughts. Other than suggesting Grundy as a back man, if I haven’t misinterpreted you.

Do we actually know that the club doesn’t protest or complain just because they don’t do it publicly?

We could however make history Well clearly we haven’t beaten them in Sydney the other 5 years 🤗🤗🙄🙄

Underestimate the Hawks at our peril - would love a 10 goal win but any win will do.

Smith has done extremely well as a sub. And Harmes IN??? Apparently has a nightmare today. Even to the extent of not just one sided umpiring last night, but even an ultra quick score review that looked like nowhere near touched. One could almost think that there was some corruption going on.

....and don't forget Petty.

Others have said that Tom started to look OK given his long layoff. Will await the "experts' opinions" ie Demonland podcast tomorrow. Tommo as a tall forward? Might have been worth a look earlier in the season, perhaps, but surely not on the eve of finals.

Mongrel, as well as skill, is what sets JVR apart from all of the aforementioned Well I guess playing at Casey prepares a forward for MFC forward delivery standards. Bomb 💣 it long. FFS Tom hasn’t played for months. Of course he won’t be like he was - at least not yet but I wouldn’t write him off so quickly. Agree 100% re the shambles of an organisation (disorganisation would be a better term) the VFL has become. Bring it back to Victoria, with ann even number, and let the interstate teams suck it up in their local leagues.

Thanks again for all your hard work, and patience with some of us posters. What do you all think about the Gawn Brundy "experiment"? Can it be made to work? Brundy seems to offer very little other than as a tap ruckman. Certainly NOT a forward and can we afford to just rotate him off the bench? I guess when playing a team with 2 decent rucks, maybe, but not so sure otherwise. You will have had an opportunity to see TMc by the time of the podcast - interested in your thoughts of his degree of readiness? If he can get fit enough to run and mark / bustle he could be the key to replacing Petty. I have no idea who else (NOT Brundy). The recent inconsistency of Melk, Salem, Bowire - is this fatigue / loading related? Usually reliable but disappointed today.

And by adding a fourth they have further depleted / diluted the talent pool from whence they select them.