Slartibartfast

Hang in there Mrs. McDonald, we're all pulling for you.

I don't pretend to know what players are paid but there are a number of things to take into account. First is the marketing allowance clubs are allowed. Second is your estimate of costs for the lowest bracket are probably overestimated. The vast majority of those players would be on a very low base plus incentives for games played. Not many of those given our good run with injury. Third is the fact that for years we paid the minimum TPP required by front ending contracts. That builds up a "bank" that can be carried forward. This may have run out, who know, but perhaps it hasn't. And finally this team seems to be singlemindedly focused on team success. If you went to the top six or eight players and asked them to sacrifice some dollars to get a very good player in who they believed would significantly increase our chances of a flag they'd probably do it. And as has been stated already players like Tommy Mac and others would extend contracts allowing lower amounts next year also freeing up cap space. What I'm really getting at is there are lots of things that can be done to free up cap space. I'm absolutely confident we would have done our planning and know what we can do to retain our players and identify cap space and I think there would be more than you imagine. But having said all that there isn't much we need, the deal would have to be pretty compelling. Our weakness is small and medium backs. Hibberd is getting old, Jetta also, Bowey unproven, Lockhart unlikely and I'm not sold on Hunt. That leaves Salem and Rivers.

He performed consistently last year but that doesn't suit your argument. And Brown isn't performing at the moment either, so he isn't an improvement on Weid. While the teams winning there won't be any marginal changes. The reality is Tmac, bless his heart, has stuffed up all the well made plans.

If they'd done their homework they'd have realized it was with 59% game time. A great effort.

There is no doubt that his game against Geelong was out of the box, he was close to bog in a final. But the mistake I think is to measure all his games against this game. In a block of 9 games last year he kicked 18 goals as our only big specialist forward against the oppositions best backs where he was often double teamed. He ran out of puff but so did a lot of the team. That block of games in difficult circumstances and against good opposition has shown he's got the attributes to play good AFL footy and contribute and whilst he hasn't kicked a lot of goals he's been part of a forward line that has been very effective. We embrace team footy and role playing this year but some don't seem to extend that concept to Weideman. In addition, as has been stated, he is our future. I think he'll hold his spot in the team regardless but BB getting back has been complicated by a poor last game for Casey and not having played since.

There’s been a little bit of comment on the umpiring which, overall, I didn’t think was too bad. There will always be mistakes. But the decision that I really didn’t understand was McCarthey’s mark in the second when Hipwood blocked Lever from contesting the ball. Hipwood made no effort to contest the ball and deliberately positioned himself between Lever and the ball ensuring Lever couldn’t contest it. The commentators supported Hipwood. Am I right or wrong in thinking that should have been a free to Lever?

Interestingly Sparrow had 19 disposals from 58% game time and without doing the maths I’d imagine that was the greatest disposals per game time of anyone. Great effort and needs to be recognised.

Petracca Gawn Harmes those three played 4 quarters McDonald Oliver May

Thanks Chook, and about time he was recognized. Not bad being on top of the ladder and having 3 rising star awards. JT is a genius.

Each to their own, best footy journo there is for mine. And I’m not ashamed of our past and don’t want to cancel it. I’m proud of what we are achieving and where we came from just makes it all the more meritorious.

Harmes Oliver Gawn Brayshaw Spargo May

What if you're a monist?

It's pretty amazing that with so many exposure sites so few involved in AFL have been impacted.

Yep, we're all victims MD, fancy in this covid decimated world only having one vaccine, that stop you dying if you get COVID, to choose from. India must really feel for us. Perspective.

I'm just fascinated that as people are in lockdown, business suffer, mental health increases and multiple other negative situations occur people can somehow focus on which vaccine the PM got. It's not even garnish. BTW, when senior pollies got the (wrong) vaccine, was AZ available, did we know of blood clots and what would the reaction have been if they'd refused to get the shot, got infected while parliment sat and the country was without government for weeks? Some might say "good thing". I could empathise with that!

Yep, we're in lockdown and it's Scomo's fault because he had the wrong vaccine. Thanks, explains a lot.

It's quite simple. There are more people than mRNA vaccines. It's critical that we get vaccinated to return to a normal life and save lives. So those that are in the (already) low risk bracket get AZ and those in the low but slightly higher risk get mRNA, Your attitude means these lockdowns will likely go on for many more months than necessary if those that can safely get vacinnated don't. We live in a community and what we do is important to that community.

My mate said it well. “Skunk”.

No need to read it Jimmy.

Many thanks KC. Is Barry up on the GC permanently now? His reports from Sandy were second to none, you excepted of course.

How many listed players did Geelong have?

Outstanding.

Yeh, seven out of seven. Goodwin and the FD have no idea!

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My favourite character? Freddy64. Legend.