Slartibartfast

And so what is fair in this pandemic? What an awful attitude. I can't go because the under 40's can't go. Would you rather the GF be played in front of an empty stadium? I'm old, I haven't seen a flag since the under 40's were born who, with good health, have 40 to 50 years to go. And you want to stop me going if I'm vacinated. Thanks.

Back in the day (I love that expression) some friends and I voteds to see who we thought were our most important players. This was after the 2018 season and before 2019 started. My number one was Tom McDonald. I voted for him because I thought if he went down we had nobody to replace him and we would struggle. He was never injured but in a sense he did go down, for the best part of two years. The first was a result of operations on two ankles and then that was compounded by the idea he needed to become a "beast" and so he put on weight. It didn't go well and we missed finals in the following two years. Like most I suspect, I thought he was finished and that Weid and Brown would fill the KPF spots in 2021. Not so. Tommy has largely flown under the radar this year, not that he hasn't been noticed, but he certainly hasn't been noticed enough. He's polled coaches votes (the only votes I take much notice of) in 10 of the 16 games we've played. I haven't compared that with the big 3 (Trac, Clarrie and Gawny) but I suspect he may well be at the top of the list for number of games where he's received votes. Often it's just one or two but regardless, one coach has considered him to be in the best (say) 8 players on the ground in 10 of 16 games. This should have him in AA territory but I suspect he's not even in the top 40, perhaps not even being considered. IMO this is wrong as he's been as good and as consistent as anyone that plays his role which is clearly not the say at home forward. I've always loved Tommy. I love his honesty and I love the way he presents off the field. I've always felt he's been judged against very high expectations and his clangers have been highlighted and his good stuff discounted. One of his great skills in 2018 was his clunk marking. I noticed, particularly in the 2020 PS, that this had disappeared to be replaced by the double grabber. But the clunk is back and he's now a very dangerous player for the opposition to manage. He was shot at the end of 2020 and on the trade table with no takers. He's now a vitally important player in our team. It's a credit to him but it's also a credit to the relationship that Simon Goodwin has with him that they could go through the process at the end of last year and get the result we now have. This of course is one of Goodwin's great strengths but that is a topic for another thread. Anyway I think he has been as important as any player on our list to our success this year and he deserves much more recognition than he's getting.

Bowery 16, Weid 12, Jetta and AVB double figures as well.

That's for this week. The Club is telling me it's limited to 1000 next week. Who knows what will happen between now and then.

Not according to the Club! I'll try and clarify.

It's a COVID restricted event so no chance for Victorians to attend, only 1000 allowed in.

Are Victorians allowed into AAMI stadium? Where is it official?

Charlie’s had a haircut.

That's fine Bin, I don't like the Murray show either because there is no diversity, at least in the half hour or so that I've watched it. It's a bit like Q&A and a number of ABC shows in that regard. They all just push an agenda. But I've never agreed to the stance that you reject someone based on who they are or who employs them, I alway look at the argument put forward. And to avoid the views of those you don't agree with lacks a bit of intellectual rigor.

So you've got a closed mind on this Bin?

I've read a lot of this thread and in the main it's a good reasonable read. I've one question and one observation. Without getting political what is the criticism of the rollout? Is it that we backed the wrong horse or didn't spread our risk? Is it that we have vaccines and aren't distributing them or is it the poor messaging? Or something else? My view is all over 60 should get vaccinated. I'm over 60 and have had the first dose. I was (obviously) aware of the issues but took the view that as a communtiy we have a responsibility to that community. As a country we can't get back to anywhere near normal unless we are vaccinated. Therefore just do it. IMO those not getting vaccinated are selfish but that's understandable. They are selfish because of the pain and suffering they are inflicting on others in so many ways that have been well publicised for so long. I also think that the reporting of COVID is wrong. We should be reporting deaths and hospitalizations rather than cases. What would our reaction be if we reported the flu, colds or pheumonia the same way? We need to get our head around the idea that there is a potentially deadly virus out there that will be around for our lifetimes. By not getting vaccinated we let that virus be more active and mutate into more dangerous variants. Basically my view is we need to act as a country and not a bunch of individuals. This is a war, there will be casualities. FTR many of my 60* friends are waiting to get vaccinated. It's their right.

there is nowhere for the barcode. Is anyone else having this issue?

It's at Casey, if you're in doubt ring the club tomorrow.

I'd go to Casey if I were you.

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