binman

Don't get me wrong, i think all three are excellent coaches, but in terms of assessing the coaching records of Fagan, Scott and Longmire, i think a relevant data point to consider is their home grounds. The GABBA, Taxpayer Park and the SCG are strange grounds in terms of dimensions, and in the case of the GABBA also prevailing conditions (the lions play almost all of their games up there at night, when it is frequently humid and slippery). As evidenced by their respective home ground records, particularly that of the lions, the Lions, Cats and Swans, unsurprisingly, play well at home and have very real home ground advantage. That advantage puts all three clubs in the box seat to at least make finals every year and the sustained success of all three clubs in terms of making finals is not surprising.

It would be the smart play. The lions are currently 2.12, which I reckon is about right. The disadvantage the lions face is the extra game the've had to play, well that and losing their ruck. But they have run out the last two games very impressively. And their strategy to chip kick the cats to frustration, whilst helped by the cats clearly flagging, could not have been possible if they weren't well and truly in great condition. They have clearly timed their high performance program very well.

I backed the swans to win the flag after their 112 point thumping by Port. My only stress about the GF is whether to lay off and back the lions- and still make a healthy profit if they win.

You're out on this topic? Seriously WTF are you on about? You are talking about a completely different topic (who leaked to Morris ) to the one i was talking about (the need to think critically and not but into a pat narrative). You are arguing with yourself. I have no interest in that discussion. I think he leaked, you think it was the club. As i made clear, who leaked makes no difference to the argument i was making. I responded to your question if i had any evidence Tracc had leaked, said no and noted it was supposition on my part (as is of course the same for you with you version of who leaked) I wish i hadn't (and won't make that mistake again) as you have a narrative, an agenda, an axe to grind (poor, misunderstood tracc - lets all leave him alone) that you are trying to wedge into a completely different discussion - And i'd add it was discussion i didn't ask for your feedback on. Its forum, so of course happy to discuss and get feedback. But not happy with someone getting stuck into me and misconstruing my comments - particularly galling given you didn't even bother fully read my post such was your need to defend poor little Christian from slings and arrows. Its ironic actually, because i have no enmity toward tracc - i think he has been immature and frankly incredibly naïve but it has played out exactly predicted it would And you are not sorry for having a shot at me? As i suspected sorry, not sorry. You think its ok to have shot at someone who post something you disagree with - noted. By the by, on your topic of choice, your rationale for it not being Tracc, but rather some mysterious person, or people, from the club is, to say the least, unconvincing. And completely fails the Occam's razor test. One example. Leaving aside the strange use of the word fact, the "fact that Morris/Barrett stated people inside the club leaked critical parts of the story" could hardly be a less compelling point to support your argument. It may be a fact they said that, but you'd be hard pressed to name two media people I'm less likely to believe, or two media people i thinks are more likely to make stuff up. But to be clear, i have no interest in debating wit you who leaked to Morris. I could care less to be honest. So it works for both us that you're out on this topic.

Well, to be honest that feels like a sorry...but. Next time you decide you want to vent about one of my long spiels because they make you irate, go to the effort of reading it to the end Or don't- but don't have a shot at me. Ironically, you perfectly made my central point: Rather than simply accepting Morris’s narrative (WHOEVER FED IT TO HIM) at face value, people should consider the full range of agreed facts and then decide what they think is going on (and I'd add not go off half cocked).

Sorry, don't follow at all, and clearly you haven't followed me either. Of course there are agreed facts. I listed several such examples For example it is an agreed FACT that at least 10 players have resigned with the club in the last 3 months. I didn't 'decide' that was a fact. It is a fact. As for the source of the leak not making a difference, you have clearly misunderstood me, as evidenced by your spiel about it which reads as if you are replying to an unrelated post. I mean, I think i know whether the source of the leak was relevant to the point I WAS MAKING. But whatevs.

Yep, 100% convinced. But whether it came from tracc, or from another MFC employee my point remains the same - whilst that narrative may have some veracity, in sorting the wheat from the chaff, people would do well to also consider the agreed facts, such as those that i noted, rather than just swallowing the Morris narrative whole.

I'm assuming it was, but no I have no evidence tracc (directly, or more likely via a surrogate) fed the story to Morris. Supposition on my part.

Ta. Admittedly, 'bleeding players' was perhaps a bit Tom Morris.

I didn't say the tigers were bleeding players due the culture reasons, or any reason. Ditto noble leaving the pies. I just stated a fact - not my opinion. And the relevant fact is we have one best 22 player advising the club he wants to leave, whereas, say the tigers have multiple such players (and by the by, there is very little upside for a club in a rebuild losing three of their best 5 players in rioli, Bolton and Baker, all at the peak part of their career. It would have been the equivalent of gawn, tracc and Oliver walking out on the dees in 2017). It's relevant because it speaks to stability and contradicts the narrative of a club in crisis. The only facts in Morris’s initial reporting was trac was unhappy. And even they is open to be questioned because Morris was 'backgrounded' by tracc rather than him having the courage of his convictions and publicly standing behind his concerns, for example with a proper interview.

The 'tracc fiasco'? Honestly, I've never seen so many people sucked into one persons (ie tracc) desired narrative so unquestionably (outside of America or course). What exactly is the tracc fiasco? Tracc fed Morris' his laundry list of complaints, which, combined with inferences people have made from the 'reporting' can be boiled down to, what: - Tracc unhappy with how the club dealt with him post injury - Tracc unhappy the club not more successful - Tracc unhappy being at a club with fewer supporters than the 'big' clubs - Tracc unhappy with the 'culture' at the club (with the inference widely accepted that translates to a party culture) - Tracc unhappy with how clarry was 'handled", before and after his dramas - Tracc unhappy with the 'professionalism' of teamates Have I missed something? Notice the common theme - 'tracc unhappy'. Let's accept that that is how tracc genuinely feels. And let's accept that tracc clearly had an agenda in feeding Morris That's not the same as those issues being real. But of course, it doesn't mean they aren't either - to some degree or other. I can't stand Morris, but don't blame him writing a hit piece based on info tracc fed to him. He is merely feeding an insatiable demand for gossip, and seemingly for information that confirms many dees 'supporters' henny penny complaints. Morris is not a journalist, so has no interest in balance. But it would be great if people did some critical thinking, and rather than just drinking the tracc aid, balanced the 'feelings' of a disgruntled player with some cold, hard undisputed facts (ie not 'joining the dots', conjecture, feelings, opinions or vibes): - tracc didn't leave (and I have little doubt absolutely could have if he was prepared to go to any club - which if the culture was so bad he surely would have been) - unlike say the tigers, who are bleeding players, only one of our best 22 is leaving the club, for family reasons (unlike, say, noble who just wants out of the pies full stop) - off the top of my head at least 10 players have recommited to the club in the last THREE MONTHS - this included two first year, first round draft picks, in kolt and windsor, who had no need to do so for another two years - our president has stepped down

We might call such 'supporters' detractors. 'I've been a detractor of this one great club since the 70s. And i have been staunch in my criticism - disco blue jumpers, the stupidity of sacking Stan Alves, falling for the messiah complex with Barrassi, Vinny Cottagio, Crosswell, Balme as coach, David Cordner, whites board Wednesday, soft Watts, of course Gerard healy quit the club, Gutnick, Goodwin, - the list of our failings is endless!'

I haven't read a single post in.this thread, so apologies if it's been covered. Is goody a verb? If so, what does it mean? I'm thinking perhaps it's a typo, and thread title is actually Time to go giddy? Or perhaps goody is a euphemism? For what, I'm shudder to think.

I'm a punter - horses and footy. I really enjoy betting on footy. But find the ads - and even more so the integration (eg the in game ads and 'tips' from peanuts like brown) - obscene. In 20 years time we will look back on such advertising in the way we look back im horror at the total integration of say Benson and Hedges sponsoring cricket (and all the rest, eg motor sport). What were they thinking? And the parallels are clear: Like we did with tobacco in the 1970s, we know the damage gambling does to our society. The research is crystal clear. The motivation of the advertisers and companies is also the same- create life long customer loyalty, from teenager to grave. And the AFL, like sporting organisations in the 1970s will argue the money is critical - but when push comes to shove will find other revenue streams.

Agree with these points. By seasons end the following players were all in our best 23 (with the number of AFL preseasons in brackets): JVR (3), Turner (3), Howes (3), Mcvee (2) Windsor (1) and the Kolt (1). So more than a quarter of our best 23 with three or fewer AFL preseasons under their belt (and it's worth noting for end of season draftees, all bar disco in that list, their first preseason is not really a full one as they come into the system in November). When Burgess came to the dees i saw an interview with him (perhaps the same one you reference DF) when he said it takes three plus seasons to build a foundation of elite fitness (in reference to the challenge he faced getting us cherry ripe accross the board). And once that elite foundation is built, every preseason after that incremental gains are possible for each player and the team as a whole (presumably only if they continue to do the work) - that's to say they can continue build on that foundation year on year and the base is a bit higher every year (which is why a finess freak line Novak Djokovic can be fitter and stronger at say 32 than he was at 25). He also noted that it's not just aerobic (endurance) fitness that needs to be built, it's also anaerobic fitness (power and strength). And that most players are either natural endurance athletes (eg nibbla) or power athletes (eg tracc). So when they come into the AFL sytem (and through their career), will need an individual program developed for them that helps improve their relative weakness and enhance their strengths. So Mcvee, an aerobic athlete, could build an elite endurance foundation relatively quickly, but is probably one to two more preseasons from an elite power and strength foundation (and look out when he does). The opposite is true of JVR and Disco, both power athletes who will continue to get incrementally stronger (not to mention bigger as both will continue to fill out), but might take another one or two preseasons to build an elite endurance foundation. There's no doubt having so many of our best 23 with so few AFL preseasons under their belt had a significant impact on our ability to 'defend the ground' and run out games. The upside of that is we got senior games into those young guns and if they have great preseasons all will go up a level fitness wise, both in terms of endurance and strength. So, we are likely to get signficant natural improvement in terms of endurance and strength from a quarter of our best 23. Ditto for the five young players who just resigned who hope to become best 23. Of the five i have highest hopes for AMW as if he can develop elite endurance I think he is can become our Quaynor style small, medium defender, freeing Mcvee to be a Daicos style aggressive half back, occasional mid. And Sestan has essentially been given a chance to build his tank and realise his potential to become a very good AFL player (it's worth noting that this time last year it looked doubftful AMW would be able to do so). Add a pick 5 (by way of comparison Windsor was seven and the hawks' Watson was 5) to natural improvement in terms of endurance and strength from so many young players (not to mention the improvements in their craft experience brings) there's good reason to be bullish about the next few seasons. A rebuild on the run.

Straight swap.

Goes well with a crusty roll from the Garry Baker.

A no from Mr. Which is a tad ironic because I was dead keen when he was last on the market. Good thing I'm not in recruitment given Martin was very good coin at the blues. This comment from the blues wouldn't give other clubs much confidence (it feels like a bit of a nothing statement) "Jack also showed a resilient mindset through his five seasons and has made some lasting friendships at the football club"

Needs to get AFL fit. If he can/does I think he has the tools to make it. An excellent kick, but simply does not have the tank to get enough of the pill.

Unlike other years, where it never mattered.

Carlton is really the logical club for tracc. If it was 1979 when Lygon Street could still be considered little Italy.

Unfortunately, that's a con not a pro.

Can you do Financial Times and The Australian subscriptions please.

Possibly.

Happy to volunteer to write the content.