Grapeviney

I’ve decided not to go to the Anzac Day dawn service. Much more exciting to attend tonight’s gawn service!

Lol - the same Peggy O'Neal in this #changeourgame video, calling for more women in footy?

For all intensive purposes, this is a great thread. I literally die every time someone mis-spells a player's name. Schwartz is the most irritating, along with the laconic Gary Lyons.

^^^ All valid points, Macca. Interesting that you mention overseas matches, including here, as that was one of the points of real hostility on the spurs forums I’ve been browsing - that it would become a travelling circus through Asia and the Americas, not all that different to the pre-season tournament that’s played now. I probably have ulterior motives, though, too; as you say, someone would have to finish bottom of the SL, and I didn’t fancy opening up Spurs’ schedule and seeing our next 4 matches being Barca, City, Inter, Liverpool et al. From a personal perspective, I just want as many games as possible - it keeps me going when the footy season is finished, and I haven’t missed any of the 241 games we’ve played across various competitions this year.

It's hard to tell, Macca. The fact that it got out the night before the announcement of the new CL format suggests otherwise. It was an ambush I reckon, poorly executed. There's also talk that UEFA have found extra $$ to basically bribe the rebels back into the fold. I'm surprised at how quickly the Prem clubs caved; surely they would have anticipated a significant backlash given the hostile reception it's received when canvassed previously. And it was always hard to imagine FIFA following through with the threat to ban SL players from the WC - their mates in Qatar would not have liked that idea one bit. Anyway, it's over now and I'm glad. They joy of watching, say, Barca v Juve comes, in part, from the fact that it only happens occasionally. Start fixturing them 5 times a year - including some dead rubbers - and the romance and hype will dissipate pretty quickly. Poor Jose - the only super league manager to be axed, without a ball being kicked.

Same thing happened to me in round 1. I think what happens is that Legends, Tridents and Redlegs are all grouped together as one premium group, and from there it's first in best dressed. That's how @Demonlandhas been upgraded to N49, and @Cal7B relegated to N52.

Given all the speculation about him not being happy, it's interesting that he's not smiling in that video. I wouldn't be surprised if he's still meeting with Carlton.

Only Jack himself can pardon you. I'd be careful about approaching him at training, though. You don't want to end up in the Jack Viney Made Me Cry Thread.

Even illiterate people know Mea Culpa isn't French. Evidently I'm not going to get too many laughs..

Might as well give this a bump while the 'Trade Fritsch' thread is still floating around. Of course Olisik won't be back until we lose a game, but that shouldn't stop others in the 'let Jack go to Geelong' camp from offering their own Mea Culpa. For those of you who don't speak French, that means owning up to your mistake!

@FritschyBusiness @Jaded @dl4e or anyone else sitting on level 4. Im on bottom deck of the Ponsford with 2 seats in M34 - I would love to trade to get upstairs if you're keen on a swap?

It's poorly designed. Only one of the pathways available leads to the free MFC members section. Every other trail leads to extra $$. They don't make that clear. To get the free section, follow MFC Allocation 1, and then click on 'behind the goals'. That will bring up tickets that cost $0.

If his eye makes a miraculous recovery, we could be treated to my dream headline: MAY BE SEE DEE

Spurs have dropped 13 points after the 85th minute this season - 6 wins which became draws, and a draw which turned into a loss. It’s like watching us get beaten by a kick after the siren every week. If Mourinho was dead he’d be turning in his grave. Could @Macca‘s Hammers be headed to Europe?

You won’t be seeing elegt again. Delisted.

No complaints from me EO. In the words of the great Jack Dyer, he’s the type of player who only needs 2 or 3 kicks to finish with 5 or 6 goals.

Noticed any positive traits yet? ?

It’s actually quite rare that a decision/s really changes the result of a game. The famous Adelaide - Fitzroy match at Footy Park in 1991 is one that sticks out. But given the blatant nature of the free, its proximity to goal, and the time left on the clock, it’s safe to say that tonight was definitely another. Will be interesting to see how the AFL and umps try to spin this one; they’ll be loathe to admit a mistake which cost a game.

STOP THE COUNT !!!

Hope Mark’s family is doing ok HB, and you too.

May Be See Dee works as a headline if you have a clear sub-heading to accompany it: MAY BE SEE DEE? Concussed Demon could play round 1

Yeh im not counting on people switching allegiances, but tapping into the new migrants. It's playing a very long game, and requires more than just plonking ourselves down there, as you say. But all the little things add up, such as the school visits we used to do in that area (do we still do these)? It would probably take a generation to really bear fruit - if we did it the right way, and had some sustained on-field success to accompany it. I think we'll always have the MCC connection as long as we remain at the 'G, but fundamentally changing the fabric of the club is probably what's required for long-term survival and sustained membership growth. 70k members as a short or medium-term target sounds like fairytale stuff to me, even if we were to win a flag or two in the next few years. It's certainly not going to come from MCC people or whoever / wherever we represent now.

The experiment has barely begun, though. Investing in Casey and basing ourselves down that way needs to be seen through a much longer timeframe - it’s not going to pay off until 30, 40 years down the track, when we’re properly embedded in the community and have had time to form a relationship with the people who live there. Tim and Gonzo make a good point about possible player pushback against a full move that way, but everything else screams Casey to me. Identifying the growth in that part of the city when we did - and jumping in there - was extremely smart thinking in my view, and going all-in might be the better long-term option if we truly want to attract 70,000 members down the track.

The sad thing is that for many people, the booing and the controversy is how they’ll remember Goodes, rather than his remarkable football feats and the superstar of the game that he was. Nicky Winmar is much the same - he’s said in interviews that he understands how the incident at Vic Park is an iconic moment in football history - there’s even a statue of it - but for him, it’s just a reminder of the worst day of his life.