Grapeviney

If there's going to be a big screen playing non-stop highlights of Schwarz's career then I'm going to find it very hard to resist going to this gig. Nice work Demon Army

Fixtures against the bigger clubs only draw 50k + crowds - and all the resultant benefits - when we're playing good footy. Check the attendances of our games against those clubs in recent years (and 2014) and they've been poor, and that's for opposition home games which favour their supporters attending. As I posted in another thread, we could have had 22 Friday night games last year and it wouldn't have made a jot of difference to anything; memberships, gate receipts, TV audience, win-loss record etc And imagine if we had secured extra sponsorship last year b/c of a brilliant TV-friendly draw - our sponsors would have broken the contract after 3 rounds upon realising that no-one in the universe is going tune into a Melbourne.

Partly cloudy and 16 degrees forecast for Monday - let's hope the rain stays away and we get 70,000 +

Not sure if you saw it but Caro made a hash of it talking about it on Footy Classified. Mumbled something incoherent about 'positive discrimination'. I think she meant to say that the appointment was made on merit but it came out the opposite, that she'd been appointed because of her gender.

This will give BT the opportunity to talk about 'the dukes'. "You've gotta put the dukes out Richo"..

I'm all for equalisation measures but the draw isn't a particularly effective tool for achieving a level playing field. We could have played 22 Friday night matches last year and it wouldn't have made a jot of difference to anything; membership, gate receipts, our win-loss record etc. Those games only become beneficial - in dollar terms - when you're a good team (offering an attractive product).

I don't know why you'd want to give it up at all. The prime time games are never going to be equally distributed, and nor should they be. Who wants to watch North play GWS in front of 7000 people on a Friday night ? Who would have wanted to watch Melbourne 2013 vs anyone on a Friday night? TV ratings and gate receipts are always going to be the key drivers in scheduling / the fixture, so the best thing we can do is become one of the 'strong clubs' that benefits from this reality.

Hate the build-up? Well, I guess that's your bad luck. You think Geelong and Hawthorn supporters don't get pumped for Easter Monday? Or Anzac Day for Pies and Dons? Dreamtime etc Outside of finals, these are the premier fixtures of the draw. Why you wouldn't want to retain it, and get a fair and equitable draw thrown in for good measure, is beyond me. That's what the good sides demand and get.

No, I'm not referring to this week's game, but a time in the not too distant future when we're nearer the top of the ladder and the Queens Birthday game will once again be the genuine match of the round blockbuster it's been in years gone by. I don't need the media to validate what I'm thinking but it was nice to hear the 6PR radio guys talking about next week's game tonight, saying it's now shaping up as a really good contest and that Melbourne are in with a serious chance. I long for the day when we come into the QB game with an 8-2 or 9-1 record and the 'G is jammed with 80,000 fans, at least half of them in the mighty red and blue. The sooner that day arrives, the stronger our grip gets on retaining this important fixture, and the greater the chance we have of securing similar top-billing games in the future.

It was a strange decision. I would have thought use it while it's there. I was at the ground and in the first half it was probably a 3-4 goal wind, but it died right down at the main break and what was left shifted more towards half forward in the second half.

Whatever else happens today, the club should strongly consider playing all our NT matches in Alice, rather than Darwin. It's a normal Autumn day here - there's no oppressive heat or humidity, and there'll be no problems with recovering from the energy-sapping conditions the players have to endure in Darwin.

It's usually a pretty classy affair..

Sounds like you were there about the same time as my father was Robbie - Ken Emselle was a couple of years ahead of him and was head prefect at the time. I believe Kevin "Skeeter" Coghlan taught Maths at NHS during this time too.

Where's the proof to support either of these claims? If you're referring to his tweet about getting back in the gym, that's hardly evidence that he's "training hard" or even that he's training with footy in mind...

Having just watched the Cats on telly, i wholeheartedly agree with your assessment.

Good stuff Demoniac. I was in far north-east Arnhem Land yesterday, at Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula. Visited a traditional Yolngu ceremonial ground at nearby Gulkula, where I stood on top of an escarpment with sweeping views of the Gulf of Carpentaria, which was absolutely stunning. Also visited a fantastic indigenous art gallery and archive in Yirrkala. Off to Alice tomorrow arvo for Saturday's blockbuster.

spot on DC The preferred beverage at the Gat is spirits... of the methylated kind.

You say that like it's a bad thing..

I'm in. The bloke I'm going with has sorted some sort of corporate tent ticket, but I imagine that once I've filled up the tank I'll go and sit with the cheer squad or stand in the outer. Not expecting a win, but hoping the boys are on song regardless and push Port hard all day.

A simple "thank you, your honour" would have been sufficient

Nah, we would have been creamed in the GF, just as Hawthorn were. Flower and Wilson would have missed with injury, and - like the Hawks - we left everything out on the field in the Prelim. From memory, the '87 GF was a warm day, and Carlton were fresh after the week off.

They say the good players stand up in finals, well what about Robert Flower? Waited 14 years and 269 games to play in his first final and booted 5, following it up the next week with a bag of 4.

I'm lucky enough to be working in Darwin this week so will be flying home through Alice to go to the game. Can't see us getting up unless Port are flat after last night's win and we can catch them napping. A win would be sensational - would set up a good game for QB with a big crowd, would love to see 65,000 at the 'G.

BT tonight: "He out of bounds'd on the full it."

Not quite commentary but Richmond mis-spelled Deledio's name on the banner this week. 'Delidio' Morons