nutbean

Correct. Edit for accuracy...

It depends on how he is measured. If they measure him from the top of his scalp he is 180cm. If they measure him from the top of his hair he is 216cm. (you knew that was coming didn't you, DC ?)

Again all speculation as to who would be more valuable in final... Who won the Norm Smith medal last year ? (which I didn't agree with) - I know that Johannisen plays HBF - but both are more outside players ( I think Parish actually gets more of his own hardball than Johannisen) - same height and almost the same weight. Both to a large extent both need the heavy lifters to get the ball out to them, or at least need space to be at their most destructive. All I know is we got an absolute pearler in Oliver and I believe that Essendon got a beauty as well. Both are valuable but in entirely different ways.

I'm not sure I get the rationale. Oliver rarely gets caught WITHOUT getting his hands free so he can dispose of the pill by handball. His handball is an absolute weapon. It just always gets to someone in a better position. Harking back to Williams - no one told him to handball less. It doesn't matter if he is predictable as long as he keeps getting those handballs away to advantage. Hunt predictably gets the ball and runs, Dustin Martin predictably fends players off with the don't argue and Josh Kennedy of the WCE is predictably one of the best hit up forwards in the game. It is one thing to be predictable, it is an entirely different story of trying to stop the predictability being successful. I expect that if the opposition cover all his handball exits then he will kick - pretty simple.

big call ! higher ceiling than Hogan and Petracca ?I hope the two I've mentioned become superstars and Clarry goes even past them.

you are just being "gingerist"

Always gets his arms up high over the tackle so he can get the handball away. I love the way he does that. It draws a player in and he still gets the ball away. I don't think it is taught - it is instinctive. Jones ( who I love ) doesn't get his arms up so when he is tackled in traffic more often than not it ends up in a ball up.

Went to absolute sensational gig at the Caravan Club on Saturday night - Gregory Page - solo. Only 40 people in the audience - must be the time of the year. He was captivating and made you feel he was singing to you and you alone. ( any Sydney'ites - he is on at Leadbelly Newton on the 12th Jan - if roots ( if 1930's jazz is your thing - he is the bomdiggety)

Caravan Club are doing their first festival and it is going to be a rip snorter - in particular three of my favourites are playing - The backsliders, Jeff lang and Chris Russell's chicken walk.

Great weekend of music. Saw Vika and Linda Bull for the umpteenth time - man can those ladies sing...wowee.. The surprise packet for me was Henry Wagons ( who I have not see before) who crosses so many genres - he stalked the stage like a caged animal - he was fantastic

Hardtack has already mentioned this one but I watch "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" over the weekend. An absolute pearler....

Spuddy McSpudface

seeing Ben Folds with a chamber orchestra on Friday night - should be a pearler (yes Tim - i will get to my favourite alltime albums - so many to choose from)

I agree. Interested in your take on development - how much weight do you give to the development team ( and the work they have done) since Roos has come to the club. My feeling has been that in the past we have taken draft picks and said "sink or swim" whereas the Roos era has been about further education.

Just as easy to say - Judging drafting on the output of players who are no older than 21 is premature in the extreme.

I was about to post the same but I thought it was too much of a "dad joke" .

the problem is not what we offer Freo - its what we have to offer Fyfe in terms of dollars and our cap.

I don't have insight into how we divvy up our salaries but my inkling is what you have said. Fyfe would get a contract making him in the top 10 paid footballers in the AFL. We will be paying a big sum to Hogan - then we have Jones on a big sum and then with all the rising stars we have - we assume they will continue their progression and we have to pay to retain. Would love him - don't see how we can fit him in..

italy for 3 and half weeks.

Okay - I am a man with a short attention span and commitment issues. I am devoted to Game of Thrones and that is pretty much it however we are going away for almost a month over September ( I got that right...) - what series should I download and take with me ?

Big statement - Unfortunately his old man has blight on his career which I do not think defined him - but otherwise Steven Stretch was a great player - good skills, fast, but could take a very good mark which I dont think will be Billy's go - that's not to say Billy will not be a good player

I don't write players off as quickly as some (ok...I'm guilty of not writing off players at all when I should !). In my mind I was not sure that Billy would make it - has some pace but not lightening and not tall so marking is not one of his features. I was trying to figure out his strong suite but was struggling. I have been pleasantly surprised with his progress. His strength is he can find space and does run to good spots and when he gets the ball he is very neat by hand and foot. He won't be a contested ball beast but he goes when he it is his turn to go. I am hoping his form will continue to improve as we have the inside grunt players - we need some silk on the outside and Billy is providing that.

batting two for two - i will keep on going.

alright - i will keep on keeping on !

Black Books was recommended to me - I have watched two episodes and havent really cracked a smile - anyone else seen and have an opposite view ? Should I persevere ?