Maldonboy38

3.5 minutes to go, Saints are up, ball is in their court. Still unsure who wins. But the joy of watching the Blues choke on the Friday night big stage means my weekend is off to a great start.

As good or bad the Saints can be for any given game, they will struggle to win a final without Ryder. All the talk about King, Hill etc... but Ryder is their most important player by a long, long way.

As good as Oliver is, "ever" might be a stretch. There are a heap of players in the 1940's - 1960's who most of us never got to see who would challenge the entire Flower/Oliver debate. La Fontaine, Norm Smith, Cordner, Barassi. But he is pretty darn good.

Saints pressure around the ball really troubling Carlton. Unfortunately, I don't think they can sustain it for 4 quarters. Their pace is also showing the Blues can be sluggish.

Lions looking like us in our 3 game slump. No energy at all.

I love how quietly this happened. I sometimes cannot believe how much the MFC has changed. Only 10 years ago this would have been announced with a presser, a youtube video, a letter from the Queen, while Clarry was standing next to Barrassi, Neita, Jonesy, Goodwin and Coffey. We have finally matured and the internal integrity of the club (recent stuff from Bartlett aside) is rock solid. I also believe Clarry bang-bang-bang Oliver will surpass Robbie as our best ever player, and I find that very difficult to admit. He is sublime. My eyes follow him whenever I am watching the Dees on TV, he plays at full pace, and kills opposition with run, grunt and penetration. Absolute star. No dynasty is guaranteed, but if Dogga and Gus also sign, we have a great chance of multiple flags at least.

If Ben Ainsworth could kick, Suns won that by 10+ points. His three misses were pretty much unforgiveable in the last quarter.

Great game Port v Suns. Both teams full on pressure, busting a gut, some great skills. Port have their mojo back and the Suns system and effort is very strong. Port probably win from here but the Suns playing very strong footy.

She can be a great journalist. She knows her trade, is uncompromising when she is following a story, and obviously has very strong contacts throughout the industry. All this developed in a world where the men in suits would have despised her as a woman being so strong, persistent and articulate. But she makes the same mistake most modern sport journalists make: she reports rumour. She probably tries to substantiate it, but too often (maybe 2 out of every 7 "scoops") she will say stuff like "word out of Collingwood today", "or "there's a lot of talk at Essendon" etc... Modern journalists must stop reporting rumour, suggestion, grievance and opinion as fact. If it is a rumour, let it be silent unless something gives it solid credibility.

I was just about to type the exact same thing, but thought quoting you would suffice. But I want icing on the cake. I want us to win the flag, North to win a couple, Cats to go straight out of the finals with 2 losses, Tiges to finish ninth, and the Bombers get the Wooden Spoon.

The most cringeworthy unwatchable tripe on sports tv in 20 years. I don't think BT is as bad a commentator as other people do (don't get me wrong, he is just OK) but this roaming Brian stuff is so uncomfortable to watch.

WCE leading Dons at half time. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Loving it. Please, please, please, please please beat them.

And another carp free kick for a goal to the Doggies.

So, I either watch the Doggies maul the Hawks through dodgy free kicks and them showing how "tough" they are against a weaker bottom team, or watch the Dons show how "tough" they are by beating up on the West Coast Tallygaroopna thirds. What a carp night of footy.

Every club in the AFL should be working hard to see if they can get him. He is a prime candidate in the prime form of his career and is known to be a vision/mission/culture clubman. Also, footy is his profession, he would be mad not to read carefully every offer put to him by each club and see how it fits into his career which might be over in 7 - 8 years. But for the life of me I cannot see why you would leave the reigning premiers who are showing they are capable of another one in the current year, for a possible, maybe, or hopefully. I know Buddy did it, but there was the whole hype and public thing which he needed to get away from.

No change, unless Salem is still a bit proppy. If he is, Hunt comes in. No way does Rivers come back yet. He in particular was in rare horrible form prior to the bye and has to earn his way back in. Bedford gives us another option and his pace is a serious point of difference. We are not a particularly quick team. If Max tries to come back early, I'm going to sneak Ipecac into his double strength chai latte. Jackson and Weideman are a fine team to play their roles until Max heals FULLY.

I refuse to barrack for Hawthorn unless they are playing Dons or Blues, or it impacts us directly. But seeing the free kick count at 9-2, I hope they smash the Dogs. If that McCrae drops his knees one more time to get a high tackle free kick I'm going to spew.

6. Viney 5. Lever 4.Jackson 3. Brayshaw 2.Oliver 1. Jordon

Brayshaw remains my favourite current Dees player. He was sublime last night. His defensive running followed by midfield linking up, followed by delivery into the F50. My apologies to Hibbo, I thought he was done and others would overtake him. Stuff me, he was brutal on Cameron and his run and dash is back. ANB emerged from a genuine form slump. Jordon is such a good player, just so impressive and sure of himself. Kozzie, Spargo and Bedford - wow!

A very capable man on many fronts, but I can't see him as a sport CEO of any kind. Unfortunately, I see 1 of 2 frightening scenarios playing out: They promote/elevate one of their own who is cut from the Demetriou/McLachlan mould, and the fan-ignoring, gambling-addicted, game destroying, money-grabbing, knobs continue to focus on "what are they doing in the USA so let's copy that". OR A woke dilettante who wants a cause-based guernsey for each separate round, makes our great game more like basketball and soccer so people don't get hurt, and panders to every lobby group or study out of Sweden that says salad makes your heart stronger.

Not sure of our line up. Without Hunt our backs might not be able to handle the Lions forward speed, even though Bailey is out. Neither Harmes or Jordon are quick. We have to make the aerial battle a 50/50 break even or better. Our method between wing and F50 must be much smarter and sharper. Make inside F50 a groundball battle - let Bedford, Spargo and Kozzie run amok. Close game, could easily go either way.

No no no no no!! Don't say it, type it, feel it or think it. An abomination that causes desolation!

Can't stand Tom Lynch, but the way he plays (apart from obvious thuggery) is the model of a power forward. Mobile, crashes pack after pack, works up the ground, repeat efforts. Constantly making an impact, even if it means he doesn't get a touch.

Tigers are looking ominous, but can they make it last for 4 quarters? Carlton will fade so the 4 goal buffer the Tigers now have will probably hold the Blues off.

Tigers couldn't win without Rance. Crows can't win without Modra. Bulldogs can't win without Murphy. O wait... It is a lot harder for us, but not impossible. We are struggling, but not beaten yet.