Maldonboy38

Never easy fearing an absolute gun forward leaving the club while contracted, especially that the premiership window seems to be opened wide. But the footage is the sealer - we plan for a post-Hogan tilt at the flag. Sorry to see him go. Loved his footy, but his personal griefs might be weighing a bit too heavy. I for one am proud that our club is treating him as a human being before treating him like a product.

Hunt still has so much raw potential, and his improvement is nowhere near complete. Listening to Max Gawn's B&F speech, he remarked how late in 2015 the penny finally dropped for him. I reckon 2018 being a poor year for Hunt might see him rip the 2019 pre-season apart and spring into the footy season in his best nick yet. No he is not a pure footballer like Brayshaw, but his best so far has been electric. I can't wait to see him next year.

Yep - well done and kudos to all with Demonland responsibilities. My morning routine of reading the online news, Demonland then the AFL website gets me on my way to a rather boring job.

Tyson is frustrating at times and for some strange reason, his turnovers stand out as being worse than others. But he gets heaps of the footy and keeps going all day. Looking into 2019 I can't see him in our best 25 so I can see why his manager is making him a public talking point. But I would be keeping him. 2 midfield injuries and in he comes.

It is interesting how many defenders win club B&F's in successful seasons. Internally, voting is often so different to Brownlow or media awards. But our top three will probably be - 1. Gawn 2. Brayshaw 3. Oliver Jetta will poll well, along with Harmes, Tmac, ANB and Melksham.

Great game, the best team won. A few chokers there in the last quarter but 44 blokes going toe-to-toe. Dom Sheeds's goal. Just wow. A shocking game from the umps. Many head high contacts missed and a lot of dropping the ball/holding the ball interpreted as a ball up. Something has to be done about blocking in marking contests. A real blight on the game now. And even though I admire Collingwood under Buckley (who I loathed as a player but respect as a coach) there remains a deep seated, unspoken satisfaction that Collingwood have lost another GF.

He really surprised me this year. He showed some real energy and grunt, and fully earned this 1 year contract. He might really surprise in 2019.

Eagles 22 points NS Shuey FG Rioli

If our circumstances/needs were different I would chase hard after May. He has strengths and weaknesses, but his physical strength is a massive plus, which can be used as a structure point for defending inside our defensive 50. However, for the first time since the early Daniher era I rely on the MFC player development staff, in particular Brendan McCartney. Although none of the Casey boys are ready now, who knows what transpires after 1 good pre-season. And OMac is nowhere finished his physical development. He is still young and could emerge as something quite different to what he is now. Our three tall backs - Frost, OMac & Lever - make a very strong back structure, with varied strengths which compliment each other. I wouldn't want to stuff it up by moving someone in that means moving someone who is currently effective out.

This just made my day. Absolute gold, Biffen.

Lived in Perth for 2 years. Great beaches, no peak-hour traffic, excellent roads, worst flies in Australia, the wind never stops, and the average person is more red-necked than a logger from Tasmania. Seriously, Perth made Queenslanders look like they were educated at Melbourne Grammar. And that is a VERY troubling thought.

I have read and understood Catch 22 by Jospeh Heller, A Crock of Gold by James Stephen, and got through A Brief History of Time while understing about 2/3 of it. I even read the Match Review Statements and can sort of understand them. But I have no idea what this piece is about, what the author is attempting to say, and if his/her/its acid attacks are veiled barbs or ill-aimed self-harming.

My local team - Eaglehawk in the Bendigo Footy League - are in the Grand Final this Saturday, and am really pumped. I am also really annoyed that it clashes with the Dees in the West. One eye on the footy and the other on AFL live app right through the afternoon. Going to be a VERY tense afternoon. Actually reminds me of another amazing moment in 1987. Maldon in the Grand Final at Princes Park in Maryborough. A policeman was the only person with a radio, and about 80 people crowded around him as we heard that Jimmy had run across the mark in the Preliminary Final against the Hawks. Carna Dees! Go the mighty Borough!

The essence of our game is that any on-field player can go and get the ball at any time, from any direction and use any part of the body to contact the ball. At its heart is a chaotic form of liberty. Anything that compromises this principle should never be considered. My response to proposed rule changes: No zones, no stupid extended goal square. Remove the no-3rd-man-up rule. Just let the umpire throw it up immediately. Any player can go for it. Return to original holding the ball rule. If you are holding it and get caught, a free kick is awarded against you for holding the ball. If you drop it, bounce it or fumble it, then it is play-on. Removes 70% of ball ups (please stop calling them stoppages!). Only grey area it leaves is if the person throws it upwards. Stop players pushing the marking forwards in the back after they take a mark. Unnecessary and related to a lot of hamstring injuries. 50m penalty only relates to time wasting.

I love my footy on TV but roaming Brian is easily the most cringe-worthy, embarrassing, superficial non event I have ever seen. I simply loathe it. I actually like his commentary (and I know I am in the minority) but his roaming stuff is just an opportunity for the commentary team to have a self indulgent giggle full of in-jokes which no one else enjoys. I am very grateful for the mute button. And his interruption of other radio and TV interviewers is just plain rude.

On Petracca and his field kicking. 3 times last night, just as he was about to kick, I screamed at the TV "no, don't lead there" and each time the Hawks chopped it off. I reckon he is choosing a spot and kicking to it and the forwards aren't reading him well. I am not defending him for the sake of it because in general terms I agree his finishing needs attention, but some of his "turnovers" last night appeared more to be about the forwards positioning and leading patterns and less about the quality of his kick. Yes, he did make some clangers as well but his vision and setting up gives me goosebumps. His set shot routine definitely needs some work.

Frosty - torp from full back, down the guts for a goal. Spargo's goal from just insides 50 (when I said to my daughter he will set it up because he can't kick that far!) Brayshaw's mark and goal in last quarter. And Viney - very glad I never played in his era. Frightening footballer. Max's towering mark. So many of our boys giving it to Mitchell every chance they got. Petracca laughing at the fool Sicily. Hibberd's run-and-carry.

Vince for Tyson. Won't happen though.

6. Viney 5. Hibberd 4. Jetta 3. Petracca 2. TMac 1. Gawn

Extraordinary win. Not our greatest win, and the Hawks threw everything at us in the first 10 minutes of the last quarter but the boys kept their heads and just plowed in again and again. Those below-the-knees free kicks absolutely p**s me off so badly. However, as the rule currently stands both should be free kicks to Hawthorn. The rule needs changing to ensure the player SLIDES in, and not just goes the ball. The Hawks tried a dirty tactic tonight. Repeatedly, they pinned one of our on-ballers to the ground while the ball was being balled up by the umps. Sicily and Shiels the main culprits. Feeling rather good right now.

I can't tell you how much I hate Grandfinal day "entertainment". There have been a few successes and a long litany of failures, but for me it is just an annoying thing that diverts attention away from the footy. I just wish the AFL would focus on the actual game, and leave off 80% of the carp that surrounds the day (e.g. interviewing idiot fans in the car park, doing 3-second vacuous interviews with arriving players and coaches, images of planes flying over, images of politicians and C grade celebrities sitting in the stands). I just want to watch the game. And I want to watch the Dees win one.

Infinity and Zurich must be licking their lips, having joined relatively late. But Northern Territory, New Balance and Hertz - who have been with us for a while - must be feeling good right about now. Paying off big time after sticking with us. Their stuff is appearing everywhere, and our club is becoming very savvy at ensuring sponsors names/logos are in most photos or media articles. What's important is us, the supporters, remembering to use our sponsors. I have remembered 2 or 3 times after making a purchase and been really annoyed with myself.

Petracca's contribution is solid every week. His numbers don't make you stand up and take notice but his hard work is evident if you look hard enough. And his goal assists and body strength remain his main assets. Having said that, I wish he would take a game by the scruff of the neck, monster some oppositions, and high five the Dees faithful with his tongue hanging out after kicking 3 in a row, the third from the boundary with a left foot banana. He has got so much talent that is still to emerge. I hope it is tonight.

Fortunately I have some hard physical work to do today, something I have to focus on. Otherwise I would be a useless mess. I hope I do concentrate because it involves a lot of chainsaw use. At least if I do bleed my veins run red and blue. I am not negative about tonight, but very anxious/excited. Our best is a fair bit better than Hawthorn's, but Clarkson is a brilliant coach. Just because Stratton and O'Meara are out means little to him because the entire Hawks squad is disciplined in applying his game plan whether in VFL or AFL. I am wary of how he will play Melksham and Brayshaw. If he is able to cover these two the game will be up for grabs. I have full faith that Harmes will cover Mitchell, but we need to curb Smith, Breust and Gunston. If any one of these three get off the chain the Hawks footy will roll out free and fast. I am expecting Weideman, Frost and Petracca to stand up big time tonight. Max is a given. Carna Dees. 16 point win.

No way. As for those comparisons to the Lever deal, there is in reality no comparison. Scully leaving was not just about money - that happens every year in football and we need to cut professional footballers some slack. But the fact that his dad was scouting for GWS and getting the trade set up in the background while MFC was doing all it could to keep Scully - that is unforgiveable. The deceit was the issue, not the money.