Crompton's the man

With Jack having apparently visited PA to view the facilities it's looking increasingly like he's out the door and I must confess to feeling disappointed I hope that we win in the trade rather than simply farewelling him with no adequate recompense and that list management with a view to improvement is the motivator as against a see-you-later decision which will probably see the new club do way better than with the Sylvia deal ( trade coup of the decade?). One thing Jack can do is deliver a precision kick in the arms of, for example, Jesse Hogan and this is a skill our team does not have a lot of - we have great ballgetters in Viney, Jones but it doesn't seem like laces out is on their resume. The injury he had this year was likely related to the fact that we played him as a ruckman when Max went down, and he did his best and uncomplainingly. Hopefully we won't have the same sort of injury list next year and unless we get real good compensation I am in the one year extension camp. But the die is cast it seems and the question will be asked ultimately: how could Jack have been managed more effectively?

The Geelong game this weekend should be a case study for anyone interested in this topic imo The almost astonishing numbers of visitors' free kicks ignored by the umpires aided and abetted by the deafening silence of crowd noise when balls were dropped by the home team testifies to the bias whether it be conscious or unconscious of the umpiring team. All we want at the end of the day is consistency after all. We can wear a ridiculous call for deliberate out-of-bounds or holding the ball as we must but what we long for is the application of the same standards equally applied to both teams. I would like to see some (nearly wrote "more" !!) accountability by the umpires in the sense of public match reviews post-weekend. And part of that process should be to recognise when the umpires got it right which they often do. Part of valid examination involves praise where deserved imho. The ideal would be an identification of consistent trends and open discussion on whether a problem has been identified. Hopefully the will for this type of painful self-examination is in abundant supply at AFL headquarters ?

I took some of my hard earned money after GWS got up by 24+ and put it on Melbourne My wife has me booked in for electroconvulsive therapy 8.00 am Monday

Part of their mandate is to exert a buffering influence on the scoreboard where ladder leaders and interstate teams are concerned so it's really business as usual.

Although this does not represent original research by Four Corners, this program canvasses astonishing (maybe) content and makes fascinating background to upcoming matters which will no doubt engage many of us as legal processes evolve. It should be remembered that it is a time-honoured principle that on occasions it is better that one man die for the people and it seems that the contemporary representation of that principle has become that it is sometimes better that victims' rights be subjugated for the greater good of the perpetuation of the benign public reputation of a revered Institution. The program shines a light on the vile deeds of child rapists and the shielding of those perpetrators from the consequences of their actions to an almost comical degree were the matters not so serious and the in many cases lifelong ramifications and damage not so profound. The obstructors and enablers must in every case and wherever possible be dragged into the light so that their evil and dark deeds are in plain view. It occurs to me that there may possibly be significant cultural similarities between Philadelphia and Melbourne, having grown up in the system here in Victoria.

OMG What is the free kick count????

I spent some time with a senior police figure during the week who I regard as a person of high integrity and personally tough when required and, in discussion, this general spectrum of issues arose. Part of the purview of community policing involves meeting with Muslim leaders and the take home view of this highly experienced officer is that there was never at any time a problem in terms of community disorder/subversion in the Muslim sector, and that these same community leaders were almost hanging their heads in shame in that they were being placed in a public position of being associated with the atrocities of the type which led to this thread starting. I suppose that for some of us as well as myself, this has been an issue - the silent majority being so (publicly) silent. Conversely, there has been demonstrable thuggery from the anti-migration sector (in some of its manifestations) from groups waving Australian flags and the like. I found that the conversation gave me a different perspective to the worrying media reports.

Apologies have not been following this thread and it may have been mentioned already In respect of the comparison of the Bugg incident and Houli's Richmond won the game after the Carlton player was hit and the argument could be considered by the MRT in its wisdom that conceivably the outcome of the match was altered by the offence Sydney won the game after Bugg offended and no way did it impact the game the way that Basher's elbow could be said to have

Surely you underestimate

I have written this before and never ever meant it before Never In Doubt

I really have hesitated to contribute to this discussion because of the almost-funny absurdity of apologism for murder and the pustulent criticism of anyone prepared to acknowledge what is as clear, evident and true presented as a dupe of a cosmic conspiracy. That said, I actually try to think about these issues and in the course of discussion with one of my business clients who, as it happens, is involved in the Greens political movement, I mused that it seems to me that the missing link in the defusing of the drive for Islamic attackers is the failure of the Imams to proclaim that this is not in fact the pathway to glory and that such an approach is not representative of Islam. i was sincerely surprised when after being challenged as to whether I had read the Quran (to which question I felt I had to reply honestly (a concept that may elude some contributors to this discussion) that I have read parts but not the whole. "Well, I have. I lived in an Islamic state for thirty years and I can tell you that the reason the preachers don't stand up and say what you are suggesting is that everyone with any knowledge of Islam knows that they would have no credibility whatsoever because when unbelievers' headers are hacked off this is EXACTLY what the Quran tells them to do, right down to details like holding the blade over their heads before striking." i suggested that if he has knowledge of this sort of stuff that he should call 774 and speak to Jon Faine or Raphael Epstein and he snorted and said that they would cut him off like a ripe banana - the suggestion being that there are forces out there attempting to prevent dissemination of information such as this. Now I am fond of conspiracy theories and I can only suppose that this tree-hugging Greenie-voting life-experienced person has been hoodwinked by the CIA into believing that these newspaper reports of people being hacked to death - whether they be Copts or Londoners or Melburnians - are all lies : or in the alternative they killed themselves in order to make an innocent subculture look bad (most likely the latter). But my motive for making a contribution is this : any reading of this thread material demonstrates an inability by some players to engage in nuanced debate about complex matters and the demonstrated shrill denunciation of any person who dares express a different view can turn out to be the harbinger of totalitarianism lest we forget. Let us not be useful idiots Please

Gold Worth laminating

Not being mean but .... Sean Smith ?

Do they get paid to not see this kind of thing?

It's interesting (and writing as an ex-smoker) that the many many chemical additives placed in post-WW2 cigarettes (to keep them smouldering among other nefarious purposes) may be as harmful as the tobacco itself (I'm guessing). Pipe smoking is a now extinct form of self damage and was associated with increased levels of tongue, throat and vocal cord , but interestingly not lung , cancer and the postulated reason is the lower temperature at which the product is burned. What I'm saying is that it might not be only the climate that has changed over the many years.

I will never forget being at that game and the extraordinary difference between Cousins pre- and post- half time that it was breathtaking on the day fearless,tireless,superhuman, etc etc. Must have been a good coach's address at the break is what I'm thinking

I don't have enough time left in my life to waste an equal amount reading a thread with as much substance as this one

Simply predicting the future (five in my dreams)

in anticipation, that is ....

Absolutely fabulous 4 in a row !! It's been a while ...,

Plus football beats cricket

A couple of thoughts and sorry if they've been made before Under the heading : REAL PROGRESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today was the first time I can remember our players showing the strength and self-belief to break through tackles and push off opposing players to take the ball away with attack in mind. also even at the time I thought Rioli's excessive triumphalism (10.40 on the clock in Q4) after he regained the lead seemed to have a slight air of desperation. P.S. Brayshaw deserves to keep his spot just for that mark, let alone his other really good work

Great call

At least as good as last week's, if not better !

Hi Middymalt Havent been through it but would bet plenty have and sorry no one has the courage to empathise. seen plenty of it but and if I could throw one pearl your way it is to play the long game; if the children can be persuaded that you have always loved them, always supported them and always sought their wellbeing I would suspect your relationship will be strong in the long run. Wish you well