La Dee-vina Comedia

While I agree with you in that we can't think of any successful footballer who's had to deal with so many issues, it doesn't mean there haven't been any. Some players are intensely private and would not tell the world the problems they face. In addition, media coverage today exposes players to far more scrutiny, including their private lives than ever before and finally, the use of social media by the players themselves or their friends and family provides another avenue for information to be disclosed. In short, I suspect there have been many players facing similarly difficult journeys but without the public being aware of the problems they have faced.

Good pick-up. And it also explains why the player above Connole also has his name changed from Les Irwin to The Irwin. So, not so much disrespectful behaviour as I had thought, but, instead, educated humour. I should have thought nothing less on a database about Melbourne players.

Thanks for the link. Can someone check this for me? When scanning the list of players I noticed a name change before my eyes. Jack Connole changed to Jack Axxhole (spelled with two of the letter s, rather than x). Does it do the same for everyone? If so, does anyone know who manages the list and can correct this from happening. It's obviously disrespectful although I assume the tech wizard who did it thinks he/she's just being funny. Connole played 14 games (for just one win) in 1914 and 1919 and was our 312th player. And was a very short player at 163 cm

Let me start by apologising if this topic has been discussed before. If so, I'm happy for the mods to delete it or merge with the earlier discussion. I noticed that the Melbourne Storm Grand Final jumper had players numbers on the front. See picture below. You can see #163, #167 and #119 at the bottom. I assume that this is each player's individual number in sequence since the Storm was created. (If it's not can someone please enlighten me as to what the numbers mean.) Is there a list of every Melbourne player in sequence going back to 1858? If so, would you like to see each player wear that number on their jumper? If it's possible, I would. I also think it's an added bit of marketing which the club could make use of. It would make Robert Flower's number 2 jumper different from Stephen Tingay's and Nathan Jones; Ron Barassi's 31 different from Paul Wheatley and Bailey Fritsch.

Re-signing Jones may also be a sign that the club lacks confidence in the tail end of this year's draft. I'd love Jones to get to 300 games, but at the same time, I fear that if he gets to play the six games he needs, we may not be travelling that well. I hope he proves my fear to be unfounded.

Was handy on our list until someone better came along. That someone is Rivers.

Two things I didn't know about him. I didn't realise how "old" he is. At 25 before next season starts, he'll need to get a wriggle on if he wants a permanent spot in the team. If the height and weight stats are correct (and they aren't always reliable) he's much shorter and lighter than I realised. Notwithstanding the success of Caleb Daniel, it makes me wonder whether the backline is the right place for him. I note that for comparative purposes only, Jetta is listed as 180 cm and 83 kg.

Do you mean Brown, Smith or Treloar?

My thanks to Whispering Jack and anyone else listening to Trade Radio and keeping us up-to-date. It's the off-season equivalent of the hard yards being put in by track watchers keeping the rest of us who haven't got the time, access or inclination to keep ourselves informed. Much appreciated.

My thanks are extended to the Administrators and the Moderators (even though an occasional pithy witticism of mine gets scrubbed). I like that it's about 90% football with the other 10% varying from pop culture to nostalgia and from history through to literature, linguistics and logic. I've really missed the track reports and hope we can get the opportunity to have them back next year. And, finally, many thanks to the posters who keep me informed, educated and entertained.

So is Demonland (Demonland the site, not Demonland the administrator) That's the nature of the silly season.

It may be that the MFC has ruled out taking Hogan back. But, please, saying it's "official" because a journo made a statement is not "official". Firstly, the journo might be mistaken; secondly, the club might be playing games and just playing hard to get in order to finesse a better deal. Can we please reserve the use of "official" for when the words are seen and heard to be coming out of the mouths of club officials or on letterhead released by the club?

He was only a good kick on his left, though. And, like we've seen with so many others, an ability to kick isn't a saving grace if you don't get the ball often enough. I hope he has a good career at the Bulldogs.

If this happens (and I'm not doubting you), Ben Buckley might be in an awkward position. He's been on radio after you posted this to say that a selection process and panel to select the new coach will be announced soon. (He's not a politician, is he?)

I was going to click "Like" because you provided the information in response to a question asked earlier. But "Like" doesn't seem appropriate in the circumstances.

With all due respect to Shaw, do we know it's a mental health problem? It could be something else. I can think of two other options but would rather not speculate.

Interesting. Not so much the person, but the speed of the decision. Perhaps the NMFC already knew from Rhyce Shaw that he wasn't coming back and had his permission to start looking. If not, it put NMFC in a very difficult position if they were interviewing potential new coaches while uncertain whether Shaw was coming back or not. Edit: Thinking about it a bit more I suspect Shaw and the NMFC had been negotiating a departure package so the club knew he was leaving. And I suspect had his permission to look for his replacement.

Interim or permanent?

Off topic, but I'm sure if we turn our minds to it, we could completely re-cast the Harry Potter movies. We've already seen Chris Judd as Voldemort. I'm convinced Charlie Dixon could play Hagrid with no additional special effects to make him look like a giant.

Perhaps Hawthorn and the Bulldogs haven't received direct financial support from the AFL. But the management of the competition by the AFL Commission, particularly going national in 1987, is what brought in the TV rights revenue and increased sponsorship income which have benefitted all clubs, incuding Hawthorn and the Bulldogs. Sustained onfield success is not, in itself, a magic panacea. North Melbourne was extremely successful onfield during the Carey/Archer/Longmire era and were unable to benefit from it.

I suspect Covid will be the excuse for various changes on the commercial side of the competition. The night Grand Final this year is one. (I'm not opposed to it this year, but would like it back in its traditional timeslot next year, although I suspect a night GF is here to stay.) The fluid fixturing will be another. To be fair, when revenue has taken as large a hit as it has, I can understand the AFL's interest in exploring options with greater financial reward. What I don't understand, though, is how fluid fixturing helps financially when the AFL has two TV broadcasters. Boosting ratings on one (7 network) will be to the detriment of the other (Fox/Kayo). Perhaps it's more about the next TV rights deal and creating a more attractive proposition for potential bidders.

For months I have been dead against having Hogan back on the basis that he appears to require the use of too many club resources, particulalry to help him with his off-field behaviour. Yet, the moment I heard that Fremantle has confirmed that they would be interested in trading him, my brain's first thought was that I hope he comes back to us. This is why passionate Melbourne supporters should not make list decisions! And now that the adrenaline or dopamine or whatever it was that triggered that emotional response has gone, I'm once again of the view that his future is not with us. I just hope that he can be happy within himself whatever happens from here.

I wouldn't have thought having "ruck skills" is the same thing as being a "skilled footballer". That would be like saying Addam Maric was an elite kick. In other words, there's more to it than having one string to the bow.

Am I reading you correctly? You've said that teams should select skilled footballers rather than athletes and in the next post said Nic Naitinui should have been selected instead of Watts. Isn't that a bit inconsistent?

Does it matter? If he put them on correctly, it looks funny; if he got them back-to-front it's even funnier.