La Dee-vina Comedia

You've left off the obvious. Two games played at once. One played east-west, the other north-south. The AFL can charge twice the price to enter, too. What great value, though, given everyone is apparently so time poor. Twice as much football in the same amount of time.

It might be easier and less painful to change your mates.

Not something one would have read about the Eagles 15 years ago. How times have changed.

Chin up, SWYL. Whenever being alone gets you down, know that Demonlanders are your friends, even if we sometimes vehemently disagree with each other.

Not sure about that. I suspect it's more likely to be the AFL not wanting a reduction in broadcast rights' payments. 28 games in 2021 plus 17 games in 2020 averages out at 22.5 per season. Suspiciously close to 22, and over, rather than under, to avoid any legal claim about the AFL offering less product (averaged over two years) than promised in the agreement. The problem with one quarter being longer than the rest will be obvious on a really windy day.

While that's his reputation, I didn't see it in the games he played for us. I'm not saying he shouldn't remain on our list, but I also think he's still some distance away from his best footy. Will he get there? I don't know.

And we're playing mutiple games in September! Even when we were runners up in 2000, we only played once in September.

Such a terrible expression. Cheap suits don't fold, they just get crushed. Expensive, wool suits, on the other hand fold the best. As to the issue being discussed? I'd hate to think the club or the players will look back on 2020 and use the travel issues as an excuse. I don't understand how travelling means a player can't nail a handpass or kick in Q1 of any game. Yes, I could see the argument that by the end of a game the players are tired, but our losses generally haven't happend that way.

Pretty sure Carey needed a minder, too, and for similar reasons.

Yes. But both started from a much more talented base than any player on our list since Robert Flower (or, in Carey's case, arguably, ever).

Our usual gameplan isn't defensive? I only ask, because it surely isn't an attacking gameplan. As to changes, the GWS loss changes everything. We should definitely pick a team to win, not to give young players experience, farewell those likely to retire or try fringe players to see who belongs. It all depends on who is available to come in, but any or all of Preuss, Bedford, Pickett, Baker and Smith could be omitted. ANB and AVB should remain because even with their weaknesses, they offer more than the five others mentioned. Hunt could also be omitted, although I still wonder why we haven't put him back in defence where he's played his best football. I would much rather have him than Smith in the backline, although I'd prefer Lockhart to either.

Yes. For two reasons. Firstly, because he has a contract and with the financial restrictions now impacting the AFL and clubs, we will not have the soft cap room to pay him out. Secondly, every coach and every club has an excuse for this year because of the extraordinary circumstances caused by Covid

Not a chance. That would be like choosing Julia Gillard to be PM and keeping Kevin Rudd in the Cabinet. (Or, to show political balance that some seem to think is necessary here on Demonland, choosing Malcolm Turnbull to be PM and keeping Tony Abbott in the caucus). There's no way it could work. I expect Goodwin to be coach in 2021. Whether he makes it to 2022 would, I think, depend on whether we make the finals next year. No finals, no 2022.

If a line has already been put through a player's name for 2021, that player shouldn't play again this year. I don't know who that might be, but I want us playing the future, not the past. While I'm sympathetic to the idea of Jetta (if he is retiring, voluntarily or not) and Jones (if he's suitably fit and retiring, voluntarily or not) getting a farewell game, I don't think that's the right message to send when the coach has just talked about the club being tougher. Perhaps if there was a game at the MCG I might think differently.

Looking at these photos, I'm pretty sure Biden is wearing one of those MFC ties. Trump, too, might be on board.

Listening to Brad Johnson delivering special comments last night brought home to me two things: if you're not concentrating, when he starts speaking his voice sounds eerily like Eddie McGuire. I kept thinking Eddie was calling the game his comments are not very special. He offers minimal insight.

6. Viney 5. Oliver 4. Petracca 3. Rivers (has he played enough games to win the club's Best First Year player award...if we have such an award?) 2. Fritsch 1. Gawn

Not sure I agree about Salem. I think he's had his most consistent year to date. As an aside, I've been wondering whether they'll try him in the midfield tonight. From all the changes, I don't see an obvious replacement for Brayshaw in the middle.

I've never watched an episode of Open Mike. Is it live or recorded? If it's the latter, is there any suggestion that it's edited? Mind you, if it's edited you'd expect the best bits to remain, unless they're defamatory.

I'm prepared to cut Goodwin some slack for the 9 years since 2006 he wasn't here!

Bone spurs stopped him being picked. Apparently had someone else appear for him at the combine, too.

I agree. Let's move on...to "fewer" versus "less". This should help:

Good words. Did he say them to the players or to the members (eg, at the AGM)?

I think we do:

We'll win tonight. We'll also beat GWS and then miss finals by losing to an Essendon team that has already given up and will have more than half its team out injured or being prepared for 2021. It's the Melbourne way.