La Dee-vina Comedia

My mistake. I was sure the season was 22 home and away rounds, precisely to ensure that every side played each other twice.

I assume you mean we played Collingwood twice in finals in 1964. In those days we also would have played two home and away games against Collingwood every year, with one at the MCG and the other at Victoria Park.

I am always amazed at how many players across the competition cannot kick half-decently on their non-preferred. That limits their ability because they often need to turn "the wrong way" to get into a position to kick. To his credit, Viney improved significantly in this area in 2020. However, watching Baker turn himself into knots trying to get onto his right foot reinforces the need for players like him to practise, practise, practise in the off season. Hopefully that left foot long-distance goal will give him some confidence and help him improve.

Watching the first 20 seconds or so of the game gives me some idea why the northern states used to describe the game as "aerial ping pong". I haven't had time to watch the whole thing, but I'll bet everyone who saw the footage of the Southern Cross Hotel at the 50 second mark immediately remembered one thing...the visit of The Beatles to Melbourne.

Just wondering about this. Where does the workplace start and finish for professional sports people subject to random drug testing. Don't they have to be available and notify where they are going to be at all times? As to Bennell, the mooted cut to list sizes and the soft cap (which will likely impact on resources such as pastoral care) would make it difficult for all clubs to keep players with off field issues, whether they are physical injuries or what I'll loosely or broadly call "psychological issues".

There are plenty of examples on the internet of the difference between data and information. Add this thread to the list.

The soft cap is also relevant. It might just swing the balance in favour of keeping a veteran player who can be an onfield assistant coach.

I suspect Johnson is there to "represent" Queensland, just as Tredrea "represents" SA and Jackovich WA. However, it is also worthwhile having an indigenous ex-player on the list of selectors, irrespective of where they are from. Having said that, does Johnson still live in Qld? I have a vague memory of reading about him now living and working in Victoria.

It's almost unbelievable that Flower was AA only twice. Then when you remember he played in rubbish teams for most of his career you realise how extraordinary it was that he actually got selected as an AA twice.

I assume, possibly incorrectly, that some others might have some trade value. After trading is complete, I could see some more delistings. I also suspect Jones will retire. Hopefully that's the language used rather than "not offered a contract" or "delisted", although the effect on our list would be the same. Similarly, even though he is apparently contracted for one more year, I wouldn't be surprised if Jetta also retires.

Really disappointing that he played over 170 games and never played in a final. That's an indictment on the MFC, not Jack Watts. (Ditto Lynden Dunn, assuming he retires at the end of the season...unless he plays another game this year.)

The AA selectors have been criticised previously for squeezing in players in positions they don't belong meaning others miss out. The classic example is placing "excess" midfielders on the wings so specialist wingmen miss out. I seem to recall the AFL stating that this year the AA selectors will choose a real team with players best suited for their positions. If that's to be the case and Natinui is selected as the best ruckman, someone should be selected to be a second ruck for the one-third of the game he doesn't play. That could be Gawn. On the other hand, the selectors could select Gawn who plays 93% (?) of each game and not worry about a second ruckman. That would then allow them to pick an extra (midfielder, defender, etc) on the bench.

This is a very good question. (Edit: Since the software upgrade, it's become cumbersome to find the bolded bit. Expand the copied text to see what I'm referring to)

Wishful thinking...oh, you're talking about the player not the month. In Victoria, May was just one of the months, along with a few others such as April, July, August and September we all wish we didn't have in 2020.

Do I interpret that to mean there will be two different jumpers produced? If so, wouldn't that diminish the value of the jumper? Mind you, Rick Milne has a small piece each Saturday in The Age where he values sporting memorabilia. It's fair to say according to his advice that most sporting memorabilia produced today doesn't have much value, at least in a monetary sense. I also appreciate that many people buy memorabilia for the same reason they buy memberships - that is to support the club financially.

Depends. Is your name Wally?

Why? How does the club benefit? I just can't see any good reason why it would be in the club's interest.

From SEN: "Essendon has delisted five players following the conclusion of their season. Shaun McKernan, Mitch Hibberd, Kobe Mutch, Josh Begley and Noah Gown were all told their respective contracts wouldn't be renewed beyond 2020" I presume Mutch now has the nickname "Not". (Apologies for the bold. Can't seem to unbold it.)

But has Lewis done the coaches' course? Following the Essendon fiasco I seem to recall a new ruling from the AFL that clubs can now only appoint as Senior Coach (or possibly to any coaching role) people who have undertaken and passed the coaches' course. Even if it isn't mandatory, I think any club would be crazy to appoint as a senior coach anyone who isn't properly accredited. And they would be just as crazy to appoint as senior coach someone who hasn't had a number of years of proper training as an assistant coach.

Must be sons of witches.

Before delistings and trades can be discussed, not only do we need to know what the list sizes will be in 2021 and beyond, but also whether the AFL will change the rules on how many picks clubs must use in this year's draft. Has the AFL made any announcements about that? If, for example, there is no obligation to pick anyone this year (which I do not expect to be the case) we may choose to ignore the draft and prefer what we already have.

If he plays on, I hope the decision is made on matters other than giving him a chance to play 300 games. Personally, I'm ambivalent. I doubt he would play many games in 2021 but I also respect the comments from Redleg above. That is, we need to reward him for sticking fat during the bad times. However, if the club believes that's what this year was about, then have we already done enough? I'm not sure.

And about 10% of the time people can't even say stastistics...stastitics...statistics properly, so say "data" instead.

I wouldn't worry too much about border closures and lockdowns in 2021 for the following reasons. 1. Queensland has a State election on 31 October. Once that date is passed, whoever is in power will be able to lift any restrictions without worrying about the impact at the ballot box for a few years. 2. If Victoria is still in any form of strict lockdown, meaning no crowds at AFL games, by March next year, Dan Andrews won't still be Premier. Let me be clear - I'm not anti-Andrews. I'm just predicting what I think would happen to him should he over-reach by maintaining a strict lockdown into 2021. His own party will fear for their prospects at their next election (due November 2022) and will overthrow him. Whoever replaces him will get the job only because he/she promises to lift most of the restrictions. Hopefully the scientific world will succeed in developing a vaccine so we won't have to worry about politicians from all sides playing politics with the AFL and other aspects of our lives.

I wouldn't object to the 20 minutes being changed as long as the total time including time on was expected to be 30 minutes. I suspect that was what was in McLachlan's mind when he wouldn't commit to 20 minute quarters in his recent statement.