La Dee-vina Comedia

Let me take a run at it: Your question: "how does ANB. PETRACCA, and to a lesser extent HUNT hold places??" Possible answers: Because they are doing what the Match Committee asks of them, even if they don't do it often enough or because the coach wants them to stay in the side because he believes there best chance of improving is to stay in the seniors or because even when not playing well they're better than the alternatives. Your question: "Why Recruit Pruess if ya not gonna play him?" Possible answers: Because he's not fit enough or because he wasn't recruited to play this year, except in an emergency (ie, Gawn injured) or because he was recruited to learn how to play the role to become Gawn's eventual replacement. Your question: "If Jeffy is fit sheeeeeit surely a 150 gamer is better than C Wagner???" Possible answers: Because he's not fit enough or because he's not match fit or because the Match Committee want to be sure he's fully committed to doing all the hard work, such as pressuring and tackling, which he seemed not to be doing last season. Your question: "Billy Stretch whilst not a great fan surely deserves a run at front runner ANBs expense??" Possible answers: Because he's not doing what the coach asks him to do. I don't know what that is, but maybe he doesn't apply sufficient pressure.

Try to think of it as a strategy of under-promising with the intention of over-delivering. Then it's much more palatable.

But if that were true, what do we make of this very post? Does that mean this post is not factual, so therefore there is a place on Demonland for "facts"? Then that would mean your post is correct. I'm beyond confused.

She doesn't. She's the CEO of AFL Tasmania and goes by her new married name of Trisha Squires.

I can't imagine footballers even notice there are words on the banner let alone read it before they run through it.

I can't agree. If it was a pre-ordained outcome that he'd get off, why was he found guilty in the first place?

I barely remember Neeld finally winning.

In this case, wearing the clash strip...

Contention: The MRO/AFL Appeals process is corrupt and favours the big teams such as Collingwood. If you're wondering why I've added this, have a look at the Michael Christian thread, particularly today (after Mason Cox was successful on appeal). As I keep saying, if you ever have a choice between conspiracy or incompetence, go with incompetence every time.

I've never been in favour of co-captains, so when Jones retires or relinquishes the captaincy, I'd rather have a single captain. Assuming he stays fit enough, I'm happy for it be Viney, although I'm not yet truly convinced that he's got all the necessary attributes. And to jump in before anyone asks, while I can't fault his on-field endeavour my concerns with Viney are (1) a counter-intuitive concern that he may not be properly team oriented by trying to play when he's not fully fit and (2) he doesn't strike me as being particularly articulate (which I think is significant when the Captain is required to be the voice of the playing group.)

And I'd rather still have hair on the top of my head. There's not much use in wanting something that couldn't be kept.

The better question, which we know will remain unanswered, is why?

Welcome to Demonland. Hopefully, you'll find it a worthwhile experience.

I would assume an AFL coach is like any other person. Job security makes it much easier to do a better job. Any coach worrying about his or her future, may make short-term decisions to win a few games without considering what's best in the longer term.

And on Demonland in about 2035 someone will say Trello is as old fashioned an idea as a SWOT analysis. Yet the fundamental purpose is still the same.

SWOT analysis is very 1990s. But it's also a bit of fun and allows people to categorise what they see as positives and negatives in the current gameplan. And whether they call it a SWOT analysis or not, I'd be astounded if our coaches weren't doing exactly this in what is universally known as the post-game "review".

I haven't seen the game. In what way was Salem "found out"?

So, you don't like SWOT 'edu-speak' and then list a whole group of Weaknesses and Threats. And one Opportunity.

Injury has to be added as a threat. It's the same threat for all teams, but nevertheless, can't be ignored because it affects each team differently. And I don't know whether to put this one in weaknesses or threats but "Confidence". When teams lose, players react differently, but many will start to worry that (a) they are letting the team down and/or (b) their spot in the team is not secure. Either way, a loss of confidence means players play differently. I like the thread, by the way.

Thanks. A logical, if ill-thought through plan. My apologies to the AFL - they're just incompetent rather than deliberately trying to ruin football.

I am astounded that there is no football anywhere in the country today until 4.35 pm Melbourne time. I have already referred elsewhere to my dislike of Thursday night football, but I think the error of insisting on Thursday nights is compounded by not playing this afternoon. The simple answer (if the AFL wants to keep the Thursday night game) would seem to be to play Essendon v StKilda two hours earlier, especially given that Port v Carlton starts at 5.10 pm Melbourne time. And I'll bet if the AFL is asked why it's been fixtured like this, they'll say it's about concerns for player welfare given the possibility of extreme heat in March. Where was that concern last Saturday?

I think you may both be right! Greater Melbourne has been growing by 100,000 people per annum for the last few years. Some of that may be Australians from elsewhere who may already support a team, but I suspect most are from overseas and therefore unaligned. But I also agree with A F that without a premiership (or two), it may be difficult to convert these unaligned supporters into Demons.

Thanks Luci. I don't recall receiving it, but it might have been in an email I missed. I'm quite impressed with its up-to-datedness. Includes Lockhart and relatively recent injuries (such as JKH).

In addition, Reiwoldt was playing injured. Richmond has very much been a team reliant on their top 4 players (Martin, Cotchin, Reiwoldt, Rance - a very good top 4) for the last few years. It will be very interesting how they go in the next 4 weeks without Rance and Reiwoldt (who it has been announced will likely miss the next 4. It just so happens that Anzac Eve will be the fourth...).

He's on 196 games which also happens to be the clubhouse leader for current players not having played a final. (It's also the sixth highest of all time). Nevertheless, should this be the end, he should be proud of the fact that he played so many games. What's most impressive to me, though, is that he appears to have already mapped out what his post-playing career might look like with his experience as an assistant coach in the AFLW.