La Dee-vina Comedia

Too much inconsistency in this post. Surely you want a robot rather than an independent human doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

I don't understand this point. Being a member of a club - whether it's a sporting club or some other type - means you want to associate with what that club stands for. It doesn't mean you have to attend or participate in all its activities. I'm happy to have anyone be a member of the club whether they want to attend games or not. Keep in mind there is a whole group of potential members who will never be able to attend a game because they are infirm, live overseas or in non-urban Australia or are just too nervous to watch games live. There's a supplementary value from having people sign up as members whether they attend games or not. Sponsorship today is about the sponsors getting access to the club's database of members to enable direct marketing. The more members we have, whether they attend games or not, the more valuable that database of names becomes to enable larger sponsorship dollars.

I suspect the 6-6-6 rule has had no impact other than making the playing field look good at the bounce of the ball after a goal or at the beginning of each quarter. The real concern I have is the way the rule was introduced without a proper trial. A couple of half-hearted try-outs when neither coach is trying to win a game (or willing to show his hand) clearly isn't going to prove anything. The AFL should have used a full season of State League (ie, VFL or equivalent) footy to trial it before it was introduced. That should be the same for any proposed rule change other than an emergency rule change which might be needed for the purpose of enhancing player safety.

If we must have this thread (and I guess we have to), we should agree to two rules: This weekend's game is not to be called "the Preliminary Final replay". Someone in the media will call it that. I'll accept "re-match", but only just, given the changes to playing personnel. But it's definitely not a "replay". A win will not be "revenge" for the result from the last time these two teams met. The stakes are very different.

Clearly, he's the apple of your eye.

"Branch stacking" by another name.

I haven't seen this announcement, but any announcement made today might be dependent on a particular result come this Saturday. If I were Parramatta, I wouldn't be spending it just yet. And even if the party making the promise wins the election, there is still no certainty. Political promises are exempt from truth in advertising laws.

Maybe we'd all be better off if we changed tack and kept the possums and got rid of Parliament.

If Lewis doesn't play (either because of injury or the travel factor), it means the following defenders will be unavailable: Lever, May, Hibberd, Jetta, Lewis - arguably all in our starting seven. That leaves Oscar, Frost, Hore, Salem, Wagner and Fritsch as players who we all accept as defenders (even though many of us would prefer Fritsch to be on the wing or further forward). We will therefore need one more defender. I imagine the match committee will need to decide if we need another tall defender, in which case I expect Petty to play or a more mobile backman, in which case we essentially have no-one so we will be looking at either moving Hunt backwards (undesirable given Hunt is in the process of learning the forward role), playing Jones there (tried before without success) or trialling someone else in the role, such as Brayshaw or one of the new kids.

Is it really necessary to have two ovals, one the size of the MCG and the other the size of Marvel? Couldn't one large oval suffice with line markings drawn to represent the MCG and Marvel playing areas? Also, I know a number of posters, DV8 in particular, are keen for a social club to be included in the facility. I don't see this as a priority and wouldn't like it to be the only reason why a suitable location can't be found. As to being granted money from the Federal or State Government, I see that as a given. As soon as we have the right proposal, the Government(s) will cough up. Governments are not selective based on the name of the team. It's just about the logic of the proposal. (And it won't matter who is in power.)

Alas, they're playing under an alias.

Indeed. Whether Fevola and/or Crawford are funny or not, they're not recently retired players. The footy show was at its best when it had entertaining current players as part of its roster. Whoever thought an audience would warm to footballers who retired a decade ago doesn't understand its audience. I'm surprised they didn't appreciate this from looking at the comments on their MySpace account.

Wouldn't matter if Viney's style was not crash and bash. The Gold Coast players will crash and bash him on that shoulder at every opportunity. I'm surprised at ANB's omission. So surprised, that I expect him to be a late inclusion either for Viney or someone with the Mystery Injury of the Week. Perhaps Garlett (isn't there a suggestion of a hamstring problem)?

Sorry, EO, but Harmes was a rookie pick in the same year as the 2013 draft. The logic escapes me, but the pre-season draft and rookie draft are given the date of 2014, hence the confusion. So, Harmes was picked up in the same year as Salem, JKH, Hunt and Clisby (a rookie elevation). Also, as it happens, same draft as Kade Kolodjashnij.

Delicious.

Can't "Like" the above post enough.

Let me make this claim based on no inside information... I predict that Collingwood will relocate their training facilities to Victoria Park and we will take over theirs at Olympic Park. Collingwood will choose to move because of a multi-million dollar upgrade supported by Federal and/or State Governments. Our new facilities will also be upgraded as part of the deal. While the fingerprints of Gary Pert will be found all over the plans, it will be Eddie McGuire who will bask in the glory of taking Collingwood "home".

I don't know one player from another (with a few exceptions, such as Jake Spencer) but note there's a born defender in the list by the name of Philip Backman and a player from WA called Ajang Ajang which, unfortunately for him, is also the name of a known terrorist group in the Philippines. Good luck to them all.

If Smith has OP, I wonder whether this is in any way related to the injury received during the practice match? If not, perhaps all the outrage over him being asked to keep playing may prove to be unwarranted.

Sore loser, perhaps? if he stayed in the seniors he would have been in a winning team.

I'm not convinced that J Wagner is a better option. Seems just as slow as Lewis. So while he gets a game, I suspect so does Lewis. Eventually, both need to be superseded, but, unless injury intervenes, I suspect Wagner will be replaced in the team before Lewis.

Are you saying the Tribunal did not accept that Ablett had an "exemplary record"? If so, given the Dalai Lama doesn't play AFL, who would?

A visual clue for the Tribunal in case they can't read, perhaps?

I need to think a bit more about this line. It's making my brain hurt: "No one externally can see the position he is in except for those on the inside..."

See here, in particular page 7, part (G).