La Dee-vina Comedia

Could a team try to grab the ball from the ruck at a centre bounce when the 666 rule is in effect to deliberately cause a secondary ball up? That would then remove the 666 rule when the second bounce occurs. Is that a correct interpretation?

You're cynical Demonland. But that doesn't mean you're wrong.

Recognising that now the tennis is over, footy ramps up, Melbourne's Herald Sun has a puff piece today of 50 things to watch for in season 2019. The most interesting one for me was the comment about Gill McLachlan having a "shocker" in 2018 and that he would need to perform better in 2019. My own view is that, whether it's fair or not, he might be on shakier ground than the public realises with the AFL Commission expecting better than he's been able to deliver to date. The obsession with AFLX and its promotion ahead of AFLW is one example where I think he's misread the market. And while he deserves credit for what he's done with AFLW, he now risks reputational damage with the changes made (such as the conference system) and losing all the deserved praise. If the new rule changes are considered to have "failed", I expect this time next year to be commenting on a new AFL Chief Executive.

I'm more disappointed in the opportunity lost. If he's going to use the "taking him under his wing" cliche, surely it would have been much better to use it with Sparrow.

Sounds extremely painful.

Thanks DV8. I hadn't seen this before. Fundamentally, victims of their own success. It's hard for anyone who wasn't around in the 1960s to appreciate the impact The Beatles had on music and the sheer enormity of their popularity. I'm lucky enough to remember them...which also means I'm old enough to have seen Robert Flower play. I feel sorry for those too young to fully appreciate either.

Which knee? Maybe he needs to lose some weight on that side of his body.

What on earth are you talking about? The Beatles were recognised as the greatest live band of their era. Get yourself a copy of the Beatles playing Shea Stadium and have a rethink. (Mind you, I don't disagree with the last part of that same sentence.)

I've often wondered about this. Is there solid evidence that shows that some zones were better or is it just that some clubs made better use of the zones they were given? The clubs you mentioned certainly did well, but weren't they well run clubs in the first place who had better administrators and coaches? It's easy for the clubs who weren't as successful to claim that their zones weren't as good, but I wonder whether that's just an excuse for ongoing mismanagement. To ask the question in a different way, do we believe Melbourne would have had as much success with the Bendigo zone as did Carlton? Conversely, would Carlton have struggled if they had had our zone?

Easier to tear up should things go pear-shaped.

Perhaps his brother can identify the disembodied left fist at bottom right as Keilty. (At least, I think that's what it is.)

Not tall enough. Needed to be standing on a chair.

I thought Sam Frost was back row third from left until I saw him back row fourth from right. Who's his doppleganger?

I beq to differ

The heat is supposed to be more extreme on Friday. The Weather Bureau is apparently now stating that Friday will be 43 degrees.

Long live the Demonland cognescenti.

Might have to start calling you Wombat. You know the one...eats shoots roots and leaves.

21 hours in bed is a very long time. No wonder there's a deficiency in spelling and use of language. And, perhaps, knowing the difference between ante meridiem and post meridiem?.

The mind plays tricks during pre-season with a fear that every photo might show a player a moment away from a season-ending complaint. So, can someone please set my mind at rest and confirm that the five black stripes just above ANBs knee are a shadow of his thumb and fingers and not some form of fancy taping to control some sort of career-threatening injury? Anyone?

Camp? What camp? Should we panic?

Just be careful of too much glorification. What's our "record" of most years without a finals win? I'll open with 23 years, being the period between 1965 and 1987 when we didn't play finals at all. And just to keep some perspective, Essendon have won 5 premierships since our last. Triumphalism is always destined to bite back.

And here's the sign on the road to tell you you're getting near:

Moonie, step away from the screen. And if you're at home, go and have a cold shower.

This is an outstanding photo. Similar facial expressions which show an imminent intention to act and each with muscle definition showing not just the effects of hours of training but also how they are ready to pounce like a cat that's just seen a mouse.

Which bit? You think he is unsavoury? Or that he's rational and doesn't go on and on? Or both?