La Dee-vina Comedia

The Carlton relationship with the AFL reminds me of the Kennedys and J Edgar Hoover. Each had something on the other which they used for their own protection. I wonder what Carlton has which makes the AFL bend over backwards to help them? (J Edgar Hoover had an audio recording made by the FBI of Bobby Kennedy being successfully seduced by Marilyn Monroe; the Kennedys had a photo of J Edgar Hoover with Clyde Tolson in a "compromising position". Side note: Bobby Kennedy was seduced the day he visited Marilyn to tell her she couldn't see JFK any more. It's all much more interesting than Stormy Daniels and Trump.)

Is there anywhere an "official" list of player nicknames? I'm not interested in what we might think players should be called, but what the players are actually called by their family or team-mates. I know Jones is Chunk, ANB is Nibbler. What else?

No need to apologise and it wasn't poorly worded. I was just being a smart-thing. So, it's best that I apologise.

I remember when Greg Parke hurt his...

Unless you liked winning. These were seriously dark days, but I agree there were some memorable individuals and individual performances. I still remember Greg Parke taking what seemed like 16 contested marks in the bog-heap which was the Moorabbin ground.

Just seeking clarification. Do they live elsewhere or have they all died?

So, I contacted the club today to find out that some genius decided to merge my details with another person with the same first and last name. The records now show that I have a different middle name, postal address and email but the same phone number. According to the MFC officer I spoke to that "genius" works for the Melbourne Cricket Club. On the plus side, my membership pack has been re-ordered, although how he knows for sure that I've actually paid my membership is beyond my understanding. If anyone out there is a Melbourne Cricket Club member waiting for their MFC membership pack to arrive, I recommend you call the club. Surely I'm not the only person this has happened to.

No love for David Neitz as a defender?

I'm not sure that Weideman replaces T McDonald given the expectation that the role McDonald was expected to play included ruck support for Gawn. Or, to look at it another way, if McDonald doesn't play, who supports Gawn? The answer is surely Pedersen, not Weideman.

Watts may conceivably win the Brownlow, win the Norm Smith Medal and the Coleman medal with Port Adelaide this year. All that matters though, is whether he would have performed to that standard if he had stayed with us. The evidence to date suggests that he would not. Hence, the club decided it was time for him to move on. Will I feel shortchanged if he stars for PA? Maybe, but my chagrin will be not for trading him, but for woefully mismanaging him in the early years.

Reminds me of the comment that when one of our players left to play with another team, the average IQ of both clubs rose.

Is anyone else who renewed their membership last year still waiting for their membership package to arrive? If it's just me, I'll contact the club.

But for what purpose? I can't imagine the Court can be used to satisfy curiosity. Doesn't the plaintiff have to show how he/she/it has suffered something for which the Court is the only remedy? In other words...so what if there was a conspiracy? How has the plaintiff been wronged because of it (if there was one)?

What would you expect? One's in Victoria and the other is in Queensland. More seriously, Hodge, while not standing alone, has very few peers. Between us all we could argue exactly where, but I suspect most would have him in the top 10 players or thereabouts for the 21st Century. Very few players will be within the same postcode and of those that are not, we would be very happy to have the best of the rest play for us. Hopefully Salem can become one of those.

Can someone summarise the cause of action that Julian Burnside is engaged for? I'm paywalled out of all News Ltd sites so I haven't been able to read the article. Without access to the article, I'm struggling to work out what the plaintiff is seeking and why. Using the usual logic doesn't generate any believable options.

I know it's not on the topic de jour, but in one sentence you've identified the AFL's two greatest fears with the northern expansion.

Salem has foot skills, courage and game sense. Lewis is the same. All we appear to be doing is swapping the two to make use of the younger player's capability to run around more (or, conversely, to extend Lewis's career). I'm not trying to be flippant - I support the plan and see it as a logical move which harnesses the strengths of both players.

I'm curious. Why do you say "he needs to get his head right"? I've always thought his problems were with his body.

McKenna the forgotten man?

Meanwhile, the equivalent discussion on the Collingwood supporters' discussion board is whether Centrelink payments have kept pace with the price of ready to drink Southern Comfort and Coke.

I thought the GFC was the Geelong Football Club. (Just trying to bring this thread back to football. Arguing over past international economic events doesn't seem to belong here.)

Petracca has more powerful arms.

Can't agree. In my opinion it's still the most entertaining game in the world. I've been following the game for over 50 years, and contrary to the views of the doomsayers, the standard today is higher than it's ever been.

I don't know how good these seats were...but I gulped when I saw the price.

Here's a start. Call it e-sliced bread. Sure fire winner.