La Dee-vina Comedia

My concern with that arrangement is how we would play if one of the few talls picked got injured. Imagine if Pedersen or Tom McDonald couldn't play the whole game. Then what? One of Essendon's strengths is the flexibility and capability of their key position talls. Daniher, Hooker and Hurley can all cause damage, although usually not all on the same day.

I'm not convinced Pedersen will do any of the ruckwork. I can see Oscar Mac coming into the team to release Frost for this role, with Watts continuing to provide the relief. This is my preferred structure as it keeps a big bodied forward on the ground the whole time. Perhaps we'll know when the final team is announced. In short, if O-Mac's in the final team, I think Frost is rucking; if Weideman is in the final squad, I expect Pedersen will be rucking. In answer to the opening question, if Pedersen plays permanent forward, contested marks, marks inside 50 and providing opportunities for the smaller players to kick goals is what I'll be looking for. He will need to be our pseudo-Hogan.

That should be the next step in the transition from Casey Scorpions to Casey Demons to (hopefully) Melbourne Demons VFL/Reserves team. It will help build a stronger allegiance from supporters if the players wear the same numbers in the AFL and VFL competitions.

I would have thought Jetta would take Fantasia.

When I read "Simon" I immediately expected the next word to be Godfrey. I suspect most of Demonland was the same. Yes, Neal-Bullen has had some poor execution. But for the first time I can remember he's being played on ball and getting heaps of it. I'd like to see him persisted with a bit longer to allow him to build the confidence that comes with not worrying about being selected. Then, if he still butchers the ball too frequently we may need to replace him.

Amazing revelation from John Worsfold at his press conference today: Essendon FC‏Verified account @EssendonFC 2h2 hours ago More Woosha - our focus will be on picking the best team to play against Melbourne

Hogan definitely not playing. Completely understandable. Melbourne FC‏Verified account @melbournefc Following More Mahoney: last night, we were informed of Jesse Hogan's father Tony sadly passing away. Jesse won't play this week.

The club should have the whole list (excluding injured players) taking turns in the ruck. Will confuse the media and opposition. And we may find someone from left field who can actually do the job.

The Age story says that Jesse's father was in Melbourne when he passed away.

The Age is reporting that Jesse won't play this weekend. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/jesse-hogans-father-tony-passes-away-20170427-gvtg9p

I'd let him do whatever he wants this weekend. If he wants to play, let him play. If he wants to be in Perth, let him be in Perth.

Almost agree. I agree with Oscar in to the backline and Frost to ruck. But I'd leave Pedersen permanently forward and use Watts as the second ruck. I've never been particularly enamoured with Pedersen rucking. I think Watts does a better job and Pedersen plays better as a permanent forward. In addition, his strength - contested marking - should make it significantly easier for Hogan as the Essendon defenders should not be able to double team Hogan as Richmond was able to do once Smith and Spencer were done for the night.

Geographically, Fitzroy was the small suburb (in area) squeezed between the bigger Carlton and Collingwood. It may simply have been the geography that kept Fitzroy's numbers of supporters small.

Isn't that the point of having recruited Weideman, King, Filipovic, Frost and Keilty?

Having Jack Fitzpatrick might have helped us in the short-term but I can't see how he helps us win a Premiership. Or, to put it another way, I never thought we'd win the flag in 2017 and I'd rather another player develop in Fitzpatrick's place for when that chance arrives...hopefully in 2018 or 2019 (or both, of course).

These are very good questions. Business Management 101 states that if you try to copy whoever is number 1 in the market, you're destined to end up being number 2 at best. Yet AFL clubs appear to follow the model of the most recent Premier. When you consider most AFL reporting suggests that the Premiers in each year usually have developed something new to enable them to reach number one, it's rather odd that so many teams appear to try and replicate rather than innovate. So, to answer your question, maybe it's time for someone to innovate and play two 'real' ruckmen changing in the forward line. (I realise it's not actually "new", by the way).

You could have been talking about any one of three different Nixons. President Richard, Chief Commissioner Christine and now Ricky.

My non-Melbourne friends (yes, I have a few) and work colleagues are all talking to me about Hunt. They see him as one of the most exciting players in the competition. It's nice that we have one of those. In that sense, he's replaced Jeremy Howe.

I don't particularly like Watts in the ruck. However, if the club has come to the view that Pedersen is only going to be a stop-gap player until Gawn/Spencer/T Smith return from injury and that Watts will be the long-term relief ruckman, they should continue to play Watts in that role, even when Pedersen is in the side. This is so the on-ball brigade get used to playing with Watts in that role.

You may be right (but I hold the alternative view). The club would be naive to assume that this will just happen automatically, though.

It's an easy one. ANZAC Eve will last forever; Her Majesty has just had her 91st birthday. I'm not confident that the public holiday will remain after her passing as part of a general push towards Australia eventually becoming a republic. It may be that an alternative public holiday will be created on the same day (meaning the first Monday in June) - in which case the Melbourne v Collingwood game could continue - but it's also possible a different day might be identified for a more relevant holiday.

For a moment there I thought you meant Lynden Dunn. Then I saw your username. Phew. I thought you'd lost your marbles.

The first four were easy (although ordering them was hard). The last two were near impossible to identify. 6. Hibberd 5. Oliver 4. Hunt 3. Watts 2. Melksham (yes, truly) 1. Vince (yes, truly) Viney was great in the first quarter, Petracca struggled manfully and creatively in patches, and Tom McDonald was good when he wasn't actually anywhere near Jack Reiwoldt.

So, was it "unbanned" or is Hunt playing with fire and risking a multi-match suspension for bringing the game into 21st century fashion?

In: Pedersen for Smith; O McDonald for Frost's position with Frost going in to the ruck; Lewis for JKH with one of the mids (perhaps Salem) spending more time forward. The only question for me is whether Watts or Pedersen help Frost. On balance, I'd go with Watts. Hogan will be a much better player with another tall, marking target nearby for the whole game which will make it harder for Essendon's talls to double team Hogan as Richmond was able to do. No other changes are necessary unless forced through injury.