La Dee-vina Comedia

I haven't thought this right through yet, but I would very much like to see Melbourne and St Kilda develop an annual "blockbuster" style game highlighting mental health and concussion and celebrating the players who have been medically retired in the past year. It should be called the Frawley-Brayshaw Game (or Brayshaw-Frawley Game) with a perpetual trophy of the same name awarded to the winning team.

How does training like reported here fit in with the mandatory break of 7 weeks (or whatever it is)? Is this like the Monty Python Argument Clinic where John Cleese's character claims he was just arguing in his spare time?

Bob Murphy and Noel Gallagher

You're usually quite perceptive. But your first line is rubbish.

I assume if we take the consensus view of ANB's trade value on Demonland and the consensus view of his value on the Adelaide supporters' equivalent bulletin board, we should expect that his trade value will likely end up in the middle.

I see a hidden message in the medal design. There are more light towers on what is essentially half the MCG than actually exist. I think the AFL is prepping us subliminally for a night Grand Final! Also, I'm not sure it's a great likeness of Barassi, either.

I don't have a problem with the proposal at all. Nevertheless, was there something better? Maybe. Perhaps it should be presented to any coach or player (past or present) who wins 10 premierships either as a senior coach or player. I have no idea if there is anyone who might be eligible to receive it (Leigh Matthews? Dick Reynolds? Jock McHale?) but they sure as hell would have earned it.

Seeing Tabaret as a sponsor of Casey reminds me of two things. (1) Gawn has been with us a long time and (2) I recall the days when Winfield sponsored football and Benson and Hedges were the main sponsors of cricket.

I think we need to be wary about this one. Two way trades often end up with sweeteners involving a third team. I'm nervous that to make it happen Richmond's doorman will end up at Essendon and we'll get Adrian Dodoro.

So you'd prefer a forward with no experience as a coach over a coach with no experience as a forward. Not sure I agree that this would be the best way to proceed.

I'm no doctor, but that might explain the leak.

Unfortunately, I suspect Hall of Fame entrants benefit from having premierships, Brownlows and Coleman medals against their names. Great players in poorer teams will always struggle for such recognition.

Every club should hold an external review after every third season, irrespective of how they are travelling. And in the other two years, they should do an annual, internal review. The reason the external reviews are necessary is because club boards, by their nature, are not dispassionate enough to make tough decisions.

You're right...the bigger picture should prevail. In this instance, the bigger picture is that Neal-Bullen is putting his family first.

Throughout his playing career Neal-Bullen has selflessly played to take the pressure off Petracca by doing the hard running, taking the hits and providing options. And now, off the field, Nibbler has again helped Petracca out by taking the heat which was otherwise being directed Petracca's way regarding allegations of his (Petracca's) alleged unhappiness with the club.

Yes, contracts are indeed contracts. And like any contract, if both parties agree, a contract can be amended or terminated. Holding players to their contracts sounds like tough action, but do we really want to be a club that does that? Would that harm our chances of attracting quality players in the future? If I were Dan Houston, I wouldn't want to come to a club that treated one of its loyal servants so badly.

1377 individuals have played one or more games for our club. Assuming ANB plays the final two this year, he'll be equal 35th on games played along with John Beckwith and Salem (if he also plays the last two). He absolutely deserves our thanks and best wishes.

I hope we name Petracca this week, only to have him as a late withdrawal on game day. It's worth doing just to play with Tom Morris's head. (Only with Petracca's consent, of course.)

As a matter of interest, how does this compare with the club's own selection of B&F winner? Does the theory of the wisdom or crowds apply?

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Richmond area an upset customer is still waiting for their almond latte.

Maybe the club had already realised that 2024 was "over" and we were drafting for the future. That seems consistent with the club getting games into Thosltrup, Howes, Moniz-Wakefield, Turner, etc.

Would have preferred an outright denial rather than him laughing, sighing and responding "Totally" to "it's nothing more than a rumour".

That's a bit unfair. Dangerfield is President of the AFL Players Association. It's in his remit to have opinions and state them publicly. Agree with your other comments about Dusty, though.

As a matter of interest, who would you prefer to have been at Melbourne for their careers: Buddy Franklin or Dustin Martin? There's no wrong answer, of course. I think I would prefer Martin.

Because parsnips are too expensive.