La Dee-vina Comedia

Were they Melbourne or Carlton supporters doing the booing?

I think it's not just TV but also merchandising opportunity, Would you pay more for a Melbourne jumper with a 31 and Barassi's name on it or no name?

What's the deal with football boots? Clubs have jumper and shorts suppliers but I vaguely recall that perhaps boots are left to the individual player. I know one thing. If I was the licensed Melbourne boot supplier...I'd either (a) be keeping a low profile right now or (b) making a big announcement about working with the club to improve the design and fit of the club's boots to improve foot support.

The foot problem may not be related to what appears to be his problem with speed. But the year off might fix both.

You understand how hangman works, don't you? You've got to come up with the letters, not me. But, to be fair, I need to tell you it's a single word of ten letters.

I'd like to see something similar on Demonland. The (insert name of annoying Demonland poster) award for the most posting without valuable content. I know who I'd give it to.

Also good to see Strauss with 22 disposals, 11 marks and not with "injured" against his name.

Judd's a great payer and he's also smart. He knows he's not a natural leader - not every great or champion player is (eg, Gary Ablett Sr and probably Marc Murphy). If you remember, when Judd first came to Carlton he didn't want to be captain. But the powers that be gave him the job against his wishes, probably because they thought they knew better and also because there was no other obvious candidate. I suspect having Judd as captain added another layer of wallpaper to the cracks being covered over in other ways.

If only all our players had the courage of our own Whispering Jack. Takes mountains of courage to admit to having Carlton friends.

You'd think so, but in the year when the ABC were the sole rights holder (in the mid 1980s?) they tried the then BBC soccer calling style where it was of the form "Cross..(delay)...to Tyson...(delay)...to Dawes" with little else. The viewers complained and asked for the more traditional commentary style which Channel 7 provides today.

On a related issue, why don't our players have their numbers on their warm up tops? When they're on the field doing their pre-game bits and pieces, I think it would help the occasional Melbourne attendee to identify players.

Not just the media. Also the All-Australian team selectors. How he got chosen last year is beyond my comprehension.

I'm pleased to say that in another thread chookfowler has correctly said "comparisons are odious". Which reminds me of Andy Maher continually saying "comparisons are onerous". And Rohan Connolly on the weekend said, "The proof is in the pudding". Never mind that the correct expression is "The proof of the pudding is in the eating".

I see Murphy still has N Jones on his shoulder. Edit: Scroll back up to the picture for this to make sense

Unfair. There's four to choose from.

Allows him to argue that more than 50 players are in his top 50. Smart.

Strange auto-censor we have here. It's censored in the quote (the word after 'never') what it didn't censor in the original. And given what it didn't censor in the original I'm horrified at what the censored word (the second in the quote above) must have been.

No disrespect to Jetta intended, but the only reason he would get a game this year is if there's another long term injury and we're playing so badly he gets a game. On the other hand, if he continues to perform like this he might get himself back on the main list next year or, perhaps, on another team's main list. I hope he can and if he does, he'll be justly rewarded for showing great persistence.

Interesting the number of posters who see Garland coming in for Georgiou. I see that as unlikely. If Garland were to come back next week, I would have thought he'd take Howe's place in the backline with Howe moving to the wing and Evans being the unlucky midfielder who makes way. However, I don't expect Garland to play and would expect a half back VFL defender to take Terlich's place. Whether that should be Clisby, Toumpas, Nicholson or Blease I don't know. I'll read Brad Miller's VFL reviews with interest. Two of the only three players he commented on last week without any negative critiquing regarding fitness, disposal or touch made it into the squad (McKenzie and Nicholson).

So, not inconsistent with the use of the word "Smart" linked to anything else associated with the AFL then.

6. Frawley 5. Cross 4. N Jones 3. Bail 2. Viney 1. McDonald

Surely you don't mean we were worse than 18th for clearances last year! Even if it felt like it.

So, who would you have second rucking against Rowe or Casboult? (And were you being serious or satirical when you said Fitzy needs a "much needed rest". If the former, why?)

There's something wrong with our auto-censor. It's censoring the word but not the poster who that word describes.

On first appearances it looks like Pedersen has to play forward so he can give Spencer back up. But we know Pedersen can't play forward or second ruck but can do OK in the back half. I can't see any of Dawes, Frawley or Dunn plaing second ruck. Perhaps with Waite out perhaps Roos will play McDonald forward and as Spencer's helpmate. Frawley could take Henderson and Pederson and Georgiou should be able to handle Casboult and Rowe, if they both play forward. Wow. Not a lot of big man talent in this game, is there!