La Dee-vina Comedia

Just to explore this idea of "cheating" a bit more, it seems that some people believe that players who successfully exploit the rules and the way the game is umpired (as has been suggested about Hawkins and Selwood in this thread) are "cheating". Kevin Bartlett made it an art-form to bounce the ball in front of him just before he was about to be tackled to earn a free kick for holding the man. That was using the rules (as they then were) to his advantage. Was that also cheating?

Then, by definition, he's not a cheat. If he were, he would have free kicks paid against him all the time. Let's not use words like "cheat" unfairly. It maligns the character of individuals in any walk of life to use emotive words like "cheat" or "liar" unless they actually are proven to be so.

I've never noticed Oliver to look this muscular before. Has he changed or have I been blind?

If you're new to Demonland and wondering what to make of these reports, I recommend for your own sanity that you assume that each of Whispering Jack and Picket Fence are about 50% correct. In other words, take a bit from each and land somewhere in the middle.

The only sort of mishaps that we want to hear about from training sessions.

Strapping? Otherwise I don't know what this means.

Thanks Demonland and WJ. What about Joel Smith? Is he in the rehab group too?

Thanks Deespicable for a great report. Mind you, my main takeaway is that the auto-censor must have broken down. How did the word after "deadeye" in the section on Tom McDonald get through unscathed? Previously, even when being used as a genuine name (as in the diminutive of Richard) it was being blocked.

I assume the Melbourne Football Club is Gryffindor? Gil is Dumbledore? Who else? Go your best.

I was surprised that the team we play in the "The Long Goodbye to Gil Round" wasn't one of the teams we play twice in the season. It seemed to me that it would make sense to have all teams playing in "The Stupid Concoction of an Idea Round" playing each other again to enable at least one of those games to be played at the home city for one of the clubs. For us, it means that we won't play Essendon in Melbourne (the city) at all in 2023. As you may gather (see what I did there?) I'm not a fan of "The AFL's Bizarre Idea to Promote the Game Round" and not being able to see a home and away game against a Melbourne club in Melbourne when it could have been so easily arranged just seems wrong.

The AFL Fans Association has a public survey underway. I've completed it and having done so I now can't find a way to embed a direct link into this thread which takes you to the survey. However, you can get there if you follow this link and then look to the RHS where there is a feed which includes the link to the survey. It's an opportunity for fans to "speak their mind" on issues such as scheduling, ticketing, racism, betting and many other matters. I would have preferred more opportunities to explain my concerns, but that said, the survey provides some opportunities. I don't know how long the survey is open for or what will happen to its results, other than, I assume, some media coverage of the main points, but it is a forum where we can be heard. And for the pedants amongst us, there's a delightful typo which seems to suggest there are some dead club members who haven't left a Last Will or Testament.

To be fair, those players would presumably have modified their playing style if they played to today's standard. And all were good enough* to play by today's rules so wouldn't necessarily have missed a lot of games. *I'm assuming that Jack Dyer was good enough. I'm old enough to remember the other three as players, but I'm not ancient enough to remember Jack Dyer who played his last game in 1949.

Not necessarily. This company might be the sponsor

Has this leave been approved by Demonland? Seems odd that you're allowed time off during what is traditionally your peak season.

I've learnt over the years not to get to excited over rookie selections. There's a reason why they are not picked in the main draft. While there are occasional diamonds in the rough (such as James McDonald and James Harmes), the strike rate of rookies being successful is not particularly good. However, I would rather a rookie be unfit and skilled rather than the other way around. Fitness takes hard work and time, but if that's all that is missing with a rookie I suspect they have a reasonable prospect of success if they are prepared to do the work that is necessary.

Do you have any data that shows this? I would have thought the opposite.

With the added bonus of grammar lessons, the occasional delve into English literature, music of eclectic taste and a bit of history. And some fun quizzes.

What's the go with two different players wearing the same number? We don't have enough jumpers in the skinny, extra-long size? Or do the two players have to face off against each other to see who wins the coveted Allan Jarrott number?

There's something wrong with my Demonland. The thanks are flowing in the wrong direction. They should be directed from us, the posters, back to the Demonland admin team. Demonland is a treasured resource. And unlike a lot of social media, it's wholesome, generally truthful and a lot of fun. I bestow my many thanks on Andy and all those who make Demonland what it is.

How is that first name pronounced? Like Peter Pius Paul (otherwise known as Crackers) "Keenan"? Or something that rhymes with "my man"?

Seems to be transitioning to a short-sleeve jumper, too.

Is this him?

Having the name "Melbourne" is generally valuable given it's the name of the city as opposed to a suburb or a non-existent location such as "West Coast". I guess sometimes with the good must come the bad. Thankfully, the good outweighs the bad many times over.

I don't know if Ron Burgundy still posts on Demonland, but if he starts talking about Will Verrall, I'm going to be most confused.

I'm not arguing for or against the Fox ranking, but it's foolish to rank the draft without combining it with the trade period and all other list movements.