La Dee-vina Comedia

I haven't done any analysis, but is it possible that we player better opponents at the MCG?

I prefer to take the glass half full approach. That means there's a whole group of people prepared to outlay money for membership whether they attend or not. I'm more interested in getting more non-members to games. Firstly, the best chance to convert them to members is if they become invested in the club and attendance is the best way to do that (although winning would help) and secondly, it's additional revenue. The bigger issue here is not about MFC members, MCC members or non-members attending or not attending Melbourne games, though. It's what is the AFL going to do about it? What process will they undertake to identify why, exactly, numbers have dropped across the board? And how do they fix that? Is it the game? Is it the umpiring? Is it the scheduling? Is it the floating fixture? Is it Covid? Is it the ticketing process? Is it the cost? Is it competition from other sports and events? Is it the effect on consumer attitudes of streaming TV? Has the AFL given too much to its broadcast partners at the expense of those who might otherwise attend games? I think this is the biggest task facing the new CEO of the AFL. By far.

Has it been confirmed that May will be back? Concussions aren't always resolved with one week's rest, after all.

6. Gawn 5. Brayshaw 4. Viney 3. Jordon 2. Oliver 1. Salem And a Purple Heart medal for Petty. I'm astounded at the love for Fritsch. Three goals is nice, but that's just a cameo. He needs to be exerting pressure when he hasn't got the ball and just isn't doing enough.

Surely Petty will be needed in defence to play on Cox. Who else has the height to do so? Our backline will also look better, whoever is playing, if the forwards and onballers improve their pressure. Hunt was exposed last night not just because May's not there but because the ball was coming in regularly under minimal pressure. Brayshaw has been excellent in defence. He's probably (with Gawn and Oliver) been in our best three players all year. But I wonder now that Salem is back whether we can make better use of Brayshaw back in the midfield in place of Sparrow. (I'd keep Jordon on the wing. He's doing fine.) Rivers could be added back there. If McDonald is out for the longer term, I would bring in Weideman for M Brown. If we're to be any chance at the end of the season (assuming McDonald doesn't return) we need to have B Brown and Weideman as our key forwards. Therefore, they need to be playing together as much as possible to ensure they gel. If McDonald is not out for long, then I'm in favour of B Brown being dropped to get some form and confidence back at Casey.

Coincidentally, I have literally just completed an online survey for the MCC which, amongst other things, asked for the one improvement of the match day experience I would like to see. I pleaded for a stop to the music being played after goals have been scored.

I clearly had a sheltered upbringing as I never attended matches at Windy Hill, Western Oval (as it was called) or Victoria Park. And I expect I'm a better person because of it!

Great to see a genuine curtain-raiser at the MCG. Equivalent to a reserves match, just like the good old days.

This sums me up. I can't hate other teams or supporters because I need them to allow me to enjoy this great game. We should never take this game for granted. Our enemy is not the other 17 teams and their supporters but those who try to prevent AFL from being a success.

One of the things that astounds me is how many posters on Demonland describe how they "hate" particular clubs. I just don't get it.

This is where we (partially) disagree. One person's "bias" is another person's "knowledge". Only the people within the board truly know what gaps they have and which skills they are missing. "Partially" disagree because it's the Members who should ultimately decide, but, in my view, with guidance from the board. If the board appears to be incompetent, then their guidance should be disregarded. If the board is doing a good job, then I'm happy to support their recommendation(s).

Don't say that. Some online nut-job is going to question whether this deception is a sign of black magic and before you know it we'll have our own Salem witch trial.

The Nominations committee should be a sub-group of Directors only. If the Nominations committee does its job properly, it should hire an outsider to do a skills and gap analysis of the Board membership. That outsider could then recommend names for potential appointment to fill identified gaps. The Nominations Committee should then recommend to the Board who it thinks best fills any vacant positions. The final decision though, should be made by the members themselves, but based on the recommendations of the Board. Whether we like it or not, the Board should know more than the members about what its needs are. Of course, the above assumes a smooth operating Board not riven by factions and capable of making sound decisions. When that's not the case, it's time for wholesale changes.

Me neither. Nevertheless, while I prefer Chairman to President simply because the verbs from which they derive better suit the way I would like my club to be led, I recognise the inherent sexism in the former and detest the artificially created option of Chairperson. (I also recognise there is a view that the "man" in Chairman derives from the Latin word "manus" which means "hand", signifying who's hand is on the chair at the head of the table...but I digress.) As to the nomination committee, can someone explain what its role is? Is it to identify new potential Board directors or key club personnel such as the CEO, CFO and Senior Coach? Or both?

I think State of Origin is based on where players first played their junior footy, not where they were born. But if teams were being selected on basis of place of birth, I'm curious as to whether a team could be constructed of players born overseas. Who in the current competition was born outside Australia? Obviously Mason Cox, some or all of the South Sudanese players, the Irish guys and who else? I have a feeling Andrew McGrath might have been born in Canada. Anyone else? Anyone at our club?

Technically it's five players coming in, but practically it's six given Petracca was on the field in name only last week.

On Footy Classified last night, Eddie McGuire made the point that both of Essendon's choices were less than 6 feet tall. Said clearly as implied criticism of Essendon's strategy (for want of a better word).

Hope you're OK and recover soon.

I assume June 4 in this year was the Queen's Birthday public holiday. When did it change from the first to the second Monday in June?

Cool your jets, Werridee. That last sentence is completely out of line and unnecessary. We're all on the same side here.

Maybe not. Depends on what the Government chooses to do with anti-siphoning laws and streaming services. From today's The Age: https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/seven-boss-wants-streaming-loophole-closed-as-us-giants-vie-for-afl-rights-20220601-p5aq6w.html

Sparrow and...

It may boil down to whether Jordon or Rivers keeps their spot. At the moment, I'd say Jordon is well ahead, so the team would be better balanced with Jordon on a wing and Brayshaw as a defender rather than last year's structure of Brayshaw on a wing and Rivers as a defender. Of course, injuries have a way of interfering with the best laid plans.

Why Hunt? Until the Freo game has played on small forwards and kept them quiet all year. By necessity, was required to play on Freo's tall forwards (because he's stronger and taller than Bowey, and Rivers is struggling) until Weideman was transferred back. Yes, he was outpointed by Darcy but at 187cm and 88kg, Hunt is still 16cm shorter and 24kg lighter than Darcy. If a defender has to make way for Salem, I suspect it will be Rivers. Of course, if Langdon doesn't play, Brayshaw could return to the wing instead.

I can see what happened here. Clearly someone at the AFL confused the company name with Stuart Spencer and then remembered that Stuart Spencer was inducted into the Tasmanian Hall of Fame. Given the new CEO will have to make significant decisions about Tasmania, it seemed like an obvious choice.