La Dee-vina Comedia

Why GWS? It's available. Also, there will be enormous career benefit to whoever coaches GWS (or Gold Coast or Freo) to their first ever Premiership.

I don't know if Melksham played a good or a bad game because I don't know what role he was given. However, I do know Pickett played his best game for the year (or his whole career) and, I think, B Brown either played his best game for the year or was close to it. Did Melksham's presence allow those two to play better? If so, surely Melksham stays in. if not, he's on very shaky ground. Similar sentiment for any other fringe player such as Bedford and Tomlinson. Nevertheless, if Oliver and Petty are ready, they must come back in. As to who goes out depends on who is surplus to requirements when those two return. I suspect it will be Tomlinson and Bedford. It's also worth remembering by the end of the week, there's a reasonable prospect of at least one unexpected "Health and Safety Protocol" omission which will upset all our predictions.

6. Oliver Pickett 5. Petracca 4. Langdon 3. Jordon 2. Viney 1. Brown

In my view, it's time Sparrow was given more midfield responsibility. Perhaps he'll be given more midfield minutes tomorrow. Initially I was surprised by Melksham's selection. Having thought about it a bit more, another marking target is what we need in the forward line, and I suspect Melksham is currently seen as a better and perhaps more flexible option than either Weideman or M Brown. It also may be to allow us not to have to push Petracca (and maybe Harmes) forward as much.

This is a terrific article which suggests the Barassi Line is moving northwards. The Barassi Line is a theoretical construct developed by Professor Ian Turner, historian and mad AFL supporter. (If I remember correctly, I think he supported Richmond). The Line separates the northern and eastern, rugby league supporting Australian jurisdictions from the southern and western ones. This article claims the line is moving northward. I'm sure the AFL will be pleased, although the article stops short of examining whether the cost has been worth it. Definitely worth a read if you like the bigger picture of AFL as a cultural phenomenon and/or as a business.

After a bit more research, Urban Duniam played one game for South Melbourne in 1950. He was in a losing team.

Fair enough, but I would suggest that there's a big difference between being second ruck at Casey and second ruck at AFL level for a player who has not played a senior game. I also think that strategically, the club would want to give van Rooyen (or any first gamer) the best chance of success by playing him in what they believe is his best position whenever he plays his first game.

There's been at least one. According to this extraordinary research there was a player with the first name of Urban who played one game in 1950. I haven't yet found Urban's surname or who he played with or whether there have been any other players whose first names started with U.

Weather Bureau forecast for Alice Springs on Sunday is a minimum overnight of zero followed by a sunny day with a maximum of 24 degrees. Should be a stunning day.

Reading this thread is so frustrating. Let's explain again why Weideman is an emergency and not van Rooyen or Mitch Brown. He's there as an emergency should Gawn or Jackson need to be replaced. As it happens, he could also fill in for Ben Brown or even May or Lever. But that's not the primary reason why he's the emergency. I can't see Brayshaw playing as a wingman or as Oliver's replacement. With Petty and Bowey out, it's hard to believe we would then voluntarily remove a third defender at the same time. To me, that suggests one of Hunt or Rivers gets in for Bowey, although the one that misses out could be the sub.

This could be a thread on its own, but the AFL has announced a substantial increase in the soft cap. It goes up by $500,000 next year and a further $250,000 the year after. In addition, some costs associated with player welfare and mental health will be taken out of the soft cap limit. All of a sudden, it makes it easier for North (or anyone else) to consider Alastair Clarkson as the impact of his expected high remuneration is ameliorated by the increase in the soft cap.

This. Helped by a compliant, unquestioning Herald Sun which is prepared to claim that he might retire rather than sign up for what is claimed to be a low-ball offer. Really? Buddy would retire rather than accept an offer of at least $250,000 and probably more like $400,000 to $500,000? Give me a break!

I don't think Salem's knee is quite right yet. He seems to lack penetration in his kicking. For that reason, I'd leave him in the backline. I see three options to replace Oliver: Straight swap with Dunstan Brayshaw onball with Hunt or Rivers coming into the backline Harmes to the Oliver role and Neal-Bullen being added to the midfield rotations, thereby allowing Laurie to be selected for debut on the HFF. I'm guessing they'll go with the conservative option and pick Dunstan.

So you're saying that "rock bottom" (capitalised for impact, no less) is, in fact, not as low as you can go. Good to know.🙂

If you mean Laurie to be an emergency, fine. If you mean Laurie to be the sub, no way. It's disrespectful to any player to play his inaugural game as the sub. And I seem to recall the club has already said that it won't select a first-gamer as the sub.

I have no recollection of the game played earlier in the year. When looking it up, I see that Port kicked the last three goals of the game out of their total of four. With a score line like that, I suspect it's a game not worth remembering.

Opposed to opposable thumbs! Are you sure you're not a chimpanzee rather than a chook?

That's a good question. I suspect some players will be attracted but others might be concerned at the comparative lack of assistant coaches, compared with other clubs. What I'm certain Clarkson will deliver, though, is more sponsorship, more members and more relevance for North overall. That's also got to be an attraction for North. I suspect appointing Buckley might have some similar benefits, although I can't see the same with most of the other options such as Ross Lyon, Justin Leppitsch, Alan Richardson or any first timer.

A bit optimistic. Fritsch has played 101 games and kicked 4 goals in 5 games (plus 6 goals in 2 games and 7 goals in 1 game). So, just on 8% of the times he plays he kicks four or more goals. I don't think that's "often". How times have changed, though. Peter Hudson has the highest average of all comers with 5.6 goals per game over 129 games. Imagine going to the football knowing your full forward is more likely than not going to kick 5 or more goals every game. Note: I know Fritsch is not our full forward.

And saw active service in both World Wars.

The soft cap makes appointing Clarkson a big risk. He will be the most expensive option out there. That means less money available for all the other things North needs. A coach with senior coaching experience such as Alan Richardson would be significantly cheaper and might allow a couple of extra development or line coaches to be appointed who would otherwise be unaffordable (within the soft cap) if Clarkson was appointed.

Please keep your fists to yourself.

Apologies if it looked like I was disagreeing with you. That wasn't my intention. I absolutely agree it was Pres-speak. I was just adding my thoughts as to why.

North has become so irrelevant, I don't even know who their good players are. Edit: Apart from Cunnington and Goldstein

She has to say this, even if she doesn't believe it. The club needed a reason to sack the coach, and it would be an unfair dismissal if he was sacked because the playing list is no good. It has to be seen to be the other way around - good players but a coach who is the wrong fit.