Queanbeyan Demon

Luke Jackson. We'll need to recall him from the fellowship program in the West.

We'll be needing a new captain in a few years - maybe Jacko is our man?

Send JT to the next Butchers Picnic. We'll find someone there.

I would explain to the board in no uncertain terms that they have a @$^*ing problem on their hands.

I read Joeboy for a laugh. This kind of wrong-but-bold commentary is often more entertaining than accurate analysis. There’s something delightfully absurd about reducing a players whole game to three words — especially when it's generally hilariously off the mark.

This. Thank you @Anti Saint. Could it be that we are a below average side?

Who are we playing?

Champion Data . . . talk about the emperor with no clothes.

And even more to the point, how the hell he's not running around with us?

Carlton's list management is amazing. How the hell did Carlton let Kennedy go?

Naughton's on $1.1m for the next six years.

The joint looks half empty on TV.

Funny you mention Jesse Motlop. I watched the Carlton game with 2 mates. One's Filth, the other Norf. Ask asked each other the hypothetical question: how many players would you want out of Carlton. at our respective clubs. The Pies guy, who I'm pretty sure is a retired spook, said he wouldn't want any of them near Collingwood. The Norf guy nominated Weeta, Curnow and some c-grader. I nominated about six guys, including Motlop. I might be wrong, but recon he has some serious upside for a 21 year old.

There are so many parallels between the Deez and Carltank, it's both uncanny and horrifying. Our list is in slightly better shape, but unless we take more radical remedial action on the list, and the FD, we'll be them soon enough. And they are starring into the abyss which is playing centre half-forward and has just kicked its fifth for the quarter.

Wow - I missed this. How many of each did we actually procure?

I can think of 10 Demons @Ethan Tremblay. Bailey Fritsch Only ever stressed when tackling is mentioned. Emotionally balanced through hair symmetry and low heart rate per goal. Judd McVee Quiet assassin vibes. Probably journals, reads stoic philosophy, and tackles you when you least expect it. Taj Resolves all life’s tension by being named Woewodin. Already peaked in footy nostalgia. Andy Moniz-Wakefield Has five syllables in his name and not a single doubt in his mind about the ‘u’. Tommy Mac Meditates on defensive rotations and moonlights as a stoic Roman senator. Langers Processes everything through the lens of “team structures.” Once repressed an emotion mid-forward-half turnover. Jake Lever Solves stress with intercept marks, pointing, and very detailed family PowerPoint presentations. Kossi Too elusive for problems to catch him. Last seen ghosting out of trouble while time itself applauded. Trac His problems aren’t personal, they’re brand-aligned. Bench-presses doubt and his only issue is having too many calves and not enough shorts. Tom Campbell Played for 14 clubs, dominates February like it’s Grand Final day, then vanishes into folklore.

So Jamie Elliot isn't a star? Wow wee, golly gosh.

Do you have any other 'lucky' garments @Ghostwriter ?

You're pulling our leg right?

Quite frankly - the Club has been run better since we have had an interim President and CEO. In fact, Green hasn't put a foot wrong. He's presided over the resolution of a bunch of issues that have lingered for years. I'd be more than happy to have him stay on in a 'super-portfolio' role. Something like Minister Without Portfolio But With a Lanyard could work. Alternatively, Life Member of Demonland with the portfolio title of Director of Ritualistic Post-Loss Hand-Wringing.

Hey @WheeloRatings. Thank you for this thoughtful response. It's appreciated and improved my understanding -> thinking about the game. Your modelling is brilliant — and you are right. Not having access to 'pressure' data — and particularly the inputs used to assemble that data point — is a handicap. And that's my point: many football followers observe first-hand what a player does (or doesn’t do) during a game that appears to be neglected in what I would term 'complexity' inputs. That is, the layered decision-making, tactical compliance, off-ball movement, and game-shaping intent that don’t result in a stat — but change the shape of the game. Things like sacrificing a lead to create space, halting a chain with smart positioning, or neutralising a dangerous opponent without ever laying a hand on them. For example: Not All Actions Are Created Equal — Even When They Look Identical Two disposals may appear the same on a stat sheet — but one may be: Delivered with tactical precision (e.g. breaking a zone) Made after scanning multiple options in a high-stakes moment The Champion Data model attempts to weight difficulty (e.g. a pressured kick may be worth more), but it still relies on observable, event-based outcomes, not the complexity of the decision behind them. Systemic Thinking Goes Unmeasured Modern footy is defined by: Executing roles within highly structured team systems Making spatial decisions on the fly (e.g. when to fold back, when to block space) Adapting to team tactics in real time Yet players who do these things well — often without touching the ball — receive little to no recognition in the ratings system. 3. Complexity Isn’t Always Visible in the Data The system cannot assess: Whether the options ignored were better or worse The quality of positioning before the disposal The degree of difficulty in reading the play or shaping it without possession In short, a player who makes high-complexity, low-volume decisions (e.g. a defender who sets up a zone intercept or a forward who self-sacrifices to create space) is penalised relative to players with high-volume, low-difficulty contributions. Intelligence and Influence ≠ Quantity Footy IQ — the ability to read the game, think a kick ahead, and shape space — is a core reason why players like Max Gawn, and notably, Sidey and Pendles, have sustained elite performance late into their careers. Yet these forms of intelligence are not adequately captured, because they are not consistently associated with discrete, countable events. In Max’s case, he’s even penalised in the data for an errant possession — despite that disposal coming at the end of a 100-metre sprint to drop into the hole, absorbing contact, and creating the space for a teammate’s clean exit. The nuance of why an error occurred, what it created, or how it shaped the contest simply isn’t factored in. The result? A system that reduces football intelligence to raw outcomes — overlooking the structural, leadership, and game-shaping qualities that explain why these players remain indispensable, even when they’re no longer statistically dominant. Summary Champion Data’s ratings provide a useful baseline — but by failing to account for complexity in decision-making and game understanding, the system risks undervaluing the players who make teams functional. Until complexity is measured, true on-field influence will remain partially hidden behind the numbers.

Just quit the AFL as GM Football Performance. City Hall not big enough for all the egos - including those incoming - perhaps?

Player ratings, like so many stats, are like bikinis — they reveal a lot, but they conceal the most important bits. Perfect for pretending you’ve seen the whole picture while completely missing the context.

It’s that mythical place between the boundary line and Goody’s imagination. Rumour has it Spargo saw it once in 2021 and hasn’t been the same since.

This week = yes.