Macca

Dr Who always shows the same tell-tale signs ... an off-tap entrance but ultimately, the motive is to denigrate Demon supporters Latches on to those who might be saying the same sort of thing (but with more sinister intentions) Needs to get a new schtick as he's easily spotted. Not Dr.D either As for the attendance debate, both sides of the argument are making good points Not sure it's related to membership alone though. I reckon many now buy a membership knowing that they are only going to attend a few games. A type of donation (and a worthy one)

Looks like Dr Who has re-entered the building! haha Actually, there might even be 2 guises of the incarnation here

Could this be the year where an absolute dominant ruckman wins the Brownlow?! At 50-1, Max is way overs if he maintains the form that he is in Max winning the Brownlow with the Demons winning the flag is showing 170-1 (with a boost) That's got to be worth the price of a coffee outlay (or 10 coffees!!!!) I'm on!!

And I've had 2 very prosperous weekends so I'm all in!! Be good if it was like this all the time! Even got a roughie up at Hawkesbury (Exotic Ruby) and that is rare. I generally don't ever back roughies! So next weekend we've got the Sangster & the Hollindale. Both races are sure to attract very good fields and both could end up being good betting races

Off-season Group racing always keeps up the interest 2 races tomorrow that standout ... I like Daisies (and Mamounia for a bit of value) in the Aust Oaks as well as Count de Rupee in the Victory Stakes (Niccanova for the exotics)

Even with the 4 outs (as well as Salem & Hibberd) it's still a very good team, chock full of talent. Run your eyes across the team looking for the good/top players and they are everywhere. And our system will stand up as well And there are about 6 players who will be desperate to hang on to their spot in the side Someone mentioned to me that if LJ, Kozzie & Sparrow aren't effected too badly by covid, they'll get the chance to get away from footy for a week (another bye?) ... all 3 are still very young and their replacements will be going at it anyway. But covid can also be quite debilitating ... even for young & fit athletes. Fingers crossed the players affected make a speedy recovery Petty being out is different as he has just got back in the side but we're well off for tall depth with Tomlinson still being an emergency. Adam hasn't done a lot wrong 5 goal victory and we'll shut down the last quarter again!

So what is it going to take for more people to take up the stance that you, mauresy, myself and a few others have taken up? Or are we pushing the proverbial uphill?

As a general rule those who play in front have a much better chance of winning a free kick ... anyone who has ever played the sport will know that to be true. It's very difficult to win a free kick playing from behind An example of that is the Weideman free kick on Sunday ... questionable but he was playing in front. He doesn't get that free if he is caught playing from behind. Did the team thing and got rewarded But as for the winning & the losing, there are numerous other factors including the biggie ... talent levels across the team (and good coaching) An example of that is Melbourne vs Essendon in 2013 ... we could have won the free kick count by 20 or more that day and we still would have been smashed So a free kick is a factor but it's often a small factor ... for instance, the Tigers were happy to give away professional-like free kicks in their 3 premiership years.

We can only hope that the the AFL finally start to realise that this issue (playing for free kicks) is unique to the Bulldogs (as well as a fair smattering of individual players across the league, including Weightman) But will they (the AFL) address this issue wholly? They might, but I wouldn't bank on it

New Season of 'Better Call Saul' released 2 episodes available with episode 3 out shortly

Still only 1 point in it and both teams (City & Liverpool) could both win their 5 remaining games ... so 10 wins combined without a hiccup? It's possible but some other result is likely in 1 of the 10 games Maybe my Hammers can help your blokes out when we are at home (May 16th) to Man City? haha

As for our 4th quarters, the game plan might be ... 'You (the opposition) will find it hard to score against our pepped-up zones and defensive structures and if you play into our hands, we will be able to score' Done with a decent lead of course and that breakaway lead often happens in the 3rd quarters (or earlier) So the days of running up the score (for percentage) could be looked at as less important than saving the legs

We were clearly the superior team on the night but just didn't kick straight - which would be an issue if that sort of thing happened all the time And I don't believe it's happened for quite a while either (where it has been costly) The last time that springs to mind where it did cost us a win was late in the season in 2018 against Sydney You'd hate for it to happen in a final but again, unless the problem is a frequent one, we should be able to reset the next week Just checked and we kicked 10.18 in that loss against Sydney in round 21, 2018 then followed up with 16.12 at the Eagles (Win) and then 15.12 vs GWS (Win) And as we all know, we then played finals where we kicked 10.15 (hmmmm) to 6.10 against the Cats then 16.8 to 10.11 against the Hawks There may well have been other instances since but none stand out like the Sydney game (which could have, but didn't cost us a finals spot that year) And that's 3 and a half years ago anyway Footnote: I know a few Tiger mates who were at the ground and they never thought they were a chance after quarter time .... very impressed with our relentless style and our all-over defence (not just the backline) Fitness and running ability was commented on as well as 2nd & 3rd efforts

Plenty of Mexicans in Victoria but if NSW wants to build a wall, we won't be paying for it!

I recall thinking that the Richmond win was a real turning point ... we held them to 6.12 for the match and that might have been why so many were so enamoured with our performance Not sure they were ever in the game after we held them goalless in the 2nd quarter So scoring freely is one thing but stifling scoring appeals more to those who regard that as being really important (or more important) And the Tigers were sitting 5th on the ladder going into that round 6 game against us ... they were also the reigning Premiers

T-Mac might only be out of the team for a week or 2 if Weideman doesn't fire ... remembering that this is Sam's 4th game in a row tonight Played very well against Essendon, was quiet against Port (on a night, not ideal for key forwards) and only reasonable last week Is reasonable again enough? Maybe, but the expectations are higher Of course, T-Mac needs to fire in the 2nds anyway in order to put pressure on Sam so it's an interesting scenario. Playing today on a small ground like Punt Rd oval is a test for any key forward. Not a lot of space to run into (or available space) The MC would be happy with the duel though. Much like they'd be happy with Smith & Tomlinson putting pressure on as well as Dunstan, Chandler & Bedford being thereabouts as well for midfield/small forward roles And that's with Salem, Hibberd, Lever, Viney all being unavailable! The MC have got their ideal set-up with regards to selection. Injuries are annoying to our better players but that is offset somewhat by the ability of the players replacing those injured players And ordinarily, a team is nearly always going to get a few injuries (as well as factoring in covid protocols)

I don't know about the technicalities but having a stationary arm was what was taught in juniors (in my day) It didn't have to be completely rigid but that arm certainly couldn't be moving about Now, the momentum of the ball is often governed by the hand holding the ball ... I'm baffled as to why these rules are always 'stretched' For instance, for decades a player was required to kick the ball over the mark ... that's no longer the case either. There are numerous other examples of how the game has been redesigned The coaches try it on and the league lets them do what they like (in a general sense) I suspect those overseeing proceedings prefer to see the umpires continuing to cop the wrath Because that's what happens. They (the umpires) are at the coalface and it's just easier to blame them In a way it's an ideal solution for those who are supposedly running the sport because it's just more of the same for the umps anyway. They are so used to all the criticism's that it's probably just water off a duck's back But that has never made it right in my eyes because we rarely get satisfactory solutions Every year is like groundhog day

Clarkson complained about the Bulldogs 'method' of disposal by hand back after the 2016 semi final ... mentioned that his own team would need to learn how it's done, hinting that they would do the same That's 6 years ago now So all the clubs do it and try to disguise it but again, the Bulldogs do it better than the rest (probably in all facets of a free kick, if we're being honest) For instance, as you and most others know, the handpass used to require a clenched fist punching the ball from another hand/arm that was reasonably stationary (certainly not moving about at a great rate of knots) Now, the hand holding the ball can be moving at a great rate of knots and the slightest of 'taps' on the ball is allowed ... so that new interpretation can be exploited and is exploited. And the Bulldogs are the best at it. Again, in close with a mass of bodies around the ball, the release of the ball after immediately being tackled is difficult to see clearly. Especially into what has actually happened My eyes see a throw only being paid when it's absolutely obvious. The rest of the time it's play on And it's gone way past blaming the umps ... this is a rules of the game issue which is an AFL issue

I'm with most here ... something needs to be done but I'm coming from a different direction and heading in a different direction We've probably narrowed it down to 2 real reasons ... either all the umps are all in it together in deliberately favouring the Bulldogs (for what reason?) or we have an issue with a team exploiting the rules or 'playing' the rules with the umpires just paying what they see (according to the rules) I heavily favour the latter argument so we could wait for all the other teams to 'catch up' or address the rules The Bulldogs have been doing what they are doing for a long time now. And that includes their premiership year I'm seeing more people in the media (and a few here on this site) state that the Bulldogs are just very adept at winning free kicks. So once that recognition is established, there might be some action taken The question is what can be done and what is being done? As far as I can see, nothing And there can't be a sour grapes approach ... the best time is a day like today when they have actually lost the game But until the league addresses the issue, we can expect more of the same. And the issue will probably get worse If you can't beat 'em, join 'em could easily be what the other clubs do And, it's not off topic as there is a direct connection re 'questionable' decisions and dissent or abuse Can you imagine if we're still talking about the lopsided free kick count (In the Bulldogs favour) in 2 or 3 years time? How about 5 years?

Yes the Bulldogs being expert at playing for free kicks and the league not addressing the rules that could put a stop to it all The lopsided free kick count in favour of the Bulldogs has been going on since 2015 (coincidentally, when Beveridge took over) And there's no such thing as a coincidence when it comes to transgressing or taking advantage. It's been a well planned exercise to a point where players like Weightman openly talks about how he plays for frees and how good he is at it Multiply that by every player on their list and that's a systemic issue Got a solution?

Pay the 50 on the spot is my view ... for the reasons that I outlined earlier It's probably time we agreed to disagree Sue, we are getting nowhere with this debate

The relationship between questionable decisions and player dissent is obvious. That's why the dissent happens As I said, if we can improve the rulings, there would be way less dissent. So flopping is by far the bigger issue Cause & effect We can either try and fix the A-end of the problems or try and fix what is causing those A-end issues If nothing is done, flopping will get completely out of control and then everyone will be wanting to do something about it As it stands, I see the flopping as a major issue - right now But at the moment there is nothing but crickets

Got another question for you We often carry on and want umpires to be sent to the bush for not getting decisions right (which I don't agree with by the way) So should the umpire last night who didn't enforce the 50 be sent to the bush? Or at least be cautioned or disciplined by his superiors? After all, according to the new rules, he did make an obvious error

And that can happen if all the players can behave themselves Oddly enough, if the players behave we'll be hearing a lot less from the umpires But if you know your footy, you'll know that the players do behave in large numbers. Nearly all the time For instance, there were 47 free kicks last night with the infringing players able to control their emotions on 45 occasions 2 players decided to go against team rules ... one let his team down badly and one got lucky So the issue is not about all the players ... more so those who do not want to accept the umpires decisions A small minority and that small minority are going to have to tow the line You'd pay it on the spot but you'd be conned into awarding free kicks to players who have flopped So the players who are doing the conning would get away with it Which is the same issue that we have now Problem not solved And if you reckon that you'd get every decision right, I'm not going to believe you

Just about ... any sort of chat can't be about questioning an umpires decision, or abuse, or dissent The players are best off saying nothing ... otherwise they run the risk of being pinged And penalties applied as they happen for dissent or abuse so I don't support your idea For instance, the offending player last night had no need to question the impire ruling regardless of whether he was right or wrong. The decision had been made and he just had to wear it. So the player let his team down In the end, he cost his team a goal And I regard any questioning of umpiring decisions as contemptable. Clam up, show respect and and accept the decisions So maybe the infringing players can get pinged on the field as well as having to front the tribunal afterwards. That might have a bigger effect Just like when the flopping for high contact should have been addressed over a decade ago ... they con the umpire (and the fans) and get away with it. So ping them retrospectively after the game because they can't necessarily get pinged during a game But as a realist I can't see that happening until the problem gets so out of control that they are forced to take action A question for you What would you do about players flopping around for high contact frees? And where do see that type of decision going? (worse?) As previously stated, there is a direct connection between that type of decision and all the frustration we see. As well as the dissent & abuse Cause & effect