Macca

It's been going on for decades but penalties used to be a lot more straightforward than they are now If one of our players is up on report then cross your fingers and hope for the best "Just tell 'em you were going for the mark" seems a good ploy

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The AFL doesn't seem to care, so will anything change? As previously stated, the next time we see a very similar incident might bring a 4-6 week suspension, or the player gets off, or anything in between ... but who would know? The MRO (or the equivalent body) has been making these sorts of decisions for decades. It's not 'new' news ... just more of the same And I'm looking at the Rioli incident in isolation ... the Mitch Robinson incident can be looked at as similar but in reality, the 2 incidents are poles apart

Well that has left me gobsmacked Ash Barty retires ... reminds me of when Shane Gould retired (although, years later, I totally understand why Shane retired) Our own Robbie Flower retiring seemed premature as well although he did have a full career. Bjorn Borg retiring as a 26yo was another But I'm going to miss Ash playing. So fair and a quiet achiever. A great player. Reckon she could have won at least another 6 slams too

If Rioli was attempting a mark where are his arms and why aren't they pointed towards the ball? Players are coached to have their arms outstreched (to mark) to stop the spoil from behind So I don't buy the chest mark attempt ... others can disagree of course. Seems a bit too convenient in my view So what happens next time if they use the Rioli incident as the precedent? 4-6 weeks? Off? Who would know?

Best Bet Saturday Mornington R9 No.10 Savannah Cloud 4.50 (Win) 1.80 (Place-Multi)

They just interviewed the trainer of Shelby Sixtysix (Danny Williams) on 'After the Last' on the racing channel ... what a fantastic story! The show is repeated at 9pm tonight unless you've caught hold of it already The horse is now going to run in the TJ Smith! By the way, I recouped very well at Sha Tin yesterday (thanks to Moreira & Purton) ... I pulled the right reigns!

It might be assumed that Petty, Rivers, Hibberd, Salem & Lever won't be available this week. Selection could be tricky once they all become available! That could be a good problem to have but in the meantime, others get their chance If that's the case (5 first choice backmen out), no change other than Salem out (Brayshaw to play at half back) with another midfielder type to come into the team (or as the sub) ... possibly Dunstan with Bedford in the 22 If T-Mac goes back again to cover for Lever, we can go again with Brown & Fritsch as the tall targets (LJ & Gawn periodically as well) Against the GC on a night that may well bring slippery, dewy conditions, those aforementioned 3/4 tall targets should be enough As for Spargo, Kozzie & ANB, all 3 players do a fair bit of work off the ball as well as blocking, bumping at crucial moments along with displaying general forward defensive skills ... something that we never really saw leading up to last season

Port & Lions will be thereabouts in September. Conditions were poor last night and it was like watching a game in the rain (although the skills improved after half time) It's interesting that the AFL have put the worst 3 match-ups last this round. No free-to-air on Sunday arvo is highly questionable as well ... those without cable can watch the NRL or NBL on free-to-air today But next week sees the Tigers vs GWS in a return to the 3.20pm Sunday FTA slot I'm not at all surprised re the Cats ... too many skilled players to fall away but not sure they are a threat for the flag. Finals - yes

Yep, that dividend is a good one, all things considered. If 1 or 2 of the picks are of good each-way value, the place multi comes into play I must say, I've had better days at the races but there's always Sha Tin tomorrow! #AlwaysGambleResponsibly

I should have taken your lead from last week and taken all 3 in a place multi. The value was there with our 3 this week Well done, DZ!

Incredible ... hard to believe! Like the MFC winning the flag Oh, hang on ...

Fireburn gets the rails run and streets them in the Slipper ... only went around 1 horse in a race where that is a real advantage. Too good but ridden an absolute treat. Kudos to the horse & rider

I'm Thunderstruck beaten by the barrier draw ... all credit to the winner though. Scooted away and too good was Zaaki. All class Streets runs 3rd! What a grand campaigner ... $720k for the connections! Bonus dollars!

Was still a shock to see Verry Elleegant not pick up and run down Montefilia ... not that I had anything riding on it apart from a small outlay trifecta And Anamoe far too accomplished in the Guineas ... ridden forward in a small field and ridden like the best horse in the race

Yeah Dillon & Jones are very good but not exceptional against the teams with good run defence. Between the 2 of them only 67 yards against the 49ers in the divisional round playoffs I reckon the classic addition to a team that were screaming out for a terrific QB are the Bucs. And I can see why Brady wants to continue on ... an 8th ring is on the offer If Tampa were an average team, he might have retired.

Lombardo a bit rusty ... needed the run

Jodie Nelson left and that didn't effect the passing game at all ... Davante is a very good player but the overall passing yards is down to Rodgers' expertise All the rest of it is problematical though. Pass defence, run defence, running game & special teams all questionable So we do one thing sensationally well and if that area is curtailed somewhat, we are therefore then quite vulnerable I feel like I've said the above for 7 or 8 years now and not much has changed in that time ... it would help if the NFC North was a stronger division. As it stands, we get too many easy victories against mediocre opposition (over time) So a false sense of security sets in which leads to being knocked out of the playoffs by teams that do their homework on the Packers

Green Bay were only going to pay him $22Million this year but the Raiders have given him $140Million over 5 years ... which makes him the highest paid WR (ever?) He'd bought a house there a while back and I'd say the club knew he was going. Hard to match that kind of money especially when Rodgers is already taking a big slice Anyway, I'm of the opinion that Rodgers can always find his WR's ... our real issues and weaknesses aren't in that area

Davante is a big loss but does create a lot of salary cap relief & space ... 1st & 2nd round picks for Adams will probably be used on a couple of WR's anyway (effectively, on way less money) And apparently, there is loads of college talent in the WR position in the upcoming draft Still, he won't be easily replaced as the bloke is a star ... now he will be on the end of the Derek Carr passes so we'll see how that goes in that set up. Reunited from Fresno State

Yeah, the 1000m at Flemington is all about the timing of the run (because the run will almost certainly appear) ... reckon Lombardo wins. Mick Price places his horses well Just doing straight out win bets tomorrow although a trifecta in the Slipper & All Star Mile ... big pools and the dividends can pay a lot with the right combo If Coolangatta wins the Slipper, the filly could end up with a stellar career as a result

All 3 winning pays about 200-1 Pounding winning with the other 2 running a place is showing a dividend of about 25-1 - good value I like Coolangatta in the Slipper but there are any number of chances including the 3 placegetters in the Diamond (Daumier, Revolutionary Miss & Jacquinet) I'm Thunderstruck (each-way) in the All-Star Mile but it will have to get past Zaaki. Been set for the race a long way out Happy punting folks!

Best Bet Saturday R9 No.5 Paperboy (W/P) 9.50/3.00

Will post up a few of the 'America's Game' Super Bowl doco's from time to time in the off-season but in the meantime, here's the Rams win in Super Bowl LVI - Mic'd up Rams vs Bengals SB LVI Mic'd up (this link will take you to youtube)

Followed the game on delay and via 'land only ... excellent work peoples and highly amusing I remember a time not so long ago when we weren't much chop and therefore the other games were often rarely commented on But now that we're the Reigning Premiers (with a terrific win to start the season) the mood is way different. We're looking for the challengers instead of vice-versa