Macca

I'm surprised he didn't trot out the 'bleak city' jibe. He's done that before.

Here's a number of tracks from an iconic album of audio comedy bits ... it's from the mid 60's but it still holds up (if you like this kind of thing)

We haven't seen the end of these type of incidents though ... but, as previously noted, players aren't used to being ousted for that type of indiscretion so there might be some easing up on field. We'll find out soon enough. The NFL media will probably be on the lookout for anything untoward.

I don't hate 'em ... they are just not my team. I've jumped on the Cowboys because of the great run they've gone on. The Storm will probably win but what would I know? I am the world's worst tipster 'adc' so do the opposite.

Not sure I picked it Dappa ... but I've given my thoughts previously so I'll leave it there. Your game kicks off at 7am ... you watching live?

There is only one Melbourne (The Demons) ... all the other sporting teams using our name can go to blazes. Go Cowboys!!!!!

Whatever we get for Watts may well be used to secure a player like Lever & Goff. If we picked up a mid 2nd round draft pick for Watts it can't be assumed that we'd then go to the draft with that pick. My gut feel with all this is that we need greater currency to get what we're looking for.

Well Adelaide were unable to play as Richmond did - that much is true. What we're now seeing is a form of total football 'Aussie rules style' that the Dutch were and are so good at in soccer ... relentless pressure on the man with the ball, all attackers can be midfielders and those attackers can also act as defenders at all times. And the reverse applies as well ... Defend, control & attack - every player. When obtaining control of the ball, every player then becomes an option and the ball carrier always knows that. The ball carrier is protected when applicable. Different sports but the principles remain the same. Back on topic ... in relation to the above and if Goodwin is aiming for a similar style to what the Tigers & Bulldogs (last year) displayed, certain types of players just don't fit the bill. We've already delisted 4 players and there may well be a few more go so ... whilst it may look like Watts is being singled out, I'm not so sure that that is true.

At least we are (at times) showing that effort & attitude. Better than never showing it all (I could name a number of entire seasons where we were bereft of effort & attitude) But we also have to include other traits such as an excellent base level of talent, real energy, application and a will to win. And great coaching and top admin. And then we have to do all that every single week. It's quite an ask but we've just seen the Tigers & Bulldogs do it.

I was commenting on how their supporters viewed him ... as others have mentioned, a lot of fans are overemotional & irrational. Of course I include myself in that area - on occasions Sometimes fans do get it collectively right about the traits of certain players. But it's a rare thing because bias plays such a big part. People continually play favourites or have a need to have at least one player in the gun (whipping boy, scapegoat) I'm assuming that you and most others are aware of all that but some are unaware.

Except Vickery was never a fan favourite ... every Tiger fan I know wanted him out not long after he arrived there. Same deal for Deledio ... seen as soft by nearly every Tiger fan I know. But lets face it, they don't get called ferals for nothing.

Over there, that's seen as a somewhat hefty penalty. So, by their standards, he hasn't gotten off lightly. If we judged things by our standards, we might see it differently. I know I do. But again, I'm not pointing the finger at the player but more so the actual indiscretion and the penalties involved.

Good post Akum ... I read somewhere that Hardwick reports to Balme and that Balme oversees a number of other people in prominent positions. Anyway, as it stands, Neil has made an obvious difference ... they've never even come close to playing like they have this season and it's Hardwick's 9th year. He's reinvented himself as a coach but there might have been some gentle persuasion involved. Balme never got another coaching gig but he should have done. Looking back at his tenure at the Demons, injuries cruelled his coaching attributes. In many ways, he was ahead of his time with regards to where the game was heading.

There was an expectation of greatness with Jack (an assumption in many cases) but many are now at a point where they want to hang on to Jack because they still believe he can be great (or at least very good) Conversely, there are any number of people who want to discard Jack because he didn't come up their expectations. B- or C+ just isn't going to cut it. It's one side against the other and because of that, we don't see a lot of the middle ground. Judge the player, not the number has always been my motto. That way, even a 3rd round rookie has the same chance of succeeding as does a top-end draft pick. Any decent coach along with his FD would judge all their players that way. My thoughts on Watts are based on completely ignoring his draft pick number. He's of value as an outside runner who can use his pace and finishing skills to help a team. But even as an outside runner, he has some glaring weaknesses. Plenty before him have been like that so there's a place for players like Watts. I doubt it will be with us though. And I'll be neither devastated nor completely happy with that outcome.

Tell me this isn't happening

In my neck of the woods, there are Tiger fans everywhere. And they are loud about it too CBF. Insufferable they will be (if they win) Hardly a bulldog fan to be seen so the contrast is immense. Crows have no time and no space but more so in that 2nd quarter ... that may change. Walker, Betts & Jenkins have been virtually unsighted.

Their supporters are going to be insufferable if they win this. And I'm not talking about the other mob

Worst case scenario is that the club has to pay a percentage of Jack's salary for the next 2 years and we get back a draft pick (or picks) that doesn't satisfy the clubs needs. Also, if that offer comes from a club that Jack wishes to go to and he gets the clubs blessing from the club to go to that club, the bidding war may become obsolete. Best case scenario is that Jack isn't too fussed where he ends up and there is a bidding war. However, because we're effectively shopping him about, the other clubs may not feel compelled to offer much. As is often the case, some sort of middle ground might be found ... also, we may need more currency in order to secure Lever and/or Gaff. Just 1 more 2nd round pick might be needed to secure either or both players and Watts may well be the conduit for that to happen. Any of our other players who may have decent trade value could/would be regarded as 'keepers' ... or perhaps not. We might get a decent offer from left field for 1 or 2 of those keepers - you just never know. Back when we were a non-competitive outfit, we had no such luxury.

Here are the games again for those who still need to do their tipping ... SNF (Colts @ Seattle) is an ordinary match-up with Luck not playing but MNF could be decent (Washington @ KC) Pittsburgh/Baltimore are fierce rivals and Oak/Den, Det/Min & the Rams/Cowboys could all be interesting. But finding 3 road winners? There should be bonus points allocated

Unless Atlanta lose their way, they can wrest control of home field advantage all the way to the SB. They look like men on a mission. They score freely and are strong at QB, WR, RB and their defence is better than decent. They do have to go to New England & Seattle but they've got Dallas at home in the dome. And the SB is being played indoors as well.

Well ... with all due respect to the Bears, I judge this team against the best teams. Losing today's game would have been a diabolical outcome. As it stands, our only real strength is at QB & WR so losing Adams is a blow (I'm assuming that he'll miss a few games at least) We're at Dallas next up and that's a game I would really want to win ... we've already lost to Atlanta so we can't afford to lose too many of those head-to-head tie-break situations. @ Big D is a toughie. Just winning the NFC North is going to be a tough ask though. We're at the Vikings in week 6 after @ Dallas. As for the change needed in the NFL, I'm generally quite happy with how it's all run. Especially with the structures of the divisions, conferences and playoff procedures. The sport itself is very exciting in it's own, unique way.

You're probably right dc But I'm hoping that we'll somehow have the whole PED program exposed for what it was. It's a false hope but you never know.

Change will happen ... litigation might provide the conduit or vehicle for that change. Money talks, BS walks and all that Dappa. And then we'd enter into the 'nanny-state' or 'political-correctness' sphere until the sensible outcomes (if reached) were acknowledged.

I just want to see the whole thing re-surface. I didn't get closure because too many believe that nothing untoward happened - or perhaps that's what they want to believe. And if it does re-surface and we start hearing about what exactly did take place (in great detail) maybe then most will then view it all with the blinkers off.

Yeah, Rodgers missed a few games through concussion in that SB year ... but alliances aside, I'm more viewing this from an overall league point of view. Sometimes there is a catalyst moment and today might have been that moment. He's got full use of all his extremities but what if he'd ended up in a wheelchair? We should never wait for the worst to happen before instigating change. I'm not necessarily pointing the finger at the Bear player either ... what he did doesn't carry enough consequences so like many others, he and they will do whatever it takes. Adjust the consequences and then change happens. Leigh Matthews would have had to have changed the way he played in order to play the modern version of AFL. And of course, he would have done that and still been anointed as a champion player.