Macca

Looking at 400 with that start and the long batting order ... but alas, we're only up to 9/317 which doesn't feel like it's enough considering we were 3/183 at one stage We won the first 2 sessions yesterday but England won the last session well to just shade the Aussies on the day (IMV)

Generally, I tend to ignore the grandstanders in the media but the stuff said about Grundy and what might happen to him has been hysterical and way over the top There hasn't been a voice of reason until Goodwin spoke ... and Goodwin probably didn't think he needed to explain the reasoning So a player loses his spot to give the team a better chance of winning (and improving) ... and improve even more when said player returns. A footy move We've created a situation where Gawn has returned to his best straight away and we try out the Brown/JVR duo knowing that Grundy will almost certainly replace one of Brown or JVR sooner or later (IMV) The red-herring will be a situation where both Brown & JVR both stand out and play very well over the next couple/few weeks What are the chances? Even if that happens, it's a great problem to have It's all about the team so Grundy has to sit out for a bit

I'm more surprised with the ex-players They know how clubs operate and they know that sometimes a good player misses out They also know that the good player will return sooner or later

A tankathon ... in plain sight!

So if we're working on 30 minute quarters (roughly) .... Neither plays in the forward line for the other 10 minutes? 5 minutes each on the bench per quarter with the other 15 minutes each quarter as the ruckman? That would make it about 83% game time for both players Unless we drop one ruckman back periodically ... that might be needed in a tight finish. One back, one forward Grundy might be back in the seniors quicker than we thought if we want to get to work on that plan. Or at least practice it What's holding it back is that neither player has impacted forward (yet) so Grundy goes back to the 2's to practice forward craft for a bit So if the above is true why the drama from the media and from the former players? We're just making a football move and it's nothing personal

HF Melksham Redleg Kozzie (we're in need of a CHF)

@grazman @dl4e So my planned raindance not needed then going by the forecast! Phew!! Davey lucky but I wish him well Actually, the last time I said that here was for Mitch Marsh ... duly went on to blast a ton

The whole team was 'crook' that day mono Although Jordie Mac did pick up 25 possessions!

So give us an idea about the deal that could be made, bub I'd keep both anyway because I reckon that the contracts keeps them with us and they might be able to get their bodies right and provide value Make the best of it

Who would want either of them? But both could provide value to us anyway Follow the money bub

Reality was different ... promises are never locked in as a player still has to perform I only ever saw Preuss as a back up regardless of what was said ... with Grundy, it's a completely different conversation

@dazzledavey36 Wasn't Preuss brought in as pure back-up? ... he only played 10 games over 2 seasons In the end, I recall that we got pick 31 from GWS for Preuss Later on we traded for Ben Brown with a pick around the same mark (we got pick 28 from North and North got picks 26 & 33 ... plus a swap of 4th rounders I call that some shrewd trading As for Grundy, he's not going anywhere as he'll eventually be the main ruckman with Gawn being retired (all things being equal) In other words, if Grundy is somehow traded out we're going to have to trade in or develop another ruckman anyway Why do all that when he's our player? All we have to do is hold to the contract

T-Mac & Brown are contracted for next season ... would they both be on at least $400k in their last year? If so, I can't see either player walking away from the money. What's their future income? With all the long term contracts in the AFL these days, we're going to see more and more players done before their contracts run out But clubs will factor that into their TPP's as a bit of a necessity ... a way out of it is to front-end contracts and that might be the case with Brown & T-Mac In overseas sports, it's a common occurance especially when the money is guaranteed (as it is in the AFL)

Fair enough I quite like the sport (NRL) and find it to be fast moving game and easy on the eyes. Highly skilful As previously stated, I know quite a few who also like the sport. And they are all AFL die-hards Different circles but Rugby League is very popular despite not everyone liking the sport There again, I also like the World game, Union and NFL as well ... there's not many sports I don't like but white ball cricket bores me to tears Each to their own

I'm with grazman on Murphy ... if we get another road he'll get tonked

The play-in game would aid the teams finishing 5th & 6th as they'd get a week off over the teams below them as well as the home ground advantage But given the history of the final 8, there's barely a team outside of the top 4 that has made the GF The key element is winning the QF with the current set-up

Packer described RL as the ideal TV sport where as our game is much better live (when there's only a small amount of congestion) Over a decade ago Foxtel (or maybe Optus) had a function where you could watch AFL on wide angle with only the crowd noise ... it was very good but took a bit of getting used to NFL is ideal for TV as well but wide angle would work better so as we could keep an eye on the WR's

@grazman @dl4e The word around the traps is that Warner will play and that Green may miss out if Murphy stays Hazlewood to replace Boland

Ok then ... an electrifying evening!!

Seen the last broadcast rights money? Enormous and in the $Billions. Actually over $2Billion over the next 5 years And it's dying? If you're talking about crowd numbers, they've never been big RL aren't as obsessed with crowd numbers as we are in the AFL Most people I know have gone from never watching the NRL to watching quite a lot of RL ... with peak interest with Origin games. And nearly all Melbournians You'd never know it on this site but this is a Demons site with all things AFL being front & centre

The players in general and therefore the clubs would prefer the weekend off but the punters? I believe the weekend off gives a free kick to the NRL A better idea would be for the weekend off to be a celebration of football Under 18 championships, All the GF's ... WAFL, SANFL, VFL. Country & Suburban finals and the AFLW What we get now is not very much and as previously stated, the supporters in general do not like it

If we didn't have the weekend off (as it is now) then I'd be ambiguous about the play-in games but the weekend off leaves a big void and I don't know anyone who likes it (the weekend off) But I see the 2 extra games as not being harmful. And if we happened to finish 9th or 10th one year we'd all be in on the play-in I can't imagine anyone protesting against their team being in a play-in game So we might not like it but we'd still support it! haha

Might be working late but a chance if I get off early Sounds like it will be a good evening!

Knowing my luck there will be breaking news on Thursday involving some sort of AFL betting scandal on Demon games If that happens I will exit the joint never to be heard of again. I will completely disappear, Gonzo (You'll have to run the NFL tipping comp)

And with our backline up and going (May, Lever, McVee, Rivers, Bowey, Salem along with a fit Petty and a fit Hibberd) Brayshaw can just play as a pure midfielder With Petracca forward as well as playing some midfield minutes (or in his old role as a HHF?) One fit and firing KPF might be enough once Fritsch returns. Melksham & Petracca the other medium forwards along with Kozzie and another small A bit like Collingwood's forward line with the mediums? The form of Melksham suddenly adds a lot more options We'll play 2 KPF's but one might be used to draw defenders to a pocket or as used as some sort of decoy With the right set-up we've got weapons everywhere, layz Not forgetting the return of Clarrie Exciting times ahead