WhateverItTakes

Goal umpires do their best not be in the field of play (for example, going to the right hand post when the ball is being contested on the left hand side), and are instructed on how to do so (being on the short side when the ball is being kicked in is one way), but sometimes Murphy's Law just doesn't have it that way. If the goal umpire is ever in the field of play, trust me, it is not on purpose! Ribs have been broken by regional goal umpires being accidentally slammed up against goal posts by players twice their size. If the ball hits the goal umpire, and then goes over the line, the goal/behind stands. If the ball hits the goal umpire, and goes back into the play without crossing the line, then the ball is still in play. In this situation, the ball hit the umpire, it was still in play, then the Freo player took the ball over the line, hence the touched decision. In all honesty, I think this was a case of the player being uniformed and did not warrant the review system. As said previously, this is a massive win for Richmond - they have managed to make everyone think they were robbed, when really they just weren't good enough. Unlucky, yes, but not robbed.

As a goal umpire in the NT, I completely agree with everything titan is saying. To be able to see if the ball has crossed the line fully, the best position is to straddle. Sure, we could stand behind the line and arch our necks to the point of imbalance, but it just wouldn't be natural, causing even more mistakes and goal umpires becoming more and more uncertain of their decisions. What annoys me about the situtation in Richmond vs. Fremantle game is that over 200 games of AFL are played yearly, and this is the first time this has been an issue to the point of "costing" the team a win (but we could also argue this point). With the Byrnes goal from the GWS game, Chelsea clearly stated that she thought it was a goal and was going to call it so until the field umpire ran in from however far out to reverse her decision. Because the two could not come to an agreement, it went to review. IMO the fieldy was in the wrong here. For goodness sakes, she was ON TOP OF THE BALL.

http://www.change.org/start-a-petition?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GST_USER_AUST1_SCHT1_create_petition Here's a good place for someone to start an online petition. I would do it, but don't think I could be as effective with my words as some of you!

We went on a walk through a part of Kakadu a few weeks ago. It was about 37oC, with humidity of around 70%. Also, we saw a family of wild pigs and a crocodile. With the Wet Season well and truly here, and Kakadu being comprised of a lot of flood plains, I hope their walk is somewhat elevated. The crocs only multiply during the wet as the water levels rise, so I also hope they have a gun (or at least the sense to stay away from water's edge).

I had a great time being water girl last year, and would have tried playing this year. However, I now live in Darwin. Sorry fellas!

Third week in a row he has done that.

...and they've gained some colour!

I remember there was a banner competition held a few years ago at the MCG, and that the club specifically gave supporters dimensions (I think it was the 1.6m that the media spoke of?) to make sure no one couldn't have their banner seen. It's a shame they didn't re-iterate the "rules" before the GWS game. Really, if they are to have regulations on banners then they should be more publicly available.

Subconscious is a funny thing. Maybe we should build us some androids?

Nothing is impossible, right? RIGHT?

Isn't it nice that we don't have to play Geelong, Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton, Hawks, Sydney and West Coast again?

I'm on a cloud today.. floating around with a peaceful mind and a big stupid grin on my face. Last night, during the 4th, I was a crumpled ball on the ground in front of the telly with no energy left in me from the jumping, the screaming.. until the final siren went, and I continued my rampage of ecstasy on the living room. What a game. And I fly down to Melbourne next week for QB. Bring it on!!

Dangerfield and Jonathon Brown for me.

Thanks for another great post WJ. I too have a good feeling about this game. Team (on paper) looks better than it has all year! Being in Darwin, I could be going to see WB vs GC tonight for a bit of fun, but have decided to stay home to watch the game. I hope it works out! GO DEES :D

The Kardashians Masterchef The pain in my left side

Jeez Jeff really had a day out today, didn't he?

There's a guy at my work (who supposedly goes for Essendon.. when they're winning), who has made quite an open statement to everyone about not talking to me about the footy in the last couple of weeks, knowing how passionate I am. He thinks he is respecting me.

I had a dream 2 years ago that it was 2012 and the world was ending all around us. Meteors were dropping, as well as bombs, but there were fireworks coming from the 'G. Red and Blue ones. And all the Melbourne supporters left standing were all running across the footbridge in amid the decapitating city that was Melbourne to get to the 'G and watch the Grand Final, which we were winning. Why we weren't all there for the beginning of the game is beyond me (transport troubles due to the chaos of the world ending, maybe?), but by goodness none of us were going to miss that win.

And there's nothing wrong with that! As long as they don't end up on Centrelink drinking their payments away...

When was the last time we played the Dogs at the G? The last I remember is the game where we came back from being about 40 points down, and White got us in front with a goal from the 50m line. Edit: 2010. When the umpires wore pink, clashing with us. Lost by 4 points. I was holidaying in the USA at the time - almost thankfully.

After some research (thanks Wiki) I saw that in Clarkson's first year, 2005, Hawks came 14th. They won their last four games of 2006 to finish 11th. Made the Semi-Finals in 2007 after finishing 4th and then, of course, were Premiers against Geelong in 2008. Give Neeld an extension now. It's a long road, but we'll all be here every step of the way. GO DEES

One way to get the kids more interested is to have more opportunities for them to interact with the players. DeeTV having a kid reporter is a good start. It would be a good way for kids to be able to fight back in the playground. When a Dawks supporter says "we're winning all our games", the Dees kid could turn around and say "yeah, but I got a birthday card from Colin Sylva". I know a lot of clubs do something like this, but maybe the club can think of a unique way to make the kids feel more connected with the players.

I'm not the only one 3031! The best we can do is band together. Tell the kids it'll be alright. Just teach them to love footy, and they'll come good.

Dad (finally realising we were old enough not to be annoying) took us to our first game at the G when I was 10. 1997. I fell in love with the G and the Dees that day, even though we got absolutely trumped by Adelaide. Over the next few years, I would travel down (2 hours away) to more and more games, until eventually I would be giving up social weekends with high school friends to see the footy. Sure, I was bullied by more fairweather fans when we were down, but I never really cared, because I knew I belonged at the G, barracking for Melbourne. Kids these days can be very impatient and are always jumping on the next big thing, whether it be technological, a footy team, or otherwise. This is what is driving them away from Melbourne, not the parents who can't convince them to stay. In the meantime, when I have my own army, they'll be dressed in red and blue from day one and, as they get older, the message will be clear... "If you want to go to the games, you need to go with us. And we only go to Melbourne games.". That's how my dad convinced my ex-Fitzroy supporting brother when he was considering Brisbane after the merge.

Games against Richmond are often strange. Remember the 7 point loss last year? I came out of that laughing - I had nfi what I had just seen, but it wasn't short of a spectacle.