The heart beats true

Don’t know what the Tigers are complaining about. It’s just as easy to get down to Yoyo after a game at Marvel. But seriously - this will be there 7th night game on TV in 9 rounds. They’d be well advised to shut up. They have been looked after incredibly well the last few years.

To be fair I was on the Gold Coast a few weeks ago and it seems like a place where jet skis and tight perms go to die. I’d take Tassie any day.

I think, as has been said earlier, the AFL has realised that one player isn't the answer - and that structural changes behind the scenes are of more long term value . A kid from country Vic being sent to the Suns at Pick 1 is likely to leave in 3-4 years. A good CEO and some infrastructure around coaching makes much more difference - as we know. So essentially the request for a priority pick from a club publicly, when it comes, is more of a cap in hand situation. The AFL may dish one out, but you better believe it comes with some significant 'involvement' from head office. I see it more as a public mea culpa. Will be interesting for North. There's some arrogant ego's involved.

If we drop Tom McDonald and James Harmes surely that makes it easier for Gawn, Oliver and Salem to get more votes, and win the award. #demonlandfacts ?

Clearly the MRP isn’t in place to deal with the reality of the game, it’s to deal with the fallout after the games, particularly in the eyes of the media. If it’s seen more as a Public Relations tool and less as an adjudicator of the rules it begins to make more sense.

I don’t hate Huddo as he doesn’t tolerate too much blokey nonsense, and likes to call the actual play. I think ‘I don’t hate’ is the best you can hope for.

Carlton do not look fit

I was going to say ‘Happy Mother’s Day Mrs Weideman’ ?

I found the conversation they had with TMac after the game on 7 a really interesting example of what they think their role is. Tom spoke eloquently and very insightfully about the complexity of his preparation and both Ling and Darcy looked at each other in way that suggested this was all a bit high brow for the audience. I really do think they’ve been told to commentate to a grade 4 level - ‘go in harder’, ‘run faster’, ‘take a speccy!’ Surely it can’t be an accident. It’s such a shame that we have to accept such low assumptions of us as an audience. It’s pretty insulting.

The thing that I’ve really noticed over the last few weeks is the consistency in where players are. Ed Langdon is huge for this. We know he’s going to be boundary side 15 metres from every contest, and that Salem’s going to be 60 metres behind the ball. The faith that players have in them means we can move the ball with much more confidence to the outside, in ways we haven’t been able to do before. It also means we can put players like Jordan, Jackson and Pickett into stoppages to offer something different. It doesn’t have to be Oliver, Viney and Trac fighting for every ball, and if we don’t win at the coal face it’s game over. We are a much more balanced team, and are playing with much more faith in each other.

Listening to TMac talk modern footy and preparation with Ling and Darcy, and watching everything he’s saying going over their head. He’s an articulate young bloke.

I do not understand how holding the ball is a different rule in our goal square than it is everywhere else on the ground. Rampe took on Spargo and got done cold.

Max needs a bit of a rev up I reckon. Hope the boys get around him and get him going.

He’s running around in his apartment in his undies, with that other bloke called Rusty.

Richmond just have that whiff about them of only going hard when they have a point to prove. It’s the downside to sustained success.

Richmond are far too easy to score against for a team with their pedigree.

I agree. I feel like some on Demonland whip themselves into a frenzy about a player out of the side. For a while it was Vandenberg when he was injured, then over preseason everyone was Rosman crazy, and now Sparrow is the gun. His senior games have been less than average. He needs to string together more consistent games in the VFL, and then show much more at senior level.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how Richmond perform tonight under lights. This being only their 6th night game on the TV in 8 rounds. What’s that you said about equalisation AFL? It certainly doesn’t play itself out on our TV screens. ??

No, the psychological scars are enough of a momento for me thanks.

I’ve painted a few murals with Haymes paint, and it really is a very good quality product. The Port Melbourne guys are really nice and very knowledgeable.

I mean he’s playing in the 2’s in his 5th year on the list. Regardless of the circumstances (and there are a few) that’s not a great look. You have to take your shot when it comes, and Weed probably hasn’t been consistent enough at AFL level. He won’t sign with anyone else in the next 6 months, so he has that time to make the decision for everyone. I hope he nails it, as his upside is huge - but he’s currently running on potential.

Do I have to? ?

As a total aside - this is one of the worst lit photos in the history of photography. They look like 2 cardboard cut outs shot on 2 different days and superimposed onto the Docklands at the incorrect scale. It’s so bad it can only be real, as anybody trying to fake it would think ‘nah, that looks [censored]’.

It’s actually interesting because I think this might be our first look at what the team trained over the last 6 months - Weed and Brown forward and TMac on a wing. If nothing else I’m intrigued to see it in action. Weed in for Fritta, Petty for Thommo. Our backline still looks strong. The hardest loss to cover is actually Viney, as with him in the middle Trac could play more of Frittas role. It might be we bring in Harmes for that very reason. For him to be the defensive mid, and for Trac to be the more mobile forward option. I also don’t mind Harmes playing as that mobile forward and swapping on ball with Trac either. I think I’ve talked myself into it.

Weeds gets his shot. I don’t mind our flexibility then. Tommy was great behind the ball after half time on the weekend. So can go either way if needed.