Lucifers Hero

Like you I'm not all that interested in social facilities but the training and staffing facilities interest me a lot.

I believe they are required to quarantine at home for 14 days, except training and games. Last week a Freo coach was stood down for leaving home several times last week.

Thank you. The club didn't announce a new facility as Tom Browne forecast. And while I appreciate the reporting by @Gougaand @daisycutter, if correct why wouldn't the club say such. Happily to await more info from the club to say it is more than a bigger paddock.

Seriously? I can't see how a bigger paddock helps us catch up on all the clubs with massive facilities, many of which are planning government funded expansions. A bigger oval is barely a fraction of the New Facilities the club has been talking about for the last 4-5 years. At least give us a time line to deliver the rest but to leave it at 'a slightly bigger Gosch', is underwhelming.

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The article didn't say but I assumed 6/7/8 August. Either way we can get to see Adelaide game at the G.

Well I hope the rest of the adult population is as diligent as your good self, od. The Qld CHO is not softening her stance on AZ and 'younger' people. Terrible advice without context on risks for and against ,especially as the ATAGI is supporting it in NSW because risks have increased. Terrible leadership. Comes across as having drawn a line she (rather stubbornly in my book) is going to stick to it. She only needs to look across the border at the number of under 60 yo who have died or are in hospital.

Wondering where you saw that info? Unless I've missed something, our staff will still be spit between AAMI (football) and the MCG (admin) , no change in our training facilities in the near future and our coaching and support staff will still need to lug all the equipment across Swan Street and back again. The improved training Pert talks about seems to be about drills etc. I would be more excited if there was a time line for when the elements you mention will be achieved, not just a bigger oval but not MCG width. Sorry to put a bit of a dampener on this news but until the overall plan is spelt out with a timeline this is a bit 'meh'.

From The AGE: "Martin Pakula, speaking to reporters this morning, said Premier Daniel Andrews had already indicated the grand final would be played in Victoria at the MCG.... “There’s a lot of work to do. We’ve got effectively about eight weeks ’til the grand final now … so we’ve got a little bit of time, but it’s creeping up on us.” He said it was safe to predict that the crowd measures at AFL games going forward would be “different” than it was previously, but “it is possible” crowds will return next weekend."

It is being reported that Shane Warne has tested positive in London. He has had both Pfizer shots. A reminder that no-one is 'safe'. And no vaccine is fool proof. Not that anyone claims they are. I just hope Warne is ok and that it encourages people to go and get any approved vaccine. It is the only protection there is.

They could drop a game and still make the GF... I don't have the Bulldogs in the GF. If our mojo stays I reckon it is us vs Geelong or Sydney. If not us Geelong vs Sydney.

Certainly a 'Bradbury' year for 8th spot. 11.5 or 12 games will do it. Whichever team it is, will just be making up the numbers, except maybe Richmond. After the Hawks defeat of the Lions I give them a big chance vs Bulldogs. The game is in Launceston and Clarkson has something to prove. He will want as many scalps as he can get and won't give a damn about ladder position and high draft picks. With the fixture change to the GCS game I would be quite happy to play our final game vs Geelong on the Sunday after other top team results are known. Three 8pt games for top 8 sides, for the AFL to choose from for Fri and Sat night. A Sunday game will give us a 7 day break after back to back 6 day breaks. All of Geelong games are now at GMHBA. Hope that lulls them into a false sense of security re their form and we knock them over in round 23.

After reading this /flight-va9009-the-untold-story-of-melbourne-s-round-20-adventure where we spent about 8 hours on the plane/tarmac and watching this video with Max sounding flat and talking of them being tired https://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/990801/rd-20-dees-on-a-plane?videoId=990801&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1627717521001 makes me less optimistic about today. Still think we will win but was hoping for a really convincing win. Hopefully, the shock move south for GCS affects them more.

We have had a few games in the last two years where after a poor game/loss we have rebounded. Not sure why you say 'never the Dees'. The Eagles have made an art form of rebounding from east coast losses then win at home this year. Each game may be a 'separate entity' but don't underestimate what wounded pride can do when a team is back on its own turf. Yes, couldn't make much sense of your last para...

Coll upset of Eagles brewing ? So hope Eagles win - last thing I want is to play them at Optus on the rebound after being humiliated on the east coast again.

Clarke and Morris are guessing about the timing of the game! Off to lunch, sans MFC/GCS game afterwards. Will relax and wait till the dust settles.

In Perth and fly GCS out tonight? I guess all options are being worked thru.

I suspect the AFL is working very hard to shift todays 4.15 pm Pies vs Eagles game to tonight to ensure there is a Sat night time game. Too late to shift other games.

One report says the AFL will cancel the pre-finals bye and schedule byes over the next 4 weeks. If correct our bye is this weekend. Same for other finals contenders: Swans, Port, GWS, Ess. Look on the bright side: we play Eagles without a full game today in the mid-aft sun. Give the sore players a chance to freshen up. And we get into Perth at a civilised hour rather than 1.00am. Lads can be tucked up in their little beds nice and early! We have 30 players on the plane. Play a 15-a-side scratch match tomorrow to keep some touch and match fitness. I would much prefer rolling byes for the next 4 weeks than the a condensed fixture into 3 weeks like last year. We have already played on a 5 day break so won't get another one. We will be fine.

The emergencies: Hibberd, Melksham, Weideman and Jordon have not been named for Casey. Nor has AVB, Chandler, J.Smith or Daw. So unless there are some mystery injuries/omissions we are travelling with a squad of 30 players. Plenty of opportunity to rotate selections and manage players as needed. I really hope we take that opportunity.

What I find really distasteful is this is just one week after Clarkson made what looked like a sincere and impassioned declaration of his loyalty. There may have been an element of: I've got my principles so I'm not going to walk the plank. If you want me gone you have to push me. If so good on him for not letting them hide behind some smokescreen. Whoever initiated this weeks player meeting with Reeves and Vandenberg could have waited a few weeks to the end of the season and given Clarkson some sort of dignified exit. The Board could have said to the players: we hear you but lets see how it goes for the next month. Couldn't wait to EOS. Instead they have hurriedly pulled down the architect of their success for no apparent good reason. Thrown his loyalty back in his face. Shameful by all concerned.

If it was the other way ie supporting Clarkson he botched it. If he was asked by management for the positives and negatives, he misjudged the agendas very badly and or didn't do a very good job of selling the positives. Without yet knowing the ins and outs, it seems that Reeves and Vandenberg were ready and waiting for a reason to bring down the guillotine. McEvoy didn't read the tea leaves.

The Age: "Captain Ben McEvoy was one player who told senior staff that the situation was impacting on the playing group". Clarkson plucked McEvoy from a career potentially slogging away at the saints. He has two 2 premiership medals on the back of Clarkson and a handy group of champion players. Clarkson made him captain. I wonder how he and the other senior players spend their '30 pieces of silver'!

Up to pick 20 doesn't make sense. In the first round ie pick 18 with no F/S or whatever seems fairer (or whatever it ends up being with F/S. Pick 20 is just another way giving the bottom 2 teams priority over top talent.

Gobsmacked, after his impassioned commitment a mere week ago. "The decision was reached on Thursday after a meeting between the Hawthorn board and Clarkson’s management in which the two parties agreed that the coach would receive a full payout. The arranged marriage between Clarkson and Sam Mitchell was further-eroded earlier this week when a group of senior players confided to club bosses that the situation was proving untenable". Senior players. WOW. Machiavelli would have been proud of how it has all played out!! Terrible way to treat a 4 time premiership coach. Hope it comes back to bite them for decades to come.