Lucifers Hero

Couldn't agree more. @WalkingCivilWar you have such a great command of our wonderful language I would like to see it a lot more in your posts, rather than the slang. The slang can be amusing at times but can't say I'm a fan of it as a substitute for English. Hate to think what @Demonstonemakes of it!

Some DA OG's are confused. This is only the seventh ANZAC Eve game. My experience has been that everyone stops for the minute silence and last post, wherever they are in the stadium. So people can arrive at the gates during the ceremony and know they can get in after a minute or two.

I get not letting people into the seated areas but locking the gates to keep them out of the concourse sounds a bit OTT. Wouldn't the club details say gates are locked to forewarn? Anyway, I hope gate security has their riot gear handy!!

Are you sure gates are closed and not just lights out from 6.55? Could be lots of angry people queuing to get in after 6.55 if gates are closed - afterall it is a work day and people will be coming from all over Melbourrne.

With a very different draw last year. Teams played twice: Finalists: Cats (GF), Lions (PF), Swans(GF), Freo (SF) and Hawks. All played at least once in the second half and Swans twice in the second half. This year's double games: Lions, Suns, Hawks, North, Tiges and Carlton. Now the fixture shouldn't make that much difference but sadly it does. Finish low and get rewarded: Saints 2022/23. Finish high get penalised: Freo 2022/2023. But the Saints are a much better team this year. Wouldn't underestimate them.

Club email suggests: Seated by 6.40 Torches on at 6.55 when MCG lights go out Ceremony from 6.55 to 7.10 Game starts at 7.25 Don't think you can be 'too early'. Expect long queues at entry gates.

Just in case folks haven't noticed, Richmond is third bottom on the ladder. It will be beyond embarrassing if we we lose, which we won't. The danger is Dusty if he decides to put on one of his Big Game performances. But it is a long time since those heady days of 2020 for him. A win to maintain our % will be just fine: 3 to 6 goals.

With his last contract (2021?) we had little choice. There had been no trade interest in 2020. He was on massive $, money we need to re-sign Salem, Petracca, Oliver so had to spread his $ across more years. Hence we have him until 2024. To be fair to him he obliged re-negotiating that contract to help the club and was an important part of our premiership. If you mean the previous contract for the big $ it was at a time when he had lots of suitors, was playing extremely well, was an FA and we needed him. There was no May or Lever back then. Many contracts will look poor towards the end of playing careers; maybe the long term ones to the likes of Oliver, Petracca, Brayshaw, Salem especially if they are back ended.

Freo also have North's second round AFL compensaltion pick which (I think) comes after North's natural second round pick which is held by Adelaide. Currently Freo's pick is #23

Hang on, there! A good win today will have us 3rd on the ladder at the end of the round, with a good % lead and our fixture opening up. Even if we lose today, the next month or so will give us a good chance for a top four position at EOS especially as most teams are like a yo-yo: WLWLWL. Only a few have won more than 2 in a row. There is a very good chance we will be 10:3 at the bye - about the same as last year. The danger in this game is if Dusty decides to put in one of his Big Game performances. But, I reckon we will win today.🙃

They have played and won two of the double up games (GCS and Carlton). Even if we count Lions games as losses that leaves eight very winnable games giving them a total of 13 wins at EOS. They will most likely win a few others especially when their better players return and they are yet to play the Eagles. Agree they will be nudging top 4. As an side, I'm not fond of the Saints but they are far from my most disliked team. If we don't win the premiership I'm ok if they do.

Google let me down!

I had the same reaction. The metric system came in in 1966. Not sure where daisy has been for nearly 50 years...🤔 or he has an odd definition of 'woke'.

Rance's MO was a running leap with knees into the back of players - didn't he take Spencer out a few years ago? I don't think there is a 'safe' place for Max. He will be targetted anywhere and everywhere on the field and anywhere on his body; even by small players. The best we can do is to manage him from non-critical games in his later years.

Sydney's GF team was a relatively young side and are probably feeling the affects of a short off season. Add the injury list to that young side and it will be difficult to back up each week. So far Sydney is a replica of our 2018/2019 seasons. We had a young team in the 2018 prelim team, followed by short off season (only one week extra than Syd) followed by injuries in 2019 and we slid down the ladder. Geelong are a hardened team and even they started slowly.

Maybe they are allowed to do non-contact training after a week of rest.

OOC this year. If he leaves Port WCE would be the most likely. He is from WA and WCE tried to get him as part of the first Rioli deal but was in contract and Port wouldn't trade him.

Given the emergencies, I reckon Oliver is right to play. If he was doubtful, Harmes would be a better bet than Dunstan, as the most likely of the emergencies, to replace Oliver. I know Harmes wasn't named in the squad but neither was Schache. Today's Casey game should give a good indication as to who the sub will be.

Good to see Jordon in the 22. An interesting group to choose a new sub from: Laurie, Schache, Dunstan, D. Turner...

Geelong??😉

Unlikely, of the remaining 18 games they have only 6 against current bottom 7 sides. 2 * GCS 1 * GWS 1 * Rich 1 * Hawks 1 * WCE And they have already played Hawks and WCE; two of their double up teams. Other double ups: Ess, Saints, GCS. With the rise of Ess and Saints (to play them twice) what looked like an easyish draw now looks much more challenging.

Easier said than done. Our contract with MCC is for 9 Home MCG games. I believe Collingwood and Richmond have a higher number of Home games at the G. We get a 10th at the G to offset the loss of Alice for members. We get a couple of 'extras' at the G by playing 'Away' games vs other MCG tennants: 2 'extra' in 2023 If we bring Alice back home we lose the offset game. To play more games in Victoria would mean playing more at Marvel. By my reckoning the sum of these is why we play at the Cattery each year. To play those interstate games at the G means mediocre crowds at best. We aren't going to get more than one maybe two repeat games at the G against the big clubs. Very tricky for the club to balance all these. Anytime, anyone, anywhere!

And we got Jefferson.

And we have our 2024 first and second (altho there are some limitations to using both).

Round 6: Prelimanry 'What they are saying at Freo' Summed up by this post: So...umm...where is this "list" that is supposedly good enough? Seems like we need another draft or two to set us up in the long run. Whoops, we spent it on a jack of all trades: Competent in none. Oh but sure, we can trade forwards in from other clubs.....except we're not a destination and have to pay a premium tax as a non-destination club with no prime time slots and we have no [censored]ing capital to trade. And who the [censored] thought Pearce was a captain?!? He's struggling to hold his spot in the side. F.R.O. It's just an endless cycle of abuse. /rant Other Notable comments: Just imagine the melts when Melbourne walk away with our #3 draft pick. I stand by the Hogan trade ruined the rebuild. Thank christ. After a 6 year rebuild I was really worried we would play finals 2 seasons in a row. It’s ok we are the number one handball team in the league though. 🤯 …the players are ******* confused and doing whatever with no leadership Everything was going swimmingly until we named our new Captain and it's been ******* nothing but s**t ever since!!! You could realistically say every single player we brought in is worse than the 1 who left I'm going to enjoy the ride. Another dockery story to tell my grandkids. The time we got ahead of ourselves and gave away all our draft picks for a unicorn. Heading to Brissie next week, can’t wait ☹️ It’s confirmed. We’re just making up the numbers Bring back Chris conoly .. at least we used to kick multiple goals in a row. I cannot tell you how irrationally mad I am about giving away our first pick this year. Why the * did we sell Lobb, Logue, Acres, Meek and ultimately replace them with an overage midfielder and a second ruckman. How the hell does that work? Bell is gone. Dale Alcock is a crock and would gladly for him to go. Garlick. Meh. List management will always be the kypronite of this club. My Favourite: 4ft no neck Bell who stands there with no friends but his ego, you are cancer: OUT