Big Col

Ess were only 6W/5L at Rd11 (now at 7W/5L). Every Premier in the last 10 years was at least 7W/4L at Rd11. I think we're still in with a shot this year and while I was the most despondent after a win I've ever been after Friday night, I feel better now. The Flag is wide open.

Where the Premiers were placed after Rd11 in the last 10 years: 2022 6th 2021 1st 2020 6th 2019 6th 2018 1st 2017 5th 2016 4th 2015 6th 2014 2nd 2013 2nd Only us in 2021 and WCE in 2018 were top of the ladder at Rd 11 and 4 of the premiers were placed 6th.

Lever was back to intercepting form, and, as many have been saying on DL for ages, because he was not trying to be a lock-down defender.

6 Trac 5 May 4 Lever 3 Langdon 2 JVR 1 Hunter

I'd rather be the team that finally snuffed out their belief.

I can attest that cockburn is not very pleasant

I won't boo, but I will cheer extra loudly at a dropped mark or missed goal.

Unfortunately you need to charge some fee to enforce attendance. Something in the $10-$20 range seems reasonable. A system whereby those with reserved seats could sell them to other members (with the club taking a cut) would be awesome. eg You have a reserved seat but can't attend, you place the availability on a club website and sell it for a previous determined and reasonable set price. Another member buys it and the club takes 25% commision. All spare seats booked, none wasted, and club makes cash.

There is a recency bias about the H&A season and winning the premiership. The last 2 premiers finished top and won. The premiers in the preceding seven years weren't the top team after H&A. (Of course, Top 4 is vital with only the Bulldogs in 2016 and the Crows in 1998) We need to be in the best shape and in the top 4 come September. That's all that counts.

Oh FFS. If Hunter had fallen forward over the top of Rozee, he might have got a free for having his legs taken out. That's whatb players will do.

Let’s catch up next game (or this if your going tonight) then! I’m in an Uber on the way there now (too wet to walk)

We need a dedicated Reserves comp and separate VFL, that isn't the hybrid mess of competing interests we have now. We could have double header reserves games on Sundays at venues like Vic Park, Princes Park and other good metro stadiums that DJ mentions, with extended Interchange benches to maximise flexibility for AFL listed players. Meanwhile the VFL becomes a genuine and fairer second tier comp where all clubs are trying to win as their first priority and not just 'develop' players or 'give a run to a returning star'. I remember watching the 2015 VFL grand final with Cyril Rioli playing after returning from injury. They took him (the best player on the field) off at 3/4 time so as not to risk injury for the AFL Grand Final the next week. I could also go back to supporting the Boroughs instead of the conflict I have now.

I'll probably head to the Vic Hotel in Brunswick. The owner/manager is a Dees fan. they have a big screen and multiple TVs with lots of room to watch. Standard pub fare on offer.

The Greatest Of All Time

I think the AFL should re-introduce a separate reserves comp and allow the VFL standalones to be in their own competition. If the 10 Vic teams (or 10 + Syd, GWS, Bne & GCS) had their own dedicated Reserves comp, they could schedule all the games on Sundays to maximise the flexibility of emergency and sub players and you could have an extended bench so it was possible to give players shorter game times (perhaps a player returning from long term injury or a player who played 10 mins in the seniors the day before and you want to give them a bit more time).

6 Viney 5 Trac 4 Rivers 3 Oliver 2 Langdon 1 Brayshaw

I don't know, but not in this game. Do you mean 50 in a half? That would be Rd 7 vs Essendon, two weeks ago.

Should come up with a decision soon ...

Harmes for sub IMHO. With the VFL the game before the seniors, are players withheld in case of an injury during warm-up? Perhaps one of the other emergencies get pulled out of the VFL game at half-time in case we end up needing them as a sub, and the player who was supposed to be sub, gets promoted?

With 20 teams could you have 2 divisions of 10 with promotion and relegation? *18 H&A plus another 5 games against teams in the other division (ensuring there's always a crosstown game eg Crows vs Power and other 'traditional' games) * Final 5 in Div 1 and Final 4 in Div 2 with Div 2 finalists playing off against the lowly Div 1 teams for promotion/relegation (eg 2nd in Div 2 plays vs 9th in Div 1, 3rd in Div2 vs 8th Div 1, 4th vs 7th, with the respective premiers and wooden spooners promoted/relegated automatically). The promotion/relegation games at the end of the season would be huge. * Div 1 teams have higher salary caps/lists allowing for the better players to move there. Highest draft picks go the newly promoted team(s). eg winner of Div 2, gets #1 pick. wooden spooner in Div 1 gets #20 (and is relegated).

A 19 team competition fixture can work if you do away with the concept of 'rounds' and have more mid-week games and more erratic breaks between matches. Season length could still be 23 games - or any other length. eg Season opens on a Wed night as Carl vs RICH Between Thur and Sun, there are 8 games between 16 of the other teams On Monday night Carl plays the remaining team, say StK 2 nights later on Wed night, Rich plays one of the teams that played on Thur (say Coll) and so on, with StK playing Sunday and Rich playing the Monday night game. If you run games Wed-Mon and are prepared for lots of 5 day breaks, it could work. Perhaps it could also be coupled with a reduction in playing times (17.5 mins) and extended benches to make it more tolerable for players. I'm not really proposing this, just answering about how it could work with 19 teams.

I want to see a replay. Did that really happen?

May was back in form after the caning he got in the media this week

Tigers first pick goes to GWS so they won't be tanking

I'm in the multiple picks within top 10 category rather than the all-in for #1. Here's an experiment I did looking at drafts since 2012. Yes, lots of flaws in my methodology and on any given year your picks could bust, but here goes... Would you rather have pick #1 and #40 or #4 and #10? (3429 draft points) #1 picks Most of these are pretty good players - in particular Walsh and Rayner atm. #40s Tom Stewart is the standout with Neale-Bullen the next best. Most have been delisted after less than 50 games or are only just starting their careers. #4 and #10 Imagine a team with Bontempelli, Oliver and Daicos kicking it to Coleman medallist Mckay or maybe Max King? LDU is having a breakout season this year and Tom Green is pretty handy. Phillipou is on track for a rising star nom this year. And to top it off, this team could be captained by Jimmy Toumpass /s