Big Col

I love it when we play Port Melbourne because I get to sing "Grand Old Flag" no matter the result.

I think we must be loading

Re Oliver and 'check with the AFL' I think this is about the rules regarding interchange for the official practice matches. Maybe we want to give Clarry half a game - as well as Salem - so would want an extended interchange bench?

With the AFLW team win over WCE, the Demons remain top of the McLelland Trophy, clear of Brisbane by 4pts. There are 3 more AFLW games to go, and if Mel and Bne keep winning in rds 8 and 9, the final round between the two teams will decide the $1m. I can't seem to find a ladder anywhere though - I've just calculated in my head.

I've often thought that the bottom 6 will get you to a Prelim, but it's the top 6 that will actually get you the chocolates once you're there.

Grundy was actually pretty good for us in the first part of the season when Max went down.

In so many ways RDB was a legend - from his playing days to an amazing coaching record. I'm sure we'll hear all about it over the next week or so. But here's my take on RDB memories (I'm born 1968 so never saw him play). 1/ The passion. Whether it was finger pointing or screaming down a phone - contemporary coaches like Clarkson or Scott have nothing on RDB. At his peak as a coach he was brutal. 2/ The fashion. Often a suit with no tie but always full of colour. Check out the photos from North's win in 1975 and try tell me the man had no class. 3/ The ration (OK, I only wrote that cos it rhymes - I meant 'innovation'). It's a well-known trope that RDB 'introduced handball to the game at half time of the 1970 GF' but regardless he was perfectionist who had an understanding of the 'one-percenter' long before it was a statistic. Robbie Flower wrote in his autobiography about how RDB had made all the players think about the little things. eg how was your bootlace tied? (a badly tied bootlace could cause a kick to go awry etc). RIPRDB

both of them? [actually I agree with you. happy to see GWS have success]

Includes finals. eg Last year we had pick 15 (Jefferson) yet finished 2nd. EDIT: MY bad, pick #15 was part of the trade for jackson, but I know I'm right on this issue

Ha. No-one has mentioned that GWS beating Port, puts us at 6th, instead of 5th and improves our draft hand by one spot. That's enough to barack for the Giants (and my daughter likes their song)

6 Gawn 5 Trac 4 Clarry 3 Sparrow 2 May 1 Pickett

I want to know, Collingwood, have you ever seen the rain?

I actually think the first round of finals should be 1v3 and 2v4. If the higher teams win then the prelims become 1v4 and 2v3. The way it runs now, prelims are more skewered towards 1v3 and 2v4

I meant that our 2nd round pick will slip to 38 because other clubs will receive compensation for free agents, pushing our pick back - not that we would receive pick 38 for free agents.

Oh ye of little faith!

Pick 4 is 2034 points If we traded: 19 (after winning the premiership and allowing for Mackay free agent comp) 25 (rd 2 from freo assuming only one FA before then) 38 (2nd round pick assuming 2 FAs) we'd be 72 points short, which a future 3rd round might cover. Of course we'd then have to rely on whatever trade value we got from any players traded plus free agents to get our 3rd pick or our 2nd and 3rd pick if we traded for #1 4 and 5 OR 5 and 6 are worth more than #1 so we'd get some change back from WCE if we went that way. I'd think they might take it. Of course if we bomb out in the finals our hand is stronger but let's not think of that now.

haha. I always list my votes without referencing any stats or anybody else. I honestly forgot about Fritter until I'd submitted my votes and then went 'doh' after i saw everyone else.

6 Trac 5 ANB 4 Brayshaw 3 Viney 2 Langdon 1 Hunter

I want us to win as many games as we can, and finish as high as we can, but finishing 4th means 2 finals (at least) at the MCG! (assuming Coll still finishes top)

6 Lever 5 Rivers 4 Langdon 3 Melksham 2 Neale-Bullen 1 McVee

Would love the Roos to get up. 1/ ensure west coast get pick #1, who are more likely than Nth to trade for #1 2/ undermine their argument for a priority pick in the first round (ie before our first pick) 3/ reduce the incentive for WC to tank against FREO if they know they'll still get pick #1

Death caps?

feel the same. there were always 2 teams to support each week; the Demons and whoever was playing Freo

Would have been nice to have got that percentage booster we needed, but the boys got the job done after a slow start. Hope Petty is OK. He was looking good before going off. A Freo win, despite the death riding, would top off the weekend.

You're saying we should keep out of Harmes way?