Diamond_Jim

Greene just lost his last appeal will take a big effort from the Orange Men

It's as though someone sat down and wrote out a list of non contentious puff pieces stating the obvious. Give me a few moments and I will try to guess the next one

it seems like a perfectly Melbourne outcome. While at the Freo match at the MCG I came across a young sporting team from NT. I could not help but ask them if Melbourne had much of a following in the NT after playing there for so many years. They looked at me as if I was from Mars and said they knew no one who barracked for Melbourne. Anecdotal I know but it was always about the money and little else. I think we have an opportunity to make the Alice game into a must see TV event if marketed correctly. As mentioned it needs to be played at night and needs to be heavily promoted. Unfortunately the ground capacity means that it needs TV leverage to make it an event.

That's the reality. Same with KK. If we keep these two I would be reluctant to keep Joel Smith unless the medicos are absolutely certain of his playing ability. Just too many injury prone players on what is a relatively small list.

Interesting but the crowd facilities are just not there for such a game. You would need to consult Kenny as to how many port-a-loos would be needed. Like the lateral thought.

I don't mind the Alice game... it can become a big annual TV event. The problem is that the ground only holds around 10k and to maximise TV cover we need it to be played at night. Should be our indigenous round game. There's something mythical about the Alice whereas Darwin is just meh

Interesting to see any associated drop in membership numbers. I expect that some of the support by the NT government would be in buying three game or similar memberships. Won't miss it. Any news on which club is Port's bunny for the Shanghai massacre round?

Just got an email saying guest passes are available in the AFL members for both preliminary finals. Understandable for Collingwood v Giants.... but Richmond v Geelong ... where are Richmond's 100,000 members??

If you are right that GWS will get a first round pick from the Hawks as well, this from a GWS perspective is in the deal of the decade if not century realm. Something just doesn't ring true but it could be as simple as you say and that Patton just wants to play good football irrespective of the dollar figure.

agree... plus an undoubted home ground advantage will see them challenging for top 6 for several years to come. If only................

agree but you have to admit that it's smart in that it gives something to all the stakeholders. Whether it is the right long term move is almost beside the point in this world of brand driven values. Will be interesting to see how the media reacts to the PR spin that EFC will put on the move.

$400-450k would put him in the top one third salary wise based on published 2017 figures. Hard decision if you are managing the salary cap. My guess is we could offer that for 2 years but a four year deal for a player with questionable upside would be a risk. I'd be disappointed to lose him but I just don't see his worth at those figures. (My bigger issue would be a four year term.) IIRC he spent some time of 2018 playing for Casey. Nothing wrong with that but it puts his long term form in some perspective. Good luck to him. At age 26 this contract is traditionally the most important for many players.

There are of course two aspects if not three to this deal. First is the trade.Second is the money and third is the go home factor. Kelly has the go home factor big time.Money should not be an issue because as a young player he will want reasonable money for two years before signing the big contract at 25. Would not see him wanting Gaff like money or even half of it to move. Of course Geelong might try and egg the pudding by making him an offer that is hard to refuse. The trade is the hard part. Interesting suggestions here. I see merit in Geelong trading for a high (1-5) draft pick rather than a medium player and a pick 16. If we can benefit from the "mess" great. Fascinating

nil all draw

Out ...stumped.........they have two days to score 400 Regulation loss by stumps tonight... all out 231

So right.......... amazing given that we have a decent bowling attack/ You have to ask if T 20 etc means that this is the decade of the all rounder

OK...first task accomplished.. last two wickets relatively cheaply. 399 to win. Next step is to be 0 for 50-60 at lunch and not 3 for 45

Do you understand the math... the highest paid players are in the 26 to 28 year old bracket. We don't have any high performers in that bracket other than Gawn so of course we are managing our cap well. If Oliver, Brayshaw and Petracca go A grade and hit 25 plus say Salem at A- tell me how good we are then. Anyway the fact remains that at 500k and above he is in the top one third salary wise of the league. Does he deserve that. If you just want to say the "club know best" all the time why do you bother commenting.

It's not too hard to look at player salaries on a metadata basis. Plenty of published information these days. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2019-footys-six-million-dollar-men-for-2018-season-revealed-with-more-to-join-top-pay-bracket-this-year/news-story/1340f19b6f30485d9d3f3025463469f4 https://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-22/player-payments-revealed-millionaires-on-the-up what is more difficult is getting a handle on the front and back loading aspects of contracts as they differ dramatically by reference to yearly demands on the salary cap. You'd need to be a brave club for example to back load a four year contract on the basis that the new TV rights (due at the end of 2022) will deliver say a 20% increase in the salary cap but I am sure some will be doing it.

Even at 500k that outs him in the top third percentile wise. I just don't see value for a player that is merely useful in a well performing club. Trust it's not a four year deal. https://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-22/player-payments-revealed-millionaires-on-the-up

There's little doubt that the outright physicality of GWS and the Lions' response spooked the umpires. Luckily they didn't ruin a very good game. I think it was the last quarter and four talls went for a mark on the wing and all four collapsed to the ground and the ball ran free. Comical. How the umpire found a free kick out it is equally comical.

If ever in London the Lords museum is well worth a visit. Outside the museum is a small lawn section with a bronze statue of Mr Lord pulling the pitch roller. Makes a great photo. Very disappointed by the Lords Tavern.

Get the remaining wickets for less than 30 runs and we have a chase of 450 over five sessions on a decent wicket. Go to stumps tonight at 2 for 180 and it's game on tomorrow On the present form (Smith aside) of the batsmen it is a hard ask

At 600k per year he's certainly not being paid as a bottom six player. More like a top ten

Notice in the first half at least the number of times the ruckman took possession at the centre bounce. Duhhhh..... Goodwin