Diamond_Jim

the median salary which is probably more telling than the average is around $250k Given that few players get to 100 games... (is it around 20%) it's certainly not life changing money for the bulk of the players. All the more important to have another skill. I enjoy ribbing my Bulldogs friend about Tom Boyd but they just point to his one decent game in the GF

Three teams ranked as 1-5. MFC, Richmond and WCE. Boy we are in rarified company. Could this be it guys ? ... nervous just thinking about it The first three games will be crucial. Port, Geelong and Essendon. We are favourites in all three and need to win them. Last year we would have said they are 50/50 games but this year they are more like 60/40

Personally I often turn the Friday night game off at half time. Rarely watch the Sunday afternoon game. Like the Thursday and Saturday night games. Will quite often turn the sound down as I find the commentary grating....especially Bruce

Good hitout and one has to temper any comment by the weather conditions and the inability to tell what side each team had on the oval at any one time. That being said there seemed to be only a few positives from the fringe brigade. I was hoping that one of them would have a "look at me" performance but it wasn't to be. Based on last year there are at least two spots up for grabs. One as a relief midfielder given the possibility of injury to the first picked group and one to replace Lewis as the season progresses. Hope JKH plays next week and has a stand out game. Late last year he showed glimpses. I'll be honest Stretch worries me and the jury is well and truly out on Hunt. The last few seasons have shown us clearly that having an A grade VFL side does not mean you have depth at AFL level. Conversely I watched Brayshaw closely at VFL level while he was there and he rarely starred. On that form I would never have picked him for the incredible season he displayed at AFL level in 2018. Would have liked to see KK in the JLT as well. Going to be a great season.

some good logic in that post

Is it though with the majority of the tickets sold to corporates and MCC members. The overwhelming bulk of the football following public have no choice but to consume the match through television. Perhaps it could be described as television in front of a live audience.

Casey lacks the romance of the old ovals but it is still a great day out. For food ...Port with its dim sims and Burra burger win hand downs. Coburg even has a craft beer stand. Mind you fish and chips on the Esplanade ($10) prior to a game at Williamstown is pretty special as well.

The GF is a television event. When is the best time to watch TV. Great post Ernest....In recent years I have been frequenting the Casey games when they are played at some of the traditional inner city venues. Try it if you have time. My favourite is probably the Coburg ground but on a nice day Port and Williamstown ovals are delightful. Last year I also discovered Frankston oval. A great day out.

Quite rightly Weideman is waiting a while to sign. If he has a 40 plus goal season his worth will be considerably more whoever he signs with. Trade value aside if Hogan had stayed Weid would have been off at year's end. Now the equation is a lot easier.

excellent news Is that 2 plus this year.. I hope Quality player

yep... the bears at Casey next Saturday in the comparative cool.. (25 predicted.)

they did have 12 more scoring shots.... the final score flattered us

a draw would be nice PS alas.... not to be

big year for both of them

still a while to go but that to me is what is the most disappointing. much the same as last year when injuries opened up some mid field spots. You would hope one or two would push for selection

the depth players are showing very little... disappointing

spargo... 65% gametime for 1 possession

Richmond don;t really have a ruck so he'll rarely get a chance to show his wares like today

Oliver....13possessions in the first quarter. Has any MFC player ever had a fifty possession game. Not today because of the heat but one day this season I hope.

wind off the bay and the cost of the land could be issues..... Mind you a train ride to Footscray/Newport reveals a lot of old seemingly underutilised industrial land. In the eighties and even today there was a big push for building something and then selling the surrounding land at a profit. Bond University on the Gold Coast and the myriad of golf course developments around the world were examples. I wonder if we could get a developer to build around a training facility. Stranger things happened in the 80's I can assure you.

In the world of illicit drugs this one has to surprise: "The world No 1 bridge player has been suspended after failing a drugs test.Geir Helgemo, who is Norwegian but represents Monaco in bridge events, tested positive for synthetic testosterone and the female fertility drug clomifene at a World Bridge Series event in Orlando in September. Kari-Anne Opsal, president of the Norwegian Bridge Federation, said the drugs were “not performance enhancing” https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/01/world-no1-bridge-player-suspended-after-failing-a-drugs-test-geir-helgemo PS Geir is a male by the way

lot of love for the old Punt road but I just don't think it will cut the mustard as a training facility in twenty years time. The trouble with Olympic park is that there are space constraints and heritage overlays from some of the 1956 buildings.There's a reason the Pies will be moving

This option is dead not so much because it is impossible but because its implementation will involve so many compromises that if it ever gets off the ground it will be a less than adequate facility compared to those of other clubs. Time to go back to the drawing board and think again. I would not be surprised if Collingwood moves to something bigger and better in the next ten plus years. They have to spend their money on something. Richmond could bite the bullet and do the same. The likes of Esssendon and the big interstate clubs have given us a glimpse of where the training facilities of 2030 and beyond are heading.

the following stat from the AFL site on tonight's game at half time is interesting given that many thought that scoring from kick ins would be easier with the new rules: "Neither team has launched a score from its defensive 50. Geelong's 26 defensive 50 chains have resulted in just three inside 50s while West Coast's 17 defensive 50 chains have also just resulted in three inside 50s "

You are probably right but it doesn't really help these days with finals tickets Other than the GF most other finals are not sell outs and you need a premium membership (which in the main are already sold out) to guarantee a GF ticket