Diamond_Jim

Years ago there was a great pre game thread entitled something like "Get thee to a Cattery" As a play on Shakespeare's great writings it was impeccable and really tied me into this forum. (I became a contributor years later.) Perhaps that is an omen..... I like it !!

Hard to believe that one I must agree... Anyway it doesn't have Toiges at 9th which is a must in any perfect dream ladder. Big points for dreaming big if not weird... highroller Keep those predictors going... perhaps one after round 22 would be interesting to see who fights whom on that last weekend.

Goodwin mentioned that he played in a bit of pain after half time and that they would be sending him off for scans so I have not given up. Of course he may have received a magical jab at half time that masked something a little worse. Not sure I could take another injury to a key player. This season has been a nightmare on that front.

The 52-year-old ruled out applying for the vacant role as the AFL's general manager of football operations, saying his immediate priority was to spend more time with his family. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-24/magpies-ceo-gary-pert-resigns

Hawks v Richmond on the same weekend that we play GWS. Will be a lot swinging on those two results. Why does my MFCSS keep telling me we are going to lose a relatively "easy" match. Time to believe that we are over performances like that one against Carlton in the second last round last year. Go Dees

Let's see if we can make it a "Melbourne Home Game." Given the GWS following this is not a real hard ask crowd wise. It's 1:45 pm Saturday ... so it's a nice drive to say Albury on Friday night and then 2:5 hours roughly to the ground on Saturday morning. As the ground is in a residential area there is not that much parking but it is easy to park in the streets say 1km away and walk. Being a frequent visitor to Canberra it really is a nice place if there is some winter sunshine. Stay the night if you can. The museums (that we all pay for) are second to none and well repay a visit. My favourite after the War Memorial is Old Parliament House. Go and sit in the old cabinet room and enjoy the PM's office set up as it was in the days of Whitlam and Fraser.

Fair points Drunkin but he has had at least 8 games back at VFL level where he has been a winner in only 1. I went to watch the last game against Coburg on what was a perfect day for football and I closely observed his play. That day he was often pushed under the ball and I saw little evidence of leading. Will be interesting to see how he goes this week given that Coburg are not a power team. His actions around the ground are laudable but he is in the team to take marks and that is how he will be ultimately be measured. Tough game footy but after Cook and the Juice you can understand the skepticism that pervade the thinking of so many supporters. #Grow the Weed !

Darwin and the Swans loss stopped our momentum and the gradual crowd build up that comes with success. It's a pity that we are on the road for the next two weeks as it will be another momentum killer from a crowd perspective. The positive is that these two road trips are relatively nearby so I hope there is some push for travelling to the game. Does anyone have an idea of the prices for a trip to Hobart this weekend? Imagine a boat load of Dees supporters heading to Launceston and then bussing to Hobart.

Hawks form is important to us ... They play Swans, Tigers and Bulldogs as part of their last five. Go Hawks (this last few weeks only) !!

Agree with those tips... you can exchange Bombers and Bulldogs which in turn exchanges 8th and 9th places. Not much movement likely but we must win to stay in the mix. The real moving day is the next week where there are a few intra 8 games. The GWS game is shaping up (dare I say it) as a season defining game. Go Dees

Thanks WJ for those detailed stats. I was hoping that Weideman would be showing a little more as the season moves on. It seems that the 6 goal game against Box Hill was not the break out game that I hoped for. Understandable that last night's conditions may not have suited him with the strong winds but would definitely like to see him shine against Coburg this coming week. Good to see that Wagner and Stretch had solid games from a possession viewpoint. I agree on Jake ... he is showing very little around the ground and has not really done so since returning from injury.

North is getting very close to that number 1 draft pick........ could influence their selection for next week's game

Now that Round 17 is over I just did a ladder predictor after round 18. It isn't pretty. If next week's games go to order we end up 7th still with a log jam behind us. The toss up game is Bulldogs v Bombers (the winner is 8th.. the loser 9th) For the rest I have picked the logical winner. Looks like you definitely need 13 wins to make the 8.

You ever had one of those weekends where despite a win you feel as if we went backwards. Even the upsets worked against us. O well .... no reason we cannot win five more straight

Toiges do have the toughest draw of all the teams fighting for the 8. If they make it they will have done well .... but I have them 9th GWS are the wild card in the sense that they have all that talent but they are just scraping in , drawing or losing. I am beginning to think that they drafted very well for the run and carry game but not so well for the Bulldogs helter skelter game plan that is now in vogue. Much harder to own the corridor these days.

Perhaps we could agree to play two 20 minute halves..... Darwin is a dead spot at the business end of the season

he will certainly be rookied (hopefully by us). He has a light frame (at present) but can find the ball and take a mark at VFL level

thanks may the winds be with you !! Go Dees

Hawks could do us a favour if they keep up their form. Next two games are against Swans and Toiges. Agree... Swans looking ominous and could easily end up 4th at the end of home and away

Interesting ... who would have thought in distance covered Hogan was second only to ANB. Well done Hoges

Weather looking okay for Hobart next week. Hopefully our close loss last year means we are well aware of local ground conditions Saturday 29 July Summary Min 3 Max 14 Possible late shower. Possible rainfall: 0 to 0.4 mm Chance of any rain: 30% Hobart area Partly cloudy. Slight (30%) chance of a shower later in the day. Winds northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h turning northerly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning.

Just sat down to watch the Swans game and found the Australia Plus game is Freo V Hawthorn. As that was preceded by Suns v Dogs.... I am not happy

Doggies home against the Suns with a good win up north. Hell that ladder around us is looking so crowded . My analysis says we should hope for a draw between Saints and Swans tonight but failing that a close win by the Saints. Keeps us one win in front of the Swans who would otherwise pass us on percentage. You could make a case that a Saints loss is better but it's so close.

Our percentage is the worst in the present 8 but it is slightly better than those outside the 8. If we only have 2 more wins ... that means three losses and a probable reduction in our percentage. it would be touch and go. Hard to see us not winning at least three from here so we should be right but hell I want five wins and a crack at fourth spot !!

In Asia at present .. just back from the pool and its usual 29 degrees. I can feel the chill of the Casey wind from here May it blow strongly for young Gus and the boys