Bluey's Dad

Interesting article on the afl website: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-28/umpire-series-match-committee This is pretty disturbing: There are 32 field umpires in the AFL's senior squad, but because of injuries and fitness concerns, there are only 27 available for that weekend, meaning all umpires involved in round 16 will get another game, irrespective of performance. Sounds a lot like Melbourne last year. Guys getting games because there's just no one else. Not good enough IMHO. Need a larger squad to pick from and full time dedicated hours.

Brilliant work P-Man :D

Of course. My thoughts are simply this: Americans laugh at our PM, which embarrasses us, therefore he is an international embarrassment. We spent years deriding the Americans for voting in Bush. Now we have our very own target of international derision. So, like my American friends told me when I made Bush jokes I will return in kind; "I didn't vote for him".

He is indeed an international embarrassment. Americans laughing at us over Abbott: /thread

Lol, yeah that's why I picked that one. Saw that Hugh Laurie supports the Dees thread a while back so this gif seemed appropriate

Indeed. We all know it means nothing until we hear from his grandmother.

Wait, umpiring isn't a full time job?? I honestly didn't know that, I figured all these guys dedicated the kind of time and effort to umpiring as the players did. If it's a part time job then I agree, they should be full time. I guess I'll be a little less enraged about their decisions now. If I had 2 part time jobs to make a living, I'd probably be unable to do either of them to the best of my ability.

Re Picket Fence:

I think Brett Anderson is on SEN, so it was probably said on the radio and not an article If anyone can remember when, we could check out the podcast.

Not big enough.

I see what you did there, Stephen.

Agreed. Their forward structure makes their mids look very very good. Having said that, they're not horrible.

Thanks WJ! I'm finding more and more that reading your posts provides me with me a better understanding of what's going on than the papers do.

lol Here I was thinking he'd finally learned to use the multi-quote button. Throw everything at Prestia IMHO. It's a long shot but I think we have to try.

I have no words.

What's a "Beatle"? lol I kid, I kid. It's an insect right?

I don't understand any of those (what I assume to be) cultural references.

I hadn't seen this before. I am ashamed to be an Australian. This is not what I thought our country was about.

Jones tagged Marc Murphy in the blues match I think, maybe he'll be used in that capacity again this week.

Anyone know what's going on with the WorkSafe investigation? Surely their internal governance on player safety was severely compromised. If this was a work site or factory it would have been shut down.

Not smiling. He's ours!