Straight Sets Simon

I like him, he has poise. Much prefer to retain him after a few pre-seasons than bring in another kid from the draft with a late pick.

Fair call, his stats weren’t nearly as impressive as I thought they would be.

The thing about Geelong is when we beat them in the finals in 2018 their team was much stronger than it is now.

He’s just as big of a reason we are the premiers as any of the 23 who ran out on grand final day.

Love the rule.

Poor Robbo forgot Isaac Heeney exists.

His goal before was important but this one is really what got us going.

I was bullish on Sydney all year. If they beat GWS in the first final things could have been very different. I would also have Carlton higher. I don’t think they will win the flag but they have the bones of a very good team now.

Sparrow’s reaction after his goal is the best, if that doesn’t pump you up then nothing will.

Spargo is the main one. The club looked to trade ANB and McDonald last year so I don’t feel totally bad about incorrectly writing them off. Sparrow I thought shouldn’t be playing finals, how wrong I was. I took a while to warm to Lever, but ever since the defensive system started clicking then so did he. I really didn’t think we should have drafted another ruckman in Jackson but he’s just extended Gawn’s career by three years, absolute star.

I’ve not trusted a key forward at Melbourne like I do with Ben Brown since Neitz and Schwarz.

Anyone that suggests Gawn played for or milked the Daniel sling tackle is a fool. Gawn simply lost his footing and with the momentum he had he was always going to fall.

Underrated moment in the game: In the second quarter after the Bulldogs kicked three and had all the momentum Jackson took an excellent contested mark on the wing. But then he went back, used the new man on the mark rule to his advantage and ran clearly wide of the stationary player on the mark which allows him to execute a beautiful long kick to Brown who kicked a goal.

The replay is on Fox Footy now, just coming up the to second quarter. This will be the only second time watching the whole game again for me (aside from highlights). I think part of the reason I’m having trouble letting it all sink in is because it is a night Grand Final, it really just doesn’t feel the same. Minor gripe, I love in Grand Finals how the team logos are printed on the 50 metre lines. It just wasn’t the same having the logos printed on the wing.

Is he? He inherited an amazing list that has constantly been able to top-up (some shrewd drafting has helped too) with good players and his team has one fo the best home ground advantages in the league.

For some reason second halves of games don’t count in the eyes of many. It’s the same with the round 23 Geelong game where we constantly heard “but Geelong were 44 points up at one stage” whilst ignoring the fact they lost from being 44 points up.

What’s the name of the Twitter account that set out to see how our future pick trade with Norf would pan out?

Hamish McLachlan called it and it was brilliantly done. That kick and the lead up to it is still the moment of the season for me. Even if we lose that night I expect we still win the flag but it changed the path to get there dramatically. Plus I just really love that we are both the minor premiers and the premiers at the same time.

I’m still so surprised that we delisted Lockhart.

Seeing the cup finally engraved makes it feel more real.

I’m still getting my head around it.

We just won the flag. Some people really are a sucker for punishment, let it go.

I’m surprised he’s still on an AFL list.

About two months ago I said to some friends that I was shocked that Dunstan was still in the AFL. I’m equally shocked that he will want to come to Melbourne.