rumpole

Hard work 6 Langdon 5 Langford 4 Bowey 3 Oliver 2 Gawn 1 Rivers

Don’t panic - it’s only a question as to whether he trained at this point. Any word on Harry Petty?

Can’t go past the favourites in this Round. Sydney and Collingwood by a clear margin in each of the two games. Hawks did well last year coming off an easy fixture in the last half of the season before they beat the Doggies dealing with some internal issues in the elimination final. They limped out against Port Adelaide in the semi. Giants have been playing below par in the practice matches and while I usually take no notice of practice matches, I can’t see them beating the Pies who have a point to prove. The AFL can slot Brisbane vs Geelong into Round 3 where they both currently have byes. The Gold Coast vs Essendon game will be hard to fit in but who cares?

Does anyone know Tim Lamb?

In any event, it's not hard to disguise an "under the table" transaction by use of payments at discounted rates of property titles to third party trusts or related parties. If you can beat the price of your opponents by say $250k then it's a hell of an advantage from a price perspective, let alone reducing your TPP salary cap figures. Not suggesting that any particular club would be inclined to do such a thing ... but ... meow.

There’s a direct connection between the about to be meteoric rise of the Melbourne Football Club and the forthcoming demise of the Sydney Swans who have been appalling in two of the last three grand finals. Their midfield is about to fall apart with their champion midfielder Chad Warner about to return to WA. Chad has purchased a new residence in Perth and will be off to Fremantle next season as a free agent. I can reveal that today he went haywire at training and got involved in a fight with his brother. With an expensive contract heading Chad’s way, the Dockers won’t be able to offer our Kozzy enough $s to entice him away from home - unless they cough up a couple of players in return like Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong. So it’s looking more and more like we keep Kozzy and the Swans rely on Gulden in their midfield going forward.

Sportsbet Odds 18/1/2025 (chances are you’re about to lose) 7.00 Jagga Smith (Carlton), Levi Ashcroft (Brisbane Lions) 10.00 Finn O'Sullivan (North Melbourne), Josh Smillie (Richmond), Samuel Lalor (Richmond) 13.00 Harvey Langford (Melbourne) 15.00 Sid Draper (Adelaide) 18.00 Nate Caddy (Essendon) 21.00 Bo Allan (West Coast Eagles), Daniel Curtin (Adelaide) 26.00 Isaac Kako (Essendon), Leonardo Lombard (Gold Coast Suns), Tobie Travaglia (St Kilda) 34.00 Xavier Lindsay (Melbourne) 41.00 Archie Roberts (Essendon), Cooper Hynes (Western Bulldogs), Hugo Garcia (St Kilda), Kane McAuliffe (Richmond) 51.00 Alix Tauru (St Kilda), Christian Moraes (Port Adelaide), Harry Armstrong (Richmond), Hugh Boxshall (St Kilda), Jake Rogers (Gold Coast Suns), Joe Berry (Port Adelaide), Koltyn Tholstrup (Melbourne), Murphy Reid (Fremantle), Taj Hotton (Richmond)

A lot to unpack here - THE BIG QUESTIONS – MELBOURNE 2025 SEASON PREVIEW

Yep - the rest are in the gym.

Can you attend a Devil’s Advocate function if you’re on the staff of Pomeroy's Wine Bar? Asking for a friend.

Tairon Ah-Mu deserves an asterisk as well. (Melbourne NGA but not eligible under the usual NGA rules … because, Melbourne) *

Yes but you need to take into account the family situation with Kalani’s mother and brothers still living on the Gold Coast and perhaps not so inclined to move down to Melbourne.

Cogito, ergo sum In the words of the great French philosopher René Descartes, "I think, therefore I am". This is a thought of my own. No inside information whatsoever - just reading a few tea leaves.

I think we might do a trade with the Saints for Tomlinson to help them maintain the best level of compensation for Battle. Player could be Membrey.

Saints apparently no longer in the race for Houston. Does anyone know whether this has prompted a move to remove their president and board and sack the coach?