Well, it’s clear winter is on the horizon and as a consequence I am moving on from Abbotts Lager to my winter brew of choice, Abbottsford Stout, and I must say I enjoyed a couple of stouts tonight before I rolled a Capstan ready-rubbed and commenced to muse on matters pertaining to the AFL .
I did drive to Bendigo and back today and jeez the country could do with a good rain, the lack of which is only something the Greens could explain to me and it’s probably to do with cows farting or sheep baaing. These matters are beyond my comprehension and best sorted by our politicians and bureaucrats as they have far much more real life experience than I could ever hope to achieve.
I digress. Some things I mused on today in regard to the AFL in no particular order:
Why are Collingwood supporters so desperate to have Nick Daicos declared the best player in the AFL when he plays in the same competition as Cameron, Gawn, Petracca, Bontempelli, Heeney et al. Fine young player, but an early crow, methinks.
Why do Carlton supporters keep putting up injury lists which include perhaps five players in their best 22 whereas Collingwood have at least six and Richmond at least ten in the same category. Reflects shallow depth, methinks.
How will I ever comprehend what Luke Beveridge is saying or trying to do?
I worry Libba has been cleared to play. Hopefully I am worrying needlessly.
Have Harley Reid’s first nine games been better than the first nine games played by John Coleman and Adrian McAdam. Check the latter out. But young Reid can play that’s for sure .
What will become of Norf?
Have Geelong gone off the boil as a consequence of being neglected in the State and Federal budgets. Jeez only $4m for a scoreboard at Taxpayer Park. Poor buggars.
If it happens to be an Essendon v Carlton Grand Final, where in Australia can I escape to? I need a place totally devoid of communications.
Why does the AFL or any sporting body see a need to get involved in social issues? As a mentor told me once: ‘never make a comment to the media, the best you can do is cut square.’ Similarly the best the AFL can do on social issues is cut square as at least 50% of supporters won’t be aligned to the cause they are promoting.
The slight fall in indigenous players being drafted is a concern, but they are still disproportionately represented on a demographic basis. Perhaps the fall off is due to a dearth of current talent which is usually a cyclical thing and not rectified by formulas.
On the flip side, what is the AFL doing to promote Sudanese players, which to my untrained eye should be right up there with their desire to foster indigenous talent.
Doug Nicholls round is great.
The Doug Nicholls round jumpers are invariably good except for the Christmas jumper Melbourne paraded a couple of years ago. The Eagles jumper on Sunday was the best I have seen .
I have no problem with clubs changing their names for the round but I have a problem with the broadcasters [no doubt an AFL Direction] putting these names up on score lines and asking the commentators to refer to them. I turned on the Saints v Freo and I thought Wales were playing Europe in the battle of Brexit. Thankfully Eddie Betts after 10 minutes reverted to Saints and Freo and the others followed his lead.
Is Caro on the same medication as Robbo and is Kane Cornes their love child?
How good is Matt Hill calling footy, but then again how good is Matt Hill calling anything?
Do BT and James Brayshaw really get paid?
If a player takes two steps and is tackled from behind, it’s dropping the ball. Now that player is usually swooped on by a stealth bomber closing quickly from behind and is unaware of the impending danger. No problem with the decision but it bemuses me why a player is allowed to take five steps into a player he can see coming and ‘take the tackle’ without being penalised.
I could go on but after a while I reverted to talking to Tiger the dog I had picked up for Vision Australia. Good dog, Tiger, he had no interest in the present just wanted to talk about 2017, 2019 and 2020. I did mention 2018 and Mason Cox and he promptly coughed up a fur ball.
That’s all. I have no answers, I just muse.
Cheers All
Read terrific memoir from Drizzle HERE
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Quite some food for thought there, Drizzle.
As a diehard Blues’ fan, I do have a request that you “keep a lid on it” (probably unnecessary after last Friday’s dismal effort). With tongue so far in cheek that it was somewhere behind my left eyeball, I suggested to a Bomber mate that we might head to the MCG for the Grand Final preview on the Sunday of King’s Birthday weekend. Unfortunately he is not available, so I will travel solo.
Good luck Peter its a long season but as a Dogs supporter i am more than confident I wont be excited late in September
Cheers
Onya Drizzle. I used to muse about these sort of things a lot, but have found overthinking to be a hindrance to enjoyment and a dubious return on understanding.
No expectations appears the solution. My Eagles are giving me a lot of joy this year. Jake Waterman WTF? I even clapped Jack Darling multiple time Sunday after 3 years of consistently abusing him. Go figure.
As for the issues you raise:
#10: Investment Theory: Recruitment = Talent X Reliability. Every portfolio can have only a couple of stocks in Senegalese uranium mines which promise monstrous returns but a high likelihood of being derailed by unpredictable external factors.
I could expand but then I’d be violating #9. Cheers.
I like your investment theory Peter . I forgot to mention Jake the Water Boy in my muse wow he is flying and he is so 70s and 80s it wouldn’t surprise me to see him light up a dart at the 3Q time huddle .