Get rid of ruckmen

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

Here’s a fun stat from round 7 of AFL action:

From 9 games, only 3 games were won by teams that had the most hitouts.

In some cases a team absolutely dominated the hitout tally but still got thumped on the scoreboard… you know… where it actually matters. *cough Melbourne cough*.

YES! I WON THE HITOUTS! Too bad we lost by 50…

Hitouts are a rubbish, antiquated and deceptive statistic. The only ruck measure that matters is “Hits to Advantage” (HTA), when a ruck is able to direct the ball straight to a teammate for effective possession.

So if HTAs are all that really make any difference in ruck duels, why don’t we focus on them more?

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The AFL’s dilution dilemma

Posted on May 13, 2013 by
This is an article I originally wrote in March 2011 that appeared on another website. Recently there have been rumblings from the media and AFL identities such as Frank Costa on this very issue. I am republishing it here, unedited, apart from the pictures and captions. Enjoy.
 

With the dawn of GCS and GWS, the expansion of the AFL to 18 sides is a shake-up not seen in our indigenous game since it went national in the 1980s.

Let’s face it – Not everything about that shakeup was good.

In the media and in pubs around the nation, predictions centred around the expansion have ranged from giddy exuberance to doomsday prophecies.

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Friday Funnies – 19/4/2013

Posted on April 19, 2013 by

Golf is never as easy as it looks. What’s that, you say? – all you have to do is whack a little round ball, how hard can it be? Well, there’s posture, grip, shoulder position, among many many other things. Basically, there’s a lot of things to keep in mind even before you swing the club, but it’s all well worth it.

Piece of cake!

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Friday Funnies – 5/4/2013

Posted on April 5, 2013 by

Jeff Kennett is never far from the news when footy season rolls around. It did make me wonder how we have come this far without any mention of Jeff so I searched the web looking for some Kennett gold for us all to feast upon this week. After 0.3sec I found a winner: Kennett’s reaction to a ridiculously awful umpiring decision. “Troppo” is quite an apt description!

Jeff Kennett and Friday Funnies will be a good pairing

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Good Friday Funnies – 29/03/2013

Posted on March 29, 2013 by

An especially Good Friday to you all! For most of you, a falcon is either a Ford, a NFL player or a bird. However, in a sporting context a “falcon” is a term used for an accidental knock to the head with the ball. Now there’s nothing funnier than watching unsuspecting people get whacked in the head with the ball. But, it brings it to another level altogether when a player manages to do so in rugby league, directly from the kickoff no less..

A quintessential falcon

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Friday Funnies: 22/03/2013

Posted on March 22, 2013 by

Hello again folks! First up: trick plays in sport normally involve doing the unexpected – lining up in a different formation or getting certain players to play different roles. Normally, however, it doesn’t involve simply walking through the ENTIRE team, but hats off to this team who pulled it off quite nicely.

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Friday Funnies: 15/03/2013

Posted on March 15, 2013 by

It’s been a long time between drinks. Too long, in fact. We can think of no better way than to introduce a brand new – but more importantly – regular segment: Friday Funnies! We’re scanning the web to bring you a little bit of joy to your previously dull, everyday, vanilla Fridays. So, you’re welcome friends  – now you can head into the weekend with a smile and a giggle or two.

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Becoming a parent

Posted on October 26, 2012 by

My wife is pregnant. It is our first child.

Of course, it wasn’t 100% official until it was Facebook Official©, but once my wife posted the “Totes Pregz.” status update, we exploded the internet.

The reaction on Facebook was a bit overwhelming. Apparently, aside from sapping my wife’s energy, blood supply and ability to eat soft cheeses, my child has the ability to make otherwise sane people travel to a world of “happiness tears,” buttercups and rainbows.

No booze, sushi or cheese? This kid better poop diamonds…

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The Preview: AFL Grand Final 2012 Hawthorn vs Sydney Swans

Posted on September 27, 2012 by

The final Saturday in September is upon us. There’s only four quarters of footy left to decide who will be champs and who will be chumps. So – will it be Hawthorn or Sydney? We at Mike or the Don take an in-depth look at the final game of the season. And for those who don’t know Jarrad McVeigh from Jarryd Roughead, we took the time to canvass every area so you can be the guy (or girl) with all the inside knowledge at your Grand Final BBQ!

Prepare to be wowed…

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Lance Armstrong: Did he or didn’t he? Is he or isn’t he?

Posted on September 14, 2012 by

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”

That saying has been hanging on my wall for over six years years now. Above it, in the same frame, is a picture of Lance Armstrong cycling down the Champs-Élysées – Arc de Triumph in the background – flanked by his Team Discovery team mates.

Is this the smile of a winner or a guy getting away with something…?

This shot was taken on the final stage of the 2005 Tour de France, capturing Lance Armstrong’s seventh consecutive Tour de France victory. It was a 21st gift and it’s hung in every room I’ve lived in since. I’ve always had the suspicion that the saying was copied from one of those highly cliché motivational posters, but that never bothered me; it was Lance Armstrong.

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