This is my idea I concocted while a little out of it on some post-procedure pain-killers so this may be awful but it’ll never actually happen so just a bit of fun. Obviously delete if not allowed.

I reckon the ‘wildcard’ round should run more like the gather round where every team plays it but it has no bearing on the ladder itself (to avoid biases).

In this round, 1st will play 18th, 2nd will play 17th and so on and so forth, but the ‘wildcard’ aspect is that you swap the teams coaches (and they make whatever team changes, position changes etc.) they want. and see what improvements or diminishments a different coach could have on a team.

Somewhat inspired by what Fraser has done with the blues, but as an ending question is there a certain team/coach combo you’d be curious to see?

Edit: aw come on guys have a bit of fun :(

This is realistically the type of return port should expect if he chooses geelong

With the finals upon us after those two incredible wildcard games, we'll be no doubt seeing fans wearing their hearts on their sleeves when it comes to their teams. Moreso than we do most weeks anyway I reckon!

So my question is, as a guy who's got quite a few tattoos myself do any of you lot have any footy tattoos?! If so. Let's see em!

Feels like an insanely fast turnaround for syndesmosis surgery- How long have similar injuries kept players out recently?

Kane Cornes looks absolutely glorious in 4K, and it always feels a bit of a letdown to only get it in 1080i. I'm sure we will eventually get it, but I'm concerned it will be many years before Seven gets it together, and the exclusive broadcast rights makes this feel like a bit of a slap in the face. I don't want to hear people make excuses like they can't tell the difference (the difference is night and day if you don't have cataracts). Is it conceivable Channel 7 could free up bandwidth on their secondary channels to create enough bandwidth for a 4K option? It feels bonkers that we only get a rerun in 4K but not the main event. I suppose we are literally a captive audience, since why try harder if they have zero competition?

Basically would things be the same now plus Fitzroy with Tassie being the 20th club in 2028 or would the AFL have slowed the expansion and not included one of the other clubs to join the league after 1996?

Lachie Neale - headed to Collingwood on a 3 year deal at around 900k a year. West Coast stayed in the mix but it'll be the pies

Zach Merrett - 4 years at around $1m a season to Hawthorn. Essendon should get Hawthorn's 1st round pick and either one or two 2nd rounders

Joel Amartey - He wants to stay but Carlton are offering a significantly more money. Both 5 year deals, he's priority #1 for Carlton

Jordan Ridley & Nick Murray - North want both of them. Nick Murray has a 5 year $800k/year offer on the table for him. Ridley leaning towards moving to North, wants a fresh start, Essendon will be open to it.

De Goey - 1 year left on his deal at Collingwood, now or never trading him for the Pies to cash in on his trade value. He wants to stay at the Pies long term, it would take a 3 year deal at $1m a year to keep him though.

Ben McKay - 3 years left on his deal, has a trigger for another year, but not on much money at all anymore. Bombers open to trade options for him.

This month and year commemorates the 30th anniversary of the demise of the Fitzroy Football Club in the AFL. After years of financial difficulties and the change heading into a national competition and expansion, it finally collapsed with the AFL side merging with the Brisbane Bears to form what we know as the Brisbane Lions today.

Now a lot of people don't know that what merged with Brisbane was the AFL operations of the Fitzroy Football Club, the actual club survived and came out of administration in 1998. From that point on Fitzroy had partnerships with various clubs in the lower leagues, including one with Coburg in 1999 in the VFL.

In 2009, the club finally was able to field its own team in the VAFA (Victorian Amateur Football Association) after 13 years, and by 2018 won its first premiership of any kind since its last VFL/AFL premiership in 1944, first in 74 years.

Now personally I always wonder, now that the club is been back playing for the last 13 years. Would there be a possibility for Fitzroy to ever go up to the next level, back to its roots prior to the formation of VFL/AFL in 1897, and that's the modern day VFL (formally known as Victorian Football Association), where it won a premiership in 1895.

All the current day Victorian clubs had their start in the VFA, even the Sydney Swans back when it was known as South Melbourne.

Hear me out, there could be a time when the AFL revives the National Reserves competition which will possibly move the existing AFL stand alone reserves teams out of the VFL and into the new competition, which could open up some spare spots in the VFL. Just imagine if Fitzroy got a chance to make the jump back into the VFL, which could be the closest it will ever get to the big time again. But it could be an interesting prospect.

On Saturday 19 September 2015 North Melbourne won their last final after defeating the Sydney Swans by 26 points at ANZ Stadium (Accor Stadium).

This was also Adam Goodes' last game in the AFL.

Inclusive of today would be 4,001 but technically the game started a few hours away from now so lets just go with 4,000 ;)

This is still less than half the time Essendon have last won a final with 8,031 days.

The footy looks absolutely glorious in 4K, and it always feels a bit of a letdown to only get it in 1080i. I'm sure we will eventually get it, but I'm concerned it will be many years before Seven gets it together, and the exclusive broadcast rights makes this feel like a bit of a slap in the face. I don't want to hear people make excuses like they can't tell the difference (the difference is night and day if you don't have cataracts). Is it conceivable Channel 7 could free up bandwidth on their secondary channels to create enough bandwidth for a 4K option? It feels bonkers that we only get a replay in 4K but not the main event. I suppose we are literally a captive audience, since why try harder if they have zero competition?

Five Sydney Swans players have begun appointing different lawyers to represent them as police investigate the allegation of sexual assault at the Pullman East Melbourne that was made last month.

There are at least three separate counsels for the five players, whose interviews with Victoria Police loom after the alleged assault at the hotel where the Swans were staying for their round 23 clash with Essendon.

This masthead has previously reported at least one other allegation of sexual assault and multiple claims of sexual conduct without consent were made to police by three women at the centre of the investigation, though police have maintained the investigation is into “an allegation of sexual assault”.

The players’ legal moves come as further details emerge about the early morning events at the hotel and how one of the women came to be in the foyer with Swans staff including coach Dean Cox.

Two sources with knowledge of the incident, but not authorised to speak publicly, said one of the adult entertainers had suffered an asthma attack after complaining of the lack of air in the cramped room filled with people.

After being unable to open a window, or find an asthma puffer, she retreated into the hall but could not get back into the room.

The woman then went downstairs in search of first aid equipment where Swans staff had begun gathering for checkout. She was seen in animated conversations with a confused Cox, which ultimately resulted in police being called.

The women were booked for topless waitressing on the night, with the men then requesting lap dances. The women told the group that would incur an extra cost of $250, which they negotiated down to $200.

The women gave statements to police in the day following the incidents but the five Swans – Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice – were told investigators were not ready to speak to them and allowed them to travel home to Sydney.

The five have denied any criminal wrongdoing, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Separate to the police investigation, the players were suspended by the Swans for the rest of the season for drinking, staying out late and inviting women back to the team hotel – a breach of the club’s behavioural standards.

This masthead previously reported that detectives flew to Sydney to speak with staff including Cox, football boss Leon Cameron, head of player wellbeing and development Brett Kirk and head of media and communications Tom Chadwick, who all gave voluntary accounts.

The four Sydney staff were not in the hotel room and no Swans officials are accused of inappropriate behaviour.

As previously reported, former Pie and Swan Taylor Adams was at the hotel on the night, with another unknown man, but this masthead is not aware if Adams was there when a sexual assault is alleged to have occurred. He was contacted for comment, but did not respond.

The complex investigation is expected to drag on for weeks.

The most recent example of a similarly lengthy process was the affray case against Steven May and Dion Prestia. The former Demon and ex-Tiger were alleged to have been involved in a brawl in December 2024, but police worked on the case for 10 months before issuing charges. The case was abandoned, and the players cleared in May 2026.

The Swans’ men’s season continues on Saturday when they face the Brisbane Lions in a qualifying final in Sydney.

For those who watched, Caroline Wilson suggested that the 2027 NFL Melbourne game will be played during the Qualifying/Elimination Finals week. Certainly something that would throw the AFL into a frenzy. Especially if there are multiple Victorian games or if after this year’s game, the MCG not being in a good state for AFL.

My understanding of the NFL side of things is that the 2027 NFL season could start up to 2 weeks earlier than this years. Meaning the NFL game would find itself on either round 24 or Wild Card weekend (or round 25 per Ed Richards).

The AFL will be looking to see what the NFL will be looking to do next year with their fixture. The NFL has been looking to increase from 17 to 18 games, and with this will likely see 2 byes for every team. Week 1 would then likely fall on the final weekend in August.

For anyone unfamiliar Edmund and Whately basically take listener rumors and say if it's bs or not (link here).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8MP6rWAHnM

Zak Butters: The Bulldogs improved offer, said to be almost on par with Richmond's heavily front-ended deal, has thrust them back into a two-horse race with Geelong, who were the clear frontrunners a few weeks ago; the ball is now in Geelong's court. Richmond are a distant third and won't be picked unless talks with the other two collapse entirely.

Arty Jones: Rumor said Jones was already a done deal to Essendon. Edmund says official channels say Essendon are a very good chance, holding the bigger offer against the Dogs' three-year deal (which only now matches what his camp wanted mid-season). No decision yet, and the Dogs fear the Bombers could sweeten their offer further after his wildcard final.

Jordan De Goey: Rumor about Adelaide throwing massive money at him. Edmund says his management has again contacted rival clubs to gauge interest, with fresh approaches in the back half of the year despite him being contracted to end of 2027. Can't confirm Adelaide specifically.

Zach Merrett: Rumour says he's a done deal to Sydney. Edmund dimisses rumour outright (no contact). He's left for an overseas holiday confident he'll get to Hawthorn at the second attempt. He and Mark McVeigh will talk again when he returns, but he will head to Hawthorn.

Christian Petracca: Whispers of a move to Hawthorn. Edmund says there has been rumours but nothing more that. Tension exists between Gold Coast and Petracca and it hasn't worked, but a parting of ways remains highly unlikely.

Jesse Hogan: Rumour is Hogan to Carlton. Definitely leaving the Giants and currently meeting Carlton, Gold Coast and Collingwood. Carlton shouldn't be ruled out, though it would clash with their pursuit of Joel Amartey.

Scrimshaw: Rumour is Scrimshaw to North. North Melbourne link via the Clarkson connection makes sense and he's been on the outer at Hawthorn, but nothing substantiated yet.

English: Rumour is English to the Giants. Edmund been told categorically it won't be GWS, but nobody will categorically say he's staying at his current club either; door kept ajar.

Ben King is a bowling going through Hawthorn and the current Hawthorn forward's are the pins worried about getting knocked over.

Calsher Dear: A two-year offer as low as $250k a season is read as "you're not wanted here" by Dear's campl. He's looking elsewhere and teammates don't expect him back next year.

Mabior Chol: Sought assurances about his role after Ben King's arrival. Told it's unchanged, with talks on a new deal expected early next year.

Mitch Lewis: Re-signed for four years. Described as a big, lucrative deal, not a cheap one as initially reported

Jack Gunston: Going around again despite being near the end.

Charlie Ballard: Being pursued by the Bulldogs with St Kilda also interested; contracted to 2029 and the Suns want him to stay. A trade request is possible, but the club won't drive it.

Jake Rogers and Alex Davies: Both need new deals and were talked about as leaving, but expected to stay, as with Jamarra on a one-year deal.

Ollie Hollands: Texts link him to four clubs. Edmund higlights North Melbourne after a strong Saturday night.

Dion Prestia: Text claims Essendon is a lock. Edmund says it's more likely to be a GWS link

Toby Greene: No news beyond a listener anecdote that a relative says he'll be back in Victoria.

And for any fans of the Coodabeen Champions.

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