Congratulations again South Melbourne. I have to say it is refreshing once again to watch a game which is decided by the whistle and not the camera. Every centreback forearm across the neck, every thump in the back and every trip and grapple my abused perceptions immediately think 'VAR will...

I once spoke about Brattan being a good DM and may also have mentioned a goat-keeping course I had been impressed with. Maybe that is what confused the issue...?

So she is on top then...?

I don't think our brand of football is pulchritudinous enough to be truly captivating moment by moment but the results we grind out are most rewarding.

We got there with plenty of free air in the end. Popa relying on our goal difference to let us play the defensive way. All behind the ball most of the time with some attacking play and more of an attacking formation occasionally. No coincidence that the Saudi's were less dangerous when we went...

Too soon

Got love Andy Harper - at 1-1 "Australia have taken a share of the lead". There's our inclusive society. We are both winning at that point. :) Duke really good on the ball for his hold up play and pass, then rising for the headed goal. Sometimes you have to wonder if players are more stifled...

To think - I can now tell my grandmonsters that I was alive when South Melbourne hit rock bottom and then to see the rise of that damned two-faced whore hope. And the world has the gall to call football just sport. :)

If we go into this game with a mindset of anything other than to win the bloody game we expose ourselves to all sorts of failure. There are no easy games here. We are not in the World Cup yet. We go into this game thinking we only need a draw , or conceding a goal isn't that bad, and we could...

Just popping in to say that was a really lovely build up for the Mells goal just now. Bloody nice work.

Sometimes you want them to shut up so you can just watch too :) I wonder if the cost of being there for us in the commentary box so long means sacrificing some of the simple pleasure of 'just watching a game'. Extra respect to them if it does. I may never find out.

Can you go back to just watching a game? Or does your brain keep thinking - 'and Bob passes the ball to Phil. Great intercept there by the number 4' and so on rather than just watching and saying "Noooooooooooo"?

I wonder if he can just sit and enjoy a game. Anyone done any commentary to tell if it affects the simple joy of watching?

When you can snatch the pebble out of my hand, Grasshopper, then the ref is entitled to ask why you brought a pebble on the pitch.

Yep, that's it Mono. Reward/opportunity and see where it leads. Up to the clubs to then seize the moment and grow or not.

I may be using the wrong terms. I am talking about defending deep but still having a credible threat of attack that stops opposition teams from building at their leisure and forces them to keep players back to defend against that threat. Edit: Duke stays high but he is not a credible attack...

I was constantly worried that we would concede a late goal like we have many times in the past. We have struggled for so long keeping a clean sheet for the full game when we are geared defensively and don't have a high line attack to keep the opposition back.

I take your points. Bringing in an Avondale is exactly the point of promotion to me. It is not about who should be there in business terms - it is about who earned the right to be there. My concern with choosing teams through the NPL is that you have each State/Territory's own NPL - so we...

My mates and I were joking about that after the game last night. Good old underarm bowling. We thought we could say that we considered it too dangerous to go there and play at the moment so we would forfeit to get the game moved to a neutral venue too.

How's that bookmark looking Pasquali ;) When your team avoiding the wooden spoon counts as an achievement you claim glory wherever you can :)