The constant hand passing between rat pack members who seem to struggle to even at least socially distance drives me nuts.

Like most people I used to roar at the ump but now I scream at the players on my team out of sheer frustration. It is like watching a constant collage of Donald Trump Tweets and sound bites. Maddening.

Compounding the changes Mr Johnson points out is the fact that the players these days are hyper fit, hyper coached, full time professionals who are olympic standard fit such that the chase and tackle part of the game is utterly relentless, like a pride of lions chasing some poor fawn.

It is certainly not the game I played in my youth.

I stopped going to Aurora/UTas Stadium years ago to watch AFL games because of this degraded experience.

I do recall far more enjoyment watching North Launceston games in the State competition prior to that, including the simple pleasure of kick to kick with my son's post game. The latest media whinge fest about excessive holding the ball frees says it all IMO.

The game is rotting from the inside like the French regime did at Versailles all those years ago. That said, there is the women's game, less paid up professional but way more passionate and honest.

COMING home on the East Tamar highway I came over a hill and there, at the bottom were the flashing lights of a police car, having pulled over a speeder.

I slowed down, but not suddenly as I was afraid of getting rear ended by the vehicle behind me.

I realise the 40km/h rules are there for a purpose but surely if the lights had been because of an accident there would have been someone further back to warn approaching traffic.

It may be a bit much to ask but could the police find a place that is easier to see from a distance to pull over speeders.

SEVERAL years ago my grand-daughter, Claire, had the opportunity to visit China as a grade 5 student. In turn, her parents successfully hosted two young students from China with both parties benefiting enormously from this cultural exchange.

In the 1980s Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese leader, opened up his country to the world and declared that tourism would play a vital role in the economy.

The 2008 Olympic games in Beijing appeared to seal China's entry into a respected and valued member of the world community.

It is an absolute tragedy that the current communist's belligerent leadership has now effectively closed off Australian visits to China. Together with the appalling treatment of the native Uyghurs and the strangulation of people's freedoms in Hong Kong, China has retreated into an isolationist position where it is seen as a military threat by countries such as Australia.

The people of China deserve a leadership that will continue Deng's vision of a country that would gain the esteem and admiration of the world community.