The 2014 NAB Challenge

[DeeSpencer 26,266]

I was really referring to our tall forwards, who have had a few niggles over the years, & young hogan. so I would wait on them until nearly March.

So I think Dawes in a couple of weeks as he's mentioned, Clarke a little longer than Dawes, & hogan I'd hold off from the forward line until Dawes is back & hopefully Clark as well.

I wouldn't throw Hogan into a half functioning forwardline. Hogan has to be 3rd tall, or not play at the minute. or play him back.

I think todays game was to go small as its Mid February, & we needed to get our midsized players taking responsibility, without any shortcuts. they had to work their buts off without bomb long options.

I like the way that Roos is setting us up at this point in this season. I like his way of thinking, & manipulating the players options, to get them to play the way he wants.

Interesting theory. The increased numbers of smalls rotating through the forward line did help the run and defensive work but I think there's room for both Dawes and Hogan in NAB 2. Specifically Dawes comes to CHF for Pedersen as a lead up the ground type and Hogan largely takes Howe's job as the second target. Then Howe can use his versatility to play as a smaller type but still get the mismatch when required. He did get most of his goals and possessions tonight from open play and hard leading not from one on one contesting.

Pedersen can probably fill the second ruck role that King did tonight as well as giving the key forwards a chop out.

Or given we are playing in Alice we could rest Frawley for a game and get Pedersen back to his back up key defender role. Plenty of options.

The way Dawes leads up at the footy I don't think he'd disturb the sharing of the ball and leading in to space game plan we saw work so well tonight. That leaves Hogan deep but if you keep him close to goal then most of the time the ball movement will still be based on sharing and great running to present not on bombing it.

[Carrot Top 947]

Is Melbourne the new Port Adelaide?

I hope not. I don't want to have to wear tracky daks and commit crimes just so I can support my team.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Interesting theory. The increased numbers of smalls rotating through the forward line did help the run and defensive work but I think there's room for both Dawes and Hogan in NAB 2. Specifically Dawes comes to CHF for Pedersen as a lead up the ground type and Hogan largely takes Howe's job as the second target. Then Howe can use his versatility to play as a smaller type but still get the mismatch when required. He did get most of his goals and possessions tonight from open play and hard leading not from one on one contesting.

Pedersen can probably fill the second ruck role that King did tonight as well as giving the key forwards a chop out.

Or given we are playing in Alice we could rest Frawley for a game and get Pedersen back to his back up key defender role. Plenty of options.

The way Dawes leads up at the footy I don't think he'd disturb the sharing of the ball and leading in to space game plan we saw work so well tonight. That leaves Hogan deep but if you keep him close to goal then most of the time the ball movement will still be based on sharing and great running to present not on bombing it.

without the talls, the onus is on the midsized runners to do more work to create & to defend, to take more responsibility to cover for our deficiencies.

nowhere to hide or time to rest, just work hard to cover one another. the mids Have to work hard all game or get smashed.

as we improve our mids gut run, when we add some talls, a bit at a time, our balance should improve, & become easier to score. hopefully our mids will continue to work as hard when the talls are back.

our key is our mids & backs to stop th Opp, & to start our rebound setups. we can go without our tall forwards atmo, to make the rest work it out, & work hard.

[Spirit of the Demon 256]

I hope not. I don't want to have to wear tracky daks and commit crimes just so I can support my team.

I would put up with that (perhaps misdemeanours instead of crimes) to beat Collingwood in a final like Port did last year.

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

It would make my weekend if North could do a job on that most arrogant of clubs Carlton and take its pompous coach down a couple of pegs today.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,477]

It would make my weekend if North could do a job on that most arrogant of clubs Carlton and take its pompous coach down a couple of pegs today.

Was just looking at the line ups, North look to be close to full strength, would be nice to see.

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

Just noticed that sportsbet.com.au has the Blues at $2.80 to win with North favourite at $1.42.

The bookies got it wrong last night but rarely do they do that twice in a row.

The NAB Challenge Ladder

Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Adelaide - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Carlton - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Essendon - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Fremantle - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Gold Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0

North Melbourne - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Port Adelaide - - - 0 0 100.0 0

St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0

West Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0

Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0

Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

[The Third Eye 283]

If anyone wants to question the skills of our players they should look at the Carlton v North game being played ATM. Both teams pretty ordinary but North woeful today.

[furious d 472]

without the talls, the onus is on the midsized runners to do more work to create & to defend, to take more responsibility to cover for our deficiencies.

nowhere to hide or time to rest, just work hard to cover one another. the mids Have to work hard all game or get smashed.

as we improve our mids gut run, when we add some talls, a bit at a time, our balance should improve, & become easier to score. hopefully our mids will continue to work as hard when the talls are back.

our key is our mids & backs to stop th Opp, & to start our rebound setups. we can go without our tall forwards atmo, to make the rest work it out, & work hard.

Disagree, I'd like to see us go as close to full strength as possible against Geelong and Hawthorn. Practice playing the way Roos wants us to play. I don't see any reason to deliberately go into round 1 with a completely underdone forward line.

We have winnable games early in the season, we need to be as well drilled as possible early to take advantage of that. We only have 2 more games against opposition before the season starts.

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

The "unofficial" NAB Challenge Ladder:

Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Adelaide - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Essendon - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Fremantle - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Gold Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Port Adelaide - - - 0 0 100.0 0

St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0

West Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0

North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0

Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0

Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

[DemonFrog 1,359]

I hope not. I don't want to have to wear tracky daks and commit crimes just so I can support my team.

Where your commitment to the Club!

[old dee 23,998]

It would make my weekend if North could do a job on that most arrogant of clubs Carlton and take its pompous coach down a couple of pegs today.

Looks like the weekend was not perfect WJ!

[ILLDieADemon 804]

In resent times lower clubs who show potential in the per season matches end up following it on into the home and away season.

Lets hope that's us this year and were not just peaking to early.

[ILLDieADemon 804]

People say "it's only pre-season, who cares", no one really does, but you can't afford to have a thrashing like that... Especially us, we're in a brittle state still and we can still crumble. I'm not confident that we'll win tomorrow, and that's fine, but I'm expecting at least somewhat of an effort.

How do you feel about our efforts now that the game in done?

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

Big game tonight as the AFL injects the Bombers into the NAB Competition to give it a bit of pep.

Rumour has it that the half time entertainment will comprise a re-enactment of the infamous meeting between Hird, Dank, Charters and the Weapon as they prepared the supplements programme of 2012.

That's the sort of thing that should give Foxtel's ratings a shot in the arm.

Meanwhile, the unofficial NAB Challenge ladder sees us drop one spot to the rampant Crows who had too much in their salary cap for their rivals from Port Adelaide yesterday (just as we had too much in the tank for the Toigs).

Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4

Adelaide 1 - - 119 59 201.7 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Essendon - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Fremantle - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Gold Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0

St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0

West Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0

North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0

Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0

Port Adelaide - 1 - 59 119 49.6 0

Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

[old dee 23,998]

Very good WJ smiles all round here.

[Carrot Top 947]

Where your commitment to the Club!

I said I don't want to. I never said I wouldn't.

[Elwood 3184 1,362]

What about that Garry Ablett? I didn't think it was one of his better games but he still ends up with more than 30 possessions, kicks a supergoal, dominates the last 2 or 3 minutes and kicks the goal to win the game.

The Suns wouldn't be much if he got injured.

[T-34 409]

The Suns would be nowhere without him.

Ablett represents what great leadership provides, that and class and ability.

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

i prefer frovocative pucker

And the unofficial NAB Challenge ladder:

Hawthorn 1 - - 154 23 669.6 4

Adelaide 1 - - 119 59 201.7 4

Melbourne 1 - - 98 84 116.7 4

Carlton 1 - - 100 93 107.5 4

Geelong 1 - - 104 102 102.0 4

Gold Coast 1 - - 90 89 101.1 4

Fremantle - - - 0 0 100.0 0

GWS - - - 0 0 100.0 0

St. Kilda - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Sydney - - - 0 0 100.0 0

West Coast - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Western Bulldogs - - - 0 0 100.0 0

Essendon - 1 - 89 90 98.9 0

Collingwood - 1 -102 104 98.1 0

North Melbourne - 1 - 93 100 93.0 0

Richmond - 1 - 84 98 85.7 0

Port Adelaide - 1 - 59 119 49.6 0

Brisbane - 1 - 23 154 14.9 0

[old dee 23,998]

Is there any prize money in this competition WJ?

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

Is there any prize money in this competition WJ?

Not to my knowledge.

Just watching Colin Sylvia wearing the number 4 for Fremantle. Tony Shaw calling him the player who could be the X Factor for the Dockers.

Really?

[P-man 13,366]

Freo getting a bath in the early stages against Wet Toast. 31-zip in the first.

Sylvia just had his first touch in a purple jumper. A kick to no-one.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

Freo getting a bath in the early stages against Wet Toast. 31-zip in the first.

Sylvia just had his first touch in a purple jumper. A kick to no-one.

Hope he plays [censored].

[Moonshadow 17,678]

Not to my knowledge.

Just watching Colin Sylvia wearing the number 4 for Fremantle. Tony Shaw calling him the player who could be the X Factor for the Dockers.

Really?

Does 4 describe the number of so-called breakout games he had playing for us?