This is a great post and holds very true for a lot of players.

With Hurley though, his attack on the ball is nothing like it was (although perhaps a different approach required when playing in defence).

And he was out-bodying men when he started. Now he just seems to be dominated for the most part.

However your point is probably right, I probably noticed his wins more than his losses when he started.

They've mismanaged him badly, IMO. He was never the most talented, but he could have been a solid forward had he been left there. He just needed to improve his kicking. They've moved him forward, back, forward, back. His confidence has been badly damaged and as we know this is a precious commodity at AFL level. He looks lost now. Frankly, I think it's delicious. Not only is he an Essendon player (therefore = hate), he beat up a cabby. What a [censored].

Has anyone mentioned the checkside pass Frawley kicked to Pedo in the 2nd quarter?

Probably not... If Stevie J had done it the commentary would've been inaudible due to the amount of mangasm going on.

In soccer terms, brilliant technique.

Finally got around to rewatching the game in its entirety, and I could not believe how many goals Jordie McKenzie was involved in.

It was like..."There's McKenzie...there's McKenzie...McKenzie again...and again...should've been a free to Frawley there, but it's okay cause there's McKenzie."

Destroyed Stanton and provided the quick handball out of the pack that won us about five or 6 massive second half goals. Easily his best game of all time.

Also, I vastly underrated James Frawley's game. He was a colossus all match. Should have kicked another goal from dead in front, and sometimes his chasing wasn't very good (but honestly I don't think he could have affected many of those situations anyway); but other than that he was spectacular.

Part of me wants to grab the pick so we can on-trade it for a ready-to-go mid, but another part of me just wants Chip to sign so he can become the world's greatest swingman for our club and not for Hawthorn or some other random team I hate.

PS that marking contest where Crossy opened himself up and drifted in front of the oncoming Paul Chapman is just about the bravest thing I've ever seen a person do on a footy field. He is very very lucky not to be in hospital right now with half his ribcage lodged in his guts.

Edited June 17, 201411 yr by Chook

We played very poorly, the next time we get stats like this game we will get smashed

We played very poorly, the next time we get stats like this game we will get smashed

Or maybe we'll win by a point.

DA an AoB - Hurley's thumbs are rooted. He could barely wrap them around the footy they are so weak in the tendon. That's why they are so taped up. Open secret among Bombers fans according to one - I would look into it more but ICGAF to be honest...

We played very poorly, the next time we get stats like this game we will get smashed

Very hard to argue with this

Although the lion's share of the awfulness was restricted to the first half

... and Whatever way you cut it our defense was absolutely superb

Has anyone mentioned the checkside pass Frawley kicked to Pedo in the 2nd quarter?

Probably not... If Stevie J had done it the commentary would've been inaudible due to the amount of mangasm going on.

In soccer terms, brilliant technique.

Of course you refer to Bruce - I laugh every time Paul Chapman plays: whenever he gets anywhere near the ball Bruce's pulse races..."Chappy...Chappy...Chappy".

I don't know whether he commentated on Sunday's game but he wouldn't have had too many "Chappy..." moments

He's the same player. It's just our expectations of him that have changed.

It happens with heaps of players. As a first year player we get enamoured with what they can do. Look at everyone's glowing comments about Salem. However, as they get older our expectations rise with how we expect them to develop. If Salem was a 3rd year player doing what he's doing now then do you think we'd be talking so glowingly?

That's what's happened with Hurley. He was a strong kid with no pace in his first year who impressed with his competitiveness for a 19 year old. Now he's into his 6th year and his competitiveness doesn't impress us anymore because it's not unusual for a 6th year player. But now we notice his lack of pace and the limitations this has on him. In truth, he's just a player who developed early. He may still develop further, but he's no worse a player than he was.

Statistically he's actually a much better player now compared with when he started. It's our expectations of what he should be doing that have changed.

I remember the exact same thing happened with Clint Bartram where as well as age, the number a player is drafted also skews expectations.

Very hard to argue with this

Although the lion's share of the awfulness was restricted to the first half

... and Whatever way you cut it our defense was absolutely superb

And we won, they can talk as much as they want to about the numbers, but the only number that counts is the final score.

If they feel they were robbed they can try to even up next year, good luck with that.

DA an AoB - Hurley's thumbs are rooted. He could barely wrap them around the footy they are so weak in the tendon. That's why they are so taped up. Open secret among Bombers fans according to one - I would look into it more but ICGAF to be honest...

Now there's a man whose thumbs are not a problem for him.

Of course you refer to Bruce - I laugh every time Paul Chapman plays: whenever he gets anywhere near the ball Bruce's pulse races..."Chappy...Chappy...Chappy".

I don't know whether he commentated on Sunday's game but he wouldn't have had too many "Chappy..." moments

You mean "Uncle Pauly" don't you?

Look at Crossy when the siren goes.

He is a DEMON NOW.

Fantastic.

Yep and I think the same with Vince as well.

Very hard to argue with this

Although the lion's share of the awfulness was restricted to the first half

... and Whatever way you cut it our defense was absolutely superb

No it is not to hard to argue with that all.

That is why games aren't won by stats - the only stat that matters is who got the higher score at the end of the game.I used to watch Joel Bowden at Richmond constantly get 30 meaningless disposals.

Everyone is pointing to the inside 50 differential stat - watch the game and listen to bomber - "not sure who taught them to get the ball and bomb it long onto the heads of our forwards". Doesn't matter how many inside 50's they had - if they continue to dispose of it into the forward line in the manner they did - then their results will continue to be the same. They kicked poorly from straight in front. The kicked poorly from angles. They bombed the ball in long too often. They missed targets way too often.

Our defense was superb - it was helped by horrible kicking into their 50.

Stats mean plenty if they are looked at in conjunction with the game - they can tell a story. Look at them in isolation and you get conclusions like " the next time we get stats like that we will get smashed".

Of course you refer to Bruce - I laugh every time Paul Chapman plays: whenever he gets anywhere near the ball Bruce's pulse races..."Chappy...Chappy...Chappy".

I don't know whether he commentated on Sunday's game but he wouldn't have had too many "Chappy..." moments

"ohhh Chappy Chappy Chappy - why did you only jog behind Tom Mac when he sprinted 40 metres to get to the last contest. ohhh Chappy Chappy Chappy - why were you 10 metres behind Tommy Mac when he received the handball from Jordie, ran inside and dished off to Tyson. ohhh Chappy Chappy Chappy"

You mean "Uncle Pauly" don't you?

Haha, beat me to it.

"Uncle Pauly"

Bruce please.

I feel much better after watching this again.