Doubt if they would have done worse.

Doubt if they would have done worse.

Your reasoning is terrible though. If they were REALLY ill then they don't play. Obviously they weren't. Players have off days, we got one from both Jones and Vince. Unfortunate but a fact of life.

Sorry Wiseblood, leaders are expected to show up. They didn't and you can make as many excuses as you like.

Jones was increadibly well held by jacobs, and bernie just looked a little flat

Sorry Wiseblood, leaders are expected to show up. They didn't and you can make as many excuses as you like.

Of course they are. I'm not arguing that.

You were saying they shouldn't have played. You're wrong.

Is it time to ask questions about the Lumumba trade? He has been average at best. I like the way he takes the game on, and for that I can forgive the odd time he runs himself into trouble, but he is just not getting anywhere near enough of it for me to be convinced.

How many games out of H? How many out of Clarke?

How many games out of H? How many out of Clarke?

Ever heard of the concept of "opportunity cost".

It's not trading Clark out, it's trading Lumumba in.

Just 14 possies for him today. Still had a dip but clearly wasn't as up and about as the previous few months. Flu might certainly explain it.

His kick to Brayshaw in third was good and he gets to the right positions, but his disposal otherwise was poor - a case in point his horrible shot on goal and turnover when trying to kick to Viney 25 metres away under no pressure.

Having said that dropping him for someone like Riley, Toumpas or even Newton is not much different so there isn't much we can do right now.

His first three possessions were shockers, including the shot at goal. I'm more concerned about his defensive game, which is just about non existent.

What a great pick up Cross has been for us all year. We'll know that we are a lot better when he can't get a gig.

I thought our Forward set up functioned really well today. Always someone to kick to even though outnumbered sometimes.

Definite new influences in play today as well with potent options taken through the middle. Looked good.

Don't forget Cross will make a difference next week too against his old side.

We were asleep of the first ten minutes.

Then the game was over,

Same with the Collingwood game.

Can we pay them any more to wake up!

The staff are to blame.

The players are supposed to be "prepared " for the game.

That is their job.

Sack all the hangers on .

Jade Rawlings,Mahoney etc.

Wiiseblood I'm saying if they weren't able to perform, they shouldn't have played. I stand by that and if you think I'm wrong that's fine, but 26 possessions suggests they didn't perform.

Wiiseblood I'm saying if they weren't able to perform, they shouldn't have played. I stand by that and if you think I'm wrong that's fine, but 26 possessions suggests they didn't perform.

Why can't they just have an off day? It happens.

By your reasoning Brayshaw, Garlett, Harmes, Lumumba, Watts etc shouldn't have played as they got a low possession count, which to you means they didn't perform.

Today was so much like the 2002 First Semi Final

Quarters 2 & 3 were some of the best footy this team has played

But alas Quarters 1 & 4 were shocking....

I actually thought it was one of our best efforts for the season, especially given the flu.

The first quarter can largely be blamed on the decision not to play Fitzy on Brown, who absolutely blew us away early and forced T-Mac to go to him for a bit while Dunny regained his composure and figured out how to best tunnel him.

What was great this week is that our two big forwards benefitted from quicker transition and umpires that paid chopping hands and tunnelling on most occasions.

But the selectors took a huge gamble by going small and it proved mega costly in the first term, although it may have forced our guys to realise we had to play on in the second term, otherwise it was game over.

What was most pleasing is that with Vince and Jones barely sighted, we still showed that we could compete and a couple of our link up passages were the best they'd been all year.

They also didn't perform Wiseblood, agreed, but not all of them are leaders nor are they all key on ballers who got absolutely hammered.

I do giggle whenever anyone blames the lack of selection of Fitzy for a loss. I wonder sometimes if there's some other Fitzy on our list that I've forgotten about, because the one I've seen definitely ain't the man to turn our losses in to wins. Notwithstanding the fact that he was unavailable today anyway.

Suspect Brown might not have torn us a new one if their midfield had more to beat than witch's hats in the first quarter.

I see. I get the shot every year. Was just wondering if it really works, or if in fact footy players get the shot?

Ive had the injection and still got the flu, you just dont get it as bad, in fact you hardly notice it, but it sure does make you way less than 100%.

Today was so much like the 2002 First Semi Final

Quarters 2 & 3 were some of the best footy this team has played

But alas Quarters 1 & 4 were shocking....

I presume that the was match against Adelaide? Where Travis Johnstone played a blinder? I was there.

Today was so much like the 2002 First Semi Final

Quarters 2 & 3 were some of the best footy this team has played

But alas Quarters 1 & 4 were shocking....

You are right.

But the middle section was held up by Dawes getting lucky with the umps.

The rest was just the normal waiting for something to happen.

Home for an hour or so and a couple of settlers, ex Viney, Tyson and Matt Jones our midfield stunk it up. ( Read N.Jones, Vince, Brayshaw - terrible).

Almost predictable that Jones and Vince would receive attention after last week, but did we have a plan to discontinue the tags? Didn't look like it to me.

8 centre clearance to 1 in the first quarter. North midfield coach and players did a nice old job strategically on our sleepy midfield coach and players. Result 5 down at quarter time. Top sides like Hawthorn have the men like Hodge and Lewis who take care of the taggers. Who have we got? What prompt remedial action did we take? Couldn't help thinking Riley might have been useful at times today. Hogan, Viney very good again, but yet again let down by supposed leaders who are supposed to turn up every week.

antivirals, maybe??

When was the last time someone you knew died of the flu?

95% of the time when people talk about a flu, they mean the common cold, for which there is no preventative injection.

Estimated 40,000,000 in the 1918 pandemic - more that the whole death toll of WW I

Now I am not saying that whatever some of these guys had was that bad, but 'flu and 'flu-like viruses can sap all energy. As I mentioned elsewhere, if just one or two had this they could be replaced, but if as has been suggested 18 or so did then obviously there was no option than to play them.

Not good for the team performance, and certainly potentially harmful for the individual both short and long term.

Your reasoning is terrible though. If they were REALLY ill then they don't play. Obviously they weren't. Players have off days, we got one from both Jones and Vince. Unfortunate but a fact of life.

see above re ?how many were stricken. How many fully fit were available? (The Scorpions MFC players sound as if they had a bad day too). Sometimes [censored] happens.

Wiiseblood I'm saying if they weren't able to perform, they shouldn't have played. I stand by that and if you think I'm wrong that's fine, but 26 possessions suggests they didn't perform.

vide supra

And someone asked re 'flu shots. Bit of a +/- in a way, as they are usually not available until about mid season, and they can make some get mild 'flu symptoms for a few days. They don't give full protection but usually result in good modification. All that said, I don't know what the health or immunisation status of our players was today - do you?

And, yes; 'flu a'int the common cold, though that will even take maybe 10% off a top athlete's performance, which at top level sport is more than enough to enable for example Carlton to beat the Hawks, were the latter badly stricken.

We here don't actually know.

Not making excuses, just saying that the team's performance may have been effected, especially at the start and the end.

Edited August 9, 201510 yr by monoccular

Jones was increadibly well held by jacobs, and bernie just looked a little flat

Yes that is right Jones was held on numerous occasions by Jacobs. i made a point of watching that match up after I realised Jonesey had hardly had a possession at quarter time. Amazing the umps did not see at least one of them!

If it's 17 players as has been stated, then you are going to struggle to pick a team without people that were affected

Just had it confirmed that many were sick.

Just had it confirmed that many were sick.

Aren't we all?

I do giggle whenever anyone blames the lack of selection of Fitzy for a loss. I wonder sometimes if there's some other Fitzy on our list that I've forgotten about, because the one I've seen definitely ain't the man to turn our losses in to wins. Notwithstanding the fact that he was unavailable today anyway.

Suspect Brown might not have torn us a new one if their midfield had more to beat than witch's hats in the first quarter.

Perhaps go and watch a Casey game or two.

I totally agree that Fitzy, the forward, was a waste because he struggles a bit changing direction quickly and had no chance of laying pressure.

But Fitzy the defender has been revelation in the VFL - check out the comments on North website about him v Werribee the other week.

The reason that he is good as a defender is that he generally just has to go in the one direction and he's actually one of the fastest blokes in the comp.

This is not to say that I think he's going to be a world beater - nothing could be further than the truth but there is now a chance that, as long as he doesn't play tunnel ball, that he can play at AFL level and Brown would have been ideal for him and for us to see if he could make a real go of it - he has already smashed Tom Boyd and was superb in VFL on Ben Reid two weeks ago until having to go off injured.

Just had it confirmed that many were sick.

Thanks Redleg.