3 minutes ago, Farmer said:

On what basis do you say that?

We beat the Cats at KP 2 seasons ago, when two big blokes took the Cars apart. Then, Spencer didn't get a single game in 2016

Two rucks also looked pretty effective in preseason games!

13 hours ago, Petraccattack said:

Jack Watts was absolutely sensational.

He has grown to have the heart of a lion and is going into the ruck and competing hard against much bigger opponents. Who could have seen that coming a few seasons ago?

Over the journey I, and many here, have wondered what Watts had done to disenfranchise himself to many team mates on game days. His ability to find space, often the right space, would go ignored or overlooked. Terribly frustrating to watch let alone for Jack to deal with.

Today should if nothing else engender Jack to the playing core. He climbed a mountain in that game. Understable he was stuffed.

He wasn't without any mistakes but all in allI hope he's now 100% visible.

So just been reported that Bernie Vince could potentially miss a week with a toe injury.

FMD we just can't get a clear run so far this year after coming off a year with barely any injuries.

3 hours ago, pitmaster said:

Settle down. Max was growing frustrated but perhaps because the last of those frees (which gifted them a goal) came from Selwood running past the ball head down (surprise). Selwood actually ran into Gawn's arm. Should have been play on but Selwood has cheated like that all his career and has the eyebrows of a heavyweight boxer to prove it.

I can agree with both of you. 

Max was clearly irked by the umpiring. ( Who wasn't lol...if not a cat ) But for all his good efforts he wasn't seemingly as influential as ought be..imo

We're still going to have a glaring weakness at 2nd ruck despite Spencer being available ... Geelong yesterday weren't able to take full advantage (their clearance work was messy)  They won 56 hit-outs and many of them were to advantage.  A good team will kill us with those sort of numbers.

Gawn going down was an accident waiting to happen and a number here were saying as much ... and Watts is not a ruckman - he tried hard and competed adequately but was mostly outpointed & outclassed (in the ruck only)  Goodwin even had to throw Smith in the ruck at one stage.

It's often been said that you only know the value of a ruckman when you haven't got one and yesterday was a case in point. 

With Hogan out we were left without a big-bodied forward who could do all the things a big-bodied forward can do (Weideman,  Hannan,  Smith & Harmes were collectively useless in that area yesterday)  Gawn & Spencer could have played that role yesterday (in tandem)

With Hogan back in, Spencer then often becomes surplus to needs (but not always) Each situation & circumstance is different to the other.  We could cop being at a disadvantage for 20% of the game (in the ruck) as we'd be strong in other areas ... we'd have our big bodied forward (Hogan) with a few tall 3rd forwards to help out.  As well as that we'd be able to play another midfielder instead of Spencer.  And ... we'd often have a dominant ruckman for 80% of the games (Gawn shouldn't be rucking for more than 80% of the games) 

I made the same (above) argument before the start of the season so it's not a hindsight observation.  It's a horses-for-courses argument with regards to the ruck position.

The other area where we lost the game was our utterly putrid kicking for goal.  We choked big time. 

When you consider that two or three of the Geelong behinds were rushed their kicking accuracy was astonishing.

Oh... what might have been

48 minutes ago, Farmer said:

One bad mistake! Look at his game overall. Look at his tackles. He played a great game , his best since Kardinia Park 2 seasons ago

Why did you read into my comment? I wasn't criticising ANB overall performance at all. Just how bad that 30m backward pass was. Worst play of the year. 

9 minutes ago, DominatrixTyson said:

Why did you read into my comment? I wasn't criticising ANB overall performance at all. Just how bad that 30m backward pass was. Worst play of the year. 

It was a shocker, but aside from that ANB played a very solid game. His form this year has been pleasing and I bet he's stoked after putting in the hard yards in the VFL last year. Will kick himself if they review that footage though!

13 hours ago, picket fence said:

Nup 10 tackles means he is second to the ball Jordy mrk2 ! Not AFL Standard IMV!

What impact did he have on the game ?? Gifting that goal was as bad as it gets!

Too many people underestimate the value of tackling effectively and often

51 minutes ago, --coach-- said:

Two rucks also looked pretty effective in preseason games!

Could have been a significant difference yesterday.

Extremely disappointed but that is certainly better than being demoralised like normally playing the cats. Our inaccuracy is what stopped us having the game beyond doubt but what cost us the win was allowing 2 late goals in the third. It was extremely poor leadership that let us with our play hand them both scoring opportunities allowing them to come into the last with their tails up. 

Hunt was immense and could be anything. Good to see a quiet Oliver game when tagged still equates to 27 touches and the same defensive effort you would expect. Amazing that the forward line we cobbled together nearly kicked 100 points (and 32 scoring shots). Viney is lacking acceleration in and out of the stoppage. I feel we have been giving him roles when he just needs to be released to attack the ball and man. Tyson's lack of run and aggression really stands out in the new fearless style of play. Needs to find serious form or will not be starting 22 by years end.  ANB and Stretch showing what good development looks like. 

I would not make too much change next week. Spencil in and maybe Pederson for Weideman for some extra support and maturity. 

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

Those junk time goals hurt a lot.

Had we gone into the last ahead ...who knows. They had momentum unfortunately.

When we had free kick in defence at the 29m mark we decided to go to a marking contest at the boundary to play for the break, instead of hit up a long leading switch which had an element of risk. The quarter went for 4 more minutes and we conceded two goals as a result of going into our shells.

Disappointing but the stats from the game show that we have come a long way. Possession count, inside 50s etc etc. Unlike the bad old days we are winning the ball. Cruelled by shocking kicking for goal, loss of aerial dominance in the ruck and by the efforts of Selwood and Danger.  For me, many more positives than negatives. Truly believe we need to go with minimal changes to the line-up. We need stability in the line-up and only make changes where absolutely necessary, ie Spencer for Gawn.  

The most pleasing thing about this game for me was the way the team played after we lost Gawn.  Didn't drop it's bundle and all but dominated Geelong for the next two quarters.  In the end the only things which really beat us was inaccuracy in front of goal combined with the inevitable physical fatigue compared with Geelong from having a ruckman short.  Can't fault our players effort and attitude to the game.  The only couple of things which could have improved the performance was some better mental application in front of goal - no one guilty player, but if two or three of those could have been slotted through and had we not lapsed for the last three minutes of the third quarter it could have been a victory to remember.

Lots of comments about the high 'cost' of the two late goals to Geelong in the third.  I couldn't agree more.  Not only did they cost us a handy lead, but they handed the momentum back to Geelong, and we never really regained the ascendency.  This is where the leadership and positioning of Jordan Lewis would have been invaluable.  I've noticed repeatedly during the first two rounds (and the JLT), that he was always on hand to marshall the troops and play a role down back himself in circumstances like these. Crying over spilt milk I know, but ..................

Jayden Hunt with the highest match votes on Sunday Footy show, and at HALF BACK on Matt Lloyds week by week All Australian team. Well done Junt!

What was with the kick backwards by ANB? 

Did he fall out of a wheelie bin and hit his head or something?

Second time in three games we have lost a player early and had to battle on with one less man.

Would be nice if it happened to our opponent for once instead of us.

The stats confirmed that Oliver was very quiet: only 28 disposals and 8 tackles this week!

23 minutes ago, Nasher said:

The stats confirmed that Oliver was very quiet: only 28 disposals and 8 tackles this week!

Terrible, drop him!

To me, a measure of our development will be seen in how we deal with this loss.

 In the past we would look for positives and be pleased with the effort. Yes it is a young team and incredibly young inexperienced forward line. But we lost! This was a game where we gave ourselves every chance, had more inside 50's and shots at goal and didn't take our chances. The collective player and coaching group should be bleeding. Other teams have injuries and the Hawthorn and Bulldogs mantra is a soldier goes down another steps up. We should be filthy about losing and not happy about anything and take it out on Freemantle at home. Good teams hate losing and go up a notch the next game. This is what I want to see next week. Minimal changes and those who were down yesterday to lift.

Great games from Jones (you champion), Hunt, Watts, Clarry, Stretch, ANB and Kent

Wise words from Goodwin on the MFC site. Measured, sensible and positive. Impressed by his intelligence, good communication skills and empathy. 

15 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

More to the point Geelong didnt win, it was a case of WE LOST. Not sure I have seen a poorer effort of players kicking for goal. Goodwin needs to call a special day of training where some  players kick at goal all day and nothing else.

Hogans absence was glaring today with Watts rucking but it was his first offence. Lewis has form in suspensions, so hes a worry. Despite shocking kicking if watts wasnt moved to ruck I think we could have won. Geelong are a very good side and last year they smashed us. We can hold our heads up somewhat. The umpiring was poor today. It was inconsistent on both sides but I felt that quite a few tackles layed by us went unrewarded.

 

 

We were scared of the goal sticks and in awe of Geelong. Haven't choked so much since '87 prelim.

My boy and I went along last night. A few things I came away from the game with:

1 - hindsight is great when it comes to team selections, I was happy with the lineup going into the game. Clearly losing Max completely altered the fwd line structure with our experienced tall  then going into the ruck (magnificent effort, Watts, take a bow). Hard for the other two fwd talls with less than 10 games between them to absorb the extra load.

2 - I thought our midfield pressure was terrific all night

3 - the smug Geelong supporters sitting behind us won't be smug for long, they have far too many passengers and are not going to win it this year with efforts like that

4 - even with a relatively inexperienced fwd line with Watts in the ruck, we still looked dangerous with multiple avenues to goal. Nothing more to be said on scoring accuracy.

5 - I remember sitting at the punt rd end in 2014 QB clash when we kicked 3 for the game. Last night was a completely different type of frustration. We are not far away now

6 - as much as I don't rate Oscar, we need to get another 30 games into him as quickly as possible. Our premiership window is cracking open.

i can't think of another time when I walked away as happy with a loss.

20 minutes ago, bush demon said:

We were scared of the goal sticks and in awe of Geelong. Haven't choked so much since '87 prelim.

ooooooooooooooh ..... that hurts

Simon Eishold sends his regards