Took us some time, and we're putting up with some lopsided umpiring, but even with us not at our best we're still well and truly in the game.

Petracca and J Smith were the standouts that term.  I feel like Trac is switched on this year and ready to take some games apart on his own.  I think the new rules will take us a little time to adjust to, but I think our backline clicked more in that term and we set up our wall across half back quite well.

Zero worries from me so far.  Lions having a red hot dip but the cream for us is beginning to rise to the top.

Really liking Tracs game today. He's nailed the set shot, laid some big tackles and found a lot of ball. Definitely up there as our best to half time, and on track to have a career best game. Good signs heading into round 1 for the potential superstar!

From a coaching point of view, I'm disappointed to see we haven't developed any strategies to take advantage of the new kick in rule. We could be gaining so much more territory with the new rules, but we're still anchored to the goal square and kicking short. 

4 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Holding the ball? Nope. I guess that rule is gone now too. 

Jaded, didn’t you know if you pick it up and drop it like a hot potato while being tackled is ok, but picking it up and being tackled immediately by 3 opponents and trying to get rid of it is holding the ball lol ?

1 minute ago, blue and red in the head said:

Any chance of looking for a target in the forward 50 instead on just bombing it 20m out from goal? 

Give it time, the way Gil and Hocking love to make up [censored] on the fly, they'll soon be reducing the playing field 20m either end to increase scoring.

We'll look pretty good then!

Harmes out of the game for the day.  I don't know if it's precautionary or if it's a little more serious than that, but they just showed him in the rooms in his polo top.

Another positive from that term was our tackline pressure.  I think the stat towards the end was roughly 20-5 our way.  Add to the fact that we had more of the ball as well and that translates to much, much better pressure than the first term.

Hopefully it’s not a broken finger. 

4 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

From a coaching point of view, I'm disappointed to see we haven't developed any strategies to take advantage of the new kick in rule. We could be gaining so much more territory with the new rules, but we're still anchored to the goal square and kicking short. 

That’s humour yeah?

1 minute ago, Wiseblood said:

Harmes out of the game for the day.  I don't know if it's precautionary or if it's a little more serious than that, but they just showed him in the rooms in his polo top.

Off for an X-ray is my guess. Fingers can be really nasty. Got to hope it can be a quick fix 

6 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

I think you're referring to Christensen there GCDee. He came out of the ducking factory of Geelong so no surprises.

No no I mean Matheson... massive [censored]. 

Agree RE Christensen 

5 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

From a coaching point of view, I'm disappointed to see we haven't developed any strategies to take advantage of the new kick in rule. We could be gaining so much more territory with the new rules, but we're still anchored to the goal square and kicking short. 

Hopefully it’s a case of saving it for the real stuff 

28 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

How bad is Riewoldt as a commentator

Loved and hated him as a player. Hated him because he was so good against us.

Terrible commentator. Commented early that Steph Martin was clever for pushing forward and dragging Max back with him. Make Max play back which he isnt comfortable with and take away his ability to push forward. Will try to wear Max out.

It's like Riewoldt hasn't seen Max play.

1. Max goes back regularly. It's one of the main reasons why he is so good. He goes forward, back, midfield and takes the majority of the hit outs.

2. Max is the fittest ruck man in the comp. If anything Martin will wear himself out before Max.

Harmes is a worry.

We kicked more than we handballed, increased our entries into the forward 50 as a result, and significantly lifted our tackling rate that quarter.

Funny what happens when we decide to gaf, play simple football and do the non-negotiables well.

Harmes compound fracture. 

Lions I50 contested marking>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dees I50 contested marking.

We start taking a few and we walk away from them. The second QTR was a 180 turn as far as effort went by our boys.

Win or lose we just need to play like we intend to in the season proper.

Harmes reported as compound fracture...

FMD

Edited March 9, 20196 yr by ding

How many weeks is a compound fracture?

Edited March 9, 20196 yr by Males

2 minutes ago, GCDee said:

No no I mean Matheson... massive [censored]. 

Agree RE Christensen 

Agree with you on Mathieson. I'd love to take a bat to his face, but someone has obviously beaten me to it. Christensen got 2 of the duckiest free kicks to end that quarter. I don't wish injuries on players', but if he continues with that, he'll deserve the injury that is coming his way.

2 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

We kicked more than we handballed, increased our entries into the forward 50 as a result, and significantly lifted our tackling rate that quarter.

Funny what happens when we decide to gaf, play simple football and do the non-negotiables well.

And who knows what changed.  Did the Lions just surprise us a little out of the blocks?  Did we try and few things early, then tweaked them in the second term?  That stuff normally happens in JLT.  

6 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

Harmes out of the game for the day.  I don't know if it's precautionary or if it's a little more serious than that, but they just showed him in the rooms in his polo top.

Compound fracture, they are saying on the tv

Why do we continue to deliberately kick to top of the goal square? all high slow balls coming in.

So how does may look? 

1 minute ago, Demonland said:

Harmes compound fracture. 

What's the time frame for that?

If it's a decent length then, to me, that will be the only negative for the day.  A big one though for sure.

Just now, Damo said:

Why do we continue to deliberately kick to top of the goal square? all high slow balls coming in.

Did this last year as well. Disappointing to have not improved upon this so far