10 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

What, a tiny tap from a puddy cat and the big bulldog falls over!  Nah, he took a dive to milk a free!! 

The doggie's name must be 'Cody'.

I thought the dogs would go on a run but way too many problems in their game at the moment. Can;t take marks inside 50, Naughton off-form, delivery ordinary to start with, so not getting value for the amount of possession they get. Defensively too easy to score against. They've a 50/50 proposition at best to make finals i reckon

Weightman will rue the day he said it was a skill to milk frees ie con the umpires.  He has had 2 frees in about 6 games since then.

Weightman dives for free kick

‘The football gods will get you...Umpires are warned pre-game by what players have a tendency, and Weightman has a tendency for accentuated contact. Umpires are aware of that".

It is about time umpires were made aware of who are the repeat 'milk-a-free' offenders.  Could be why the bulldogs aren't getting as many frees in recent games.

On his football, he has had a very ordinary year, just one good game vs North.  In the games I've seen he seems to just run around without much impact.  Wouldn't be surprised if he finds himself in the twos for a while.

Really interesting test for the AFL this week (bigger than the Buddy test) in their reaction to the Smith headbutt. Do they make a clanging example of the mullet-haired poster-boy insta-hero, or do they squib their responsibilities to the game’s principles of non-violence for the sake of TV viewership? I’m suspecting they’ll go hard, but only because the Dogs are way off the pace. 

Edited June 3, 20222 yr by Webber

Just now, Webber said:

Really interesting test for the AFL this week (bigger than the Buddy test) in their reaction to the Smith headbutt. Do they make a clanging example of the mullet-haired poster-boy twitter-hero, or do they squib their responsibilities to the game’s principles of non-violence for the sake of TV viewership? I’m suspecting they’ll go hard, but only because the Dogs are way off the pace. 

But if it’s MRO it’s just the same as Buddy. Intentional, high, low force = 1 week.  Maybe medium force = 2 weeks.  Is that what you mean by go hard?

9 minutes ago, Watson11 said:

But if it’s MRO it’s just the same as Buddy. Intentional, high, low force = 1 week.  Maybe medium force = 2 weeks.  Is that what you mean by go hard?

It will go straight to the tribunal. He should get 3-4.

3 minutes ago, mo64 said:

It will go straight to the tribunal. He should get 3-4.

I doubt they send it straight to the tribunal. The AFL have already considered headbutts as a classifiable offence for the MRO to handle.  But who knows.

20 minutes ago, Watson11 said:

But if it’s MRO it’s just the same as Buddy. Intentional, high, low force = 1 week.  Maybe medium force = 2 weeks.  Is that what you mean by go hard?

Dunno….maybe bringing the game into disrepute? 

30 minutes ago, Webber said:

Really interesting test for the AFL this week (bigger than the Buddy test) in their reaction to the Smith headbutt. Do they make a clanging example of the mullet-haired poster-boy insta-hero, or do they squib their responsibilities to the game’s principles of non-violence for the sake of TV viewership? I’m suspecting they’ll go hard, but only because the Dogs are way off the pace. 

Smith should get a suspension but Toohey should get grief also for applying the first headbutt. 

Luke Beveridge claims he "didn't see the incident".

Why do coaches of the (allegedly) offending player never see such things, I wonder?

7 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Luke Beveridge claims he "didn't see the incident".

Why do coaches of the (allegedly) offending player never see such things, I wonder?

They are probably telling the literal truth if you add 'at the time' but you can bet they see the video.

28 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Luke Beveridge claims he "didn't see the incident".

Why do coaches of the (allegedly) offending player never see such things, I wonder?

After a few notable faux pas in post game press conf Beveridge has probably been told to keep his mouth shut. 

Even then he did a fair job of playing it down:  “Hopefully there’s nothing in it... whatever it was.”

Touhy now saying it was as much his fault as Smith's!

Even if Smith isn't suspended, the Bulldogs finals charge is over.  That is a good thing, I think...

2 hours ago, Webber said:

Really interesting test for the AFL this week (bigger than the Buddy test) in their reaction to the Smith headbutt. Do they make a clanging example of the mullet-haired poster-boy insta-hero, or do they squib their responsibilities to the game’s principles of non-violence for the sake of TV viewership? I’m suspecting they’ll go hard, but only because the Dogs are way off the pace. 

The fact the question even needs to be asked shows what a mess the AFL have made of cut-and-dried reportable incidents.

 

18 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Touhy now saying it was as much his fault as Smith's!

Players' code of honour strikes again. Just like in the olden days. A  rigorously unbiased and detached MRO should pay no attention to that. Which means Christian is probably on the phone to Tuohy now, asking if he needed a Panadol or not.

1 hour ago, Watson11 said:

I doubt they send it straight to the tribunal. The AFL have already considered headbutts as a classifiable offence for the MRO to handle.  But who knows.

Surely the range of damage from a headbutt when 2 players are grappling is quite limited.  Clearly, they are all intentional, unncessary and deliberate.  So whats the criteria to determine if its low, medium for high force. You're not going take a 15 metre run up and head butt someone.

Ultimately its a shocking look, on a Friday night and deliberate contact to the head from the highest profile player in the league (its 2022 and alas social media determines this) Minimum 3.  4 + sends the message.   A shame, cause he was brilliant to watch that quarter. 

pretty clear cut suspension, only argument is low/med to determine how many weeks. touhy did get a bleeding head bruise.

13 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

Cameron ends up at Geelong because of Tim Kelly. That trade has killed The Eagles and blessed Geelong.

How so?

Hawkins turning 34 this year 

Cameron 29 

Selwood 34

Danger 32 and always injured

Smith 33

Gutherie 29

Tuhoy 32

Stewart 29

Duncan 30

Blicavs 31

Rohan 30

Cats are stuck between ageing talent that can beat the bottom feeder sides yet will get found out with pace and skill against the top 4-5 sides. Then they go and give Scott a two year extension, for what purpose? He’s clearly had no interest in rebuilding the side and they won’t win it with the list they’ve got.

Sucked in Geelong.

9 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Hawkins turning 34 this year 

Cameron 29 

Selwood 34

Danger 32 and always injured

Smith 33

Gutherie 29

Tuhoy 32

Stewart 29

Duncan 30

Blicavs 31

Rohan 30

Cats are stuck between ageing talent that can beat the bottom feeder sides yet will get found out with pace and skill against the top 4-5 sides. Then they go and give Scott a two year extension, for what purpose? He’s clearly had no interest in rebuilding the side and they won’t win it with the list they’ve got.

Sucked in Geelong.

Early in this thread I mentioned Geelong are going under the radar.  They have quite a few talented youngsters: de Koning, Holmes, Stengle, Henry, Parfitt, Kolodjashnij, Miers, and some pretty good players in the 26-28 age group.  I would say Gutherie, Stewart, Menegola, Duncan etc have a few years left in them.

They will be a different team this September than last.  Good enough to go all the way, I doubt it but it would be a mistake to sell them short.

Edited June 4, 20222 yr by Lucifers Hero

13 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

On second thoughts the puddy cat will be charged with striking:  deliberate, severe impact, head high and suspend for 4 weeks!!

8 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Early in this thread I mentioned Geelong are going under the radar.  They have quite a few talented youngsters: de Koning, Holmes, Stengle, Henry, Parfitt, Kolodjashnij, Miers, and some pretty good players in the 26-28 age group.  I would say Gutherie, Stewart, Menegola, Duncan etc have a few years left in them.

They will be a different team this September than last.  Good enough to go all the way, I doubt it but it would be a mistake to sell them short.

They are a better team this year and I wouldn't undersell them.

Very strong at both ends but the weakness is the midfield.

If they get through with a fit list they will be dangerous, but that's a big if with the age of the stars and Cameron's dodgy hammy.

Edited June 4, 20222 yr by rjay

1 minute ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Early in this thread I mentioned Geelong are going under the radar.  They have quite a few talented youngsters: de Koning, Holmes, Stengle, Henry, Parfitt, Kolodjashnij, Miers, and some pretty good players in the 29-28 age group.  I would say Gutherie, Stewart, Menegola, Duncan etc have a few years left in them.

They will be a different team this September than last.  Good enough to go all the way, I doubt it but it would be a mistake to sell them short.

Both De Koning’s are guns in the making. But where I disagree LH is that they are too reliant on their older players. Losses to Sydney, Hawks, Freo, Saints and pushed by Collingwood (all young and upcoming teams) their only scalp for the year was over Brisbane at home with Stewart and Selwood out from memory. But for mine Brisbane are hard to get a handle on. I think defensive set up can easily exposed, but that’s another story.

I have to respectfully disagree, I think Cats are in trouble, beating up on certain sides is papering over the cracks, I think they’re the next WCE.

 

31 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

On second thoughts the puddy cat will be charged with striking:  deliberate, severe impact, head high and suspend for 4 weeks!!

The dog exaggerated the contact, surely?!

1 minute ago, Webber said:

The dog exaggerated the contact, surely?!

We agree:

4 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

What, a tiny tap from a puddy cat and the big bulldog falls over!  Nah, he took a dive to milk a free!! 

The doggie's name must be 'Cody'.

🙃☺️

23 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

 

If Dogs lose tonight, they'll be 6-6 and probably have to go 9-1 in the last 10 games  to finish top 4, and thus have any genuine hope of winning the flag this year. No team has ever snuck into the top 4 with 14 wins.

Even if they win, they'll still have to go 8-2 to make top 4 with Melbourne, Brisbane (away), St Kilda, Fremantle, Sydney (away) and Geelong (away).

I'm ruling out the Dogs to win the 2022 premiership.

the thing with the dogs, and to an extent Richmond as well is they probably don't need to make top 4 to make a serious run at the flag. 

Last year the Dogs finished outside the top 4 and ended up 19 points up in the 3rd quarter of the Grand final, which may have been enough against lesser opposition. 

I'm certainly not counting them out as a threat if they can sneak into the 8 but it's certainly Much much harder, I think for us it's nice we will actually see our true top 4 advantage given we potentially would play 3 finals in a row at the G if we manage to win the qualifying final which would make us really tough to beat for just about anyone.

 

Have commentators been given a directive not to comment on umpiring errors?

Crows v WCE ... 3rd goal, blatant throw to Soligo who kicked the goal. Perhaps the umpires were blindsided (all 3 of them!!), but the commentators Healy + others said nothing. 

Edited June 4, 20222 yr by Winners at last