5 hours ago, binman said:

A fair criticism of the old channel 9 coverage.

I can't speak to 7's team because i've only washed the fox coverage this summer. The fox lineup this summer was:

Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Mark Waugh, Mel Jones, Mike Hussey, Kerry O’Keeffe, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Isa Guha, Harsha Bhogle, Brian Lara, Michael Vaughan and Ian Smith.

Of that group, the only commentator i don't really like is Mark Waugh.

And of the others  Isa Guha, Harsha Bhogle, Michael Vaughan. Mel Jones and Adam Gilchrist are among the best in the world in my humble. And i really enjoyed the insights of Lara and Akram this summer too. 

I think Fox has done a very good job with some of the commentators they have added. Agree Isa Guha, Harsha Bhogle and Michael Vaughan are amongst the best in the world. I am not so big about Gilchrist and Mel Jones but I also like Ian Smith and thought Wasim Akram was also pretty good. 

1 hour ago, deespicable me said:

One of the major reasons our commentators don't really educate and discuss the game with enough depth and understanding is the umpiring. It is one of the glaring oversights of AFL as a sport. It's like racing not giving any credence to track bias, it's like ignoring the wind as an influence at Casey.

I really enjoy the referall system in cricket. They have 15 seconds to make the decision to "go upstairs", we all sit at home and discuss our choice as to weather it's in or out as do the comentators and it's played out with all the luck and drama of umpires call etc. There is no gag on the comentators except to keep it moving, and interesting.

In football there is a gag on discussing one of the most influential reasons for a lot of goals, the umpiring. So as the ball gets taken back to the centre to be bounced the comentators start carrying on about how this is happening and a team is getting on top but meanwhile any true football tragic is more often than not screaming at the TV for the crazy free for or the missed free against. Football is a pretty stupid sport. I love it but while umpiring is so random and inconsistent It is a sport that is very hard to make a lot of sense of.

I don't know about this. The reason we have poor commentary is we have poor commentators (Adam Papalia, Huddo and Daisy aside)

8 hours ago, ANG13 said:

Bloody hell Roost it far has your account been hacked? Last year from memory the only game you were worried about was Hawthorn. But I am actually feeling very similar to you about this year. My biggest concern is the psychology of our players but there are plenty of other issues to worry about too. 

Last years finals, the preseason from hell, an ever so soft underbelly, TMac, Brown and Schache being discussed as answers, Surely that’s enough to worry any Demon  tragic Ang?

3 hours ago, Roost it far said:

an ever so soft underbelly

Teams with an ever so soft underbelly don't win 16 or 17 games 3 years running

And we romped in the flag in 2021 ... but no injuries that year

And that's the main issue - injuries (specifically to our forwards)

And most supporters and even the media are highlighting that facet

On 07/02/2024 at 13:59, Macca said:

I'm probably the most bullish this year than any other year.  But I was reasonably bullish in 2021, 2022 & 2023

Before that, 2018 & 2019 in terms of finals only

2009 - 2017, not confident at all in terms of contending or finals

@old dee went the early crow in 2021 (predicting the flag) and I'd be interested in his thoughts on this year.  

But old dee is a true realist as a few others are (but most here lean optimistic or pessimistic to varying degrees)

But again, I don't take much notice of the scribes.  Most are looking for a headline or are grandstanders.  But we click away don't we?

Seriously OD is one of the most negative posters of all D/Lers.

Posts that he believes Clarry is not going to be if any or much help as he won’t be fit and we will get b all out of him in 2024.

Never a thought to welcome him back and let him know especially we(   Ie OD himself) are behind him and wish him all the best. 

I can’t recall him re the flag in 2021. When did he make the call ( When Fritta kicked his 6 th goal).

Sorry but I am bullish and if you like to go through my 2021 posts I was bullish and predicting a good season from pre season on not once but a dozen times in differing p osts. 

This year yes injury to our forwards is our biggest worry but even then we could develop our game plan and connectivity to win and kick straight. 

So good times ahead still I believe . Top4 and luck with injuries and we can win it. 

7 minutes ago, 58er said:

Seriously OD is one of the most negative posters of all D/Lers.

I can’t recall him re the flag in 2021. When did he make the call ( When Fritta kicked his 6 th goal).

 

No 'old dee' is a realist and he gets it right more than most.  And if you get it right most of the time you're keeping it real

But he's seen as a pessimist by the optimists

He made his call on the flag early in 2021 but I have no idea which threads

I noticed because I always read what old dee has to say.  rjay, Axis & bing are others who keep it real

And they never complain about umpires either.  Another thing I notice

1 hour ago, Macca said:

Teams with an ever so soft underbelly don't win 16 or 17 games 3 years running

And we romped in the flag in 2021 ... but no injuries that year

And that's the main issue - injuries (specifically to our forwards)

And most supporters and even the media are highlighting that facet

Teams with as much talent as ours don't bow out of finals in straight sets 2 years running. I think we can be rattled by clubs who really bring the heat. 

7 minutes ago, Macca said:

No 'old dee' is a realist and he gets it right more than most.  And if you get it right most of the time you're keeping it real

But he's seen as a pessimist by the optimists

He made his call on the flag early in 2021 but I have no idea which threads

I noticed because I always read what old dee has to say.  rjay, Axis & bing are others who keep it real

And they never complain about umpires either.  Another thing I notice

I'm afraid that 2021 was the year OD was in world record pessimistic form. I think the GF win has mellowed him a fair bit, thankfully.

Cheers OD! 

5 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Teams with as much talent as ours don't bow out of finals in straight sets 2 years running. I think we can be rattled by clubs who really bring the heat. 

I disagree

The major factor was the replacement forward line being a big weakness

3 minutes ago, Macca said:

I disagree

The major factor was the replacement forward line being a big weakness

Watch the Carlton final and the first quarter against Collingwood. If that's not wetting the bed then I don't know what is. Even the coach and match committee were damp after the Carlton loss.

6 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

I'm afraid that 2021 was the year OD was in world record pessimistic form. I think the GF win has mellowed him a fair bit, thankfully.

Cheers OD! 

What I also remember was that many here thinking that old dee's account had been hacked!! (in 2021)

You've got to admit that old dee gets it right a lot and his views on Clarrie could be on the money as well.  

3 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Watch the Carlton final and the first quarter against Collingwood. If that's not wetting the bed then I don't know what is. Even the coach and match committee were damp after the Carlton loss.

Proper forward line in both finals and we win both finals

But I'm not going to change your mind and you won't be changing my mind

Thankfully, most here are happy to scknowledge our forward line woes but you won't even reference it

It's the elephant in the room

Also, there are up to 7 forwards unavailable for the Sydney game as well) 

It's a real issue 

23 hours ago, binman said:

One of the things things that has struck me about watching EPL and NFL, two sports i know bugger all about, is how insightful the commentary and general coverage is. And how much it helps me understand the game and adds to my enjoyment as a viewer.  

They are obviously generally speaking to fans who know the sports super well, but their way of discussing the game as they commentate is so illuminating.

Once upon a time I had an overnight flight layover in Singapore and the most comfortable place to rest was in front of the big screen showing EPL discussion shows. Nice deep lounge-style chairs with clever high sides and high directional speakers in the sides so you could listen and not disturb anyone else... I digress.

Point being - after one night of killing time in a hotel common area I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the overall state of play of the EPL and the key tactical and personnel issues of several clubs.

I also knew almost nothing about the lives, favourite foods or alleged past greatness of the commentators.

Professionals make so much difference. In fact, there should be a panel show just called 'The Professionals' with various actual experts talking about the game in general and offering insight from their specialist fields.

I think we're in trouble.

15 minutes ago, Macca said:

Proper forward line in both finals and we win both finals

But I'm not going to change your mind and you won't be changing my mind

Thankfully, most here are happy to scknowledge our forward line woes but you won't even reference it

It's the elephant in the room

Also, there are up to 7 forwards unavailable for the Sydney game as well) 

It's a real issue 

Of course it's an issue and I have referenced it. Regardless we had Carlton on toast that night but played an undisciplined, burn your teammates rabble of a game with an unused sub and still only lost by a kick! Against Collingwood we missed at least 5 easy goals that had we kicked a couple we would of won. That excludes having a midfielder lower his eyes and hit a target. Sure we didn't have our best forward line but that doesn't excuse the way we played and kicked for goal. We generated the shots and we wet the bed. Collingwood smashed us in the first quarter and we never fully recovered. They came out breathing fire and we wilted. Yes injuries cost us but that's not why we lost either game. 

11 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

Once upon a time I had an overnight flight layover in Singapore and the most comfortable place to rest was in front of the big screen showing EPL discussion shows. Nice deep lounge-style chairs with clever high sides and high directional speakers in the sides so you could listen and not disturb anyone else... I digress.

Point being - after one night of killing time in a hotel common area I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the overall state of play of the EPL and the key tactical and personnel issues of several clubs.

I also knew almost nothing about the lives, favourite foods or alleged past greatness of the commentators.

Professionals make so much difference. In fact, there should be a panel show just called 'The Professionals' with various actual experts talking about the game in general and offering insight from their specialist fields.

Will Body and Doyle co host?

15 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

 with an unused sub 

Schache was unused as Gawn managed to battle through with a broken toe

So he wasn't needed but we did need him in reserve

Edited February 9, 20241 yr by Macca

11 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Will Body and Doyle co host?

Hmm, could make an argument for Martin Shaw ahead of Tony Shaw.

1 hour ago, Macca said:

Schache was unused as Gawn managed to battle through with a broken toe

So he wasn't needed but we did need him in reserve

You need run late in games….simple as that. If Schache was needed to potentially replace Gawn you play him over TMac or use TMac to cover Gawn. You don’t play Schache and TMac in the same 23. It was a poor decision by the coaching staff. It still wasn’t the reason we lost the game, it was just one of many mistakes that were made that night. 

Well the last year of the Dragon was 2012

Make of that as you will

52 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

You need run late in games….simple as that. If Schache was needed to potentially replace Gawn you play him over TMac or use TMac to cover Gawn. You don’t play Schache and TMac in the same 23. It was a poor decision by the coaching staff. It still wasn’t the reason we lost the game, it was just one of many mistakes that were made that night. 

So if Gawn breaks down and there's no Schache in reserve we would have had to use our only KPF in the ruck (T-Mac who was on one leg)

Leaves us with zero KPF's in a final?  Smith & Fritsch are 3rd & 4th forwards only 

We ran out of KPF's as well as an adequate 2nd ruck

Edited February 9, 20241 yr by Macca

16 hours ago, ANG13 said:

I think Fox has done a very good job with some of the commentators they have added. Agree Isa Guha, Harsha Bhogle and Michael Vaughan are amongst the best in the world. I am not so big about Gilchrist and Mel Jones but I also like Ian Smith and thought Wasim Akram was also pretty good. 

Yeah, you're probably right about Gilchrist, not world class. Voice is too grating 

Ian Smith is funny in similar way to Kerry O'Keeffe. 

I really enjoyed Wasim akram too - particularly when talking about bowling.

Helps that he is one of my all time favourite cricketers. A joy to watch bowling.

Yes we may drop,  as pointed out the end of our season took a lot of things out of the hands of the club with our injuries to the wrong players in numbers we could not cover. Plus IMHO the decision to play T-MAC who couldn't really move. Topped off with some of the worst decision making and kicking in along time.

Every club will be looking to improve, so will we,  Sounds liked we have a couple of good players to freshen up the list for this year.  I assume the club has looked at our weakness and continual to adapt to improve and compete.

We have lots of talent and showed we could cover Clarry for long periods.  

We'll be there about if we don't get a run of bad injuries. 

 

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, ANG13 said:

I think Fox has done a very good job with some of the commentators they have added. Agree Isa Guha, Harsha Bhogle and Michael Vaughan are amongst the best in the world. I am not so big about Gilchrist and Mel Jones but I also like Ian Smith and thought Wasim Akram was also pretty good. 

Big fan of Harsha but nobody beats Skull.

3 hours ago, Macca said:

Proper forward line in both finals and we win both finals

But I'm not going to change your mind and you won't be changing my mind

Thankfully, most here are happy to scknowledge our forward line woes but you won't even reference it

It's the elephant in the room

Also, there are up to 7 forwards unavailable for the Sydney game as well) 

It's a real issue 

It is an issue. It's been an issue for two years and most likely cost us a flag. Can't see any arguments against this.

1However if Jvr continues his form and growth and Petty and Fritta are injury free, I feel it's not that serious.

But we have to have realistic expectations with Bbb, Tmac and Shackle.