I missed the game today but have been able to watch the replay.

We are playing proper top 8 (let alone top 10) footy. Time will tell if we can keep it up all season, but if we can dominate Gold Coast, with their level of talent (particularly in the midfield), then we should all have hope that we can be better than just a mid-table side.

We are combining elite pressure with both a willingness and an ability to move the ball quickly and score. We still get opened up the other way, conceding another 89 points, but today a lot of that was their accuracy (their expected score was 74 - they were nailing their shots).

I felt we were on from the start but just missed some early shots (e.g. Culley and Mihocek missing sitters) when they nailed theirs at the other end. Probably never should have been 3 goals down early, but yet again we kept our composure, maintained our belief, and backed ourselves in to turn it around. That also applied when we were 2.7 at one stage but then righted the ship and at one stage were then 12.9.

Steele is getting better, which is amazing. But he's not on his own for defensive pressure, with Chandler, Sparrow, Sharp and Windsor all pulling their weight.

Petty works in the ruck, which I didn't have on my 2026 bingo card. Anything is better than JVR rucking but getting Petty involved in the middle is working, he is following up at ground level and we're not losing forward structure. It works particularly well when he can follow an opposition tall forward who goes in as a second ruck. The intrigue will come if/when we want to take a look at Kentfield as another tall forward, because we can't afford to get any taller than we are now.

Interestingly we reduced the number of players we ran through centre bounce today - just Steele, Kozzie, Windsor and Sparrow. No Tholstrup tag in there, but also no Culley or Langford, continued to be pushed to wings. A tick to King and the FD for that decision though, as whatever focus we had on stoppage worked today.

I'm still unconvinced by Laurie, though. To be fair, I was unconvinced by Sharp going into 2026 and as each week goes by I look more and more wrong about that, so I'm prepared to be wrong about Laurie too, but I just don't see it, I'm sorry to say.

The beauty of Latrelle is that he, his teammates, the opposition, his folks, kozzy, you know them - haven’t the faintest idea what he is going to do with the ball when he gets it

“Corral him!”

Corral him? He just run backwards and up a flight of stairs

3 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Did a journo seriously ask king if steele keeps his spot? The look on kings face, I think he wanted to burst out laughing

I think you'll find he was referring to Melksham. Thus King's response around needing to protect him, his body must be fairly shot. Suspect he'll be nursed through the season.

3 hours ago, Fromgotowoewodin said:

I am extremely [censored] off

that I couldn’t get Kayo to load in Vietnam and had to listen to the radio. Absolute disaster.

WatchAFL is the international streamer.

We never looked timid, we have belief in ourselves.

Great pressure game, consistently pushed them down the line without the angled movement.

Love when we get the ground-balls. If we weren't first to it then we were on their shoulder.

A game of great moments, and we scramble and fight well.

Windsor's touches make things happen.

Amazed by our wingers (Langford, Langdon, and Culley), two way running and getting forward marks.

Lindsay is playing well, composure, and with King creating a very high defensive line our backs become goal kickers.

King adjusted the structure, and kept King and Rioli quiet after a fast start.

Sparrow and Steele closed down Rowell.

Latrelle will get even better I reckon.

Kossie playing with extreme confidence, remains untouchable.

So happy for Melky.

Max, what a great leader.

Four quarter footy.

They are playing with a smile.

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by Kev

1 minute ago, Kev said:

We never looked timid, we have belief in ourselves.

Great pressure game, consistently pushed them down the line without the angled movement.

Love when we get the ground-balls. If we weren't first to it then we were on their shoulder.

A game of great moments, and we scramble and fight well.

Windsor's touches make things happen.

Amazed by our wingers (Langford, Langdon, and Culley), two way running and getting forward marks.

Lindsay is playing well, composure, and with King creating a very high defensive line our backs become goal kickers.

King adjusted the structure, and kept King and Rioli quiet after a fast start.

Sparrow and Steele closed down Rowell.

Latrelle will get even better I reckon.

Kossie playing with extreme confidence, remains untouchable.

So happy for Melky.

Max, what a great leader.

They are playing with a smile.

Good shout here @Kev . Low possession counts for all three, and Culley didn't touch it all that much after quarter time, but on TV at least I felt like they were constantly presenting in the forward line and getting back on defence. Langord kicked 2 and Culley should have kicked at least 1.

I'd still like them to be getting more of the ball but we are the sum of our parts and gut running wings are key.

Here's one.

We have won 11 out of 16 quarters so far. No matter what happens tomorrow, that will put us 2nd in the competition overall, behind Sydney on 12.

4 of the 5 quarters we've lost have been first quarters - have lost every single one of them. But that of course means that from quarter time onwards, we have won 11/12 quarters, with the only loss being the third vs Fremantle where we weren't even that bad, we just got trampled by a flag contender at the top of their game.

11 minutes ago, Kev said:

Lindsay is playing well, composure, and with King creating a very high defensive line our backs become goal kickers.

salem, lindsay, and tholstrup all kicked goals today

makes the world of difference

56 minutes ago, Macca said:

Could it be the Krakouer bros. all over again with Kozzie & Latrelle? When both of them are involved in the play, good things happen

Almost impossible to coach against too as a lot of what we see is pure instinct. Electrifying!

Today we got a glimpse of how good Latrelle could be whilst we already know how good Kozzie is

This is what Matty Whelan said a couple of months ago, he compared the Picketts to the Krakouers. He said it’s uncanny how they know where one another is without actually seeing one another.

4 hours ago, Bang Bang Bang said:

So many positives but Sparrow was an absolute maniac in that last quarter. Like an out of control boulder with

So true....so often the weak link and rightful whipping boy whipping boy for so long but credit for two great games.

Congrats . Maybe he was overwhelmed by Oliver and Tracca?

Overheard after the match: a mum and dad telling their little kids yes it’s late but they still have to have their nightly bath when they get home. Dad says, “You now who doesn’t need a bath tonight? Ethan Read, coz he already got one today from Jake Lever.”

I like the cut of dad’s jib

Gawn’s comment re king giving the players freedom to play as they see fit at the time? Let footballers play football? Giving instinct priority over ‘system?’ Madness!!

Giving that licence means it’s very hard to make a plan against and only teams who have a great game, ala freo, will be able to get a hold of us (unless of course we have a down day, which will happen at times). The rest of the time, it will be at the very least entertaining and at best like today. Either way, this year is a free hit so I’m just strapping in and enjoying the ride!

As they gathered at the end of the game, Taylor and Mathews joined the squad on the G. My guess, they'll get a look-in some time this season.

Just finished watching kings presser & the match highlights.

Gee the Suns players at times were demonstrative with each other

I found the team unrecognisable in this game. The way we moved the ball was so dynamic.

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by lorn

5 hours ago, YearOfTheDees said:

That game showed us everything that was wrong the past years

Yep, it highlighted how stale Goodwin's game plan had become

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by lorn

An outstanding performance! We were irrepressible with our pressure and moving the ball forward at all costs. Windsor has really come on, Steele has been better than I could have hoped and Kozzie and Max were their usual best.

Great turnout too, 24k against the Suns on Easter Sunday is a good crowd all things considered. Can't wait to watch the replay of this one. If we can win 2 of our next 3 (Bombers, Lions, Tigers) we will be in a great position.

Loving Pickett attending centre bounces. His feet of flames are causing major problems for the opposition

5 hours ago, Roost it far said:

They’re tough, these Demons. I’ll say it again. There’s a touch of John Northey in this team. How farkun good was that.

I thought that, too. At times we were surging just like in the Northey days. Thete's so much run in this team. And that brings PRESSURE.

44 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

This is what Matty Whelan said a couple of months ago, he compared the Picketts to the Krakouers. He said it’s uncanny how they know where one another is without actually seeing one another.

'Telepathic'! (according to Louie the Lip)

3 hours ago, Dingo said:

Bye , bye, baby - a classic!

At least I can sing along to that one!

Yeah. We're in for a wonderful ride watching Koz bring Latrelle into the game. It's so cool to watch. Especially mature age recruits breaking through.

Can't guarantee he's there yet, but you just feel the two of them together could be just dynamite.

I feel like Lindsay is slowly but surely turning into our new Gus for us too. He's been a really a really slow starter, but there's something very "brick wall" about him that makes me happy he's just growing in this team.

Maxy really highlighted that mid tier of players need to stand up this year and it's happening.

So good to see the freedom and flow in our game now. A big thanks to our coaches for enabling this.

Lastly, Greard Healy - Kozzy Pickett needs to learn how to run defensively - pffft gagfff

And ump22 - Nathan Williamson - did you get overruled by a boundary ump late in the game? Trying to get Goldy back in it with that oof call?

Any data nerds out there that can work out the frees for and against Melbourne for our games he officiates?

Might have to watch the last quarter again. Our defensive pressure through the middle was just a joy to watch

Go Dees

Ooh and Salem, it was Christian's best game in quite a while and he's a gun for us off half back when he's firing

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Brownie

10 minutes ago, Go Lordie said:

I thought that, too. At times we were surging just like in the Northey days. Thete's so much run in this team. And that brings PRESSURE.

Yeah, we seem really fit. We're running games out incredibly well.

Minimal injuries and we're in with a shot with the way we're playing.

5 hours ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Harry Sharp appreciation post

Has blown me away this year with his consistency, I thought he would never make it but he is really playing his role well.

1 hour ago, bing181 said:

WatchAFL is the international streamer.

Yeh it’s weird though, i was on a vpn so it was letting me log in and go to the game page but just stuck on loading the whole time. Might have to bite the bullet and pay WatchAFL next week if I don’t have better luck in Thailand..