Leaderboard

If that was an indigenous dance, I dance like an indigenous man every Friday night.

Well what can I say, it was a tale of two halves. We played a very good, disciplined game in the 1st Term into the breeze in which we were able to keep the Tigers to within striking distance at 8 points in what was a very strong wind they were kicking with. Funnily enough I think our poor kicking in the first term though is something that hurt us in the end, as we had two more scoring shots and severel more inside 50's, but found ourselves behind, when we probably should have had a small lead. Our second term was very good however, in which we killed Werribee around the stoppages and controlled general play, only giving up 1 goal while kicking 7 ourselves. The came the 3rd quarter. We controled the first 6-7 minutes, but could only muster a point, and from then on Werribee controlled the game. The booted 7 goals that term (four from free kicks, at least) to our two and took an 8 point lead. I was optimistic of us running over the top of them, despite the absence of two players, until the rain set in and the wind completely dropped just as the 3/4 time huddles parted. We then had a stoppage slog where Werribee played the better wet weather footy and we butchered it going forward. Only 1 Werribee goal was kicked (again from a free) and we went down by 13 points, kissing any top 4 chances goodbye. We were unlucky, with loosing Terlich & King in the 2nd half who were both playing well, and then the change of weather going into the final term really hurt us. But we played a poor brand of footy in the second half, turning a 26 point lead into a 13 point loss. Now with 4 games to go, three against the top 3 teams, Casey will need to play well and hope Port Melbourne have some losses to assure themselves of a finals spot. My run down: Christian Salem: Was good for Christian to blow out a few more cobwebs. Clearly still a gallop short of the form he was showing over the first 6 rounds, but I thought he worked into the game well. Wet hard at the contests and kicked a nice goal. I'd say he was one of our best in the 2nd half when we didn't have many good players. And given Melbourne won on the weekend and Casey lost, it wouldn't hurt to give him another run at VFL level, just to make sure he's cherry ripe for the final 4 games. Jimmy Toumpas: Start of the year, I thought he was in trouble Jimmy. Then by half way through the season I though he was turning it around, but now I feel he's in trouble again. Did a few nice things, especially in the 2nd term, and he tried to run hard to create some spread, but he just looked to be lacking any real spark. He wasn't terrible by any stretch, but he didn't do anything to stake claims for a recall either. He may be up for trade at years end... Jordie McKenzie: I feel I write the same things about Jordie every time I watch him at VFL level. Played pretty well and tried his guts out, but that's all I can really say about Jordie. He's commited, but just lacks polish as we all know. Ben Newton: Played very well, and kicked two absolute classic goals which showed he was a touch above. Just a shame he doesn't do it as consistently at AFL level, but he's clearly got tools worth persisting with. Would be nice if he could get a little higher numbers at VFL level, but he was still one of our best. Jay Kennedy-Harris: Odd game for Jay. I actually think from the coaches point of view, you couldn't be to disapointed with his game, as he did all the sorts of things you want him to be doing. He chased, tackled and harassed very well I thought. The problem was he had next to no impact on the game and didn't have many touches at all. He was putting in, was pretty clear to see. He just got a big fat 0 on the results side of things for himself. Aidan Riley: Probably our most consistent player over the 4 Quarters. Typical Pig Dog game. Hard as anything and bottom of every pack. If only he was either an elite kick of had really good pace. But with neither of those things, he just lets down a lot of his good work. Had a chance to get us back within 2 points in the final term, only to kick the ball out on the full along with any chances of us getting the win. Mark Jamar: He and Spencil dominated the first half, but they probably had their colours lowered in the 2nd half by Wallace & Daw, especially Russian. He was very good in the first half, and was getting a bit of the ball, as he has done the last few weeks. But in the 2nd half Russian went quiet and that's when Werribee got ontop in the midfield. The rest in history. Still think someone will pick him up next year. Mitch White: Named in the best and not surprising. He was the main reason for our dominant 2nd term IMO. His run and drive from the half back line was first class, and set up many of our forward 50 runs. A lot more attention was paid to him in the 2nd half, but he was still able to get invovled in the play and get a bit of the ball. Just not to the same effect as the 2nd term. His defensive work was pretty strong also. Jake Spencer: See Jamar, however I thought Spencer actually got better as the game went on, and I thought along with Riley, they were our two best in the 2nd half. His ruck work wasn't the best itself, but he worked really hard around the ground. Spencil's biggest issue is that he just offers nothing as a forward. So once King went off, Casey really struggled going forward only having one of Spencer or Jamar to kick to. Rohan Bail: Like Kennedy-Harris, had no impact, however when he did get the ball, he turned it over a bit. For me personally, I thought this was Bail's worst game at VFL level that I've seen. Matt Jones: See Bail comments. Now to be fair to all of Jones, Bail & Toumpas, it wasn't a game for the outsiders today, but we just got very little value, especially from an impact point of view, even if Matty did get a bit of the ball. Dean Terlich: Played a very good first half, and when he got hit high in the third term he got up very groggy and came off with concussion never to come back on. Free kick was missed, instead he was called for holding the ball and Werribee kicked their first of 4 goals from free kicks in the 3rd quarter alone. So once Terlich came off the game started to change as he was marking and intercepting 50% of the ball that came forward in the first half with Fitz taking the other 50%. Max King: Was playing nicely. Had kicked a nice goal from a great pack mark, could have had two first half goals. Took another strong mark early in the 3rd term when things were looking good. He then did his hammy and was not spotted again. I saw him on the bench and he didn't have much strapped to it, so hopefully it's only a minor strain and he'll be back in 2-3 weeks for finals. But his absence was felt in our forward structure. Jack Fitzpatrick: Brought his own footy in the first half. Was marking everything and looking a world beater. Barely sighted in the 2nd half and his man actually kicked a couple on him also. Think he's got a future Fitz, just not with us as he'll likely seek greener pastures. I actually hope we give him a few games before seasons end to boost us his price as someone may score a key position defender on the cheap from us with Fitz. I'd love to know what the free kick count was as we got absolutely murdered on those today. Five of Werribee's 8 2nd half goals were from free kicks. Don't think we got a single goal from a free ourselves. So we got hurt y a combination of injuries, weather and missed shots on goals in the 1st term. This loss will really hurt I'd imagine as I don't know how many AFL listed players Werribee had, but I'd imagine it'll be less then our 14. Stretch didn't play today, and I don't think Oscar did either as I didn't see him with the D-League. Jayden Hunt's late withdrawl also hurt Casey goal scoring power. Hopefully Casey can bounce back next week, but it was a sad way to end the weekend. Still Angry!

Was everywhere today.

No problem with that, but do you think it should be forced on all people who want to watch the replay, especially those who don't support the Pies? All replays are listed as the Ed version. Fox Footy are idiots.

Not your usual Jack Watts thread. He has been fantastic the last 5 or 6 weeks. He has chased and tackled along with his usual high efficiency with the ball. I was starting to lose faith with him but he has been fantastic the last few weeks.

Just watched the replay and I have an apology to make. Chris Dawes was actually a very solid contributor. He wasn't perfect, but he played a lot better than I gave him credit for. I'm sorry, Chris.

Sigh. I just... it gets so tedious. Let's try again. Dear Hypothetical Person at the heart of the campaign to direct a completely unprecedented sustained booing against double-brownlow winner, premiership captain and champion of the game Adam Goodes, - You boo Goodes for 'reasons'. Sure, they're trumped up hype-driven and in several aspects totally incorrect, but still 'reasons'. - Now make a list of players who meet all the same kinds of 'reasons' and have been even more pretentiously political. You don't boo any of them by half the measure. - The difference is that Goodes barked back at racist dogs and you are 'offended' by that because you're emotionally invested in a myth that Australia has no stain of genocide and that Aboriginal people weren't/aren't subject to sustained personal and practical harassment and discrimination. - So, you insist that Goodes is a 'sook' and is totally out of line to do such horrible things like suggest that 'Australia Day', the celebration of the British declaring possession of the continent, kind of means something awful to Indigenous Australians. I'm sure you have lots of Aboriginal friends etc etc blah blah. But would they still be your friends if they 'offended' you by daring to stand firm against your dismissals of stolen generations, genocide, invasion, disenfranchisement, relocation, harassment and discrimination? Would you call them 'sooks' and 'ungrateful for everything we gave you'? Would you tell them that their own lived experiences 'didn't really happen like that'? Do you think your kids have a right to abuse them at the football and not be asked to leave? In short, do Aboriginal people have to keep their mouth shut and put up with whatever you want to say about their own history and lives, in order for you to accept them? Yes, that's racist. A special kind of racism wrapped up in a kind of half-arsed patriotism and easily wounded ego. And now you are part of making a champion of the game the most booed player in the history of Australian Football, and the football community is facing at the prospect of seeing this rare and brilliant 300+ game player being the first player ever booed as they leave the field on retirement. You bring shame upon our game in a way that will be recorded as one of the most drearily disappointing moments in its history. Take a good hard look in the mirror and decide whether you want to be a part of that.

Just helped us win a game of footy against his old mob for our first win against them for 8 years. He has received little other than backhanded compliments. I am sorry to tell you this - Hogan's Forwardline needs him. He is horribly out of marking touch and confidence, although it is getting a little better, but the way he competes and advances the footy and takes attention from Hogan are a few of the reasons why we won with 44 Inside 50s. I will back him to regain some marking form and that will make him one of the better 2nd targets in the league.

I'm currently watching the replay and I'd forgotten just how good Jetta was yesterday. He's such a smart footballer and quickly becoming an important leader at the club too.

"Collingwood were terrible" yeah? And..? Anytime we beat someone the majority of opinion is that team were terrible. Notice a theme? Even when we lose, apart from maybe Freo and Hawthorn, the other teams haven't looked very good beating us. We're getting the defensive thing right, and it makes teams look and play bad for big parts of games. Our problem has been with the ball and putting the score on the board. Sure we're not lighting up the field and capturing everyone's imagination like the Bulldogs, but hey, we made them look terrible too. We're still coming from a long way back, if you can't get excited or give us any credit for a 37 point win over Collingwood then you need a new hobby.

Not a regular visitor to Bigfooty but I like to read the match day threads after we have a good win (so rarely ever)... Anyway there was a whinging Pies supporter calling Jones a thug on there today lol. Yeah, all those reports and suspensions are really mounting up... Remember what the Collingwood supporters did to his dad? As the old saying goes, people with glass crack pipes shouldn't throw rocks or whatever it is. Love me a bit of scuffle though.

I'll ask KC to interrupt Justin Plapp's three quarter time speech to ask him the question.

For what it's worth, Hudson called the actual game and was excellent. I found him annoying in the early years, but I reckon he captures the moment very well. Need more professional comentators like him and Whately, than ex footy player boofheads, or try-hards like Basil and Hamish who try to fit in with the jocks.

A completely common sense approach. One that I sadly can't support because I've convinced myself that we never win when I record the game live. That's only one of about 37 footballing superstitions that I'm cursed with.

Are people serious when they are saying that Eddie is bias with his commentating and that he shouldn't be allowed to do Collingwood games?! IT'S PRESS RED FOR ED, which means it's meant to be unashamedly supportive of the the pies, to give the viewer the feel (if they are pies fans) of watching the game with their mates etc. Perks of being the biggest club in the league.

If that and the action of our captain don't change Demons supporters minds re the booing of Goodes nothing will. Great work Jeff, Nathan and the whole team for wearing the bands.

Who'd of thought beating Collingwood could get any better? Post game in the lift with mostly Melbourne fans. Stop at level 3 and in walks none othen Eddie Maguire. You could hear a pin drop. I asked him how the call went to which he replied " yeah! ". More silence followed before i replied geez i knew i should have taped press red for Ed! His reply.....Hhhmmm! ......Followed by more silence. All is well in the world tonight!!!

Must say I loved the half time scuffle, especially Jones getting up with a massive smile on his face, all the players getting in to stick up for each other, and Viney taking Varcoe and throwing him meters behind the scuffle and continuing on with it. Was definitely a highlight of the day!

To those who say 'Collingwood weren't that good' - have you considered that they weren't that good because of our pressure? Our pressure today was the best it's been since the Geelong game. Funnily enough, we also made WB, Richmond and GC look bad with our pressure too.

Im not a big fan but I thought his game yesterday was good.

Just a heads up to the few calling for Grimes to be dropped, this is the thread for round 19, 2015 vs the Roos. Grimes has been amongst our best players the last two weeks, let go of the bias.

Birds did, they also have wings. I support Jeff. 36. (Classy for us to take the foot off the pedal to win by only 37 to tribute Goodes...)

Interesting that this morning, Goodwin openly said that they've been working with Watts on his contested possession skills. Instead of hiding the fact that Watts has been soft at the contest and the perceived stigma attached to that, the coaches are treating it like any other skill of the game. Long overdue IMO.

Garland is very unheralded. I thought he was great yesterday. I would keep him, but I really like the quiet, no frills type that just do their job and for the most part do it particularly well. Personally I think Howe is gone, probably been made an offer we won't match. We'll save the money for extending the contract of a genuine gun.

Grimes is a yard off the pace. His disposal is so poor. I don't think he has a place anymore. Michie adds nothing. So I think both can be replaced. I also am worried about Dom Tyson. Not suggesting we drop him. But his awareness and reluctance to release the ball and use the 1st option is costing us. He also does some pretty handy work. He must improve this aspect of his game though. He is constantly getting caught With the ball.

I feel like the majority of supporters did not stick thick in the slightest and most had wanted the club to cut all ties. He has shown over the last 2 months that he has vastly improved his output and I for one am glad we have a player of his potential and calibre in our best 22.

Paul Roos on Jack Watts: "I think today, if it's not his best game he's ever played, certainly the way he played was really important. He set the scene when he started forward, crashed in, got some balls on the lead (and) made things happen, and that continued all day. "It's good that when we win he gets some reward (because) too often when we've lost he's the one that's been criticised. But over the last eight weeks when we've lost, everyone's left him alone because he's actually been really consistent." We might just get to see Jack become the best player he can be and I reckon that will be quite awesome!

I have been reading all your posts for a couple of years but rarely contribute.But today I feel the need.Last year I opined that Max had a great future in front of him.I was right! My son plays for the Ormond footy club. On the Saturday before we beat Geelong Max was watching Ormond .He did play for Ormond so he drops down occasionally.At 1/4 time I walked onto the ground to the players' huddle - and Max was just behind me.So I couldn't resist the chance to say "Well done Max you're playing good footee-keep at it".He smiled and held up his hands as if marking a ball and said " I've just got to learn to take a few of these".Then he went down to Geelong and the rest is history! I believe that I helped Max feel more confident about himself and turned his career around!!!Go Max ( and yes,he is big when up close)

These 2 players leaving the Club have turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. It has resulted in us picking up Bernie Vince & Jessie Hogan who are just fantastic players so again thank you TC & CS.

A specific snippet of the PJ interview that I really enjoyed was when he was discussing Paul Roos role at the Club beyond his tenure as senior coach. He made the passing comment that neither of them liked to leave a job unfinished. Great!

It was. Seriously though, all the replays of the game during the week are the Ed version. That is a joke. Can you imagine that being done to one of the so called major clubs.

Feel sorry for Grimes but he is not part of our future IMO. He is courageous and a great bloke, but he is slow, unaware of players around him and best options, a poor disposal and has a bad habit of hanging on to the ball until he is tackled. He is just not the fit for modern footy, IMO.

I hven't watched the replay yet but I intend taking particular note of GRIMES when I do. At the game I thought he played his best game for us for a long while and was a very useful contributor - solid saving marks made good position and used the ball well and was a strong element in our defensive structure. Then I get on here and found people bagging him and my immediate reaction is to note who the critics are and I resolve not to regard their opinions as of any value in future. As they say in the classics ' you know who you are'. So here's my promise. I will thoroughly review the game for the sheer pleasure of it, but if I am wrong and Grimes was no good I will post my apology. If my opinion is confirmed I will name names because the negativity and rushes to judgement on this site sometimes get up my nose. My best: Vince (obviously) Watts (another who cops unwarranted #@$% on this site and elsewhere), Gawn, Jones, Grimes

He took a ripper in the last quarter that was above his head. Sorry Dawes isn't Wayne Carey but when he plays his role, like he did today, we are a better side for it.

He has that extra time without moving anywhere like Pendles and Mitchell. Loved his 60 metre (ok maybe 50m) spoils too. Cracking player. Different player to Wrecker but has that same sort of presence and fan love.

We're talking about Lumumba now, not Goodes. I totally condemn the booing of Goodes. It needs to stop.

I don't mind Derm. He does dribble a lot, but from time to time does have points of interest to raise. He knows the game I think, you just need to see through the waffle that intersperses it.

anyone done a hammy, kc?

Why on earth do people want Harmes dropped!? Started as the sub came on and made an instant impact. Baffling

Watching the replay. Geez Viney was good. His tackling is vicious. Really watched his disposal and it was very neat. Consistently found a man with hand or foot.

Don't know why people are complaining. This is the best replay I've ever watched. And we get to listen to Eddie whine for the entire week.

I couldn't watch the game yesterday and am currently being forced to watch it without any choice about Red Eddie and the other clowns. I've phoned Foxtel (no complaints allowed on weekends apparently) and tried to complain electronically but they don't allow complainants enough words to say anything coherent. I'll have to wait till tomorrow but I'm furious. There's some sh*t you get used to living in the country, but this is one dunny too many for me.

I ,for one, will be contacting Foxtel, The AFL, and the MFC tomorrow to complain. It is offensive that every replay of the game this week has this rubbish as commentary. Imagine if this was done to Collingwood on one of their wins

I'm not a fan. He is lazy, has no idea how to play a ball in the air and his disposal is hit or miss. No thanks... Make a big offer for Motlop...or look for leg speed elsewhere.

Varcoe dropped some knees into Viney after a tackle towards the start of the game, dog act. As soon as the scuffle broke out Viney made a beeline to Varcoe, great stuff!!

Thought he was taking the pizza out of the cheer squad more than anything. He kicks some amazing goals. Wish he was more deadly from a set shot but..... Thanks Blues!!!! We owe you..... Nothing.

The kid is gonna be some kind of wonderful. Hits targets under pressure (very unMelbourne like), makes the right decisions and tackles hard. Has a genuine burst of speed and evasiveness. Will be an absolute gun.

I thought it was just an airplane. Could be wrong. Maybe it was a magpie?

That was a delicious tackle. One of them every quarter from here on please, Mr. Vandenberg. Don't even care if you give away the free kick, but I'd be happy to see the Dees playing unsociable football from now on.

Best game he's played I think. Saved our bacon down back when we started to wobble. Cool head. I want to see those bursts of speed more though!