Leaderboard

I think Watts is playing very sore and understandably so. He's had one game where he's been a genuine back up to Gawn, two games where he was our number one ruck for the majority and a number where he's spent considerable time there. Opposition rucks have been understandably hurting him and it's catching up I think. We underestimate the collective physical damage an undersized ruck would suffer when asked to do it over a considerable period. It was interesting that McDonald rucked all the last quarter and not Watts because on face value we would most likely have been better the other way round. Take that as you may, but he hasn't played the role that is his since round one and he's played pretty well over the course of the season. He was poor on Sunday but potting him for it shows little insight.

The umpiring improved markedly in the Adelaide game when the 3rd ump went down...just sayin....

I reckon it all started with Nat Fyfe in his Brownlow year. The MRP turned themselves inside out trying to avoid suspending the guy who was the obvious Brownlow winner several weeks out from the end of the season. What would the AFL PR consultants (who virtually set the standards for the AFL) do if the eventual Brownlow winner got suspended multiple times like he should have been? The docile commentariat, who rely entirely on the AFL for their living, chose to ignore. Since the success of getting away with not suspending Fyfe, we now have favoured players (most of whom play for wealthy or important or noisy clubs - Fyfe, Cotchin, Mummy, anybody who plays for Demetriou's old club) who cannot get suspended under any circumstances and will only get fined. But to uphold the charade that they're not being soft, they have to be hard on other players who will get suspended for relatively minor incidents. I repeat, in most of the 120 years or so that Aussie Rules footy has been in existence, Cunnington & Higgins would have got suspended and Salem got off. This is now a game ruled by PR, and because we never make any noise on behalf of our players, we never threaten their sacred public image. We know our place.

One of those contacts is his brother, Ben, who's been in the player management game for a fair while now. Jake's articles (when it comes to list management issues) have been pretty good over the journey and he has a solid understanding of that part of the game.

Remember when we were worried about whether Jack Watts could provide an effective chop-out for Max Gawn, and if Jesse Hogan could carry the forward-line in his absence? When trying to find room for Jake Spencer seemed like a stupid idea, and we argued if Cameron Pedersen should ever play again? What fond memories. Now we have to contend with Watts providing a chop-out for Pedersen, while Weideman leads a forward-line without Watts. Or otherwise Tmac filling-in for Pedo, while brother Oscar holds down the defence. You can't keep competing at the top level with severe scoliosis. It puts pressure on all the surrounding muscles, and can lead to problems with co-ordination through over-compensation.

Zaharakis was suspended last year for a stomach punch. This [censored] AFL line that the MRP didn't have a mechanism to suspend players for stomach punches is a load of crap. They can and they have, in this instance they CHOSE not to.

In the third quarter, Petracca marks on the 50 metre arch against 2 North players, who subsequently went to ground and Petracca stayed up. He jumped over the player and was about to blitz and stream into what would have been an open goal. One of the North Players purposely tripped Petracca and help him back/dragged him to the ground, which was deemed a trip. I'm sorry, but how isn't something like this awarded a 50m penalty and not even looked at the MRP? If you intentionally trip someone who has the opportunity to stream clear, and you hold them up by tripping them, they should be suspended and the player should be awarded a 50m penalty.

...Kent. One player I rated and bought up big. He is my Biota purchase, but a decade later, I am waiting for a bird flu epidemic. Last half yesterday, he could have ran through once or twice, but just pulled up. Is he scared of getting rubbed out? Or is he carrying 12 broken ribs? He has the unique gift of speed and mass. About time he used it, even at the risk of getting rubbed out. pTGR

Jack Nial is reporting Demons are interested in 'reuniting' Zak with Nathan North, Ess and StK also interested (but they seem to be linked with all and sundry). Zak fits Goodwin's run and carry game style and we can do with his speed thru the midfield. Its a key ingredient we still lack.

Angus to take indefinite time off. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-23/luckless-demon-brayshaw-to-take-period-of-time-out He will continue to have scans and tests. Jones adds: "He's just got to get back on the bike … practicing some of his techniques and build some confidence back again and just get out there and play". He is clearly and understandably worried about the risks of being hit again. Hope he can get over that. Good luck Gus. We want you back so take your time.

Really though we've been pretty good this year. Been in a winnable position in every game, but ultimately lost it in the air. The North game was hardly insipid. Our game against Geelong last year was insipid. Sunday was a tough game, we faltered, but calling it insipid is hyperbolic.

How do you reckon North might have gone on Sunday without Brown and Goldstein (and no talls left to back either of them up)? I also reckon it's taking a lot out of Pedersen, Watts and TMac.

At the time of the incident I wondered if I had missed an elbow to the head or something like that. Re-watching that confirms that it was one of the worst decisions of the day, and at such a crucial time and part of the ground. Salem has eyes for the ball and the player just takes him out of the contest completely. I really hope the club request a please explain from the AFL and wouldn't be against them coming out in the media to have a go at them. Take a stand against this crap!

It started when clarry got punched in the head in front of the umps. knocked him down no free. our players stepped in to support him. pretty sure thats what fired it all up. a free kick to clarry would have calmed things down as we wouldnt have wanted it reversed. thats what umps are supposed to do. crap umpiring can often turn up the stink at a game as player frustration grows. they'll talk about the hits but I doubt they'd ever make the connection that umpiring performances can contribute to players having a swing. and yep I know the players are supposed to be professional and above all that. would be good if the umps were professional too.

I have no problem with them targeting Oliver. We targeted Higgens, and Sloane last week. We gave them as much dirty niggle as they gave us. The Cunnington gut-punch should have been reversed, but so should have the Salem elbow. My problem is that decisions weren't being made based on merit, but some element of moral judgement. And now that's carried over to the MRP. It's BS that they don't have the power to suspend a gut or throat punch. The MRP were of the opinion our players milked it. They wouldn't be in a position of being able to milk it if the opposition didn't take a hearty swing. Why do we keep defending punching in our sport? It's not in the course of play, it's not an accident. And it's not footballing toughness. Never mind impact and all the other distractions. Take a swing and you're out. Full-stop. What other sport in the world can you get away with a full punch in plain view and escape sanction? Besides boxing.

Demonland the day after a win: The premiership is ours! Demonland the day after a loss: Trade everyone! (Closely followed by 14 pages of arguing with each other about the order in which to trade - and who is the 'softest' of our players)

The issues will be mental. If Hogan can get back quickly conditioning will not be so much of an issue. Both Gawn and Hogan could be back for QB. By god North showed us how badly we need out big men back.

Great logic. We need key backs so we'll trade away the ones we have. Brilliant.

Dean Kent running for the ball, Scott Thompson coming the other way, Kent takes a sidestep and sticks out a speculative hand, Thompson gathers the ball and keeps going straight ahead. Very bad look.

I remember Lenny Hayes coming back from his ACL after a year out, and said it took time and practice (bump-bags) to get used to physical contact again. If it applies to Lenny, it can apply to anyone. For me he looks like his tank is half-empty and/or he is slightly overweight. Many are writing him off. I aint, but not with supreme confidence. Kent really is a Jake Stringer type. In the past 18 months, Stringer has gone missing quite a bit...and bobbed up. Bevo uses the raging bull behind the ball as well. I hope we don't type-cast Kent into a HFF. His speed and mass will allow him to not only break a line, but smash it. Something aint quite right. He will be dropped this week I reckon. First, he needs to look at himself; second fill the tank; and down the track, coaching staff need to explore his potential as more than a HFFker. I'm sticking fat for now, but Clark, FFS get out of that take away store and swap those crystals. pTGR

Kent killed us multiple times in the first 10 minutes with kicks that were cut off by North players. I’ve been a fan of Kent’s, but I’ve seen enough now to know he needs some serious attitude adjustment to be any good.

It's funny... usually I calm down after a loss by this point in the week. But I just get more and more mad with the [censored] that was dished up by the umpires on the weekend. Two trips cost us goals by Scott [censored] Thompson and Zack Ziebel. So many terrible calls against and absurd non calls for us. I'm not saying the umpires lost us the game. We should have come out firing and put them away early. But [censored] me we were pretty well doomed to lose as soon as Norf had a lead because they could pretty do anything they liked to stop us outside of the rules.

Couldn't wait till after the rematch hey. [censored]

Not that I call injuries an excuse, but I do think that people under estimate how damaging Max Gawn and Jesse Hogan are rotating up forward. when they are both in the forward line there is usually a mark taken. The JLT series was a good example, if it's not Jesse marking, then it's Gawn, and if not Gawn, it's Watts. All will be proven when those 2 boys return, we will make a hot run for the finals in the second half of the season if they remain healthy. We don't just lose 2 players, we lose about 4. Pedo has to go into ruck so we miss him forward, same with Watts, can't keep patching these circle holes with square bandages, team structure is imperative to a win, it's not grade footy when all we have to do is rely on 2 or 3 wicked players to dominate games, theres a science to it and when you remove an element in somethings makeup then the whole thing turns to custard.

Given IMO every other player in our 22 has improved in the last year, I'd say the problem is with Kent and not our development coaches.

Bobs up and kicks a few when we are flying.. Downhill skier of the worst kind and goes missing in nearly all of our losses. That is a KPI for mine. Who performs in losses. It ain't Kent. Sizeable opinion of his own skills but rarely delivers when it counts. Trade bait.

The umps could stop it in a heartbeat by paying frees. They totally lost control of that game. An the laughing with Nth players as they were walking off at 3/4 time was a further disgrace.

And Saty, my greatest fear is that you have nailed the club's attitude spot-on. We have to accept the umpiring, we have to accept the targeting of our young players, we have to accept that the umpires won't protect them, we have to accept the crazy-lopsided MRP decisions that have been going against this club since Trengove on Dangerfield. Or maybe since we nailed the MRP with Viney on Lynch. But there are probably at least a dozen clubs who wouldn't accept all that without saying or doing something to protect their players.

I'm not worried by these performances. It's too hard each week backing up without a ruckman. It unsettles everything else. Gawn does a heap of running. So you need to cover that. Pedo needs to run everywhere but we need him chf. Watts then needs to play key position. He's better on the flank with 3rd defender. Forget what Gawns brings, it's covering him that's killing us. When hogan returns weed can continue to develop at casey. Still a kid. So is Oscar. We need a lock down backman. Coach can't use no gawn as an excuse of course. But that is totally the excuse. Watch us transform with gawn back in!

Bit dramatic... He missed a large chunk of the pre season which never helps any player. He was probably in our best 2 or 3 players against Geelong in round 3.. He's played 56 games, yes he is frustrating as hell & can be lazy but I'm not writing him off after last week.. He like the side need to close the gap between their best & worst because the gap is drastic

What a complete and utter [censored] disgrace! I would expect a please explain from the league. WTF is going on here? I'm not one for whinging constantly to the AFL, but if this was Collingwood or Hawthorn, they'd be asking questions and they'd make damn sure it wouldn't happen again. At least put the umpires and the MRP on notice. It really is mindbogglingly biased.

May is a 26 yo key defender who is a Captain of his Club. Some guys here believe he is the answer to our defensive problems, yet believe that we could get him for a 2nd rounder & a de-list in Kent. GC would want our first rounder plus a Tyson or maybe our 3rd rounder for the points. I would also estimate that May would not want a penny less than $2.8 to $3 million over 4 years. Must say I'm a little concerned about the 193 cm. Purely based on priorities, it's a NO from me, I want the 200 cm forward/ruck and 2 x quick, skilful, precise kicking outside mids.

There is a truth. A reality. The obvious thing about the game is that Scott coached North to target Oliver. Not unusual. Sheedy always had a thug or two in his sides. The thing that is so upsetting is that we got reamed by the umpires, neither of the incidents did we receive a free kick (thats fu#### terrible umpiring and if they had of given a free to Oliver when they should have all the spite for the rest of the game would have been alleviated) reamed by the commentators who were calling Bernie a head-hunter, we lose the game and now we get one suspended and North get off Scott free. F### the lot of them.

Surprise, surprise. A poster responds to your puerile offer of $10 to a poster to find 'one strong attribute that Oscar has to his game'. A poster responds with not one but two 'strong attributes' - one percenters (which is actually a goods stat in terms of assessing a players effort level) and endurance, which is an obvious strength of OMac. And you derisively reject both points. Classic case of confirmation bias if i ever saw one. OMac played well last week and was ok this week. And i watched both games. His effort, spoiling, ability to run back with the flight of the ball and not give away a free, his ability to play his part in a zone defense, his work ethic and his team first attitude are all strong attributes that Oscar brings to his game. You can give my $10 to Demonland.

In a no-pressure, take your time kind of way, I can't wait for Jesse to return.

Congratulations Mitch Hannan on his nomination to the AFL Team of the Week for Round 9. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-23/team-of-the-week-r9-did-we-get-it-right

It's hardly been mentioned but what a dog act by Higgins when he was abusing Vince as he lay prostrate on the ground... It was front page news when Mark Murphy did that to Carlisle

He wins the unwinnable ball. Watch Oliver's goal from last week. Mitch had 2, 3, 4 efforts in the contest, didn't get a clear possession but kept the ball alive. He did a lot against the Crows without doing much, if that makes sense, whereas against North he stood up when it was obvious that Garlett, Kent and Bugg weren't doing enough.

Agree. If we think that Oscar is going to make it, then is May really #1 priority? I'm less confident that Brayshaw is going to make it now and Vince and Lewis are near the end. I think midfield class is a greater priority. I'm less confident about Weid and Ruck-Fwd than I am about TMac, OMac and Frost in KPD. I think that's #2 priority ahead of KPB.

Have now watched the replay. The umps were a disgrace as we know: Multiple deliberate trips when surging towards goal were not paid. Several soft frees to Brown Shocking error for Hibberd deliberate OOB non-50m to Bugg for certain goal Salem free that should have been awarded to him when he was taken out of play on the memebers boundary line. Instead it was play-on NM. Numerous jumps on the back when on the ground Numerous push in backs by the chaser when kicking Punch to the throat of Oliver Punch to the guts of Vince. 10 frees in the whole game??? In spite of all that we should have won if we had done a few things better. Mostly running and spreading and shocking turnovers under little pressure. 11 of their first 12 goals were from T/O's. Bugg's kicking. Surpringly we won the clearances. Oh, and we were effectively 2 players down with Weid and the useless OMac. 3 players if you count the downhill skier Kent. In short, infuriating loss to a team that is 2nd only to Essendon on my most hated list.

you know...a conspiracist type might think there was more to all of this

You must have a handful of negatives about Tyson that you just slot in every week, regardless of his performance.

Just watched a few bits and pieces of the replay. Kudos to Mitch Hannan. He's been a bit inconsistent so far this year (first year player, no surprises there), but he was a massive factor in our turn around in the second quarter. A very handy three goals and he was involved in some fantastic plays that led to some other goals for his teammates. I'd like to see him in more one on one contests as he is a fantastic user of the body. I counted at least three contested marks he took during the game where he completely out-bodied his opponent.

You know ..im not ever convinced they do. Do you know for a fact they do ? If so...it gets us absolutely nowhere. We're seen as weak as shlt by other clubs. We're seen as pushovers by ths AFL...or rather another boyz club with vested interests run by folk who favour certain clubs. North completely outfoxed us. Call Scott and Co all the names but they've got it far better figured than us No one takes us seriously. Ffs .. i don't !! We play a mans game and send boys out without the mental preparedness. Occasionally you get lucky and the cards fall well and you have an Adelaide game and feel all whoop'd de do... and then there's the rest of times. But back to your question Sigil I dont see the club doing sweet f all !! And im a bit over it

Motivation needs to come from within. A team that needs motivation week in week out; has a huge problem.

If he does, his wit is well and truly disguised

Essendon were deplorable against us and also got beaten by Carlton..... I'm not trying to make excuses but people on here really have short memories. A couple of wins and suddenly Essendon 'expect to win'? Give me a break.

I hope everyone who said we play better without Hogan will now shut up. Even on a quite day you can still expect Hogan to kick your 3 goals and give us a target to kick to us forward. The importance of Jesse is now proving in the games we've lost. I still get goosebumps what a 80 to 100 game Jesse Hogan could do.