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Recorded the ch7 coverage & saw Hamish interview Goody before the game & he said to Goody about bowey being a good luck charm & what happens if he ever got injured. Goody replied I'd make him sub & sit him on the bench next to me.

Spargo was everywhere - I thought i saw him getting a drink out of my fridge....

Out... this ridiculous showing dissent 50 rule. What is this??? It is the stuff of fifties and sixties schoolyard discipline. A player not even on the mark throws his hands up in mild frustration and gets pinged for 50?? Come on. I understand and agree to have a verbal 50 rule, but this is an outrageous, overreaction. IMO the AFL need to get rid of this blight on the game. Are we trying to take the human element of frustration totally away? Its 1984 Orwellian Prophesy at its finest. What next? DREAM POLICE pinging blokes for facial expressions depicting dissent?? Get rid of it!

Haven’t missed a match and not planning to unless I get Covid or am a close contact. Have waited my whole life to watch this team be good. I can do other things any time but I may never get to watch a dominant Melbourne again Fools are those who are not bothering to turn up. You’re missing out on pure joy. I get that many people are away this weekend, but every week this season I’ve heard lame excuses. The footy is no more a Covid risk than flying interstate, going to a restaurant or a club. If you don’t want to deal with buying tickets online GET A MEMBERSHIP.

Shout out to Jack Viney. I've noticed his kicking is much improved. Clearly put a tonne of work into it and it's showing. Good job Jack.

Watching the replay eating Easter eggs. What a religious experience.

I don't think it's be brought up yet, but how bloody awesome was Bowey's intercept and goal? Kid can seriously play.

It was a privilege to be at the game tonight. Rarely do you ever see 10 goals kicked by a team in the AFL. The third quarter was sublime with everyone playing their part. This is a truly great football team . So many highlights , Sparrow’s gut running and goal assist, Mays incredible game at full back, Kozzie’s kamikaze run and goal, Maxine’s superb captain’s game when we needed him, Spargo’s unbelieveably tough and intelligent game, Petty playing his tough and relentless role down back, Mr Ed’s “energiser bunny” game on the wing, Harmes and ANB providing toughness and gut running, Trac and Clarrie lifting in the second half and putting GWS to the sword. The whole team contributed. I am still gobsmacked at what I saw in the third quarter. Unforgettable. Thanks lads.

Ben Brown is a top 10 most important player, he comes straight back in.

No accident that May plays his best game for the year the day that Petty comes back in.

Haha reminds me of my son telling me after we won the flag last year "I've been waiting my whole life for this!" He is 8. 🤣

Policing human emotions is madness. There’s not much more to say really. I’m all for moderating abuse towards umpires, but this several steps too far.

Love this post. So many supporters outraged by this non rule. It’s designed to help the umps BUT actually leads to more frustration and confusion. Tom McDonald complained about the Giants knocking the ball out of bounds. Free kick to Giants for arguing. Lever disappointed the Hill slipped into his arm and gets a 50 for showing disappointment. Himmelberg complains that he reckoned he touched the ball when Petty marked it. Nothing. Himmelberg complains when he tackles Hunt and it’s a ball up. Nothing. What’s the rule ?? And the “stand” rule for players on the mark. It’s completely inconsistent. Some umpires take 3-4 seconds after the player has played on, leaving the player on the mark helpless like they’re in concrete boots.

Was paying attention to the GWS connections across the ground tonight at the game. We make sure there is a contest and and support at a rate that I don’t think I’ve seen before or rarely. We make sure there is a contest and support like 90% of the time outside of our own forward 50. It’s unreal to watch. Our backline acts in almost complete unison. Every player knows what the other is going to do. I went with my father who’s been a dees supporter since the 60’s, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Moments I’ll treasure is watching the way we play live and just giving each other a wry smile. No words needed. We are incredible.

Clearly our best game for the year. Not only the best footy we’ve played but what impressed me was that, and this will go under the radar given the margin, GWS actually played some strong football tonight. Their clearance work was dominant early and they forced us to play far too much in our defensive half. So to then turn it on and belt them by 11 goals was sublime. And puts some egg on the face of those who have said “but they don’t score enough”. Really loved seeing some of the season’s lesser lights stand up: Pickett, Spargo and Sparrow all did really well. Sparrow’s tap in the 4th was a highlight but it was the gut running from half back to make it there in the first place that saw the entire side get around him after the goal. May was phenomenal tonight. Lever played the second half on one leg (fingers crossed it was nothing too serious but he didn’t look great after the match) but May kept everything at bay. Petty showed us why the FD knew what they were doing in bringing him straight back. And the work of Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Harmes and Viney to wrestle back stoppage momentum was huge. I’m sure some will point out our wins have been against sides all currently sitting outside the 8, but we’ve now beaten 4 of last year’s finalists, and dealt with two road trips to boot. Time will tell whether these sides end up being finalists in 2022 but for now we can hardly ask for anything more.

How good was it seeing Petty in that backline? Also loved Maysie’s interview on 7. Nice to know my imaginary boyfriend can string a sentence together 😂

Weid out, Brown in. No question. There was a moment during the last quarter where he was in spitting distance of a giant who had the ball. Weid just stood there for a couple of seconds before you actually saw the cog turn in his brain that he should try to impact the ball carrier. McDonald would have smothered without even thinking, and that’s why he stays in the side.

Out wied In BBB

Mick Malthouse has just predicted Canada will win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The problem is that there’s so much scope for interpretation and inconsistency. The examples above are a case in point.

Agree Picket. A player frustrated at himself gets pinged for dissent. It is ridiculous. Demonstrative or verbal dissent is fair enough, but they have gone mad and it is so arbitrary. I agree with Sheedy it is ruining the game. How many sportspeople can say something to themselves during their sport and this is now dissent to an umpire. Yet others are allowed far more latitude on an arbitrary basis. It is inconsistent and easily open to misuse.

After last nights game it’s clear why Petty is preferred to Tomlinson. He is a much better player - more mobile, great hands and a good physical presence. An important cog in the wheel.

Out... this ridiculous showing dissent 50 rule. What is this??? It is the stuff of fifties and sixties schoolyard discipline. A player not even on the mark throws his hands up in mild frustration and gets pinged for 50?? Come on. Happy to have a verbal 50 rule but this is outrageous. AFL need to get rid of this blight on the game. Are we trying to take the human element of frustration totally away? What next? DREAM POLICE pinging blokes for facial expressions depicting dissent?? Get rid of it!

The Viney crumb goal in the third should have been a Weid grab from 25 out. He got the perfect block on his opponent from Sparrow and went in to the space, but the kick from TMac went across him. Weid did a lot of unrewarded work tonight I thought. Side note, I’m really liking the wide camera angles we’re getting from the broadcasters this year. You can actually see what’s going on.

It’s an absolute joy watching this team at the moment. Observing from ground level our running capacity is just incredible and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it before to be honest.

Done. Info on prints and painting notes soon…..

Had some friends over last night to watch the game. Really enjoyed it. A bit slow to start, but really solid in the later part. Petty was really good in the first quarter. Petracca was a return to form. Gawn, Harmes, Bowey, Kozzie all great. One thing that did bother me, was that umpire. She seems to have no clue how the games played and likes to hear the sound of her own voice. I think she’s the worst one out there, and yes, I’m female myself, before you call me a sexist

Has never kicked more than 8 goals in a season. He’s got one in each game so far.

Disregard the tap - the fact that he even got to that contest after being at half back when the ball was kicked was nothing short of remarkable.

At some stages tonight we looked like the Harlem Globetrotters. Maybe they should play Sweet Georgia Brown over the speakers as the side runs out. We made the GWS ferrari look like a clapped out trabbie.

Sparrow is just a ripper. The tap back to Frisch was pure team. Awesome to watch.

Judging by the crowd at Docklands tonight you'd have more chance of catching rabies than covid.

It must be tough as a player. You have to put up with umpire incompetence and if you show any sort of dismay they hit you with a 50m penalty for dissent. Maybe the AFL should concentrate on improving umpire performance rather than worrying about negative player feedback.

I was one that felt that Tomlinson had earned the right to his spot until he played poorly, but I put my hand up and say I was wrong. Petty was absolutely outstanding, hadn’t missed a beat and slotted straight back in with ease.

Its a bit early to open that thread as they are still discussing yesterday's game. This is a taste of what is to come: I didn't see the game yesterday so have no idea. Except to say God help us against the Dees. It's a toss up whether I'll watch the grass grow or the paint dry. Melbourne will be a formidable opponent to combat. It could get ugly for Richmond. Three weeks in a row the ops fans are scared. With good reason. It is a joy to witness. I'll wait until Tuesday as by then there should be enough on their forums to open that thread.

I’ve always thought that 50 metres is too punative, in many cases where the offence is fairly trivial, as well as being an ‘‘interpretation “ by the umpire. Now they are interpreting emotions as well. Brings to mind the story about the player in the nineties who asked the ump if he could be reported for what he was thinking. Of course not said the ump. Well, i think you’re a #$%& !

I get how frustrating the public transport situation is. I live in Berwick and our trains have been down most weekends for the good part of a year due to level removal works. It’s so annoying and I drive to Caulfield station to meet my dad to go to the game which is incredibly frustrating and a massive waste of time. I also recognize that I have that luxury as I don’t work weekends I don’t take small kids with me etc etc and not everyone is in the same position. But, I feel like a lot of people are using excuses like ticketing and Covid to stay home which is disappointing. You can buy a ticket on the day of the game, walking into the G is no more a bother than it has ever been and literally anything is better than listening to commentators telling me how well Swallow is playing 🙄 Edit; with 20,000 in attendance sitting in the open air your chances of getting Covid is lower than a casual Saturday stroll in Coles to pick up milk.

Spot on Jaded. For all those years we've been going along being crapp or just mediocre, how good is it to go and be dominant and in control. My youngest son hasn't seen us loose a game live at the MCG yet and long may it continue ... the kid doesn't know how good he's got it!!

It's a Cheap Trick.

Another BS rule reliant on the umpire’s mood. Sensitive souls punishing players they don’t like but would never give that sort of free to Hawkins. AFL house continues to find new and innovative way to ruin the game and make us hate umpires even more.

I think umpire 34 had another shocker. She umpired at Dees v Suns and was so biased against the Dees , not only giving wrong decisions and inconsistent decisions all night. Lucky the players can’t complain. I support the diversity but need to call out the poor sub standard umpiring.

How good is it that we had a 10 goal quarter but the crowd (and me personally) appeared more amped for May’s two spoiling efforts on the wing as he came off and Sparrows gut run and tap to Fritter. Good to see Picketts and Spargos effort so far this season turn into goals and possessions. Petty back is so important as it frees May to play a higher, more aggressive defensive game.

Lack of love post. A big shout out to a player not getting a lot of love - Jack Viney. A goal in every game so far this year. Great gut running, his kicking is now effective, and he continues to be brutal around stoppages and uncompromising with the expectations of his team mates. Not enough love for Harmes' game. His game has the same quality as ANB - just so steady and reliable. Great mark, great kick, and runs both ways. The lack of love for the Weid is interesting, especially for dropping marks that hit his hands. Jackson suffered from this as well, and dropped way more than Weid, but not mentioned once. Totally-deserved lack of love for Umpire 34, who was not only bad with the Dees. That decision against de Boer for dropping the ball - sheesh!! She made a LOT of wrong calls or misses.

One of the reasons they're outside the 8 is because we beat them.

We are not a powerhouse club. When you don’t win a GF for almost 60 years, what do you expect? It will take some sustained success to get us where we belong. Not going to change overnight, but it is changing that I can guarantee you.

Gawn and May were both outstanding when the game was a genuine contest. Spargo played a great game too. The crowd was terribly disappointing. This is a fantastic team who deserve to be playing in front of 40,000 plus every week. I certainly enjoyed myself there tonight. Was a great night for footy.

5-0

Gawn - perfect captain’s performance May - perfect backman’s performance Oliver - prolific when required Petracca - class and poise Viney - excellent connecting game Spargo - always looked dangerous Harmes - tough and influential Langdon - tireless running game Fritsch - took his chances Brayshaw - great second half Bowey - continues to impress Jordon - effective without fuss Jackson- creative on baller Neal-Bullen - impressive last quarter Sparrow - took his chances Rivers - safe and composed Pickett - the excitement returns Hunt - performed as required McDonald - an improved performance Weidemann - contested but limited Lever - was rarely required Petty - an exciting return

Brown in and Weid out.

Hunt was a lot better today, Sparrow, ANB, Spargo, Jordan, Harmes all good Great standard for the next level of players