Lil_red_fire_engine

Hipwood was gifted games and averaged 8 disposals and 3 marks a game. Weideman would have had similar if not better stats if he played all year. His exposed form shows he has no issue crashing packs and bringing the ball to ground he just needs to get to more contests and start sticking the grabs.

Where is the Max Gawn that gave away Gawn in 60 seconds and stated he wanted to be the best ruckman in the game? Looks like he ticked that box, re-joined the media comedy circuit and is comfortable to be seen as once All Australian.

If anyone thinks if Viney plays we give up 3 goals before we lay a tackle then they are kidding themselves. Poor starts in my opinion are 70% due to on field leadership and 30% tactical errors. I do not recall seeing any talk or positioning from Jones or others at any point. You can tell when we are on as everyone is pointing everywhere (this is slightly tongue in cheek but actually true from my observations) We tried to get back into the game at times with Oliver, Petracca and another rotating youngster in the middle. Says a lot for our senior core. As much as I would like us to make it to see a response the best thing may be to miss and have it burn over summer.

I said at the time expect that goal will cost us a final.

The biggest disappointment to half time is this is not suprising. A game like this where we lack intensity and the ability to run and execute proves we are not ready for finals.

The media say Queens Birthday is our final. I love the irony that playing Collingwood this time actually IS our final. Leave nothing to chance. We have our best team on the park for the year. We are playing two thirds a team with nothing to play for but pride. Hit them hard and storm them early and there will be no comebacks. Leave them in the game and the longer it goes on watch us panic. Lose this one and we don't deserve to be there in September. If we are the team I think we now are. Dee's by 40.

At what point will selectors bring Tyson into these omission discussions? He is a momentum killer. 27 possessions at 59% just doesn't cut it. He is also a liability away on the spread. And for those that want to quote its due to his role; Jones, Lewis and Oliver all went at better than 80%. Out: Wagner, Stretch, Tyson (only if Viney plays which I dont expect) In: Watts, Salem, Viney (if fit)

6. Melksham 5. Hogan 4. Lewis 3. Pederson 2. Jones 1. Trac

BrisVegas are much better than their ladder position suggests. Hogan is better than many had recalled. Melksham onto Zorko and Trac into the middle changed the game our way. Lewis showing his worth and Jones showing his want for September action.

Lets assume we win with similar input from all as last week. Who are you omitting?

Nibbler is what happens when a player 100% applies themselves to a team ethos and a club has strong development. Our most improved player and well deserved.

Carlton 11.12.78 v MFC 7.16.58 Lets see what a difference a year makes playing a lowly side for a finals chance with a high quality mature starting midfield but kids and fillers everywhere else. I am hoping a lot.

Great to see Jesse return and test it out this week rather than next. Hoping for a bench of Brayshaw, Stretch, Hannan and the forgotten man BenKen. Not surprised that Watts was not even shown as a chance on the extended bench.

I think you will find Weidemans primary role was to offer a contested pack situation and firstly bring the ball to ground. Watch the first quarter again with that in mind and you will see he gets to 6 seperate long ball contests and the ball comes to ground every time. Obviously it would be better if he marked them but not if that creates further risk that the opposition do rather than it coming to ground. Finals usually see more long balls forward that create this. I cant recall Watts ever getting to 5 contest marking situations in a quarter let alone marking or splitting them. Watts may come back in and Weid may be dropped but the role Weid did on the weekend particularly early was a role that Watts is not adept at.

I have only witnessed the first and last quarter on replay but I watched Weid closely. 6 times in the first he went up in a pack and brought the ball to ground. Not once was he beaten in the air. That at this time is his role. Mark it or bring it to ground and dont let them get an easy out. I would be playing him on the younger Brisbane backs next week.

Unless a disaster occurs we will end up with more wins, a healthier percentage and likely half the amount of losses by 5 goals or more. We have been in pretty close to all games going into the last quarter. We have played large stretches of the season without arguably our two most important players in Gawn and Hogan, add to this the number of games missed through our midfield by Lewis, Jones, Viney, Brayshaw. Our kids have shown some great improvement but we have had an over reliance on them and they have faded in the last month. I will be disappointed if we do not make finals because aside from all the above it feels like we have missed opportunities we should have taken but we have also taken wins we would not have expected. The additional fact that we have fell in a large hole the last month and look a shadow of the best pressure side in the competition also leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Is the season a failure no. Is missing finals a disappointment based on what we have done to two thirds through with much getting in our way? If we miss yes.

It has nothing to do with form. It is to do with having some minimum level of expected effort and application. Watts was fumbly in his first game back but his work ethic was good. Last week he was still lacking touch but his effort was not great. Watts first half this week was well below any acceptable level of intensity that an example must be made regardless of whether he gained some touch when he finally got his first disposal in the third quarter. He does not need to be rugged or tough he does need to work hard without the ball and when they have the ball.

Teams seem to frequently have high tackle numbers against us. My view is this is because we are predominantly inside and one paced.

The most frustrating thing about yesterday is we came out and for the first 6 minutes played hard, clinical and urgent football. We ran to offer up, we didn't clamber over each other to get the ball and trusted our team mate. We got the ball and lowered our eyes with kicks and looked laterally for handballs in better positions. We showed some spark and comradery when we scored. Then they upped their play and we went to water for the next 20 minutes as if it was all too hard.

6. Gawn 5. Jetta DAYLIGHT 4. Vince 3. Hibberd 2. Salem 1. Lewis

Maybe if we worried about where we are last week or this if we won we would have been on rather than thinking we can sort it out later.

He's stopped running and Petracca has stopped kicking.

Congrats to Goody for finally giving me the sh!ts by using his fave presser line again "its not where you are now its where you are at the end of round 23". Thanks for joining the club Goody.

That makes things interesting.

Will get suspended.