M_9

My pick (to miss out) on the back of an ordinary performance v Freo, but I think the FD likes his defensive work.

From the Cat's website '...Last year [2023] with the Geelong Cats Foundation, the Club embarked on the most significant campaign in our history. Our Capital Campaign, Advancing the Way We Play, aims to raise $20m to support our future facilities, people and the broader Geelong region...' The Costa group promptly stumped up $10m. So there you have it. GFC players are people and they're being supported. Nothing to see!

Absolutely no way that you can enforce it. That's why minor leagues gave up on salary caps years ago and adopted the points system. Appears to work very well in my local league (Bellarine). I can see where the AFL is headed if club spending is not reigned in. The Premier League currently has no salary cap (they are trying to set one up). The NBA have no salary cap. The wealthy dominate The AFL need to put strict rules in place. Jack Bowes being paid his $1.6million over 4 years rather than one had he stayed at the Suns. Yeah, OK! Bailey Smith only getting paid the amount on the Club's books. Yeah, sure!

Frank may have passed on but I have little doubt that his legacy as regards the GFC is profound. BTW the Costa group was sold 18 months ago for $1.5 billion. I have lived on the Surfcoast for more than 40 years. The rumours re third party player payments have been rife for years: farms in parent's names, cars and jobs for family members, and so on. Brian Cook was mentored by Frank. He's smart and diligent in his role as CEO, then and now. The best in the business. The AFL will find nothing. Everything is legit.

People, like me, who use it have heard the Ed Zachary disease joke.

I've had no problem with Petty prior to last year. I understand the FD trying him up forward but NFI why they continued when he failed to fire. Look at the stats: 9 goals from 20 games; 9 games where he had 4 or fewer kicks; 10 games where he laid 2 or fewer tackles. Together with JvR he was our only other big forward. We needed him to kick 30+ goals. I watched him live numerous times. He was lost. Playing as a back he is taken to the ball, or where the ball is probably going to be kicked to. He doesn't have to keep half an eye on Fritch. JvR or Max and where they're going to lead to. He has one job - deny his opponent the ball. He's great when given that task. Playing as a backman he's one of the best in the comp. He complements May and Lever to a tee

Getting Petty out of the fwd line will be a positive IMO. He rarely got his hands on the ball, and when he did (clunk his marks) he kicked poorly (9.15). I've no doubt if AJ is given the same game time fwd as Petty he'll return a goal a game at least.

As I posted prior to our Freo game, my tip is Lions v GWS or Freo GF. All three teams have depth, something we lack

Off to the Saints. Re-contracted but as per Clarry going to Cats last October, contracts mean stuff all. Clarry is running around in hoops?

Zackery what I've been saying' for nigh on two years.

He wouldn't be the first player to employ the use of an 'assistant' to take his shot - hand off to Trac, Sharp ... At least worth a try. I'm sick of watching Billings line it up knowing full well he'll never kick a goal (from beyond 20m).

Purely tongue in cheek. I love Jesse, Toby, Grundy etc al.

If Hogan doesn't play I'll only have Toby to 'boo'. Might save it for King's Birthday - Howe, Maynard, Moore, Cox ...

Tholstrup good to go? TBC is To be confirmed. Hore, Kenterfield et al are weeks away.

Exactly. Why did Chelly write 'Round four'?

WTF. Where'd you get this from?

Methinks, as a last resort, when Billings is having a set shot that someone like Sharp, Sparrow, Petracca ... run past and take a handball. We all know there's a snow ball's chance in hell that Billings will kick a goal.

My setup exactly. We saw yesterday what can happen when your second ruck is a key position player and gets injured. You're down two key positions. IMO (no stats to back this up) but playing in the ruck, particularly if you're undersize, must make you more prone to injury ('collision' injury). JvR, if he's going to get injured, it'll be if he's forced to ruck. And as for Max dropping himself in 'the hole' he's going to cop a Petracca-like injury if he doesn't stop. Had AJ not played yesterday our back-up ruckman would have been ....?

If Max continues to drop into that hole at CHF or CHB as he did yesterday he’ll cop one knee to many in the back and miss weeks. No Max = we lose. AJ must play and Max rests deep forward, deep back (as need be) or on the bench. JvR does no ruck work in my team.

Petty has the honour of being the first mystery out for the season.

I reminded people that TMac was our 10th best player last year and told youse all his strength and experience would be needed v the big Haze forwards. I'm not surprised that AJ has been named. Hopefully JvR will spend 100% tog forward.

I've had that feeling. Turned out to be a UTI.

I just realised the reality of your statement. I look at the talent they have in the midfield and forward line and it's top shelf. But they only managed to win 1.5 games more than us last year, and we had a shocker. Something is NQR at the purple haze

We play them round 6. I reckon we'll be 3-2 (losses to GWS and Cats) and they'll be 5-0.

I reckon Kosi will be named. He'd love the opportunity to play in front of family members and against a number of his mates. We don't play Freo away this year. If he does play at least three quarters I'm tipping he'll bag at least 4 goals and be close to BOG (in a losing side). Having said that, I don't think he should be named. We need to start with, as close as possible, our round one side. BTW I'm tipping a GF between two of Freo, GWS and Lions.