Red and Blue realist

Do they teach them how to brew beer as well? Neita's little brewery knocks out a few tasty treats!

I think this is in the same category as changing game style based on your opponent. We saw Port try a whole different game style against us earlier this year and they looked lie they had no idea how to play. So you'd by and large back in your game plan/style and the team to pull that off no mater the opposing team. I think as a front running team it's a luxury we have, I always thought when we were performing badly we'd be bringing in guys just for the match up and as soon as you do that you go away from really trying to win and just minimising the damage the opposition do - it's funny but if I was in charge of Nth, WC, GWS or the Suns I'd be setting up the game plan and going with that even if it means massive losses. I think that's why Adel, Hawks and Carlton have looked better this year, they've gone away from focusing on the opposition match ups.

I don't think we'll win by anywhere near as much as what people think, it'll still be comfortable but I'm sure the coaches will press home playing to the system rather than trying to destroy them. After every win, we're still hearing the players and coaches talking about 'learnings', 'structures', 'game plan implementation' etc. So I think they'll value a player committing to their role, more than running forward so we get another goal. Of course WC might be that bad that it turns into a thrashing, but I don't think that'll be by design.

Teams would be better off to go a full ground hard man on man structure rather than just tagging 3 guys. Not sure if any other teams have the fitness, but it'd be a better bet than removing 3 of their own mids to at best break even but then leave the rest of their mids against Viney, Harmes, Brayshaw etc.

There was vision of him getting the corky strapped (left thigh) and taking pain killers at the same time. Not sure that strapping helps a great deal with a corky either, but that's what he came off for and the treatment he got.

I wonder if this is also semi selective - by this I mean that in nearly every game we've had the match pretty much done by 3 quarter time and then seem to just coast in the last quarter. Other teams can't afford to do that, so I'd love to see the stats up until 3 quarter time and see if there's a massive drop off in the last. As much as they might think it's a mental thing, or not by design, maybe it is - we look like we've got so much better control over the game than other sides at the moment, and that doesn't mean we have to thrash or beat up on teams - just get the win and move into the next week very comfortable.

He's married or at least involved with Chocco's daughter - which is where I think the Gawn joke came from. Don't read too much into it!

Long term I think this could have merit, but most major changes like this require at least a summer or decent training block to implement. No point him coming back up forward, not really knowing his role and losing confidence. What he could do is actually play as a higher defender - so he gets more chances to deliver into the forward 50. Somewhere between the wing and half back? I know we've nearly got an attacking winger (Langdon) and defensive winger (Brayshaw or JJ) at the moment, and he doesn't need to fill their role, but have a licensee to run more freely forward to do that delivery. No idea what that means for the overall team set up, and if that would cost us too much defensively??

I hope they also have the team song in the indigenous language as well - they did this when we played at Alice Springs a few years back (can't remember when exactly) and I thought it was great, but haven't noticed that they have done that again? I'd love it if they incorporated it after every win actually, 2 or so renditions of the normal song then another of the indigenous version - although I know there are over 200 different languages they use, so not sure if the one at the Alice Springs game was more for that area?

But we're missing 4 due to the virus, Hibberd is just returning from injury, Salem is still injured and the rest are kids so we've still got a pretty solid squad of 32 or so, our depth is significantly better than anyone else in the comp.

Both Clarry and Bedford were in the training photo's put up on the website just now. I think Trac, Spargo and Kossie all live together (or did last year) - none of them are in the photo's?

Had 32 and a goal plus got the 3 brownlow votes against them last year for the saints, so if he can have that impact he's welcome!

It's all about the set up, normally we have at least 1, if not both ruckman and 1 of the tall forwards there. With 1 or 2 inside mids or AN standing under the pack and langdon on the outside. They have numbers there too, we just back ourselves to win or break even everytime

Given the depth we have, and that we played as late as possible last year - I'd think we might see a few guys rested in the early part of the season. We've got the round 14 bye, so that gives us the last 9 rounds to have the 'A' squad together as much as possible, but in the lead up to the bye, I think they might help a few guys out, both by giving certain players a rest from time to time and then also giving others on the edge a chance at AFL level to see if they can grab their chance or at a minimum gain some confidence. So this week I'd be leave BBB out again - it'd be hard coming of minimal training and none with the group. While I'd also be giving Tomo a spell. Lever to come in (naturally). Then over the coming weeks, give May a break (either for Petty or getting Tomo back), send TMac for a rest (to find form) when BBB is fully right, I'd even consider letting Gawn or Dogga have a week off - not at the same time! - and see how Daw looks at the top level again. Viney, Sparrow or JJ could come out for Dunstan with Oliver or Trac to play mostly forward for a week and Bedford in for a full game with Kossie, Sparrow or ANB having a rest (Chandler might come in too). I know it's always better to have the best 22 run out, but we need to make sure they are all fit and firing at the end of the year, rather than in the early stages. plus we saw last year with Hunt, then Smith then Hibbo that you need players to come in and play their role with confidence should injuries hit.

He's also one of the coaches of our AFLW team, so hopefully it's not from one of our women's players who he's a close contact, they've got a big game tomorrow.

We can't take this lightly, the Suns have won their last 4 round 2 matches, and always play better in the early rounds before fading mid-late season. The longest road trip in footy off a 6 day break won't help them, but we'll need to be switched on early so they don't get too much believe up.

Another big tick to our leaders last night, Goody for putting TMac down back when Salo went off, I thought at the time it was strange he went with another tall, but it paid off big time. Not only did he play well but provided additional leadership that could have fallen onto Tomo, but it was good to just let him play his first game back without that on his shoulders as well. Big Max was very good, clearly he was frustrated with the amount of gifts given to English, but kept his cool. He was especially good after the joke free kick given to Weightman, he immediately went over to Smith and stopped any further penalty. I'm sure he was screaming on the inside like the rest of us (well if your like me it wasn't inside at all!), but to defuse the situation shows true leadership and class.

I agree this is why I think they went with Smith, he can also fly much better to compete with Naughton in the air if he gets on a role, and we know May is smart enough to stay down if required. On May, he'll also be fit this game as well, no hammy (touch wood) issues so I expect his output to be greater than in the granny.

Did you know he used to play basketball?

All of them, good chance the top liners will only play a half and we'll see all named play at least some of the game. I'd su next week might be a little more like a real game

https://www.afl.com.au/news/708264/teams-superstar-dees-named-gun-recruits-ready-to-roll MELBOURNE 1. Steven May, 3. Christian Salem, 4. James Harmes, 5. Christian Petracca, 6. Luke Jackson, 9. Charlie Spargo, 10. Angus Brayshaw, 11. Max Gawn, 12. Toby Bedford, 13. Clayton Oliver, 14. Michael Hibberd, 15. Ed Langdon, 17. Jake Bowey, 20. Adam Tomlinson, 23. James Jordon, 24. Trent Rivers, 25. Tom McDonald, 26. Sam Weideman, 29. Jayden Hunt, 30. Alex Neal-Bullen, 32. Tom Sparrow, 33. Oskar Baker, 36. Kysaiah Pickett, 37. Kade Chandler, 38. Mitch Brown, 42. Daniel Turner, 44. Joel Smith, 50. Ben Brown Notable absentees: Jack Viney, Jake Lever, Jake Melksham, Luke Dunstan, Bayley Fritsch, Harrison Petty NORTH MELBOURNE 1. Jack Mahony, 2. Jaidyn Stephenson, 4. Aiden Corr, 5. Curtis Taylor, 6. Jason Horne-Francis, 7. Jack Ziebell, 8. Bailey Scott, 13. Jared Polec, 15. Atu Bosenavulagi, 17. Lachie Young, 18. Hugh Greenwood, 19. Josh Walker, 20. Nick Larkey, 21. Callum Coleman-Jones, 22. Todd Goldstein, 23. Ben McKay, 24. Tom Powell, 25. Paul Curtis, 26. Tarryn Thomas, 27. Miller Bergman, 28. Kayne Turner, 29. Will Phillips, 31. Josh Goater, 32. Jacob Edwards, 33. Patrick Walker, 34. Jackson Archer, 35. Charlie Lazzaro, 37. Kyron Hayden, 40. Eddie Ford, 44. Cam Zurhaar Notable absentees: Jed Anderson, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Ben Cunnington, Luke McDonald, Jy Simpkin, Aiden Bonar, Charlie Comben, Tristan Xerri, Aaron Hall

It looks like they used a combination of tightened their rules around how players/coaches interacted with others and then reduced the time needed in quarantine for those who were fully vaxxed - only 24 hrs if non-symptomatic. I wouldn't be surprised if teams go into some sort of bubble type setting on the eve of finals, it might not be to play at the same venue, but all players/coaches might be living at the same resort, eating together, taking the same transport etc. with harsh restrictions on any outside movement. Clubs might be happier with this knowing it's only for the finals period. Of course that all depends where the virus is up to and how many vaccinations are needed by then?

Membership $ is what counts most - all clubs have quirks that can inflate numbers. The Saints were handing out free memberships to all kids who joined a certain junior league and sold a heap of $1 membership one year, I think the Pies and Tigers have a large pet membership number. The key is the membership $ return, which from memory - I can't find but haven't looked very hard! - we had a much higher $ return from every member than most other clubs. So 40,000 members for us is significantly better than 40,000 for other clubs.

Great all round post CHF, I think there's one area that wasn't addressed and that's small lock-down defenders. You've covered off on the running backs and some of them play a hybrid role in that regard, but we've have Nev retire and moved on Lockhart. I know our style of play means we haven't had to rely on a small defender but this was one area that I thought we were struggling with - being vulnerable when the ball hit the ground in our defensive 50, especially in a 'chaos ball' way - this was until Bowey came into team, which gave us much quicker ground coverage. However, I don't think he's a lock-down defender and I'm not certain we'll need one all the time, but I'm wonder if this is one area teams might try and exploit us, of course that's easier said than done, but Collingwoods win over us was mainly due to a 'chaos ball' type approach into their Fwd50, low and hard in rather than deliberate and direct.

Spot on, I contacted them but they only did the 57 for a competition, no doubt they would have got a heap of business. Maybe they just underestimated the level of sales?