Samael

Will be another 2nd half turnaround.

At least Michie understood what was required.

Need Michie

Victory Donughts. Now Victory Bacon rolls!

F##K. Watched him since early Dockers days and the one game I can't get too he score. Back to the reds and canapes. Hope the recording is working.

I think he is probably still wary of his hammy. He will be back once he has his confidence in his legs is back.

I am thinking Viv was given specific instructions and he carried them out against the Dogs. He went from being named on the extended bench against the Suns to being named in the starting 18 (does not mean he will start) and ahead of the more fancied (on Demonland) Salem in a team coming off a loss. Obviously the coaches felt he did well. He provides (in basketball terms) the outlet. Yes he did not get many contested possessions but in my humble opinion one of our faults is that we have too many players at the contest and not enough options for outlets if we win possession. This leads to turnovers. If you watch the Dogs they had one hard at it player in the contests and 2 or 3 on the outside waiting for the throw. Viv's delivery by foot and hand is excellent and he has been applauded by Plapp in public for his link up work between the back and forwards. Maybe we experts on Demonland not being fully aware of what players are asked to do and can only judge them solely on personal expectations. Viv does not kick goals but many of his possessions result in scoring opportunities. I would love to see a player evaluation of the 1sts the same way Casey players are assessed.

Hardly. Michie is still in the team.

He also forecast North and Dogs to slide out of the 8. He annoys me because he sets himself up as the master tactician and all around expert. Love watching his forecasts to then see them regularly wrong.

I am old. I still watch Fitzroy, Footscray and South Melbourne. And I still yell "ball" !

The Diamond Defense only works if the ball is not turned over. Once they get the ball back our defenders are usually out of position.

Brilliant post!

Its good that he woke up. Kid in my son's team did not wake up from a concussion. I think there is a need for a completely independent doctor's assessment required. But I do trust the club to put Gus's welfare ahead of anything else.

Its a 9 point goal in my competition (over 55's vets). Asked the umpire was it dropping the ball if tackled and he said no. Admittedly we have a few different rules cause we are old farts. IMO its dropping the ball because nobody does a drop kick in the AFL. Bill Barrett was the last one I saw do one in about 1968. Almost landed in the centre circle from a kick out (no square in those days)

Don't get the posters on here wanting to drop Michie. He was clearly our 2nd best defender. So he did not get much in the way of tackles or contested possessions. One of our problems is the number of times we had 2 or 3 players attacking the ball, creating a contest between themselves and having no outlet. Watch the Dogs attack a contest. They had 1 player in the contest and 2 or 3 on the periphery to get the quick throw. I think this is the role Viv was tasked with this week (and last) He has quick hands, is a decent and accurate kick and has composure. Watch the bit of play in the 3rd quarter (at the end) under significant pressure but kept his head, weighed up two options and delivered. His only blemish on the weekend was a kick to Watts when in my (armchair) opinion there was a better option. His kicking was penetrating and accurate and he had 6 intercept marks. I would be surprised if he gets dropped this week. For those of you old enough to remember him Craig Bradley played a similar role. I used to refer to him as a sheep dog just hanging around the packs. But he was a terrific link man who moved the ball on to the running players. Every team needs them (no I am not saying Viv is as good as Braddles). This is the 4th time he has played in defence in my time watching his career and I think he is getting better. The commentators (Hodge I think) even said he had been good off the HBF. And before I get smashed in replies yes I am a big fan of Viv's. I think he has become a whipping boy on this site. Plenty of excuses found for others who turn it over heaps but praised for one bit of good play. I personally do not like potting players as they are doing something I failed at many (many) years ago. Smash away.

Surprisingly, more teams have won the flag from 4-3 than from 5-2 (although Brisbane won a flag after being 5-1-1 in 2003), with Hawthorn last year, Geelong in 2007 and Brisbane in 2001 all having gone on to win the flag after having just four wins from seven. That would suggest, somewhat perversely, that West Coast, Adelaide, Melbourne and Port Adelaide have a better chance of being premiers this year than the Western Bulldogs, GWS and Hawthorn. - See more at: http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/Micro+Noises+124%3A+Depending+on+views%2C+news+is+bad+and+good+for+Roos/1954#sthash.M0riNdCl.dpuf

michie. has the body and agility.

Mate of mine sent me this. Reckons it is still technically possible.

Boy I am glad I don't work for you. But I agree nothing should be set in concrete. Different team this week may need different players.

Just finished watching the dogs v crows. Whist the difference is astounding I think that there were only two that were not there. Some were tiggy touchwood but all were technically free kicks that any supporter of the benefiting team would argue for or agree with. The thing that irks me is the ones that get paid but are not consistently paid. If you are going to pay a ruck free for shepherding then pay it every time or not at all. The deliberate out of bounds is a joke. The Crows got a goal from the only one paid and it was debatable whether the dogs player touched it last or Betts. The commentators were pretty sure that it was Betts but he ended up with the free. I am not concerned with the free kick count (MFC do quite well in this department). Its where they are paid that I worry about. I think the dogs got 2 goals from frees and the Crows 3. We will win on the weekend regardless.

Feel your pain.

Michies fault

They are getting no support from the mids.