dieter

Spargo was terrific in the first half and always there with pressure and precise delivery in the last half. Boy, what does a player have to do?

His first half was good. He did a lot of work up the ground, a la McDonald. We hardly had the ball in the forward line in the last quarter and he played with pressure in the third. I think people judge him harshly for the wrong reasons on this site.

6: May 5: Gawn 4: Langdon 3: Jordon 2: Brayshaw 1: Neale-Bullen

How ya gonna get there to kick em?

It's available on the replay on the Official Melbourne site, just before quarter time. He turned to follow the ball and an Essendon player basically shirt fronted him. I can't believe the Tribunal allowed it to get a 'pass'.

It also tells me that when Riv was on the ground his performance was first class. As was Bowey's...

Stats for Bowie and Rivers, via VFL site Player stats: Bowie 78 18 Possessions. Meters gained: 290, Game time:82% Rivers 78 18 Possessions 264 Meters gained, 62% game time. For the record, I made my assessments of the value of these two before I looked at their stats.

No, not underselling at all. He was superb. I think you're underselling Rivers...

Playing in his position is difficult. Rioli never had that many possessions either. What he supplies is constant pressure and a lot of attention from opposition defenders. He'll have days when he gets more kicks...

Yep, as part of a superb backline...He and Rivers particularly. The lad is such an exciting find.

This was an all-round team effort again. Apart from Oliver and Brayshaw, no-one stood out. The back-line was again superb, all contributing against a rather talented Essendon Forward line. Jordon, Beal-Bullen, Spargo, Kozzie and Fritsch played their roles, and about the only player I thought was sub par was poor old Hunt.

He missed an easy one in the first quarter as well. I like him: I believe all he needs is that switch of self-confidence to be clicked on. He's in the same boat as Weideman in that regard.

Votes for Essendon: 6: The Umpires.

6: Oliver 5:Brayshaw 4:Langdon 3:Gawn 2: Jackson 1: Weideman

Terrific insight. It helped me understand why I have chronic lower back pain - to do with my double Kneemonia, I.E. osteoarthritis in both knees. I've had one replaced and am looking at the other being done the sooner the better, as they say.

I saw him kick 6 at Box Hill in his first year: he took some great marks - on leads...

6: Petracca 5: Jackson 4: Oliver 3: Bowey 2: Neal- Bullen 1: May.

Um, judging by some of their decisions, that would be a fair assessment.

Some of the frees against Gawn especially were farcical. I think it got to a stage where neither Gawn nor English knew who the kick was being awarded to. Ditto the frees against Olive, the 'Throwing ' one in particular. The Dogs throw every handpass and always get away with it...

Yep, nuff is nuff.

Great, Lukie. Um, what about your performance as a coach?

6: petracca 5: Langdon 4: Brown 3: Oliver 2: Smith 1: Brayshaw. It was a team win. No-one lowered colours, all contributed.

I agree entirely about the Langdon and Smith fiascos. A Bulldog player carried the ball over the boundary line in the first quarter and got away with it. The Smith decision is probably the worst I can recall...

So what? Most journos who tell the truth are hated.

For the record - in relation to Morris being an ex MFC employee - Beveridge was also an ex-Demon. Whichever club a reporter/coach/player played with or barracked for is totally irrelevant. Beveridge sounds a bit lost to me. His side has been thrashed in a Grand Final, well beaten by a team without five of its best six defenders and all he wants to talk about is a dude who published some information about his team's selection for a football match about to be played. I mean, how can that 'information' be of use to anybody? Get a grip, Bevo, your role is to coach: it's as though you're hiding from the fact that your last two games against Melbourne have shown you as a coach found wanting.