Bang Bang Bang

It is good news of course but an MCL can still be several weeks, right? Seem to remember Gawn missing a few weeks from one and Salem missing half a season, but my memory is hazy!

This team reminds me a little of the post-2018 Eagles teams. The pieces are still there, but they’re older, slower and/or not the same as previous. Plus the rung below and depth players just aren’t up to speed. Good to see Bowey fulfilling his potential and Langford plays a predictable but effective style of football. They aren’t to blame for the loss but Howes and Billings did absolutely nothing except prove the pessimists on here correct. Howes’ throw the worst of what felt like 100 clangers from the team. Lions went zip 3 last year and won the flag but … umm… that’s not us. Long season ahead. I’m a Goodwin fan but he’s on thin ice. Tim Lamb can be first out the door .

As soon as Moons mentioned it was a little swirly at ground level I knew we’d be 2.10 or something ridiculous. Just embarrassing. Real 2019 feels to this season unfortunately. Like the look of Langford and hope Lindsay’s knee isn’t too bad. The fact he was subbed off so quickly and so early concerns me.

Interesting to see Cal Twomey report that Steven May quietly signed a one-year extension over summer, tying him to the club until the end of 2026. I think this is great news personally. A 34 year old May is still going to be in our best side and it's pleasing to know the passion is still there at his end. I was resigned to losing him after 2025.

Most of the good players across the league are playing well into their 30s these days so I have no issue with these contracts, and Fritsch will be 29 for the entire duration of the 2026 season. You could even argue that we would have lost both Oliver and Petracca WITHOUT these ridiculously long contracts. That being said, I'm not a Lamb apologist. I think our wheeling and dealing has been atrocious since 2021 for the most part.

If we can do everything but beat GWS at the MCG then we can definitely win this one too. I totally get today was absolutely atrocious and one of the worst performances of the Goodwin era, but it counts as much towards winning next week as last week’s performance does. We can easily win this game if we get selection right and show up on the day. Out. Jefferson (injury), Howes, Woewodin, Sharp In. AJ, May, Langford, Windsor That will do for a start. Viney is not getting dropped and Goody is not getting sacked. Deal with it.

Lindsay looks excellent and I can stomach potentially not having a top 3 pick this year in lieu of his recruitment. Could be a long season though with not much to cheer for with that in mind. As for today, what the hell was that? Let’s just kick it to Charlie Comben one more time. And let’s just completely lie down at the start of the 4th even though the game is still up for grabs. Too many VFL standard players and senior players who either haven’t shown up in 2025 or can’t kick to save themselves (sometimes both). Don’t see the point of playing Woey. He’s not up to it, tries hard but this is AFL. Sharp sucks. Turner frustrates, Howes panics, and Bowey loves a shank. Spargo also is not ready. Then we have Langdon who was close to best on for North with his dire disposal and Fritsch who hasn’t turned up at all in 2025. I’ll keep the faith for now but that seemed eerily similar to the Eagles game last year which blew up our season. But actually much worse .

Unfortunately I’m not too shocked. North have injected some talent in their side and we have at least 5 VFL standard players out there. Sharp sucks I’m afraid, another Billings. Like the look of Lindsay and Henderson and Chandler is having one for the ages, but that’s not enough. I mean, when TMac is having brain farts and Lever is doing god knows what in red time, you know it’s not our day. Long season but zip 2 is a huge handicap.

Not really a fan of clubs making debutants the sub and I really don't like seeing the Kynan Brown treatment again. Langford is stiff. Numerous posters have mentioned his slowness/stamina and lack of impact, so perhaps I need to watch the last quarter again, but he came on in awful weather conditions and had 5 reasonably effective disposals in 30 minutes. I thought he looked OK. At the very least I'd have liked to see him getting a proper game first.

There was also a moment in the second quarter where he 'fumbled' the ball over the line for a rushed behind. Without the pretend fumble we would have been in trouble. And another instance later where Ward dropped a mark, Lindsay waited for him to drag it under then then pounced and held it in to him, drawing a HTB free. Little moments, but when a player has 5-6 of those in a debut game, it's extremely impressive.

I’m referring to Howes’ form but AJ made a pretty rough tackle in the last quarter. No concussion but drove head into ground. Can’t remember how they graded them last year but wouldn’t shock me if he got a week.

AJ might be suspended and Howes ain’t it IMO. Otherwise I’m happy for the same squad. I’m even OK if they give Howes another run given the injuries.

Not sure what’s happened to Fritsch over summer. As someone who’s watched the match sim, practice match and Round 1 in their entirety, I don’t remember him even having a moment. Worrying signs.

[censored] flat after that, deserved to win. Lindsay had one of the best debuts I’ve seen from us in recent years. The stats look good but his football IQ is off the charts. Goes in super hard too which is unusual for his style normally. Gun.

[censored] me Lindsay is good