deespicable me

Yeah sure we're second with a bullet. We're loading and about to explode again and go undefeated for the rest of the year. Personally I think you're clutching at straws. But I'll be very happy to be wrong.

Oh, I didn't realise I was being so negative. I really like the reference to Brent Grigc. I don't think it's all doom and gloom though. I just think that we've more than come back to the pack and we need to re-invent ourselves a bit. We have a good list and yet we are going through a period where our weaknesses and inefficiencies are being exposed. As to Luke Beveridge I think tactically he is superior to Goodwin. Goodwins major move in the last 5 minutes was to send May forward. Dogs couldn't win this year, they over-achieved last year, but they were an improved side on Saturday night from what we have seen. He has done a good job to keep them relevant while they improve their list.

I have a theory that isn't on here so I'll opinionate and if wrong happy to be pulled up. Firstly I don't believe we are in a loading phase. I think we have held on to a game plan far too long that has been dissected and beaten and we refuse to change. Secondly the major difference for me is mental fatigue. We are not handling being the "hunted". All our losses we have been trying to hold on and our opposition has run over the top of us. It's hard work. It's not as much fun and all we feel after a win is relief. Not a natural uplifting joy. Well certainly not as much as last year. We are not "loading" we are tired. Mentally fatigued. This is easy enough to fix but Goodwin and co. are super slow to do anything at this point. Thirdly "Jimmy's wing is Broken". Our defensive wing has been picked apart and is not working anymore. We are slow and predictable and our turn-overs here are killing us. Jimmy Jordan whenever he gets the ball stops and props then kicks down the line to a tall. There is no speed or dare. Jimmy is a lovely bloke but in the words of Jack Elliot he is "a good ordinary footballer". He needs to be re-invented. This wing is the source of the problem with other aspects of our game including Salem, Bowey and Brayshaw. This brings me to number four Brayshaw is not being used to his capacity. Goodwin said he was reluctant to move Brayshaw. He should try the opposite. Every position he has played he has mastered. He is a GUN. Look at the way Dogs use their midfielders. Duncan is played everywhere. Bont goes wherever he feels he is needed. They are much more flexible. Brayshaw being stuck in the backline is stupid. No wonder he wants to leave. He should be played in a variety of positions as required from forward to back. His marking is a weapon. His strength is similar to a Dusty. Leave him one out in the forward line and he'd win every contest. Furthermore if we lose Brayshaw I'll be ropable. We need to sign him up and promise him the next Captaincy when he and Max think it appropriate. So for a start Jordan out. And move Brayshaw.

Maybe you should head back over to the Fritsch needs to be dropped thread. You were very opinionated on that thread about how Fritsch needs a good telling off and aligning yourself with all the ex Afl players etc. Hows that worked out. You'd think maybe you'd be a bit more humble this week. Take a week off. But no here you are with your inflated opinions on everything. I'll probably get a ban but fair dinkum Gadstom some posters should get banned from having an opinion for a week when they get it as wrong as you did

The closest you get between Carey and Daisy is that they've both had twins.

I'm a leave him alone fan. Some people on here just have it in for him. Last year it was he has to be dropped because he doesn't chase or tackle. Now it's he's too selfish. I say f### all the nay sayers. It's in his genes. It's why he got to be a player who kicked SIX in a GF. He loves kicking goals. You people that want to change him are #######. ANB clears a path for Trac so Trac can be the best player for our club. You give Bailey the ball and he's going to kick a goal. For the team. That's how he works. Embrace him. He's a gun. Stop criticizing him you f####.

I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic, but Chandler is clearly one of our top performers at VFL level. Laurie is a year behind Chandler in the system and last year he had a bad injury. He is having a great year at VFL level and still improving. He is probably equal with Chandler now and they are just below Bedford who is coming off a poor showing against Geelong. Spargo as a 50 gamer and Premiership player is well ahead of these 3 but at times goes missing. I would love one of Bedford, Chandler or Laurie to put their hand up to take Spargos spot or alternatively go with a taller classy player like a Salem, Hunt or Rivers even. It's all still a work in progress. Spargo has the runs on the board. It's his spot. Just for the record I think Moniz-Wakefield has the best chance of owning that spot in time.

Just a couple of cautionary tales about Laurie and Van Rooyen. Laurie probably shouldn't debut this week. He reminds me of Brock McLean who was also slow but had very good games on wet decks. The only proviso to this is if the game in the heat slows down. But early on the game will be too quick for him. Just a note on this . The medi-sub becomes very important up in Alice and should be chosen and used wisely. Van Rooyen who I'm a huge fan of was possibly earmarked for an earlier debut but played in the early game at the 'G' against the Swans and fair dinkum hardly touched it. Was hugely dissapointing. Given that he is just a kid, that is entirely excusable, but I think he was pumped up for a big game, seemed to be played as the key forward and the coaches looked at that and thought he needed a fair bit more time in the VFL, maybe even the rest of the year. Happy for either to debut but they are both players that need and should be given circumstances as much in their favor as possible. Someone suggested that Port and Dogs have weakish back line talls so this may be a good week for Van Rooyen but I'd rather see us in winning form and they force their way in as opposed to when we have come off a loss and just want to see something different.

Out; May doing kick-ins. We are that predictable it's not funny. Out; The complete lack of connection between Salem, Bowey and Brayshaw. Salem is lost out there. He was completely non - effective tonight. Give him the kick ins might help him get into the game and stop our predictability going down the line to Max. Or drop him. He needs to get involved, he just floats. Out; Bedford, Spargo and Jordans ability when the heat is raised.

It's true, he met with a group from Freo on Saturday at Black Rock (not Mordialloc ) and told them he's decided to stay. The whole group were so distraught they then went and lost to Carlton. True story.

How about Joe Daniher for starters.

Great questions. I think this is the crux of the dilemma facing the coaching panel. To make matters worse we are playing Brisbane next and we are desperate for a win, which means they will probably want to keep change to a minimum. When we probably need change. Anyway, it's about time they earnt their money. I think everyone has been on cruise control. Time for everyone to get to work.

We are missing run. In the 3rd quarter we kept bombing it long, and Cox or Moore intercepted every entry. But no-one was moving.We need Brayshaws attack further up the ground. He is great. Give him the money. I don't think we can win another premiership without him. The players I would consider are Rivers, Hunt, Baker and Moniz-Wakefield. Keep Hibberd in and free up Hunt to be more attacking. Rivers has done a good stretch in the twos and deserves a recall, he or Brayshaw would be a better option than Harmes on the wing, Baker has built a better tank and a strong body and Moniz-Wakefield could be a classy HFF, something we are missing. Take Trac out of the centre and put in another ball getter to work with Clarry and Viney. Its hard to say Goodwin should stop trusting in players, coz thats been a cornerstone to his success as a coach, but there are too many fringe players gone backwards from last year. ANB, Harmes and Sparrow should be dropped to find a bit of form and fitness. I'm a bit panicky but gee we look awful. I think we've fallen off a cliff and haven't hit the bottom yet. Might be very hard to turn around.

I think with some of these decisions there is consideration being given to the player going out. With Melksham taking his spot there is no argument that as soon as Harmes is fit he goes straight back in. We have Salem coming back soon as well. I don't want Hunt just cast aside. I don't think the FD will either. I dare say if Bedford plays there is just more selection angst in weeks to come. Melksham is filling a gap. He's a gap filler. I'm not sure I agree with myself.

Dunstan won't be replacing Harmes I don't think as he didn't finish the game at Arden St and had ice on his quad. Shame for him as he was the logical replacement, but I reckon' Bedford might be the one.

Fair chance we'll have more supporters in the stands than Eagles fans. We had a lot for the GF, surely some will barrack for us now. The Eagles should fold.

The message might just be that it's a [censored]kin hard job fitting 26 absolute guns into 22.

Went along mainly to watch Moniz-Wakefield and Van Rooyen. They are a good team, Casey. Good mix of Casey players, especially Jimmy Munro who never takes a backwards step and was close to BOG and the Captain Mitch White who was also in the votes, and AFL elder back-up players in Majak Daw and Mitch Brown. Majak didn't have much of an opponent so ran riot in the ruck and around the ground. Also the AFL youngsters are a very good bunch and are developing well at this level. Just on that Laurie and Rosman in their second years have really improved from last year. Laurie was injured for a fair chunk but is having a good season and is almost ready for AFL duties although he probably won't get a go for a while. Rosman is the other who can definitely come up to AFL level. He can play tall enough to mind a mid range forward, or a third tall in the backline, he has fast closing speed and some of his spoils were excellent. He probably isn't far behind Joel Smith, which means there is a chance he could be brought up in the next 12 months. Deserves a go at AFL level. Moniz-Wakefield is showing great promise for a first year player. He is quick and has a good kick and wins a lot of one on ones. Not much defensive side to his game just yet but has great offensive weapons. Will be good to see him develop, but is another who will have to bide his time as he sits behind Bedford and Chandler in the pecking order. That doesn't matter though this year as he isn't ready for AFL just yet. Van Rooyen though is definitely in my eyes the pick of the bunch. He has the most upside and can possibly even rise to the heights of becoming a great centre half forward. The first time I saw him I was a bit underwhelmed, down at Willy Oval a few weeks ago. He looked ok but had very little influence on the game and flew in packs where he didn't look likely. But yesterday he showed a lot taking six good marks and kicking a the goal of the day. Four of his six marks were from leading up the ground and taken on the wing. They were mostly uncontested but that was because of his speed to put distance on his opponent and they were still good marks, taken high and at pace. His kicking is a thing of beauty, he is balanced and can kick over 50 metres easy. One of his marks was from a kick out and a good pack mark. His goal was similar to a young David Schwartz, where he picked up the ball swung around and put it through from 50 metres. It was all class. He is tall enough and big enough for his age and with natural growth over the next couple of years will get to over 100 kg and good strength. He again didn't do much close to goals as he gets jostled out of position and has a lot to learn in this area but once he got out on the lead and up the ground he came into his own where he could time his run. Already blessed with riches, the recruiting team would be very excited by all the new kids, but Van Rooyen is the ace in the pack.

With Covid it depends how sick you get. I know they are fit athletes and in most cases it is nothing more than an inconvenience where the time out doesn't justify the level of sickness, but some of the players, not necessarily ours, will get next level sick and develop a cough that may take a bit of time to clear. People here talk about Covid like it is a week off and back to full output and while we certainly have seen that with Viney (warrior spirit) I will be very happy to see each of those players, fit and healthy and back out there. It's just not a given.

It may be that they adjust the bench to always include a tall. That way you probably don't need to see Brown, Weeds and TMac in the forward line together. TMac could really have to swing on Sunday night, potentially giving a chop out in the back line, forward line and even ruck.

I would like Weed to stay in. I thought his game against the Giants was one of his best for the club yet. He presented well and took marks and was involved in the spoil down to Spargo, to ANB for a goal among other things. He doesn't deserve to be dropped and needs consistent game time to see how far his upside is. Having said that Tarrant will be too strong for him, so .......

Okay. So I'll give you an analogy. A bad one I'll admit but something akin to what you're saying. Son comes into the room and poops on the floor. Father says "son, that was wrong, I'm going to rub your nose in it to teach you a lesson!" Son says "no Father, don't tell me what is and isn't wrong, I'm now going to rub your nose in it" See. Now we've got a situation where umpires are doing doo doos all over the place, then whenever a player says maybe you should stop defecating all over the place the umpire says "no, Don't tell me I'm stinking it up! Now I'm going to rub your nose in it so as to teach you a lesson." Clearly the game has turned to sh*t.

Come on, it wasn't even a free. Then 50. No-one wants to see that. That was bad umpiring. And everyone is meant to sit in their seats and shut up.

Not sure about that. The threads that pot players are most popular

Last night was truly terrible umpiring. So biased. My favorite was when Keefe got a 50 for a late jump into his back (which was there) and he got taken from the half back flank to 25 metres out. It had to be 80 metres. It was so far I thought he got given 2 x 50 metres but I don't think so. I think it set a new world record! "Longest fitty eva" Well done that umpire.