At the break of Gawn

Well aware of that, but Gibbs is still a classy player and probably undeserving to be dropped. Jenkins has SANFL form behind him and is more of a threat that Himmleberg. Lynch we can both agree on is a good player. I hope he’s a bit under done.

Adelaide with the 3 best possible Ins really: Gibbs, Jenkins and Lynch.

The last time we played Adelaide in Darwin (2017), Tom Lynch killed us. I recall he had some respiratory disease but he breathed back to life against us and had a night out. I actually thought this game was going to be in Alice like last time; at least we belted them there.

We've also won 3 of the last 4 games against the Crows to make you feel more optimistic. Their best win was at home against Freo, other wins have all been against bottom 8 sides: an injury ravaged Port, Suns, Sydney and an injury ravaged St.Kilda.

I agree that taking the game on looks a lot better and it’s more exciting (just like the Eagles) The giants put in mechanisms to stop us from playing that style of football in the first 3 qtrs. They won the ball at the contest, and their pressure was very good. The Hawks disaster for them at the MCG basically made them wake up and realise how they have to play.

But to be fair, the 6-6-6 only applies at the centre bounce. As soon as the ball is bounced, the structures become completely the same as they used to. I feel this is more of a copy-cat thing. Hawthorn started this (they had elite ball users), then West Coast perfected it even more. Collingwood started using it as a way to beat Richmond’s pressure. It feels a bit like Goody is placing all his chips on this while the rest of the table is going another way. He’s either going to be a visionary (if he gets our forward line right) or he’s mad and it’s going to go down in flames.

I saw this interesting stat last night regards to “mark play-on rate” during On the Couch. It’s important to note we were also leading this stat last year, but I can’t help but notice that the best teams this year are controlling their ball movement carefully. Is the play-on at all costs a winning formula still? Garry Lyon did note that the both Melbourne and Carlton have horrible forward set-ups and that rectifying this would improve this style, but I’m not 100% convinced.

We’re way out in front.

Jake Lever has only just turned 23 - he’s not 26.

Misso has said scans came back all clear. Will be assessed during the week

Oscar, but I think Hore went onto him in the last.

Yep, Tmac just doesn’t have the pace to get separation from his opponent. Hunt is the only one which is why Goodwin has tried to isolate from time to time. We actually really need a Jeremy Cameron sort of player who is quick off the mark. Petracca has burst pace and could do it but he often fluffs his set shot which renders it useless.

This is excellent to know and gives a lot of perspective. Goodwin has alluded to this over the past 2 weeks.

Does any one know what our average age and average games played per player for round 10 was vs the rest of the competition? Goody said “personnel” quite a few times in the post match presser.

I’m not sure if it’s a chicken or the egg thing but I also think Jones on the wing was a major contributor to our poor start due to his lack of pace and also his lack of assistance in defence. Brayshaw, Oliver and Viney in the middle were our key ingredients to a good 2018. Jones needs to either be dropped or moved to half forward. I’d put Harmes on a wing. He’s quick and he uses it well most of the time. Viney to go head to head with the opp’s best mid. Viney was at his best when he was playing shut down roles but also getting his own ball.

Baker deserves another game - did some nice things and kicked 2. But I agree with the rest.

GWS were bloody good today. They came to play and their midfield was outstanding. Hard two-way running and also really hard to beat at the contest. The game was won and lost in the midfield and they took us to the cleaners. I feel in some way this is the most worrying aspect because our core midfield has been pretty good all year and it's our other ends that have let us down. I haven't seen them get that badly beaten since the PF. Another problem we had today was that when GWS got on a quick break away, the midfielders were too focused on "folding back" into defence and not focused on putting pressure on the ball carrier (hence GWS' kicking efficiency and accuracy was through the roof). This was surely coach driven and it reflects a lack of confidence with our defensive personnel but also being worried about the potency of GWS' attack. With Lever, May, Salem and Hibberd back there, you won't see this focus on folding back as much as you can trust them to a win a one-on-one. Mind you, GWS' foot skills are elite and they are also one of the most efficient team going forward this year. Paul Roos talked about this on the couch this week. He said that Jones had struggled in the wing role and it forced Goodwin to put him into the middle of the ground. Basically Goodwin had no where else to put him. Hence, he moved Brayshaw out to a wing. Brayshaw will go back into the middle once Jones is dropped/retired. I can't see him playing off half back when you have Salem, Hore, Lever, Hibberd back there.

I feel we’ve really over-rated our list. We have one genuine A grader - Max Gawn. I can name at least 10 midfielders I’d have over Oliver, and probably 20 before Brayshaw.

We just don’t have the cattle. No class through the midfield, no midfield depth, no genuine power forwards, no lock down defenders playing today. We’ve had a lot of players out, and it’s difficult to judge without a full strength side, but I think even with all those ins, we’re at least one dynamic forward, and at least 2 classy midfielders short.

Forget the talk about our poor forward line and backline. Our heralded midfield is getting smashed. The worst display since the PF.

This is an absolute belting. Beating us in every stat.

How does Salem go from no concussion symptoms to a late out? Mixed messaging again from the FD. Huge out.

Weather forecast has been updated and it looks like it’s not going to rain at all during the game or before it. It might be a bit soft after tonight, but basically it’ll be a dry game.

It’s almost game over in Tassie. Hawks all over Port.

I honestly have no idea what the FD’s plans are for him. But as an outsider looking in, it looks like they are treating him like Spencer and a “break glass in case of emergency” player.