goodwindees

You can’t have watched the game last night if you’re even suggesting van den Berg to go out. And you clearly don’t understand that he’s about the only player with really combative spirit in a club full of soft c*o#c8ks.

Spot on Demons 11. Brought back in after 5 weeks out and gets the job on the best small forward, who also happens to be the second best overall forward in the AFL and keeps him to 2 behinds and not many more touches. Any Coach in the AFL would be thrilled if Papley returned those stats against his side, but oh no, the Demonland experts keep bagging him. I never thought for a second he’d be dropped after that game and I seriously hope that a player that has so much athletic ability and has never been able to get a decent run at it due to injuries and negligent injury management by the previous fitness regime finally gets a chance to play all remaining games to showcase his talent. Believe me, the future is NOT going back to Jetta who despite his big heart, is as slow as treacle and couldn’t jump over a jam tin. Having said that, I really hope Smith plays Forward.

When I saw Goodwin approach Oscar after the Saints game with such enthusiasm, I thought, “FFS please let that not be a sign he’ll get a game next week.” But should have known that after Melksham, he’s Godwin’s second great love.

Absolutely done. Tonight was it. Over & out. See ya later.

Yes Oldfart, I noticed you have been an ardent supporter all along and have never had him out of your side. IMHO we have to improve a hell of a lot before AVB is not an automatic selection.

It might becoming clear why I have been Aaron van den Berg’s greatest fan on this site. If you haven’t listened to the Podcast, do yourself a favour and you’ll understand what a great influence he would be around a young group. You’ll also understand that he barely trains such is the delicate nature of his foot. Importantly, how important is he for a Club that has had a reputation amongst the footy industry for being “private school” soft for many, many years. AVB would be one of those players that Sheedy would have adored.

Absolutely spot on Jako. You love playing with totally selfless blokes who constantly run so hard to support & cover for teammates. Tackles, blocks & harasses at every opportunity so the game becomes easier for his teammates. Is the first bloke to run in and fly the flag if the opposition are roughing up one of ours and if you notice is always eager to get to a teammate and congratulate him. Far, far from the silkiest player on our list, however, would be by favourite teammate.

I now have no doubt you have no understanding of the game and are purely driven by stats. In the first half when the game was won, AVB was absolutely key. Garry Lyon particularly mentioned him on 3 occasions in the first half as to his good he was. Anyway, stick to your stats.

Hasn’t A van den Berg made a fool tonight out of those who didn’t have him in this team. I would have thought that any half smart, long suffering Dees supporter would want a ferocious, hard at it, NEVER take a back step player every day of the week and would defend him to the hilt. AVB is far from the most talented but he is the first bloke you want beside you. Has Mihocek woken up yet?

You’re only half correct. It had to be his best mate Melksham for Hannan. You constantly under value & under appreciate the hard work off the ball done by AVB. 2 on ballers in that team tell me that AVB is so appreciated for his selfless work off the ball that helps their stats and not his.

I think at the moment our best 3 tall Defenders are May, Tomlinson & Lever. I suspect they are going to continue with Tomlinson down back and give him a chance to finally solve a major problem area for us. They gave him 4 years and I believe they think it is the position he will be able to provide most value. If it were me, I’d be making the recruitment of a genuine wingman more in the mould of a Langdon type an off season priority rather than playing Tomlinson on a wing as I believe he is absolutely not a winger.

With the benefit of time, Picks 2 & 20 for Tyson, Salem & Hunt has been a massive fail. Nicest bloke you’d ever meet is Dom, but slow as a wet week and I can’t remember ever seeing a worse kick for a left footer, and he has absolutely no right side. Salem is a nice player and someone you’d have been happy to use a pick somewhere between 10 & 20 on. Hunt is not quite AFL standard and will be delisted and not picked up by another Club. 2 & 20 for that result is part of the reason we’re just a middle to lower side.

AVB has been cleared of bone damage, however, that head clash early in the first quarter required 15 stitches above the eye on the same side as the cheekbone damage. Unbelievably tough.

Tomlinson, terrible. Wow, I must have been watching a different game, either that or you're letting your disappointment of his long term contract on large coin influence your specific match decisions. No Crows opponent got hold of him at anytime and I really liked the way on a few occasions he switched play with run and a long penetrating kick. He was solid and far closer to good than terrible.

Wrong as far as Harmes, Sparrow, Hibberd & Tomlinson. They were all a real positive for me. I like what I’m seeing in Sparrow & Tomlinson at CHB gives us much more offensive run than Oscar.

Not sure Marlion Pickett was right for us and not nailing a Pre Season Draft pick, albeit a number 2 is in itself not a hanging offence but it appears from a distance that both Collingwood (Noble) & Essendon (Snelling) have added quick players that have both become far more regular additions in their teams than what Dunkley has in ours. Maybe Dunkley will become the better player of all 3, however, that isn't the case right now and Dunkley was not the type we were screaming out for. Noble is probably much more of that type. More importantly, you can't keep missing with Picks in the 20's & 30's which is why it is critical that at least two out of Petty, Sparrow, & Jordan become solid B Grade players.

Absolutely correct Chook. He should be picked, and only ever picked if there is an obvious tall, immobile opponent for him. Charlie Dixon was the only opponent in the Power lineup and as soon as they made a decision that they weren’t going to play Oscar on him, then they had to leave him out. Such a limited player unless he gets his physical match up.

I’m afraid you’re more positive on Jason Taylor than me. Really needs at least two out of Petty, Sparrow, Jordan & Dunkley to become good players for me to give him a Pass considering his misses.

I totally agree. I thought it was an article that written by someone that didn’t want to offend anyone who might in the future be interviewing him for a footy dept job.

Strange that so many on here have said so often, “in Jason Taylor I trust.”

The thinking is that head & facial injuries might influence a Parent to Soccer or Basketball more than a sprained ankle or hamstring.

Clubs are very reluctant to talk about head & facial injuries. If possible and particularly if they can when a “high profile” player is not involved, they prefer to let those type of surgeries slip under the radar.

Not at all. Surgery was being booked in before the last player had completed his shower.

Guys, it hasn't been reported yet, but to show you how tough & committed to the cause that Aaron is, he suffered a triple fracture to his cheekbone early in the second quarter and despite blood trickling continually down the inside of his nose & throat he totally downplayed the knock and kept playing. Was even the only player to go in and remonstrate with Stratton after the crude knock on Weid. You can see why the Coaches & teammates love him in the side.

That’s just rubbish and clearly not correct. There has been a clear change in personnel, structure and game style over the last 3 weeks. I can also tell you that in a very positive exchange recently between Goodwin & some senior players, the Coach was asked to be “a little harder on the same players making the same mistakes repeatedly”.