waynewussell

I know their surnames both begin with W, but please, could DLs stop talking "White and Wagner" as though they are joined at the hip. This is very short-sighted, and means that anything else above mentioned DLs have to say is disrespected! Wagner was a replacement for Salem. He provides good run off half-back, has already established himself as a handy pick-up (and "up to AFL standard" for those that adjudicate according to some subjective judgement that is set in concrete at birth!). Wagner earnt his spot and should remain in the team beyond the return of some of our stars!

Words, words, words.... Wagner certainly has played very good football at AFL level. He played super footy at VFL level only one week ago. He was good in the first qtr against Swans (can't bring myself to watch more of the replay). Wagner's brief AFL career has been stalled by injury in 2017. He is still highly rated by his coaches, and will form an important part of the backline in the near future.

Have watched 1st Qtr on replay since returning from G. Those happy to shove Wagner under the bus are short sighted! He had a very good first Qtr. No way should he be lumped in with White as a dodgy selection. I agree that White had a shocker. Labelling players as VFL standard is dumb! Hannon was playing VAFA standard two years ago. Over the years I've heard the same thing said about Nathan Jones, Sam Frost, Cam Pederson, Oscar MacDonald, and so on. Bugg has copped a lot for his response to being impeded while he was trying to get to the ball. He will get several weeks for that! I loved the way he put his body in the path of a Swan who has was running at Big Max to remonstrate. Bugg has his deficiencies, but avoiding putting his body on the line is not one of them. I think we can do better with selection than we did against Swans... I look forward to Kent's return and I am keen to see J Smith again. Maynard may get a chance and I hope Weiderman can follow up on the progress he made last week. It's not all 'not up to AFL standard' in the VFL. The challenge is to have some synchronicity when a large number of players come in to the best 22. Something that was lacking tonight.

I'm not even going to read a thread titled "Trading Brayshaw". The ethics of promoting such a thread are way beyond the author. To be a great club you need loyalty! Not 'one way' loyalty... fortunately, we have great leaders in our club who know how important it is to support team members who are doing it tough.

Dom is good! Remember when they came after Tom McDonald... look at him now! Remember when they came after Jack Watts... look at him now! Remember when they came after Cam Pederson... look at him now! Remember when they came after Bernie Vince... look at him now! Remember when they came after Sam Frost... look at him now! Some DL's have a shocking strike rate!

A great game is precisely what Watts had! Even if that greatness can be filtered down to fleeting moments with the ball in hand, the symbolic nature of his triumphant arrival at the pinnacle in the closing moments; the eruption of joy amongst team mates and supporters; the fact that every step of his charge forward and spearing goal will be etched into our collective memories forever... that is the essence of greatness in our game, Sir!

The whole, theatrical umpire signal that he/she will be backing out directly behind himself at a bounce/ball up is a modern invention. To think that umpires were bouncing the ball for over a century without any punishment for those that were actually playing the game!

Only a matter of time before women are drafted onto an AFL team list!

Thought our leaders were really good today. Best combined game, Viney/Jones for the season. Bernie was good, Lewis was a contributor, Hibberd did well. Eight other teams lost this round... how did their leaders go? Reading here you would think our leaders deserve to be taken out the back of gate 2 and shot! The stupidity of trashing Nathan Jones... the same Nathan Jones that is respected throughout the AFL community for his leadership and guts in his decade long battle to lift the team out of the doldrums... its pathetic!

Those critical of Hannan better take a closer look at the third quarter. So much knee-jerking going on. Stupid comments about Watts in the ruck... he is actually winning half of the time he is in there. People, take a closer look!

A different perspective! I went along today with my adult son who has inherited my illogical passion for the team with our city's name. A Hawthorn supporter sat behind us, and although I didn't agree with all his calls, I'm sure he didn't agree with many of mine! Late in the day I heard him tell another supporter that it was the first game his little daughter had attended. The first AFL game I attended was a Hawks v Demons game in 1963. The one thing I remember from that game was No. 9, Brian Dixon, dashing down the wing in full flight and wobbling a flat punt 40 metres in the right direction. I hope the little girl behind me today remembers her first game as vividly in 50+ years! I was at high school (just!) in 64 when Melbourne's Premiership was acknowledged and applauded in the quadrangle at Assembly time. I remember thinking, "Gee, this is easy come..." The bit I didn't pay attention to was "... easy go!" Enough with the introduction... Today at half time I was confident that our team would make a better fist of the second half, and we did. The third quarter was all about why we love our team and love our players, and love football! The final quarter was a grind. We never really snatched the game from the Hawks grip.... but we were Gallant! I know most here don't want to hear about Gallant, they want wins now! Starved for success, we want success now! It will come, and sooner than the despairing think! ... 2017 has been a lot better than most are prepared to admit. We have been right in every game, no matter the opposition. I think we agree, we were in a winning position in every game! You would have to go back a long way to find a similar start to a season. It's happened perhaps three or four times since 1964! So, I don't look toward Adelaide next week as an opportunity to be flogged. I look forward to another opportunity for our young stars to rise up. Next week is winnable! I'm backing the Dees! Today was frustrating, but the signs are good! We are more competitive against all comers than we have been for a very long time. Stop looking for a scapegoat and understand where we are at. We are on the cusp of a great rise! I'm not bitter about today, I look forward to the next challenge, and I'm sure our players do as well. Get behind the Dees!

Apologies in advance to posters who already know this... Jack plays smart! Time stands still when he is in traffic, baulking, feinting, backing out and swinging on left or right foot to deliver. You rarely see him tackled. He is elusive and deceptive! He is the best set shot at the football club! He finds ridiculous targets that others have no right to attempt. He runs both ways, helping out in defence, streaming forward from the wing and making multiple leads from the goal square! He is now an extra midfielder disguised as a ruckman... watch his second and third efforts out of the center circle. All of this has been apparent for some time... catch up detractors, Jack attackers... for the cheque books will be flapping violently when his contract renewal or free agency beckon. Then you will count your lucky stars that Jack is loyal!

I've never been quite sure of why Pederson has been dropped down through the ages! A number of times he has been plain "stiff" to have been dropped, when others were less effective. This year he has been held back beyond belief... I don't recall the 'one good game then mediocre' label that is being tossed around here. Didn't he play the first 8 rounds last season? Was it an injury that caused his displacement? I agree with all those that have highlighted what he brings... pack-crasher, genuine ruck relief, contested marking, goal kicker, smart decision maker... well he was on Sunday! This is his time!

Pederson CAN take a contested mark Pederson DOES snag a goal on a tight angle Pederson DOES compete in the air to bring the ball to ground Pederson DOES spoil when he needs to Pederson is NOT afraid of body contact Pederson HAS gone down to Casey and proved himself at the lower level Pederson HAS completed several pre-season preparations Do I need to continue?

Anyone comparing Pederson's contribution to Dawes just isn't paying attention!

Is there an umpire out there who has the balls to buck the trend?

Hometown umpiring raises its ugly head yet again!

Weideman has got to go, injured or not... he has barely contributed. It will take a very good year at Casey before I am convinced he is up to it. I would rather see Keilty, Pederson, T Smith and even Hulett before I have to watch Weed again

Yes, we remain borderline top 8. We need a bit of luck...

Every week is a new game... we might not even be this close next week... but we have no doubt that we would have been a better team today with T Smith or Pederson instead of Weed. We will welcome Hibberd with open arms when he is ready. Tom McDonald had an ordinary game... compared to his best. All focus should be on the third Qtr because we played reasonably well in the other three.

Weideman obviously carrying an injury... Poor selection. Jones obviously carrying an injury. Spencer did well. Great final qtr. Melbourne of old in 3rd Qtr. Garlett exceptional given his opportunities.

We've been riding for a fall by not having a decent back up for Max, and I don't mean an automatic Spencer inclusion. Pederson is the one who is being shafted by our passion for owning 'the youngest 22' tag. Not only is he a better ruckman than Jack, he is a better key forward than Weiderman (at this stage). I am particularly disappointed in Weiderman. He has been given an opportunity, and 'belief' by the coaching panel, but he hasn't grabbed it with both (even one!) hand. First gamer, Smith, was better than him today. 5 good touches in three games is not enough!

OK, perhaps I have been a little harsh on assessing ANB...BUT, that dinky kick directly toward GFC goal in the last Qtr, which resulted in an easy conversion to Cats was thick as a brick... brain fade... silver service... you name it! A tendency to overate himself in my book!

Yes we are young and we can continue to develop, but no one should be in any doubt that we allowed ourselves to have our pants pulled down (again!) by a couple of old stagers! As far as I am concerned, only Jones out of our leaders, stood tall in trying to pull us out of the ShXX that we got ourselves in! On today's showing we are still 9 - 12 and not an obvious top 8 team. WE were anxious in front of goal. Almost to a man we were signalling that we didn't want to be the one that nailed the gettable goal. Weak as PiXX in my humble opinion!

When a team burns so many chances against some old pros they usually get burnt! Disgusted with the set shots that were missed! Some of the lads made very little contribution when they had the opportunity to step up. Happy enough with Kent (minus set shots). Hannan is not playing as instinctively as he did in his first game. ANB still has that question mark. Tyson didn't have much influence. I could pay out on some other young blokes who let us down by not being competitive, but I will put the cue back in the rack. I'm sure you all know who I am referring to!