Brownie

I agree with lots above @binman I wonder about the venues though. There's a problem with Places like Docklands though. They're just devoid of atmosphere. It's a balancing act between having grounds that have that fantastic suburban footy vibe and look more populated and interesting on TV versus well sheltered grounds that don't have the atmosphere. It's a balancing act I suppose. It's great to have grounds where kids can go and kick a footy around and get really close to the players etc. We definitely have an advantage when the wind howls down at Casey as we now know how to attack with the breeze and then defend against it. Doesn't always lead to the best skills though as you say

I understand he's had some pretty ordinary behaviour over the years but I don't think that's the main issue. His body has not been quite right for years and he's losing his speed and agility. He has to get his speed back or he's just not a lock for the seniors in my opinion.

Should be a great test next week before the finals. Should also lock in 2nd spot if we win yeah?

Great that we didn't take the foot off the pedal in the last although we didn't convert. A few thought last week that North have this season in the bag. I reckon Stinnear and the team are coming good at the right time as our game evovles. So many contributors. Hore, Macca, Zanker. Our second tier players such as Fitzy and Wotherspoon are massive contributors in taking the pressure off our forwards. Our backline looked great with the likes of Gillard and Chaplin as well. Great win by a team growing in stature and confidence as the finals loom

Loved the way we held on to the footy under pressure and didn't release until we had the option to go to. No hacked kicks, we kept possession and moved it forward really well

I can't remember a player recking up so many possies in one QTR. It could be record breaking. She's just everywhere

She's busy ripping up the midfield with Macca

A ripper from Zanker on the boundary

The "this could be the garden of Eden" pun after Zankers goal made me a little queasy

Our 2nd quarter efforts last week and this week have been sensational. They other teams have worked us out that tackling pressure is the way to stop us but we lifted this quarter again and responded with tackling pressure and outside run. The amount of times the swans players just dropped the ball in tackles that quarter with no whistle makes it a real blight on the AFLW game We really should have had another 6 free kicks that quarter. Hanks has been held well, others have stepped up. Hope she gets off the chain and we continue with this intense pressure and run. Go Dees

That bloke is dead set rooting for them. Great to hear Kath Day-Night in the commentary box though

That was elite timing by Hore to pause a split second in that lead for the mark. She's incredible

Geez, jumping straight on to our players backs to trap the ball seems ok

What a bloody fantastic team goal. We're so good once we find space. Great lead up grab by Zanks

Fantastic forward pressure then and a great pass by Hore. Great first AFLW goal by Rigoni

Geez they're not pinging htb

What a great goal

Hope you really enjoy it FND. Being in the northern Rivers NSW, we don't get to see the teams live much either. But I did get to see them win a premiership live. That was a day I'll never forget. I love watching this team play even more than the blokes. There's a true demon spirit and selflessness in how they play. Enjoy the day and hanging out with the cheer squad etc. Love your passion and positivity @Ghostwriter you're a true believer. The blokes will come good. For now, we get to watch key players come back as this team hopefully roars into the finals. They've got themselves into a good spot considering the injuries we have. The Hawks loss opens the door. Hope we grab the opportunity by the throat and punish another team. Go Dees

I took a lot of heart in Paul Roos still rating our list as being very good a couple of months ago. Alas that was before Clarry and Cps departure, but it had to be done and we've still got some good ones coming through. I think Steele will really help us and will probably click more effectively with Viney. Losing McVee will hurt us. Anyways, a good interview. Paul G has to put the chaotic club theme to bed and paint a picture of hope. It's now up to management to find a home for us and Kingy to rebuild us while still staying competitive. Go Dees

Timing is everything with some of these blokes. Look at how good Hogan is now and how much we invested in him when he was a kid. Both our club and Freo got burnt and GWS reap the rewards. The cats seem to be really good at picking the mature recruits and reaping the rewards without the upfront investment. We've invested heavily in Clarry and Tracc but they're human beings in a workplace and a lot them can't maintain the one million$ plus standard for 7 or 8 years. I know it's different with Clarry compared to Hogan but I agree, if he keeps knuckling down Clarry could be AA again. The Jury will be out with Koz as well. Can he stay elite for the whole life of his contract. I love him and I hope so. But he's only human. Staying physically and mentally strong and committed to one club for a decade at an elite level is extraordinary. Hats off to you Max Gawn. Good luck to you Clayton Oliver. I don't have the same admiration for the mercenary CP.

Feedback seems to say he is. It's imperative we improve our kicking. Do we have a skills coach now?

Yep, the 4th goal to Freo in the 1st from a brilliant textbook spoil by Gillard and then the only goal in the third went to Freo from another great spoil which was paid against us. But, Freo nailed those two which makes all the difference and they pressured us really well all day. I thought our second QTR was sensational. Not they we played brilliantly, but we really ground our way back into the game. A sign of a great team. Macca was magnificent and Wotherspoon keeps getting better and better. Banno? Do we need to get her back up the ground? I still think we can steal a flag, but we have to snag 2nd or 3rd or we're stuffed. A challenging season with all of these injuries. You need a fully fit squad to grB a flag but I'm proud of how this team plays. Go Dees

On reflection too, with players of the calibre that they are, neither probably strikes me as being part of the leadership group anyway. Players that are that good usually hit their 30s and step up into a leadership role (and help the likes of Max and Jack to carry the load) It's funny but I see the likes of Langford as a probable captain for us in the future even more than Trac or Oliver have. We have to have faith the coach and club have made the right, hard decisions. Go Dees

Best summation I've seen on this thread. Yes he's blown up, but he did put the effort in to try and redeem himself over the past year or so. An incredible footballer. Very sad for all parties involved. I still think he's going to tear games apart if he knuckles down at a new club. What a mess

Yeah. The same journos that banged on about respecting Clarries mental health not so long ago. Scumbags. I swear I've seen this thread 12 months ago. Might tap out for a while. Hope Clayton is ok and hope he stays.