Forest Demon

I don't want to whinge about the umpiring, because if anything, I thought we got the rub of the green in the first half, but I would love to see a replay of Oliver's throw. He always gets his hands up high and often hits unconventional handballs, but they are still legal, and that one in particular, looked like a handball to me. It would be almost impossible to rocket a 10 metre throw in congestion with your left hand to the left side like that.

Well, yes, but you simply can't win every game, it is impossible. This year is extremely even, and my point was simply that if we find that consistency, we are as good a team as any in the whole comp, perhaps bar GWS and Adelaide. Of course it is big if, but nearly every other side has similar "ifs" hanging over them. There are certain posters who paint it in a way that if we aren't 22-0 at the end of the home and away, it is a failure.

Neale maybe, but Mundy was playing forward for all his goals.

Not sure what he is getting at, those players play well most weeks against most teams, that's why they are the stars of the game.

I don't like giving someone the "they must be injured" excuse, it is a big cop out, but... Jack Viney is a physical beast, and tackling, smashing and bursting through contests is his thing. Maybe he is just 10% off, but given he relies on that physicality so much, he just looks off the pace. As opposed to say a Watts, who even if he is off by 10% physically, still has the class to make his possessions count, and you wouldn't really even notice he is carrying something. Could be rubbish, but I just haven't seen Jack Viney miss tackles and look so pedestrian since he was drafted.

I don't agree with Viney being made co-captain this early, and he is clearly out of form. But I don't know enough to make the link between the two. He played some great footy when playing a defensive role in the last couple of years. Maybe it is time to give him a rocket and stick him on Dusty/Cotchin next week.

He wasn't alone in that quarter. So many tackling efforts were all arms and no body in that quarter, it was really shittin me.

I'm as gutted as anyone, but just to keep some perspective, we have played some very good footy this year, with some very good players out of the side. We lost this game in one quarter today, we threw the win away last week against a top 4 side. Doesn't excuse it, but just a reminder that it is an even comp and we are right in the mix if we can keep it all together and get that consistency.

We are always shakey in these games we go in favourites. We kicked goals in the second to go a goal or two up and the players looked flat, as if the job was done. We only really got up and about in the last, but it was too late.

That back 6 looks a lot better if you replace Melksham and Vince, with Hibberd and Lewis. I like Vince and he played some great footy in the guts, but we have younger options there now. He is in a bit of limbo at the moment.

Well, I hope Hogan, Lewis and Gawn's hamstring are happy.

Wow. What an insipid quarter of footy. Watching Jack Viney get brushed aside like Cale Morton probably the most confusing part.

Too sloppy.

I wouldn't be getting too smug as a Dees fan, when our number 3 pick in that very same draft is in an eerily similar position to McCartin at the moment. I hope for both's sake they can get past the concussion issues, and make it or not based purely on their footy ability.

After a week of deliberation, my final changes are: Out: Gawn, Weideman, Hannan In: Spencer, Pedersen, Bugg Judging by this thread, this seems a pretty standard set of changes, so no doubt it will be way off.

I would be bringing in Spencer for Gawn, but also bring in Pedersen for either Weideman or Smith to play second ruck. Let Watts play forward, especially after having to ruck all day Saturday.

I am probably more concerned he wasn't watching the game, and that is obviously pretty minor. I gave up caring about little insignificant indiscretions and the poor behaviour of footballers, if you could even call it that, a long time ago.

I tend to agree. I haven't been his biggest fan, he was woeful in round 1, but has been good since, with the odd mistake thrown in, like every other player.

They should be breathing fire after today. Spencer gets his chance. Would have loved a Casey game for Pedersen, Frost and others to push their claim, but the ridiculous VFL fixture has robbed them of that chance.

Melksham continues to cop a bagging unfairly, he was good yet again. And I would hardly describe Tim Smith's debut as "all at sea". Hunt was amazing, but like others, he hit the wall late in the game.

This. If we go in 15 points up, it is a different game, but we coughed up 2 goals in the last 90 seconds.

Unbelievable. It was a gutsy performance but we threw it away. Chris Scott is still up in his box whingeing about the umpiring, such a piece of work.

Cmon Wattsy. He has been great so far, and he has the chance to play a career defining game in this second half.

Jack Viney was on AA pace after 6 or 7 rounds last year. Would love to see him have a big one after a relatively quiet opening fortnight.

I don't know what to make of Geelong. I think they will be top 6, but at the same time I look at their side on paper, and it looks pretty ordinary outside of the usual guns. I reckon this is a 50/50.