titan_uranus

It must have been over -30 before the resumption, too. Truly shocking. Hopefully we rebound from that midfield disaster like Brisbane did tonight after they were annihilated by Port last week. -28 clearances against Sydney = solid 5+ goal loss.

Whilst Melksham was awful and TMac not much better, this game wasn't lost by the forward line. We gave them no chance with our abysmal clearance work. Any dominance we have over other sides in the competition doesn't exist if we don't at least break even in the middle. Being thrashed as we were at every single stoppage in the first half is far more significant than our forward line.

After 1/4 time but prior to the lights going out Lions 8.5 to 6.3. I agree though, they kicked 4 goals in 7 minutes in that first quarter period where we were a bit stunned with Gawn going off, Grundy was on the bench for half of it, and we were obliterated in the centre clearances. Had to play catch up footy from there and were still 2 goals behind before the lights went out. I don't get what you mean by this. If the game can continue, it has to. Percentage matters (and don't forget how beholden the AFL is to betting agencies who take bets on margins and goals kicked and disposals and all that stuff).

Does JVR replace Gawn? Grundy takes Gawn's role, TMac takes Grundy's, and JVR takes TMac's? Does TMac deserve to hold his spot though? If May's fit, might be Petty who makes way if his knee is sore. Otherwise Tomlinson goes I suppose. Someone else can take the sub vest off Melksham, really disappointed in his effort (or lack thereof). Harmes also surely in danger, but not sure we're going to make that many changes.

6 - Lever 5 - Brown 4 - Hunter 3 - Rivers 2 - Sparrow 1 - Oliver

The last 12 minutes was fake footy in some respect given Brisbane had stopped but I hope we take something from the way we at least remembered how to run and gun and attack. We lost this game by being disastrously belted in the middle. -28 in clearances, and it would have been worse before the break because we got a bunch of centre clearances in that late run. Gawn going down threw us out. The same thing happened last year when May went down against Fremantle. It's understandable, but disappointing all the same, that we couldn't re-group. You'd expect a few changes next week given some of the poor performances tonight. But a few changes aside, we will lose to Sydney next week if we don't dramatically improve in the clearances.

Embarrassing post. Sure, be angry, we've been trash tonight, but this is embarrassing stuff from you.

Worst since the Sydney and Fremantle losses in 2020, IMO. Although the post-May injury capitulation in Round 11 last year vs Fremantle wasn't too much worse than this. A lot of tonight came down to conceding 4 goals in 7 minutes at the end of the first quarter.

Our inconsistency? What a weird thing to say. Over the last two years we've been extremely consistent. Some would argue too consistent. The reason this loss is shocking so many of us is because it's so far away from almost anything we've produced since 2020.

Seriously though, if we don't play the last 12 minutes, that affects our percentage - could benefit us if we were to get blown out further from here, but hurts us if we could fight back and eat into the deficit.

Assuming the lights come back on at some point, let's hope we can get some sort of random momentum fightback like West Coast did in the storm game. But seriously, what happens if they can't get the lights back on? Edit: apparently if it didn't get back on the game ends at this score. But it seems we get to play these last 12 minutes. Let's make it worthwhile.

Dogs kicked 6 goals in the second quarter in Round 1 last year. Dogs kicked 7 goals in the second quarter of the Grand Final. Geelong kicked 8 goals in the second quarter of Round 23 2021. We won all of those games.

It's true, but remember how Collingwood responded to Howe's gruesome injury last week. Moore mentioned it post-game. It's hard, brutal even, but part of the job is to put that stuff behind you and get back to work. Collingwood did it last week after seeing their good mate snap his arm the wrong way and look like he was passing out from the pain. We now have to do it in the face of Gawn's injury.

Far too much being read into Gawn's face in the rooms. He loves playing and I reckon he'd be pretty dejected if he'd done a "routine" hammy. And at the time they showed it, their rucks were ripping us apart. He'd be filthy knowing that his absence was directly causing us to struggle. I know we've said we can't rule out an ACL but unless we knew for sure it wasn't an ACL, there was nothing else we could say in that moment. Fingers crossed it's something else and his absence is briefer. in the meantime, we back Grundy in, we buckle down and we work.

In Round 12 2021, at the Showgrounds, we were 20 points down at half time to Brisbane. Their talls were massacring us and we couldn't move the ball. We won that game by 22. The half time score was similar to this: 8.6.54 to 5.4.34. Ended 11.9.75 to 14.13.97. We have turned games around before. Not much in 2022 because most of the time we led them early and if anything got clawed back late, but we did it famously against Geelong in Round 23 2021 as well. I hope Goody is focusing on the positives, as much as he can. They can barely play any better. We can hardly play worse. The margin's only 20 despite how much we've been belted in the middle. Oliver and Petracca are having minimal influence. We're dropping marks all over the place. I hope we choose to view this second half as character building and season-defining. We can win this. I hope the players know that.

I can’t recall a worse quarter from us since 2020. 6 goals conceded (the Dogs probably kicked 6 in a quarter in Round 1 last year but it would be rare). Something like 15-0 inside 50s in the last 10 minutes. And I reckon all 6 of their goals have been from stoppage. Brutalised in clearances 16-6, losing CPs to boot. Not to mention fumbly and resorting to long kicks with no obvious target. Let’s hope it was a mulligan quarter.

Is that literally all 6 goals from stoppages? This is awful to watch.

Don’t agree. He will play when he is ready, whether we win this week or not, whether we’re flying or struggling. For one, next week he can hold Buddy goalless for a third straight match.

Shoddy news. But the silver lining is it means McVee can probably have an extended run in the side.

No Stewart, Henry or Kolodjashnij. It's rather undermanned back there. From Easter last year they only conceded 90+ twice. They've already conceded 90+ twice in two games this year.

I guess the good news is Geelong are 0-2. They still have Sydney twice, us, Collingwood again as well as Port twice, Brisbane away and Richmond. Many of those games are in the second half of the year, when I expect they'll be much better, but it still poses a number of opportunities for them to drop games. They only lost 4 times last year but you'd imagine they won't do that well this year. Meanwhile Carlton are undefeated and their next five are GWS, North, Adelaide, St Kilda and West Coast (albeit three of those games are interstate).

The changes make sense. Obviously assuming May is unquestionably fit. If there is any doubt he should be a late out for Tomlinson. Otherwise, it is so tough for Tommo. It’s more than just he did nothing wrong, he was genuinely good and would be playing for most other sides this week. Laurie out for Viney makes sense too. He’s had a taste and will be ready for another crack if/when we need a replacement. Will be very tough once Salem and Pickett are ready to return. On last week’s game, McVee can’t be dropped.

It's a valid question. His form at the start of last year was the best it's ever been, so he can certainly push for selection when fit. But with his history of injuries, it is hard to see when or how he'll be able to cement himself in the best 22.

What about Essendon v GC? Recency bias would suggest Essendon but they beat a tanking Hawthorn last week and remain pretty shoddy on paper. GC were insipid last week but surely know they have to right the ship pretty quickly to avoid being stuck in their permanent world of irrelevance.

Hibberd maybe. Smith surely not, not after the 2021 QF when he was well beaten. Also, if we're cautious on May (correctly), why wouldn't we also be cautious with Smith? Smith's never played more than four games in a row with all his injuries, he's been injured over summer, he hasn't had a full pre-season - why would we be rushing to play him in the 22, or as the sub, without getting miles in his legs first?