Engorged Onion

Nice even handed synopsis.🤙

Or Charlie Spargo... didn't even acknowledge anyone really as he drilled his from 40...(old mate can't kick to far eh? #charliemyths) just kept running in an arc to the boundary line and onwards to the bench! It's a rare occasion he cracks a smile... all about the business!

Great stuff @Skuit - 2020 figures accurate? Seems a marked decrease in overall output.... was that a covid impact? Was he injured (he's durable) I can't recall???

Wasn't sure where to pop this post and my musings on facing Port Adelaide. For me, considering we are a month and a half behind most other teams in our preseason (and the body of work that has gone in post the recuperation from the 2021 season proper)...We are tracking magnificently. And then add on our injuries to most of our key defensive first choice personnel, we are tracking even more magnificently. The correlation/causation between fewer injuries (and to which personnel) and ladder position is undeniable... and we are bucking the trend. Also, for those that bemoan accuracy in front of goal - and not smashing teams a la our finals campaign. (it's really about your self imposed expectations of how the team should go, vs the reality of fronting up week in, week out in elite sport).. I'm just not sure how realistic it is to smash teams weekly...no matter how emotional you get about it. We are now a team that can play poorly (from a supporters perspective) and still win...by almost 5 goals - with key first choice pillars at both ends of the ground out. For me, that is the stuff of my Melbourne Demon supporter fantasies! Anyway....on to Port... all those things mentioned above (and 2 consecutive 6 day breaks) lead me to be quite accepting of a loss. I would definitely take a 3-1 position at this stage...

Such an interesting way to acknowledge publicly Weideman's frailty. Last chance saloon methinks... (actually, once the contract is expired, he is done... but if he has a called upon job... compete unconditionally.)

It was individuals, not the org as a whole...

FYI - Cats medical team is out for the weekend...

3-10 is the way to interpret 4-6 - just to set expectations.

magnificent stuff @Webber

I like to ponder why a ruckman is our forward coach in 2022? I like to ponder why a ruckman is our forward coach in 2019? I like to ponder the dissonance.

'Ben' - it's like you've been in the system a long time - and you know what you're talking about.

🍆

I hope so... get the popcorn ready!

No team seeks attention... the journalist/pundits sell the narrative. We've just got a 'boring' narrative that won't get clicks/sell papers. Long may we continue to have our little 4-6 goals wins. Mind you a narrative that could be written is, about our depth and how that interplays with having 5-6 of our best defenders out! Not trying to pick on you !😍

Just a little post to acknowledge, that I love that when I think about Alex now, he is forever a premiership player. I get a warm little glow.

Are you a closet Fiver fan? Is anyone a closet fan?

***Me being a broken record. Stats are not the correlation to form. (I'm not sure you are actually saying that is true either). In some sense, there are some players who's role is the 'negative space' , which amplifies the positive space. I see Tom's role like this. When he is on - it is clear, taking marks, being an objective threat. At other times, he is the subjective threat, he is the 'negative space.'

And, that is ok.... just because you have the genetics of an athlete, doesn't mean you want to be in the environment. And... people will keep taking a punt on you... because you have the genetics of an athlete... and YOU will keep in that environment because nothing quite pays so well, so why would you give it up. As Paul Keating once said... ‘In the race of life, always back self-interest — at least you know it's trying’

I get that @loges - I flip it on the head. He is there to help Bayley get under the guard, whilst being a strong mark himself. Although both are reliable kicks for goals, Tom just aint quite sticking the marks. In the previous post, I was going to write something analogous to Luke Jackson not sticking marks - but 'that' is only ever appropriate early in your career from a spectators/supporters perspective. Not for Tom though... BUT it's beyond that output.. it's halving contests, and his ability to run and run and run...not quick.. just [censored] consistently as tall bloke. Personally, I love Tom, but it's an unconventional love, I'm 42 - and when I was in my teens - all my mates fantasied about Pamela Anderson, they had Baywatch posters on their wall...I fantasied about Waimea Bay...and Brooke Satchwell.

That's one take. My take is he does his role really well. He crashes packs, he has had innumerous 'almost' marks, and he gets up to the wing and motors back. He's doing a fine job, of creating space and distractions for BBB and BF. In all genuineness @loges - What do you think his role is? (as your take is that he is having difficulty filling it, and or unsure of what's expected)

Just a gentle reminder for some, not to get too caught up in form, or what it means that we look 'flat' for the first 2 months of this season. This image would look a bit different, if you played right up until a Grand Final the year before and had a delayed preseason due to general all around awesomeness. Based on this... I wouldn't expect us to hit our straps 'physically' until post the bye.

doesnt get enough of it....

Granted - this post should appear elsewhere. I'm just not sure where. Now, I am a simple person on so many levels... and I've just turned on Garry Lyon asking a question about whether Essendon will tag Lachie Neale (mid way through the 4th). Now... I recall last week - Nathan Buckley talking about how teams want their system to work, and how by tagging it takes a person out of the system. Old mate @Axis of Bob does a great summary of this. Matter of fact the game really hasn't tagged in the last 5-7 years. Why the [censored] do commentators keep discussing things that were relevant 10 years ago, when they could be disecting things and informing the public of the current status quo. Cause I am assuming Garry is not as simple as me... I am presuming that part of the commentary contract is to not discuss each teams *ugh, vomit*...'IP' during a match I just want to know, was Garry being sardonic?

Shout out to a certain P McCartin. I’m raising a glass of whatever to his persistence tonight.

Then we wouldn't have had the glory of Tom McDonalds after the siren goal in the Grand Final. (surely a trivia question this year at your local pub trivia...)