Engorged Onion

Reading some of the posters views on here (which clearly I disagree with) there is a consistent devaluing of oppositions ability to actually put pressure on our players when disposing of the ball. It's as though without fail, disposals should be perfect, when clear AND when being heavily pressured AND fatigued! It's simply not realistic to execute deliveries to afl standard (tm) consistently in a sport where you are pressured and heavily fatigued... I'm not sure why people forget that, and then bang on about it being disgraceful. Seriously... to get a read on how difficult it is - go run 10km fartlek style and try to hit targets that are moving around, with pressure on them. Anyway, the reality is we are a seriously [censored] good team. The defence was great, but it was the two way running by the midfielders that alllowed it to be great as well - pressuring kicks into the forward line. No wonder they disposals were wonky at times. For those that bemoan we are not smashing 'lower teams' on the ladder - those teams 'park the bus' so to speak, and try to stem our scoring, which they do and that is inevitable due to the amount of players in our F50 - thus they score lowly themselves as they rarely break through- hence the aesthetically unappealing matches (and hence supporters being upset that we're not playing 90's free flowing football). The aerobic capacity of athletes doesn't really allow for that anymore. When teams try to take us on - WB, Tigers, Geelong, Brisbane (our biggest threats) - we have smashed them in contests and around the ground and to be honest, they have been the least stressful games. We are so adaptable to the varying opposition strengths - yep Goodwin and co has plenty of variance, and trust in the players - in the sense of bringing in/dropping relevant personnel vs the opposition and still getting the job done.

*fixed

Here you go, Parret (Parish/Merret) have 80 odd possessions, - we don't give an eff...

#stillpretenders #justnotgoodenough #weakbasterdssince1964

Perhaps you are right with the context. #notallsupporters Anyway on reflection, I'm not really sure why I bothered posting to a forum to try to convince someone that their belief is incorrect.

No excuses for the Dees in 2019 though...

Curious statement... Can you demonstrate that that is an absolute fact? Just so I am clear, from your perspective, if a team loses to a team lower on the ladder, then they have ultimately taken the other team for granted? That's the only contributing factor? If anything, I'd argue you're being dismissive of the rest of the teams in the competition and ultimately how close and nuanced the discrepancies are in performance that allow you to win.

Oliver vs Parish - head to head. Personally, I'm pleased for Darcy.... but the body of work over the journey is clearly in favour of Clayton. Viney's inclusion will stem lost clearances - but I expect him to fade at the end of quarters/second half. I hope the extra respite is helpful for Salem's recovery and touch. Should also be good for Rivers who was down on execution last game. The worry as always is our forward line - but it has also proven it can function well, without the inclusion of Weideman or Ben Brown. So, as per every single other game each round and over the season, it's all about the pressure and intensity that is brought along. The structure will then look after itself.

My thoughts on the matter are exemplified by some of Stock Aitken Waterman's finest post script: Iv'e been waiting months to drop this little gag in.

You got me Andy - hook line and sinker - Oliver vs Adelaide - and chastised in the media as an 18/19yo. I reflect as I write this post and look at how the media responded to the incident and shake my head as to how he wasn't treated w/ compassion. That incident, as well as he clear lack of interest in pandering to tolertating bull[censored], has set the tone for his lack of media/umpire lurve.

Hope this gets as many as the 'Farewell Jack Watts' thread :)

Schwabs Whiteboard Wednesdays may look like this Sentimental reasons for Chunk Haz played lotz of gameZ Pragmatic reasons for in form players football 101 now, without being condescending - Roberto Mancini current coach of Italy, was a World Cup player and failed to play in his home country - and has rotated subs including goal keepers (for 3 minutes) to have played in an international (euros) on home turf, as a remedy (so to speak) for his own anguish. Top bloke. but in a one off game? Hmmmm.... unless your 8 goals up as you say...but then would he make it as a sub... I’m dubious

Erm - Blue Oyster Cult reference?

Er - interchange is They Might Be Giants reference?

Streuth, this one is complex. I’d like a consonant and three vowels please. Is it better researching via Wikipedia or AFL tables?

The club had one on board for a while. Staff cuts potentially reduced that role. Any player or coach has access to Aflpa psychs at any time... there are a numerous ones across the country. Essentially a good psych can arm with certain tools to remain more committed to values, roles etc on the day during a match, so yes they can help, and it’s always always ultimately up to the individual to act on those things during the game.

The cliche of the reason being 'arrogance' when the team you support loses a match, that you as a supporter expects to win, is at best a naive reductionist response, at worst, arrogant in itself.

Is style/brand and therefore performance linked to turf management? From a soccer/football perspective this article suggest it is. Not sure it’s relevant to AFL though. a fascinating read.

*cough* all the games this year we have been down at half time and won?

To be expected. Do you think either way it matters to the players or the coaches though?

Im having a debate with a Collingwood supporter friend. How long has the QB match (Melb vs Collingwood) been going for. ie: how long is the tradition?

What impact do you think injuries had (if any) on performance in 2019? Further, what impact did a greater than the mean/median travel schedule than the rest of the clubs (and injuries to key players) have on performance (if any) in 2020?

We can/have beat them all. The game plan(s) stack up. It's now merely the proposition of whether we bring the pressure on any particular game day, adhere to structures and/or remain relatively injury free. There is no doubt about our Tier One credentials It's been a long time coming... ?

Googling this Anything to do with Irish Saints? St Paul's Cathedral? St Peter Paul's Church in South Melbourne? Erm - Father Bob Maguire? Ermmm Eddie McGuire? erm... tenuous link to the Bell tolling for Nathan Buckley who once played that weird hybrid game over in Ireland, who is now Dunne as a coach? So it's Nathan Buckley right? Right! ? or circling back to the Shakespearian Tragedy that is Eddie's reign at Collingwood...

Great work gang... Yes - it is Paul Weller... it's a bit of a nod to his many many career changes. B: Jack Watts, Kelvin Templeton, Mark Williams (The Jam - Songs - David Watts, Eton Rifles (with mark from essendon/hawthorn goal celebration - remember his rifle??) HB: Robert Walls, Dennis Commeti, Meg Downie (Yep - great get. Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down) C: Ricky Jackson, Nigel Lappin , Leon Baker (This would be super tough unless you're an anorak - he loves the Rickenbaker Guitar) HF: Lee Walker, Damon White, Eddie Craddock (backing band members - DC Lee, Steve Craddock, Steve White) F: Liam Shiels, Damon Greaves, Noel McMahen (Yes Britpop/cool britania - known as the 'modfather' - mentor to many.)