Deemania since 56

Fair assessment to say the least.

Noted. Star-struck. Sensationalism fed and anticipated. Didn't happen in the end. Sorry Bruce. So often it made for 'exciting' commentary but not this time,

Lewis in hbflank, OMac out, in Keilty/Petty. Preuss in. Maybe retain Stretch for clearances.

Nicely posited - calling a spade a bloody useless spade - he is not a good inclusion for our team. As finally noticed last week, we are a better team and far more potent/resisting/rebounding/resourceful without OMac. Put in a younger and mobile player with skills and endeavour to blend with the rest of the backline.

Sharking is their key to forward clearances, and the Saints are good at it this year. For them, the alternative is to be knocked out of the way by our midfielders, so I would expect two of their players will be roving to Gawn, and three on the outside from there. If we can 'bullock' them then there might be resistance and drive against them so Viney and Clarrie must expect a tough game.

Very risky decision if that is the case.

...and OMac replaced with someone hungry...

Gotta be OMac for Petty, Keilty, anyone else?

Never before but this year with just one game query and ticketing, the response was rather abstract and uncertain. They must have changed personnel, hopefully, that will improve.

The tandem effect of Melk and Hannan is vital; these two look for opportunities and space, and Hannan usually lands on two feet ready to go and/or tap on to advantage. Other forwards need to realise this advantage.

This is what actually happens, so often. Analysis of the numbers that go up for a mark indicates confusion and appears to be uncontrolled. Jetta, whilst a good mark and effective at one-on-one contests would be better utilised down back as a crumber that stays on the ground, so to speak for rather obvious reasons. I so often conclude that in 'winning contests' from which we fare so badly to make it a 'losing contest' is because the players know that the primary big man won't win the ball - OMac, let alone go for the mark in a pack or clear the ball with directed punches to teammates on the ground. He just must be supported by a jumbled backline as he makes token gestures of the defence functions. After observations of deep backline playmaking that spans (for me) around 58 years, I cannot recall another KPD so inept who requires the entire backline to assist his singular team function, and this leaves the count of the backline marks category at very low levels and creates obvious panic amongst the players that is relatively easy for opponents to exploit and to fabricate scores from nothing.

Preuss is a must up forward against the Saints to enable the forward movement for marking cleanly by himself, for TMac and for the Weed. It will also assist crumbing goal opportunists, and Petracca and Melksham. We miss Joel Smith and AVB down there, as well. Our small brigade must be on its game big-time, ready for anything.

Nah, ANB already kicks better than Greg Parke, just nowhere near as good at marking.

Spargo did some great 'rover' work against the Swans. Make no mistake about that despite a few fluffs and fumbles in that game. He is showing opportunity teamwork, generally kicking intelligently and well; a few more games and we have Johnny Townsend on our hands, again. Possibly - but I am prepared to watch, analyse his play and wait.

Sure is a good commentary. Thanks for the link, earlier.

Like this young fella ....

Got the machinery up front in the AFL team for Garlett to continue to hand the goals out rather than just kick 'em himself.

Very tempting, it surely will produce confidence and form.

At least Keilty will have 'a go' repeatedly, closely, quickly and more thoroughly until the clearance is completed on each occasion.

You forgot the mention the two successive leaks in the 1 qtr ... resulting in goals to the Swans.

We all know but do not acknowledge: 'You can't do that to the Swans - and key players protecting their assets from Collingwood, Geelong, Carlton, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, GWS'. So there we go again. Everyone else is open slather for umpiring and tribunal appearances to hear (only) the bad news of the football 'sages' in the AFL system.

A collation of some very good thoughts, not antagonistic towards general consensus.

Fully agree - Frosty with the full backline minus OMac - great combination.

Good observation. He'd otherwise be 3-4 metres clear with the ball if this was stopped.

Surely, surely, surely, the writing is on the wall, for OMac. If it ain't, then we must all contribute to a fund that sends Goodwin and the FD to Specsavers/OPSM for immediate remediation.