Deemania since 56

That is Goodwin. He played the Weed too often, too expensively. Smith has better skills than the Weed and somewhere in the 22 that might be selected, there should be a spot for the talents of Joel Smith. Settled and existing talents, at that; but these are only ideas, not dictates, so attempt to get over it, will you?

Brizzy are a mobile team, with lots of runners and outside drive. We will need an athlete to counter, intercept and run on in possession for delivery upfield. Put Smith in the forward line and we are all set.

In the 2nd qtr, the umpires were letting 10m kicks (at best) be recognised as marks - particularly in Geelong's forward line. That was deliberate, outright cheating.

That kid made a great contribution across the game - tough, willing, capable, with vision and intent. Put up with the dirty stuff from Geelong and carried on like matured footballer. Well done, Sparrow.

Max was held, opponent's arm around his back pulling him downwards and one arm fully incapacitated, for three quarters at ruck contests and marking huddles with no interference from the umpires. In the last quarter, Max went to his own space and [censored] killed their ruck combo from an unhindered approach.

Port will cream the Cats in Adelaide - one rodent in the system eliminated. The umpires gave the Cats every chance - embarrassingly so - and stopped the Demon momentum as best they could for nearly two full quarters. Class won through.

I wish we could go back to the 50s-60s, to see what this Club really was and how that last quarter, last night, was the epitome of such a footballing era. In the weeks ahead of us, getting to - and winning - a GF would be enormous; to finish on top of a minor premiership list as we did with so much heart is, for me, very rewarding and more important that the short-term road ahead. Carna Dees!

We beat the umpires for the first time - gave nothing away in that last quarter, giving the umpires no chance to interfere with the flow of football - we all know that the Cats were secondary to the result of the game. Then, the Demon guardian angel struck so our opportunitites were not interrupted by the maggots with whistles. Boy, did the boys perform.

Nah, May on Hawkins (wearing a helmet), Petty on Cameron, Smith on Rohan. Maybe (in addition), Bowser to tag Selwood's forward entries and Lever to intercept all forward action by Dangerfield.

Swing Smith forward in the second half. Allow him to backline intercept and spoil in the first, making the Cats' weary legs tire. Give opportunities for Smith to find space and hit targets upfield.

Interesting point, in the light of previous match-ups between Hawkins, the blessed one and May, the toiler. Surely, Hawkins just has to start this match 'on warning', meaning that he virtually should not be permitted to assault other players due to his ability to avoid suspension or reviews of his onfield conduct with other players. May should come out with a head helmet - to signal his resistance to what has happened before from 'The Thug'. Carna Dees... we can take this one, and silence / negate the advantages of rule interpretations that the Cats enjoy.

Run 'em off their crotchety old, scabby legs so they will be useless after half-time.

Watch him ... he's shaping well and adapting to his role each game - that's the fast curve to improvement and reliability. It's the bounce that makes it tricky.

I'd reckon Smith is a rotator down back but I would prefer to see him playing in the forward line; however, with some handy swapping across Cameron and Rohan, he could really interrupt the Catty Putts avenues to goal. I reckon Cameron ain't right just yet, as well. Let's knock his socks off for some doctor time. As for Rohan, he can be demoralised quite often and then, he ain't half the player he could be. Petty will be useful against him when the incoming ball descendeth.

There is most likely some 'old fashioned player resting' going on and if they think that they can manage/arrange it and still be super productive onfield, then well and good. A confidence move if ever you saw one.

And so they should ... gutsy young bloke looking for action who could take the elevator to heaven as a fast learner.

Nahhhh, safe as houses - didn't really hit him and let go rather quickly in synch with the the play of the ball. It is also a duplicate of how Hawkins plays, week in - week out - so it must be OK.

It is tempting to put Majak in ... he'd be a good counter to several Cats who have pummeled us in the past (Blicavs and his sidekick). Majak may well give a few of out forwards some courage and some focus.

We need May. We don't really need Spargo at the forward flank or 'roving' the area. I'd opt to retain Smith at the HF Flank with a licence to go for it, bigtime, but not interrupt existing forwards in the pack marking, if possible. Smith has some real talents that the Catty Putts would struggle with - probably have to divert their ruck strength (2 players) to contain a rampant forward able to run to space, all game. Smith's handball skills also would be in useful application - coz he does see 'space' and he does see 'leads to space'.

Quick! Notify the umpires by Friday - so that this can be incorporated into the agenda to quell the Cats' cheating and dangerous ways. A few onfield decisions our way will be enough, surely?

I could see myself paying a little more attention to the endless advertising of the Demon Shop, perhaps to buy one or two items to utilise at a game when the crowds of spectators are permitted to enter the 'G again.

Sometimes earmarking the status of it all is part of the Cats'-psyche, regardless of fans, crowds, spectators and members. It is a wanton display of supreme importance that seems to appease the folks down the coastal highway and a final in Geelong would address these needs - hence, the rest of the Viccy clubs can go jump in the lake; the Cats become their own leading hierarchy of football prestige. It is akin to being the destination of choice for some. With the next pre-finals games and respective distribution of ladder positions, I firmly believe that this frontal arrogance of the Cats is about to implode - thanks to the mighty Dees. The bargaining powers of a losing team (Geelong) severely limits their kitty of credibility in the clamour of possible opportunity to 'host' a finals game. It is also grossly unconventional, in the first instance.

Scott may well allocate a watch or two on Dogga - problem for him is that no two (let alone one) player/s at his disposal will be able to compete and stay with him without massive gaps elsewhere on the ground.

Rivers plays well, down back. Rivers could play absolute opposition havoc if allocated a few minutes each game in the midfield.

He is valuable depth as a backman. He is far more than depth when playing forward - and a run in the fwd line for a few weeks is no longer opportune with the finals bearing down on us. Another example of the expense and nil returns from playing Weed for so long, so unnecessarily. I am sure that had Smith been given a recent, past month in the team, for example, he would have somewhere between 10 and 20 goals in his account by now. As a forward, he runs, finds space, leads to those spaces - and we have all seen how apt he is with marking - and he kicks straight, well.