Mike

I'm in the same boat as a few people here. I'm a Dees supporter living in Perth and would love to grab a couple of tix to make up some more numbers at the game this week. Not trying to dupe anyone and happy to try and prove it's all legit and honest intentions. If anyone has a membership number they can throw my way I'd be forever grateful.

Cameron Ling pointed out after the game that a lot of stuff was cut from Jones' on-field audio package because the club couldn't share anything confidential from the game plan. So that video is missing a lot of stuff. Having said that, bombing long down the line is a tactic Richmond were probably fully aware of so not show how confidential that is.

Who are our leaders on field? No one stood up. It was was just dumb football all round, no footy smarts. Hawthorn kept kicking it long the ground that whole 3rd quarter and we kept trying to pick it up. How hard is it to play wet weather footy?? Surely that would have to have been the message at half time. We played dumb and got outworked. Pretty pathetic.

Clarry and Trac are gonna run riot. I love the fact that these guys are pushing each other to be better too. That competitiveness in the group is such a good thing to have.

I'm so glad someone brought this up. That goal was amazing. Picked up a bouncing ball at speed and then turn and goal. This kid has got some serious talent! Super exciting.

Roosy made some interesting comments on The Couch this week (or maybe it was last week). He talked about how once a player is drafted, it's irrelevant once they're in the club. If they're in the best 22, pick em. If not they play reserves with no explanation required. It was in reference to Weitering being out of form for Carlton. He pointed to Alex Rance as an example. Back before he was a star, he played his first season in the development league which is below VFL. It wasn't until his 4th or 5th season where he had a regular spot in the 22. I actually remember seeing Rance run around for Richmond early on thinking he looked pretty ordinary. Need to ease off Weeds I reckon. Players develop at different stages aka Rance.

I heard a footy expert (Leigh Matthews I think) say it's hard to tag someone like a Tom Mitchell because he does all his damage in tight. Ie winning inside ball and distributing. I think you could make a similar case for Oliver. He's not really bursting away from many packs. He's a contested possession beast and uses his fast hands to find a teammate.

It looks like Hunt has played more of a lockdown role lately, so maybe he's had a little less freedom to burst off halfback? I remember a great tackle in the 3rd qtr, possibly on Cameron. Was right on his tail.

It's a real worry. He's looking like a senior citizen at the moment. Keeps giving away frees and always seems to fall over at the contest and ends up scrabbling around on the ground for the ball. Needs to justify his spot pretty quickly.

Anyone else find it comforting when Robbo writes us off?

This from the AFL website: 'How can the team that goes on the road and flogs Adelaide and beat West Coast turn up its toes twice against North Melbourne and then barely lay a tackle in the opening quarter against Collingwood on Saturday with it all to play for? That's the first question Simon Goodwin will address this off-season and there would seem to be no obvious answer.' Exactly my thoughts.

As soon as I got the club email about finals, I got a knot in my stomach. And of course it came back to bite us...

IF (emphasis on 'if') we get there and happen to come up against Sydney, it'll be nice to just get a final under the belt. I feel like the experience of going into a finals game and the pressure that goes with that will be huge for the players. Even if it's just a taste for next season. Having said that, there's no reason we can't do what the Bulldogs did. They got beaten badly over in Perth and suddenly found form. A big win over the Pies would certainly generate some excitement in the playing group.

Hard to fathom that Corey Maynard hadn't played a game of footy in ten years prior to this season. And now he's playing an AFL game.

It's hard not to feel giddy with excitement about all this. Especially after recent years of not being a 'destination club' and seeing players go elsewhere. All the hype around Lever seems warranted.