Red But Mostly Blue

Finally. Suffice to say we need a lot more

We are heat breakers all that work for literally nothing How have we gone all this time without scoring anything? Getting massacred now.

We have dropped numerous marks inside 50

STINKER 👎 It’s only q1 but that’s just about game in the wet. We aren’t winning much around the ground but a lot was said about making sure we win or at least match them in the middle, and we are getting smoked. You know it’s not your night when you’re 5.0 down in the wet.

Blues marking everything inside 50 and are kicking everything We mark nothin and have kicked nothing not sure how we are going to drag back FIVE GOALS in the wet especially given we have NO score whatsoever in Q1 Abyssmal start

WHY CANT WE MARK INSIDE 50????

Insufficient? lol whatever

Wet game, 4.0 down. Not good. We don’t look likely to score. Sigh.

It’s early of course, but lots of things going their way tonight. That bounce for us inside 50 was diabolical. Deflating to see the ball bounce out after we were so close.

Cant blame that on umps. Our midfield needs to step up. That’s going to keep happening if we don’t win the ball.

Not the start we wanted. Losing the midfield battle, tackles are not sticking, either are our marks. Need a big improvement.

JVR looking good I don’t know why but I hate conceding the first goal. We’ve looked close but we need to take those marks inside 50 tonight.

Judd 🔥 Good run with those handballs, would have been nice to land one there.

Kozzie Krunch 🔥

We owe these guys, let’s give them something to feel blue about

Given Fritter owns Q4, I think the answer is to re(sign) Jesse, and maybe go for McKay for Q1 haha (DEFINITELY NOT CODY and Naughton, meh). 4 qtr team right there.

One of the good ones who fought for the little guys. A titan of, and for, the music industry. Never liked being called a producer, because he saw his role as simply capturing bands in their authenticity (even if he subsequently trashed them later haha). And never took any royalties. Total legend, Vale indeed.

Yeah he certainly had difficulty remembering a pretty pivotal moment, right after the game...

Watch out for 'long fingers' Marchbank to claim he touched it from wherever he is sitting tonight.

Absolutely pretty much my sentiments. We belted them last year (yes, not on the scoreboard) with a far inferior forward line (+ destablised with recent injuries) and in the praccy this year (admittedly not always a good gauge). But honestly, provided our midfield holds its own, and we continue what we learnt/implemented w/Geelong - and keep Curnow/McKay honest, I don't know how they kick enough to win. Plus their defence is, as you say, and as reflected in the games this year, not up to it. No game is a gimme, but we are well placed to control this.

Also, if we win tonight - we have the Eagles (over there, so we still need to be switched on) and the Saints. If we can go 9-2 after those games, we will have a vice-like grip on the top 4 - before facing Freo (at home) then the Pies. We can win both, but if we are 10-3 at the bye, that's massive. We have north and eagles again after the bye, Bombers (do not rate them) and the Doggies again. We have a good chance to lock top 4 and launch for top 2. They're all big games. But this is a BIG game.

It WON'T make up for last year - but we owe these guys big time. A win tonight will be an appetiser for revenge. I think the Blues will be hurting, and need to make a statement to stay in touch with the 8 (and another danger game v the Swans next week), so it will be tough. But I'm not convinced by their defence. And while we need to win the midfield battles, I think Viney and Trac are well overdue for big games. Together with a resurgent Clarry, and some good midfield rotations, I reckon we will hold up well enough in the midfield to let our defence to its work. TMAC is in red hot form. Bowza is a big in, his calm precise will be handy, and Lever/May/Judd - not much needs to be said. With the forward line, we have all the threats we need - Kozzie does Kozzie things (although hopefully not all the Kozzie things haha), Fritter, Chin and JVR. If we can get some good contributions from JVR, Disco and Petty again (goals, and those big marks up the ground), it will make all the difference. TL;DR - Our defence will hold (especially with Bowza back, and TMAC in red hot form alongside our pillars), and our midfield will at least match them - we just need solid contributions from forwards - and to take our chances. Dees by 18

Good to see Bowza back!! The Blues are throwing everything at us tomorrow - Martin, McGovern and Hollands named.

Yep, it was great to see Clarry on the up last week. But it's so important that we see better games from Viney and Trac.

A few mentions of us only having a 5-day break vs the Blues' 6-day break. Maybe, but this will be the 3rd game in 13 days for the Blues - kind of where we were at vs the Lions, although we had travel to take into account. While we came off a pretty gruelling game against the Cats, they are also coming off tough games against the Cats and the Pies. With our recent byes, I think we have the edge, fitness-wise. If we can get Petty with another similar game (plus another goal?), better games from Trac and Viney (super important to match their midfield) - plus our usual backline fortress (+ Bowza, big in), high pressure and confidence from the Cats game, we should get the job done. We just need to be switched on all game, as McKay and Curnow can do a lot of damage in little time. And we definitely need to take our chances and kick straighter. It won't be an easy game. The Blues will be desperate as they have another tough game after this (Sydney over there) and will be looking to nab a win and stay in touch with the 8. I reckon we've got this, though.