Red But Mostly Blue

Didn't see Laurie's inclusion coming! How's hid form been in the 2s? He has a future I'm sure, but did not expect a game so late in the season when we have other established options (admittedly some a little down on form). Keen to see the thinking on this one, and hope to be pleasantly surprised. Grundy out has got to send the message we won't play him again (this year)?? Surely...?

I still like our chances for top 2. I think we can (and should - although a desperate Sydney in the final round over there will be a dicey prospect) win both, and reckon Freo is an OK chance against Port this week. More importantly, I think our form/fitness coming into finals is pretty good. Certainly better than last year. I posted elsewhere, looking at the losses we've had - we've lost by a total of 70 points across 7 games (10 per game!) - which if you remove the Bombers game (27pts - which I never want to talk about again - we were horrid and they played their best game of the year) - it's 43 points across 6 games - basically a goal. That's fantastic. I think we dropped a few that we should have won, such as GWS (ugh), but largely it has been teams who have played out of their skins to beat us, and even then, only by a goal! (i.e. the Blues - where you can argue we were failed by ARC, Port - and in particular Butters who'll poll 1000 points for that game, the Lions up there - which we nearly stole), the Bombers and to a lesser extent the Cats who overran us in the last. The competition is VERY close. But I don't think we had hit our straps in those losses yet - and that's without a conventional/real forward line. Just a cobbled together mishmash of legends chipping in. (Imagine a fully firing Roo and maybe another KPF) - Oooof BTW, if you want to compare cumulative losses for the top 5 - Pies (86/4 = 21.5), Lions (152/6 = 25.3), Port (213/6 = 35.5) and the Blues 212/8 = 26.5) - we are FAR AND AWAY the more competitive team. It takes a hell of a lot to beat us, and frankly most of the time we beat ourselves! We have a lot more experience than others (such as the Blues), and will not let those near close ones get away in the run home, or in the finals! Sorry, bit of waffle - TL;DR - I think we're travelling fairly well coming into the final 2 rounds/finals - although there is certainly room for improvement/opportunity (another forward, guys like Salem/Langdon finding form, Clarry firing, Fritter to return). I'm looking forward to finals! (more than last year, where it was clear we were hobbling to the end).

I don't think so. I think we have certainly had some fortune in playing some teams with a few injuries, but so have they, against us? Massive, long-term outs with Clarry, Petty, Fritter (none of whom are mugs), Gawn for a period, certainly helped others. Some of our games have given us more anxiety than I think we deserve, but I also don't think we need to be going 100% ALL THE TIME, as that's how we burn out/cop unnecessary injuries. Barring something untoward against the Hawks (they are traveling well), we will finish top 4 for the 3rd year in a row. Maybe even top 2 if Port drop one, and we win both. That's really good. Aside from a clear forward line issue, we are in a better position coming into final than we were last year (although forward line was an issue then, too), with team fitness and peaking at a better time. Looking at the losses we've had - we have lost by a total of 70 points across 7 games (10 per game!) - which if you remove the Bombers game (27pt loss - which I never want to know about again - we were horrid and they played the best game of the year) - it's 43 points across 6 games - being basically a goal. That's fantastic. I think we dropped a few that we should have won, such as GWS (ugh), but largely it has been teams who have played out of their skins to beat us, and even then, only by a goal! (i.e. the Blues - where you can argue we were failed by ARC, Port - and in particular Butters who will poll a thousand points for that game, the Lions up there - which we nearly stole), the Bombers and to a lesser extent the Cats who overran us in the last. The competition is VERY close. BTW, if you want to compare cumulative losses for the top 5 - Pies (86/4 = 21.5), Lions (152/6 = 25.3), Port (213/6 = 35.5) and the Blues 212/8 = 26.5) - we are FAR AND AWAY the more competitive team. It takes a hell of a lot to beat us, and frankly most of the time we beat ourselves! But we have largely done what we needed to do. I'd LOVE Petty back, or another forward to emerge as we come into the finals, but other than that I have confidence that our group is doing well and will continue to improve at the right time.

That was the strangest kick. Almost a pass (to nobody), but in the end a weak, wasted opportunity from a guy who had a really bad game by foot.

We really miss Petty already. He would have taken a few marks we sorely missed tonight. Maybe in that last minute. Securing top 2 will be tricky now, especially playing a desperate Swans over there in the final round.

We had our chances for a mark in that last minute, but ultimately it took a BS call to beat us. ROBBED. Looking forward to burying those mugs in the finals.

THAT’S A GOAL DONT YOU DARE DENY IT YOU DOGS

Salem???!!!!!!!!!!????

THAT’S A TRIP

Hibbo ❤️

Salo’s kicks have been sketchy AF tonight. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

Controversial? It was a dangerous tackle. Great mark and goal by Smith.

Kozzie ❤️ Doesnt matter where he is, he always knows where the goals are. Elite Can it kickstart something?

God I hate the blues. Can we wake up this quarter, pls?

Fast score, wrong team.

Let’s hit the scoreboard FAST!! Set the scene and break hearts early.

Wasted opportunities in those last couple of minutes.

Sparrow prefers to be on the run haha

How good was Langdon’s kick? Kozzie’s tackle. And ANB’s goal. (Trac definitely a throw haha but we get one back for a ton of missed holding frees).

Agree. We will need the extra smarts out the back today, and a little X factor in the goal square.

Agree. I think we’ll be ok for this reason. I’m not sure that can sustain that, and we can only get better and have been running out games really well.

Blues playing out of their skins. Pretty happy to only be 2 points down, but it’s pretty annoying that we missed some gettable chances because it looks like those will be very important. Can we come out in the second half and turn it around?

Costly misses by Roo, both very gettable.

We’re absorbing this but really need to get into this game because the Blues look hungry and won’t keep missing.

Our field kicking has been trash