Red But Mostly Blue

How good was that! Milkshake is crucial to this club. Harmes was awesome. Jonesy played a captain's game. Gus, Clarry and Maxxy solid as always. Loved the INs. Hannan was fantastic. Didn't hit the scoreboard (kicks were woeful), but I really liked what I saw from Weids. He's going to be a great contributor. Even Kent gave a little in the second half. Modelling for the finals: First good news (from a 'I don't like the Roos' perspective) is it doesn't look like they can make it from here, same as Port as they need the cats to lose to the suns... Yikes. If we win (regardless of hawks Sydney game) we finish 5 and we play cats at G. If we lose and Hawks win, we play Sydney over there. If we lose and Swans win, we play Hawks at G. I really don't know what I prefer. I'd rather win (obv) and knock the cats out of the finals. Can't lose to them 3x in a year, right? Plus, it would be great for the story to knock the cats out of the finals! BRING IT!

Definitely a bold line-up, but that's what it's about right now. We can't keep doing the same things and expecting different results. We won't finish the season wondering, and at the very least we'll know a lot more about who should be part of our 2019 premiership side!

Absolutely!! Out with the passengers, in with some speed and grunt! I'm really interested to see how the Weid will go, and the input of Kent. Hibbo and Melksham are HUGE ins.

Yeah, the same side. Yeah, they get some frees here and there, and some suspect preferential treatment. But they smoked us. Twice. Once when our finals were on the line. And the second when we came back for 'vengeance', with fire still burning in our guts from R23 last year. I was there for both games, and free kicks did not cause the spanking we got.

I agree, they're a big part of the puzzle. But really we've only been without Viney and Lever for the majority of the year (Hogan has been there, and Tom McD has played since R6). Lever wasn't here last year, and we beat (I think 4) top 8 sides last year. So the only difference was Viney? That can't be right. All I'm saying is that, like the Pies (who were way behind us last year), we should be able to adapt and turn in 100% performances. Not some of the BS performances (like Q2 and Q3 last week) we turn in when we need to bring our A game. But I hear you, when we get Lever, Viney and Hogan back, man oh man. 2019 will be a very exciting time (unless you're one of the other 17 teams that will have to play us).

Absolutely! I would have thought there would still be lots of fire in the belly from R23 last year! This is definitely the week to bring the goods, and keep bringing the goods. Because the only way we're going to be taken seriously is if we never turn back.

It will be a huge bonus, but it will also be a fail if we don't given that we missed last year (and beat more top 8 teams last year, as well!) I think we've been unlucky with some injuries (especially Viney and Lever, given that Hogan has played almost every game this year), but that doesn't excuse some of the performances we've turned in, and doesn't explain our games against bottom feeders when we've played with a near full-strength side (like St Kilda). Then there are teams that have had to deal with constant injuries (often to important players), but they're still making other teams sweat (Collingwood, in particular). Remember Collingwood? They finished wayyy below us last year, have been riddled with injury, but they're playing out of their skins. Hogan, Viney and Lever (I feel for this one in particular given that he's the main difference from 2017) are notable absences, but they should not define a year.

I'm always bemused by the number of times people say we'll respond 'this week' because last week was a 'wake up call' (i.e. one of the many moments where there was some hope/expectation and we've fallen flat)... How many times does that phone have to ring? Will we answer the wake up call this week (and stay awake)? NB: I'm not one of the negative sorts, I always think we're one win away from everything falling into place. Go Dees! ...And for what it's worth, I think we'll win this weekend!

I'm hoping this is the case. He may try, but just doesn't seem to do anything particularly well, and some things not so good at all (foot skills, decision making etc.) I'd much prefer Hannan or Kent for the role.

This is perfect, thank you! Didn't realise that Smith might be ready for GWS, but that's great news. I agree, prefer not to risk him, though. Agree with the proposed changes. The Kent/Hannan/Bugg is the most interesting discussion to me (I'm in the let's give Weids a chance camp, because we have to look to the future and develop talent). Kent and Hannan have both impressed to different degrees (Hannan more, in my opinion), and Bugg a little less so. I just want whoever is hungrier, will lay those forward 50 tackles and bleed for goals. I want to see maximum pressure to prevent the ball from leaving our 50 (unless it leaves for a centre bounce post-goal!!). We need to see We need a hungry, desperate goal sneak - and this is the perfect opportunity to develop one!! Who's hungrier? Who will take the chance??

The way I see it, we have a choice. Approach the last two games with the old (Ped) - who comes with some risk, as not all of us are convinced that he has what is needed, or that he'll even be here next year. Has he lit things up when he's played this year? I have liked Ped in the past, but I'd argue that he hasn't, or at least hasn't to the extent that contemplating the second option is out of the question, which leads me to option 2... Approach the last two games with the new (Weid) - who also comes with some risk, but his VFL form is decent enough to warrant a go (although admittedly not Earth-shattering). Look, 2 goals would be a great outcome. Hogan has kicked 47 goals in 20 rounds this year, almost all of them against bottom-feeders (I like Hoges, for the record). I'd gladly take 2 against the Eagles. The kid needs to add mass, but he has good hands, reads the ball well and is a good kick. So, we either go with what we know (but have not been impressed with this year), and miss an opportunity to develop talent. Or look to the future. If we don't play the Weid, we just won't know. If we do, and we make the finals, we will have a kid with some confidence, and options for the future. Adding Kent, Melksham etc. will add goals/goal contributions anyway. Option 2 for me.

Get a full back tattoo of a scene depicting the final, triumphant moment of the game...? Too much? It almost feels like nothing short of that will be worthy of the magnitude of such a win.

This is one of the most considered, balanced posts I've read today! Love your positivity. This line of thinking is the only thing that keeps me going in these times haha. We've been through such dark moments, that it's almost too easy to want, and crave instant success, especially given that we are treated to glimpses of the goods here and there. It's breathtaking. It's not happening now the way we want, but in time the moments will become more sustained, more frequent, and more freaking ferocious ?

Yeah, I'm with you on that. We're so close, I think it's just extra frustrating right now for everyone because we are so close, and haven't been this close in a long, long time. If we make the 8 this year, that's as far as we can have hoped (especially given the early Lever injury, being the major difference from '17), although once we're there anything can happen. Regardless of outcome, next year will be all about punishing other teams, because we will have been born in fire (our very dark recent history, and learnings). Bring it on.

THIS. I love the crew that pushes for an ousting, then expects some untested kids to do his job. With no proof that they'll actually do it.

This thread is madness. Hoges has a great first half of the year, some not so great games (by goal standards) but still great input further up the ground (I think that element of his game has been welcome, and will only be an asset)... and there's a contingent who want to jump at (maybe) 3 UNKNOWNS? And this is the same crowd that wants results NOW? I don't understand this club's fans sometimes. Hoges is brimming with talent, he's struggling a little now (most likely injured), but even if he wasn't, we stick with him and make good! There is going to be a very quiet little group of people when Hoges becomes a core part of this team when it wins premierships! It looks far off now, and I'm still angry about yesterday, but WE WILL GET THERE. And at most certainly will not achieve success by getting rid of superstars who don't perform for a few weeks.

Well, the Golf didn't kill me, so there's that haha. I feel much the same, but that doesn't stop me cursing at the sky everytime the Golf leaves me stranded on the road.

I don't pay much mind to Gary nowadays, but he's right. We don't perform on the big stage, which is evidenced by the fact that we have failed in every game that has been billed as a big moment against a top 8 side. A 'mini final' if you will. Sure, the games have been close, but we don't do any of the things we should. I was at the game yesterday, and watching the Swans kick to each other all day in open space, was beyond infuriating. Those aren't 'lessons', or a team on the cusp. We got on stage, saw the bright lights and froze while a garbage Swans team (that got beaten by the suns) took control, because we let them and they know, as does everyone in the league, that they're always a chance against the Dees. We're not a big moment club. Yet. As Goody puts it. Let's hope the boys work it out before we have to rebuild (ie we miss our window).

I feel like this club is my Volkswagen Golf from earlier this century. It nearly killed me a few times (some electrical fault), but my mechanic, Carlos, kept telling me it was just fine, and that the car wouldn't hurt me anymore...

Sunday night after a loss is one of the worst feelings, especially when we did it to ourselves. Few changes needed after today, JKH and Hunt (through injury or omission) have got to go. Boy do we need Melksham and Hibbo. I think we're more of a chance to beat the Eagles away than GWS at home, so we gotta turn it on next week.

Friends, we can still win this! I'm at the G, and it's almost as gloomy as it is on the forum! Sure, we dished out a fair bit of garbage in that first half, but the Swans have been lucky/took their chances in front of goal. The stats show we're largely doing the business, and will take control if we just capitalise! We'll come out firing! (I'll need it, it's freezing out here!).

I agree. I've got some money on Maxxy, but I think Clarry might take some of those crucial votes.

Totally agree with this. It means we do something different instead of doing more of the same. Trac is looking good, and I like him through the middle. Kent would be interesting with the opportunity, and again, he's different and not Tyson, and for that reason alone it's better to look forward than persist with the past (i.e. disappointment).

Given Viney's predicament, I can see the value (and perhaps necessity) in bringing back Tyson. But it all just feels so familiar. We drop Tyson because he's slow and keeps turning the ball over to opposition, then clamour for his return after a week in the 2s on the basis that maybe he's gotten faster and improved his disposals in the week off? The same goes for Bugg, but double. So we can't risk his return for such an important game. I thought we were pretty decent on Saturday without Tyson/Bugg. Hannan didn't set the world on fire, but I see more potential in him developing than I do with Tyson, who is static, and costs us goals.

Stats don't lie, the man is a freak - I can't wait to see how much he develops in the next 50/100/200 games!!