kev martin

We are a different type of team to the tiges of old. They had grunt and could bury teams when they wanted. They would play a couple of 20 minute spurts, hit the other with a rally of goals, and could turn it on when required. The Dees play the system and structure style. This requires constant reaffirmation and we need to get some feel for the dogs after the preseason humiliation. Plenty jumped off our wagon then. I think we need the confidence as we don't instil fear, from the top teams. Belt'em around and I think it will set us up for a good 2nd half of the season. Dogs lose, the flat-track bully will start up, and playing top teams will create some mental pressures for them. Could be the same for us. We broke Richmond, now for the Dogs. Winning will positively effect our mentality and having smiles on during the week of preparation is useful to a team not known as a powerhuse. A successful home and away season (plus finishing top 4), will help with strategies going into a final series and offer less ability of others to find our weaknesses. Give them nothing. Ruthless and angry. Go Dees.

To those talking up a loss. If we we can't be competitive with the Dogs, then our prospects of being in a grandfinal is shot. There are other teams around the level of the Dogs and the Dees. We are up there with the best and can take home the grail. Comes down to, if this is our day. To the naysayers, have some heart.

It is a pressure game, and we have been able to bring the pressure this year. Possibly the best in the league, but can we perform when under the pump? They won't have the space that the Saints gave them. Get to the ball first and use it well. It is a big step up this week. What a game it will be. They will get a few, as will we. Could come down to fitness, mental strength and taking the opportunities. We can “gut run” and apparently we are angry. My biggest question is, can our accuracy improve. If accurate we win. The backline did badly last week. We have been good in that area all season, so I expect a huge bounce back. Gawn has been a bit off, I expect no marking clangers. Can someone get Oliver angry just before the whistle. They don't have a good match-up for Tracc (does anyone?). Hoping for plenty of inside 50 marks, defensive and offensive. Would love to see us convert from clearances and nullify their scoring from their clearances. Can Hunty find some space? Langdon is so important for us. Hoping Beveridge hasn't got an effective plan for him or Salem. Kossie will get lots of the ball, and we know the excitement he brings when he touches it! Cmon Dees, some moments of perfection. Do we have it in us, are we switched on, so, playing freely and without clangers? Go Dees!

Are they cancelled? I heard professional sporting games were still being played. Addit: no Casey game.

There is consistency in our selections or non selections this year. Very hard for others to get a look in. I guess a 1 point loss is close to a win, though, our system needs to be looked at, given we were nearly 3 goals up with 7 mins to go. No heads to roll! I thought Melky did alright in the first half. If he can keep that form for 4 then he will keep his place. Must be on thin ice though. No mention about Jetts injury. Was it a leg or ankle thing? Anyway, out and the quarter back is up. Hunt (who was off last week) and especially Salem are so important for our backline structure and their presence when getting repeat 50 entries and closing down corridors, as are our wings. The pressure is on Weids. I believe he will rise for the big game. ANB is also under the pump, but, given we need to stop some of their players, he should thrive with hard run with's and lockdowns. Petty will have sorted a few things out by now and could be the big improver. Fritta won't have two bad games. Bowey the med sub. Get him used to the regime as Sparrow and Chandler need game time. Can't see us going with BBB. Addit: no Casey game, so Sparrow to be the med sub

Heard somewhere on a radio program that the roof at marvel will be open -- Advantage us. Will cause some swirly wind that they possibly won't anticipate or adjust to, as well as us.

Battle for the top of the ladder. We are in every game and seem to play to the level of the other team. Can we do the same against the best? Without Treloar their midfield will be disrupted. We have felt the pain of losing and don't want to experience it again. What a time to respond. Hoping it all brings out the best in our footy. I can see us being switched on and bringing an excellent game at the dome. If our skills don't do it, then our pressure, will and selflessness, will. They are an accurate team when going and some of their leads always seem to have the opposition lagging a step or two behind. Would like to see us lead them to the ball and not fall behind them. This will need us to play shoulder to shoulder, read the play, be smart, and pressure the ball carrier. The "loss" is going to make us angrier. Go Dees

Watching that last clearance on Saturday stretch (fox), I wonder why Pickett didn't get a free in the marking contest? Adelaide player no where near the ball and hit the body, head and possibly back to spoil. Then came the umpires howler with the no deliberate call. Pickett was robbed.

We will bounce. Could be game of the year.

Thought some HTB decisions without prior, hurt us. I think there was one against Tracc who had players scragging him even before he had it, result HTB against. May not have been the only type like this.

A bit in shock. A sign of a good team to get to nearly a 3 goal lead going into the last part of the game when they had been so close all day. A sign of a bad team that switched off, to lose from that position (mental weakness), the bathwater, lack of desire to win and to be ruthless, happy to coast to the 4 points and leave it up to a few. We missed Salem, our delivery from the backs was terrible all day, bombs and straight lines (looking at Lever), no creative or overlap plays. A question of whether we played unselfish footy and did we do enough 1 percenters. Shepard's, talk and making decoy leads included. Hunty got caught early in the game and gave up. Too many fell away when it was their moment. So, old bad habits came back. Handballs to players under pressure was a big one and missing the simple hit up kicks. The inability to deliver when under pressure and our lack of outside run. Dropping the simplest of marks and lacking cohesion between players. They scored very easily once inside their 50, and we couldn't convert and gave them some easy outs. Going to ground regularly. Melky got lost after half-time. ANB needs to be able to break tackles or at least release the ball to our advantage. Was playing like a back when on the wing. Sam can't jump at the ball, plays with his feet firmly on the ground, it is why he can be good at ground level and allows his opponents to get a look at the spoil. No separation or angles on his leads. Our forward line needs work, as does our delivery into the 50. Oliver grew after Tex slammed him. Perhaps Williams could slap him round pregame, every week. Just kidding, he has been very consistent this year. Jordon's field kicking was bad at important times, his effort was good. Brayshaws game was defensively good. Langdon played well for 3 quarters. Jackson had a good return to the team. Spargo and Kossie nearly there when it was on the line in the last. Maxy, nearly, but! Goals from our mids. Lever and Petty did well, to hold their backs. The clearances started to work for us. Are we back to learnings? Good teams shouldn't drop that one. Hoping it is not a blueprint for the Dogs and Lions to work us out (uncontested, then hit the central corridor, bring the pressure). Those games are now important to finishing top 4. Wanted ruthless and angry, got entitlement, bathwater and letting someone else do the work. Four steps forward, two back. Home truths in the backroom and hard work on the track. Expecting a bounce back this week under the roof. Watch out Doggies, we could be angry. We have a bit of a read on them from the belting they gave us in the preseason. Hope we have a plan!

Where is Sam? Need to take our opportunities, Tmac and Melky missed gettable ones. Gave Crows a look and they took it. We slowed down that fast corridor movement of the Crows. Now they are finding free outside players at the contest. Well done Olly, Tracc, Jackson, Fritta, Brayshaw. Hunty, Jetts, May c'mon. Need some others to also lift. Expected more, now we really have to lift. Less bombs and more precision and thought. Cmon Dees some excellence.

We are doing alright when we have the ball. Good accuracy, taking contested marks, tackling well, though a few have dropped off, getting our on ballers working. Well done Melky, Langdon, Max, Jackson, Tracc, Rivers. Leaking goals for the rare times this season. Has the Crows found one of our weaknesses as they go quickly through the centre. Keep at it Dees

Still remain the hunted, as we are the real thing, though the bookies have the Dogs the favourite in our next game and others would believe the Lions are better than us. Crows would love to knock us over, I expect some fire from them. Time to execute our game plan with some dominance, in preparation for teams that will challenge our best footy. I want to see goal accuracy, effort, some strut, skills, high disposal efficiency and for them to change gears into the top one. Enough of getting through not playing the best footy. I expect we will still be building, and our best will be next week. Our game hasn't been bad, not too many mistakes, we give an effort for the 4 quarters, we have ability to vary our styles to beat the opponents and our pressure game is elite. MFC is a strong and balanced team that has consistency, confidence and joy, but time to get our act together and play some great footy. Gawn to show some excellent ruck craft and field marking. May to kick a barrel from the kick in and to control the structure of our defence. The backline to keep on keeping on, to continue to block attacks and slingshot the ball through the corridors. Jackson to get 2 or 3 goals and dominate around the stoppages. Pettraca to star. Oliver can't be stopped. Langdon has been so consistent as has Salem. We will win the clearances this week. We have such a flexible forward line that must worry the opposition. If one avenue or style is blocked we can go to another and another, and another. Hoping that is also our capacity with the general play. Step it up to our A grade game. Go Dees.

Could be. Heard on the Gawn/Brayshaw podcast that they are having two nights in Adelaide.

The selections are ruthless. BBB competing in the wet and adjusting to a new team was difficult for him. Would have given him longer in the team. I guess he will get his chance again. Given that he is the most experienced, as well as new to the club. Perhaps, he will take the omission in his stride and when he gets his chance again, will grab it! Great for Weids to get a run at it. Jackson does make a difference, doesn't need an extended rest, so someone then had to make room. Bad luck we can't find a place for all our talls. Chandler will keep at it, knows he is on the periphery, as does a few, therefore new additions to the line-up need to perform. Hoping Melky can perform, if he doesn't, should be cut again. As that is the precedent that seems to be set. Might have got the message, play better, with more effort or whatever they expect, or you're cut. Tough team to break into and then keep their place. Jetts as the med sub

I am, if the ball is stopped, give a free against whoever had the ball and caused that to happen (within reason). Clears the congestion and reduces stoppages, also reduces the amount of time on, therefore, will stop them changing time of quarters to 18 instead of 20 minutes and so help the broadcaster's.

I have no problem with giving the player in a tackle plenty of time to dispose of it legally. The power players need some advantages that their body shape instils. It is great when some can stand up in tackles and sometimes go again, or do amazing disposals when under that pressure. Give them the time equivalence of 15 steps, before having to get rid of or bounce it from the time they get it. Still can't bounce when tackled.

Advocating for a free kick against the ball getter, when the ball is knocked out in a tackle, I think, will slow the game down and give time for the defensive team to restructure behind the play. When the ball comes free, it sets up for more contests and a chance for either side to release the ball into spaces. I would rather see frees for, when the ball gets buried under the pack. If you are tackled and can't clear the ball, then the good tackle gets rewarded, prior or not. Can't throw the ball, but can release it (momentum taken into account). Onus remains with the ball carrier to clear the ball. Once cleared, the tackler can't pull it back in, free against. If the tackler pins the ball to the ball getter than a free kick is awarded after some opportunity is given to release the ball. The whole reason is to keep the ball moving, once it is locked in a free is preferred over a ball up. Reward tackles with prior opportunity, a free (if illegally disposed of). Tackles with no prior and the ball come out, no free, not out and a free. Ball can be disposed of by dropping ball, but not throwing it. Team tackles should be rewarded if after a small period of time the ball is not cleared from the immediate area as well. All to encourage fast ball movement and no scrums forming. Love the game when it is loose ball gets. DON'T let the umpires reduce those opportunities after tackles. Causing a loose ball is a reward in itself. The better running teams or individuals will shine. The bad is when the ball is stopped, the game is slowed and a ball up occurs. Addit: Has to be a legal tackles with no contact to the head or back whatsoever. Cannot lie on top of the player. If brought down onto the ball getter, then you have to attempt to roll off or roll player. No stacks on the mill or holding a ball winner away from going again.

Great backline again, the blues couldn't get going because of the structures. We really nullified them around the ground. The coaches have them playing roles so well. We are hard to beat. Thought Rivers played a good game, same with Hunty and Jordon. Some of their tackling left us wanting, though we returned the favour. Tom and Fritta got us the lead and our run and ability to defend, kept it. Unsure about our pack marking and the idea we are playing unselfish. Seemed to be getting in each other's way. Oliver, Langdon, Lever, Salem are hard to keep quiet. Good game by Spargo, like how he continues to pop up. Tracc, and Gawn doing enough, though I want more. Harmes is at his best playing the tagging role. Hibbs is a smart player. I am looking forward to us playing some goods teams now. Hoping we can change levels, I think we can. We are playing above the oppositions level, but not on our own terms. Would love to see us take the Dogs apart. Till then, we have Crows. They are coming off the WA road trip. We won't be at the G, and they have plenty to prove. Good win dees.

Petty tackled with similar attack and the ball came out of his grasp, learned from Lever (immediately tackled, ball in the hands above the head, meant prior). The commentators, "how did he dispose of that", as if it was a free against Petty. No one is in the same place when it comes to adjudication.

I heard, a top 4 finish guarantees a grandfinal berth, or something along that train of thought.

Every week WCW. Hoping there is no niggle from them. Enjoy the game.

My message to the team would be run, run, run. That swarm has beaten others, and we do it all over the field. We aren't doing stupid things when we have the ball, so don't start today. Do the basics well and take your opportunities. Hoping for a stylish high skilled game with a lot of effort and 1 percenters. I still want them to be angry and not to ease up on a middle of the table team. Need our accuracy and centre clearances to improve. We must have confidence, which helps in game planning and the ability to implement the things they work on during the week, plus having a smile at their workplace, I expect continued improvement. Agree about getting jumped early and coughing up junk time goals. Don't allow it. Go Dees Addit: Who is the med sub? Melky's the sub. Great to have experience around the players and if called on. How is the weather?

Wow, Melky out, playing a role but not quite enough impact, though I thought he was improving over the weeks. Could be the med sub. Great for Chandler to get a chance, would like to see him hit the scoreboard early and get the confidence going. Jackson out will cause a disruption, hope we can adjust. I assume Gawn will take the majority of the game on the ball. C'mon Dees get the clearances, hold our marks, have crumbers and kick goals with greater accuracy. Go Dees!