Swooper1987

When it's played well it's the difference between winning and losing. Gawn is a champion, Preuss is a trier. Gawn's deft touch is elite. The Bulldogs got away with it yesterday, and they may get away with it next week against Geelong, but the week after, NicNat will absolutely obliterate them. There are hitouts and then there are hitouts.

6. May 5. Lever 4. Tomlinson 3. Viney 2. Salem 1. Weidemann The fact that nearly all of the backline were in my best tells a sorry tale. A terrible performance from our one way mids, Viney the obvious exception. Very pleased to see Max next week.

I thought Tomlinson could hold his head high today. Ditto Lever. Our midfield was deplorable for the bulk of the game. Viney gave his usual wholehearted effort but to limited effect. Petracca and Oliver might as well have not played for all the influence they had (and I am a fan of both). You could throw Brayshaw into that as well. The forward half pressure was non existent. Harmes is just a shadow. And our relatively simple shots that we missed just meant at no stage could we put effective score board pressure on. Much more than three words I know. Goodwin was given a lesson in how to adjust during a game. Beveridge completely outcoached him.

Neale's to lose really. He's had an amazing season. Great effort by the three Melbourne boys - especially Oliver in recent times.

Max if he plays this week, has 6 games left. NicNat will have to leave Perth after this game. He was very poor away from home first time around. Don't forget that just two games ago Max was in both Robbo's and Jake Niall's mid year AA team. He only needs to dominate three of his last six games and he'll be in. My guess is if Max has a stellar finish to the year they'll pop both of them in. Gawn is still the 4th best player in the comp this year on AFL ranking and the leading ruckman. (tracc being first and Oliver 5th).

Dean Cox 2006

Grundy has been average this year. Currently rated the 9th best ruck in the league. Nic Nat and Gawn (presuming he returns this week) would be the two front runners. Keen to see how Naitanui goes away from Perth. Goldstein has had a reasonable year and Witts from GC as well. The two pronged St Kilda ruck team has been excellent as well.

Versatility has always been an underrated commodity. Tomlinson can play a number of roles reasonably well. That makes him a very useful AFL player. He's covering off the second or third tall forward in the opposition at the moment which is helping our defensive unit function much better overall. He can be a serviceable wingman who gives us that long, down the line option. He can pinch hit in the ruck and not be outbodied. I think as time goes on he'll prove his worth. Would I like to see him attack contests a bit harder - for sure, but overall he's going ok.

This

Grundy is struggling. I expect that they will give him a game off. If not, in his current form, any combination of Preuss, Jackson, Weid and TMac should be sufficient. I'd aim to have Gawn cherry ripe for our last 6 games.

Absolutely makes sense. He is spent. Can barely raise a trot. I reckon he's carrying an injury too.

Grundy is barely going at the moment. O'Brien comfortably beat him tonight. Unless Gawn is near to fully fit I'd give him another game off.

It was actually 2017. He suffered a bad hamstring injury and missed 9 games. We had some good clearance stats and won 5 and lost 4 while he was out. It was a 12-10 season which I'm sure you all remember. Of the 4 games we lost - Round 4 v Freo by 2 points; Round 5 v Richmond by 13 points; Round 7 v Hawthorn by 3 points and Round 9 v North Melbourne by 14 points. I'd argue had Gawn played we win at least two of those and comfortably make the 8. I guess stats tell you whatever you want them to.

Great to see Lever back to near his best. Over the length of his contract he'll prove a very astute piece of recruiting. Petracca was his now usual dominant self. Very impressed with Hannan's start. He led well and contested super hard aerially. He faded but started with great intensity.

6. Petracca 5. Lever 4. Oliver 3. Brayshaw 2. Langdon 1. Jackson

In all honesty, if they went back and forensically examined every game Gawn has played this year they'd find the same thing. Brisbane did it, Port Adelaide were even worse because they were actually physically restraining Max in marking contests (Westhoff in particular). Gawn is a bloody marvel and we are so lucky that he plays for us.

Walker copped a fine for his hit on Gawn last night. A step in the right direction. Be handy if the umps could pick it up as well.

And Cox played in the centre square with Judd, Kerr and Cousins. Hard to believe that side only won the single flag - by a point!

Goodwin has simply stated what most of us have observed for a number of years. No doubt there have been advances made to the relevant authorities over some time and I think the last couple of weeks it has reached new levels. Port continually held Gawn back in contests (Westhoff repeatedly held onto his arm), Brisbane were blocking his run frequently, Adelaide did sit him on his backside a couple of times and credit to the umpire who picked one of the blocks up and awarded a free, albeit actually behind play and not forward of it. Aside from that, he puts himself into positions where he does frequently get smashed into. There was a particularly crude effort last night where he was hit flush in the back of the head - no free, just play on! David King's old coach would regularly come out with the "just give Wayne a go" call, often around August in the lead up to finals. Pagan was a master of it. I'm actually pleased Goodwin has found his voice.

Mods feel free to merge this if you don't believe it's worth its own thread. Jennings on Whateley this morning spoke at length about Gawn and his influence. The first 3 or 4 minutes are really interesting. He believes Gawn is the best player in the competition and one of the top 3 alongside Carey and Ablett Senior in his time in the game.

Goldstein struggled last night against the Cats. I think Gawn can handle that one reasonably well. He is the fittest ruckman in the league, back not withstanding. Also North are coming off the 4 days as well and Goldy is 4 years older than Max. After that, Grundy has not been anywhere near his best all season and it may be an opportunity for Preuss, but it is also nearly a normal week after we play North. I reckon the big fella can manage it. He is an outstanding leader and was quite rightly lauded by Goody after the game.

Haven't got a link but the totals after the last round are: Neale 61 Gawn 46 Goldstein 45 Steele 42 Macrae 38 Parker 37 Gaff 37 Higgins 36 Pendlebury 36 Naitanui 35 That's the top 10. Petracca is on 30 with Boak and Tim Kelly.

The Adelaide ruck O'Brien isn't a bad player. He was very competitive against NicNat and Goldstein and moves around the ground pretty well. He'll take care of Jackson and any other second ruck we want to throw in there. If Gawn misses and Preuss is available he'd have to play.

You are right, but back then he handballed far more. It's his kicking that lets him down and he does far more of that now. His sloppy handballs (and there aren't too many of those) usually result in congestion and a ball up. His errant kicks (and there are more of those) result in turnovers and goals. It only takes two or three per game for the perception to become reality.

Mark Robinson’s mid-season All-Australian team Not surprisingly Gawn is ruck and Petracca in the midfield.