Lord Nev

As in, an injury today? Know it's early, but flare up of previous one or new one?

Because he's an inside mid in the thick of the action. How many run down tackles can you remember him doing? Also, tackles isn't the only indicator of defensive running. I've been on my high horse about our mids, namely Oliver & Brayshaw, for a long time about their two way running so I watch them VERY closely in this regard. Interesting you chose a stat to try and back up 'watching' him play.

Mentioned previously, but apparently a wrist injury (which is the main one) but also a nose one. You'd have to ask Goody about the sub stuff etc.

Yep. Twice. Pretty tough nut.

Second hand info passed on, but good source. Copped a wrist injury during the Freo game and has had to have surgery, likely out for 6 weeks or so. Also copped a nose injury as well so did well to just play out the game. Definitely changes my perspective on his performance somewhat.

Harmes will be out with injury. (For a fair while too probably)

Spargo had a goal, 3 goal assists and 5 score involvements. (Also had 5 tackles btw) Bizarre comment.

I'm only saying if he improves his decision making he will be incredible. Didn't say he had a poor game or he is not a good player.

Yeah that's a fair call, the problem though is he's generally standing still or running in circles at the moment and then handballing to someone under pressure. Once he backs his instinct more often, runs OUT of trouble and kicks it we'll have an absolutely unbelievable player on our hands instead of a very very good one.

Agree he does seem to go under the radar as he just does it week after week, but I'm not sure I would be patting him on the back for his disposal too much for that game. 25 of those touches were handballs and pretty clearly not many of them were very productive for us. This is one of the reasons disposal efficiency is a useless stat. Handballing to someone 1 metre away who immediately gets tackled is still an 'effective disposal' stats wise, but it's really not useful at all for us. Just simply needs to go the easy first option more often and kick more often. Then he'll not only be racking up the stats, but actually making us a much better team.

We don't have one. Petracca is too busy trying to do everything for us. Oliver is chasing stats instead of the opposition. Viney wants to kill everybody. Gawn is more worried about hitouts than clearances. Love them all as blokes and players, but not one of them is a 'directional' type leader. Viney isn't a communicator and Gawn still has a bad habit of going for a massive random punch forward when he's frustrated. Max is the one that needs to add this to his leadership. He's a great front man for our club, a sensational player, but gut feel is he's classed as a leader because he's a great trainer and a great bloke. Not the 'ruthless' leader we really need.

Yeah agree mate, a tackle count doesn't guarantee you a game. But I'm using that stat to illustrate what was visible, which was he was the only mid really going hard with defensive pressure and given our lack of it from other mids then I think it might be an important thing to keep in the team. Happy with the win, but seeing some of those old habits still there was a bit of a worry for me.

Apparently headed over to Perth for work.

Bartlett wasn't there today.

Yeah he had that one nice spot up inside 50, but otherwise his disposal was very poor, he mucked up a few simple things - one mark that cost us a goal - and I watched him closely all day and his defensive running/positioning was very poor. He's not on his own there with the defensive side of things of course though.

No he didn't.

OUT: Harmes IN: Viney Sparrow lead our tackle count with 6. We need that to balance out the others sadly. ANB had some great looks inside 50 and had 5 clearances (second only behind Oliver). Craziness to suggest dropping him IMO.

Won that purely on talent rather than workrate. Clearances/stoppages and defensive running by mids still a massive issue. Lot to like about our next generation though, thought Jordon was great, Sparrow cracked in hard all day, Kozzy was a sparkplug, and Rivers and Jackson showed snippets. Lever sensational, as was his partner May. Great to see TMac find a patch of form too. ANB and Spargs leading the way for inside 50 delivery, but need their team mates to take notice. A front-running win.

It's been going downhill for 3 years, but we've lived with this falsehood that we have this amazing contested footy team.

Jordon and Sparrow - 8 tackles combined Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca, Harmes, Jones - 7 tackles combined

We lead the hitouts by 12, we trail in clearances by 11.

Right on cue as always! haha

Kozzy and Spargs have a bit of synergy, like it. Spargo also with some important kicks inside 50. Liking Sparrow's toughness so far too. Is Gus even playing....?

Dermie with 5 flags.

He's right. Ask Port.