Accepting Mediocrity

If you suspect that she was considered the best talent available, why state that she "wasn't selected on merit, more so her sex"? You're looking for a culture fight where there isn't one. Also, the AFL haven't mandated gender quotas AFAIK - I assume you're referring to the women's coach accelerated program? The point of the program is so that current AFL coaches can mentor top AFLW players and provide a pathway for female players to develop skills to coach in the AFLW. That's very different from forcing AFLW clubs to hire a mandated quota of women at the expense of male coaches.

Whether they can maintain their form is another question - premierships aren't won in July - but they look like a completely different side to last year. They made our full strength team look silly 2 weeks ago. Despite the fact that we didn't play terribly, Hawkins and Cameron kicked 1 goal between them, and they were missing arguably their best player in Stewart. The margin flattered us - 13 more scoring shots probably should have been an 8-10 goal shellacking. I still think our best is better than theirs, but their best is a big step up from last year.

They're 4 and 1 at the G this year (the only defeat being an upset loss to Hawthorn), and 3 and 1 interstate (admittedly against some poor sides). The only side in the 8 they've lost to is Sydney. They're playing seriously good footy, have tweaked the game plan to a method that will stand up in finals, and have unearthed a few genuinely good young players. They are a completely different team to previous years. Not saying they'll win it - but if they don't, it won't be because of finals performances in years gone by.

That's just an uninformed opinion you've tried to pass off as a statement of fact. Was she hired by the Cats coaching panel as a PR exercise as well? The AFL Media Association 'best analyst' award just PC gone mad?

To be fair, the swans had 7 more scoring shots than us and missed plenty of gimme goals themselves. Would have been daylight robbery if we'd pinched it.

This. Sure, there have been games where we've kicked poorly, but using goals vs behinds as a of measure accuracy is laughably crude. There are better measures out there which take into account where shots are taken from. Goal kicking falls into the same category as umpiring IMO - easy to blame after a loss rather than concede we were outplayed on the day, but in reality is rarely influential in the result.

This is all well and good - and encouragingly, to this point in the season, our form line is largely mirroring 2021. But we have been beaten by fellow top 4 contenders the last 2 weeks - surely they would be following a similar training regime? Clearly, form and fitness are intrinsically linked, but for a number of key players - namely Brown, Jackson, Lever, ANB and Tomlinson - the eye test says their lack of impact is more due to the former than the latter. No cause for alarm at this stage IMO - but we no longer have the luxury of margin for error. With Freo and Brisbane breathing down our necks, falling out of the top 2 could well cost us a shot at a flag.

The "wants to play with their brother" argument is the same as the "wants to play for the club they supported as a kid" argument. I.e. a discussion point that refuses to die among media and supporters, despite fact that it almost never happens. Scott Selwood and Brad Hill are the only examples I can think of in living memory. Considering how many players with brothers at other clubs get shopped around every trade period, that's got to be less than the law of averages.

Would be a very good get. Anyone that doesn't rate him doesn't watch Port (completely understandable). He's a damn good player - finished 4th in Port's B&F last year, and top 10 in 2020 as well.

That was like watching 2022 Melbourne play 2014 Melbourne. Ruthless.

Fair point! Swap Judd for Hodge.

I'm not sure that Oliver's game style is any more physical than Judd, Dangerfield, Lewis, Bolton, Boak, Selwood etc (all are or will soon be 300 game players). The list of 300 game players includes inside midfielders, key forwards, defenders and flankers in more or less equal measure. The consistent theme: most are absolute guns. I think the key to reaching 300 games is to be good enough to still be best 22 when output inevitably drops 5-10% as players enter their 30's. Game style doesn't really seem to be much of a factor. I reckon Oliver is in with a very good chance of getting there. That sounds logical, but isn't backed up by the data. 9 of the top 20 all time games record holders retired in 2015 or later. Barring serious injury, Selwood and Pendlebury will soon make it 11 of the top 20 (both should reach 350 games this year). The game may have gotten faster, but sports science has come a long way in the last couple of decades.

As immense as TJ was that game - after Maxy's third quarter in the prelim, I think we can (finally!!) stop saying this!

Nailed it. Goalkicking accuracy is like umpiring - it's a nice thing to blame when we lose, but in reality doesn't actually affect the outcome of a match all that often. This article explains it fairly well - when shot difficulty is accounted for, we actually rank #6 for accuracy. We are also one of the best teams in terms of conceding easy shots on goal. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/where-every-club-ranks-in-the-2021-expected-accuracy-ladder-champion-index/news-story/001a4914d94d2a07907973ee3376bcdf It makes sense - for all the moaning that goes on, who are our bad kicks for goal? Fritsch, TMac, Brown, Melksham and Spargo (from <45m) are as reliable a set shot as any player in the comp. Trac and ANB have both sorted out his goal kicking. Kosi is probably the most unreliable set shot in our forwardline at this stage, and he kicked 40.28 for the year.

Jack Grimes was far more talented than his brother Dylan (a 3x premiership player and AA defender). From all reports, Jack was the consummate professional both on and off-field (which fits with his selection as captain). There's always an element of drafting vs development with failed draft picks, but IMO Grimes (along with Trengove) is the most open and shut case of our lousy management from that era destroying a promising AFL career. He'd be a gun in our current system I reckon.

I posted this after Jordan Lewis compared him to Cyril on SEN last January: "Ah, pre-season. At the same age, Cyril had been one of the best afield in a premiership team. Not to take anything away from Kozzie, but geez that's an unhelpful comparison. I never get the 'Cyril was overrated' crowd. If he's overrated, so is every other small forward to ever play the game. Sure it was infuriating listening to BT et al wet their pants with excitement every time he went near it, but he was genuinely one of my favourite all time non-demons to watch, and saved his absolute best for finals. Mark of a true champion." Turns out Lewis was spot on. 2nd in the comp for tackles inside 50 (behind ANB), and 40 goals for a second year small forward is virtually unprecedented. Statistically, he's tracking ahead of Betts and Rioli at the same age. He's going to dominate the comp for the next decade. Wouldn't be shocked if he becomes the first modern small forward to win a Coleman.

I don't think it's comparable. Anzac Day, Big Freeze, Dreamtime at the G etc have been successfully developed by the participating clubs into major annual events that transcend the match itself. IMO the season opener should be treated like any other prime time fixture - good teams that play entertaining, high quality footy should be rewarded.

I'd love to play the dogs round 1. As an aside, why the hell do Richmond and Carlton still automatically get granted the season opener blockbuster? You have to laugh at some of the 'VFL' conspiracy theories by interstate fans, but complaints about this fixture are entirely fair IMO. It's only been happening for around a decade, so it's not exactly a longstanding tradition. Plus the match is always a fizzer. Why not open the season with a GF rematch? Or a proper rivalry (showdown, derby etc)?

The most incredible thing is that he's still underrated by nuffies who think that the ruck is an obsolete position in modern footy. The finals performances of Max and Jackson have surely put that debate to bed. He could retire tomorrow and still go down as a hall of fame player. A couple more AA's and another flag or 2 puts him into Barassi territory. Permiership Captain Max Gawn sure has a nice ring to it!

Fair effort that, deebug.

My love for Nev easily exceeds my hatred of the filth. There is no higher compliment I can give. Best of luck Nev.

I don't think there's anything wrong with 'overpaying' for proven talent - hell, we've been criticized for that as recently as last year. The problem is they've been spending big recruiting the icing instead of the cake. At least Cerra is the type of player they actually need. He's a seriously promising footballer. Doubt he'll ever be a game breaker ala Bont, Trac, Oliver etc, but well and truly worth a top 5 pick.

I honestly don't think we will ever lose again.

Pull the other one. Absolutely nothing in either.

Doubt we'll be able to match Geelong's inevitable 3 year offer tbh