Roost it far

Our top 10 young players are miles ahead of the Pies. Savvy recruiting, player trades and pick swaps when Tassie come in will see us stay thereabouts.

Allen, handy but expensive Jamara, handy but elusive I’d be moving earth to get Butters but I’ll bet that he’s Pies bound. I’d also be sounding out Harley Reid, I mean why wouldn’t we?

Agreed but if your list has its best 23 available then the next in line become guys like Sparrow, Howes, Langford, Johnson, Jefferson, McAdam. I doubt Sestan, Verrall are even on our list next year. We’re being forced to dig to deep. The big loss for mine is AMW, he was looking great in the preseason and is exactly the player we need developing. The rest will hopefully be fully fit in the next 1-5 weeks.

I think it’s paramount the leaders are involved. You gotta sell the dream to new recruits.

Whilst I don’t totally disagree it’s part and parcel of the game that the media need access to key personal at clubs. In fact I’d say the bulk of fans demand it. The reason there’s now 3 footy shows on every night is because fans can’t get enough dribble . The club is in no position to not put its people into the media spotlight. Goodwin’s comments regarding Gawn were probably unnecessary but there’s no damage done because of it. The media then wanted more of a story and Gawn gave them a morsel and they were full and onto the next dribble. Welcome to saturation coverage, we’re at peak football on tv right now and they’re all talking the same issues with largely the same points of view.

And AMW looked like he might add to that, May’s our best defender along with Lever and Jefferson, Johnson and McAdam appeared ready to impact at AFL level.

It’s not that we don’t have depth, it’s just that a teams depth is always tested when you can’t select the players of the calibre of May, Pickett, McVee, Windsor, Melksham and now Lever. Throw in AMW who looked a lock for round 1 and guys like Jefferson and McAdam and that’s a lot to cover. That’s potentially 7-8 of the preseason best 23. No team covers that well especially when trying to bed down a new system. We desperately need some continuity.

I’m not sure playing a 33 year old Melksham in the ones so soon after injuries is ideal. The preseason was going so well and then it seemed we started losing talent. McAdam, AMW, Melksham, McVee then Windsor and May and now Jefferson and Lever. 5 weeks ago they all looked like playing in the ones. If anyone doesn’t think injuries are a reason for our form run your eyes over that list. I’d say Jefferson and maybe McAdam are the only 2 who weren’t best 22 5 weeks ago. Please for the love of whatever, no more injuries!

I watched On the Couch and First Crack occasionally but On the Couch is unwatchable this year with Jack Riewoldt and I’m sick of the hyperbole King tries to create on On the Couch. That leaves Demonland. Oh and I like Daniel Hoyne but rarely if ever listen to SEN, I simply can’t tolerate ads, Kornes, Watson, Gaze or Russell and that’s all you hear.

You’re cutting the 4o’clock deadline very fine but I appreciate your reports very much. Interesting that the club is really trying to bring some light hearted play into the players routine. I’ll trust the club that this is all part of the healing process and we’re staying close as a group. For mine I’d love to see football’s being used as it’s a belief of mine that you train the way you play. Im guessing Thursday’s training will be about skills and bedding down our plan. Let’s just chalk up a win this week.

McVee’s hamstring must of been bad if he’s still 2-3 weeks away.

Maybe get this guy to help

That’s the difference between Tom Morris and a journalist

Tom Morris is someone I’d love to see in the street, I’ve got a solid, calm, fact filled rant ready for him

Anyone know why he only played a half, has he been injured?

I can’t make it this week but I’m expecting quite the statement from our leaders. A solid win and we’re away.

Anyone know if Windsor will get up for this weekend?

At the end of the day football is a pretty simple game. Our team needs to keep its one wood as contest and defence. It then needs to create some run from the back half and then find space for the forwards to lead into, all the while being ready to defend turnover. It appears we’re leaving 2 talls deep and getting the rest to move up the ground, well that’s what I saw against GWS. Against North our ball movement was sloppy and there appeared to be excessive congestion across our HF line. I guessed this was North mids flooding back to intercept our movement but we broke down there time and time again. Another problem I saw with the game was Xerri wasn’t just beating Max at the bounce he was destroying him in second efforts and was helping the North mids to first use time and time again. That was a massive advantage to them especially in the last. I’m not sure how you counter that other than reminding Max to go again after the bounce is lost or won. The other thing that stood out to me was our lack of line breaking run from continually playing on. Time and again we stopped and propped and then kicked down the line, the very thing we’re apparently trying not to do, it was incredibly frustrating to watch. Surely this is part and parcel of a successful transition game. You either get very good at hitting a target further down the field or you play on and at worst kick to your teammates advantage in a 50-50 contest. At some point this year we’re going to have to take the shackles off and get some run back in our game. A setttled 23 will help with that but that feels at least a month away even with no more injuries.

We did but to bash the club with it is offensive in the extreme.

So Turner and Petty are backs who shouldn’t play forward but May, who is far and away our best and most accomplished back, is a back who should play forward…..right got it!

This is a completely concocted story. The coach gave a tiny fraction of something away and now it’s being used to bash the club. Tom Morris is a scum bag.

I don’t think Goodwin and co are trying to completely change our style. It’s natural to evolve it just takes more than a preseason to bed down. The comp is also incredibly even so if you don’t bring your A game prepare to lose.

If any of you are the supporter who hung over the players race on Sunday and bagged the players out you’re a clown. I’d suggest you go follow Carlton. I hope someone who hangs over the race on match days gives you some sound and firm advice.

No I’m supplying reasons why we’re not contending in finals whilst you’re supplying the kind of hyperbole that is easy to fall into when you watch us put on a shocker like yesterday. I’d agree that Goodwin had a bad game but so did the players. It’s not all on Goodwin. My point is without our best 26 fit and playing we’re susceptible. One of the difficulties with our team is we have serious top end talent in Gawn, Petracca, Oliver, May who are getting paid a lot of money. That means there’s less for the rest. We’ve got a good list but it’s not super deep. We have carried too many injuries, that’s a fact.

Injuries are the number 1 reason clubs don’t reach or play at their potential. Nothing in the current landscape affects performance like injuries. They aren’t an excuse they are the reason and I don’t require your respect.