Bring-Back-Powell

Yeah Sydney 7.8 to 4.3 in the second half tells me of a team that does it’s damage in the first 2 to 3 quarters. You only have to cast your mind back to round 22 when they stopped to a halt in against us in the second half of the last quarter. We need to set the tone, take initiative and hit the scoreboard early as we’re clearly a last quarter team. Can’t be playing catch up all night.

McKay may have a rib problem rather than concussion so could end up playing after all.

Was McLean available?

Go Swans! Can they do it with 9pt down?

McKay won’t be playing next week. Maybe we don’t need that extra tall defender?

They’re saying that Jack Martin will cop a 1-2 week suspension. But given Carlton haven’t lost a player to suspension since the mid 1970’s I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

Sydney pulling this one out of the fire would make up about 10% of last nights pain.

I almost want Collingwood to win the GF just so Maynard can live with this for years, particular if Gus pulls the pin.

Carlton were built for finals (aside from the Harry McKay comedy hour). What the hell were they doing in 2021 and 2022?

Well done to Laura Kane for making a massive statement in her new role. Apparently she overruled former Collingwood player Michael Christian and charge Maynard herself.

Reckon Collingwood have a bit of 2019 in them. Held a comfortable 4 goal lead at 3 qtr time against Geelong in the qualifying final only to go scoreless in the last quarter to fall over the line by 10 points with a score of 9.7.61. Then lost a home prelim final to GWS. 2019 they’ll be likely a hosting a prelim against an interstate side.

26 degrees (20 at bounce time) and no rain predicted at this stage for next Friday. Please make it happen.

Any chance JVR can get away with a fine? If it's deemed careless and low impact he can get away with a fine. If it's deemed careless and medium impact then it's 1 week. If it's deemed intentional and medium then it's 2 weeks. It was an in play incident so hopefully they'll deem it careless rather than intentional.

In - Grundy, Tomlinson, Jordon Out - JVR (susp), Salem, Brayshaw, Laurie Grundy to be a direct replacement for JVR. The Gawn/Grundy combo has partially worked in some of our early-mid season dry weather games. The very long range forecast has Friday night as a warm dry night. Tomlinson as an obvious in for Harry McKay (sorry I’m convinced Carlton are winning tonight) Salem dropped. Harsh call but he’s statistically a bottom 60 player and has played like that the last 2 weeks. What has happened to that class act who was good for 20 quality disposals a game? JJ a direct replacement for Brayshaw, albeit certainly not an upgrade. Laurie to again be sub, or worse dropped outright. What other sub options from we have? Spargo? Or does Spargo replace Chandler, and Chandler is sub?

Confident the MRO will send it to the tribunal, he’ll cop a 3 week suspension by the tribunal and then the Pies will get him off on appeal. Nothing surer. Meanwhile we’re a key midfielder down next week.

Going to leave the AFL community in mass confusion if Maynard gets cleared. I get that it was a football incident rather an off the ball act of thuggery, but he could be held accountable for a severe impact.

Agreed. With a further 5 minutes left we would not have won. We have would kicked it 5 times to Quaynor, 3 times to Moore, we would’ve kicked 1 behind, 2 out on the full and then some Collingwood small forward would’ve iced the game just before the siren. Wasn’t our night tonight.

The way too early forecast has next Friday with a minimum/maximum of 15-24 degrees with no rain. Please make this happen.

I most certainly can’t. It would make a straight sets exit to Sydney and Brisbane a walk in the park with a smile on your face.

Another way of looking at is that Collingwood withstood massive territory dominance by the MFC by bringing elite pressure for most of the game and winning countless defensive 50 intercepts. I can’t see their prelim opponent dominating territory like we did, and accordingly they will account for their prelim opponent quite easily.

Losing a final with + 32 inside 50’s. How is that possible? Pies will easily cruise into a GF with a laugher of a home prelim final against Port or GWS. Neither of those sides are going to dominate the obscene amount of territory we did.

So have we

I thought out form was pretty decent in the last 4 rounds of last year. That's why I was blind sighted by going out in straight sets. Beat Freo by 7 goals in Perth, a 7 point loss to Pies in a high quality game, a 5 point win over Carlton and 10 goal win at the GABBA. All were top half of the ladder teams. I think last year was more injury related than form related. Losing to Collingwood and Carlton in straight sets will be 55,000 times worse than losing to Sydney and Brisbane in straight sets.

Yep I am a bit. After the Freo game, we were found out in defence by only having May and Lever as tall defenders. Since then we've gone with either Tomlinson, Petty, Turner or Smith as that third tall defender. Smith was that third key defender in the Carlton game which we lost before he was sent forward late. Can only imagine Smith will be a defender tonight.

Brad Scott's after him.