Chook

Crap post. He was so smooth down back.

Could have been worse then, I guess...

Sigh... *unzips*

Obviously doesn’t rate Jesse Hogan.

Wow. Cameron Bruce and Yze Magic. Those names are a blast from the past.

Mark Neeld’s public persona was a whole other kind of wrong.

I’ve always hated Paul Roos’ media technique. He feels so false and noncommittal. If he weren’t Melbourne coach, I’d go back to doing what I used to do and totally ignore him because he’s just so dull. Not a fan. Bucks on the other hand. I could listen to him all day. Blunt, succinct, and (above all) usually spot-on. I still hate Collingwood though.

Human civilisation can probably be summed up similarly. Doesn’t mean it was a waste of time though.

My reasoning is that our midfield stank in the first and fourth, and got us into in the second and third. So they both cost us the game and nearly won it for us. Such is the midfield’s importance.

I think you’ll find there are a few who agree with me on the Garlett dropped mark.

Word.

6 Dawes. Got us back into the game when we looked like we’d lose by a hundred. 5 Hogan. This kid is going to be an absolute jet of an AFL player, if he isn’t already. 4 Tyson. Best game for the club this year. We needed it, because the rest of our mids stank. 3 Brayshaw. Our best home-grown midfielder in years. 2 Viney. Our second best home-grown midfielder in years. Bullock our midfield into action. 1 Vince. Way down on his usual form, but still played a vital midfield role. Dishonourable mentions: 3 Garlett. Who knows what would have happened had he marked that simple chester. 2 Watts. Blew a lot of chances by being too cute. 1 Garland. Atrocious disposal.

That game was alternately embarrassing, promising, exciting, frustrating, and disheartening... ...but ultimately ended up with exactly the result I expected. How is that possible?

He was pretty shithouse in the 1st and 2nd too.

This game feels like we’ve lost twice. The first time when we thought we were going to get belted by 100, and then the second time when we fell away during the 4th quarter. Melbourne players are certainly good at finding novel ways to crush our spirits.

I think a loss today will really teach the boys that you can’t play with no intensity for the first thirty minutes of a game and expect to win. Loved a lot about what we did after quarter time, but that first quarter was inexcusable.

Watching on slight delay, you really got my hopes up…and then dashed them. Fark!

I would turn for Jesse Hogan. That bloke must be swimmin’ in women.

I don’t think we’re physically capable of hitting the front against North. I’d love to be proven wrong though.

Note to Paul Roos. This is how you use the sub. It doesn’t have to suck the life out of your team.

Midfielders are going to want to come to the Dees just so they can kick the ball to Jesse Hogan.

Cut the margin by another 8 points, but we should really be in front after dominating the last half of footy. I hope this doesn’t end up as a gallant loss or a North runaway train.

See, THAT’S how you defend. Brayshaw drops back into the hole and sweeps up the defensive mark. We need Gawn to get back to his marking form. We’re falling down coming out of defence because North’s rucks are outmarking us.

Captain’s goal! That is massive for our confidence, and for Jones’ game.

Melbourne has just never quite figured out what the zone defence is for.