Chook

Wow. This might be the most uninformed sentence I've ever read.

I think it's the right call. By default, we're better with a taller backline. If things go pear-shaped we can sub Grundy or Smith out and go smaller, overrunning them in the last quarter. Hibberd is no spring chicken as well, and although his best is still good enough his body is fragile and there's still 2 months left. He's best 22, but not for a full game anymore just due to age.

I hate that I'd love Tom Hawkins, which makes me hate him more funnily enough!

Skip the first 2 minutes of this clip and the last 30. One minute of good analysis of the difference with and without Oliver. Essentially, him coming back into the side (same as Grundy) should be to complement what we're already doing well without them, not to just go back to the way things were when we were 4th with them both in the side earlier in the year.

I saw the same thing, and thought the exact same. King says whatever he wants to suit his narrative. If he doesn't have any stats backing up what he's saying, I just ignore him. If he has stats, I usually still ignore him:

Beautiful footage. Carlton stuffed that up about 10 times in 2 minutes. You'd think they've learned a lot since then. Melksham doing Melksham things - coming up clutch in last minute come from behind wins. That Carlton girl's reaction at 4:07 is tattooed on my mind like the Bulldogs lass in the grand final. Classic win.

I actually quite rate JVR's ruck work, especially at boundary throw-ins but without Grundy I worry he'll just completely run out of gas at some stage and we need him fresh and firing forward more than we need him rucking. That's what Gawn and Grundy are for.

I hope Gawn plays a fair bit forward and shows something when he's there. I understand he's a fantastic ruckman and is blowing teams out of the water in that area in Grundy's absence, but part of his role in the Gawn/Grundy partnership is to play forward as well, and he has underperformed in that just as much as Grundy has. They both need to lift their forward game if this is to work like it needs to over the next couple of months.

Great ins. Glad to see Grundy back (and the 🐐 as well of course). Where will we play Smith? I hope we put him forward, though it leaves May and Lever as our only tall defenders, making it harder for them to zone off...

Melksham would have kicked 5 on the weekend if he was umpired the same way.

The existence of infinite caring implies the existence of negative infinite caring, on the caring real number line mathematically speaking. So caring 0 is only halfway there.

I wouldn't put it past Clayton to actually not even understand fully what he's not doing "right". I would be surprised if he fully understands everything the HP officer and coach are even asking of him, and why it's important. It definitely wouldn't factor into his worldview of what football is about and what you need to do to prove you're ready for an AFL game. Lucky for us he doesn't get to make that choice.

Contrast Clayton's interview with Daicos' press conference and there's why Oliver isn't rated in the media - he's just not a charismatic media performer and has no time for that stuff. Not worried, though I do think Oliver would have been able to play before this week (or at least thinks he would have), and the reason he isn't is not because of his lack of confidence in his body but our medical staff and club not wanting to take any chances with our most important wildcard.

I would never blame Sparrow directly, but one thing I've thought throughout these last couple of years is the very predictable way we play does reduce the incidence of major injuries. Sparrow's kick was not part of the plan, and did Petty no favours. Nor did the surface (Gawn, Petty, Fritsch all suffered unusual injuries on substandard grounds).

Luke Jackson had so many chances to impact the game in the last 5-10 minutes and just didn't want it enough. Lions win, but the dees secure 2nd (for a week at least).

Frederick with another ripper goal from the pocket to bring Freo within 2 points with a minute left. Come on Jacko give us some of that bang bang bang magic.

Jackson has lost 2-3 critical one on ones in the last few minutes to cost Fremantle a goal and a chance at goal.

Freo are torching their forward opportunities and Brisbane are pulling free kicks and random kicks off the ground for all their goals. Annoying.

Imagine being a Lions fan watching our game this afternoon. Boring and disappointing (not that I'm complaining).

What a one-handed mark from Amiss. Luke Jackson is playing a ripper game.

And again…could be 2 goals up…instead 2 behinds and the scores are level. I'll take a draw though.

Feels good to support Luke Jackson's success again, if only for one game.

Smith.

He's not Tony Lockett. We can win the flag without him, but what it does show is what the replacement has to be able to bring.