Skuit

Came to say the exact same. Rightful plaudits to Nev, but I nearly died when Frost just oh so casually took on the tackler. Absolute confidence and critical. Not just recent weeks generally, but he often goes for the heart-in-the-mouth runs when we're deep in a tight last-quarter.

I pose this question: what makes Nev such a good player from a defensive perspective? Is it his balance or centre-of-gravity? Strength and tenacity? Positioning or body-work? Steady nerves and execution? He just biologically (as to AFL) seems to have no right to be as good as he is.

Did you see the interview? I felt at the time it was definitely something else but want to hear the sense taken from others who heard it.

'And the umps run the ball back to the Clarence Garden for the restart after Hogan snags his sixth.' A new nickname for the centre-circle. Choo-choo!

Thought the GC game would be the end of it. But, just as any other tall, he's benefited from the presence of Pedo and now Hogan drawing defenders since Max's return. Hogan will benefit in kind.

Or, why don't you take a dive on my big fat . . .

Simon has a few black marks against his name from a social 'cultural' perspective. And was basically telling the media that we're there to win football games, and what the media thinks is good culture is different to what he thinks is good culture.

During the on-field after-match interview with Clarry, Daisy said something along the lines of 'you've had a tough week'. At the time in the context I took it to mean Clarry personally. If this was the case, did Daisy get her weeks muddled, or did she half-slip on something kept in-house concerning Clarry? Or did I just misapprehend? (Can't recall or couldn't comprehend what Clarry mumbled in response).

I've maintained for a while that Tmac wasn't such a bad kick per se but has problems with measuring the trajectory of a moving target. Most of his infamous clangers off half-back aren't shanks but look like perfect kicks - as if pin-pointed directly to a lone opposition. Probably why they are so aggravating. And it's never been just the obvious clangers that I've found infuriating, but his constant putting the ball into space in the vague vicinity of a player on the switch. The few seconds to collect the loose ball can make a massive difference (Melksham did the same today, which led to the failed effort from Jetta to take on the tackler in the middle). But the goal-posts don't move. And middling in their vicinity works a treat.

#squashedpie Doubt the kid would have made the transition he has since his draft year if he didn't have a bit of competitive chutzpah.

%.

Just like our mob for Roosy's farewell?

He should take Spanish lessons. I would find it really annoying if I was his opponent and he chirping away in broken Spanish in my ear.

The only results that haven't gone our way in the past fortnight are losing to Sydney and GWS escaping with a draw against the Hawks. Eyes to the front SaberFang, and don't get distracted by the ne'er-do-wells at the back of the class.

Well, this. But, I was referring to Carlton's midfield unit, which presents particular challenges. Although, I'm sure you knew that, as Trenners has absolutely zero chance of breaking into our half-back line. Exchange Carlton for whoever you like, and the sentiment remains the same - I think he'd be better suited coming into a strong midfield than being thrust into the mix as a primary driver. If he has any future with us, he needs to be managed as if a new recruit. Return to the bolded statement. My point was more that his card was stamped some time ago, rather than as a dawning conclusion of his non-selection this week. Indeed, I think it would have been likelier that he would be getting a game around now and over the past couple weeks had Jones, Viney and a cast of others not been injured, as a suitable rotation for player management.

We need to retain ANB to satisfy the Bulldogs in a trade for Bontempelli next year.

Packaging up Stretch, Kent and JKH of course.

I don't see Trenners getting a game anytime soon, but I also don't see the argument that this would have been the week of all weeks, and thus that this specific non-selection equals a definitive card-stamping. With Jack's current deficiencies, I would much rather see him come into a midfield with proper strength and support, rather than be brought in after so long for a core leadership role with pace and impact issues against a challenging Carlton unit.

After doing this armchair-expert caper for while you begin to get a pretty good sense of who is leaving and staying through the media comments. This is a tough one, but I think there are some hints he's on the move. My guess; Adelaide are trying to sweet-talk him for taking unders or current market, 'we will negotiate the appropriate deal', to reserve some cash for a potential post-season midfield splash if something pops up. My opinion: forget the sweet-talk, and send Jake King 'round to get him to the Dees on the coin he deserves. Strategically, my tune is also changing, and I would be prepared for us now to sell a chunk of the farm for a couple of key acquisitions, namely Lever and Kelly (the latter with a sub-committee set-up to attract him for slight unders against success , camaraderie and culture as to what's been reported offered from North et al.). We need to guarantee tangible success now (as best we can) for the general sustained-success group-wage-reduction plan to come to fruition, and we only have a short window before GWS own the comp - to first achieve success, and to construct an actively competitive list thereafter. I now don't think that a couple of wage outliers will spoil the broth if signed to four/five year big-bucks contracts now, (with a lot of our key keys not coming up again until 2019/20). And if we lose some decent talent looking for dollars along the way, we will be duly compensated, and still better off to cover it with KPs Lever and Kelly in place.

Was saying just a few weeks back, that with the general playing attributes of our forward starters, we basically had a set-up full of mediums. Now with Watts and Bugg out, and Hannan and Petracca pushed up to the centre-line (with Harmes likely to run through the middle a bit more this week), replaced by a mix of Hogan, Pedo, Tmac and Kent starting forward with Garlett, we practically have no mediums up front but an arrangement of talls and smalls. There's a great deal of inbuilt versatility there though, and I hope we use this to our advantage by rotating set-ups and tactics to unsettle the Blues' defence. If in one moment you've got to contend with Hogan, Pedo, Tmac and Max drifting forward, and in the next, Tmac is floating off half back, Hogan is in the middle, and suddenly Petracca and Hannan are lurking around, it's going to keep you on your toes.

Leading the tipping is a sign of derangement this year rather than insight.

By way of puntkick's vessel.

Yeah, the Stupormarket. Stupor being 'the lack of critical mental function' or a 'condition of greatly dulled or completely suspended sensibility'. Sorry Daisy - but please don't throw away your money to those blood-sucking bookies based on some sort of sentimentality. I'll send the club a cheque for $50 on your behalf if Trenners gets even close.

Six weeks is 42 days. And therein lies your answer.

Half-back line of Hunt, Frost, and Smith is pretty zippy.