Dee-tonator

I don't blame Tholstrup at all. All our players made plenty of mistakes but he happened to be the unlucky one who missed a potentially match-winning chance. It would just be unfortunate if a series of fluke results means that one late missed shot costs us a finals spot (which is still unlikely, anyway).

Given all the other results in this round, how important could Tholstrup's missed goal chance turn out to be?

There is still a mathematical chance of sneaking into eighth spot. Yes, I know it's a slim chance. But I do not believe any of our players would "check out" while that lingering hope is there. And even if we lose to Port, I believe the players have enough pride in the guernsey to give of their best. Sometimes, let's face it, even our best is not good enough. With May, Windsor and Petracca missing and even the over-worked and much-battered Supermax struggling, that's when the team most needs the backing of every true fan. Go the Dees!

If the Port-Swans game had been a horse race, the stewards would have launched an inquiry.

6 Langdon - busted his gut all night. 5 Gawn - solid all-round performance. 4 Rivers - our only classy midfielder. 3 Fritsch - accurate goalkicking but still lazy. 2 McDonald - mix of good and bad. 1 McVee - seldom rattled under constant pressure.

Woewodin, Kolstrup and Moniz-Wakefield out of their depth tonight (as were several experienced teammates). Zero selection pressure from Casey. So much for our much-heralded dynasty. Surely time to have a look at Jefferson. Any other changes meaningless.

May – under constant pressure Lever – all at sea Bowey – struggled all night McVee – composed but besieged McDonald – still worth spot Howes – not AFL standard Woewodin – not AFL standard Viney – years taking toll Langdon – tried heart out Moniz-Wakefield – not AFL standard Rivers – showed fighting spirit Neale-Bullen – energetic but limited Sparrow – solid but slow Kolstrup – judge next season Chandler – better option needed Pickett – too little effort Van Rooyen – had few opportunities Petty – wasted in forwards Fritsch – accurate but lazy Melksham – last hurrah time Gawn – couldn’t stem tide Oliver – off the boil Turner (sub) – couldn’t help much

Lots of posts blaming the umpires for this fiasco. Who are you kidding, guys? We have been sub-standard. End of story.

So far that looks like a practice match in which an AFL team is thrashing VFL opponents.

A fact that opponents have unfortunately recognized as a weakness that can be exploited despite his other positive qualities.

Captain's challenge, similar to the system used in rugby league, would be an excellent innovation. With a maximum of two unsuccessful challenges per game, it could help avoid a lot of anger and bitterrness. I don't envy any umpire, who sees fast-moving action from one angle only, with his view sometimes impeded by players. Fans of all clubs naturally tend to remember mistakes that hurt their own side, while forgetting the errors that hit the opposition.

6 Lever - made amends for last week's shocker. 5 McVee - calm and efficient. 4 Oliver - showed pleasing energy. 3 Viney - strong in the contest. 2 Rivers - adds much-needed speed in midfield. 1 Langdon - our running machine.

Without him we would have been slaughtered again. Not surprisingly, he ran out of gas towards the end, but the question I would ask is why the club did not secure a back-up ruckman before letting Grundy go. Goodwin has made it clear that he would not even consider Fullarton for the role.

May - below his best. Lever - rock solid showing. Bowey - lacked physical presence. McDonald - slowing up rapidly. McVee - usual calm display. Langdon - ran heart out. Windsor - offered little threat. Moniz-Wakefield - showing good signs. Oliver - energy was encouraging. Rivers - held his own. Neal-Bullen - tireless but ineffective. Billings - back to VFL. Pickett - glimpses of class. Van Rooyen - never got going. Gawn - showed some spirit. Viney - good contest work. Woewodin - needs to improve. Petty - unsure of role. Fritsch - couldn't find space. Melksham - quiet all night. Chandler - classy late goal. Bailey Laurie - jury still out.

In the end it could have gone either way. We lost against a top-four team because of some crucial errors, not because any of the umpires cheated. That's tough to take but hardly a reason for some of the venom being aimed at the players.

Good fightback at the end, but you just can't concede four soft goals in five minutes and hope to win a tightly contested match. And Max, not surprisingly, looked cooked in the final quarter. A big opportunity missed, unfortunately.

On a serious note, some of the venom being aimed at the players should be reserved for the club management. Imagine what our year would have been like with no backup ruckman if Max had gone down with a season-ending injury in the first few rounds. If Fullarton is not the answer, why did we sign him?

Votes? For that performance? Maybe 1 to Langdon for trying to teach Fritsch that the game involves running, chasing and tackling.

Was Lever Fremantle's biggest asset? Was Fritsch told "always jog, never run?" Was Pickett there as an official observer? Is Sparrow the slowest midfielder in the AFL? Does Goodwin actually think Petty is an adequate ruckman? Is Oliver still worth his enormous contract? And is anyone taking responsibility for the fact that the cupboard at Casey is bare?

Even if the umpires had cheated for us we would have lost today. Totally gutless performance.

Never has the absence of one game-changer from a team been more glaringly exposed than today. Or the failings of a club which signed a backup but then decided that under no circumstances will he ever be given a game.

Shambolic. If Goodwin persists with the lunacy of (mis)using Petty in the ruck this will end up as a 100-point demolition. Sparrow and Bowey, among others, might as well have stayed in Melbourne for all they have brought to the game so far.

AFL's "expert" tipsters this week: Essendon 11-0 Adelaide Geelong 11-0 Western Bulldogs Hawthorn 6-5 Collingwood Fremantle 11-0 Melbourne

On the field Max is a wonderful player and an inspiring leader. Off the field he comes across as the kind of person everyone would love to have as a teammate. Even to suggest he has an inflated ego is absurd.

Wakefield-Moniz may not have been among the standouts tonight, but for my money he has already shown enough to suggest he's a better prospect than either Woewodin or Laurie. Any thoughts?