dee-tox

TMac back is an option

Wow! The pressure is amazing. The speed scintillating.

It's impossible not to be nervous. Many of us have spent 40, 50, 60 even 70 years riding every bump of this club. I'm convinced this is our best shot. Up until this point, we've been the best team in it. But that, of course, means bugger all if you if you are even five percent off your game. I think Geelong know we're the best team in it too. As a result an experienced team like theirs will do everything to pull us back to their level. All those finals appearances playing the best in the comp you surely learn something? All those dirty little tactics aimed at unsettling their opponents. All the mind games, the little one-percenters designed to even up the contest. Can we handle the occasion? Will our gameplan stand-up? How hard will be prepared to go to get what we want? I know when we play surge football no one can stop us. I'd love us to crack the game open early. Convert every opportunity. Have a really convincing lead by half time and then cruise into the granny! I think we will.

Gonna be interesting to see how we approach this. From what we know there are no impending departures. Those fringe players that may want to go (Chandler, Baker, Lockhart, Bedford, Smith, etc.) are not worth much. Can't see Freo wantng to deal in the futures market? What are we missing?

Obviously, the thing with trading is if you have to give up something to get something. We gave up pick 2 (Kelly) to get Salem, Hunt and Tyson. Watts to get Fritsch. We gave up Hogan to get May. Second rounders for Langdon, Hibberd and Melksham. OK, these are relative successes but not every trade is a success. If trading Weed meant we could get another key forward that plays more than six good games in six years then I'm all for it. He has currency I'm sure. If the club thinks he is worth holding onto then I'm fine with that too.

I reckon they'll bring Hunt back for Bowey. Just an extra bit of height if needed to play on Rohan. He will apparently train in the main session tomorrow. I think the selectors have major concerns with Hibberd, especially after the Adelaide game He just doesn't have the pace or stamina any more.

I know from experience umpires have biases. After 10 years of senior footy (VFA and suburban) I took up umpiring to keep fit for cricket. I knew if I umpired my old team I found it almost impossible not to favour them, especially with 50/50 calls. It's no doubt an unconscious bias thing. You also tend to judge harshly players you don't like. Ego, pride and to a certain extent authority are major things for umpires. I think the older an umpire gets the more he is inclined to want to influence the outcome. Younger umpires are keen to show off their objectivity and fairness. The fact that an umpire has no real scrutiny other than their peers, the players and social media, which they avoid, is a powerful thing as well. This is where I see blokes like Matt Stevic at the moment. In my opinion the secret to being a good umpire is paying the first free kick you see. This eliminates inconsistency and players quickly learn what the standard is. Don't guess and try and keep the game flowing. Try and be invisible. And one last thing. Bouncing the ball really ain't that hard. I have no idea why AFL umpires can't regularly do it. I peeves me off!

Good boy Bobby.

Given how the season has progressed I don't think you can be satisfied with a Prelim. loss. We did the work early to set up the season. Superior fitness, winning gameplan, sharing the load, building belief. We've been fortunate with injuries. We finished top, which after the Bulldogs game, seemed unlikely. We've done most things right in the lead up to this game. Part of being a good sportsman is recognising the opportunities that present themselves. Breaking down and simplifying those opportunities. Having no regrets. Having the wherewithal to seize what's possible. Win eight quarters of football and you can achieve what every kid dreams of. Hesitation or failure to believe will result in a lifetime of regret.

I'm always wary of writers that put 'whilst' in nearly every sentence! Means they are trying too hard! Just as an aside and something left out of the article is that Hunt has also been an important part of what we did with pick two. (Salem, Tyson and Hunt).

This is how I see him. A 200-cm ruckman/utility with incredible athleticism and pretty decent skills already. His ability to run all day at speed might be Jim Stynes-like. His leap might be Luke Jackson-like. His ruck craft might be Max-like. Put all these together and most recruiters are drooling at the possibilities. Two or three years in a full-time professional environment and we might be looking at a new type of ruckman. I think the hype could even be a touch understated at this stage.

Exactly. Port seem to have nursed Robbie Gray through to the business end of the season and he makes a huge difference. Fantasia is always dangerous but injury prone. Boak and Wines aside, our midfield is where we can get them.

Just think Langdon is getting Lyon back after jokingly he had a dig at him last week on 3MMM about being an inner city kinda bloke. Same interview Gawn called Lingers a little weird.

One thing I particularly like is how Harmes has turned it around in the space of two or three weeks. Throughout June/July he was feckin ordinary. Most of us wanted him dropped. Last couple of games he has be clean, tough in the clinches, not giving dumb free kicks away and an important part of what we do. He was superb last night.

Has to be. Has genuine stars. Oliver, Gawn, Trac, Lever and May. Has players willing to sacrifice themselves for the team. Is supremely fit. Has a great game plan. Good blend of experience and youth. Seems to thrive in the big games with Collingwood the only team it hasn't beaten this year.

You're very agressive tonight Jaded! Relax and stay positive.

OK, gotcha Dazz. Was it Smith all game?

Thoughts: Razor Ray is a brilliant umpire. Loves us. Our midfield bossed the Lions. Oliver, Viney, Trac, Jack Sparrow, Max, Harmes, etc. Fritta marking ability is freakish. At half time we could have been 10 goals up. Bowey did some nice things in the final quarter. Jacko's second quarter was freakish. TMac looked a pace off but worked hard. Kozzie's snap was incredible. Oliver is easily the best midfielder to play for Melbourne since the sixties. Rivers did some great defensive things after a shaky first quarter. Not sure what happened to allow Cameron to kick five goals. Salo was very loose early. Smith tightened up on him. ANB is such a player this season. Max loved getting down and dirty tonight. Real leadership. Talented, disciplined, multi-faceted, extremely fit, tight and together. It's the Dees of 2021.

6. Clarry 5. Max 4. Fritta 3. Harmes 2. Sparrow 1. Langdon Special mentions to Viney, ANB, Kozzie, BBB, Brayshaw, Lever and Jackson's whose second quarter was out of this world.

Rivers, Max and Tmac need to lift. Great goals to Kozzie and Clarry

Yeah, you have to be nervous, eh? The finality of finals is stressful! Brissy went out in straight sets last year. Chris Pagan won't like another loss in a major final and this team will give plenty. Maybe a big week of distractions for our blokes as well? But on the surge we can't be beaten. It's irresistible. Do it for long enough and we'll be in a preliminary final in a couple weeks time. It'll be a tough one.

Thought I read once that Jack Viney was a Hawthorn supporter because Todd was working at the Hawks at the time Jack decided. Been mentioned but Tarranto, Harmes, Prestia, Buddy, Pendlebury, Gaff, Shuey, McKay are the current day players I know of.

To be fair May was a gun full back for Gold Coast too! Perhaps in a stronger team he would have received more recognition.

Yeah, it's an interesting one. Jordon's form really has dropped off in the past six weeks though. He was a revelation at the start of the year. Suprising us with his defensive efforts and even the odd goal. Sparrow worries me with his disposal but you can't question his willingness to compete or get stuck in.

Terrific player but at his age you don't want to give up too much to get him. Back injuries can be chronic as well. Would the Hawks do a third rounder for him?