Redleg

I didn't realise that Walters was out injured. That makes it pretty hard for the Dockers. The Dogs have had the dream draw staying, and playing at the GC for most of their games. They have met weakened sides like in the Eagles game, without Nic Nat, Yeo, Cripps, Shuey, Hurn, Redden and others. Against the Eagles they were also 3 of their 6 goals from soft frees and beat them by a dodgy goal line call, in the last score of the game. They had the best of the umpiring, allowing them to throw the ball to each other and getting soft frees in front of goal in many games and yes I watched most of them. They hardly travelled. Now for the Cairns game they were allowed to go up early unlike us who were forced to go on the day, being our 3rd interstate game in 9 days. Is all of that an excuse for us, no, but it sure was a help to the Dogs. Hope they get smashed today, so we can again be the travelling team in the finals, to add to our leader record for this year in games travelled away from home or from our temporary home. BTW, if we fluke it and get in, I actually think we can beat the Eagles in Perth, as they are not at their best and have a few injuries as well. End of rant.

I don't think we should wait for the facts, I think we should hang the bloke and then later on see what it is all about. What if he had been told he is not playing again this year and maybe even will be delisted? So, what if thinking he is finished, he goes out for some drinks, leaving the hub and not intending to return to it, which he hasn't. In that scenario where is the Covid breach? Maybe that is not the scenario, but can we wait until we know exactly what happened, before we have him tried, convicted and retired from the AFL.

Would you do Sparrow and ANB for Fogarty, if Viney and Brayshaw stay? I think we have others who can go into the middle for periods.

Players can kick goals and might not be natural forwards. Lockhart kicked goals but everyone says he is a defender. I actually believe he is a better forward. Hooker and Tom Mac played most of their footy in defence, but kicked goals when moved forward. Are they natural forwards or adaptable. I think natural forwards are the guys like Breust, Papley, A.MacTipungwuti, Miers, Betts, De Goey, Gray, Ryan, Stephenson, Walters and past players like Cyril, Flash and the Wiz etc, who can make goals out of nothing and take their opportunities. Pickett will be our next one, once he starts converting his chances. Anyway as others have said, opinions are just that.

It’s in his head. Practices and hardly ever misses. Needs to talk to a psychologist about self induced pressure/stress. In his first year as a new player with no expectations he hardly missed.

Would look at him. Send ANB home with something else.

Get rid of their best young key forward. Yes that will happen. Weid, LJ ,Petty and TMac ( back to full fitness) is a start, with Brown also for another year to pinch hit. Yes if we can get a good key forward, absolutely.

Melksham and several other Demons say hello. Out tackling has been poor the last 2 years, since late 2018 when it was ferocious. IMO we should get a rugby guy in who can teach them to take the body down and not be shrugged off, or simply avoided.

I still think he is best suited where he can get the ball and run, like wing and hbf. He has adapted as a forward because that is where he is being played. He is an accurate and long kick, can take a mark and has pace, but to me he is not a natural forward, like say a Breust or a Papley. I think his best footy is straight line running and line breaking, like he did earlier in his career. The forward line can be a graveyard, where possessions are few and limited opportunities have to be taken to be effective there. I think he has been unfairly marked by many on here, as a result of being played out of his best position .

Plenty on here have been pushing him out.

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We are 8th for the next 25 hours at least.

In Dogs out Dees. Love to be wrong though.

I'll leave it!

Needs to talk to a psychologist, he is obviously pressuring/stressing, himself into poor kicking. It is a confidence issue.

Yes give him credit for good play. That collect when he was going to get hit and then a lovely goal was great. Stick it up me son and become a good player, I would love it. Now keep going for the second half.

If we are out this weekend, expect some MFC delistings early next week.

Kreuzer and Simpson just retired and others will go as well. Remember, they were hoping to get Papley.

Gotta love the media. Headline on AFL site that Dons Wield The Axe. Actually 3 ordinary players out and 3 good players back. They are much stronger than last game. Hardly wielding the axe.

One of my biggest criticisms of the Coach.

Who do you suggest for that role?

Players watch how team mates are treated by clubs and when you expect loyalty, sometimes you have to go a bit extra to reward it. Jones knocked back many offers, to stay with us in the sh-t times, to his own detriment. He has to be treated with respect for that. I think Jones is probably done, but if he gets the all clear from the medicos to play again, then he should be given the opportunity if his form warrants, to go around again. If he doesn't deserve a game, he doesn't get one and if he is happy to mentor young players at Casey, then that is to our advantage. He can always pull the pin during the year and be an assistant coach, with his payment not in the soft cap, but the salary cap and I would imagine he would not get a lot to play on. That is what the Hawks are doing with Burgoyne. I don't accept that he will stop a younger player being on the list, as worth more than the respect he should be given and we can always uplift a rookie. It should be noted that our bottom couple of players generally don't have long careers. All that being said, I would imagine the FD would have a long chat with him, but if the medicos and Burgo say go for it and he wants to do the work, without any playing guarantee, we owe it to him. You can be ruthless and sentimental, it just depends on defining building culture, as something that needs a ruthless approach, over perhaps a logical approach. It could be classified as ruthless in denying another player a place on the list, in order to send off a champion of the club and the AFL, in the right manner and with respect. That is ruthless list management in a reverse sense. Players don't want their team mates treated like sh-t, while we demand loyalty from them. They need to see that we are a strong club, that is building a strong culture, based around everyone being in it together. I promise you all, we won't lose a flag by not putting player number 150 on our list. Who knows, Jones could still play some reasonable footy and maybe even kick a match winning goal.

I think someone said we need a 50 point differential, in our game and theirs, to bring Saints % below ours and a win by us of course.

I am actually warming to the idea of beating WCE in an elimination final in Perth, if we can get into the finals.

Well the reward for 8th place is playing WCE at home.