Go the Biff

I'd like a bit of confirmation that the stat you've based this thread on is correct. However it's an interesting topic so I'll briefly throw in a couple of alternate - or additional theories. Skills & structure moreso than footspeed. The great Hawthorn sides of recent years relied on precise kicking to get through opposition pressure and get the ball moving. We have too few good users and too many butchers. Our handball efficiency needs to improve significantly as well. Close enough should not be considered good enough. Structurally I think we employ the full court press too much. So if we force a turnover and want to get the ball moving quickly ala Hawthorn of (not so) old, too often there's no option to kick to Also we have too many blokes right in the contest. I hate watching three players tackle an opposition player. You only need one to tackle & another trying to force the ball out. Oliver gets criticised for his one metre handballs but if his target was set up 5 metres away from the scrimmage, we'd be off to the races rather than being tackled and either losing the ball or getting held in a stoppage No-one needs to listen to SEN more. Except for the bit where KB & Dr. Turf go at each other. That is amusing

Good to see you've calmed down mate. A couple of really good observations there. After all the criticism we copped I also watched again with an eye to the tackling. It was a really "open" quarter. I was looking for instances where our blokes had the opportunity to tackle and failed to execute. There were bugger all. A couple pf broken tackles but that's about it. (I'd also like to know what constitutes a tackle because my count didn't match the stats being quoted). The Pies hardly tackled us into the ground either. What they did do was move the ball on quickly, denying us the opportunity to tackle. Good coaching/ gameplan. You can't tackle blokes who don't have the footy For me, the bigger issues were (pretty much in agreement with you) : Skills - our unforced errors and turnovers by hand and foot gifted them goals. The fumbling didn't help either Our zone - we gave them too much leg rope in their half of the ground Running in transition - the Daicos goal is a good example. One of our mids should have covered him 30 metres before he got the ball. Whether that's conscious effort (player fault) or not being mentally & emotionally switched on (coaching group fault) I can only guess. But I think it's rare that blokes would run out there not intending to have a crack I've watched it a few times now and each time it looks like rather than "we didn't turn up" it's more "we completely farked up"

Dude, you've got issues.

Slim pickings up there in the OOC department at the moment However, we should be in Tom Lynch's ear all year. He's OOC & a free agent after next season. If GCS are still a shite sandwich, we should be offering him a good home Also with regard to the thread title, Lachie Whitfield (yes please) is contracted for 2018.

How does that work ?

It won't cost anything like that I've been sniffing around the Crows forums Apparently Lever is overrated and can't defend one on one Sssshhhhh !

I hope they lose badly to us but he's kept on as coach anyway. I quite like Buckley - he speaks well & is pretty forthright. Good to listen to I like even more the trajectory that Collingwood have been on during his tenure and I would like to see him continue that fine work

Might just be me but I reckon there is a slight but nasty whiff of Hawthorn about this

So he can have the last laugh ?

I thought he was doing a Lin Jong - didn't realise he had his shoulder taped in previous games

He's been given a much less "delicate" nickname by a bunch of blokes behind me at the footy today (funny buggers they were too) I assume one of them was @Clint Bizkit because according to them, Pedo's new name is....................... Brownlow

Rapt for him. So good to see him happy & smiling, booting goals on the G

ANB article It's behind the paywall so if you are not subscribed, copy the article heading into Google and you should be able to access it

On the street or on BigFooty ?

Spot on

Demonland's @Ash35 and @markc are responsible for getting that together

Spencer is listed as out, along with Joel Smith

Maybe so, but for JC to come back in 3 days after his injury report - fair effort

I'm convinced they got their coaching appointments arse about. Eade, or someone of his ilk should have been their startup coach rather than a first time senior coach like Bluey McKenna. The damage was done under his watch and it has set them back years. The GWS example of Sheedy handing over to Cameron is instructive

You're in a unique position on here and it's a credit to you that you've been balanced in your reports on Dec's performances rather than looking through "bro" coloured glasses. It's good for you (and him) that you can now give him a decent write up. I and I guess many others have appreciated getting your perspective on Casey's efforts this year. Good stuff

Reckon the OCRSL will regret this in the not too distant future. It will be sad to see that great old room & stage fall into disuse when it's been so vibrant. No doubt the Caravan Club will rise from these ashes but where ????? The roll call of acts they've had there is amazing. A couple of my fave gigs there were The Black Sorrows where the indefatigable Joe Camelleri spent a Sunday arvo blowing the roof off the joint and Joe Creighton's "Into the Mystic" show which is a cracker.

Not many bands go from playing a cider festival in Wonga Park to selling out 4 gigs at the Corner in 6 months. I agree with Nut - check 'em out if the chance presents. Their album is worth the investment too. Going the vinyl seemed a good idea at the time but it's a [censored] to play in the car !

If it makes you feel better, I didn't. Sorry SL

I used to quite like Vicious Park. Either flank at the Yarra Falls end where good to watch footy from. Best to stop all fluid intake in the lead-up or wear gumboots as the dunnies were a disgrace. Managed a couple of souvenirs after we handed them the spoon in '76. A bent nose and a black eye - badges of honour I thought. Windy Hill had no redeeming features whatsoever.Shitehole full of goat rooting Essendon fans

Both Hogan and Max have a few more runs on the board than Gus. Don't forget why he was at Casey when his unfortunate series of concussions began. He was omitted from the AFL team for reasons of form. I also hope he gets back quickly to full health and good form but I wouldn't be backing him to reclaim his place just yet. Probably not this year