Go the Biff

They can be good for a laugh if read a day or two after the match but yes, best avoided on the day. I'm sure there are posters who only ever appear in the Gameday threads, usually with sackcloth and ashes at the ready. Old mate Mr White is one. He is always good for some quality contributions. It's got me stuffed how people can type so much and still watch the game

For some time now I've been intrigued by the practice of players removing their mouthguard when having a set shot at goal. I'm of the view that if you can run, kick, mark, handball, tackle & be tackled, contest balls in the air and on the ground, hit and and be hit all with a mouthguard in place. taking a set shot with the same piece of equipment in place should be a piece of...........cake by comparison. So players past & present of any level, did you remove your gumshield for set shots ? If so, why so ?

I reckon you should watch the first half again. Viewed dispassionately I suspect you'll find it was nowhere as bad as you thought it was live and in the heat of the moment. At quarter time both Lynch & Brereton thought we were playing the better footy. The second quarter was a tale of missed opportunities. Wayward shots at goal and bombed forward entries that gave Jack Leslie a picnic taking marks behind Tom McDonald. Don't underestimate the impact that the wind had on the game until the 10 minute mark of the third quarter when it dropped to a zephyr. Have another look and see if you notice things you missed the first time around.

2nd quarter. Only 20 metres out so it's likely a goal would have resulted (unless Buggy got the free) The one that pizzed me off the most was Ziebell's trip of Hannan. A trip is a trip - it doesn't even have to be intentional, it's a free kick. If paid at worst Hanna would have had a set shot from 50. Instead it was let go and the ball goes to the other end for Higgins to goal. Not only did they score but our momentum was stifled for a few minutes. Pay that obvious free and we could well have gone into half time a couple of goals ahead rather than trailing by two points.

Unless we go for something from left field - e.g. Petracca to FF then Weid stays. There's no-one else. Hulett has been playing mainly at half back this season -not all that effectively and you would think Bull needs at least one game at Casey to test out his ribs & get a bit of confidence. As someone else suggested it would be good to see him stay deep & lead hard to the 30-40 metre mark. He doesn't yet have the tank to play a roaming CHF role ANB in for Bugg who is just not quite up to it. I'd have dropped him after last week despite his two goals Melksham in for Kent. Not a Melksham fan but I'd like to see what he can bring to a HF/wing role before declaring him a bust. Could find the goals at his old club. Kent showed exactly why he's been dropped in the first place and that unfortunately, he didn't learn from the experience. I'd like to see Stretch back in as well as I think he makes us better & look forward to reading Plapp's assessment of his game on the weekend. Unfortunately given our luck with the MRP, I think Salem may well cop a week

That's pretty much what I'd do. Keep him deep so we "lengthen" the forward line and ideally create some space in front of him. It's too easy to defend against us with everyone pushed up. And Weideman doesn't have the tank to keep running up to the centre and then sprinting back. Outside of Jeffy, none of our forwards are kicking goals regularly. So we should set up for what we've got out there, not for what we'd have if Hogan was in.

I rate Jacobs highly but he was dumb last week & played into our hands in the manner you describe. Possibly poor coaching from Pyke as well Goldstein is a level above. We had to fight & scrap for our centre clearances and resultant forward entries were usually under pressure. Norf often walked it out of the centre unopposed and that creates silver service for forwards. That was down to Goldstein - and begrudgingly I'll concede probably good coaching from that hobbit Scott

Would rather play Bert.

Tiggers could be out of the 8 as early as next week. Now that would trigger a decent meltdown at Punt Rd

Much better PF. None of us are privy to Gus's medical records. Some of the knee jerk neuroscience on here is annoying

Pretty sure as a father and a phys ed teacher you wouldn't want your kids' diagnosis sourced from posts on a fan forum

GWS have strong representation in that Preston side

Kicked a couple of goals. Took a few strong marks around the ground. Got a few kicks and handballs. He also got 53 hitouts. Hitouts of themselves are often useless but hitouts to advantage are where ruckmen earn their pay. There were a few in there that enabled Hawthorn to walk the ball out of the centre clearance and goal. Untouched by us. That is critical stuff in deciding the outcome of a game. Now while Pedo toiled manfully, against a recognised ruckmen McEvoy doesn't get anywhere near that level of influence as he can't dominate through size, experience & technique. But he dominated Pedo in the ruck. Forest Demon is right to be concerned about what Jacobs might do as he is one of the premier rucks in the game.Possible AA this year. McEvoy, as FD pointed out, is average (at best). I've no doubt Pedo will try his hardest and will hopefully do some damage drifting forward but in the ruck contests, we are bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Agreed and I found this encouraging Billy Stretch: Billy had 25 possessions, five marks and four tackles. After being left out of the senior team, he started the game really well. The thing I was most happy about with his game was his ability to take the game on and send us forward. He continues to build his game around his contest and flexibility of roles. He contributed well.

Not sure you're looking quite in the right place. The likes of Hogan, Gawn & Spencer would bump up our total marks but their biggest impact is on winning contested marks. High uncontested marks are more a reflection on the side's ability to spread from the contest and to run hard to good positions to receive. We'd have had a lot more uncontested marks on the weekend had we not burnt the ball so often.

Even taking Melbourne out of the equation, would anyone bet against the Crows on their dunghill at the moment ? No matter who the opponent. It's a game of hope rather than expectation. Go Dees !

Pfft. He's no Glenn Molloy

After reading Plapp's VFL review I'm thinking Stretch and Kent come in. Both appear to have addressed the issues that saw them out of the senior side. Probably for Bugg & JKH VFL Player Report

As we all know, the damage was done in the first quarter and given the heat that's been applied to our defence here, it's interesting to see how the Hawks got their five first quarter goals Ist quarter Goal – O’Brien. approx 15 min remaining. Salem spoils an Oliver uncontested mark at half back. Unforced error – lack of talk / awareness. Turnover Goal – Roughead. 10 min remaining. Rioli from stoppage to Gunston to Roughead who “outmuscled” Frost (in the back for mine). Good passage from Hawks Goal – Gunston 9.30 remaining. Frost flies for a mark uncontested. Straight through his hands to Gunston who goals off a step. Skill error Goal – Bruest. 6.30 remaining. Jones shocking turnover on the left foot after marking kick-in. No pressure. Ball to top of goal square. All our blokes up & ball spills to Puopolo who handballs to Bruest. Comedy of errors but started with Jones Goal – McEvoy after siren. With 20 seconds remaining Hibberd kicks OOtF under no pressure. Resulting I50 kick sets up McEvoy’s mark (aided by a massive block from Roughead which took out OMac & Hunt – questionable legality as he wasn’t contesting) Four of the five came from us shooting ourselves in the foot in uncontested situations. In each of those four cases the footy should have been on our side of the centre instead of sailing through their sticks Furthermore, any chance we had to hit the scoreboard ourselves was derailed in the same fashion. Here's just a few of the momentum killers : 7.30 remaining. Jeffy misses set shot after patient build up 3.40 remaining. Jones marks at high half forward & misses pass to Vince just on 50. Hardwick marks uncontested 1.40 remaining. Jones marks in space & passes directly to Langford who marks uncontested in our F50 There were other midfield turnovers that had Hawthorn streaming forwards that thankfully didn't hurt us on the scoreboard. Unforced errors as opposed to turnovers from pressure are killing us. If we can improve this area then perhaps we'll a) win more games and b) be able to more fairly assess our defence

I think the $800K is less of an issue than what we'd have to give up to get him - even if he wanted to come to MFC. Agree though, he is the type of player we need. Relentless outside running, great skills & decision making. It will be fascinating to see what becomes of the GWS squad should they win the flag in the next year or two. How many will stay and build on their success. How many will attempt to cash in and get a fat contract elsewhere.

I don't mind this and would like to see him used off half back in the VFL for a while. When Gus is ready for AFL I could see Hunt being pushed up to a wing for periods of a game, enabling Gus to take that half back role

Hibberd is six foot nothing. He's not a KPD. Wagner is 6'2" and not a KPD - and looked all at sea on Sunday Some won't see it but OMac was decent on the weekend. Used the ball well. A poor tackle on Breust resulted in a (missed) shot at goal and yes, he took an airswing in an attempt to spoil Frost is being lauded for his game yet Roughead schooled him on at least 3 occasions resulting in Hawthorn scores. Add to that the uncontested mark that went clean through his hands and gifted Gunston a goal. Maybe that's why all defenders flew for spoils ! Trust issues. OMac stays in for mine.

It was both teams. Crossy was out there hanging around & doing nothing just as much as the Hawthorn bloke I'd be happy if they were only allowed out there after a goal is scored & they then have to be off the ground before the ball is bounced to restart play. Same with water boys. Have 'em dotted around the boundary so players can access them by all means but keep them off the ground

Same here - a double page spread with pics usually guarantees the subject will stink up the joint that day

Can't blame them. 30 years of [censored] about with self-defeating changes to ruck rules has left us without an umpire in the country that can umpire a ruck contest. And not many ruckmen that have a clue at a boundary throw in. It's just lock arms and flail away for most of them I'll now get off my soap box