pitmaster

I know Crows supporters are barely human but how must they feel? They have two teams they can overtake to get a home final, now one of them is a virtual certainty to win and the other is playing Brisbane. So there goes their home final. Now all the AFL needs to do is schedule them at Etihad against the 'Dogs. That would send them into orbit. I'd like to see that! I should add that the AFL is amateurish and a disgrace letting this happen. The Freo case is different because no finals finangling is involved.

Was almost good enough, but not quite. Losing him did not hurt us. He had a great game against the Pies when he almost (but not quite) kicked us over the line and that was his story; one of those blokes you willed to be just a little better than he was. As the OP says, all the best.

So North want to go into a finals series having lost in consecutive weeks to the Dogs (6th) and the Tiges (5th)? Odds are they'll play one of them in the first week of the final and they want to lose? I don't think so. They want to run into some form.

I did say on another thread that I had retired him after the Norf game but I was impressed with the way he put in last week. It is time, though. He had been very good for us, but he is slow and his kicking is not up to scratch. It seems he has been a very good role model for the kids in terms of application. Well done and thanks Crossy.

Need leg speed and better kicks. Can't argue with Gaz. And good to see his heart out on his sleeve.

FROM THE VFL PLAYER REVIEW ON MFC SITE: "Jamar had 4 disposals, 1 tackle and 56 hit-outs so getting the first hit of the ball was a positive. However, there were some inconsistencies with where the ball was going at times. This isn’t a direct criticism of Mark but there wasn’t a lot of synergy within the midfield this weekend. Mark didn’t have one of his better games; he was really solid last week against Coburg. We need him to bounce back this week particularly with the finals. He’s a proud bloke so he will definitely want to bounce back and rectify it." These comments would suggest he is not likely to be selected on form.

Some of what you say WYL is right but banging on about the 70s, 80s, 90s etc means nothing. No-one from those times remains at the club. The 'Dogs are on fire at the moment but they have been rotten for far longer. It does end. You've forgotten but in terms of finals series we were more regular than any Victorian side for periods under Northey and Daniher - we just didn't clinch the big one. None of that counts now except for giving you fodder for your 50 years rants.

Bennell should not be included in that group. He is starting 22 with the second placed team right now. My reaction when he did his leg was career over because he had not shown that much with us but he has been a much better player with the Eagles.

Not sure there was ever much there apart from the run. unreliable in front of goal.

Five. At least get the basics right.

I thought the decision was wrong but the truth is if Jones had not fumbled and instead handled the ball cleanly it would not have happened.

This is the first thread on here to achieve universal agreement for a long time. He is truly awful and he does have a thing about us. But that doesn't explain how he is pig ignorant as well about Hogan's status...surely he can do SOME research. The only challenger to Derwane is Basil Z. Utterly incompetent the pair of them. Dermis by comparison is a genius.

Spencer concussed makes it more likely the Russian gets a go regardless of whether he is going to be there next year.

Hmmm. Consider your opinion in future to be subject to the irrelevancy discount. You clearly don't know what you're talking about and don't mind advertising the fact.

I thought it was deliberate by the Freo player to take Jones out. Wasn't it that footballing fraudster and repeat sniper Zac Dawson?

Very good comment. At 1/4 time I was fearing a 100-plus point thrashing thinking we might drop off despite a strong start in early play. Fact is, we had 10 inside 50s for one point. Our ball use was not good and we played into their hands bombing it long, but there was real effort there. From the second half of the second quarter our blokes showed great spirit. Watch the replay if you have to and you'll see how intense the ground level contests, tackling etc was in the second half compared to those disastrous moments late in the first term and in the early second term. Freo was also helped by one of the worst hometown umpiring displays you could ever fear. I was so [censored] off late in the first quarter that I checked the phone app and the free kick count was 12 to 2 their way! In less than a quarter! And that included three frees to Pav, only one of which was obvious, and Pav also being allowed to blatantly throw the ball to a team mate to set up a goal! To go down by 54 points was disappointing but after the start pretty brave. We saw a terrific effort from Viney and a really strong showing from Salem, Gawn was also good and Howe played his best game for weeks, while Cross (who I delisted last week) really put in. The best of it is that our best players were some of our youngest.

I was beginning to feel some positivity. Thanks for the correction, all.

No question recruiting is better under Roos but Miracle is unfair not crediting Neeld for Hogan. Why? Because he could have drafted for someone to have an immediate impact, but instead he hampered his own first year prospects by warehousing Hogan. Credit where's its due.

Go easy on Judy willya. Rapt for Oscar. The boy must really have come on since he started in development league (I think).

Surely the bagging of Grimes can ease off after the past couple of weeks - clear improvement there.

The full mob of 40 or so were in the water at the St Kilda beach about 6pm Tuesday night. Lots of howling...either at the long day or the extreme chill. Punishment detail possibly?

Correct. But I've heard Roos say the same thing on 360 this week. No argument there.

Coach's comments.

You can't have been watching the 100% Frawley's been giving Hawthorn then.

Well, PJ has indicated that there are solid reasons for our negativity so let's not bruise too deeply because the coach gave us a whack. They're both right, we are pessimistic and on the efforts of the last nine years we have reason to be, so roll with it petals, suck it up and support the club.