pitmaster

Interesting stats...but you know what they say about stats. For mine Newton fails to read the play well enough, often enough and even at VFl level is unable to get to enough contests. Then there's his poor conversions. I live in hope, since he has a year on contract, but I am not expecting anything.

no point in this until we see the fixture

That's essentially correct, although it was pretty clear in his one year with our midfield that Ratten did a sensational job. We have not gone close to that good in the middle since he left. West full time would probably be as good as any.;

Point of consolation - injuries meant had we won we'd have taken the field without flower and wilson the following week. We weren't gonna make it and a second consolation - the hawks got smashed by the blues anyway...

Joan Armatrading "To the Limit" as the alternate theme with the memorable line - to the limit here we go, from the bottom to the top

Jacob Mollison is his name - a complete [censored] and another example of being the worst team means you get the worst umpires. Totally a fraud - his work cost us two clear goal scoring opps and handed several to the aints. David Parkin said on 774 that none of the umpires at our game yesterday would be seen again this year!

He should never have been on that angle. He actually took the mark close to the middle of the goal square but fell back completing it. When it was replayed at the North Melbourne GF breakfast the next Saturday the buzz that went around the room was incredible. Everyone realised how totally screwed he had been. From memory he slipped on the kick as well, but Campbell and Yeater were just as culpable. And remember, we had the wind for three quarters...

When you consider how long the Saints No 1 picks have been around - 8 years or so - our premiership target looks pretty remote. Hawthorn showed it can be done quicker so was Thomas the problem at Moorabbin?

The future might look great but it's also a long way off when you think that Kosi and Reiwoldt both debuted in 2001.

Sylvia looks to Jurrah to bring him into the game and as a target. I think this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

maybe it's the Buddy thing but I can't help wondering what Strawbs O'Dwyer did to get rubbed out of the '88 Grand Final. Maybe this is one for WJ but can anyone who can remember fill me in? How bad was it? How many weeks did he get? Would he have been rubbed out of a GF if he played for Colingwood?

I hate Hawthorn more than I do Collingwood. They are thugs at heart - have been since the 1960s and the fact they boast of unsociable football now is testament to their low down dirty ways. That said, Franklin's bump was fine. The rule that did him is rubbish. It's a shame that he's been rubbed out for that because it's taking something from the game that's always been there. On this Mike Sheahan is right.

Try a deep and complex individual. Conflicted too. What Demon ain't?

I reckon the word Jimma would use is STABILITY. That is what he is trying to bring to the club and that is what he would see an extension for DB bringing. It means he can get on with the job next year free of distractions about 2011. That said, I don't see the need for it, but it's interesting given the rumours that G Lyon was falling off DB's bandwagon after our slump around round 14 that he apparently has the board's confidence to continue.

Subtlety and nuance is lost on you ain't it, Sergeant Schultz? And Mikey J and AzzKicka? The point of my post is we CAN this week honestly barrack for the dees because they won't get up. But for the first time in weeks we don't have to go wishing for a loss - it will be seen to. At least BBPowell got it.

Wouldn't it be great now that pick one is sewn up to send the Saints into a tailspin? OK we miss a priority, but the morale boost would be sensational and it's always good to derail someone else. And we'd be doing it virutally with a second 22. Take hold of that idea and we all can go next Sunday and truly barrack for the Dees, knowing the FD won't let it happen anyway. They have been far too professional for that to let it slip now. And how about that J McKenzie - a real prospect!

Terrific article. And the bonus is there's a backhander in there for that loudmouth Brian Taylor.

You blokes will have to pay more attention - I said I heard he was staying on a week ago (Retire?Delist How Many thread). Reasons? need for experience and good current form.

Strewth...what are you suggesting? That the Blues would tank to avoid fourth spot and a first week of the finals meeting with the Saints?

I don't rate Carlton highly and as much as I'd love to beat them we aren't there yet. We're getting ahead of ourselves if we forget how lame Freo was - truly soft. Bottom line - as encouraging as the win was with so many of the best 22 out, we didn't beat much.

Robbo certainly. Bell, Buckley and Bartram probably. In a just world Newton would go. But people are making early calls on Meesen who showed brief promise. And Jamar must stay. Macca I hear will go on

Fine post - strong positive thinking and mostly right - tad rose coloured on the list - martin and maric eg have something still to prove and I am not sure about the coaching list - would like to see T Viney in there

Unless there is a significant change to the injury list we are unlikely to win a fourth game. Having been surprised at the lengths we had to go to against the Tiges I am back to my earlier position of telling people Tank? We don't need to tank! 2010 starts on October 12 when all but the veterans begin their preseason. If we knock off the Dockers, that'll be great but that medical room will need to clear some out.

And AD who goes up in my estimation - very sound reasonable bloke right now

It's pretty clear, what with the November references to VCE exams and the occasional remarks about tutorials that this forum has some youngish (that is to say, under 45, contributors) so at the risk of sounding like an old fart here's a history lesson. What you saw yesterday was not tanking. It was '70s- style coaching and I guess I can forgive Jake Niall and Michael Gleeson in The Age for not getting it since they are still wiping bum fluff off their cheeks. Nowadays coaching talk is all about strategy: zones, rolling zones, flooding, run and carry etc. Back when Barassi and Hafey were big and innovation was the huddle, in turn countered by the anti-huddle 'outriders', coaching genius occurred within a game with the inspired move of a key defender up forward where he would kick a couple of late ones, or the midfielder sent into defence, or the career wingman who was give a shut down role. That's all they could talk about on World Of Sport, some game turning positional shift. Of course, that meant players actually had positions to play, which is less often the case now. So get off Bail's back and don't fuel this corrupting tanking talk. He is obviously a coach returning to the classics for inspiration. Anyway, that's the best I can do - it's taken me all night to think of it but it's not bad and I am going to run with it. That's despite the fact that as they lined up for the last quarter it took a while for me to wake up. I was sure we were kicking to the city end, but Warnock? and Frawley? For the record, Mathew W looked OK up there and I really wanted Ricky P to kick that goal at the 27 minute mark so he would know he could do it.