buck_nekkid

Inside mid and Hb? He is the best performing VFL player and would be an ideal like for like. He also brings additional leadership qualities which cannot hurt a young side. As a like for like replacement for Jones, it makes a lot of sense. In fact, if he can prove he still has it at AFL level, he is a natural to replace Vince or even Lewis in the leader/quarterback role in the years to come.

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You think PJ has the power to stop the AFL machine? If we can win with these challenges, it proves that we are up around the mark. No excuses any more. When we play, we should win. Anywhere, any competition. That will mark the start of our next chapter, and our true entry into the premiership window.

Watching Watts cover so much ground, his final position might be the wing, with Pedo and Jesse forward. Max in the middle and the Macdonald brothers flipping forwards like burgers out of the backline. This would work at the back end of this year, then Weids in to replace Pedo next year as he forces his way in. Max is a walk up start, Pedo stays in, and we replace a medium with Max. If Jones is out, we bring in another runner - Wagner or JKH would appear first in line.

Goody said Jones and Watts were kept off in the last as a precaution. What a luxury to be 50 points up! Would suggest these two are in if they pull up. If Gawn is in, I have no idea who goes out. TMac goes back onto Kennedy, OMac on Captain Darling. Watts is so valuable. Really want him to come up. Great to have real pressure on selection.

Woohoo!!!!!

This. How great is it that we are in the mix? Every game feels like it is 'season defining ', and we have had our expectations raised. It has been a long time since I have been 'on edge' before Melbourne games like this season. Nothing is a given. We are a young side, our competitiveness has lifted, but we can sometimes be fragile in a comp where 5-10% drop off will kill you. It is just so even. Go Dees.

What horseshit. Only game on today, it is at 3:20, and it is not free to air on 7. And it is at that dungheap Ethiad.

Cheers.

Who is the carry-over emergency for tomorrow?

Spencil didn't knock the door down with his performance at Casey. We play a team without a big ruck option, that often even pinch hit in ruck contests with midfielders We won with the current setup last week The urgency to select Jake was low. Against the Swans I expect Max or Spencil to be in. In that order of preference.

No change unless injury, or Max Factor is ready to rumble. Who goes out for Max?? I think it would be matchups based if no one injured. Wags was closest to knocking on the door for a spot, Spencil didn't really. Stretch was OK, but would need to do more. So no driving changes from VFL level.

In the first half, I was quite frustrated that they seemed to be guarding grass and watching (with tackles not sticking) and us being completely smashed in the contested marks. I knew we were up and about in the third quarter when the guys sprinted to cover a fat-side spread. All three of the collingwood players had Dees right with them, making a series of contests rather than a simple transition. When we play like that, we are a different side. We make contests and often win or halve them. It allows us to set up our defensive structures at a minimum.

He did this so often with us. Big spekkie followed up with an instant turnover. It was like school kick to kick. He knew it was coming to T-mac (our predictable exit strategy) so he just set himself for the easiest hanger of all time. He seems to be doing OK at the pies. His call to walk. Great he is part of such a 'successful outfit' with them.

Nope. I saw one clear error in our favour. That was the HOB awarded to hunt. Otherwise, thought the umpiring was pretty even, and consistent. When we get the rough end of the pineapple continuously, getting a fair crack seems like a gift. Frustrating game, but they found a way to win. Thank god.

Watching the goals, it is clear how important Wattsy is. He is so often the link man and his precise passes are so valuable. He looks a bit down on output, but gee he got involved in scoring.

This kid is just amazing. His vision and speed of hand out of a contest is sublime. It is a different skill to something like a Dangerfield or a Fyfe, but it is so valuable. He has a high hand pass to kick ratio, and given the places he finds himself, I think that is OK. I love the fact he plays for the Dees.

Before this week I have not slagged off Omac. However, under little or no pressure he turned it over in god-awful ways. It is great that he had 11 '1 percenters', but when he has the Ball in hand he is a significant liability. If he tidied this up - even to just be average (not even 'above average', let alone elite) - then I could understand him being a key part of the backline. I believe he will get there, but we cannot have someone give away simple goals and throw our forward movement patterns into disarray and give the opposition simple lanes to goal due to continuous unforced errors. So, he gets set this as his development task, and when we have the appropriate coverage for him, he goes back to Casey and develops. Until then, he stays in the firsts and we hold our hearts in our mouths when he has the ball in hand.

Jordan Lewis was so important behind the ball, setting up and really leading the team. Oscar MacDonald is simply a mistake machine. Almost every touch led to a turnover, a contested ball and lots of goal assists for GC. He really isn't good enough, based on this performance. We can do great things in a half of footy - I'm keen to see them put it together for 4 quarters at some stage.

Maybe he needs to move to a club with a track record of developing high draft picks - the MFC. (Cue laughter track)

Nope, don't play him. it is only a couple of weeks, and the team should be challenged to find a way to win, regardless. It might teach them some valuable lessons that will make the team even better when big max is back ruling the skies. king isn't ready. Let him develop and when he kicks the door down on merit, let him play. i would bring in Hulett before king, and at the moment I wouldn't even do that.

I saw that article, and for a team with such a poor win loss record, that is now improving, the stats are meaningless. For a team like the Hawks that won more than it lost over previous seasons, perhaps you could run a correlation over in/out vs wins, however I imagine the correlation would be weak at best. for a team like ours, it is a completely worthless stat. Ask it after our third premiership.

We are a young side, and still learning a new game plan (as well as to trust it). Seems we have patches where we drop off 5-10%, and it really hurts us. Seems we have brain fades and try to take on too much (kicking it straight to the opposition over and over, rather than seeing what the hell is going on ahead), and some players still go missing. We match up well against some teams, and less well against others. Our backline is not elite, and we rely on controlling the defence from the midfield forward - our backs get caught out against big bodied leading forwards all day. We did Adelaide for Jesse, and couldn't bring that effort again the week after. We are also a young team that were bullied by Brad Scott's less-than-legal tactics, and completely sold up the river by the umpires in what was the worst performance I have seen in years. We are significantly better than last year, and significantly better to watch (so much more competitive when we are on). I think there is massive upside, and we are going to be at the better end of mid-table this year. We have some big holes to fill in our roster, but we have some emerging talent that will be the basis of something special in years to come. Adelaide shows what is possible. Norf shows what reality is.

Quite acceptable to wear your red and blue, I would think. If you want to wear yellow and brown, wait for incontinence to hit after you move into the nursing home....

My problem is that there are a series of 'protected species' who get away with whatever the fluck (to use your term) they like - Dusty Martin is one of them. Rather than say "OK, that was an error' - they spend way too much time defending the indefensible. We would all be happier if the Umps said "we messed up" - they are only human, under high pressure, and trying their best. However, when they try and justify their stupidity they just look morally and financially corrupt. The AFL is an absolute farce, run by a buffoon, supported by idiots.