buck_nekkid

Disagree. Smith going off had a massive structural effect - it freed up an intercept marker for them in our D50. We were also down 2 rotations (soon to be 3). The AFL have confirmed the free kick was a wrong decision. We actually needed to focus on the roles, and cover back across in defence. We didn’t do this, and looked to run out of legs. We tactically failed to deliver it clear into 50 away from their (now free) intercept markers. A bit of a ‘sugar high’ from some faux aggression was way less important that proper attention to the gameplan. It is a game, and encouraging violence for the sake of ‘being a tough guy’ is a bit silly, especially when one punch acts and stuff like the fights in the crowd are a serious topic at the moment. Play the game fairly but strongly is fine, encouraging violence to intimidate or interfere with another’s capability to play is pretty [censored] weak.

I look forward to 2020. Haven’t given up on ‘19 yet ( we are still a mathematical chance!!!!). Suspect it could all be aligning for 2020 - experience and list, better draw, hopefully not 17 surgeries and delayed preseasons. Oh, and maybe no rule changes to bung our systems.

Arrogant tosses can sing what they like. 6 goals to 1 in the final term give them bragging rights. Best response is to beat them on the park. They are the reigning premiers and still a capable footy side. We are neither ATM.

He commented that he ‘let himself down’ a few times, and was under the ball on a few occasions. Said it was about timing and match feel. After a year out, I’ll give him that.

Umpires dont hate us. We simply don’t attract the positive bias that comes from winning flags, being Brownlow medallists, or being back page of the HS. This puts us at a significant disadvantage - unless the rule breach is clear, their expectation and confirmation bias will work against us, so we dont get 50/50, but more like get 30/70. When we are also considered ‘bad’ public citizens (May, Bugg, etc), this weighs against us as well.

Came on 15 minute mark first quarter. Played 80 minutes

No one really put their hand up at Casey. Sparrow was wasteful with disposal. Preuss started well, but gave away 3 frees in their 50 leading to shots on goal. Lever moves well, and is a class above, but didnt do too much. Jordon, Chandler and Bedford not pushing the selectors to pick them yet. Kielty looks better for the run at AFL level, and competed pretty well. Looked like they also had him down back in the second half, where he was less influential.

Stopped winning it in close, and running second to most contests.

Answer to my own question: On your iPhone: Download the VFL app to listen via the BROADCAST page or the SEN app On the web: Via www.vfl.com.au Digital Radio: SEN 2 digital Full replays: Click HERE for all replay games

Any coverage of the game today?

Missed absolute sitters from set shots. Dropped a mark 20 m out uncontested. Real standout moments that cost us. His groundball game was excellent, but the kid cant kick from a set shot ATM. THink his confidence is way down

Some observations: TMAC was fantastic for the first time this year. His marks up the ground and at the start really set the tone. Sauce (Baker) did well. His first few touches were excellent. He got caught a few times, some from hospital passes, others from trying to take it on. Much to like. Trac is a concern. His work rate and his groundball gets have been terrific, but his set shots are diabolical. Jeff Garlett looks like he wants to kick off the outside of his boot and do the fancy stuff. Kick a drop punt FFS! That one on the run was poor thinking and execution. Max was dominant. No other word for it. His hitouts to advantage were a joy to watch. Leaving Preuss out was probably the right call. Smith made the intercept defenders accountable with movement that Preuss wouldn’t have given. Preuss may have been a big target, but all night big packs flew at either end, and the big guys were neutralised. Frost played a good game. One fumble on the line does not take away from his good work. Loved his tackle on Petruccelle. We structured up and played well. Losing 3 players to concussion must be a record (4 for the match). The loss of Salem and Smith had a massive impact. Smith was doing a great job making their intercept markers accountable, and Salem’s delivery was missed. The umpiring was significant. That Smith incident was appalling. We lost the 50 /50s all night, and that throw was so obvious and directly led to a goal. Another incident was when Kennedy flew for a mark, pushed the Melb player forward in the contest but did not even touch the ball. It went from that contest straight for a goal. So many more, that it was actually a blight in the game Was so much better to watch than previous weeks. We took the game on, and did so much better. Still need to fix our movement inside 50, and obviously our goal kicking, but there was a lot of improvement in what we saw. 3:6 is irrelevant from a historic point of view. We really can lose only 3-4 more games and make the finals. If we can pinch a couple before the bye, start getting the best team on the park, we could get close. The AFL would be happy with the game as a spectacle. Go Dees

WTF? What do you want them to do? They were recovering from the contest, and you would not have expected the grubs to rub Max’s noses in it. And what for, not taking a mark? They didnt take the mark either. Vardy was OWNED by Gawn. His is a disgrace of a person for doing that. Max’s team mates pushed the idiots away, which was all it deserved. To escalate this would have been a pointless, and probably expensive exercise. Wanting them to ‘stand up for Max’ is simply stupid. There were plenty of times throughout the night when players supported each other.

I note that the Casey game is 2pm Sat. Emergencies can hop on the late night flight and suit up for Casey.

Looking at your avatar perhaps not!

Good luck to Jake Lever, for a safe and high quality return.

Wow. That was some fall for $7 million dollar man. I suppose running around in the VFL wasn’t to his liking? Payout for 19, no payout for 20/21. Gives them a mid year draft pick. Probably going to see more mid year retirements now the draft is in play.

He wasnt letting go of his luggage until he hit the Swan!

185cm ish forward, so could fill the missing small forward role until Bedford or Chandler develop. May have to learn our systems etc, but you would expect a fairly fast path when we have 5 players available for selection outside the 22 atm.

Thanks for the report and photos Saty. What is your sense of the vibe? And were they doing anything about forward connection and craft?

Weids ‘out for a little while’.....

Think about this backline, which cannot get on the park: Jetta, May, Hibbard Lewis (?), Lever, Hore. Hore is a first year player, doing very well. The rest cant get near it. We have no wings (should be hunt/baker/KK) We have no functioning small forwards (Jeffy is getting to some good spots, and Hunt should be back or wing). Melksham now added to that. Lockhart looks the goods, too. Our half forward flankers (Hannan and AVB) cant get near the park All we have is Max and some grunt bangers in the middle. TMac might be turning the corner, Weid is not seen, and Preuss is promising. So, ins and outs - who is still able to play 120 minutes??? We are at that level.

Looking at the game again this morning, some thoughts: A win is a win. It was a poor one, but we needed it. Sometimes this can be the making of a team, and their emotion after was a clear sign that it meant something to them. Hore and Lockhart were really composed and are showing up as great additions to the team. Our back 6 is now non-existent. Teams can waltz into 50 and score almost at will. The suns were something like 3 goals for 5 entries at one point in the last quarter. Our systems are rubbish and our personnel down there second rate. Without the first-choice defence, and without the ability to structure up in a meaningful way, our D50 is awful. Oscar MacDonald is not a spud, but he is struggling to understand his role (when does he leave an opponent, when does he stay? Is he a sweeper, or is he a zone defender?) He has no confidence, and too much is expected of him when there is nothing but pain regardless of what he does. Frost seems to have turned the corner - he still makes headless chook moves, but seems to at least have some confidence in what he is trying to do. We are doing really well to make contests, especially between the arcs. Our skill level from contests and general play is appalling. The number of bad skill errors and bad choices when in possession was off the charts. If we could only think we had 120 ‘last minutes’ of the game, we would get over 700 points per game! When Gawn was caught on the pine, we were at a disadvantage and this speaks to Preuss coming back in fairly quickly. We were particularly poor at contested marking. This was evident in both arcs. Jones was in really good form and used well. In the middle he still has grunt in bursts. Viney was actually pretty good. Worked hard at the coalface and justified his inclusion. Oliver was prolific, and he is so fast sometimes that I think he catches people out. He made a few glaring bloopers, too, but certainly was not alone. Our delivery into 50 and our inside 50 setups are simply appalling. We have no speed through the middle of the ground, allowing opposition teams to set up behind the ball and make it so hard for us to score. When we don’t take contested marks, and our disposal is terrible, all the work up the field is wasted. We stop and prop, we turn it over. All we seem to want to do is to make a contest. I worry for Kielty, Stretch, OMac (confidence), Garlett (maybe the conditions didn’t suit him?), Lewis. We will miss Hibbard, who looked like he rediscovered some form. Melksham will be missed - he wasn’t very accurate by foot, but he was really getting involved. He provides something up forward. We turned a few corners last night, and TMAC started to show progress. Without much depth at Casey, we are really going to have to slug things out for the next few weeks. We might have re-established the ‘brand’ of contested footy, but this has to be built on to actually mean anything. We have so much that is not going right at the moment, that we can scrape through. Against better sides, we will be torn apart (like the Cats game where we got pantsed by 80 points), unless we rapidly improve. However, I love the fact that we won a tough one, one we would have given up so easily in the past. Go Dees.

OK, its here. I think this is a really important one. Have we ‘turned the corner’ or was the hawks game just a blip? How we play and getting the chokkies is so important today.

Hopefully those 2 get up and I improve my woeful tipping.