buck_nekkid

Pedo out. I would run Weid and TMac in the forward half, supported by Melk, Fritsch, Hannan and Jeffy. ANB and VBD on connection to 50 duties. Back half, Hibbo definitely in. Hunt is out, and Pedo doesn't fit here either. Don't have a Bernie or a Smith to bring back, so we may need some creative thinking in getting this done. Kielty? What about DJ? Potentially I see Wagner as a reasonable fit that is not overly tall and reasonably athletic. You would think that they will struggle forward without Kennedy, it is really Captain Darling and Will he Rioli? Out big problems are not having the high connector with Hogan out, Maxy on one leg, and any number of players down from last week. My early changes: Out: Hogan, Pedo, Hunt, JKH In: Weid, Milky, Hibbo, Hannan

I think that is a fair call, but there are many raw nerves atm, so this is what people may see in the longer term. The year has been a radical improvement over the past, and if we win something in the next few years, this may be seen as our beach head season. However, in the short term, it’s ‘finals or fail’ in terms of the way this side will be graded by most.

DH might not pass the no DH test. on a serious note, just as we bought in Lewis, it could about bringing in leadership and traits. If Vince and maybe Lewis are done, and Jones is into the twilight era, maybe he serves a role as our otherwise very young team evolves. If you take out Lewis Vince and Jones, out average age is about 14. If Sydney will pay 20% and it wasn’t a huge contract, he would certainly be an upgrade on Balic. I would be careful re the high pick, hopefully that means 60ish and not 1st round...

Lewis: with ball in hand he is an elite decision maker and distributor. Without ball in hand he struggles to get to contests, he struggles to halve contests, and he gets run off. Depends what you are looking a5 in how you judge him. We have a place for him when everything else works. Also, Salem was great by foot, but got lost defensively far too often.

"Get in my Belly"

I think we can use the car analogy in a different way: Racecars: Gawn, Oliver, Brayshaw, TMAC, Hibbard, Melksham, Hogan Looks good in the showroom: Petracca, Hunt Up on the hoist: Lever, Stretch and Viney Clapped out and heading for the tip: Vince, Balic Modified for improved performance in 2018: Harmes, ANB, Fritsch, Salem, OMac, Still a few miles in the old girl: Jones, Pedo, Bugg, Kent, Tyson, Jeffy, AVB, Lewis Just running in: Spargo, Weidemann Still on the lot: Baker, Kielty, Petty One owner, only driven to church on Sundays.

I thought this was a topic about Stuart Dew!

Nah, Jesse is a keeper. He was waddling like a duck trying to warm up to come back on at one stage yesterday, and looked like spent a fair bit of time on the pine. Hope he gets back to some fitness and form. If we traded players based on yesterday's performance, there would not be enough teams to trade with.

We get found out at the G because we have to run back further and wider harder. We get cut to ribbons when opposition push into space and take oodles of uncontested marks. Swans moved it up the Southern side wing over and over by short passes to unmanned players. We didnt even make a basic contest of most of them. This included leaving players unmarked at the top of the 50 m arc for 10+ seconds, who can receive an easy uncontested mark and goal. I think it is our structure, the way we run our zone, and the fact that we drop off doing the core thing (making contests) that wins us games. On smaller grounds, we seem to cover back and across reasonable well. We often give up the first or second possie so we can cover off the 80-40m kick. However, we were woefully outrun across the width of the MCG ALL DAY, and had such poor footskills that we were caught out on our offensive plays as we ran off players - only to give them the ball and space to attack with. Our defensive system failed yesterday from half forward all the way up the park. Our disposal skills made things worse.

I would say on the chopping block: pedo, Hunt, JKH, avb spargo playing injured? Max and Hogan down but probably retain Jones, ANB, Garlett who could come up? kent, Bugg, Weids, Kielty, josh Wagner?? Back from injury? milky and hibbo We are easy to beat at big grounds. Spread harder, get lots of uncontested marks, find the player free because the lazy Melbourne player has not pushed back to cover. Fix this, everything changes

He can be as arrogant as he likes. Winners are grinners, we are just a sad bunch of losers

He was an absolute [censored] to us today

Shitty mcshitface

OK, I have had the trip home to settle down a bit. That was a [censored] disgrace. We had a number of players who were down on form. It is probably better to talk about who had a good game, as the list of ‘missing’ was massive. Oliver, Hogan, Nibbler. VBD was a disgrace in the first half. Goal kicking. Kicking into 50. Footskills. Thinking!!!! Bad kicking is bad football. I am past disappointed, because we shoulda and coulda, but didn’t. Jones was a headless chook today, he had a stinker. Pedo did a few things later, but was a poor selection. Gawn was outmarked all day, even by a jockey. Hogan couldn’t mark his undies with a shart. TMac was awful at goal kicking. It was endemic. Oliver was either well held or just off. Will be interesting (not!) to hear what Goody has to say. More blah blah blah. Honestly, he needs to upgrade the talent if he wants them not to wilt like little pansies. A tick to Harmes. Other than that?? Most of them can go and get [censored]

Now 8 point lead

In the dying moments I was praying “NO DRAW”!!! When the Hawks stuck the last one, that settled the nerves.

Two main thought processes in play for me: We only move them on if we get better in return - ie, picks, cap space, player etc. We have to be thinking in terms of upgrades, not just getting rid of people. Think of Watts out (+15% salary) and Fritsch in. Guys that want to leave (retire or more opportunities) can go, and we do the best we can on the payoff side of it. Our team is now one that has to shift from being seen as ‘potential’ and instead be looking in terms of capability. I think we are short in the following areas: Back up ruck (King and Flipper are a long way off) Running defenders and quarterbacks (Lewis and Vince are not getting younger) Outside mids (Baker looks the goods, but needs to develop a bit more) So our needs should drive the choices. Lets not piff people out until we can get better.

You raise an interesting point, Mr T. How many weeks does he have to get before it is seen as a satisfactory outcome for society and the game? If it is less, it invites external interference including legal action. The Tribunal have to get this number right. It has to are into account that this was an 18 year old kid and the sever damage that was caused by the action. It also needs to set a precedent to stop it happening again. Also, Nisbett is caught on his own desire to be a media [censored].

So, given all of that, do we still want him?

I think there were a lot more use of the bench for max and Clarry than normal. Clarry also rested forward a lot. I think this was really smart by the coaches. I will check the TOG but I reckon it may be Max’s lowest for the year. He also let others take forward half ruck contests and sat on the wing a kick behind play. I think this contributed to us going 5:1 in the clearances to more breakeven. Also, We were brought down to their level a bit, and they did step up and make an effort (even if it was NEFL standard).

Went to the Dorks - bummers game. Neither has a game for finals. No pressure, must have been the lowest number of ball ups I’ve seen. Low tackle counts. Hawks too clever in their 50. Bummers only good when they spread from half back. Not scared of either.

Its interesting that the bookies pay out at 24 points in front. That must be statistically an important barrier. Those knobs dont like giving money away...

The first time he smashes (legally) a Gold Coast player is going to be very exciting! In fact, I think it is a drinking game: Every time he slams someone = Skoll!

Just received an email from the kiddies school. AFL have given them some free tix to the match, so looks like they are trying to get some numbers along. Good luck with that!

3 direct and influential assists last week, beside his own goals. Plus plenty of movement to be a target and pressure. I dont underrate that performance, and if he builds more from here, will be brilliant add to the forward structure that has been missing him for the middle part of the season.