Demonised

So many Hawthorn hacks off the ground went straight to a Hawks player. Couldn't believe it.

Where do people think Mitch White stands? Obviously Wagner has been preferred so far this year, but is he close? On the outer? Born under a wanderin' star?

And I didn't know until you just pointed it out. Well, I never ...

Not a bad article. This Adam Woolcock can write, for one, and he's put his finger on some troublesome areas for us. Is he the headline right? I hope not, but we'll know at the end of the year.

Nicely formatted. Extra kudos for using bullet points.

There, there.

It's not just dropping the knees, either. It's the throwing the arm up to leverage the tackle neck-wards. Appalling.

Dunn is a better mark than Garland? Respectfully disagree. Dunn's overhead work has been embarrassing, especially this year.

Nope. As the rules currently say, ball held in --> ball up. Just dropping the ball and throwing a fist/foot at it? And why not? At least it keeps the thing moving.

I get petrified about every game. I've been a Demons supporter for too long.

Can't see that happening. Players standing around looking at each other? Our game would still reward the skilful, hard possession and disposal. If someone takes possession, is tackled correctly they'd still have two opportunities - dispose of it correctly or attempt to dispose of it correctly. The balance is still in favour of the player going for the ball, not the lurker waiting to tackle.

Can't see that happening. Our game would still reward the skilful, hard possession and disposal.

I favour getting rid of prior opportunity all together. At the moment, it gives carte blanche for players to take the ball, simply clutch it to their chest and accept the tackle, knowing that they'll get a ball up and can reset. Forget it. If you're tackled, you immediately have to get rid of the ball correctly - or make a legitimate attempt. This will keep the ball moving, open things up, reduce the number of ball ups. Yes, if you take the ball and are immediately tackled well by someone you didn't see coming, you're pinged - unless you punch or kick it away. Good enough for me.

The laws of the game only talk about 'correct disposal', nothing about the ball hitting the ground. Who knows what umpires think, but since most of them are apparently mindreaders and know what players' intentions are, I bet some could convince themselves that a dropkick was what the player was trying to do all along ...

The official rules of the game here. Read and scratch your head in puzzlement.

Played for ten years in the Amateurs through the eighties, a local side, the same one that Peter Norman (Mexico City Olympic Silver medallist) played at, although he was before my time. One premiership, one runners-up, a couple of B&Fs (one in the seniors, one in the reserves). Saw lots of good players, had a great time. I still dream football dreams.

Verily.

Is Dunn done? I accept that he's a fine kick, but he's now losing one on ones - something that was a strength of his a few years ago. And his approach to marking ... Sad if this is so, and it would leave our backline very wobbly.

Can't see Dunn going forward. His approach to marking has me seriously worried.

Two observations: 1. Centre bounces, Max was getting his hand to the ball, but we had few clean takeaways. Saints had more. 2. We had very little of last week's fast spread or switching. I blame cramped Etihad to some - but not all - extent.

Mmm ... apple pie ...

Disagree with this. A hundred times we see someone running with the flight of the ball (eyes on ball or not) crashing into the player trying to mark and a free kick is paid, whether the spoil is made or not. But not this time.

I've watched the last few seconds of the game again and again and I can't see how Billy Stretch didn't get a free for the front on spoil .

A Demonland discussion with actual statistics and evidence? Have I stumbled into an alternative dimension?

Ugly win is win.