Lord Travis

This is a midfielder heavy draft. Cadman is the best tall forward and looks the only one likely to be top 10. One scarcity and who's currently down the bottom holding those picks, I dare say he'll go pick 4-5. Unless we can get a top 5 pick, he's not a realistic option for us unfortunately. He looks good to me on limited viewing. Pairing him with JVR one term would be deelightful. I thought the same thing about Hogan and Weideman though 😢

Considering we went 10-0 and are still second on the ladder, I haven't enjoyed this season anywhere near as much as I should've. Hope and expectation have made it very frustrating watching games. We don't play an attractive brand of football, so winning is what you watch and hang your hat on. 2018 was different because we played an exciting attacked brand, the current brand not so much. It matters for naught then if you win, as that's the goal. When you watch and see them sputter along past bottom teams, you get frustrated because you know the team is capable of so much more. Reality is beating a bottom four team by 4-5 goals is fine, but it doesn't feel that way at the time. Then losing just sucks. We've been through enough of that for a lifetime, and when it happens against middle of the road teams you should beat without breaking a sweat, it sucks. Despite being second on the ladder, we're now underperforming and potentially wasting an opportunity. We've seen what we're capable of last season and for parts of this season, so it's frustrating to underperform. I don't think we'll see a repeat of last season in my lifetime. Our finals series and grand final performance were the most dominant by any team I can recall. I enjoyed it and I accept I won't see it again, let alone again live at the MCG. I was hoping for a dynasty where we win a few, but that seems less likely now. This year looks to be slipping away, and next year we'll potentially have lost gun players and become a weaker outfit. It sort of feels like a waste. No team can always be up and win every single match, but when you're in the emotion of a match and losing to a team like Collingwood then it feels [censored]. The Jackson and Brayshaw contract situations have left a sour taste in my mouth. I should be enjoying being second on the ladder, not constant speculation about the futures of our stars. If players won't commit together and stay now, then when will they ever? Whether you think it or not, it has effected the team onfield too. If you don't trust your mate, you don't go hard for him. The selflessness that got us to the prize last year is gone, and it's in part to those two IMO. So no, I haven't enjoyed this season much due to expectation and reality of underperformance. Call me entitled or whatever you want, but that's just my take and I hope like hell we get our [censored] together for September so I can enjoy it to the fullest again!

Yeah that interview was deflating. Talked about position on field being a factor in decision. He also used to language that suggested past tense when speaking about the club, implying mentally that he’s made the decision consciously or not to move on. I definitely thought he was staying and Jackson was going. After hearing the interview today, talk about position and the subtle language change, it now seems like both are leaving. What a crap result that would be!

It's an interesting one with Weid as he's clearly a bit of a whipping boy and posters on here are still having a go. While he didn't impact the game across four quarters, none of our players really did. A bit of perspective on his output might re-align expectations. He kicked 3 goals, and if he replicated his game on the weekend every week he'd win the Coleman. I'm not saying he's a superstar or had a brilliant game, but his output was decent in the scheme of things and he shouldn't be singled out from the Bulldogs match. He had a few team mates far more deserving of such focused criticism (Jackson, Harmes, Spargo to name a few).

Whenever Gus and Gawn get time to do it, usually Thursday or mid-late week.

Zero tackles inside 50 was the result of two things. The first is actually a positive, we were very very efficient last night when going inside 50 until late in the game. Our efficiency is what kept us ahead for most of the match, as we weren’t winning key stats. Every time we went inside 50 we were scoring. The Dogs were nearly +20 inside 50s, yet behind on the scoreboard due to our efficiency. Hard to lay a tackle when you’re scoring so well. The second is a negative, and it’s our smalls pushing further up the ground and becoming ineffective. Guys like Spargo and Nibbler were all the way up into defense at times, which meant they’re not laying tackles inside 50 or creating scoring opportunities. Kozzie was just plain ineffective last night. The balance of our gamestyle is off at present. We’re struggling to defend as well as we have previously, yet have players pushed further up the ground getting caught in no man’s land. The coaches need to address our structures and shape as we’re coming apart when under pressure. IMO Brayshaw back to defensive wing role would help. As good as he’s been down back, the team was better balanced when we had another defender like Hunt to lock down on smaller types. Gus when playing wing covered the corridor really well and teams would actively avoid going up the middle or his wing as he would intercept. In essence his presence forced them to one side of the ground and enabled us to setup behind play to counter that. Back on Weid, he did his bit last night and was not one of the problems or reasons we lost. 3 goals and a presence most of the night. Decent game from Weid.

It seems the following are the likely outcomes after the four remaining matches Win 4 - finish 1st or 2nd Win 3 - finish 1st or 2nd Win 2 - finish 4th to 6th Win 1 - finish 7th or 8th Win 0 - finish 7th to 9th After starting the season 10-0, anything less than top four would be a poor result. It’s very difficult to win the flag from outside the top four, you’d need to be in ripping form and if we finished outside top four we’d be in anything but good form. All our remaining matches are against teams that will play finals and could finish top four. Our record against top eight teams last year was brilliant. This year it’s abysmal. We’ll need to find form quickly or season 2022 is over. You’d have to consider it a waste considering where we were mid year and the fact we may lose some good players over the offseason and our list might get weaker in the short term from here. Fire up Dees please!?!

On form we’re actually about 9th since the bye. We’ve also lost to every side in the top 8 except Brisbane. We’ve only got a few weeks to find some form as it looks like 2022 is turning into a waste.

Was our best forward tonight and kicked 3 goals. Good to see a tall forward actually lead at the ball carrier for once. Well done Weid.

Lever in for Tomlinson. Harmes out. Hunt in, brings balance to the backline. Gus returns to the wing. As good as he’s been down back, the balance isn’t working compared to last year. I’d drop Jackson too but we have no viable replacements so he stays despite being poor for weeks now.

Dogs extend their lead on the free kick ladder. Sickening to think they’ve had over 100 more free kicks than the Tigers. Seriously corrupt. I hate the Dogs. Have zero respect for them as a club. They’re cheats. They’re western suburbs scum. They’re a blight on the game. OUTSIDE 5 YA RECKON

Alarm bells should’ve been ringing for the coaches at half time. We cannot win a shoot out. We are a defensive team that controls games. When teams are able to get a look, we’re powerless to stop them. We’ve lost our aura and teams lick their lips coming up against us. Our elite fitness of last year has deserted us. We’re being overrun repeatedly now. Our midfield needs recalibration to become more defensive. On form, we can’t win the flag, and time is running out to recalibrate and find winning form.

[censored] 2022. Footy has not been enjoyable this year.

If we lose this I’ll be [censored] ropeable

Pay Brayshaw and get rid of Jackson.

Kozzieeeeee

Standard Jackson post bye effort there. Playing a man down with him out there at present.

Midfield to fire up here. Get it done Dees.

If we can get a best 22 player and first round picks I’d be doing the deal without a second thought. He’s a below average player now and I doubt he’ll ever be a top 10 in the league player that Freo will pay him as. Let’s use the hype to improve our list again.

English is killing it. Gawn going ok. Jackson a waste of space, he’s basically like playing a man down recently. The contract stuff has preoccupied him.

This is on the coaches not adjusting the game style at half time. We don’t win shoot outs. We’re a defensive team who controls games.

This type of game doesn’t suit us. Even though we were up at half time alarm bells would’ve been ringing for the coaches. We’re struggling to hold on here and need to slow this game down.

Get Jackson out of the ruck and away from the play. He’s woeful at the moment.

We miss Hunt down back to help with ground balls and quicker smalls.

Great to be up at half time but this isn’t our usual style of play and I reckon Goody would be having a stern word to them at half time. Need to lock down the corridor to stop the momentum swings and control the game.