mauriesy

You missed the bit where we blame the umpires for half our shortcomings.

That would be lovely, lovely, lovely ... wouldn't it?

It's an indicator, but it's not pointless and it's not an excuse. It's simply a comparison of experience as one factor in list maturity, therefore ability to cope with pressure, build physical strength over time, and understand the structures and nuances of the game. Experience without talent means nothing, but talent without experience needs time to build. The problem in the past was that we couldn't get to a certain level of experience because the talent wasn't there and we delisted lots of players before they got to 100+. I also missed: Port Adelaide 17 North Melbourne 10 Given the list including these two is the current top 11 teams this year, Melbourne is the definite experience "outlier". That doesn't mean we can't make finals this year, but I think it does mean that we can have real optimism in 2019 and 2020 when the list matures, just as Judd says. You also missed the fact that the last Geelong premiership side, seven years ago in 2011, had huge experience with the likes of Scarlett, Ling, Mackie, Lonergan, Hunt, Johnson, Enright, Wocjinski, Chapman, Kelly, Stokes, Ottens and Bartel.

Here's another example of the experience and maturity of our list. Number of players with 100 or more games experience: Hawthorn 17 Collingwood 16* Geelong 15 Adelaide 15 West Coast 14 Richmond 14 Sydney 13 GWS 13 Melbourne 8 * includes Grundy who plays his 100th game this week.

You build a potential side around a tough, skillful and experienced midfield. You can have stars and/or talent on every other line, but the midfield is the engine room that makes you go places. It's been the case with every premiership side, such as Brisbane in the early 2000s, Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong. Collingwood's midfield comprises players like (games played in brackets) Pendlebury (268), Sidebottom (202), Treloar (135), Adams (111). Geelong has Selwood (266), Selwood (161), Ablett (314), Dangerfield (218), Duncan (174), even Guthrie (135). Richmond has Cotchin (214), Martin (194), Edwards (224), Houli (180), Caddy (132). We've got Jones (256), but as a comparison we are building our real midfield around Brayshaw (50), Viney (95), Petracca (55), Oliver (52), Salem (62), Harmes (62), Neil-Bullen (51), Fritsch (16) etc. You work it out. These games played stats highlight our present condition, but are also a reason for huge optimism. It's hard to be patient when we've been down as long as we have but we have reason to be genuinely optimistic. They are not "excuses", just reality. Calling the side "mentally weak", highlighting deficiencies in individual players, saying someone "should never play again", asking for the coach to be sacked and handing in our memberships will never overcome that current lack of experience. They are just poor analyses, and mentally weak in themselves. I agree with Judd. It's a good summation of where we are and where we are going. I'm look forward to the next two years with great anticipation, regardless of whether we make the 8 this year (which I think we still can).

The Age must see it differently. They gave Jetta 7 votes.

West Coast in Perth last year?

I didn't realise a TV knows where the signal comes from when someone watches it. So, how many people watch an AFL game on Foxtel? Do you know? What about all the people who might watch it on AFL Live (like me)? Or who stream it otherwise on an internet channel? What about everyone who watches Foxtel in pubs and clubs? You need to update your idea of "television" in terms of exposure.

Last time I saw, Foxtel was TV.

Oh FCS, I've walked the Larapinta trail in July and the weather is very pleasant. Not much different to physical activity anywhere else.

When? We won the game in Alice Springs easily. We won the game in Darwin easily. We won the game after Darwin easily, running away with it in the second half. It's a long bow to suggest Darwin will still be a factor this weekend. Where's the massive fitness advantage to the opposition?

I don't see why that means we shouldn't be.

Gee, there's a lot of huffing and puffing on here about what should be a basic recovery for professional athletes. We won the week after Darwin and surged in the second half of the game, didn't we? Must have been really tired from the tropical exertion. Blame Hibberd's quad, done at training this morning, on a game two weeks ago? Or a toe injury to Stretch that is probably not even related to heat and humidity? Or Viney's foot condition that was pre-existing? Correlation does not equal causation, and in these instances there's probably not even a correlation. What about all the people in the NT who love going to the games? The TV exposure we get, not just during the game? The great financial benefits? Oh, that's right, just abandon the concept and leave it to "someone else".

Well, someone else will just have to step up.

If he went to Fremantle and kicked 3 goals a game, it would be half their score. ?

Every time?

We also need to accumulate reasons for him to come, accumulated enough salary cap, and accumulate our support.

Gawn would be up there if it wasn't for his injured 2017.

Gaff can accumulate 35 possessions in my side any time he likes.

You've got two choices ... look backwards with despair at the past, or look forward with optimism at where our group of players is going. I prefer the latter, and I'm with ProDee. While I think great things in 2018 might be premature (although you never discount anything) it's still a stepping stone. In 2019 and 2020 we'll see this team really arrive. Slashing your wrists in the meantime is, of course, your prerogative.

That's irrelevant to what you said. You said he "wilted under pressure" when in fact his output in the last two losing games has been the same as all the other games he's played this season i.e he averages 29 possessions a game. We could do with an outside player who accumulates that many, if that is the word you wish to use instead of "he gets it a lot". And no one on here has said he's a "messiah". More exaggeration from you. He would just add class, not change the side completely.

In the last two matches, Gaff had 24 possessions against the Swans and 32 against the Bombers (easily the Eagles highest possession winner). Hardly "wilting under pressure"

Wright is playing in the reserves for a side that is bottom four with a percentage of 62. They can't kick more than 5 goals a game, yet he can't get a game. I don't see how he'd help, let alone giving away JKH and swapping a worse pick.

You must be watching a different Jones to me.

One player shouldn't make a 7-goal difference. We were at full strength otherwise. I hope all those here who were ridiculing Champion Data's rating of the Collingwood midfield are thinking again. De Goey, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Treloar et al are a very good combination and well above ours. BTW, I don't think Cox would be anywhere near as effective if it were wet. Collingwood had better hope for dry finals.