Nasher

The only team we've played near the bottom end of the ladder was Carlton, and that was during our horror stretch of 6 day breaks and half the team out injured. Most sides just don't allow themselves to be crushed - we certainly haven't. We've got North and Brisbane in the run home. Let's revisit this then.

Far out. Without a word of a lie, I wrote that Dory joke on here the other day then decided it was probably too obscure for people to get, so I didn't post it. Hope nobody laughs at it now!

Doesn't tackle much, but when he does, they hurt. That tackle 15 metres out after the unluckiest bounce ever was an absolute ripper. I'm still in disbelief at such a good player landing on our lap. He hasn't had a poor game since joining.

It took the heat off ANB as well. If he'd had the shot and missed it could well have cost us the game. I was crapping myself watching ANB line up. Everyone I was watching with just started laughing when he passed off to Lewis. The relief of the pressure dissipating was palpable. Where were the Carlton defenders? In their shoes I'd be filthy that they didn't force ANB to take the shot.

Thought so. Didn't get the long term deal right but as if he was going to leave.

He and Hibberd sang the absolute sheet out of the song. Loved it.

I saw Viney grimace in pain with the shoulder while on the bench. Could he... could he be human after all? Nah. What an effort that was.

When he said on 360 that he was going to bounce back in a big way, I believed him. He mentioned being a proud player, but he's also obviously very confident and knows what he is capable of. Last week obviously stung.

I think on current form, you'd have to play them all and wait until it becomes apparent which one doesn't fit in. You'd think Pedersen and OMac were still the most vulnerable, but I can't see how you'd justify dropping either of them. Anyway, I'm nearly in a good enough mood to stop stomping on@picket fence's fingers and let him on the bandwagon.

Because it's interesting?

Who is worried about tackles?

To answer my own question a bit, looking at the numbers closely, our defenders are nearly all in the bottom few players for tackles. Hibberd and the McDonald bros regularly feature at the bottom end of the ladder. The inside mids (Viney, Oliver etc) sit at the top. The ladder for 1%ers - of which spoils is a key feature - almost looks like the tackles ladder in reverse, with Hibberd, McDonald bros, Frost and Jetta often featuring at the top.

I don't understand the lack of tackles - he's such a strong competitor in general and very hard to get the footy past; winning tackles seems like the next logical piece. He's got 4 tackles in total in 7 games for the MFC. That's a very low number whichever way you cut it. Maybe it is a genuine weakness in his game, but so far nobody cares because his contests and use of the footy out of the back line are first rate, and an element we've been absolutely screaming for. I'm sure not complaining at all, just trying to understand.

All three teams are below us on the ladder Steve. I know that doesn't necessarily mean we're better, but it does mean they have plenty of flaws to be exposed, just as we do. Get around us!

There are so many posters who are guilty of being biased towards 30 seconds of play DA (read: probably all of us), but very few capable of recognising it after the fact and correcting. Great post.

Not a bad effort for someone "completely and utterly out of his depth".

No, it's bagging him incessantly when he isn't playing well that isn't right. Your claim that now is the time to show respect nearly made me throw up - it's always time to show respect, and you don't. Glad you were happy with his output yesterday.

Nah, I reckon it's yet another soft effort from PF. The time to show Oscar some respect was before, when he was struggling a bit, rather than laying in to him excessively. Supporting players when they play well is the easy bit.

I'm sure Steve appreciates the reminder that what he posted was his opinion. I'm not sure whose opinion he thought he was posting.

Hmm. I thought I recalled him being promoted - maybe I'm thinking of Mitch Clisby from a couple of years ago.

And for what it's worth: Lumumba, JKH, Kennedy, White and Trengove to go. 5 is a pretty reasonable turnover. [ed: forgot White was only on the rookie list. Four changes to the senior list might be underdoing it.] Hulett or King will only go if we need spots, and only with the intention of being rookie listed. Otherwise they'll be given time as developing talls. vanders will be signed for another two, or one if the injury prognosis is really grim. Has too high a ceiling to give up on him yet. Tim Smith for a second year on the rookie list if he doesn't do enough for a promotion to the senior list in the back half of the season. Isn't Pedersen up again this year? Thought he only signed for one. He's a year by year proposition, but at this stage I'm leaning towards keeping him while there is so much uncertainty around our development talls.

It's never too soon. I start thinking about it before round 1 usually. It's fun to see how my own view changes as the season unfolds.

With pick 9? And being Nathan's brother would have been irrelevant to the recruitment team. If I was going to rewrite history on that draft I'd pick Cripps at 9 - but I'm pretty happy with Salem.

Great compilation - a mix of clutch moments in games (how calm was Jeff White?) and just miracle goals. Funny how to passage of time becomes blurry after a while. I had to double take when I saw Dean Kent on screen in one of the Flash goals. Hard to believe Flash has only been off the list for four years, that feels like a bloody lifetime ago.

To be honest I reckon ANB was expecting a kick, but I agree all the same. Watching "all the goals", ANB was instrumental in a number of them. I know not everyone loves stats but he lead the team for goal assists and equal second for inside 50s. He was a key link in the chain. Probably never going to be much more than a decent foot soldier, but he has been good for a lot of the year.