Nasher

t_u, I reckon this is the first time in 11 years I've read one of your posts and gone "what?!". I fully understand the concerns over his ball use sometimes, and he had too many clangers against Geelong for sure (also an outlier compared to recent form this year IMO), but he exemplifies the way we want to approach the game. Of the names he's competing with, including Hannan, Spargo, JKH, Kent, Garlett etc - he is tougher, more contested and tackles better than any of them. It outweighs the occasional misuse of the ball easily. His name doesn't even come up if I'm in the match committee. Edit: some stats, if interested: If you use the "clanger" stat as proxy for poor ball use (I prefer it over DE% as what's defined as an efficient disposal seems totally arbitrary - a clanger is defined as a disposal that directly gives the opposition the ball back), the stats support your position - his percentage of clangers to possessions was 38% - second only to Melksham at 55% (want to drop Melksham?) - the only other to come close was Brayshaw at 31%. Looking at the team's season average, the median is about 14% and the mean 16% so the acceptable range is somewhere in the 11-20% range. On that basis, 38% is way out of bounds. Our worst players across the season have been Hunt, Maynard, Bugg, Pedersen and Frost. There are no surprises there, accept that none of them have played a lot of games, though most have been available for most of the season with the exception of Maynard, and Hunt if you really want to stretch the definition, which is probably not a coincidence. Vanders previous games registered 14%, 20%, 14% and 14%, so that would support my supposition that this game was an outlier. I know it relies on a heavy assumption that the CG stat is a good proxy for poor disposal (especially in that it doesn't account for the kicks that slightly miss the mark and cause a contest, where a better one would have put it down the forward's throat etc), but I thought it interesting and tells the story I thought it would. I know plenty of people will say "stats schmats", those people need not bother replying.

Hibberd is partial to a bit of soreness, so it’s probably just general management. Fingers crossed. While losing him wouldn’t be ideal, half-back also happens to be where we’re best equipped to cover anyway with the likes of J.Smith and Hunt primed and ready. It wouldn’t be a game changer. Great to hear Bernie’s firing. If he’s ready it’s hard to see him getting selected in the firsts, but Casey have a huge PF this week and having him in would help enormously.

I can't explain how excited I am about this. I don't think I've felt as good about our footy team as I do now. Even in 2000 - that was a great ride, but it was against the odds and we were never going to beat the unstoppable Bummers in that year. This year, we've navigated just about every hurdle we needed to (can't beat top 8 sides being the biggest), we're in form at the right time, we play a style of footy that is built for finals, and we're every bit as good as any of the teams we're going to come up against. It's the polar opposite of how I felt in the run of games prior to the West Coast game, where the leadup to every game felt like a complete grind. Just waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the team to clear that final hurdle to prove they are as capable as we all hoped. Finally they got there with the West Coast win. The game's obviously not won yet though and by Friday afternoon I won't even be able to pretend to work anymore and I'll be on the brink of a good spew - standard fare for all of us this week I suppose. I'll be bitterly disappointed if we can't get it done, but we also have to understand that by this stage of the comp, every team will be as determined as we are, and there can only be one winner in every game. I believe we will anyway, we are good enough. Go Melbourne.

Prior to the game he was 25.15. I know it's nitpicking as your post was intended to be positive, but I reckon it's harsh to refer to his miss as "trademark" - this was the first week his behinds outstripped his goals by more than 1. In general he's a decent shot for goal. Melksham and Petracca are the serial missers for mine.

Yeah, I’m due. TMac-Petracca chest bump should get the job done I think. If I can find a good pic today, up it goes.

Moloney, Sylvia, McLean, Bell?

@Fifty-5‘s point still stands generally, in that supporters looking two weeks ahead makes no difference to anything at all. Unless you have some (as yet unspecified) reason to believe the players are getting ahead of themselves, but that’s not what you made it sound like.

Uh, I... er... hate to interrupt, but did anyone hear the interview or track down a link to it?

Harmes has even developed a neat little don’t argue. Could be a whole game of no. 4s not arguing.

Ahahaha. A slow Sunday afternoon, @Demonland? ?

Much like with Brayshaw, necessity brought him some opportunity when Viney went out. My favourite part about this whole story is that since he’s started playing “stopping” roles, he’s become more of an offensive weapon than he’s ever been. I was curious to see how he’d go with Viney back, given he had essentially been playing Viney’s role. It’s an “inside heavy” midfield with those two, Oliver, Brayshaw and Tyson all spending time in there. All seem capable of getting on the outside when needed as well though. It’s turning in to one hell of a formidable midfield.

Most of that was pretty reasonable. I’m happy for them to be confident - taking them by surprise will make taking them down all the sweeter.

hah, how cringeworthy is this? Imagine having the job of just walking around a room interrupting everyone’s conversation or routine or whatever they’re doing. Most of them were still processing the interruption well in to their answers ?

This is an epic goal post shift. You’ve gone from endorsing Greene’s actions, about how tough he is and should be left alone, to rambling about the toothless MRP and how “the players have to police it”. The players should police a legitimate, tough tactic?

Your missus joins the long list of Demonland member other halves who think their spouse is completely insane. I’ll ask my wife if there will be a welcoming party.

??

Looks like Viney was the one who actually kicked it in the Ablett one. I’d say it should have been a free kick for HTB but I accept that it would have been impossible to tell whose foot the ball hit in real time.

Pics or it didn’t happen.

Players make errors.

@david_neitz_is_my_dad

Cue Mitch Hannan, Titanic moment? That was the equivalent to the Kent goal against West Coast for me, where the lid blew off. Happy times.

The post you quoted is the first one I’ve ever seen that confuses Jack Viney with Jimmy Toumpas.

Vanders played like that all night. Just an absolute bulldozer that plays a game style perfect for his build. So happy that he’s back playing and looking better than ever.

Haha. The Watts QB goal was the first time I’d seen one of these, but this one definitely tops it. What a moment. Someone in the cheer squad got the happiest falcon of their life too by the looks.

Yes, because each one was super critical. 5 contested, of which I can recall 3 were on Danger when forward: the one handed mark that would have been a free, and the two actual frees that came about from being in the prime position.