Nasher

Pretty hard to say Betts goal = loss. Ball goes back to the middle for another long winded scrappy contest. It could very well have been the last score of the game. Anyway he didn’t kick it, so tough luck for them.

Weideman in if Hogan isn’t fit. vandenBerg in if Petracca isn’t fit. No unforced changes.

Yep. He’s running over the centre circle as the ball reaches the Hogan contest.

Level headed isn’t a word I’d use to describe dazzler. And I say that with love.

Great to see him given the chance to lead the boys in after the Lewis chair was finished. He has been important to the team over the journey, even if he’s on the fringes now. Well done and congratulations on the 100 Dom.

The exact moment the pressure valve went whoosh. Epic contest win by Hogan too who otherwise had a game to forget.

Yep. Should have had a goal to his name. I was musing during the game that our #1 starting midfield now has jumper numbers 11, 13, 10 and 4 in it. I definitely would not have expected that at the start of the year. It’ll be interesting to see how the mix changes when Viney returns.

The first half was a cauldron, as you would expect against a decent but not great side, with a massive home ground advantage, hanging on to their season for dear life. I’d love to be up by 50 at half time of every game but I reckon sometimes you also have to acknowledge the force of your opponent pulling in the other direction. We destroyed them in the third. The less said about the last quarter the better, although nothing they did happened with ridiculous ease as it did last week. I’d say we half learned the lesson. Anyway it’s a great relief to have this one chalked up. All positive feelings in this lounge room tonight!

Sweet, sweet Lord. I am not going to survive this season.

Before the game I’d have taken a win of any sort. I’d really like another burial now though. We are poised for it.

Nerves feeling much better now. That was dominance, and this Adelaide side ain’t Geelong hanging on for dear life. Bring it home Demons!

Precisely. The post match is where you judge.

We’re right in it, but this is not doing my nerves any good at all. I don’t know if I can cope with the rest of this season!

It says we’ve lost to the teams above us on the ladder - isn’t that why they’re above us on the ladder? As grim as that looks, as the 7th-ish ranked team, I’m not going to jump off a bridge when presenting with a stat that shows we’ve lost games against the 1-6 ranked teams. That’s kinda how it’s supposed to work.

I would pay $1000 to watch a full game of AFL footy where there were two balls in play at all times.

Oh God. Please tell me it’s not true... ...that someone used the term “leggy blonde” in 2018. Please.

Speak for yourself. I apportion 0% of the blame to myself for the club’s position.

Same. If we win this week, we go in to next week with the same crook feeling in our guts that we all have now. If we lose, still the same crook feeling with an element of panic tossed in. Awesome!

The old “I reckon I have an idea about line coaches from the outer” stance.

That old chestnut. So annoying.

Time has dulled your memory abour how poor a half fit vanders was George. I don’t think you really mean that. I’m excited at the prospect of a fully fit vanders not being far off though. I hope he’s not the traveling emergency unless they think there’s a 99% chance he will play - building match fitness must be the goal at present. It would be a total waste if he doesn’t play at all this weekend.

There has to be a degree of self accountability as well though. The leaders shouldn’t expect to have to explain to Frost that you either need to go with Hawkins or cut off the next option; getting stuck in the middle helps nobody. That’s just one example The majority of the mistakes I’ve noticed were just wrong choices in the heat of the moment. It’s don’t think you can blame that on leadership.

He should have kicked the goal, saty, it’s as simple as that. I agree though that one player shouldn’t take the fall just to sate people’s appetite for a scapegoat. He wasn’t the only player who made a mistake on the night and he was otherwise adequate.

Goodwin has shown zero interest in shuffling fringe players around from wins or narrow losses unless there was a very clear case at any stage this year - either injury or a key player returning. He values team consistency. No problem with that here.

I blame Darwin.