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Hollow? I don't care if we had to beat the Western Sydney Under 12 Irish Dancing team if that is the only way to break the Ethiad hoodoo.

But if you are correct why were the Hawks players recklessly courting injury by thrashing Brisbane? Improving their percentage was irrelevant to the ladder. I watched the Freo game and rather than assumed they would take the foot off the pedal I had the impression they were trying just as hard. We just started to get our (admittedly not great) act together.

Well said. Some aren't in a veil or fog of negativity. It is more like they are in a treacle of negativity.

Apologies if this has already been discussed but was anybody else appalled by the lack of information about Jones' and Spencer's injuries during the broadcast. What other club's Captain goes off injured in his 200th game and we don't hear constant updates /speculations about what is happening. And then that idiot Dermott says Spencer hasn't had a kick or whatever for some time when in fact he hasn't been back on the field for a quarter or so.

I haven't read all the posts, but I haven't seen anyone saying they were 'happy with conceding the first 10 goals'. But I have seen and written posts that point out that unlike previous weeks (which go to your first sentence) the effort was there, however unsuccessful it was. And later on the effort did lead to limited success against the odds and against a team with a lot more to play for and with than us. If Freo supporters took your positive type of stance, they'd be cutting their wrists for their club allowing Melbourne to recover so easily and shredding their GF tickets.

I wonder how long it will be before players deliberately try to upend themselves over the guy who is trying to get the ball rather than trying to get to the ball first.

But it was reality. There was lots of effort in the first quarter. Result was terrible, but the effort was there (unlike other weeks). I thought we did really well considering: - we were 2 players down including the captain (who while not dominating in recent weeks at least ties up one of their players to keep him quiet). - packed home crowd in WA full of finals excitement - playing raw guys like MacJunior, some known NQR's and missing quite a few good players against a top side desperate to ensure a home final - our history and another bad start Could have easily led to a 186+ but we kept the margin pretty consistent for the rest of the match which means we were competitive. I saw little evidence that Freo took their foot off the pedal, leaving aside Pavlich at the end. Their players were still hard at it and ran fast. The difference was we just got our act together. My apologies for this fog of positivity.

We've got this one. Recently we haven't remembered to start playing till about 4pm in Melbourne. But that is 2pm in WA so we'll be ready to go when the match starts today.

I agree. What I don't like is interpretations varying from week to week (or within a game)

Maybe I've been asleep in recent weeks ( a comforting place to be) but when did the interpretation of grabbing the player who has just taken a mark get changed? There was a time when you'd get a 50m penalty for just touching him. Now it seems you can wrap your arms around him as long as it is just momentarily.

A lot fewer postings on Demonland.

That reaction sounds like a case of MFCSS - a search for a negative twist on a vaguely positive stat (however meaningless). If we did score high on your 'resulted in a direct scoring shot' stat, most likely it would be because the ball is so rarely in our forward line so our defenders are swimming against the tide for most of the 120 minutes giving them more opportunities to butcher it. Would probably be the case even if they were the best defence in the league.

Snuck one in on this list: http://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/2015/08/27/martin-blake-picks-afl-australian-team/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150828%20The%20New%20Daily%20%281%29&utm_content=&spMailingID=23366425&spUserID=MTAyNjUwMzI2MzU2S0&spJobID=622634566&spReportId=NjIyNjM0NTY2S0

I think you are right OD. Especially since Freo need to win to ensure a home final. No hope we'd encounter them resting.

This positivity is going to work. Watch out Freo.

True, but we won't become even a hill of beans again if we get into a tizz about this sort of thing.

Mountain out of a molehill. Move on.

Roos says on the one hand our negativity may affect at least a small group of players, yet he goes on to say Richmond's Cotchin tells him he'd never heard of 9thmond. That seems a contradiction, but I suspect Cotchin either never reads anything or was telling porkies. I suspect Roos' comments arise from his being connected, until now, only with successful clubs in recent years. Nowadays (unlike the past) it is easy for disgruntled supporters to send emails or tweet etc. Must be a bit of a shock to his system. It is human nature to bleat when things are going badly and say nothing when we win. Surprised he mentioned any of this - I suspect his own confidence is low.

To focus on another clUb's woes rather Than ours: WADA hearing is Nov 16.

Apologies if his has already been discussed about Roos making positive noises about staying on, but reading some of the posts I maybe it has not: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-08-21/endofyear-games-are-mentally-tough-for-players-roos "I love the footy club, if Peter (Jackson) and Simon and Josh (Mahoney) wanted to chat to me at some point next year about some sort of role yeah I'd be more than willing to talk.

While he continued to play (well) Wingard didn't actually jump to his feet immediately - he was flat on his back for quite a while. Surely that has to be more than low impact - medium?

Anyone know why the Hawks took Lake off rather than Frawley? Not tanking are they?

Those Hawthorn player sure don't like losing or even the prospect of losing. And I don't mean in the way that inspires their play. I mean they whinged about free kicks as much as the typical one-eyed supporter does rather than just get on with the game.

Ramification are never positive for some. Some will say that if we win vs Carlton it will be because they are tanking, if we win vs Freo it's because they are resting and if we beat GWS it will be because they have given up on finals (assuming they are out by then). I'll be happy with 1 win, very happy with 2 and delirious with 3.

I'm impressed by your ability to quantify things. It wasn't good, it was a setback - but 12 months?