jnrmac

I'll write the headlines now: WE WIN: Lions can't win the flag at the MCG WE LOSE: Dees can't win the flag at the MCG

It's the same thing

The coaching and fitness staff map out the whole year and look at all the breaks between games, travel, byes etc. They build a plan around that and maybe have to adjust for injuries and possibly easy vs hard games. Its no surprise to hear that the players had a special training regimen for the 3 x 10 day breaks that took into account how we faded last year. In fact I would be surprised and disturbed if we hadn't done that. AS frustrating as our games against Geelong and the giants has been Goodwin has always focused on the bigger picture which is getting a fit and healthy list to a top 4 position. Its us supporters that feel the angst when we drop winnable games. I'm nervous but I trust them at this point.

Or he may not. Or he may get injured We don't have any idea. Grundy is a great get at a good price to replace Jacko while we are in our 'window' and while we are grooming another young ruckman. Our club has a good record in generating highly competitive ruckmen and I suspect it will continue.

we could be 1 game in to a 16-0 run through the GF. Just sayin....

err he replace Jackson and is costing us less than what Jackson would have cost.

You cant seriously be equating the Brownlow voting process to the way the Rising Star award is chosen ?

I see what you did there....

Since 1996 - 26 years - only 3 players have won after rd 9 Kozitscke 2001 /Rd 14 DTalia 2012 /Rd 12 C Mills 2016 /rd 16 What kind of award is it that only players nominated before rd 9 have a realistic chance of winning?

Better than a ruckman who never played fwd....

It's why it's a [censored] award. No player nominated after rd8 usually wins. Good players often don't get nominated because only 1 player per round can be nominated Its fluff. Don't worry about it. He's ours. Be happy about that

We did hit the post 4 times on the weekend,.

It didn't fire them up after Jackson whooped both of them

3 St kilda players? Please. Marshall was outstanding. The other two don't deserve votes

He does my head in. That simple hit up kick to Bbb missed and then kicking a high ball to Spargo was peak stupidity. Should be dropped for that alone. Has been garbage that past 4 weeks

We hit the post 4 times, them 3

Bench pickett or put him in the middle. Has been completely useless Grundy pathetic. Or fumbling is atrocious and we've had 4fwd 50 marks. FU Melbourne you're ruining my year

And it's more thanthat as well because every point kicked keeps the opposition in the game By failing to kill games early we make it harder for ourselves because the oppo stays in games longer with a sniff of winning

We can all see it but the brains trust are struggling to manage the required change.

He hands concrete hands like Chris Dawes

ANB was terrible and fumbly when he began as a player. So much so he was put on the trade list with no takers. He came back and was an integral part of our premiership. But I have noticed that how has now returned to that fumbly unreliable player. In particular when he is about to be tackled he hugs the ball and goes to ground. It looks like its under instruction - to create a stoppage - but it seems to be happening more and more. Is letting us down increasingly so not sure what to do with him.

So much on the money here. The Sparrow ignore screams they know where its going - long We're not holding the ball in our 50. We're 17th in the last 6 weeks. 4 marks in our fwd 50 from 70+ entries. FMD what a sh8tshow

So attack his arguments rather than the man. Oh you can't because he is spot on.

Gaz is 100% right. No care for team mates , no selfless footy. Clearly playing to instruction - kick the ball on the forwards head in a three on one. No one anywhere leading towards the ball carrier. Haven't seen that in the last 10 rounds. And then we have NQRs like ANB and Harmes and Brayshaw who can't hit the side of a barn Most frustrating side in the comp. Its all coaching. He has them completely confused and clueless about how to play forward. WTF is Stafford doing?

A big IF for mine but maybe they have seen the back half of the season and concluded that it is an 'easier' run of games and there is time to build. Rd 16 we are top 4 so things are all OK. Start to fine tune our form into finals with a hopefully healthy list. It has quite a bit of risk to it though but it is a long season I maintain we changed the way we play for the Carlton game as a pre-cursor or dress rehearsal for the Collingwood game. We now know that works. Similar to what Geelong did against us last year - they revealed some tactics assuming they would meet us in finals. That gives me some comfort they have a plan they are working towards. A finals style that can win big games. But the jury is still out for me and it seems like we are playing with fire a bit. A few things go wrong - like Fritsch - and we are back in the pack making life much harder for ourselves.