RalphiusMaximus

We have a couple of players who play for head-high frees as well. Ben Kennedy in particular is very good at turning back into the tackler and ducking his shoulder.

Harsh on Gawn. The issue wasn't that he couldn't hit his mids, it was that by the time the ball got to them they were already being tackled.

This

I picked up a tiny snippet from the u18s last season. I was being pummeled by a physio who does some work with the u18 sides and we were chatting about how injuries can impact draft chances. He was of the opinion that it doesn't really impact as the clubs have a pretty good idea by then of who they want. He cited an example of a lad last year who hurt his leg. While they were assessing him, a Melbourne recruiter appeared and told them not to worry or rush back too quickly as they had already decided to take him in the draft.

The AFL have released all the designs. I have to say, ours is one of the best. I grudgingly have to give the Blues a nod as well. I think those two are the best of the bunch.

How good was the pass to Harmes?

And four points

Just double-checked this. You're quite right.

I have only a vague idea of what the first choice side will look like at the halfway point, and indeed by the end. I will say that I am thrilled with the additions I didn't see coming. Seeing Stretch emerge these last couple of games has been a revelation. New additions like Bugg, Kennedy and Wagner who are now holding down spots in the starting side. Hunt getting his chance and starting to show a bit of what he can do. Oliver and Petracca looking like they've been playing AFL for years... I'm not even going to try to predict what happens next.

He was filmed leaving a clinic where scans are often conducted. He said he was fine. His walk looked a little off to me. I would have said something in the right hip or lower back from the way he moved, but it could well just be a little soreness the day after the game.

You don't have Stretch in the Best?

6 Stretch - He was really important when Brisbane were pressing us and racked up a career high disposal count. His best game by far. 5 Bugg - Was in everything. Tackled well, got plenty of ball. Nothing not to like. 4 Hogan - Can't argue with five goals. He worked hard around the ground too. 3 Watts - Game high marks, rucked well enough, hit the scoreboard. What's not to like? 2 N. Jones - His usual sort of game. He was getting scragged constantly at stoppages with no love from the umpires, kept at it, racked up disposals, kicked a nice goal. 1 Petracca - I wasn't going to include him because he got too tricky and cost us scores repeatedly, but for all that his game was impressive and he had an impact. Apologies to Oliver. If he'd scored those two easy goals he would ave been in.

I'm still struggling with Watts getting hitouts at the centre bounce against real rucks. He actually did a great job. I do agree that the margin should have been greater. Petracca kicked four points and Oliver two. You'd expect at least four goals from those shots any other day. Watts missed one he'd normally nail as well. Added to this we have a number of attacking moves which were derailed by a poor option being taken resulting in a turnover instead of an uncontested mark. For all that though, it was the second biggest margin of the season for us. We played a team that has done well against us in the past and doubled their score (almost). I'll take that.

Dude, i'm pretty sure it was Tom being outmarked by Freeman. Plus there was that pathetic effort where he allowed himself to be nudged under the ball by a guy half his size and conceded an easy goal...

I think what we saw today may be a confidence issue. We repeatedly messed up attacking moves by taking one extra hand pass when the ball carrier was already in space and had a clear target to kick to. I can't believe that it would be an instruction from the coaches to keep running the ball once you have created the space and have a target. We also saw several times players simply took the wrong option. I hate to say it, but Petracca was one of the worst culprits in that respect. He repeatedly ignored an open man to pass to someone under pressure instead. I think this is something that only time and more games playing together can fix. We need to remember that many of these kids have only played a few games together. As promising as they look, it's going to take time for them to gel completely.

I was indeed at the game. Oscar had one job - to negate Schache. He did that as well as you could possibly expect. Meanwhile his brother was outbodied and outmarked repeatedly, yet nobody seems to be mentioning him at all. Indeed, the comment from joeboy is "T. McDonald - kept opponent bereft" making me wonder if he doesn't have the two of them mixed up. So you're complaining that a kid in his fourth game fumbled a couple of times and was overpowered by older, stronger athletes?

I was sitting behind the goals at the punt road end.

Stupid thread. He smashed his opponent today. His disposal was good. He won several loose balls which has always been a weakness for him. He was up against a guy who is taller, heavier and has played twice as many games as him, as well as being drafted 51 spots earlier. He was solid today and certainly doesn't deserve to be targeted like this.

Hell no. He kept his man to 5 touches and a single point while racking up 18 disposals himself at 77.8%. You can't knock that effort from a young defender.

I suspect from the comments made by officials and also from the list composition right now that we'll see minimal drafting and multiple rookie upgrades. We don't have a first round pick at all, so we're already out of the premium talent. I would say we draft with our second round pick and upgrade White and King. That is our three picks used to meet the minimum requirement. This of course means that we need at least three spots to open on our main list. Roos has shown his preference here in past years. Once they decide to cut a player they don't get a look at a senior call-up. That would indicate that Terlich is gone. Dunn is borderline given that they keep looking to drop him. I suspect he'll be nudged into retiring. Dawes may stay on, but at much reduced coin. Garland must be in a similar boat to Dunn. Grimes? He's played well enough for a call-up, but aside from an emergency gig no luck. Could be his time too. JKH is another who must be in the gun. Out of that lot, we may see some trade action, possibly even FA. I doubt we'll get enough back in trade to significantly alter our drafting outcomes though.

I wanted us to rookie Mohr way back when he was at Casey. Sadly GWS snatched him up. What I'd really love is to get a pacy outside runner with quality disposal and decent vision. We still fall down too often with our shocking delivery to the forwards and it's costing us games. Until we get that sorted out there is no way we'll be any sort of contender.

I have to say this. I ate one of the legendary Bacon and Egg Rolls once. Once. I got halfway home when I was forced to make an emergence stop at the Karingal Hub. There followed an excruciating five minutes (which felt like a few hours) dashing around looking for the loo. I made it, if just barely. It was explosive. The smell was like something the Germans used to clear trenches in WW1. I felt violated when it was over, and tried to avoid notice as I left, fearful of being identified as the source of the abominable stench that refused to dissipate in such a small enclosed space. To this day I feel guilty for what must have confronted the next visitor to those facilities. I swore I would never again touch one of those abominations.

This game concerns me. The Lions match up really well against us. They've had good wins wgainst us recently. Also Merret is a thug who likes injuring his opponent. I can see him landing a few flying knees into Hogan's back.

Since when is an attempt good enough? Do you give six points for trying to kick a goal? Do you pay a mark because they tried to get two hands on the ball? To quote a rather famous fictional character, "Do or do not. There is no try." It's been a while, but last time I looked over the rules they specifically said that if you'd had prior opportunity and the ball was knocked free this constituted incorrect disposal and a free kick should be awarded.

Bit of planning for the future there from Brisbane?