Adam The God

I'd take less and come and play for Melbourne if my surname was Cerra, but I'm a bit biased.

Losing Rivers or Jackson is unacceptable. No deal.

I don't really understand. Why are we the only other viable option, if we're not an option unless we lose a player?

Yep. And then there's Charlie Curnow and the second best interceptor in the league in Liam Jones. Their spine is outstanding. I think in 2-3 years they'll be our main competition.

Money isn't the only reason Cerra would target Carlton. Despite how they look right now, they have one of the best cores in the league. It'll turn quickly and he, Walsh and Cripps, supported by Ed Curnow is a pretty decent, if lacking in support, midfield.

Love it mate. Interesting that despite the rest of Oliver's match, he seems to have really struggled and cost us in this period. Maybe a little bit of immaturity and loss of focus on his part? Also interesting to note the long bombing, so as to isolate 1v1s and prevent interceptions, and that even when the ball was kicked to 2 or 3 forwards in a closer proximity, each forward blocked or held their opponent off for the other to impact. It's also clear we made some simple defensive errors. It shows how this can cost you against good opposition.

And what did the Eagles do later in 2006? ;)

Parish will be ahead of Miller or Steele, rightly or wrongly.

Old mate Kingy thinks the AA captain will or should be Toby Greene. 🤣

I wonder if we'll start to hear more rumours this week about players from the 10 teams out if finals contention now?

I'd also argue that due to Petracca's body size, he's harder to tag than Oliver. Just a really strange piece of commentary from King.

Absolutely, we're happy to lose clearance provided the post clearance pressure is there and that's what I mean was alarming about that patch of football in the second. Not only was the post pressure not there so they walked out the front of stoppage, it happened at multiple centre bounces in a row and we failed to set up to cover properly after it was clear momentum was going against us.

Is this on the AFL site mate? Would love to watch it.

I also found it odd that King said categorically that Oliver couldn't be tagged and that he'd tag Petracca instead. It's been shown in 2021 that you can definitely reduce the effectiveness of our midfield if you tag Oliver. I just don't think O'Connor is good enough to tag Oliver. De Boer on the other hand...

Not that it means much, but what I found interesting was now all three hosts have us as their pegs for flag favourite. Montagna has been on us all year. King switched to us last week from the Dogs if I recall correctly, and Morris switched this week to us from Geelong. I think those in the media are a bit like most AFL fans, including some Melbourne fans (like me). Despite all the overwhelming evidence that says we should win it this year, the fact that people aren't riding Melbourne as the best team all year is simply because it is Melbourne. If it were almost any other side bar maybe St Kilda, Fremantle or one of the other expansion teams, I think all the commentary would be that given our stars, given our system, it's ours to lose. But that's not really the rhetoric. Instead, there's a nervous favouritism towards us. This will only be broken and impact on future rhetoric if we can break through this year. To get away with a win when we'd been exposed at centre stoppages like we were for that patch in the second is a massive win, because what I'm hoping is that that's the reality check vis a vis defending from centre clearance and ensuring post clearance pressure is there. For all of Viney's defensiveness at stoppage, he was in there being beaten when Geelong walked out the front stoppage repeatedly in the second. Our inability to stem the flow of momentum and set up defensively to ensure that if clearance was lost we weren't exposed out the front of stoppage, was alarming and I'd love to know what the coaches and players put it down to. It was the first time this season we failed to react to a momentum shift. Surely, when they kick one or two in a row, we revert to a more defensive set up and protect the front of stoppage more heavily? Maybe even go two defensive mids into the centre stoppage. Instead, if anything, we became more aggressive and tried to win it down to Oliver for aggressive clearance take aways, when it was clear that wasn't working. It was quite 2018 all or nothing for that small patch, I thought. Whereas, in the last quarter, Max seemed to tap it to space, rather than go for taps down the throat to advantage like he was trying in the second. It'll be interesting to see our response at centre stoppage next week and if we encounter Geelong again. Incidentally, like the narrowness of Kardinia, isn't the Adelaide Oval a similar dimension? In which case, I wonder if we'll try and roll up our half backs to the contest again to squeeze Brisbane and force territory from stoppage or whether we'll go with the structure that has got us to the top, ie the spare off the back of the stoppage in Salem. I liked Montagna's analysis and wonder if we got a little cute in the first half. If that was a genuine tactical shift at half time, I love that we've responded in game to that. It's not just a mental shift by the players, it's a tactical shift by our coaching team. You love to see it.

Geelong's problem is as soon as finals start, they usually capitulate. I don't much rate Port, but reckon they'll get it down in front of their home crowd.

Whatley has become an increasing moron over the journey. Completely agree with David King.

Has Taylor Adams hit a target yet? Every kick or handball I've seen from him have either been grubbers or completely missed targets.

Imagine if Stringer does a hammy in the 4th...

Wrong thread.

Yep, on replay I took particular note of that Hawkins celebration with Smith. They've never been a humble team, Geelong. Delicious.

Yep, someone must have told Rohan he was playing a final in the last. What a deadset crumbler that guy is.

Just watched the replay (plus the last kick 10+ times, near tears again) and although he wasn't clean, Trac did play a vital role in the last.

Rohan and Cameron looked stuffed half way through the third. Constantly had hands on hips or were sucking in the big ones. That's what happens when you have the oldest list in the history of the game, you mugs. Very good call.

Haha, aaaaah. Hawkins. Bad luck, chap.