Adam The God

His disposal and decision making is a real concern, but he's a trier, so he'll stay in the team and often get on the end of some goals out the back, due to his hard running. Still [censored] himself in the clinches though and did again tonight. However, did a bunch of really good things too.

It's good to feel like we lost the territory battle (for once), but won it on the scoreboard by hanging in there and being efficient once we went inside. It has so often gone the other way this season in that regard.

He was switched onto Gibbs in the last and really curtailed his influence. Gibbs had played loose at most of the stoppages for the night until the last. We finally manned him up with Harmes and he struggled. It was a great move, because Sloane played a more defensive role in Adelaide's midfield in the last. That suited us and allowed Harmes to drift onto the better user, in Gibbs. Made a couple of really good decisions with ball in hand tonight, did Harmes. I've been critical of him in the past and this is certainly an area of his game that has never been a strength, but he's showing some really nice maturity. Credit to him and the coaches. Harmes could become a real asset to our midfield once Viney returns, which will allow Jack to see ball, get ball, while Harmes plays the shutdown roles.

Yeah, our defensive running still needs a lot of work, but our offensive game from the clinches is A grade.

He's another Frost IMO. Will really struggle to make it. As you say, absolutely no game sense. Even that speccy/spoil in the first half that should have gone out of bounds, but instead took out a team mate and went straight down an opposition player's throat. His kicking and decision making are VFL level at best. He did get back and make a good spoil late in the game, but he's too limited by foot. Let's hope he builds on the win, because doesn't sound like we'll have Hibberd back for at least another fortnight.

We take the win and move on. We just needed to get across the line in one of these games to keep the belief going. Now we can go back and continue to iron out the things we didn't do as well. Massive, massive win.

Given how we played early in the game and Adelaide's dominance, the importance of this game and in a hostile environment, I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that this was the gutsiest win from a Melbourne side that I can remember. Clayton Oliver is no longer a star. He announced himself tonight as a legitimate superstar. He almost single-handedly changed the game for us in the third quarter. His cleanness around the stoppages, his decision making and his ability to execute by hand was so exceptional that he elevated himself into the top 10 players in the game. Give him a 5 year extension this week, please. 14 clearances and 25 contested possessions are simply phenomenal stats. Jason Taylor, what a [censored] pick up! Take a bow. And well done, Lewis. Your leadership tonight was outstanding.

Or there could be equal blame?

Well, yes, I'd get rid of the stupid ruck nomination rule and the taking the legs rule. But other than those, leave it alone.

Crap rumour. Could have at least picked a flick that is in cinemas. Mission Impossible only premiered yesterday in Sydney. Lol, what a rubbish rumour. Opens on the 2nd nationally.

Collingwood though... have only beaten one top 8 team. I find all this a little bizarre, but I have us beating Adelaide and the Gold Coast and missing out by a game.

There's nothing wrong with the game and it will fix itself. Stop [censored] around with the rules every year. It's ridiculous how often the rules of the game change.

Haha, I'll be watching out for a Melbourne-based serial killer in the news then, mate. At least, I know I survive.

Why's that, mate?

Now... that would have been a strange dream and probably even more hilarious and unexplainable.

Haha, I think you had a posting spree yesterday and that might have had something to do with it. It'd be funnier to say that she was [censored] off, but she found it hilarious I was sleep talking about a poster on a football forum I've never met. Probably fine to be weirded out and feel complimented at the same time.

I have no idea where to put this and whether it's even worth putting out there, but I had a very funny dream last night. At least I thought so. It featured @Wiseblood as a terrorist/serial killer. Wise was running about the town murdering people. Why? I have no idea. As my wife left for work this morning, sleep-talking I was busy telling her that Wiseblood was going to get caught by the police and it was only a matter of time. He was a brutal man with no scruples apparently. Why the [censored] you were in my dream mate, I'll never know, but hey, at least someone's dreaming about you/your moniker. Thanks very much for apparently not murdering my dream-self too.

I love both players at their peak and they'll compliment each other. Gus may well make a really good leader in time too, but we'll agree to disagree on Viney as captain.

I guess what I'm saying is logic should have ruled out Hogan as tradebait. And I maintain that it's not a personnel issue (except the missing Lever and Hibberd), but a system error. I fear we put all our eggs in the one basket over the off season and built the system around one player (Lever). We tried to ensure everyone else in that system complimented him and so when he went down, it took us a few weeks to adjust and we've never quite recovered, especially with the injury to Hibberd, which has compounded the problem. Our midfield needs to get better at its defensive running for longer though and our half forwards and deep forwards need to work harder for longer too, and lock the ball inside our 'territory'. Forget going after an experienced KPB. It's not going to happen. Improve the system.

He's new to the role. He'll make a great captain in time IMO.

Jack is our Selwood. He just needs some continuity. Will be A grade if he can get on the park consistently.

What do you mean what if? I thought you were being positive this season. Your argument is nonsensical mate, based on what ifs. Deal with what's in front of us. We're in 7th position. Jesse has been an integral part of that and until the midway point of the season, our 23 year old KPF was in AA contention and now you want him traded because he might want to leave in a year's time? And how do we get a good KPB? We develop them and we certainly don't give away a good KPF (who are far rarer) in search of one. It's such a frustratingly narrow-minded and dated view of footy too, OD. Is one full back going to make a difference to our defensive system? Have you watched footy in the last decade? It's about system. Our system needs to get better. If an undersized (IMO ordinary) Josh Gibson can win multiple premierships, that tells you something about the power of modern defensive systems. I feel like I'm having a conversation with a really negative version of my father.

Getting rid of Jesse would make us worse, not better. No deal.

Jeepers, OD. Did you watch the first half of the season? Jesse was a key contributor and often dominant. He's going through a slight down patch, but still contributing. In key position terms he's still young too.

Smith has to play given there's no Hibberd. Our defensive set up (that doesn't work particularly well) relies on mobile, quick interceptors. Hibberd, Lever, Smith, Frost and even Hunt. Taking Smith out leaves us in real trouble for legspeed, with the exception of Frost. I'm not a fan, but he has to play. It'll be interesting to see if Clarry and Jesse play...