Adam The God

If we don't get in front in the contest (Hogan), it will be.

Gee, surely Hogan is hampered by something. He looks slow and ordinary.

I understand what you're saying, but the other three mentioned (Terlich, Jones and McKenzie) won't get another contract. They will carve us up with Howe playing forward. He doesn't chase. So are you suggesting that we keep playing him? How would you have us pay him respect? I'm not being a smart arse. I'm simply asking. I certainly don't want to go down the McDonald and Green road, but if he's not good enough, he's not good enough. And I disagree that he played on Ballantyne. I'm not convinced. I think he may well go around again. Even if he does play a bit of game time in the 2's. He continues to be a great role model for our younger blokes.

I don't think Roos rates him. He gave him sub spots because he has to show the rest of the club that if you work hard you'll still eventually get selected. Nah. Spencer will keep getting chances. Big blokes do. Jamar had years of rubbish before delivering his breakout season. He's never been able to replicate that season for the record and still gets games. As for Michie, I agree. He obviously didn't do the team things Roos and co require though. Agreed. His increased physicality saved him. Could still bring a greater intensity though and obviously we need him getting a lot more of the ball as he's such a good user. Spot on. You beat Sydney on the outside. They're very one-paced in the midfield. Of course, whether we have the players on the outside to get the job done is another thing. I suspect that's why Watts was retained and Toumpas and Stretch brought in. Howe doesn't tackle. Particularly, when playing forward. Lazy, lazy footballer when he goes forward. He won't play that role, but if he does we'll get smashed off half back. Watts will play from wing to half forward. Of course, we want physicality from every player, but he's more likely to get away with less on a wing. We want his ability to read the play and ball use. He's still a big score assister.

Grimes didn't play on Ballantyne and his history as captain should have no bearing on whether he ever plays or get another contract again.

Gee, what a great Labor man he is.

Unless of course they're Victorian. Prestia.

Prestia, yes please!

Agreed. Pace, ball winning ability and goal kicking prowess. Shiel is the one, but we'll face very stiff competition from other Melbourne clubs, not to mention that rubbish pact Demonlanders keep banging on about.

I didn't want Rawlings as senior coach and I had a question mark over him for a while, but I think now it's safe to say he seems to be doing a really good job at developing the backs. It helps we've got a bit more leadership around the ground these days and Roos in charge, but I think Rawlings is a good assistant coach. Time will tell whether Goodwin is better than that.

Naturally, would love him, but at what cost? We should be looking to secure Hogan to a long-term deal at year's end. Ideally, we'd be aiming for a GWS mid too. Where do we find the cap space?

I agree. It's certainly not complete. I thought that's what I was doing. I think it'll take another two years before we'll be really competitive (hopefully) against the top 4 sides.

It's a good point. Where is Jade Rawlings coaching these days? He's backline coach, right? It seems he's doing his job. I'd agree, except I'd add Hogan to that list.

That's almost a coherent post.

These would seem to be two contradictory statements given the MFC picked Jack at #1...

No one is saying our midfield is complete. We have absolutely no depth, we lack outside skill and pace. That will be added to at the end of this year and the next. I hope.

Pedersen doesn't get past a jog when he chases. He sauntered through three or four times right in front of us on the MCC wing yesterday. Infuriating. Reminded me of the Neeld days.

Suspect Tyson is playing injured, but still, that's no excuse. Hoping he'll come good soon.

Bate was playing in a much better team. A team that played finals too. Not really an apt comparison.

Yep. Kept him to a couple of goals on two or three occasions. He's definitely the match up for Franklin. Tommy Mac on Tippett. Well he can't get more consistently involved for us if he's in the 2's. I get what you're saying, but he hasn't been our worst and given our lack of midfield depth, he'll probably keep getting games.

I think you could get away with Gawn playing forward against the Swans. Their defenders are not overly quick. When he's played forward in the past we've been smashed off half back, because he's not good below his knees and he's not quick enough. But it might just work against Sydney and stretch their defence height-wise too. I reckon Dawes comes back in for Pedersen though and I'd be playing JKH as sub over Watts. I'd also play Jetta over Grimes if he's fit again. He was marginally better this week, but a couple of his errors cost us goals. He doesn't take the first option and occasionally it works, but other times it just makes him look a little foolish. It's an experience thing. I'd give him another week, but drill that message home to him.

I agree with this. I was thinking about it on the way home yesterday. He appears very detached to me. As if he is still in the media. Whenever he has the chance to belittle our past (we don't need to know this, it's happened, we were hopeless, let's move on) he does so. It's almost like a defence mechanism he's putting in place because he's fearful of the media sneering at him. I love a lot of what Roosy says, but there are some mixed or negative messages he's sending out in there as well. It's a close one this. I'd take the Doggies young midfield over any other in the league right now. In a year or two they're gonna be unstoppable. It's all about consistency for them.

I'd disagree that we're playing an outdated game style. Roos understands you have to win the uncontested possession, just as much as the contested. In fact, we won both against Adelaide and from memory we won the uncontested possession last week as well. Our problem was our midfielders didn't give us first use. That's where you can get run and spread, and therefore uncontested possession. I think with regards to foot-speed, we are still severely hamstrung by a lack of it. We get murdered on the outside by teams with fast spread and quick feet (ala GWS). I know Sandilands is a giant, but Jamar and Pedersen actually did alright on him for most of the day. It was the way our midfielders were positioned at stoppages that constantly left us wanting. There was a moment on the wing in I think the third term, where a Freo bloke stood by himself on the outside of the stoppage (I think it was Fyfe or Pearce) and sure enough it was an easy handball out to them. Completely uncontested. I would say though that Roos was outcoached yesterday. As you say, the decision to play McKenzie as sub was staggering. And why in hell did we not tag Fyfe? Our tackling was also pathetic yesterday. We laid 58. The previous two week's we managed 84 (v. Adelaide) and 99 (v. Richmond) respectively. That's the benchmark we should aspire to every week. I thought Salem played on Ballantyne before going off. I thought we worked around this well to get one of our earlier goals. I think it was Garlett. Tyson held it up well, went wide to ? and then they passed into the forward 50 and we scored. There just simply wasn't enough of this sort of thoughtful play. That's how you beat Freo. You also have to get the ball and we didn't.

I did notice. Thank you. That doesn't change the fact he didn't have an opponent for the early part of the game.

Agreed. There's obviously something we don't know going on at play. I'd love to be able to understand the thought process though.