Adam The God

Good point, BRFE. I agree whole heartedly. Do you have a similar stance on Moloney's position on the list? I feel that both players have similar strengths and weaknesses, but at this stage, Jone is slightly ahead. Both attempt to take on too many tacklers, when in reality they should play the percentages. Get the ball and handball to a receiving team mate.

I just posted a response to that article, which I doubt will get up... There's a big difference between Hawkins and Watts. Hawkins still hasn't played a top game and has been around in a top-class side (where someone as ordinary as Cameron Mooney has managed to survive simply on the class and delivery of the Geelong midfield), now in his fourth season. Whereas Jack Watts was still in school last year and barely had time to train. This is basically his first season. Secondly, his build is also totally different from the one Hawkins brought to AFL. Once Watts puts on some more muscle (he's already put on 6kg since last year) he'll tear the competition apart. Hawkins never will. He might be a good player, but Watts will be in another league. Another thing, there's no way Hawkins would have gone number 1, if he was drafted at 41. GFC would have had to give up their top pick if another club had wanted Hawkins with their first pick.

They're pictured on the front too, which is what my comment referenced. http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/extras/GeelongFrontPage.pdf

Great post, DD. I re-watched the game recently and wondered why Colin didn't receive the praise he deserved for last weeks game. He may not have had 35 touches, but every one he had was brilliantly effective. A number of times he released a team mate with a fantastic handball or lead up well to mark on a lead, or kept his feet (as you say) against a seemingly bigger Port body, which is something I look for every week from a Melbourne player-- that is the importance of keeping ones feet. If he can manage to have a game of that standard consistently, he'll be a real leader for our club. Another point on Colin's game that I thought of whilst watching the game live last Saturday, was the fact that Colin entered the game knowing he may have to stand in for Jamar and that the team was relying on him heavily for rucking reprieves. This may just be what allowed him to focus on his work ethic and primed him for a bigger game. I hope Bailey gives him another challenge this week. Perhaps on Ablett, but I think I'd rather Jones tag Ablett (as he did the speedy Pearce last week). Use Colin in another role, perhaps even the role he played last week.

Might be a little biased, considering who wrote it. It's a nice article. I hope Barty stays across half back though and not through the midfield (unless he's tagging). I'm not sure if anyone else noticed the arrogance on the front of the Geelong Advertiser?

Who cares. If you wanna support the team it doesn't matter if you have to stand. My sister and I are going down to stand in the general admin. Jump online if you're having trouble getting them over the phone. Quick and simple.

I know they only release a certain amount of tickets, but I think there is a little bit of a fallacy with these ticket sales. My sister jumped online Monday night and bought tickets as easily as any other event. I think people are either too lazy to try or are just using it as an excuse not to go.

Doesn't compare to the original series. Probably the best show ever made. Anywho, as for MFC's task this week...I hope we take it up to them, but I'm not hopeful. I'll be down there though, so hopefully we put up a decent fight.

The more I think about it, the more I think we need a big body in there (ie a Miller type) to support the Morton's, Watts', LJ's and so fourth. I think play Sylvia off the bench or in the midfield and occasionally throw him forward to allow Bennell to run through the middle when he's fit enough.

The thing is we got Martin in the PSD and the Eagles used a #2 draft pick on Nic Nat. Martin has shown (only down back mind you) that he has a reasonable game sense, whereas Nic Nat struggles and has been found wanting numerous times already this season. I happened to catch a moment of The Winners tonight and it was the Eagles match. There was a stoppage in the defensive side of the centre square for the Eagles and Nic Nat was on the outer inside the square. St Kilda won the ball and Nic Nat had absolutely no awareness, nor predicted that Goddard had slipped out the back, for which he proceeded to nail a goal from 50.

I think you'll find it was Tony Shaw. He loves us for whatever reason. Has been very complimentary of us all season.

Perhaps I'm still a little corrupted by my annoyance at him diving in that way at all. At the time I thought it was going to cost us. It was a clumsy, stupid thing to do. We do have to protect the head and I'm not sure Moloney shouldn't have been tackling instead of bumping anyway.

Sorry to play devil's advocate, but I thought he deserved it. I don't care that he didn't necessarily hit him, but it was undisciplined and at a crucial point in the game. I thought he lead with his shoulder and it was a dangerous piece of play. That said, I've seen players do worse and get off.

It's nice to finally get some recognition for our defence, but he still couldn't help the snipe at our supporter base in the final paragraph (or maybe I'm reading into that too much?).

I read your thoughts in that thread, ID and I generally agree, although I'd defy you this time. He set an example by being back there, putting his body on the line, winning the footy and getting it out of there. We needed someone to stand up down there and he did it. It wasn't just his treking back, because I agree. I'd demand that of any MFC player.

Exactly, he showed leadership by treking back there.

We'll be extremely unpredictable this season (as we've already shown). I think the harder second half draw will help us. No pressure, nothing to loose. I expect us to play better against a St Kilda, rather than a North Melbourne. If I was being extremely optimistic, I could say that 5 or 6 more wins may well happen. That said, I'd have absolutely no idea which teams we'd beat and which we'd loose too, because as I say, we'll continue to be totally unpredictable. This should be frustrating but exciting at the same time.

It's an interesting point this, because I mentioned in a thread last week that Moloney and Jones by no means are safe on our list over the next few years and one will probably become a reserve for the other. Jones showed the other night (by holding Pearce to few touches) that he has at least two strings to his bow. Moloney has to show us now, because atm, he's one of our most one dimensional. I'd agree and expect Jones to tag again next week, just as Bartram and probably McKenzie will.

Fantastic point, RM. I'd never thought of them in these terms. Certainly all great to watch.

Cale needs to play senior footy. He's does his time at Casey, dominated and now he must play seniors to get the pace of the game back.

I love him but I thought Aussie was pretty ordinary in patches. Not because he made poor decisions or anything, in fact it was generally the opposite when he got it, but that effort in the first or was it second (?) quarter was droppable, IMO. His opponent won the ball and then ran off him, as Wona merely jogged slowly behind him. Certainly should have been dragged (but I'm not sure he was).

What the heck was Moloney doing though? It was a vital contest at a crucial moment and he just barrelled into the Port player. Very poor leadership, I would have thought. You've gotta be smarter in that situation. If it was Jnr, he would have tried his very best not to get the head, instead Moloney went straight for it.

He's certainly a crumber too. His crumb off a Brad Miller or was it Green's marking attempt against Freo is the perfect example.

That might have something to do with his body development in comparison. Belly has always been well built. Another strong (and fast) body in the middle. Considering Jones and Moloney are slow, perhaps that is the clubs line of thinking?

Ineffective is perhaps a better word for Moloney. Those stats do surprise me. The majority of those 16 kicks were his old up and under, ineffective bombs. I wouldn't mind Gysberts replacing Jones or Moloney. Moloney and Jones are the ones that have the biggest question marks over them in our midfield, I feel. Jones has had a far better season thus far, but unless everything is going perfectly for the team Jones butchers the footy. In the coming years I'd say one of Jones or Moloney will be fighting for the same spot in the midfield and thus one will become merely a depth player. With players of the ilk of Trengove, Scully, Morton, Grimes, Gysberts etc running around in the midfield, we've no real place for an abundance of poor disposers. They're both hard nuts and you can afford one in your team, but I don't forsee a spot for both of them. Why not get games into Gysberts? He's certainly earned the call up. Let's get him playing games with that young midfield and Watts.