Dr. Gonzo

Yep and the short run up is another key as you've said - Max marks it 20m out then turns around walks back almost to the 50! You don't need that long a run up, just give yourself enough room to kick over the mark and pop it through. Short run up, straight run up, keep the ball still and relax should be the mantra. Who would've guessed the best goalkicker in the games history would know a thing or two about what it takes? Would love to get Dunstall down to training to sort them out (unlikely Plugger would do it).

Exactly right, no one should be missing from 30m out directly in front. No one. I don't care how fatigued you might be that is a layup, like shooting ducks in a barrel.

I remember watching Darren Bennett as a kid, held the ball straight, no bent elbows, bent over to hold it as close to his foot as possible to minimise the ball drop (less variance for the ball to move between hand and foot) and more power through the kick as the foot hits the ball at a lower point. There is a technique to it which can only improve through repetition, watching the way Gawn and Petracca kick their set shots is mind boggling for professional athletes. The other thing I've noticed as a novice/amatuer is you get better accuracy when kicking to a target rather than kicking through a target - so it's easier to aim a kick at the goal umpire (who stands in the centre of the goals) rather than to try and work the ball through the goals. Petracca is an excellent field kick (look at his pass to Kossie in the first quarter against Freo as an example) but he's in his own head with the goalkicking because he neglects his natural kicking motion. They need to relax and focus on repeating a good technique but it can only be improved with practice!!!!

We must win both to finish top 4. I think we will.

No point if he can't kick goals. It's no good taking marks if you can't convert.

With Max on around $800k and Grundy on $700k we would have $1.5m of a $13m salary cap tied up in ruckmen! No way that is proper list management. Not only that but ruckman are not all that important - not compared to midfielders and key forwards/defenders. Grundy was great at racking up possessions but what influence does he actually have on games? He's not that strong of a contested mark or goalkicker so he doesn't offer us a point of difference to Max. Would much rather find a cheap option in the rookie draft/VFL or get a guy like Meek back from Freo in the Jackson trade.

That means we're still paying him $700k a year for 5 years? And he's already 29? Nah Save that money and throw a huge contract at Harry McKay next year.

If the Pies lose this week they could be 5th after the weekend. A truer reflection of where they are at.

It's pretty clear Jackson's gone even before we met with Grundy. It's now just a matter of what we can get back for him and what we use that on. I still don't get it from Freos point of view but I guess they can't pass the opportunity to get high level talent in the door when it presents. Oh and I'm not keen on Grundy at all. Let Collingwood suffer with that contract stuffing their cap for a few more years.

Their record at the G this year is 4-1. I think it's wishful thinking that they'll just roll over again, they are playing very good footy and the additions of De Koning and Stengle have been great for them

They've been deliberating for 45 minutes. I reckon he gets off.

At times it wasn't even that Gawn was playing second tall. At the first siren Jackson was ruck, Gawn FF and Brown was .....on the bench! Whats the point they may as well have started Max ruck, Brown FF and Jackson on the bench (like they often do). Max has played much more time forward in recent weeks, is that because we are lacking tall forwards or to protect Max before September?

Collingwood players have heads like holes!

No

I didn't think it was worth a suspension

50k would be a poor result. Carlton are playing an elimination final of sorts and we are playing for our spot in the 4! If all we can draw is 50k I'll be disappointed, the club should be hoping for at least 70k again.

Nail our set shots 🤣

I want to watch it again but can't bring myself to. It was a cracking game though.

I sit in AFL members, next time I'll scan in and walk around to the MFC reserved section to sit with Melbourne supporters instead of the Collingwood bogans in the outer.

Yeah maybe - if we're going to run the table I think we have to go through Collingwood again either QF week or PF week (or even GF if they happened to finish 4th and beat the Cats). Just depends when you would prefer to play them. There's also a chance Swans go above us on percentage so would rather lock in a MCG final so we can actually go!

The Pies were in constant movement even when switching across ground they'd take the mark and keep moving so our zone defence never got a chance to set. We need to push up on them and when they switch/rebound out of defence make them go back over the mark and take their kick.

Cox did that a couple of times on Queen's Bday too, didn't jump at the ruck contest just kneed Max straight in the hip/ribs. Dog of a player, dog of a club.

Who is going to tell Max how to kick a set shot from 20-30m out? He seemed to sort this out and now has reverted to too long a run up, swinging the ball around and hooking out to the right. Is it even worth playing him deep forward at the moment with the yips he has in front of goal? Would we be better off with Jackson deep forward and Max primary ruck?

Swan's missed an opportunity for a big percentage boost today - they got a little bit probably not as much as they would've hoped. They have Pies and Saints last two games, if we win out I think we still finish above them. Feels dirty but I'll be barracking for the Pies this week in the hope we get them week 1 of finals.

If/when we face Collingwood again in September what do we need to do differently to get the win. 0/2 so far, 3rd time lucky?