Dr. Gonzo

It wasn't a slim argument, I thought for some reason his whole family resided in WA. I've been corrected so my post is now irrelevant.

This is all very funny. My hope is that as Melbourne becomes an onfield power again we trade places with Carlton and Essendon who have decades of terrible governance and failure. It would make any success even sweeter.

Fair enough, I did know that just completely forgot about it!

Has anyone thought that perhaps Brayshaw would like to head to WA? Isn't his family all over there? The last couple of years have been hard on everyone living over here, perhaps he wouldn't mind heading back should he get a flag at the Demons this year? I wouldn't push him out but if he has flagged an interest in going back to WA we'd be stupid not to look at Cerra as an option. I wouldn't want to lose Rivers or Jackson though. Is Bell still running the show at Freo? Would make things interesting.

I'm banking on the curfew being gone by then and to be honest I couldn't give a stuff either way. Chances are I'll be too drunk to drive anyhow so will probably just stay wherever I'm watching.

I will be watching with my family should we make it.

AFL would get money from ticket sales which is better than playing in front of no one at the G.

No idea but I'll still buy a Demons one if we win it. I'll get the Mark Knight one as well.

Although WEG has been dead for about 15 years they still release a WEG style poster each year https://www.wegart.com.au/shop/index.php?osCsid=m50n9gip1jt4bl3ponnhrtfe94

There's also some great footage in there from our glory years if I remember correctly. They obviously only have snippets which is why it can't be released elsewhere but it's footage I hadn't seen anywhere else before that.

Couldn't agree more Jaded, I'm right there with you.

My first thoughts too but I guess an extra week hopefully buys us enough time to be able to enjoy the day with family and a BBQ and beers without worrying whether the neighbours are going to dob us in to the cops. If Melbourne are in the GF there's no way I'm sitting on the couch by myself to watch it I'll go mad.

I could see them moving Rivers into the middle/wing and using Maynard in defence. You can't bank on having basically no injuries each year and Hibberd would be lucky to go round again as well.

If Smith is getting games then yes, we need him.

Would've been a brave person to leave them out after 3 flags in 4 years! A drop to 6th/7th sure but not outside the 8.

If its since 1990 it's actually 30 of the last 31 premiers.

Agreed, of the 5 teams left GWS and the Dogs are the two who I feel could give us trouble. Having said that Port are playing to make amends for last year and also had 4 or 5 players out last time we played them.

Kind of like how they pantsed North in 2007 while the Cats just got over the Pies. Port had a great run leading into that GF beating the Cats at Kardinia Park in round 21.

Bingo

Because Smith took his eyes off the ball. We've built a team that trusts their teammates to be in the right spots and Rivers expected Smith to be aware of where he needed to be but Smith turned away too worried about Cameron because he'd already stuffed up and cost us a goal.

The reason you couldn't tell who was on him was because Smith was playing so loose.

Smith is terrible, no idea why he's getting a game when Hibberd is there. If Hunt is fit he's back in surely, Smith cost us 3 goals in the first quarter we're flirting with danger.

I'd like to see him get another go next year after an uninterrupted preseason. The stress fracture in his hip put him on the back foot.

It also relies on pressure around the contest up the ground. If teams can maintain possession, move the ball quickly and lower their eyes they have opportunities to hit up leading targets inside 50. The plus for us is that this usually results in shallow forward 50 entries for our opponents meaning they are generally kicking for goal from 40m+.

People wanted Jackson "rested" after a few down games 4-6 weeks or so ago. I have confidence TMac can turn it around and fire up when we need him to. He's shown it earlier this year.