Dr. Gonzo

That's the problem, that's exactly what he isn't doing.

His kicking is frustrating because he gets so few opportunities. What does my head in is his lack of physicality. When the ball comes in be just HAS to make a contest and try and bring the ball to ground to force a stoppage or let our small forwards go to work. A defender basically steps in front of him and he just gives up. The defender doesn't have to try hard at all because Petty is just so weak in the contest. He'll never make it forward so they either find a role in defence or trade him. TMac can play forward for the time being.

It's not that they're not very good players, its about team balance. You wouldn't want to lose both of them but I don't think you can keep both moving forward either.

Your view is always welcome layzie, this isn't a Kumbaya hippie love in. Dissenting views are fine, there's certainly risk attached but I'm always happy to have very good players secured to the club long term.

And see them melt when Dogga comes home in October 🤣

Petty is useless, he cannot be persisted with up forward. Has the tools but not the application. Shift him back to defense or trade him out, I'm so sick of seeing his weak efforts result in an opposition mark in our forward line.

Outstanding? Not near it. Both continue to butcher the ball in critical moments, you just can't afford to have 2 (3 including Viney) of your primary mids you can't hit a target. It's a tough situation but we have to get the midfield balance right moving forward or we won't see another flag with this group. Petracca is a must keep and Viney is older with a ridiculously long contract so Oliver's the one for mine who may be moved on. A club like Essendon or maybe the Saints would benefit from his ball winning ability I think.

Langdon seemed to be tagging Daicos yesterday in the classic sense.

I agree and I think we have to bite the bullet and cut deeper into the list otherwise we won't see another flag. We can't keep persisting with butchers in the midfield and flakey players up forward. Fritsch and Petty should be on the chopping block at the end of the year, let's see what we could get for them. I don't know how we fix the midfield due to the contracts Oliver, Viney and Petracca are on, we need to get all 3 to focus on handball first and have better disposers feeding off them on the outside. Something that's been annoying me for a long time is the lack of runners coming past Gawn for the handball after he marks so he can dish it off to Bowey, Salem etc and I'm not talking about that final kick. The one he tried to bite off through the corridor in the 3rd that went straight to 3 Pies players is the type of kick that kills us. The intent is clear but the skill is lacking. I thought Kolt showed something again yesterday, he offers a point of difference in our forward line with his pressure and I think he'll be dangerous around goals once he finds his feet in the senior side. Whether he makes it long term I don't know but he should be given the rest of the season to try and cement a spot in the side in 2026 and beyond. We also need to do d out what we have with Jefferson, Adams, Sestan and Brown. I think Laurie is a lost cause and Sharp only if he's coming on as sub.

Yes but our forwards could actually move to create space and options as well. Movement is critical as it creates space and uncertainty. Watching Collingwood's forwards today they did this well, constant movement, doubling back, U-turns/j-leads etc Ours are flat footed or wanting the ball kicked out the back so they can work their opponent under the ball. Makes it so easy to defend especially for the 3rd man up. As a forward you should be demanding the ball is kicked to you on a lead. It is a combination, our mids need to be more composed but our forwards need to give them better options. And ultimately this comes down to coaching.

If it was the other way you can guarantee it would've been paid (remember Rankine last year?)

Recruiters, skill coaches and players. Not the head coach, unless you think him telling recruiters to prioritise contest over skill is a contributing factor. It may be but it also won us a flag.

So many dodgy frees around the wing area too with the ball a 50/50 and us winning the contest/clearance. Instead of a stoppage (or a free to us which was missed) they get one and go deep inside 50. Absolutely disgusting and they get that treatment every week.

Exactly, no point having the best defence if you can't score.

Instead of bombing it inside 50 we should hit low flat kicks in or grubbers, limits their ability to intercept mark and gives our small/pressure forwards a chance.

Before the game Max was hitting torps from the 50 and badly miskicking all of them. He should've been practicing his set shots from 20m out instead of practicing torps in the wet.

Yes, extraordinary is one way to put it!

I thought the same, reminded me of the time Whitten went around before the SOO game almost 30 years ago to the day. I was getting a bit teary at the ground.

All those things are correct. Umpires were also farcical. Both things can be true. On the couch they're talking about Langdon on Daicos and umps should've paid a free in 1st 30 seconds. What about the scragging on Petracca and Oliver! Gawn getting scragged every marking contest! Give me a break.

Yes because they'll just roll out the same garbage "there's no rule that says the free kicks have to be even" There was one in the last quarter we marked it in the back pocket, the Collingwood player on the mark was within the 9m zone. Instead of an automatic 50 which we've had paid against us this for the same thing, the umpire pleasantly called him back to the mark. One example of which there were many in this game. I'd love anyone to ask for an explanation on the Melksham one.

Maybe if he was played as a key forward he'd have an opportunity to kick a goal. I'd love to see him get as many opportunities as Petty has had over the last 3 years.

Out Petty In Jefferson/TMac

Yes but don't just sook about it, call out specific incidents. Like the free against Melksham just before halftime. Like the deliberate against Sparrow vs similar from oppo (Quaynor?) Like the scragging against Oliver/Petracca all day. Highlight the specific incidents to raise discussion, just sooking about poor umpiring won't get you anywhere.

He had just kicked two on the run, his confidence should have been sky high. Was only 20m out it was a gimme.