Dr. Gonzo

Yep Pedersen did well today I thought.

At least the guys who aren't up to it had a crack today - I thought the effort was pretty good until the last 10 minutes, still stupid mistakes and second guessing themselves but the effort was infinitely better than last week. I come out of this game EXTREMELY frustrated with guys like Howe and Grimes who have the talent but either don't want to go hard enough or make stupid lazy mistakes again and again. I would drop Grimes for next week and Howe would be 50/50 for me. 3 times in the first half Howe just tried a torpedo out of defense in terrible conditions and it cost us a goal and lucky it didn't cost more. Overall the game was there to be won but we still do stupid things which cost us. It was evident early this game was going to be about metres gained but we still took too long with our decision making instead of just getting it into the forward line and trying to scrounge goals. Don't get me started on the umpiring either it was absolutely pathetic today and cost us at least a couple of goals.

Yeah it's the cumulation of all these things which could see the AFL jump the shark. It's a professional sport so fair enough there has to be a business aspect to it but you can't sacrifice the integrity of the competition for the $$$'s otherwise people will swicth off.

1) It was an example 2) His tank would be better than JKH's Remove Blease from the post and the point remains. If he's not fit enough to run out a game he shouldn't be in the side, sub or not.

Do you think the game could revert back to a skill/position based game if the interchange bench were removed and we just had 3 or 4 subs? This, along with removing players from the field (2, 4 or even 6) is the only way I see the game being able to revert to something akin to what it was. However there is also the possibility that with less players able to run up and down the field all day coaches will produce an even more defensive game style turning it towards a soccer style game trying to prevent the other team from scoring first and foremost and trying to kick a couple of goals on fast breaks (almost how it is now).

So what happens if we get an early injury and he has to come in to the game? If he's not fit enough then he should really be at Casey and someone like Blease should come in.

Haha, that's the confidence you want in your leaders! Not that I could blame him, but that is pretty funny/depressing.

Go with her mate, just focus on spending time with family rather than what's going on on the field, that's what I've been doing most of the last couple of years going with my mum, brother and sister.

Just tell him what my dad used to tell me - you can barrack for whoever you want but if it's not Melbourne you sleep outside.

I'm the same, I still enjoy the footy even though it's changed immensely over the last decade a great match is still a great match. I think a lot of the despondency here comes from the terrible ongoing performances of MFC but I obviously can't speak for everyone. The sanitisation of the game has obviously had an effect too. The Hawthorn/Essendon game last week was good, so was what I saw of last nights Coll/Geel game. The Richmond/Footscray game was interesting if not great. I do think the season is too long though especially with the over-exposure with every game broadcast from start to finish now. I'd prefer a 17 round season with everyone playing once alternating H&A each year, would fix my other huge issue with the comp which is the fixture. Overall I still love the game just hate the management of the AFL.

Yeah, to be fair was apparently posted during Grand Final week last year but still doesn't fill me with confidence he's not gonna nick off at the first chance he gets.

When the tide does turn (and after some reflection I think it will be sooner than some think) it will turn quickly. I'm not talking about domination just competitiveness. In 2010 Richmond was the worst team since Fitzroy. Last year the Doggies were on a 15-16 game losing streak. Ours has been prolonged for numerous reasons but I think we will see improvement by the end of the year and into next year. When the tide does turn it is going to feel that much better cheering the Mighty Demons on to a win at the G knowing the collective hell this club has been through the last few years and knowing we die hards have endured it and come out the other side. Think back to some of our best wins at the G in recent years (the Queens Bday games 2000, 2004-2007, Essendon 2010-2012, the QF in 2000, 2004 R18 v Hawthorn etc) and remember how it felt when the red and blue were up and cheering in the stands. That will return and when it does it will be even better than before.

It has to be - I used to play for a club who were the Essendon strip - we played against a team who wore the Melbourne jumper and I never had a problem with it.

Don't worry they'll have Hogan soon enough.

Chippa has been my favourite player the last 5 or 6 years but this year he has lost me and not just because of his contract situation. That non-chase 4 minutes into last weeks game was disgusting and showed me exactly how much he cares about this club.

Who are we going to buy? Gibbs? haha Dangerfield is the only one who comes to mind but pretty sure he's contracted next year.

If you want to read a great footy book do yourself a favour and get your hands on The Last Quarter by Flanagan. Included are a trilogy of books covering the a look back on the 1970 Grand Final, a year he spent embedded at the Bulldogs in 1993, and one titled "The Game in Time of War" which is self-explanatory. Probably the best book on footy I've read.

I voted R22 as I think we will start to show some improvement in the backend of the season once we get some KPP's back from injury and the players start to become more comfortable with executing the game plan under pressure and playing their defined roles. It's this reason why I'd rather see us persevere with Watts in the midfield and Dunn in the back line instead of throwing them forward because if they are the roles we think they should be playing in an ideal world then moving them will only stunt their development even if it means we lose by 70 instead of 90 points.

Our injury list actually hasn't been too bad this year, unfortunately it's like free kicks it's not how many you get but where you get them that counts.

Pretty sure he was referring to Toumpas being dropped.

I agree and I was shocked that he was dropped. Unless there were some thing's going on which I haven't seen (and that is very likely I admit) I thought there would be half a dozen who should be demoted before Jimmy.

It's just some light-hearted fun OD. We need to be able to poke fun at ourselves because if we don't laugh we'll cry.

Maybe he figures they'l learn how to play properly in a competitive Casey side instead of a Melbourne side that gets flogged.

Just on the Saints, I was telling my brother & sister about the bag heads at the game on Sunday and said we should start doing it if the team doesn't improve by the end of the year.

He was the first one I thought of last year before Roos became a possibility. In fact at some point during the nightmare round 2 game v Essendon I mentioned to my brother I thought Ratten could be the next coach.