DeeSpencer

I hope this thread isn't the reason you never come back here HFF. People like to disagree but you aren't unwanted. You don't see a link between the friend offering you mateship and your courage to battle on? Even if he couldn't provide the help you needed if he offered you a connection, a reason to keep going and a space to talk without feeling helpless that might've been a good thing. No one is saying don't get professional help, but sometimes going to a friend is the best way to get the confidence needed to either keep fighting or go to the professionals. As it stands a lot of men won't seek help from the professionals so the campaigning is about breaking down that stigma. It's that stigma that holds a lot of us back and the only way to really get rid of it is getting it out in the open.

I'm not going to change my opinion on him after he played well on Alex Peace for a half/no one against Freo and McKernan against St Kilda. He was well and truly beaten in preseason against good sides and opponents and I'll wait to see more. I've lifted my opinion of him but 2 games is not enough to be fully convinced. I agree with the first part of your post and I'm still not convinced by a number of players nor am I all that impressed by those outside the best 22. Hibbo, Melk, Petty and some kids is about it as far as I can see.

Max wasn’t there - he dived 5m forward. May didn’t mark it.

A few Fritsch specials, a couple of Petracca wild set shots from 50, a couple of the same from Tommy, a bad Jackson miss and a few snaps that probably could’ve had an extra handball. Less space to find that extra kick to a leading player at Marvel hurts too. A contested marking key forward is handy against the Saints especially and we don’t have one right now

Pretty sure Gawn played the entire second half and spent most of it camped in the backline. McKernan got him once out the back for a goal. Apart from that he stayed down and let Lever drop a simple mark all by himself. In the second quarter we went in to our shell and part of that was Max dropping too deep. I agree with that. We also needed to shake up the stoppages and Jackson did that. Not to mention the embarrassment of the quarter time siren with an obvious block by May and big Maxy staging. May can’t easily out mark Max King types. Lever had his hands full on Membrey. It’s the perfect situation to sit Max back. It’s all about versatility for Max but there’s no way he’s not a crucial part of the defensive system.

I’m still not entirely convinced by Tomlinson, Jetta, Hunt, Rivers (form not talent), Brayshaw, Jordon, Sparrow, Jones, Tommy Mc and Jackson That’s a long list. Defenders: All around the mark and the system is working, just want to see a bigger sample size Slow mids: Gus and Nath can play the game, it’s more can the succeed in the role Young mids: Jordon and Sparrow absolutely doing their roles so far Talls: We’ve got reinforcements if needed

I loved it when he tackled one guy, forced the ball out, pushed through the tackle and nailed the next guy. He’s always had smarts but it was a display of aggression we haven’t seen.

I thought it happened late in the game in to the season. Turns out first quarter of the first round. My mistake on that one. Yes it’s pedantic but I still think we shouldn’t over do him. My original point though was that I love how he’s keen to stay on. He doesn’t seem to tire. I’ll argue over his disposal but never his will to run.

Which part of it? He's a very limited kick with little penetration. That's a fact. Does he use the ball well within his limits - absolutely. I'm not knocking him, but Freo fans didn't invent the idea that he's not a good kick, they probably just overvalued it. His tank and game running is phenomenal, I think we should just be a little careful with using him 100% though. The last midfield player to consistently play 100% was Scully who then broke down and lost his passion for the game. Just because someone can do something doesn't mean they should. We're rotating all our on ballers to spread the load, Langdon shouldn't be exempt from that.

Paton is a lovely player but really they were missing both rucks, we were missing both key forwards. A better question is to ask how much last weeks tough win in the wet on Sunday took out of them. But midway through the second is a bit early to hit the wall.

He has no touch or penetration. It’s a 20-40m chip and that’s it. Sat an awful hospital kick on a team mates head in the first quarter. Handballed a shot on goal from 45 off to May further toward the boundary. But he plays within his limits and his team mates are starting to work it out. They know to link up for a 1-2 handball or to lead up at him. Personally I think we should be a bit careful playing him the full 100% tog but what I loved was him doing all he could not to get a blood rule. He really wants to be out there.

Men have the same access to health care as women in this country. So why is the rate of suicide so much higher? Of course it’s more than 1 thing but the biggest issue appears to be women are comfortable talking to their friends and family about their feelings and men aren’t. Theres a number of people like Spud who are open and still end up in tragic outcomes - the OP is somewhat right he needed his doctors more than his mates. But the mans legacy is getting more blokes (and women) talking to each other. Removing that stigma. That first step is a lifesaver for many.

I’ve posted this before but stats insider says his expected score last year wasn’t too far below what he ended up with. Although he’s skilled enough to be well above it IMO. He seems worse from what should be the left footers best side. That tells me he falls off his kicks. https://www.statsinsider.com.au/afl/shot-charting

I reckon he's gone up a notch in his contests and defensive work and his leading and presenting is first class. He keeps taking marks and linking up in play. He was 32nd in the comp for score involvements last year and is on a similar path so far through 2 games. The only concern I had today was him giving a shot off to a player in a worse position. Was really glad to see him settle and kick an important goal.

His first set shot he ran out way to the left and then missed a mile to the right. Took him until shot 4 to go straight at the goals.

There was one where Oliver somehow got a kick with 3 guys all over him that fell to Tracc 15m forward of the play. Another where Viney was tackled without it and Gresham swooped in for a Saints goal. We still have to be more defensively minded at times. Spread is good but it has to be spread back to defend rather than just spread forward. What was really promising was to see times where mids weren't even picking it up but would just tap it through and draw a tackle and then leave the next guy free. Oliver had a couple of special plays like that over to Viney.

Commentators that praise Hill and Isaac Smith's kicking are the most obvious give away that they have no idea what they're watching. Both butchers who occasionally find enough space to lace a kick out or kick goals because they're in a mile of space. Neither can consistently hit the side of a barn. Brett Ratten's done a great job at the Saints but the plan of sitting Hill back loose to try to mount counter attacks just meant they never had equal numbers in their own 50.

The thing I like about him is he seems to play within his means. He's happy to move the ball backwards or sideways from congestion and take a pause. Even things that didn't work out for him - lofted little kick to Salem - I still think was the right idea. Kick just needed a fraction more juice and Membrey made a great play.

Don't sleep on Jack Steele. He's right up there with Petracca and Oliver. The issue the Saints have is they've invested a heap in players that weren't wanted by their original clubs for a reason. I wish we had Dougal Howard and Dan Butler (despite a quiet game tonight). They desperately miss Paddy Ryder who was a smart buy too. But Jones, Crouch, Higgins, Hill..nice short term improvements but they've put a lot in for those guys.

I keep thinking of about 100 simple mistakes we keep making and how easy they are to clean up and what they would mean for our potential. Gawn continuing to try to hit short kicks on the run when he has handball options. Long bombs inside 50 that go right to the defender or to 2 on 1's. Long bombs down the line that don't advantage Gawn (or even go to him) when he's in good position. Silly snaps in to the hot spot or at goal when one more handball means a clear shot. Ineffective shepherds. Tommy Mc trying to shrug tacklers rather than giving the first option. Fritsch's set shot technique. They're doing plenty right but leaving a lot out there too.

6. Oliver 5. Salem 4. ANB 3. Petracca 2. Pickett 1. Tomlinson Would’ve loved to give all 21 to Brad Hill but apparently is against the rules

You can if you’re Ed Langdon

He’s a dreadful pressure player that’s why he’s not on ball. But given he’s on the wing he really won’t be expected to have good pressure numbers. He definitely needs to lift to really lock in his spot but I don’t think he’s at immediate risk this week

Not too worried about the disposals. I’m surprised Jones had 3 tackles because it looked like he missed at least 5. And his goal was both a solid piece of smart running and a concern that the world was going to end before he got down to that ball.

A few stuff ups but some important touches at the right time, good contests, presented well, and the Saints transition game was slow which means the wings did a nice job. Still think Jones is below Gus in the pecking order, at least in terms of a Melksham inclusion