DeeSpencer

And just when both were playing so well! Seriously though, good work crew.

https://www.instagram.com/p/v-KxTTMDU2/?hl=en&taken-by=jackviney7

I saw the vision in a tweet that has now been deleted but it looked to me that Weideman used perfect technique keeping his feet and approaching side on to avoid injury and unfortunately the Blues player was the one who dived in recklessly. It looked incredibly nasty so I hope he's ok. Apparently Weeds has the all clear.

They weren't difficult ones but he kicked 3 goals from hard running to get forward, I think that counts for something. Laid 5 tackles. And I think too many seemed to blame him for a couple of bad disposals in the first quarter when both teams were contributing to the scrappy nature and plenty of Harmes' team mates made blues kicking it inside 50. Petracca made plenty of mistakes in the first half as well, it wasn't until the 2nd half when he found more space and did more with it. Oliver can't win it twice. Really I thought Hunt played the best of the 3 eligible, with some really good intercept marks and fantastic line breaking. But it was Hunt's 4th game and Petracca's 2nd. I know Harmes has had a mixture of good and bad games but he's put together a decent amount of good performances (North and Coll games in particular) over the 7 rounds that even if his game didn't stand out from the others he's worthy of the recognition.

Viney and Gawn are signed up aren't they? Jones and Vince are. Tommy Mc, Watts and Hogan are the big resignings this year and getting Jetta's name on paper. Maybe Tyson as well. But if we haven't overcommitted to Dunn and Garland and the likes of Grimes, Dawes and Trengove can be paid (or not) based on output then there should be plenty to go around. The Dogs have more quality senior players than we do, have had to pay the likes of Stringer and Bont who are reaching the top level of talent and still fit Boyd's contract in. I think there's a window for a star recruit now before the likes of Brayshaw, Petracca, Oliver can demand mega deals, which assumes they will get in that position.

Backman, utility, wing, inside mid/fwd/back, inside mid/fwd. Bugg and Harmes were our starting wingmen on the weekend - good players, but probably not the speed and skill of the games elite outside runners. Petracca, Kent and Kennedy the half forwards. Stretch a bit of both, he's probably the only pure wingman on our list. Brayshaw and Vanders are two who could come in to that forward/midfield mix to keep the pressure on for spots. Matt Jones was playing solid footy from a wing before injury. But I'd like to have another pure running and skillful winger to push the competition. I know he's settled well as a deep tall forward but I'd still be rotating Watts through the wing every now and then just to keep his positional versatility and to see if he can get some cheap touches to be damaging running from half back.

To the OP a quick google search reveals this: http://sma.org.au/2013/11/helmets-do-not-prevent-concussion/ I'm sure if you searched academic research you'd find plenty of studies. Bartel and Nick Riewoldt are the 2 I worry about, both have had plenty of concussions from some minor hits. I'm still not sure why Stefan Martin played after being hit by the Steven May freight train. Played ordinary as well. I'm glad Salem and Lumumba didn't play on Saturday, and I'm sure Viney will be monitored closely for this week.

Is he this years Tom Papley?

Not sure Wagner is the right match up for Stringer/Redpath/resting ruck (Roughead or Campbell) if the Dogs have the 3 marking options. Possibly Jetta goes to Stringer but I think Stringer will be too quick for him in space. So it might be Garland to Stringer and then we'll have to consider bringing in some more height to the back half. Which likely means Lumumba to play on Redpath. Michie wasn't too bad but has to go. Lumumba and/or Salem back in. If it's decided that both of those guys should come back in then I don't know what the right answer to fitting them in will be.

The first quarter was terrible over possession by hand and forwards losing their confidence and not moving. The 2nd quarter was rushed ball movement which created some good moments but left us open down back. The 2nd half we finally found the balance between over using it and moving it quickly and the forwards worked really well to lock it in and score and the backline had more time and less pressure to get their set ups right. Gold Coast really folded when we got a lot of momentum up and it's nice to see us put the foot down. There's no doubt in my mind that our game plan works perfectly when we are on top and I think it can hold up against better teams, it just requires a lot of pressure, run and skill. Which is really the basis of modern AFL right now. Also needs a lot of team work both defending and to attack, which is a good thing I think because every player is forced to play together.

If that's the piece of play I remember I loved it. Wagner peeled off to get on to his left and Hunt ran straight through the Suns players to draw them all to him and then gave the handball to Wagner who had time and space on his preferred foot. I've been so impressed by Hunt using his height to mark and spoil, and his clean hands off the ground hitting team mates in stride. We were all told he's quick and needs to work on his kicking. That's fine. A guy with an elite attribute and one to work on can be ok, but it's the rest of his game that's impressed me just as much.

Yep pushed by Miller. Jack Viney gets cleaned up with a hip straight to the head after slipping on the turf and I'd say the same thing about that - it's one of those things that happens in footy and no need for a suspension.

Interested in why people are voting for Kent? He finished the game well but was incredibly fumbly all night. Not close to my best.

I want to give all the votes to Hunt, I thought his first half kept us in it. 6 - Gawn 5 - Jetta - how many one on ones did he win against all types? 4 - Hunt 3 - Jones 2 - Viney 1 - Harmes Sorry Clarry and Petracca for leaving you out. Bugg and Wagner as well

Endurance is probably the overall gap in the list as well, but hopefully one we can develop. Petracca, Brayshaw, Oliver have all been drafted high knowing they have work to do on endurance. I think Tyson's made improvement but still needs an injury free preseason. Same for Salem, Kent, Ben Kennedy. Watts, Hogan, Weed as well, particularly if they are to play in the same side. Hopefully we have the right fitness staff and probably just as importantly hopefully we have the right culture this time around!

They play better in better sides so usually get attracted there, that's my theory anyway. We could do with the Lewis Jetta and Callum SInclair trade, except for both of them!

In no particular order: 1. Wing - need another elite runner (Stretch aside) to push Matt Jones/Bugg 2. Tall defender - Dunn and Garland are on the way out, need Oscar or Frost to come on or a trade/draft. Hullett to CHB at Casey must be an option once he finds his feet forward 3. 3rd tall defender - think Wagner (and Lumumba) are really a 4th option, another 190-195cm two way player is vital, these guys are hard to find. 4. Ruck/forward - Pedersen/Dawes in this role just aren't up to it long term, Max King hasn't stepped up 5. Back up ruck - someone other than Spencer I feel pretty good about our inside mids, most of the forward line and even our small/medium backs have impressed me this year despite some hiccups. I think you can usually find a ruck when your window opens, so my priority would be adding running skillful players, preferably with a bit of height to fill that wing and 3rd defensive spot.

I've gone backwards and forwards on this. At the end of the day I think my answer is no because of his elite endurance, good marking and solid defending. They are 3 vital tools in a zone defending CHB. Ultimately I think it's up to the rest of the backline to give him cover. Wagner and Salem have the skills and Hunt the athleticism to combine with Tommy. Vince can and should play half back. I'd rather chase a 2nd reliable tall to go with Tom than trade him and try and find 2 with less errors.

Most of us would end up well in the negatives, but the point I'm making is I doubt Dawes getting paid less opens up a pile of gold for Jesse. The money should already be there for him (and McDonald, Jetta, Watts etc) if our cap management has been anywhere near professional.

Talk of Dawes' savage pay cut seems stupid to me. He's got the rest of the year to get back to fitness and show he can still offer something at AFL level. If he does that - or even if he doesn't and they still want him for 1 more year - he'll get paid like an experienced AFL player, which means probably 300k minimum. Only rookies, new draftees and the most fringe of fringe players are getting paid any less that that these days.

How was his defensive intensity? He's always interested me in how he can get and use the ball, even though he lacks a yard of pace, but has mostly looked like a passenger without the ball.

Name the 4 you'd have taken out for those 4? With perfect 20/20 hindsight I'd have played Matt Jones for Frost and probably ANB for Salem, with Vince going to half back. Otherwise I would've left Oliver out given Petracca was in. That would've been 3 changes. Still not sure it would fix much. As a team we need to run more and pressure better, we can't just chuck in a couple of fit guys to cover up the defensive failings of multiple players. I don't think we are training defensive pressing anywhere near the way the Saints must be. Too often we aren't getting one tackler to each player and sliding our defense as a unit. Plus we need composed defenders with the ball, which is where guys like Salem and Wagner have been great the last few weeks. Getting through pressure is just as often a skill exercise than a physical one.

Should've dropped one of Pedersen or Frost, and picked Matt Jones. But it's Matt Jones ffs, he wasn't going to win us the game. Would Dunn for Garland have made any difference? Otherwise what are you going to do? Drop really important and quality players like Salem and replace them with lesser players? Leave out Kent who's been fantastic the last two weeks? Leave out Jeff Garlett? Or don't play Petracca? We simply don't have enough players who can run all day and use the ball well. We're always going to be picking between robbing Peter and paying Paul.

The Salem concussion wasn't until the last quarter. In the 2nd and 3rd quarter he was getting run off the ground by Mav Weller who has elite endurance. Clever coaching by the Saints. Agree on Lumumba, I don't really mean to have a go at him, more saying he's not experienced voice of reason we need down back. When we don't bring pressure and the other team have forwards with huge work rates like Riewoldt, Weller, Bruce even young Acres, it's bound to cause us big trouble.

By the way, I've heard from a Saints assistant coach that they are number 1 in the league in scoring from kick outs. They go long to the far side and get numbers front and centre then quickly kick to a spot down the line, getting guys running in to that space. So I was far from surprised when they got us out there all the time. Especially from that Frost miss. I've been waiting a decade for us to do better at kick outs, I hope we take notice of the Saints.