bing181

Better now than later in the season. Though once again, it confirms that so often players are carrying injuries we don't know about that must be impacting their performance. Not an excuse for Sunday, but I wonder if there wasn't more going on than we knew - Max for one, May for two. Why was May playing on the less dangerous, less mobile forward, especially once it was clear that Waterman had McDonald's measure? Just idle conjecture, but I know from being around elite level sport in various ways from time to time that all isn't always as it seems.

Don't disagree, but not sure how we improve, or improve enough. I just don't see we have any cavalry coming over the hill to turn it around, especially up forward. BBB is cooked, Petty has spent too much time injured/out of the game, Jefferson nowhere near it, JVR "emerging". We're still too reliant on Viney/Oliver around the ball, Sparrow hasn't taken the next step and there's no-one in the wings ... etc etc Might as well cherish the one we managed in 2021, also being competitive across a few seasons, but surely we have to face up to reality.

The great myth. The list just isn't that good once you get past the stars - especially up forward. If we still had Jesse Hogan (for example) you might have a point, but we don't.

This.

Only ourselves to blame. Trac huge. But it's the old forward-line woes again, it's still a work-in progress and was always going to get found out by players like Weitering.

Forwards completely smashed - almost zero possessions between them - so the ball is just coming straight out again. Weitering on Petty especially.

5-day break after a big game like that is a killer. All teams have struggled, so not holding my breath. We’re also a bit screwed by Casey only playing Sunday, so none of the Casey players will come in.

Impressed by the growing maturity of some of the younger brigade. Augers well.

heard/read somewhere that McAdam will be given a full game at VFL level before being AFL-ready. He didn't play a full game today and was rested late.

Harley Reid. I know we offered two decent first-rounders, and not complaining about Windsor and Tholstrup ... but Reid is a generational talent. Two first round plus a second plus a future first wouldn't have been excessive. It's not just what he does, it's the way he does it and the impact that has on players around him. ,

Not quite official, but ... https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/major-update-on-collingwood-star-nathan-murphys-afl-future-after-latest-meeting-c-14320268

Amongst the dross Tom McDonald didn't do much wrong. One of the few bright lights in a disappointing performance.

"Shane McAdam continues to work through a hamstring injury, taking positive steps forward re-joining the main group. “Shane is beginning to integrate into training with the team,” Griffith said. “He’ll continue to train with the group as we build him into being available for selection in the coming weeks.”"

"could miss approximately 12 weeks with a detached ACL along with PCL damaged" Also Jon Ralph: Fremantle says Oscar McDonald needs PCL surgery. The surgeon will also review his ACL while he is in there. Just rotten lock for the former Demon and Blue.

Given the team we have out there, newbies, crocks and kids in what is already a makeshift backline, plus an underdone Petty, (also missing Brayshaw ....), they're doing OK against a top 4 team away.

Petty gone, BBB and McDonald retired ... going to be "interesting" next year up forward.

Naming Petty says a lot about the state of BB and his knees. If BB always needs backup, I’d rather an underdone Petty than a fully fit Schache any day.

Perhaps brush up on Royal Titles - how you get them (gift from the Queen in this case) and how you lose them (you don't - requires an act of parliament for starters). As for the rest, Piers Morgan would be proud of you.

Nice win, great to see new/emerging players stepping up, but amongst it all: - Salem isn't yet entirely convincing as a mid - Sparrow? This was supposed to be the year he took the next step. To finish with a positive: great management of Max, running him in shorter bursts with frequent breaks. Smart.

Or it's an admission that some players who would have been selected weren't ready (coming back from injury), or were suspended. Add to that forced changes (Bowey) and it's easy to see how you get to 5 ins/outs.

And straight into Freo's 22 for their first game. Good luck to him.

Pin this post so whenever anyone brings up the L word it can be referred to. There is no in-season loading in team sports like AFL.

The chance of one becoming available, yet alone being able to get the deal done, are minimal at best. Or to put it another way, how many proven tall forwards have been traded in recent years? Jacob Koschitzke? Mabior Chol?

Maybe it's not Stafford. Maybe it has something to do with the players available. Just a thought ...

This is just delusional. We had one great season when everything worked, where we had basically no injuries and where McDonald and Brown were strong contributors. Since then, the list has fallen off a cliff, we have no key forwards worthy of the name for the moment - JVR can be, but he should only be taking the 2nd or 3rd defender, not coming up against the best in the league every week - beyond Lever and May we're playing kids or journeymen in the backline, Petty who held that same backline together alongside Lever/May is nowhere to be seen, we've lost Brayshaw, Langdon is a shadow of his 2021 self, Melksham is the nearest we have to a forward-line general and he's out of action ... you could go on and on. You cannot take player after player out of a team and expect there to not be consequences.