bing181

Smith showing his lack of footy nouse and being consistently outmanoeuvred by Stewart has nothing to do with Stafford. Stop blaming the coaches, the team just isn't as good as what many here seem to think. That's why we lose matches.

But who is? Nothing to do with the coaches, we just don't have the cattle.

Yes, but look at who he has available, especially in terms of key position players. JVR OK as emerging forward and second tall - but we need an in form BBB or Tom Mac as the primary target ... which I suspect isn't gong to happen as both seem past it. Hope I'm wrong, because if not ...

Your sample size is 2 weeks, not sure it's quite "set in stone, not to be touched". Yes, most would agree that the back line works better with a second tall (depending on match-ups), but Petty is a better KPD than Tomlinson.

"Clayton Oliver comes clean after 'slipping out' of hospital despite suffering a foot infection... but Melbourne superstar insists he did NOT go for a run" 'Definitely didn't go for a run, I couldn't run, I just wanted to get a change of clothes.' "With the majority of his teammates enjoying a well-earned break after the win over Collingwood, Oliver was on the track on Thursday completing a 45-minute running session. “I thought I was pretty close (to playing last week), but going off today’s training session I was nowhere near it so probably good decision by the docs,” Oliver told 7NEWS. “A week in hospital is no good and (I) wasn’t too flash today. “I didn’t realise how bad I actually was, foot feels fine, just a bit unfit.”"

From comments I've seen from Oliver, I wouldn't be so sure yet. He was in hospital for 5 days or so and said himself that he's coming from a long way back fitness-wise. Fingers crossed of course, though even if he plays, not sure we're going to see explosive Clarry in full flight.

There are some photos on one of the Facebook groups of Oliver running laps on the MCG after the game.

Not a withdrawal, wasn’t named in the team. Casey article said he and Turner were out injured, no details.

He’s injured

With injuries + suspension was always going to be hard. No Turner or Tomlinson down back, no Smith, BBB or Tom Mac up forward. Even Harnes generally goes well at this level. We missed the AFL players.

Why?

Without a big, dominant KPF we're going to continue to struggle. Also behind a lot of the poor I50 entries IMV, no-one quite sure who to kick to. If you have your one big bloke you kick it to him if he's one on one, if he's not you kick to the secondary forwards who will have made space. Can't see this year being the one, you really need not just the cattle but for everything to go right, and we're losing out on both of those (injuries to Gawn, Oliver, Petty, Salem etc).

Can't get Petty back quick enough. Down back.

Smith isn't that small ... still 191.

At least Smith has been kicking goals, especially over the last couple of weeks. But Smith is much more athletic than BBB, so presumably FD are looking for a more mobile forward line - was quite stagnant last week.

Presumably Tom Mac and Harmes (or JJ) out for Smith + Hunter. If Tomlinson, then who from the backs? Perhaps resting Hibberd, otherwise ...? Will find out soon enough, but not bad changes if true.

Players aren't picked on logic but on performance - and this year, Tomlinson has been fairly ordinary (I'm being kind) at AFL level. But we shall see.

Sure. But it goes both ways. Those of us who don't vent or perhaps have a more measured response to losses don't deserve to be dismissed as somehow being less invested - or as is often the case "weak", or "accepting mediocrity" etc. etc.

Perhaps, but that's not to say that it's the best list in the comp. (Hint: it's not.)

Whatever the issues are, the idea that the solutions are running round in the VFL is delusional. For mine though, really missing: - key forward. Has been Tom Mac and BB, but both are pretty horribly out of form/past it, which leaves JVR (tries hard but pushed aside too easily), Schache (there's a reason he's onto his 3rd club) or I don't know who (Smith?). - second KPD. Our fearless backline was built around May, Petty and Lever ... in that order. Taking Petty out means that Lever is forced to play to his weaknesses (1 on 1) while at the same time we get no benefit from his strengths (intercepts) which is a double whammy.

Yes, but he’s playing out of position. He’s an interceptor, not a second kpd or 1 on 1.

The players themselves bear no responsibility?

We're just not. Having to put Petty forward to shore up our KPF stocks has only unbalanced our backline - neither Lever nor May will be AA this year. Now with Petty out we're losing at both ends - undermanned backline and forward line without a reliable KPF target.

We already have a very good third tall defender - Lever. What we've lost is the second tall defender, ex. Petty, and Turner has shown that for the moment at least, he's not big enough for that role. Rather Tomlinson for 2nd tall, and yes I know.

Amongst everything else, missed Petty tonight - at either end.