spalding

And boy he sinks the knees when he flies at the ball. as exciting as it is now, with he, JVR and Petty in our forward line for years to come (I hope) there will be some nervous opposition intercepting backs

I was at the game, high up in the Bradman stand end (behind the goals to the left of screen), so had a Birds Eye view. A couple of observations. our ability to run and spread, get extras to the contest in the last quarter was too much for the swans. Teams have to spend so many tickets to compete with us that they are usually cooked at some stage in the last quarter (or earlier). horrible for Jake. When he and bayley went off in the third and also on the last, we played kozi out of the square. He looked very dangerous from there playing a very similar role that Elliot plays for pies. Most importantly he is really nasty - and twice in the last quarter he totally smashed swans guys who dropped into the hole (hickey was one of them) in his mark of the year attempts. It seemed to get him into the game more too, and he did get on the end of a couple of passes when he lead from the square. Perhaps we can use this on Moore and Howe in a similar way that melksham has played - even just as a shock tactic for a quarter.

Feel slightly conflicted given my daughter plays for the hawks, but go Dees! I was at the practice match at Casey on Saturday. It’s hard to see anyone getting close to Melbourne tbh. Think North might be the biggest threat, as Lions and Crows have lost key players - however their home ground advantage means a lot.

can not see how Port can lose to Richmond - who finished their season on Saturday; unless its on purpose. Same for the Pies, although the Dons may be so embarassed about last weekend that they decide to try this week. The Bombers did have Collingwood on toast in the Anzac game. Saints could push Lions as they would get a home final if they win. Lions, would want to win so as to lock up first or second and avoid an away final in the first week against Port or the Pies. Therefore I think Lions will. I really think this game on Sunday is a dead rubber for us. I will be going. So good to win yesterday as I can be relaxed and not embarassing my Sydney mate who is taking me to the SCG members. I think they are all Rugby Union playing AFL theatre goers who are used the umpires being called Sir and Ma'am. He hasn't invited me for about 8 years as he is still getting over the shame I caused him last time.

No-one seems to have mentioned this, but I'm sure Binman saw it and will mention it tonight. In both the 3rd and 4th quarters on Saturday I don't think Carlton would have had an inside 50 in the last 10 minutes of either. They were cooked. I said to my kids at the game that 3 qtr time has come just at the right time for Carlton as they will get a breather. We will keep coming and run over them again in the last, but just need to hold them for the first 5-10 minutes of the 4th quarter. Alas! Unfortunately we did not take advantage of this as we kept bombing into an outnumbered forward line. I hope we learn from this, as the goal that we were all shocked that Salem missed will be the secret to beating the Blues next time. move it around the top of 50 and get it to the likes of Petracca, Rivers (Fritsch) and take shots from longer range rather than bombing it to the goalsquare (unless Max is resting down there and we have small forwards at his feet) It was clear to me that Carlton do not have the fitness to play this game for as long as we do, as we have been training for it for 3 years. I think we beat them for this reason in finals, unless we give up goals in the way we did at the start of the last quarter, It was better to learn this lesson on Saturday. I also don't think their potential ins will be as beneficial as they and all the pundits think (particularly McGovern) as I they may not necessarily be as fit as the guys who are in the Carlton team atm.

And at least the vfl umpires know what a trip is

At least tmac can still kick. Might be an issue getting it tho.

Doesn’t choco have time to work with Casey players?

Yes according to C7 Also they said in: Clarrie and Grundy out: Petty and Harmes

Richo saying season over on C7

Would have you enjoyed it more if we didn’t come back?

Toiges getting a glimpse at the next few years - it’s yuk!

I was at lunch with two MRC officials on the 22nd (Caulfield Races) and was talking about the development and mentioned that MFC needed a training facility. I got nothing that led me to form any sort of opinion - topic quickly changed to how hard it is to get anything done in the area due to Nimbys. In hindsight maybe the speed that we moved off the topic might mean something.!

Have you tried to catch a domestic flight lately? I reckon you’d spend 3 hours on a plane to fly from tulla to Essendon !

And on cue Brayshaw starts the interstate, 6 days break, wet night last week narrative

So exciting to have another gem to add to a core of young players who could set us up for a decade or so like Geelong. Bowey, Riv, Petty, and Judd down back. Pickett and Roo up front and sparrow, JJ, woey, are already good afl standard players who can go to a higher level. If we can use a strong draft, and maybe father/son picks to add some more emerging midfielders, wings etc, we should be in the mix for quite a long period of time.

No place for Yze spin here please. We all know: loading only exists in Binmans head kozzie is not interested since signing his contract Goodwin poor coaching and tactics are the only thing holding this team back from playing like the 2021 prelim and grand final every week hawthorn were on top of the latter for about 4 straight years and didn’t lose a game

Sad to see him go, but if it came down to a choice between him and chandler would you prefer Toby ?

With the notable exception of the kick where he picked out Mason Cox at the Punt Road end, he is such an elite kick inside 50. I wish he could kick it to himself.

We weren’t great. They were worse (flat?). if anyone doesnt think we are in this up to our our eyeballs you are never going to let your mfcss look at football objectively. thanks binman

Just another opinion that has no place on this site

An island oasis in a sea of misery through the mid 70s to kid 80s as an aside, I recognise just about all the umpires’s names in the record from that day of his debut, and I think every single one of them is better than what we see today.

Butters and Rozee, and to a lesser extent JHF, are small bodied light midfielders who I think will struggle physically when targeted later in the year. they still have Wines, an ageing Boak, and PP as bigger midfielders, but not sure they are good enough to get it done. will be top 4 id say, but not impossible to beat, even at Adelaide Oval

There’s a lot of validity in what you say. I get really frustrated with the umpiring at AFL level, and while I don’t swear or use threatening or abusing language I get get loud and upset. I tell myself before every game not do it - but I’m too emotionally invested. So much so, that one of my kids either just laughs at me or tells me to shut up (particularly if I’m yelling at the TV) I have 4 kids who play at various levels - Country footy, underage NAB AFLW, and now AFLW. I have seen a lot of umpiring. at country level, it usually a couple of older ex-players who don’t move much but are clear with their decisions, explain them, and I have never seen too much angst on the ground. Generally there is often some disagreement, even sometimes some banter, but they just pay the obvious, and get on with it, and they seem respected by the players. The bigger issue is drunks in the crowd, and the odd nutcase who wants to hit people (usually in the seconds), but quite often it’s the rest of the players and officials at the clubs that deal with these clowns. at NAB underage league you can already see that the umpires are now in the “system”. It’s nearly like they are trying to get noticed (lots of look at me decisions and moments), and nearly like they get positive reinforcement for making game defining decisions at the end of close games. It happened so often, and in womens underage, it was a 50 metre penalty, or a holding the ball that had happened 20 times during the rest of the game but was never called until it was result changing. I would really like to know the KPIs of the AFL umpiring department- and whether too much money is spent in head office where officials have to create a reason for their existence, and how this translates into what we see on the ground at AFL. I also think 4 umpires creates more confusion and variation in decision making, particularly as the umpires further away from the action seem to want to interject all the time.

I loved having Dogga at the MFC. He reminds me of my puppy. Slightly crazy and unco at times, but happy to be alive and in the moment. I hope he plays well, but we win. Then I can focus any negative energy on Cripps, the Daicos media storm, and the entire city of Geelong.