Webber

Only long-term injury stopping him going round again. A competitive beast, and pure AFL standard. I watched him play Casey v Swans earlier this year as his warm-up to seniors return, and he played what can only be called a perfect game. Won EVERY contest, and delivered to teammates in open space downfield. It was a memorable example of the level difference between AFL and VFL. As an aside, Disco Turner was very close behind him, and watching his Casey game yesterday, the boy’s gonna be very very good when he gets his next chance.

Jake Niall still making presumptions about Gus’ state of mind, when in truth he has no idea. Standard media rubbish dressed up to look more sensible.

Contrary to many, I reckon that was our best chance for a win from here to finals, so being so comprehensively outplayed in the second half is very disappointing. They were fierce, clean, and opened us up like a tin of old sardines from the breakdown, and made us look just predictable and under-committed. Consequently, not only will top 2 be a bridge too far now, but top 4 I suspect given our run home. Haven’t seen Maxy lower his colours like that to another ruckman in 5 years - he won’t be happy - and many players were unsighted in the second half. Umpires yes, a problem again of course, but you expect that vs Dogs, and in truth they were way better. We just keep plugging from here, but a home town flag is looking very very shaky.

No signs of Gawny being hurt, he’s just getting beaten. Not sure where Dogga went that quarter??? Gotta even up at the contests or start winning, or they’ll just wear us down.

Somebody had to say it, I guess.

Pain and functional quality depends on the type of fracture, where it is, and type of internal fixation used. If the thumb does what he requires of it, he’s ready.

The longer he doesn’t debut, the more expectation rises. I’ve now read him compared to Dermie, David Neitz, James Hird and David Schwarz (I reckon the closest 😜), and given he’d be expected to play the Tmac role, him too. Hope he’s ready to bear the load! Given Tommo’s game on Sunday, I’m getting bullish again on the Petty forward idea, despite knowing it won’t happen because he hasn’t been ‘prepared’ for it.

Still is….

They’re not the biggest boots going, but he’s sure filling ‘em.

Hooray!!! Somebody talking sense about BBB’s game. Thank you.

Thanks WJ, duly ordered. Supermercado’s The Last Hurrah is mandatory for Dees tragics.

You don’t reckon it reveals AND creates? Great chicken and egg topic on its own, or nature-nurture as you like. To me, this is implicit in the argument. Otherwise we’d be suggesting a level of pre-loading perfection that only loading can render imperfect. Which binman has frequently illuminated, detailing how our winning game is built around pressure, which duly rolls on to improve connection in the forward line. When these are affected - by loading or otherwise - our game drops away. I don’t hear that he’s denying the natural variability of the factors our best game is built on.

In binman’s defence, he’s never claimed that loading is the pivot of all our ills, only that it simply has to be a significant factor when one applies logic and history. What his work on the podcast (at the risk of repetition, the best Dees podcast) in fact adds is a sensible appreciation that footy success or otherwise comes down to multiple variables.

He looks in outstanding nick, would make a tidy pile of ashes indeed. The thing about the merch/clothes superstition is how quickly (mine/they) go from indispensable to a win to cursed by a loss, and vice versa. One I’ve maintained however is “only purchase after a win”. This is of course, unlike all other superstitions, based on unbeatable logic.

Great pod again guys, love the very human dichotomy of Andy’s tendency to throw a negative veil over current form against binman’s tossing that veil to the gutter and just letting it run to the stormwater drain (whence there are a decent pile of veils now collecting). Thanks for the shout-out on the Max and Jack painting, which needless to say also has me greatly disturbed. @binman’s quite justifiable concern that he’s ignited a ‘curse’ over our form - by hanging said print - of course implicates me in the curse! What to do?! Firstly, @Demonland, burning yours is NOT the answer, and don’t think I haven’t contemplated the same action. The footy gods would not look kindly on such behaviour, dare I say it would likely institute a fresher, more malign curse. As such, I have committed new paint to canvas. Importantly, the attached photo was taken whilst the paint was still wet, making it ‘live’ into perpetuity. I trust that this (and a win in Alice Springs) will settle the matter.

From the moment he revealed his marking strength and competitive mongrel, I committed to believing he’d eventually be a forward, a la Neitz, Tmac. Still think it’ll go that way, but this year’s not the one. Maybe next year, when Disco Turner can take over his spot down back.

Biggest kick at the club I’d say. From what I’ve seen, he’s gaining confidence in his ability to impact a game. Also has that elegant knack of seeming slow but having lots of time. Just needs to get it more, and impose physically in contests.

And yet the true irony is your presumption.

Yep, this explanation seemed logical to me too. People will only see the thing that meets their brief.

Because the ‘commentators’ they choose to cough-up said nonsense honestly don’t know any better. Which sadly their employers know and love. We just need better commentators.

He was good yesterday, constantly got hands to it in packs and outnumbered contests (his vertical reach in these cases is vital) and got his pair of goals, all of which would’ve pleased Goody. Not easy being the only real tall in the forward line currently, and wearing the best of the oppo’s defence, mostly in spoiling pairs.

Just watched the replay (1st time), and was expecting the umpiring to be horrendous based on this thread. It wasn’t. Yes, several clangers, and as happens in ‘crowd’ influence games, the umps aren’t keyed into looking for Dees frees as much as for the ‘crowd’ team, so only award them if they’re unignorable and egregious. Experience and conscious awareness of this by umpires goes a long way, but the AFL won’t admit the problem, so won’t properly look to solve it. The best umpires don’t succumb to crowd influence, so we need better umpires. Over to you AFL. As to the commentary, it was a typical low grade ‘underdog’ barracking effort, except for Jason Dunstall, who loves the Dees, and is one of Clarrie’s champions particularly, for reasons that he articulates very well, and often!

In my top 5 players. As pure and skilled a footballer as there is, great greedy goal sense and a team-based love of the game. Our most productive forward by some margin.

The chances of him playing again this season, based solely on the injury - Lisfranc disruption - are negligible. Part of this is down to loss of fitness whilst weight-bearing is limited and the catch-up then required. That it wasn’t a Lisfranc fracture bodes well however for next season.

Watched a good amount, and this was a very bizarre low disposal game. Mitch Brown on 20 disposals, but midfielders only in the teens, and yet was a complete domination, everybody played well. Much sharing!