Webber

My God Michael Hibberd is a good footballer.

Weid’s getting to it a lot, but two-grabbing almost every time, and getting spoilt. Turner, Van Rouyen and Ellison’s marking hands are better. Would be shocked if someone doesn’t pick up Ellison in the MSD.

Indeed. Is so quiet now, I can hear Balwyn calling.

Ground speakers playing Skyhooks “Livin in the 70’s” as I sit here feeling as if it’s just that. Spooky!

Can also report that the siren is deafening when there’s no crowd. Ouchy ears!

Am sitting Southern Stand Level 2. Me and 1 other, almost within shouting distance. Feels like 1972. Amazing how the footy improves at a great venue. Was thinking Mitch Brown could be sub. Unlikely I know, but possible. Disco Turner is gonna be a footballer!

The age I feel, or actual? Also, how many years should I add for the 55 years of grief endured before 2021? Oops, gave it away. D’OH!!!

The dog exaggerated the contact, surely?!

Dunno….maybe bringing the game into disrepute?

Really interesting test for the AFL this week (bigger than the Buddy test) in their reaction to the Smith headbutt. Do they make a clanging example of the mullet-haired poster-boy insta-hero, or do they squib their responsibilities to the game’s principles of non-violence for the sake of TV viewership? I’m suspecting they’ll go hard, but only because the Dogs are way off the pace.

Never truer, and so he’ll continue to be. Quick and tough is CS.

The difference with Salem’s knee, particularly compared to returning ACL’s, is that he’ll have no worries about ‘instability’ of the knee, the fear of which usually requires post-ACL players to gain confidence via a stepped entry to match play. His knee injury is all about loading. I would guarantee he’s been loaded up at match day levels (time and distance covered), with the requisite number of kicks, marks, pivots, etc. As to notion of ‘match fitness’, I agree with you that it’s a jelly construct, particularly compared to the elite experience which Salem has in spades. We shouldn’t expect his top-of-form best, but I don’t doubt he’s ready and raring.

Could be. As it’s likely last chance saloon for Sam, is worth a shot. Don’t forget how Jack Watts was tearing it up at Port in the back half before his ankle exploded….

Near enough 👌

Industry default for grade 1 hamstring tear (which Harmes must have been) is 21 days.

My thought is they probably don’t see Joel Smith as having the footy smarts for KPF, and that a ‘role-playing’ defensive structure suits him better long term. Could be true. Also, I suspect he’d be seen as more fitting the Bailey Fritsch position, who has footy-smarts on tap, and was wasted down back (drove me crazy that they weren’t playing him forward). Nonetheless, If it were up to me, I’d give JS a go up forward (knowing he also has the defensive chops), and Weid down back. Still think Harry Petty is David Neitz-esque, and will end up as our next power forward,

Had the no. 33 on my back, before GH retired and I switched to no. 2 (obviously). Great player. Didn’t see many wins back then though!

He was played forward in pre-season 2019 I think (could be wrong year) before succumbing to his annual months long injury, and was our best goal scorer. It’s the only time I’ve seen him play forward, and he played precisely as you say. Used his athleticism to advantage, à la Naughton.

All the AFL have to say is “if we let Buddy off, then we’re officially sanctioning deliberate slaps/fists to the head as ok”. Doesn’t seem possible, if only on account of the precedent it sets. On the other hand, the AFL obviously thinks precedents have about a 6 day lifespan.

Hunt was in front of him…..ridiculous free-kick. ‘Play on’ every day. If the marking duels were adjudicated around the ground like they are in forward 50, free-kicks would be quadrupled.

Kid’s a gun. Reminds me of Jeremy McGovern. Big call, but I’m going with it. Looks slow but isn’t, reads the play beautifully, uses the body well, and disposes better than his height suggests.

No chance I would have thought, but gee the boy is good. Beautiful reader of the flight, backs himself, terrific marking hands and thoughtful disposal. I presume he was playing the loose intercept defender (impossible to tell on the livestream, KC thoughts?) because he seemed impassable down there. Needless to say, Tommo several levels above the whole thing. Straight in, and as Goody said, he just needed to play football, that is get minutes. Is one of the elite endurance athletes at the club, so he’ll be cherry ripe.

Time to give the Weid a potential reinvention and resurrection down back I reckon. A la Liam Jones, Paddy McCartin, James Sicily, and too many others to mention. It would also fit nicely into my (admittedly only briefly tested) theory that Harry Petty, as good as he is defensively, is our next power forward! 😳 Thoughts? (I’m ducking my head already).

If it’s not a musculoskeletal injury, it will always come down to the player. It literally comes down to how they ‘feel’. On the injury front generally, and I’ve said it before (endlessly), players unavailable week to week is the single most reliable determinant of season outcome across the AFL. This will be the story of our season’s second half. Get back or close to best 22, and we reset and march on. Have a rolling 4-5 out weekly (or more), and we’re going to really struggle, sad to say. It’s the truth nobody (particularly the media, and coaches) really want to talk about. As such, with May obviously out, player returns for next week’s game will be crucial.

That almost never happens. Sad to say, but injuries, or games missed through injury, are objectively the biggest factor in games won, and they are random and fluid throughout the season. We may get close to a fully fit list, like last year, or we may get a horror run with injuries from here. For example, Gawn, Oliver and Petracca could all get 6-8 week injuries in the same game. Unlikely of course, but that would end us for 2022. There’s no way to know what’s around the corner, but one thing’s for sure - it WILL be the key determinant of our success or otherwise, as for all clubs.