Webber

Garbage. We absolutely deserved it because we were the better team and were limped home in the last quarter through grit. Weak assessment.

Gutsy effort considering the lack of rotations. If Carlton were any good, they would have iced the game in the first 15 minutes of the last. It means nothing of course in the sense of the season (apart from more injury woe), but that IS the win of the season.

In the spirit of the Coodabeens, I’m calling it ‘WBS’ - Whipping Boy Syndrome. Oscar is just the latest in a loooong line.

To state the obvious, this is an unpopular opinion on here, but I think Oscar is a more naturally talented ball player than his brother. He’s also subject to the same slumps of confidence, and we’ve seen what that’s done to Tom this season. People forget very quickly that for most of last year, he was one of the first ten players picked each week, based on form, and we played in a prelim. Finals-experienced 23 year olds having form slumps don’t just get tossed aside. Yes, he could be bigger and stronger, but that can be worked on. I don’t doubt he will be groomed as a key forward over the next couple of years. Thankfully the club has a more logical perspective than Demonland, exceptions granted.

This team has lost any and all credibility it earned last year, and not one thing gives me any confidence they’ve got any idea how to come back in any meaningful way. I fear it’s gonna get very ugly on the biggest night of this club’s year, and if we’re not considered an embarrassment already, tonight will nail home our shame good and proper.

And that’s not an oversimplification at all.

Threat and weakness = fragility of confidence. strength and opportunity = return and stability of confidence. Our perceived lack of intent, contested dominance, lack of speed and skill errors all come from this. An off-season is a looooong time in footy.

Wow. We’re not even vaguely competitive.

Easiest team in the AFL to score against. It’s wet FFS! Why are we letting them get so much easy ball?

How did we so quickly from last year to this. We are currently bottom 4, and I suspect the dumbest, least competitive team on current form. It’s f***ing agony to watch. We are just third rate rubbish.

Odd response. Compound dislocations happen. And why would Goodwin lie?

What’s going on with Oscar Baker?

Joel Smith has been our most productive forward of the 3 games. And getting better. He did some great things today, and is the sole ‘find’ of the preseason. Otherwise we have too many lacking form or injured. For the JKH knockers, he was in our best both last week and v Collingwood. On that form he would have played round 1. We are in trouble defensively (both Tigers and Lions scored 100+ against us) and are going to be very underwhelming early season.

Dismiss it if you will, and many will, but the negative of those 2 games can’t be anything but a huge worry. We are defensively horrible. Up front, on the ball, down back. Poor defensive cover for the loose ball. Giving to players under pressure and not backing them up. Too much unacvountable football.

Not even a contest now. Unwatchable

Some good footy. The relentless pressure to get the ball moving our way from a contest or breakdown was the highlight - ethos footy. Standout players for me: Gawn, Brayshaw, Kennedy-Harris, Vandenberg. Good to see back, or new: Hunt, Preuss, Hore, Stretch, T.Smith. No bad performers for a first hit out.

Dunno what’s going on here, but if it’s patellar tendinopathy, any surgery would be to debride (remove and freshen up) the affected bit via arthroscopy. Don’t know why they’re talking about cortisone, it’s not used in tendons now. I suspect it’s something completely other than what’s been confusingly reported, but if they say JLT’s on for him, I believe them. ???

The lack of realisation that Oscar McDonald is one of the first picked every week (yes, even with May and Lever) I find continually bemusing.

I’m pretty cautious these days about assuming positions for players are career long. How many of us would have thought TMac would be one of the league’s best goal kickers? (I actually did privately predict a move forward, which sadly counts for nothing). I think his brother is a better footballer at equivalent age, and really doubt he’ll stay back. And some have already forgotten that Fritsch is a natural forward, just because he filled a hole down back. Don’t be surprised if Joel Smith moves forward either, as his exposed form is negligible really, and he could be anything. Charlie Spargo is about the most likely future midfielder I’ve seen, so expect that in 2 to 3 years as well, and Vanders could be there more as of next season. Football now is about versatility, and many players best use is discovered well down the track.

Excellent interview and full year’s podcasting, congrats to you Andy and Grapeviney. I’ve really enjoyed listening, and to your regular contributors, Supermercado, binman, Nasher, particularly after wins of course, although your calm and reason after losses is admirably well measured. Should be compulsory listening for all the knee-jerkers and doomsdayers of us out there who tend to let emotion cloud the senses. Looking forward to next year.

Excellent outcome. Now our list is truly balanced, and with enviable depth. However talented he is, Jesse Hogan was never part of this team’s growing brotherhood. He always appeared to be on the outer. Best of luck to him, but if we want a team where everyone is happy to be there, he was never going to be part of that. We got the players we were after, and whatever with pick 23. Arguing over petty details of draft order picks is pointless when the goal has been achieved.

Considering his poor set-shot abilities, and his overall talent, the only reason CP isn’t playing more midfield minutes is that he doesn’t have the tank. It’ll improve, but game-long, on-ball endurance may not be his thing.

Will end up as a midfielder, probably not next year, but with bursts. That level of footy smarts and natural ability needs to be where he gets more of it. Size not an issue, he’ll be a gun. You don’t play almost a full season as an 18 year old in a top 4 team if you ain’t.

Nice. Meaningful.

Hard to argue