John Crow Batty

Due to a wedding I was only able to watch the game from quarter time. We looked way off the pace right from the start of the quarter. I was thinking how did we win that first quarter the way we were playing. Second to the ball, out tackled and terrible skills. Whatever happened at the break turned the game.

Putting the cue in the rack turned a 4 point loss to a metaphorical 8 points loss That lost percentage sees 4 teams leapfrog us. This result was a disaster.

We can’t play both Vince and Lewis anymore in the same game.

This was a wake up call 4 rounds after the last wake up call in R23 last season. Well are due for the next wake up call in round 8. We were pretty good until it started raining bath water.

White feather footballers.

Checking the weather radar there appears to be little rain for this afternoon. Perhaps a few isolated showers and only mild to moderate winds. Should be good conditions for the most.

Have to agree, this has been one of the worst lacklustre starts to a season with more dud games than good ones I can remember. Unusual to see so many lame duck games early in the season. Standards have been appalling. FTA TV missteps have only amplified the problem.

Picked up a snippet on SEN when driving today. They were interviewing Jeremy Howe and asked him how he felt like finally having success after he played for us. The tyres are getting pumped up on the Collingwood bandwagon again. I switched off the radio.

I hope Nicnat has an insurance policy on his hair. It’s his major asset.

I hope Garlett is not carrying an injury and may be doubtful.

I recall Melksham had a slowish start last season but just got better and better as the season progressed. Goals have dried up for him but that can change quickly with his excellent kicking skills. So far been serviceable and played his role. Brayshaw has to wait his chance. Is hampered by his vanilla skills and pace.

With all the scrutiny on Jack Watts ordinary game against Brisbane, kudos to ex Dee Stefan Martin. 30 disposals, 49 hitouts, 13 contested possessions, 9 inside 50’s and 177 AF points. Well done.

Still a long way off before those two are fit. Form fluctuates, injuries occur and a six week injury layoff could well be ten or more going by our track record. This is a question to be asked in about 3-4 weeks at the earliest.

Though quite a few players are not at optimal form, they seem to fit into the team ethos that is desirable and was missing for a long time. A lot of players could be better but are doing their bit. I don’t miss the days when too many players seemed to get up just before contract signing day and then backslide with a fist full of dollars in their grasp. Perhaps this is why there are only Jones and Jetta remaining from the dark early Bailey years. Who misses the likes of Dunn, Watts, Howe, Frawley, Bleese et al?

That’s why the hawks got rid of him. A slightly improved Sam Bleese at best.

Well, we have won 9 out of 12 quarters played. In contrast Essendon have won 3 out of 12. Keep that ratio up we can afford the subsequent bad quarters and lapses. We will win far more games than we lose.

Essendon are experimenting with new performance enhancing supplements. No more peptides but fresh raw meat. Once cannibals ate their enemies so as to appropriate their strengths. Coner McKenna it appears bit a nice chunk out of Tory Dickson’s neck after being run down. Whatever it takes.

Dwayne and Bruce need to be lobotomised or have they been already?

Equal third B&F last season and consistently one of our best players. Who could that be?

Jones must be learning from Lewis. In the last quarter lowered his eyes and hit up a couple of dinky passes inside 50 for shots at goals. Normally he blazes away.

Too top heavy like an upside down bowling pin. Has magpie legs.

Um, amazing all the negativity, for me this is the best Melbourne side since early 2000 and something. I have been a cynic and skeptic for many years but I believe we are seriously top four material ATM. Only lost 3 quarters, dominate most play around the ground and score heavily despite inefficiency. Other sides seem to be playing reactive football against us. Trying to exploit our weaknesses rather than their strengths. As I said before what we most lack is killer instinct but the mental demons seem to be fading. Goodwin getting caned by arm chair experts is puzzling me. It’s only his second season and we are rising with a bullet. Hard challenges ahead but I believe we at the stage where we can overcome them.

In the first two rounds despite some improvements there were strong hints of the mental demons that plagued us last season and for years before. Today will prove they still exist in a big way and nothing’s changed or are finally on the way out.

Bug will will have an off day with his kicking. To kick 3 goals.

Can’t throw the meat of the blame on the AFL for this one. The fault is with Channel 7 who only want the big rating clubs playing in prime time. It’s all about advertisng and money.