John Crow Batty

Shows we are a very even side with team ethos trumping individual brilliance.

Grundy kicked 3 goals last game where his AFL best has been 2 goals. Maybe has learned some forward craft?

Cox and Cameron will try to work Gawn into the ground. JVR needs to concentrate on his forward craft instead of doing disruptive cameo ruck work. One goal a game by him won’t cut it in finals. Grundy has to play. Its a new ball game now and what didn’t work in H&A has no relevance to what can or can’t work in finals.

Very sad about this. Arguably in career best form before finals. Hope Club looks after him and Dunstan going forward.

Gawn’s past two performances are not as good as in his previous months worth. Looks over worked. Hard to see him carrying our rucks with cameos with JVR for up to 3 or 4 punishing finals. Grundy can offer plenty.

I still believe the Grundy and Gawn partnership can work. Finals add different dynamics. Cox and Cameron are too tall without equality in matchup. Solo Gawn will be worked over and VDR too short to counter and unsettles his forward game.

Grundy and Tmac could play a half each forward.

Loitering with intent.

Peeking in Collingwood's Big Footy forum the big talk there is how sick many of their players were at our last meeting. Many taking us lightly.

Grundy has to come in to support Gawn. Gawn has been impressive going solo but starting to look over worked in the last couple of rounds. Another tall loitering in the forward line would also pressure Collingwood's shortish defence.

[censored] the the commentators. it’s like they are willing injures for us.

With Spargo, Pickett and Chandler why would we want Liam Henry?

For such a deadly kick for goal on the snap, tight angles and on the run it puzzles me how awkwardly he handles an easy set shot at middle distance.

Your disciples are praying your flight is delayed and hoping they might still get your trichotomous fix for the round.

He can certainly roost the ball. Saw him at Optus a couple years ago kick the ball I swear it was close to 80 metres. Shame it was a point.

Seems to make the same exciting moves every game but often it’s like his internal GPS is out of whack and he has trouble tracking the ball where it’s going even by a few inches.

We would have been better with Grundy instead of Gawn today so far. Reeves is cleaning him up.

I don’t think it’s a wise move to bring Tmac back in now. Takes him a while to get to form after an injury layoff.

Goal reviews won’t get any better until improved technology is introduced and it is clear the 4 field umpire system needs tweaking. There appears no coordination between them. The 4th umpire needs to be an experienced full time master umpire who follows the action but does not make ordinary flow of play decisions. However he needs to have the authority over the other 3 and can overturn decisions, step in when a clear infringement is missed and directs the other umpires on interpretation as the game develops. Like an orchestra conductor to keep musicians synchronised and in lockstep.

I was generally happy with our game but we lucked out. Carlton have been red hot for a while and brought out their A+ game and we matched them. Conditions did not suit us at all. Being switched off at start of games has to be addressed. Just makes it harder for us with our unsettled forward line to regain control. Hope we make a big statement early against the Hawks. Win next week and we can manage the last round depending on other results. If second spot looks unobtainable then fourth and a likely home final is ideal.

Cripps after the game was asked about the touched ball incident and he said they got lucky.

I couldn’t tell if the Petracca kick was touched or not but when Cripps was asked after the game he said with a half sheepish smile they got lucky

Win this and we can chill out the last two games and have a home first final against Collingwood

Think you are confusing blue with red states. Anyway almost a moot point as both political parties only govern for the elites. Nothing really changes. They are both warmongers who don’t give a [censored] about their people and happy to keep the con going with politics of division like they export to here.

I wouldn’t write Collingwood off yet. They have been perched up the top of the ladder with little incentive to go hard in the past month or so. Recent form has declined but could easily pick up again.