DEE fence

Back to the game...

I respect Mitchell's coaching, the way he took away our wings a year or two ago, was well documented and showed some tactical flair, so I am apprehensive to see what he comes up with. However one of the things that I liked from Frogs game was the 'paced' attack with players clearly choosing between options rather than following a plan dogmatically.

While we won't get 120+marks this game and Billings might not have 15 marks for the rest of the year, our switching between line and diagonal/short will be too much I think for the Hawks to have coached against in a week. And I expect to see some pretty dour defending by the Hawks rather than taking the game on.

I also think we play just fine man on man, if they choose that option, we will cut them open, as we have great 1v1 players. Also watching several teams over the weekend I think out leg speed stacks up, Gunston is not the terror he was.

Our greatest kryptonite will be injury (like any team), not just because of what certain players bring skills wise, (I think we do use a systems based approach that replacement players understand), but that players like Gawn, Lever and May give us a psychological advantage. I might be delusional but not having them in the team will give teams more confidence to take us on. Not including the Giants in this they are looking very very good.

Also re this weekend, having re-watched the game several times now, (because watching long flowing chains of passes is very enjoyable) and paid a lot of attention to Tmac's game. I think he was almost disrespected (and I under-rated his performance as well at 1st, kudos to those that called it straight up) by the Dogs, and they were guilty of writing him off as the weak link. He played a Lever type game and was allowed much to much rope by the Dogs forwards, who were busy trying to work over Rick (and were scared of May). Anyway I don't think Sam will allow Tmac the same freedom this week, but with Rivers, McVee, Howe and Hore, I have great confidence that our backline might really stifle the Hawks this week. And I think Frtisch will get off the chain. Sorry a bit disjointed, sort of meant to be working.

4 hours ago, DubDee said:

But Fritsch did produce the Handball of the season to set up Trac for the sealer. 

He has the odd very quiet game but could kick 6 this week

He actually doubled KBs lifetime output, with 2 great HB, obviously one was sublime but the other was part of a score too.

I would sooner have a NZ team than a NT team if the competition was going to expand again, would be the largest domestic completion on earth geographically,  not that I can see it happening.

More worried about someone like JT leaving as head of recruiting, will be an attractive job with all that trading to be done. Would want 4 1st round picks if he got poached.

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

We sell $1.4 billion of products to Saudi Arabia each year. 

Should we stop that too?

I wasn't telling anyone else what to do.

And explain to me what is the connection between me choosing not to watch sport sponsored by a government I consider abhorrent, and selling food to people who happen to live there (and don't get a vote)? The Saudi and UAE governments have direct and heinous responsibility for the humanitarian atrocities in Sudan and Yemen by enabling the RSF. Not much different to the Russian government for mine. I don't fly Emirates anymore and gave up a truckload of FF points/ Gold status as well.

26 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

See we are up against Qualifying on the F1 GP on Saturday

Rapidly losing interest in any sport that is played in Saudi Arabia, talking two F1 races now. Hamdillah the Saudis can't get their hands (or have interest to tbf) on the AFL. 

On the commentary, for me was a breath of fresh air compared to a Brayshaw or BT etc, Matt Hill calling the game (race caller as someone said) wasn't perfect, and confused a couple of players, Chandler and Ed etc, but didn't have the grating effect the other Fox callers have. Also huge kudos to Brad Johnson who is extremely fair to MFC in play when obviously a WB fan, praises all appropriately.

From Hawks big footy site… plenty of comedy gold left there, they went from very cocky to bronzing themselves after the doggies match, tbf, plenty of respect for Gawn though. The fact they argue about Frost the way we used to had me in stitches.

‘Frost was probably on our top 3-4 players today, absolutely no way he gets dropped. Even suggesting it is laughable and shows you are letting your pre conceived notions about Frost take over.’

and

I'd argue that Frost has the best weapon out of any dour stoppers in the league. He's lightning quick and can kick the leather off the ball. 

The only problem is he's a weapon that often cuts both ways!

and

The Dees demise appears overstated

and

Max was bloody awesome today. An extra mid. Ominous signs. 

My personal favourite 

Gawn just demolished English. Get the vas.

…

you think Sicily just misunderstood Mitchells instructions on how to cork an oppositions players leg?

2 hours ago, DeeZone said:

He’s not getting too excited.!!

Yeah, just so many free swings left on the shelf, FfD etc, I feel he struggles for material when we are good. Classic MFCSS syndrome. But probably wise not to go the early crow.

Rent Free

I have a different take on Naughton's poor game, we have traumatised the frogs to the point that they don't want to go near May.

And does the Harmes headbutt really go into the team-mates that have whacked May file? I really liked the way they had a laugh at the end of the game. To my mind it was insufficient force and May should say as much. It was more of a push with the head as Harmes' arms were restrained by May.

I have to say this was a lame piece from TO'R, I'm a fan but it felt flat.

6 Gawn

May

Oliver

Viney

Billings

Trac

Ripper game on so many levels, every week I say a little prayer that we kick more goals than points 🙏 done. I said I'd give us a mulligan last week and was glad to be right. Salem's pick-up on the wing was elite Judd like level of control, and demonstration of our dry ball mastery.

Lots of really good commentary so will try not to rehash other than acknowledge. 

I felt sorry for the Bullfrogs today, (not really was humming a tune we all are familiar with, chorus is similar to a Special AKA song), we were brutal was like watching the Hawks or Bombers in their pomp but without thuggery. May played an AA game. Viney is a pocket Zeus.

Pickett has stopped giving extras, on a couple of occasions I expected a cheapie and was really please that is out of his game without diluting his lethalness.

Tmac back surprised me, was nervous as hell when he was kicking it. But as much Tominson was stiff he had an ok game. Would still drop him for Petty though. Petty is Neitz like at going forward and back.

BBB demonstrated exceptional positioning today, that just meant the dogs couldn't play off or through him. It might be twighlight for BBB but his presence brought Chandler into the game (who also worked bloody hard)

Gawn along with May are BOG for me, in the 1st he was key to wrestling advantage in the game. After the 1st qtr I felt good about the game, while we didn't shake the dogs properly, the leaders of the club created the confidence in everyone else to go on and win the game, that started with Gawn May and Viney.

BTW It's not just the similarity of the names or being indigenous, JUH uses his arms to mark like Jurrah used too, inspector gadget style, made me realise for the XXth time what a tragedy that story was. My opinion of JUH went up today, will be a phenom.

We had the 4th highest crowd, and dogs supporters were not there.

Lastly Goodwin has adapted our game, brilliant coaching, again.

On 13/03/2024 at 05:30, Skuit said:

The club needs to come out and clearly state it's intentions to the media on JUH before it's too late and we miss our chance to be in a news article. 

Early contender for post of the year. I like my droll tres sec.

And I thought the club left things respectfully with him, no bad blood etc. We were more cut up.

18 minutes ago, Lexinator said:

Hogan looks happy and settled at GWS, can't see him going anywhere.

Not wrong and I wish him well, but between Brown, Tmac and Brayshaw salary we have a lot of change to throw around. Timing is good. GWS has alot of players to sign and a key defender that will command the mint in the near future.

Enough water under the bridge, time heals all wounds etc, He's out of contract this year, and the most realistically gettable of the power forwards out there. Personally think he'd be great for us.

So Pies go 0-2 after a flag, we went 10-0, and they say we have a culture problem.

On 07/03/2024 at 22:39, Jibroni said:

 

Adelaide would be as good as Sydney if Grundy went there. They should make the eight this year.

You're probably right, would have been mean to send him to WCE though...

Frustrated as hell and took the gloss off a day at the beach. Anyway I looked up the BoM for Thursdya evening, humidity was running at 90%, absolute kryptonite to even the fittest athletes if if not conditioned for it. Am prepared to give a reluctant mulligan, I really don't think we are that woeful, and nothing like the run we had against Carlton.

I said at the time, why let him go to Sydney, only made a real rival stronger, Adelaide or Tigers would have been better.

2 hours ago, Dannyz said:

6 Viney

5 May

4 Howes

3 McVee

2 Tomlinson

1 Bowey.

 

Only one theme tonight.

 

Like it and close to same, but for me Fritsch for Bowey.

6 Viney

5 May

4 Howes

3 McVee

2 Tomlinson

1 Fritsch

2 hours ago, binman said:

It's bad enough the media is out to get us without statisticians and mathematicians jumping on board the anti dees train!

Even @WheeloRatings is agin us, predicting a 7.9 point loss: 

https://www.wheeloratings.com/afl_match_previews.html 

Home ground is the only significant factor they have to model. Unless they are mathing media BS, no exposed form orherwise.

Cote de Ivorie - West Coast Africa, post unfun surgery, cannnnnoooootttt wait, 8.30am here which is reasonable all things considering. Daughters surfing lessons will have to wait.

I might have missed it posted elsewhere, but the 7 weeks Webster got would have been just par for the Dog.