DEE fence

Shades of '21 For me my favourite piece of play was Pickett>Melks>Langdon>Goal. Pickett wins his David vs 2 Goliath Battles, and Melks choosing the goal assist was such a '21 style of team play, honestly wanted to kiss him then and there. Langdon, hard to think of a better game since '21, it was like Scott forgot the AFL memo in '22 take care of Langdon or he will be the rock that breaks your fwd 50 pressure. Essendon left our wings alone, backed their tall players and proceeded to leak like a sieve from their fwd 50. Pressure and Contest - I was chortling, every contest it seemed like Essendon had the bigger bodies, and we smashed them, even Windsor tackled Wright and sat him on his [censored], no wonder he was getting subbed. I had thought Essendon was a serious team and they just got schooled on heart (Chandler take a bow here as well). Next week will be the big test, for me the lid is off if we take Freo on their own patch after a loss, I really want to see that balance between contested footy and controlling the tempo, they have been working on this plan all year, we win and I'm booking tickets for finals. McVee is now approaching the level of love I had for Wheelan, he has to be in AA squad conversation. Not a team that wouldn't start him, he's so cool under pressure I'd put him in charge of a battle ship. Windsor has to get another rising star nod for that effort, his best game of the year, and he's going to be part of the midfield rotation permanently in '22. Sparrow will be fighting for his spot when Petracca comes back. Viney seems very under-rated on here, I know there were flashier things done by others, but Viney played an excellent game and led from the front and helped pulp the Essendon mids in contest, needs more love in the votes and on the board. He's the reason our young fellas all play the game like its MMA. Petty had an OK game, I am fair dinkum calling those who can't see it nuphy's, every time Goodwin gives a player a role, and they do it, they get slaughtered here. It wasn't his best game but coming back from injury, he competed and contested everything and ran all day, I re-watched the whole game yesterday didn't give up once. People talk about him as if he didn't try which is just garbage and posters putting their ego's before the facts. His 'team' effort was best summed up by his goal assist, he could have easily had a ping himself but laid it off to a better option, very '21. Halved contests and seriously put his body on the line, STFU and just say thank you. Lastly what Gawn has to say about Petty is very informative, he's backing him 100%. And while you're saying thank you, say thank you Simon, sticks fat, has a plan, changes it when he needs to, has the players hearts, doesn't run around wringing his hands saying poor me, gets on with the job. It is spectacular what he has done with a young team, obviously will only be understood in hindsight by many but the praise will come. Re our recruiting strategy, since '21 we have brought in Hunter, Schache, Billings, and McAdam, none of whom are currently featuring, it really makes me think the club recruited for the gap between our current young players coming on. We have replaced people like Hibbered and Jetta, on the fly, with people we have recruited, yes we lost a few to better opportunities, which is the price of success at every club. But we have hardly poached like a Carlton does, we have grown our own, that's just ace. Also thanks for learning to play in the wet, has seriously been a gripe.

Kicking 3 AFTER he's signed a new deal, LOVE the lad. I must admit I thought he was a bit undersized on previous footage, never got that he's 1.95 (Is his mum editing his wiki page?) and while he's never going to be 2m, I finally got that he is going to be a big lad and definitely the right attitude for a key position player.

Langdon Viney Rivers ANB McVee Pickett Blanket over the lot, Windsor, May, Turner, Melks, not really a fair reflection of team effort. Could just as easily slot Windsor at 3.

And even better the 'Melbourne is done' comments.

Hilarious this week on First Crack, they will all have to wind in their Geelong is finished comments.

And so much better with Danger, BOG tonight

Adam Simpson is one of the AFL coaches I admire most, and people in the industry, I watched him closely after the Prime season where he said his piece on racism (worth watching). Truly a decent guy. Really an example of how people can evolve, no one ever talks about the rubber chicken nowadays. None of the Scott arrogance etc. And while I have enjoyed WC suffering and have no love for the club, Angus Brayshaw said he would rather eat his own @$%$) than go there so they obviously have issues. Not all of these get laid at the feet of the coach. That said, quite happy to gut the place of any talent looking for a good home.

I remember Templeton and Moore, so get a nervous tic thinking about selling the farm for a tall fwd with knee issues. For me BBB paid for his contract with his 21 performance, I'd rather bring a Hogan back or Waterman. I'd also be looking closely at who is going to work well with JvR, kids progress this year has been excellent, I am so happy with the improvement in his marking, he's moved past the issue that stymied Weed and I think next year we'll be amazed at how our fwd line is. Petty has had a terrible year, but he knows how to play with JvR, thinking historically both Nic R and Matthew R had seasons with shocking yips. Petty has gone from 2023 12.1 to 2024 4.13. We have all seen that he is a marking beast, I strongly think we give him a mulligan for 24 and see what 25 brings. Re Mids one more is fine for me, I see Windsor as a mid as well as Rivers, For me recruiting needs to think about the May replacement, defence is the foundation of our recent history of form. So emphasis on a mid and a big gun defender.

Tenete, like our team, haven't you been watching the last 4 years? They might lose, but they haven't given up.

Incredible is not the word that comes to mind. [censored] Gawn being down for three weeks. I have decided that this is the acid test for us as a club, we do not want to be a one trick pony. We have adjusted to the changes in the mids, we can adjust to no Gawn. He can go and get right and be fresh for finals. The next three rounds are a mountain no doubt, I haven't stopped believing yet.

Jason Taylor deserves a statue, he is the person I most worry that another club will steal.

Two Dads

I don't think it was just about the women, but am far from sure. I've known guys with bulimia as well.

He is, he describes hitting a hockey puck and breaks it down into 14 different actions to be perfected, off the chart OCD. I couldn't get over that someone who plays NHL could give a [censored] about his weight but does. I'm not naming him because if for some bizarre reason it got back my mates 10% pffft

I was about to ask for a link for the go fund me pages... But seriously the media not picking this up iis utter BS.

Not that I disagree with you, but just an anecdote, a mate of mine is an agent for NHL players in NY and he has a 1st round pick gun (playing a few seasons now) who absolutely goes mental if anyone speaks about his weight.

I was quite intrigued by how many top 8 AFL side's counterparts in the VFL are languishing in the bottom half of the VFL ladder, Swans, Essendon, Carlton, Collingwood. Made me think the cupboard is a bit bare elsewhere as well. In 21-23 when we were red hot, no doubt, Casey was firing, just a reminder grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence, and maybe we are not so far away.

Here is the knee, reminds me of nik nat with his carelessness, maybe not Mitchell level but definitely developing form. VID-20240702-WA0018.mp4

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C83OZvWJ4Cb/?igsh=MTYxbm00eWtsa2Ribw==

Where do I contribute to paying Long's fine, absolute joke, Maynard holding his head. May was rightfully a fine, this needs one as well.

Apart from Petty clunking some marks, (liked Gawn giving him a boost post game), did anyone notice that one grab by JVR, that was the most exciting thing I've seen this year him losing the double grab.

I agree with you, however was more recent than that, Sam Mitchell made a career out of hobbling blokes, (loved when Yze ribbed him about it on 360). Anyway what I was getting at, is even the perception of some sort of bounty would bring alot of heat. Little Goffy was clear that it was filth supporters not the players, but even joking about this at a function where club people are would be a very bad look.

In the NFL Sean Payton was stood down for a year, the New Orleans Staints had a $500,000 fine and loss of draft picks for the 2012 bounty system on opposition players, Collingwood would want to be very careful.

I'm ready to put another $100 on he plays next year as well/doesn't retire. It is still raw for him, he has just lost his young man's cloak of invincibility, which I am sure a few of you can remember... He is practically a god, his physical condition is phenomenal, and in his mind his body has just betrayed him, it is a big adjustment, give him a minute. But everything about him suggests he is a competitor. I don't think he has spent six years lying about how much he loves the club and his team mates and his sense of identity is tied up in that. He ain't quitting yet, although I am very sure the people who love him would probably prefer he did. And there is the crisis, the thing that people love him for, gives him identity and purpose also puts him in peril, however it is not like Gus's injury which is at a tipping point, i.e. structural irreversible brain damage. Trac will heal, his identity will take over and he will play again. While I have never been an elite athlete, and If I'm a god it's as Bacchus, but I have been to hospital as a result of sporting endeavors (10m fall onto concrete anyone), motorcycle crash at turn 4 Philip Island (and a few others that have done ribs etc), I can tell you my first reaction is - I'm done, never doing that again, famous last words. Trac has buckets more of competitive instinct, he will be back.

100%, how cool were all the ex-players watching with Dad. Not least Yze turning up to watch his mate's son play. Think of all the pressures Yze has in his life and made time for his mate, class act that bloke. But Nathan telling his son that he hope he gets to sing the song had me fist pumping (and misty eyed).