monoccular

In 2023 he amazed me with his calmness

In 2024 he amazes with even more calmness and unbelievable mature thinking and disposal to advantage, under pressure. He is becoming a leader of the backline and it is hard to believe he has played just 30 games and is only 20 yo. Lock him in for a decade 

10 hours ago, Young Blood said:

Why are people so keen to drop Billings? Because he doesn't rack up possessions? Doesn't appear on our TV screens as much?

Apart from not converting on the two easier shots (of his three) and lower pressure acts I thought he played his role well last night. He's certainly putting himself in positions to score and still good for score involvements.

Do we just want to change for the sake of change?

Maybe someone from Casey is knocking down the door to come back in. Some people suggesting Laurie. Did he have a big game?

 

Nobody knocking the door down at Casey because the brilliantly conceived and managed feeders comp AFL seem so happy about has had another bloody bye for all teams  - and three poor unfortunates are going to have another in a row the following week.

For a billion dollar industry its involvement in supporting its clubs (sorry, licence holders) is absolutley third world standard. Obviously just doesn’t generate enough money to boost the executives’ bonuses. 

1 hour ago, At the break of Gawn said:

I feel a lot less confident about this game now after North let Brisbane get some form back. There’s nothing like a belting to help a struggling team get some momentum going. 
 

Killing a dead kangaroo doesn’t make you a big game hunter. It may make you think you anre until you meat a real opponent the following week. 

Have any of the junior watchers seen anything of Doherty or Pyke?

Are either showing any forward tendencies as well as their ruck work?

18 minutes ago, Nascent said:

If Pickett is out then Laurie most likely comes in. Some may not like it but he's clearly the next cab off the rank of the small/medium forwards.

AMW being developed as a defender now.

Billings may be at risk of losing his spot as well and thought Howes had a shocker until the last quarter.

Will Brown pull up for next week after 2 games in 5 days? Fullarton and Schache would be the options for him if we want to keep the same structure.

Tholstrup hopefully not too far off a game but unlikely to come in over the next few weeks without having a game at VFL level to push his case.

Disagree with Laurie next in line for Koz.    If not now when for Kolt or Pup, or even Sestan?   Billings could go for any of these three also. 

38 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It was a very professional win, so impressed with this side. Our senior players lead by example, our young players are exceptional. Max, May, Petracca all huge. Windsor, Howes, McVee, Sparrow, JVR, Koz so composed.

Agree, except Koz not composed.  
The stupid likely suspension aside, he also could easily have had Petty’s mark reversed for a silly meaningless late bump. 

37 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

They still boo Dangerfield 🤣

Well who doesn’t?

29 minutes ago, Red But Mostly Blue said:

The only real negative for tonight is  Kozzie’s likely suspension. We really need him next week. Not a lot in it, but enough in today’s game and completely avoidable and unnecessary. 

Leadership need to have a long hard lack to him.   Could cost us a big game later in the season if he  continues this.   He is NOT a thug but let’s himself and the team down. 

9 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

All class from Fritta

 

Susa an archetypical Frittata goal. ❤️💙❤️💙

9 minutes ago, layzie said:

Play of the game for me. Absolute stunningness or some other superlative that BT would use.

Maybe stunnicity at its bestest?

Just now, Buzzy said:

Billings will not want to watch that game again.  Snatching at chances is one thing, but that attempt at a tackle on Rankin was not our brand.

Needs at least a few weeks at Casey

Scheduling, plus (in retrospect) poor player management, almost cost us

4 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Umps and commentators can rack off after tonight.

And the schedulers can stick it in a dark unpleasant place too

3 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

And counting.

The fix is on.

20 - 8

And another for a goal.

Just wondering how SportsBet is going?   How exciting would it be for Dill to have "an exciting turn around" for his first Gather Roanf game?

Time for some cool heads Dees.  

The umpiring is absolutely corrupt tonight - BBB mark reversed then #12 pushed Rivers clearly in the back - mark said - goal.

#22 is the worst I have ever seen

Two appalling deliberates tonight - particularly the first against Salo - he was on the line when he first made contact.

Kozzie really needs a dressing down by the leadership - could very easily have had Petty's mark reversed.  And will cost us vital games if he persists with these stupid unproductive acts.

5 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Kozzy could be missing next week. 

5 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

fine at most

Ch 7 / Kayo seem to be barracking for it.  I am sure Christian won't see that harmless act as a footy action

3 minutes ago, KingDingAling said:

Hopefully that’s Billings to the VFL for the year. 

for a ew weeks at least. We need too see the Kolt Sestan Pup Woey

3 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Finally dissent!!!!

and not without warning. Maggot:"cool it" Crow:"have a b bloody look" Maggot:"enough"

Chin chin ... another ripper set shot.

I hope that this isn't going to turn out to be a combinations of

1/ screwed by AFL in terms of scheduling, compounded by

2/ unimaginative player management given the above.   Perhaps a refresh would have benefited but 'hard to change a winning team'

11 minutes ago, Gunna’s said:

It’s so obvious at home. I don’t understand how one of the four muppets can’t see them

Nobody is so blind as he who does not wish to see

10 hours ago, Jaded No More said:

Flu? Covid? Gastro?

Hope he's ok!

Dystemper and or rabies. 

6 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I'd love to see the re-instatement of a proper reserves competition. However, how would that work in the northern States? Where would Gold Coast and GWS find enough players to make up a seconds squad? I suspect that may be one of the main reasons for the mess which is the VFL competition at the moment.

The  VFL is a dog’s dinner because it is way too large, and because it has uneven numbers hence rollin rollin rollin bloody byes.  Did I understand that lest season some clubs didn’t even meet?
 

Let Sydney and Queensland have a 4 team comp - they could introduce some novelty events with flares and dancing girls as many of the locals don’t understand footy.
 

Or, if they are happy to travel regularly on limited resources then an 18 team comp with curtain raisers for AFL games. 

This has been a hobby horse for me for several years.

I am not arguing that this is or is not an umpiring error.

It is clearly an AFL Administrative oversight / coward in corner issue.

As long as night follows day, inevitably at some stage a player at some level is going to suffer a life changing cervical injury. It is impossible to prevent 100%, but the AFL could at least make it a less likely method of injury by one simple step: ANY PLAYER WHO DRIVES THEIR HEAD INTO AN OPPONENTS LEGS, GROIN, MIDRIFF OR CHEST SHALL BE PENALISED IN EVERY CASE  

There can be no free kick to be anticipated or considered.  Just don’t bloody do it.

It will significantly reduce the risk of such a life changing, family changing, injury, and burdening inevitably an enormous weight of guilt on a non guilty party. 
 

but the AFL being their arrogant selves, will do nothing and then piously wring their hands when it happens asking what could we do to stop it.  Well, Dillon, Gillon and hacks at AFL house just come out and say every low head charge is a penalty against. As long as there is any possibility of reward some will continue to do it.

Here endeth my annual rant on the subject  

Bowes and McVee have slotted almost seamlessly into the best backline in the competition. 
Sure every game won’t be their best but whose ever is?

22 hours ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Which car did you take on your journey from Briiiiiiighton @Dingo?

Braahtn to Sandy - you could almost risk one of the EVs without too much range anxiety, if driven carefully. 

21 minutes ago, JJJ said:

If we rated him higher than Weideman we would’ve drafted him. I knew of 2 clubs that didn’t think he was a flight risk to Carlton and would’ve taken him had he fallen to them.

Credit to Carlton, they drafted 2 players and spent the time and effort required to develop them into Coleman Medallist’s. They had the requisite skills and make up but Carlton did something right.
 

We went with a guy who was very highly regarded as a 16year old and injured a lot in top age but ticked every box from a personality perspective except for perhaps competitiveness. 

That reminds me - didn’t he miss quite a bit of time with some sort of hip / pelvis injury? 

1 hour ago, In Harmes Way said:

The AFL have introduced more stringent analysis and findings around tackles this year. From the tribunal guidelines:

"The application of a tackle may be considered Rough Conduct which is unreasonable in the circumstances. In determining whether the  application of a tackle constitutes a Reportable Offence and whether  the offence is Careless or Intentional, without limitation, regard may be  had to the following factors, whether:

» The tackle consists of more than one action, regardless of whether  the Player being tackled is in possession of the ball;

» The tackle is of an inherently dangerous kind, such as a spear tackle  or a tackle where a Player is lifted off the ground;

» The Player being tackled is in a vulnerable position (e.g. arm(s) pinned) with little opportunity to protect himself;

» An opponent is slung, driven or rotated into the ground with excessive force (for example, a run down tackle where the tackled player is driven into the ground with excessive force)."

Even if the club tried to argue that the tackle was not excessive, or the point of contact i.e. Careless -> Low Impact and Body contact rather than High contact (as graded for Trent), the outcome is still likely to be a fine. The club will take it out of the post season trip fund and move on.

They have made this all so wordy that it takes a lawyer to even determine what it means. 
Plenty of wriggle room for 💩#4Magpie, or any of his teammates to take before an appeals board once again selectively  lead by someone very clearly with zero interest in a conviction 

55 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

Sort of related to us, I was watching the highlights of the Hawthorn/Geelong game and saw Tom Stewart laid out from a Mabior Chol knee to the back of the head. It got me thinking, after he cleaned up May as well, that he's got a bit of form. Can see the AFL making an example of him at some point for an excessive hit on an opponent. Would like to see this trained out of him a bit (leading with his knees).

They desperately need to clarify the use of the knee in a contest. Chol and 🕶️ are cheating exponents of this.  Should be at least a free very time, a 50 in case of a mark, and several week if head contact is bless clearly incidental. 

Wow. What can one say.  Gutsy, TEAM win.  Nobody stopped  ❤️💙❤️💙

Who seriously would have thought both our geriatrics BBB and TMc would be in almost career best form after their awful 2023?  BBB just doesn’t get shorter as the game goes on, and when he has the ball in range I feel confident.  I guess they will both have to be managed. 

An amazing never say die team effort.  
 

Total raw stats presumably don’t mean everything.  Short break (and how absolutely unnecessary is that) surely will mean some changes. Do you know how many extras they took over?

3 minutes ago, DEE fence said:

Oliver made his debut in the two-point win against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Round 1, 2016. He was highly praised during his debut match, twenty-two disposals, with fifteen of them contested, and seven clearances from 58 percent game-time, labelled as one of the best debuts in the previous fifteen years, but yes Windsor is good, but don't forget what a phenom Clarry was.

Clarry just walked onto the big stage and owned it.  What a debut

sure The Duke is an amazing calm talent and absolutely no disrespect to say that Clarrys debut was a one off. 

4 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Is this the first time a club has done this?

Of course.  
 

the lions kangaroos should have been Wednesday night. With both teams having an extra 2 days than us.  

12 hours ago, picket fence said:

Van Rooyen totally overated!

2 hours ago, old dee said:

You have my vote pf. 

Give the young kid some space.  When not required to do so much ruck work , like last year, he made some great leads, clunked some strong mark and kicked some super goals

He is going through a rough spot and needs support not  mockery 

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Best game I've seen him play last night.

Chock full of confidence there was no way he was missing any of those goals.

He's in great form at present.

Didn’t Dixon run around the mark?