binman

This was always a query i had about jack - ie how he connects with his teammates, and his singular focus But I've changed my view on the importance of that stuff - and now actually think that that singular focus is important. Every player brings their own thing and jacks one track focus, and will for the contest brings its own energy.

Agree. I have swung on Jack and after being guilty of underestimating his importance, think he is super important to us. But I thought he had a better game against the bombers and looked more mobile too. Our mids were well beaten and viney and harmes were both poor, which put us behind the eight ball for the whole day. And not just poor offensively, poor defensively, which meant that too many of the clearances GWS won were clean and unpressured. I went to the game, which was both terrific and rubbish, in equal measure. I use binoculars at games and one of the things i like to do is zero in on the players and coaches at breaks, and when the game has come to a stop, to get a sense of their body language. After half time, the players came out and got into their obligatory huddle and listened to Max rev them up. Watching Viney, i noticed for quite a bit of it he was looking away absently. Now, that in of itself is no hanging office - each player has their own thing i guess. That said, it is a pet hate of mine in junior sport (kids not looking at the coach when they are being addressed). So i watched Viney for a while after the huddle broke and he looked disgruntled, for want of a better word. Certainly wasn't animated and seemed to be stretching out his leg. A few players came across to him and he just seemed flat. I might well be reading too much into it, but that is exactly how he played in the second half.

Has a running summary too

Learn something new everyday! Muchos gracias

It was me jjc. You might be right and hibbo might get the job on greene. He has been good against players like Martin and papley. I just think greene almost plays as a big, and out of the square too. And May is strong enough and he is best close to goal, rather up too high. Petty can take Himmelberg. And even though finlayson is tall, he plays almost as a high half forward (like tmac) and I reckon hibbo can take him with Lever coming across for support.

I reckon it was. I was there that day and saw that group. Had to laugh. Until we lost.

Is that a euphuism?

Only if they knew

Maybe 1000 MFC members tickets? Makes no sense that 25k can go this week, but only 1000 next week (unless they know an impending outbreak!)

Crowd is capped at 50% https://www.afl.com.au/news/640225/get-your-r16-tix-be-part-of-something-special-be-there-live And 25k can go https://www.adelaideoval.com.au/news/25000-crowd-capacity-confirmed-for-saturday/

She'll be apples then

What? There goes my trip to Adelaide! Maybe. For the life of me i wasn't been able to find any info about crowds at the footy in Adelaide (as i was planning on going). Not on the SA gov website or on multiple news sites Eventually checked the Adelaide oval website. The crows lions game this weekend is capped at 25k. No changes to restrictions today, so who knows how many will be able to go next Thursday.

Thanks TU So not many intercepts marks then and really good spread of dees players marking inside our 50. Out of interest where di you find the stats.

I reckon that is really good point. And nullifying strengths is good way of describing it too i think. its not as if we do anything radically different week to week, like say Geelong sometimes do (eg go super slow against some teams, fast against others). We still stick to our model and work to get the 'game on our turn'. But we are really good at mitigating strengths. Maxy mentioned straight after the game, in his on ground interview that they were a high scoring side and we did well to keep their score low, as did goody in his presser. It was clearly a key focal point coming into the match. Like we did against the dogs, one way we achieved that goal was being super focused on blocking the corridor and at marks/frees having a player stand on corridor side at 45 degree angle (in addition to he player on the mark) making a kick inside risky. We have probably improved in this area from a coaching perspective, and given Yze was in charge of opposition analysis at the hawks (i think) no doubt he has brought some great knowledge. But i reckon a big tick needs to go to the players as a benefit of them all being focused on doing their role and the team first things is that they are better able to implement instructions and strategies designed to nullify the strengths of the opposition.

Indeed. We had 14 marks inside 50. Our season average is 12.7. Tick We had 56 inside 50s against a season average of 55.4. So then you can't discount our marks inside 50 number by arguing we had more inside 50s than we normally do. As you say our efficiency inside 50 was poor - 44.6% against a season average of 50.3%. And a high percentage of our missed shots at goals (eg Tmac, Spargo, Harmes etc) were from shots with little angle, as opposed to being from the boundary, as is often the case. And many of our missed passes were similarly in the middle lane. If we had converted our chances and not missed so many easy passes inside 50 we would have won by 5 goals plus. The other stat he might want o check out is how many intercept marks the bombers' took inside our 50. Given he reckons the Giants intercepting defenders, Haynes & Davis, will knock up taking uncontested marks because we are looking for the marking option that don't exist then perhaps, the same should be true of Ridley and Stewart . I can't find those stats, so perhaps I'm wrong, but my guess is they had bugger all intercept marks - certainly less then they average

True. But i hope they do bring the heat as I want to watch a good game now that i finally get the chance to watch a game of footy live again. One thing i love about where we are at ATM is that the game plan is built for the g and the a clear focus of 'making the g small' as max said after last weeks game. It seems a bit counterintuitive, but i reckon our game works well with the extra space at the g becuase if teams try to switch to get around our zone the width means it takes two shoter kicks or one long one to go to the fat side. Both options give us time to get across and cover that opposite wing. And each extra kick required to switch or pick their way though us is an opportunity to force a turnover.

Where did you see that discussion? It might be a financial and logistical consideration for 7 given all tbe chaos with grounds and coverage

I wasn't disagreeing with you. On the contrary, I meant to say they can be in the 8 if they win and as you say may not make the eight at all if they lose, so it is huge game for them. And i have no doubt they will come out hard In a funny way it might help us. I sometimes feel that for top clubs (and i'm still pinching myself that we are one this year) they sometimes find it bit hard to get up for games when the opposition isn't up, and those games can, somewhat counterintuitively, become danger games . But if the giants bring the heat from the start hopefully that gets us wired from the get go too.

If they win they may well be in the 8 at round's end

That's a quality preview.

Jones desperately unlucky. Not surprised Brown did not come in. Give him another week to build his strength and fitness. He has played bugger all football in the last 6 weeks. Another game at vfl level and he comes in for Port game. And that will be tbe forward line settled. Assuming his form is ok I suspect he will play the rest of tbe season and finals from next week.

So i should book my flights and hotel room. Or not.

A covid related footy specific question - i promise. Currently there are no restrictions for Victorian traveling to SA (well that's not quite true - as per the SA gov website anyone who has been at a COVID-19 Tier 1 or Tier 2 Public Exposure Site in vic are not permitted to enter SA) And looking at the SA gov website, it would appear there is no restriction on crowd size. So does it not seem likely that the game will go ahead at Adelaide oval next weekend (assuming no change to current situation)?

The Captain jack avian disease is mutating

Fair calls. I'll make one last non football related comment then desist from posting non footy related covid stuff here. I think there is plenty of sensible center people in the media, but like politics the media model is devolving into a very dangerous binary divide that places all opinion and information on an completely made up, abstract notion of a left right continuum of beliefs. Ideas do not fit neatly on left right divide. And nor do all policy decisions What is important to understand is why this model has gained such traction. The key driver is that this model is easily monetized. Conflict rates. Division is lucrative. The price we pay for the model is hyper partnership, poor policy, over simplification of complex issues and misinformation. Australia has long political history of sensible center politics and bipartisanship. That model has served us well. But is at grave risk One of the great ironies of the left right nonsense is that on both ends of that spectrum people share concerns about government overreach and the loss of personal freedoms. But the way things are heading fascism and authoritarianism are the likely end point. Surely everyone, no matter their political beliefs would hope to avoid this. This article provides some fascinating insight into the drift towards, and support for authoritarianism by Republicans in the states (with reference to voters on the right other western democracies) https://morningconsult.com/2021/06/28/global-right-wing-authoritarian-test/