binman

He is a whipping boy because so many people simply do not understand modern football. As an example he is not fast. But his relative lack of speed is often highlighted and exacerbated by the position he plays in our structure. When the ball is up the ground and in our hands we have a triangle with may, lever and omac as it's points, with omac deep as a sweeper. If we turn it over - as we so often do - the ball comes in fast to an open opposition forward line (which is incidentally how we concede the majority of out goals). And if it gets past the final line, that leaves omac to try and scramble to get across to any free player, making him look reactive and slow. But he usually gets there which is why he often leads our one percenters. The real questions should be why did we turn it over and who was supposed to run with the opposition player who has run into space, so often a small. Langdon has been huge for us in this respect as he is one player who has the tank and speed (and perhaps more importantly the desire) to get back hard defensively. And weak? Please. Out marked once by McStray who is a pretty solid fella. If they were concerned about his strength may would have taken him. Speaking of may, would you call him weak? He got put muscled by hippwood. A player who does not get wet in the shower.

Who does a doctor see when they need help?

Sorry ds, still rubbish. The best you have of evidence of going to water, a dear in the headlights is a holding the ball, a non holding the ball and being outmarked? Attempted to break 3 tackles? Not sure which one you mean but if it is the one 40 out he shouldn't have had to grab that ball. Two players before him failed to clear. And there were 8 players around that pack. And he got his first to it. The othet play you are referring he attacked the ball, cleverly didnt take possession, rightly wasn't pinged and got it out of bounds. Where's problem? And being outmarked? Sure McCray outmarked him. The only time he did so in the match. By that measure may also went to water being outmarked, one on one by a string been. Twice.

Our best three mids are viney, Oliver and tracc. With 16 minute quarters, more tempo footy and less goals (so fewer centre bounces) they can all play big minutes on ball. Gus has to adapt to whatever role he is given. The commentators were banging on about his game time. Just as BT did ladt week. They were all perplexed as to why he had low minutes. I suspect the answer is obvious. He is his simply not fit enough.

Kozzie - worst burn ever

Fair dinkum for a generally good poster that is an absolute rubbish paragraph. Just not true.

Once again it was not the opposition bigs that hurt us. It was their smalls and mediums. We were statistically even in almost every key stat (though they edged is in clearances). Except ground balls. I hate to say it but I think jetts might have played his last game of AFL football. Looked slow. Has in the games he has played this year. And gifted Cameron his first because he has lost his confidence getting getting the ground ball. They had to move Hibberd to him, which meant he couldn't be as offensive. I like Lockhart back there. Rivers seems the obvious one to come back in but that would be two inexperienced small defenders.

Agree. Must be a simply impossible game to adjudicat given how many rules require 'interpreation' And the AFL make it more impossible by asking umpires mid season to change how they interpret decisions. It is a joke and without being a conspiracy theorist hard not to think they do so at least in part to create some media noise. Look at tbe timing of the change to the holding the ball rule (which has been a joke). Conveniently distraction from the talk about boring, low scoring footy. We actually won the free kick count tonight. But the umpiring was appalling, both ways. But from a dees perspective the problems were the ones that were not paid as opposed to those tbey got (though, [censored] me how was that first dangerous tackle against kozzie paid - it wasn't even a tackle!). How many non dropping the ball calls were there?

Still to wound up to be rational. We had the momentum. And made some very poor decisions in the last two minutes. Im not that annoyed at hannan for kicking to fritter. But he kicked it on the full! Just stupid from Fritsch. The goal review was terrible. It was the goal umpires choice to review. No feel foe the game and once he let it go that should have been that. But he looked like a young fella who just got rattled. But we lost that game in the second quarter not the last. For context, that was the 69th Game in a row that the team leading at 3/4 time has won. Remarkable.

There is no doubt how clever the technology is that shows ads on Demonland that reflect interests, concerns and likely sales opportunities. An excellent example is this ad with a picture of my face showing my frown and worry lines that is featuring prominently on my game day thread (best i don't mention the others):

Brilliant Brady. Enjoy the game. I have really missed watching us live this year. But i love it that some dees fans can now get to some games. You must be pumped the tassie game looks as if it will now be at the Gabba or Metricon.

Well you know what they say about country folk....

The has been a huge amount of rain up there but only 0 - 6mm is predicted today. AFL grounds these days all drain super well as it is turf on a base of sand (or sand and concrete at docklands!). So if it stops raining an hour or so before the game it might be a little wet and maybe a touch choppy, but it will be fine. Yesterday's blues- roos game was at metricon and it had bucketed down all day Friday and more rain sat morning. But before the rain came in the second half, conditions looked perfect. All that aside, how did you arrive at the conclusion tmac is more mobile than jackson? Or for that matter marks and kicks goals? To say tmac is lumbering would actually be a compliment. This year, Tmc has been slower than the ponies I usually back. To stretch the racing analogy tmac is a dour steeple chaser and Jackson's a two year old colt lining up in the Golden Slipper. And Tmac has barely taken a mark or kicked a goal this season. So wet weather would make him slower and mean his struggles marking a dry ball and kicking goals would be exacerbated. And to top it off he is nowhere near as good a ruck man as Jackson so Goody chose him ahead of Jackson he would have less tactical option in terms of how he can use Maxy . No doubt, in my mind at least, Goody pulled the right rein.

Good chance it won't be wet as i reckon the rain might well have cleared by game time. Forecast for gold coast is for only 0-6 mm rainfall and showers most likely in the morning and afternoon, with a chance of a thunderstorm. Could be perfect just about because with a 6pm start and cloud about it won't be dewy.

AFL stats pro actually has vision of every involvement of each player in the game. And alongside the vision it defines what that that involvement was. I assume that is how AFL.com generates.all its match and player stats. (By the by a techy out there might know - am I right to assume that the process is automated. Or does a human have to code every involvement?) So in addition to possessions there is vision of one percenters (eg spoils, pressure acts, tap ons, smothers etc), tackles, marks, frees for and against etc. So with Lockhart's vision you actually see that he gets involved in the game more than you might think. Lots of one percenters.

Gabba is a lot closer to their base

Im certain it was. Two reasons why. We had been playing a bit of Hollywood footy on the preceding 5-10 mins and not taking our chances. We had a 10 goal win there for the taking and that's what goody would have wanted. Percentage will be very important this year. Goody would have loved the effort by kozzie and would have been [censored] he didn't get the reward he deserved because of a sloppy handball.

If we play roos at either ground it is a realltt fantastic result for us. We instantly go from one of the worst draws in the FOF block to one of the best. The Tassie game was the wrinkle in the onion. Play on Thursday night in SA, hotel over night, fly to Tassie Friday. Another hotel for two nights. And fly out Sunday night, getting back to base late. Two flights. Or SA, hotel overnight, qld,Tassie and back to base. Three flights Both options rubbish. Made more so by playing at night in clear freezing conditions But SA , hotel over night, back to base and family, Friday and chill in the resort where you are all set up. And recovery is a nice swim or game of golf in 23 degrees sunshine. One flight. Bus to the game Sunday. Ideally a day game but even if a night game it won't be anywhere near freezing and will be at a ground with stands (so np risk of the tunnel gale they can cop at blundstone). And crucially roos won't have any 'home ground advatage or support. Love it.

Agree on both counts. In someways he is the closest thing to a like for like for VDB in so far as he is sort an old fashioned utility now. By that i mean he can start on the bench and come on to do a short burst on ball (perhaps around the ground more than center bounces) play of HB as required and even push forward. What Jones doesn't replace however id VDB's tackling and intensity at the ball carrier. It simply cannot be underestimated how important that is for us (well you think it would be - some still mange it). The importance of that intensity for us explains why even with his woeful kicking and relatively low numbers he is a lock in Goody's best 22. Others will have to fil that void and Jones will really help our disposal efficiency as a player that struggles to go at 50% DE is being replaced by one that should be around 75% DE. In a tight game that might make a big difference.

I have been (binge) watching the bureau on sbs on demand, which by the by I highly recommend. It is a French thriller all about spys who lie, double cross, embed, pretend they are other people, betray, keep secrets, trade secrets and intelligence and all manner of subterfuge. Apparently it is based on John Williamson's play The Club. Always remember: the first language of football is lying

Reminds me a lot of Kennedy from the swans. Always good but then at a certain point went up a level to the very top echelon of players. At the moment I reckon he us the best mid, perhaps player, in the game.

I reckon a big problem with rotating players is that with all its zones, patterns and structures team synergy is critical in footy circa 2020. You mess with team chemistry at your place peril. Rotating players risks increasing the chanced of osing games in this block and disrupting the chemistry going forward, increasing the chances of losses in the next block. Even with a fitter, rested team. And in any case we need wins now.

Apparently it is a place, similar to a ye olde tavern of yore, where shockingly people gather in large numbers, in close proximity to imbibe dangerous liquor. You can but laugh at such a concept.

Good post Rjay. Agree with all the points made. The last para is interesting. I think the manic, gun and run style we played in his frts couple of years would not have helped him develop a good balance between handball and kicking, with its emphasis on quick handballs/throws. We are looking to play a bit more tempo footy which i think helps him. Totally agree he has got more upside, which is actually pretty rare for mids at his age, even the really god ones. By his age and stage most (bit not all - Neale has gone up a level for example) have just about hit their ceiling, olie wines for example. I'm probably guilty of getting ahead of myself with Tracc after his game last week. That said that game is now his benchmark. But its funny you mention the Suns game. He actually had a pretty good game but yes his kicking was poor. But the big take away for me - and the reason i am so excited about Traccs future - is when it mattered he stood up, took all the responsibility and kicked a clutch, game winning goal from outside 50. He is a game winner who can change the course of a match through sheer force of will. I'd love to see Oliver become a game winner too, and he has the potential to. What was really awesome about traccs goal was that it was Oliver who set it up. After lowering his eyes, assessing the options and taking the smart (but tricky) option. It was like seeing the future!

He's be a better kick than vanders