binman

That may have been true 20 years ago. But it isn't any more. Plenty of players set to the AFL with sub standard skills particularly kicking skills. You only have to look who we have drafted in the last decade. Kicking takes years of practice. And time. Like a golf swing it has to be drilled through repetition. Hundreds of thousands of kicks. Twenty plus years ago kids played kick to kick in the strrets, in parks and at school. Have a look around next year and see how many kids you see kicking the footy for fun or even just have a footy in their hands. Also now the the kids getting drafted have more often than not played more than one sport, frequently at an elite level. So have to spilt their training tim and practice times. Which might help in some ways (eg translatable skills) but does nothing in terms of helping develop kicking skills. And I don't know but I'd be guessing that in elite junior footy rhey spend less time on kicking skills now (as they have to focus on a bunch of other things like tactics) than they did 30 years ago. Just on kicks Liam Ryan for the Eagles is the sweetest kick i have seen for years. A thing if beauty. Economical action, great rhythm and deadly accurate. Ill bet London to a brick he grew up with a footy in his hand.

His ability is not the problem. His problem is obviously related to his physical condition

This quote hit home like an arrow, as it mirrors my thoughts after both games - which of these teams is in finals contentions?. which of these teams are playing with a desperation born of a refusal to countenance losing?, which of these teams are playing wit the required intensity? 'A ruthless analysis will condemn Melbourne most for their losses to Sydney and Fremantle by acknowledging that those two teams looked to be galloping past the Demons. The ruthless observation would be that they looked to be teams with desire, a plan and a style. As clubs they played with, yes, a ruthlessness that the season might have ended for them a while ago as far as finals were concerned but small victories could be taken in any sporting contest. They understood that with less at stake than Melbourne in the grand scheme of this season and finals they would still play like there was more at stake.'

I think there is a typo. Surely we are playing in Cairns?

Was Richardson at the freo game? I don't recall seeing him.

Alanis says hi

Exactly. Half way through the second it was 38% to 70 odd. The other issue that stat (and the crazy number of uncontested possessions and marks for that matter) throws up is they went at 71% in the wet and that is in large part because of how many free players they had to kick exiting their back half. Which speaks to our lack of effort and gut running to spread and cover the outlet kick and the next link in the chain. Unforgivable. It also speaks to the obvious risk of: making so many changes (not just in this game, but over the last 3 games - a ridiculous 17 in total total) bringing in so many players into the side who had barely played senior game this year, and some none at all making structural changes at this point in the season in a must win game - preuss in, albeit as basically a forward (in a game they knew was going to be wet and windy), Melksham tagging and VDB forward Given our model is based on all team zone defence and process everyone knowing and playing their role (and trust in each other they are doing so) is critical. You could see that players were confused sometimes as who was to supposed to be on who and who was to be where. These sort of wholesale changes are just crazy and an anathema to cohesion and a well drilled side. And they flag to to the team, fan and the opposition that we are all over the shop and lost. Which is absurd given we are close to playing finals. Such strange messaging. I'll bet London to a brick that it was key focus of Longmuire's message to his team - boys this team is rabble. It was telling that Longmuire said after the game when interviewed on on the couch that coming into the game the message was e wanted them to to be more aggressive, switch wide and take on corridor, back themselves to take risky kicks on - because we would 'would give them' that opportunity. Also telling he demanded of his player 'total buy in' and all team effort and was thrilled that there was not a 'single passenger'. It goes without saying we could not say the same of either of these things. Remind me who had finals on the line? Something is not right.

100%. I have zero doubt he is injured or worse has chronic issues. Most likely with his feet (note: this is based on my observation, not any intel). He is too heavy and has lost all mobility. This has to be down to a limit on how much running he is able to do. IIRC his last surgery was post the 2018 season. He has always been close to our best time trialled. He wasnt this year and my recollection is tbe club didnt say where players finished, orher than tbe first two. But I think I recall a poster saying he was back in rbe pack. It is not a form thing in my mind. It is an injury thing. Which is worse.

Just heard Longmuire interviewed on on the couch. Couldn't believe it. He said, paraphrasing, they wanted to be more aggressive, switch wide and to tbe corridor. Back themselves to take risky kicks on. All straightforward stuff. What I couldn't believe is that he said he thought the dees 'would give them' that opportunity. That to me sounds like a first year coach going to school on Goodwin tactically.

Langdon and river's effort.

This is so spot on. Something is wrong. The freo boys wanted that win more than us. That was so clear from the start. So many half hearted attempts at tackles. So many half hearted chases. As you say so little intensity. For mine only langdon, trac may, hibbo, viney, fritter, Oliver, max, rivers and maybe lever played with the required intensity. And of that lot only langdon fritter and maybe viney played well. I could pick out any number of players but one stood out for me. Weideman. His effort, other than in marking contests, was simply appalling and not acceptable. Trotted around, didn't tackle, didn't play wirh any intensity. 17 changes in 3 games. Something is wrong.

They should just rip the ban aid off Marty and let me get on with enjoying the Spring Carnival.

With one small change, I have zero doubt that is exactly what will happen. The change is that the bombers will have no chance of playing finals and will have left almost all of their decent players out of the team for post season surgery or just to avoid one getting injured. And like when we were beaten by their VFL team when they were danked their current VFL team will roll us. Just coz.

One positive is the conditions. Showers and wind up to 35kms are expected. With our skills and strong kicking techniques we have an advantage in those conditions. And with our strong focus on learnings the team that played in similar, albeit better conditions just four days ago, will adapt. Good that they didn't make many changes.

The dogs will win their last two games as unlike us they can be trusted to to so. That means that that if we lose tonight we are out of finals contention. So tonight is an elimination final. And if we win this game the GWS game will also bean elimination final. And if we happen to win the next two the Bombers game will bean elimination final . And if we win that game we will be playing in an elimination final. Possibly against West Coast. In Perth.

Us dees fans are a hardy lot. Who have developed all sort of coping strategies to deal with the sort of routine gut punch we got in the last game. Some get angry. Some fatalistic. Some vow never to care again. Some get depressed. Well all really. And some pretend it's just a game. Me I give it some time, try to process my frustration, then pretend it never happened and by game day and full of optimism, can't see how we can possibly lose and am trying to convince my mate we should back the dees over 39. I developed this coping mechanism during the long dark days of the 70s. And have been honing it ever since. A key design element is a seven day break between games. Six day break stress tests the model. But it cannot cope with a four day break. Freo will be desperate to beat our Casey ones and we have decided to help their cause by changing a third of our side. And having refused to use two rucks suddenly decided to do so. And despite making seven changes [censored] Melksham is not one of them. And despite lack of foot skills being our biggest glaring issue we don't bring in our best kick. And after picking the slowest dees side since Spud Dullard and Ray Biffen graced the team, and 90& of supports wondering why against young swans team who our skipper said in the lead up like to play fast footy, we have suddenly picked the fastest, against a team that moves the ball at turtle speed.. And the coach knows the problem. And is working on fixing it. Make no mistake the players want to win. And know that effort was not acceptable. This is not the Melbourne way (yes goody, it [censored] well is). We have an identifiable brand (that at least is true, but it ain't what you think). We will look to play our best team each week, cos we are super burgess fit. Until we don't. We will pick a side that want to win. [censored]. [censored] [censored]. Another [censored] wasted [censored] season. [censored]. [censored].

That's easy coach. You'll get to do both!

Teams announced on a Sunday night. We are living in strange times.

100% agree. And the role coach in getting his players ready, be that for a whole season or specific clutch games or even quarters is the great intangible. A related element us the ability of a ciach to firstly sell his/her system and get the required buy in and perhaps even more importantly explan and teach it so tve players know how to implement it. It is a reasonable question to ask how well goody does this last element.

We play a combination. The bigs play a set position rather than a specific player, though at centre bounces start on one. Medium and small defenders more likely to gi with a player. Smith was on papley, and played him close, didnt zone off much at all

Funny you should say that Angry, i blame myself too. Can't believe what i was thinking posting on here pre game that i thought Smith would play on Papely. I mean i know i was right, he did play on Papley. But for me to have suggested he had the speed, athleticism and mongrel to go with Papely is just nuts. Which is where the blame came in. i know Goody made that selection and match up based on my posts here on Demonland, he said as much when we chatted this morning. When i aplogised i asked him why he kept Smith on him all game, Goody was clearly perplexed, replying: "'no binman, you've got it wrong, i was calling to thank you. It was the only selection that actually worked. As you so presciently said Smith had the speed, athleticism and mongrel to go with Papely. Why did i keep him on him? Maybe you stopped watching, wouldn't blame you if you did - i wanted to. But Papely didn't kick a goal for the game. Created one, but really was pretty quiet. As you flagged 2 or less goals is a win and he kicked a bagel. Imagine how much we would have lost by if Papely got of the chain."

The mustang is great anaology. Did Ford inexplicably sack the designer of the Mustang in the 1960s?

The most important disposal is the kick for goal. Last week we won because in perfect conditions we kicked straight from set shots and the Saints shanked multiple easy set shots This week in the wind Sydney barely missed a set shot. We couldn't kick a set shot. That is the difference in the game right there. Wind plays havoc with poor kicking technique. And poor kicking technique is one thing we have in spades.

The dees aint no ferrari The dees are one of the 1970s Mazda cars with a rotary engine, perhaps the 1972 RX-3. Great fun to drive, fast and great speed to weight ratio. Can perform remarkably well. When on are super exciting. But break down way too often, are temperamental and unpredictable and parts are all but impossible to find. As are mechanics who know their way around a rotary engine.

This. I thought the report looked fine. But one i started watching pre game and they were talking about the strength of the wind i had a sinking feeling. And that's because we simply have two fey decent kicks and too may sub AFL standard kicks. Wirh no exaggeration rhey had a kid who kicked his first goal in afl footy wo has a better technique and is a better kick that close on to 35 blokes on our list.