binman

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I'll go the other way. I have praised him often previously but he was poor for 3 quarters. Redeemed himself somewhat in the last quarter - mainly by not screwing up and somehow stopping Cameron mark in the goals square. But i'm happy to concede the Smith experiment needs to end (at least as a defender - i'd love him to go crazy up forward). And going the other way i thought Tomlinson was good in defence tonight.

Well we have different KPIs for decent game titan - in my opinion two possession game for a player who played 90% is the very definition of a poor game. Come on - two possessions, and not single mark for a player who has license to get up and down the ground. You can't seriously suggest that is not a poor game? He was as bad against Freo and again poor tonight. In the last 3 games he has a grand total of of 16 possessions and four marks, none contested. But the issue i have is not those numbers - it can be hard for a forward to get possessions (though the odd mark would be nice). The issue i have is that the last 3 games have all been season defining, must win games. Reputations are made, or not as the case may be i such games. And Weed has been miles off an acceptable level of pressure in all 3 games, tonight included. As an example he did not lay a single tackle in any of the last 3 games. That is not on.

Dr Ds football knowledge - do not rate

Not sure about that. The goal he kicked he was involved deep in defence and got the first handball in the scoring chain about 20 from their goal. Ran the length of the ground to kick it form the goal line after the tap from Hunt. That is some serious running

Weed had two possessions against the swans and you don't think he played poorly?

Who is a chance to come back in next week. Bad week for Weed to play his third shocker in a row

Disagree with both of these comments bing. It was a simply ridiculous decision to drop him for preuss. The fact that was wet just amplified the stupidity of that decision. Not just becuase preuss is not a forward and is slow as wet week but alps becuase Pruess barely left inside 50 and brown gets on his bike and provides options and cover. That decision was big factor in our inability to stop them crossing and not being able to stop their chains of uncontested possessions. mind melting decision.

This. This is the real test of where we are at as a club. Forget the draw, the hub the travel. Forget everything. How much do we want it. GWS can lose and make finals still. This is an elimination final for us. It is members thank you round. Dess fans have tipped in money for that jumper. Time to stand up dees. Go redlegs

What I want to see us melksham put hus body on the line and show some leadership.

All of them, Brayshaw and richo too. Thumps Max in the back of the head. On report for something against fritsch, round arm to Oliver's head. And that's just what we saw. And those three clowns nostagigcally celebrate Mumford's thuggery as if it is still 1975. It really is a joke and completely not on. Tbey are glorifying violence.

Not according to the highly paid so called experts. Each time he lines up for a shot commentators wax lyrical about his exquisite foot skills. Right before he shanks it.

Saad is exactly the sort of player we should be targeting. Ane should have been targeting for the last 3-4 years. It goes without saying if we had had added one above average to elite baller every year of the roos and goodwin era we would be a much better team. Instead we have focused until last year on inside bulls. And now we routinely lose the contested ball and are 18th in clearances, with the best ruck in the league. Go figure.

No jokes, that is super important

With no context both if these points are true. As an example melksham is one of our most talented players. So no player, with the exception of beneell, available to come in for home with as much talent. But in context the coach says post game we need to be more ruthless. And continues to pick a senior player who doesn't tackle, does not show on field leadership (where was his inspirational match turning effort last week?) and picks and chooses when he goes. What message does that send to his team mates? I have little doubt Goody played him on fyfe to make him more accountable. The changes improve our team? Sure. I agree. But leaving aside jetta who comes in for an injured Hibbo, spargo and Brown were both available for the freo game. So the logical extension is that it was an error to select pruess and Bedford for the freo game.

Thta might be true. but that doesn't excuse not gut running or tackling. His laziness is a big factor in the dockers being able to take the ball out of our back half so easily (having preuss as the other key forward didn't help either)

Evaporating.

Well I don't want us to get smashed. But another week of mind melting selections. Not really so much as who comes in. More from a perspective about decisions in the last two games. Brown in this week for preuss, having done nothing wrong to be dropped and obviously much better option than preuss in the wet. On preuss what the hell was him not doing any centre square rucking all about? Played forward for the whole game, in the wet of course struggles (in the dry he'd struggle too coz he ain't no forward) and then gets dropped for his troubles. Great man management. Not. Jetta comes in this week when blind Freddy knew we needed a small defender against freo, wet or dry. And on small defenders no lockhart last week or this week, suggesting he is out of favour. Except for the fact that he is an emergency this week? Spargo gets dropped in a must win game having been average against the swans, but ok before that. Ok. Replaced with a kid. Who does little. But he is a kid. And gets dropped for his troubles. Great man management. Not. And like harmes, spargo comes back in after one week, having had no opportunity in the seconds to address the issues he was dropped for. So 20 changes in four games. And today I watch goodwin's presser and when asked about selections this week he says 'there will be some changes but we want to build some cohesion in our team.' Sheesh

I for one agree.

Please do. I look forward to rewarding your list. Please include the name of the team each forward plays for. by the by i could name about 500 AFL players who can kick better than Oliver.

Agree. I'd do a direct swap

I won't defend it per se junior. But i listended to that hodge interview (actually really insightful). In regard to tbe uncontested possessions his criticsism was firmly on the players, not goody, for simply not gut running to get across and cover. Basically said they did not work hard enough.

Totally agree with all of the above. I could not have been more impressed by West Coast last night, they looked gone for all money. particularly with McGovern not down back and the saints looking to have a big advantage wit their big forwards. But i'd also add, that in all honesty the real issue for the dees is that for the majority of the last 50 years few of our teams have had enough talent across the board. Sure we have had our share of talented players, as we do now, but we simply don't bat deep enough. For me that is the real answer to the question about our so called cultural issues and our lack of leadership. All the Eagles players you correctly point out stood up in the last part of that game are guns. To that list of players who stood up when needed i'd add Ryan, Kelly, Barass and Oscar Allen (pick 21 in 2017 - makes me weep). That is 10 players who stood up - every one of them super talented, and at least 5 of them A grade stars. All of that with McGovern on the bench and another 5 or so top shelf players to come back in to the side. Compare that to us. Really we have three A graders and maybe another 7 above average players talent wise. Sadly of that 10, almost all are terrible kicks (who in our team kicks that goal by Kelly in the last quarter?) And then we drop off a cliff talent wise. That 'aint going to get it done. I heard Buckenara (a brilliant footballer, one of my all time favorites) talk about how successful the Hawks were in his era. He didn't mention culture or leadership (though those things were part of it no doubt) - he talked about the insanely talented list.

Totally. i don't think it can be underestimated how a big the impact has been this year (and last season for that matter) not having tmac at his best. A case could be made that he is our most important player given our struggles to put a winning score on the board. His importance has been amplified by the failure of Weideman to come on. Weed has been ok this season, but just ok. yes he has kicked some goals and competes pretty well in the air and creates contests. But if you look at his stats he is nest to useless once the ball hits the deck - he gets very few possessions, sweet FA tackles and has been putting almost no pressure on in these last few critical weeks. To be honest the freo game was the final straw for me. After only having two possessions against the swans my expectation of him as our key forward was to go hell for leather. He trotted around like a player who didn't want to get hurt. Or worse like aplayer who had no care or passion for his club. I don't ever recall saying this about a player but if it were up to me i'd trade him at seasons end. His trade value won't get any greater and maybe the pies want a Weideman at their club.