binman

Not spoiling for a fight but the fact they are not as strong as they have been in the past few years does nothing to argue against the point they are a 5-6 goal better side at home than away. In fact the quote above strengthens the contention they are better at home. Despite being poor they have only lost there once this season (and were leading by 4 goals at 3 q time in that game) We maybe in a better position this year than previous years to win kardinia park because they have dropped off and we have got better but that is a completely different argument/discussion. Again there is no question they are a better side at home and are therefore more likely to win games there than away from home. Which is why, despite being below us on the ladder and us being in better form, they are overwhelming favourites with the bookies at $1.58 to win the game.

Again, this may be true but you rubbished the idea they were a 5-6 goal side at home. Not sure why. But i agree we have a shot.

Great win. Gawny's break out game - killed them in the second half. It also wrecked the Cory Enright 300 game celebration which was a nice bonus

That may be so but they are unquestionably a better side at their home ground. Not sure about 5-6 golas better (that's alot) but their record is phenomenal down there and a huge leg up for them in terms of making finals. It should be noted that their record is helped by the fact that in recent times often play lower ranked teams there. Still this all time record is imposing (i love the games total -an omen?): P W D L GF-BF For GA-BA Agn % Win% Geelong 666 443 5 218 9222.8790 64122 7600.7550 53150 120.64 66.89 In the last few years their win % is even more impressive. They have won 21 of the last 24 games they have played at their home ground. Interestingly Swans have won all 3 of those games which i think augurs well for us as i suspect a big factor is the tight ground suits the swans highly contested game and therefore also suits us. And there is n doubt now that we do better on narrower grounds so that is also in our favour.

Well we can develop players - without the aid of drugs at that

Sucked in? Surely you jest. They would have loved having hawkins play 100 metres from goal just as they were happy to have schache do the same last sat. If lever had done his part and players like hibberd theirs (eg help lever out in the air) we would have won.

Of course you can. Impossible to draw the conclusion that the Darwin game is the cause of the injuries to Viney and Hibberd.

At first I was afraid, I was petrified Kept thinking I could never live without Viney, Lever and Hibberd in our side But then I spent so many nights thinking how the dees have done me wrong And I grew strong And I learned how to get along And so when you're back You can thank Omac For making the finals and removing that sad look upon your face Because finishing 9th would have been such bad disgrace Did you think the dees would lay down and die? Oh no, not I, we will survive Hey, hey

Sorry i was unclear. I mean the Spotswood, Footscray, Seddon, Monnee Ponds (at a pinch), Kensington sort of areas. Preferably near a trains station

A perennial - and possibly difficult to answer - question i guess but i'll ask anyway. What are the best pubs to watch the game on the west(ish) side of the city? I don't like the options in the city and not a fan of the Sporting Globe to be hones (any of them). I know it is on FTA but keen to watch with a mate at a venue with some atmosphere.

I reckon he will get another rookie year. Big key defenders who can mark and kick ok don't grow on trees.

How about: Omac - another positive contribution (by the by: he played on Cordy and Schache at different times right throughout the game. I reckon it was probably a 40-60 split, with Cordy being the 40. Omac wasn't moved off Schache as such and played on him at times in the 3rd and 4th qs, but in any case i don't think was particularly influential given where he got the ball).

Took a while to jerry. I thought you were referring to the Freddie Cook reference.

Well yes actually. i'm sure a team has played the last round then the first week of finals

This is the official VFL thread.

Which one? He played on both Schache and Cordy. Neither gave him much if any grief i wouldn't have thought. Neither of Shache's goals were down to Omac and Omac only had two contested marks taken on him all day - one by Shache and one by Cordy. And if you referring to Schache he was completely ineffectual in the second half (in the interests of transparency, given my affection for Omac, it should be noted Omac spent more time on Cordy than Schache in the second half. But Cordy was equally ineffectual!) .

Absolutely. I said early this season that it will be a very long season, even more so than the last couple as the defensive intesity has gone up a level and the game is more balistic than ever. .Goody has said on a number of occasions it will be the team that develops the most that will win. Which is code for the team that peaks at the right time like tigers and dogs did.

i find it hard to rate players live as i'm too emotionally involved to be analytical. With the obvious exception of games that stand out like Gawn on the weekend. I haven't found you to be unfairly critical of Omac and respect your assesment. I was at the game and have watched the replay up till half through the third, plus the video of all the involvements of OMac, Schache and Cordy and think that based on the evidence the facts don't bare your assessment out on this occasion. But i will finish the watching the replay with an open mind

Can't delete - tired to edit but failed and quoted instead Can't edit poost above for some strange reason. A time limit? Was trying to add So in summary Omac was beaten once in a marking contest by Schache, which was the one contested mark he took all day (twice if you count the slick one hander Schache plucked on the lead - which was recorded as an uncontested mark) .

As promised: The Josh Schache marking file: an AFL Stats pro adventure Here are the facts: Took 8 marks All but one was uncontested His one contested mark was excellent and was taken on OMac He only had one mark after half time 3 of his marks were inside 50 - none were contested Omac was not on him for 2 of the 3 inside 50 marks Schache took The other occasion Omac was on him but could not be blamed as Tmac turned the ball over (poor kick to Vince) and Schache was gifted a goal with an easy mark running back into the goal square 5 of his marks were across the middle of the ground (wing or in the centre square), including his 1 contested mark OMac was playing well off Schache and of the 4 uncontested marks he took up around the middle of the ground was playing 10 metres in front of Omac who sagged off him and let him take the marks unopposed (as per coaching direction no doubt) So in summary Omac was beaten once in a marking contest by Schache, which was the one contested mark he took all day. The majority (five of eight) of his marks were well up the ground which no doubt our coaching staff loved seeing given he is a key forward. And none of the his 3 inside 50 marks were the fault of Oscar. Here are some of the facts about Omac's game, courtesy of AFL stats pro: 9 Contested Defence One On Ones (season average 4.1) 11 one per centers (season average 6.8) (A note on 1 percenters - they include marking contest spoils. Stats pro records a marking spoil as a spoil AND as a once percenter. Not sure why, but in the advanced stats in the match report, which is how stats pro is structured, they don't list spoils, just 1 percenters. But most 1 percenters are actually spoils, so really good stat to use to compare defenders playing similar roles. As an example of Omacs 11 1 percenters 9 were spoils) 9 spoils (season average 6.4) with 6 against Schache and 3 against Cordy who was the main dogs deep KPF in the second half Took a nice intercept mark in their goal square when he out read and out marked Schache 91.7% disposal efficiency (season average 70.4) - by the by ANB had 17 disposals at 100% which is pretty impressive So in summary, whilst you could argue with some justification he was no star it is very difficult to mount a credible argument that he was 'loose and unconvincing', particularly if that assessment was partly based on Schache getting 8 marks (by the by his other opponent, Cordy, had 2 marks for the day). Easier to argue he had his best game since Lever went out. I think it was H T who suggested there might or should be a discussion about Omac being replaced by a Keilty or Pedo (i think or perhaps he said Smith?). Apologies to H T if someone else but there is zero chance Omac gets dropped this season. Zero. Indeed as i argued at the beginning of the season it will be a long, long time before he plays another games at VFL level. Dr Cool will play 200 plus games as a key defender for the dees.

Very good. Except we want him to sign. Shine too i guess.

A+ i'd say

If true that doesn't negate my comments about how reliable his kicking, which is super important in a team with so many poor kicks. And he is Dr Cool. But i don't recall him getting out marked on 8 occasions by Shache. And he wasn't playing man on man on Shache either IIRC so his 8 marks are not on him entirely.I will do an AFL Pro audit and get back to you.

Sung to the of Shine on you crazy Diamond. Something like Sign on you crazy brayshaw...

Oscar - (unlike 95% of his teammates) rarely misses targets and/or Oscar - kicking technique excellent (unlike 95% of his teammates) and/or Oscar - is Doctor Cool (unlike 100% of his teammates)