binman

About even in my book. Both generational talents.

Roosy coached the swans a long time ago. I think in today's footy there is no way players would be allowed to ping it around the arc looking for a way forward as there is such an emphasis now on making sure each possession is under intense pressure. The risk of turnovers would be too great. Much better to turn it over 20 metres out from goals than from the half back line

Maybe, but i suspect we won't deviate from the plan much. Your game plan is your game plan. You might adjust it depending on the opposition but the best teams play their game and challenge the opposition to react. I agree it is an issue when one strategy is used all the time and i think too often we take the long option as a function of adhering to the game plan rather than taking a better option. But in some ways this is a natural outcome of implementing a new or different strategy. However once the strategy becomes second nature i think players will get better and not following it blindly. It will take time to get there though. I really like Skuits analogy of rugby to describe the strategy as in some ways it not just about the long bomb. of course if we can rove the spill or trap the ball inside 50 and force a stoppage that's a winner. But an important part of the strategy is pushing up and not allowing the opposition to take it back out. When on we do this really this really well and get the repeat inside 50 entries that Roos was saying on sat are so critical. On those re- entries we often chip short or cross low balls to about 30 out dead in front. The strategy requires our mids and half backs to be super switched on, read the bail out ball, be super accountable and be prepared to gut run to cover players who get out the back. When those things don't happen (and sometimes even when they do) we will always be at risk of giving up easy transition goals, often in bunches. I was really surprised that Saturdays score of 123 was our highest under goody. They were not too bad defensively so it sees our strategy is working pretty well.

True, however the advent of the zone defensive structures and all ground pressure has meant that it is really rare to have the option to have a free, open kick to leading forward such as the one Jones kicked to Garlett on Sat (and Jones was still in a bit of traffic) and often forwards are forced to lead to the pockets or flanks such as the kicks to Melk and Trac on Sat.

I think you have the auto edit turned on

An 'interception phenomenon'. Hyperbole much.

How is his left foot kicking? it is great to finally have a mid of Oliver's ability. Pure A grade. Now. Agree with your summation. One aspect i really love about is his aggression. Does not take a backward step and is the first in to fly the flag if one his team mates gets sniped. He is just such a natural footballer, one of the most natural i've ever seen. The fist goals he kicked was perfect example. His collect and jink to the left to create space was so pure and instinctive. Th other thing he has going for him his height. 6'2 in the old makes for a very tough match up when he pushes forward. In 3 years time he will have put on 5 kgs of muscle and might even get a bit taller(he'll certainly fill out a bit). Frightening for the opposition. Imagine him and Trac in beast mode in 2021.

A postscript to this comment. Just watched the replay of the 3rd q (having gone to the game). Roosy and Brown were really paying out on the other defenders (and Lever in particular) for allowing Brown to isolate TMac's younger brother and not get back/across to help him out

Really? Fair dinkum, you should just man up and admit you got it wrong. Very, Wrong. T'macs younger brother has been our best defender this year, with Hibberd being the only one close. Which of course would be of no surprise to the coaching staff, me, or for that matter any one who has the ability to assess a young players ability and ceiling. Didn't have his best game yesterday but was pretty good. As is the norm used the ball really well and dis his customary clever things. Was beaten twice in the air by Brown. Which happens. Defenders get out marked. Just ask Lever, who loses one on ones to debut players and small forwards. I had to laugh though because both times not one player came to help out in the air. Wasn't that what we got got Captain Zone man for? To float in and 'kill' the ball, Rance like. Sheez. As i have said - and offered to bet on (but heard crickets) - he will play every game this season, bar injury and be a 200 game demon. Not AFL standard? You should be embarrassed by that comment. And ' Lever is in no-mans land because of the utter chaos it is back there when the ball come in"? Are you trolling? You're giving him a free pass because of the 'utter chaos' caused by his team mates. Please. He has been the single biggest cause of defensive problems this year. Kicks to the opposition, gets caught with the ball, doesn't go when he should, gets killed in the air and even when we bring in Frost doesn't really get to extra contests and impact on them. And please don't get me wrong. Lever is a terrific player, will be a star and i'm thrilled we have him. But remember he and Tmac's younger brother are almost exactly the same age, have played almost exactly the same number of games and both have been defenders. But whilst Lever had the luxury of playing zone man in a top 4 side with players the ilk of Talia doing the heavy lifting, Tmac's younger brother has had to to leatn his craft in a team that until recently gets beaten more often that not with TMac being the only big key support. Tmac's younger brother has had the job on the key forward of the three opponents this year, with Hawkins and Brown among them. Next week he'll get Roughy. Lever has been given pretty easy assignments for a player of his ability. One player has struggled. And its not the one you think is nightmare.

And then not giving trac a free in the last when he was nearly dragged down when going for a mark 20 metres out. infuriating. i was right above the kent free. he fid nothing

I had that thought yesterday. i wonder though if it is a function of him putting really high expectations on himself and feeling the pressure of comimg accross as the stsr recruit. A couple of times his body language after a mistake suggested he gets very down on himself.

So Fritsch. So clean. Sung to tune of this corker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JfEJq56IwI

Calling SWYL. Two of the big four (or five) Victorian clubs. Collingwood arguably the biggest sporting club in Australia. By your mid 80s thinking Channel 7 desperately want this as a Friday night game to support the established clubs and because clubs gave so many fans. I. Don't. Think so. Boring with a capital b and the ratings will reflect that fact. Advertisers pay big money for prime time slots. Do you think they would be happy with this rubbish and ratings?

Yep, that's how i see it

i very much doubt it DA. He is not a good enough defender to go one one with brown. Its not like a tagging role. Brown would towell him up

Goody certainly keeps you guessing. Frosty plays back as a straight swap for Hunt. Might go with Waite, which as people have been baying for might free up Lever to be Captain Zone Man. Might also be a an attacking HB replicating Hunt's role. He won't go anywhere near brown. I hope. Won't play forward. I hope. no he won't. Kent can only play forward so that's easy. And it suggests to me we will see more of the quick long bombs into our forward line, which sounds counter intuitive given we are down a tall in Pederson (who is stiff really - he has competed hard for the last two games) but i reckon they will be banking on Hogan, Trac and (remarkably, given how few games he has played) Fritsch to mark or bring the ball to ground. And look for gawn to push hard forward, leaving our talls at the other end to take care of things down the other end height wise

47 point win. Nothing surer

That's great news.He doesn't need the sort of early career injury issue hampering his chances of getting his chance to play seniors. For what its worth i have real faith he'll make it. Apart from his competitiveness and strength in the air he is a reliable kick and whilst for all players that's important it is critical for defenders. I reckon he i competing with Frosty, and whilst Frost is ahead at this stage his kicking is his biggest issue.

A interesting quote from this fascinating article: “The capitalist system we know is dominated by huge, unaccountable, global banks and corporations” For centuries now, capitalism’s appeal has rested in its promise of control. Unlike with societies of the past, in capitalism no one is supposed to be stuck in a rank given at birth. Instead, we all make our own choices – how hard to work, what to work at, how to balance our working lives and our private lives – and shape our own futures. The problem for capitalism is that it doesn’t feel like that any more. The capitalist system we know is dominated by huge, unaccountable, global banks and corporations. Add to that eye-watering and ever-increasing inequalities of wealth, and the suggestion that capitalism empowers us, rather than enslaves us, becomes an ugly joke. So, yes, capitalism is at a crossroads. Its advocates must either find an entirely new argument to defend it, or work out what it is in the system that needs to change for the promise of real control to be delivered. When anyone properly reflects on that choice, I believe they will realise that an economy that provides people with the sense that they really matter in the world remains the right ambition. But they will also note that building that economy demands radical and far-reaching action. Such action should start by limiting the power of unaccountable vested interests, from banks to tech companies, strengthening the hand of those whose work creates the wealth, and protecting our ever more fragile environment. It can be done – capitalism has adapted in the past – but time is running out. Marc Stears Chief executive, New Economics Foundation

Which is precisely why there is growing movement questioning if capitalism has mutated into something that great economic thinker like Milton Friedman could barely recognise and that it it is no longer functioning in way that is good for society (for instance by creating an ever increasing disparity between the wealthy and poor)

Agree on Hunt. It would be great to see him get back to his 2016 form.

Any update Drunkn?

I'm a punter. Ponies are my fist love but also enjoy footy betting. However agree 100% about your concerns about sports betting, particularly those related to the impact on young people who are growing up to connect sport and betting in a way that no other generation has. And of course that's exactly what the bookies want, with the aim of a generation of people consuming their product. It is pathetic that the AFL takes sponsorship dollars from online bookmakers and allows betting to so insidiously infiltrate football. I can't stand the constant ads on radio and TV either and have no doubt that betting advertising will go the way of cigarette advertising within the next decade or so. As it should.

woops:

Some good points. In some ways a pragmatic move. The first few clubs who follw North's lead will get a reputational boost and their sponsors a positive reflection of sponsoring a forward thinking clubs. The middle tranche of clubs who move away from pokies will get less of positive media and reaction and the last few will be seen in a poor light for taking so long to react