binman

Last Friday, just before the bombers game. I actually suggested the bet on a DL thread and advised if keen people should get on before the ess game as if they were to lose would come into about 1.80. I was pretty close!

A long time DZ. They do not have the pace to hurt us on the outside and we have them covered on contested ball, which is really the cornerstone of their 'brand 'and has been for many years. That said 1.45 is short. But as we both know the odds are perhaps the most reliable indicator of the relative chances in any given game.

g'day punters, I can feel it in the air, the unmistakable spring vibe. One of my favourite times of year. Love the couple of months before the spring carnival starts in earnest. My mate and i usually start back up on our spring campaign in mid to late August so soon now. Can't wait. In the man time will have to content myself with the dees still being in finals contention. I might post my bets footy bet of the round on a Friday for the last few games and finals. I like my bet now of the swans to miss the finals at $3. Had an up and won footy betting season but have made a profit so can't complain. Was well up this round coming into Sunday's game and then managed to get them ALL wrong to break even.

And bad dad jokes at that (i am an aficionado of dad jokes). The coverage goes for so long, wit so much filler. People seem to love roaming brian. Can't stand it. Treats it all as a joke and brings zero insight. Incredible access and wasted. We could actually get some proper insight if done well.

Great. We're on. Id still love jacky boy hitting targets inside 50. Obviously you're rr no fan. Gives me an idea for an avatar......

I think we will make finals. Lets have a friendly wager. Winner chooses loser's avatar until the eve of round one next year. Good bet for you given your confidence

I reckon we beat crows, suns and swans.

Some excellent points there Choke. I heard some fella call SEN or 3aw and say that perhaps the ratings have dropped because the commentators are so poor. Got cut off and all in the studio laughed and dismissed it/him as joke and moved on straight away. i don't think he was joking and he makes a great point. I can't stand channel 7 or Fox commentary teams or how the game is presented. Fair dinkum how someone like Breton could be paid to mangle the English language and provide zero insight is beyond a joke To your excellent list of ways they could improve Choke i'd add having expert comments from actual bloody experts, who can provide some actual analysis. Their only criteria for 'experts' seem to be ex players. Daisy is the only one who i have heard actually bring something positive to the coverage. Had to laugh in the last crows game when some wacka noted our accuracy and she pointed out it is largely due to the fact when on our game plan involves kicking many of goals from within 20 metres of the goals (and proceed to do exactly that all game). Sh did her homework and the others were clueless - good get Daisy some dick said. The footage of Ling jumping for joy from his boundary line spot as a special comment man when they won made me sick. 7 highlighted it and made a virtue of it. That said all you need to know about how they go about covering the game. Oh and how about some proper anlaysis at the quarter breaks of the sort Craig Foster did in the SBS world cup coverage that actually helps understand what is happening (or not as the case may be) tactically and strategically. Or highlighting specif players. Properly.

Hannan out with a knee. Apparently.

Hypothetically if it is two weeks then back for the Suns game. Which you'd reckon they would not play him in if not 100% cherry ripe. Back the following week against the Swans.

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

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

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.

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

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

As i said in the game day thread i have a feeling he will take his chance. Looks fit and strong.

Liked this one: 'Oliver is the AFL’s best player across the past 18 months when the ball is on the ground, winning almost 20 per cent more possessions than seasoned stars such as Patrick Dangerfield, Trent Cotchin, Josh Kennedy and like.'

Exactamundo

Add hannebery and it will be a tough midfield to break into

No he's not

I think this is a really good point. We have a pretty tough run home, but only 4 games against top 8 sides (actually 3 - cats, swans and wc, but for the sake of argument lets include crows in Adelaide). If we are a serious finals side then we win two of those sides at a minimum. If we can't, well were not up to finals standard pure and simple.

Agree 100%. We have been a terrible kicking side for at least a decade, more really. its killing us. No matter what style of footy is in vogue there will ALWAYS be a premium on kicking skills. It is the key reason i questioned trading Watts (not wanting to open up that argument btw - i fully understand the decision, particularly given Fritsch is just about our best kick) Look at the last quarter of the Cats and saints games. Turning the ball over costs us both games. Both games drove me spare. People remember the turnovers that result in opposition goals but the ones that break scoring chains are equally damaging and often go unremarked. But it not just the turnovers. My pet hate is players who don't have the basic footy skill of weighting or direct the ball properly to maximize a forwards chances of marking the footy. it is a key reason why we have so many fruitless inside 50 entries. Ok we kick the ball long to packs as a system but how many times on Sunday (every week really) was the ball put on top of forwards heads rather that out in front allowing them to jump forward. Hopeless

No i know. I had very similar inteI. Was assuming the protest was related to on filed performance.

DZ have you got rid of you avatar of Jordon Lewis as a form of protest?

And still don't some don't get it. Blame the symptom and don't understand the cause. See the tip of the ice berg and not what is under the water. A back line of Rance, Scarlett, Hardeman, Silvagni, Jetta and McLeod would not stop us being scored on heavily when: opposition players are allowed rebound from their defensive half so quickly because of non existent forward half pressure (making it all but impossible for any mids etc to get back and block holes) we make horrendous turnovers at our half forward line and going inside 50 (hello Brayshaw x 3) which given we are sweeping forward allow the ball to ping back the other way, often straight up the corridor we make horrendous turnovers in our back half, gifting opposition goals - hello Lewis and TMac our players don't gut run to put pressure on opposition players, allowing them to tic tac up the ground and kick the ball into their inside 50 under no pressure whatsoever we employ the most aggressive forward press/zone in the league that to work requires a team NOT having the four issues above