Pates

I really think we need to play Tommo this week with Carlton's tall players, I just don't know who for. My current changes are Out: Gus (inj), JVR (sus), Lauri (sub) In: JJ, Grundy, Woewoden (sub) As for Tommo coming in I wonder if we can have him as the sub as a flexible tall in case they are getting on top of us. I just don't see him as an "impact" player. Whereas Woey has speed and a little bit of skill and flare. His youthful exuberance could be a real asset. I also wonder whether an option to throw around is to play Salem more in the forward half of the ground just to try something new. I'm expecting with Grundy playing we will revert back to Max and Grundy splitting ruck duties and resting forward. A totally crazy idea would be to START the centre bounce with Grundy and play Max forward.

Just wait for them to pull out the "well he should've been off the ground as he was concussed already", or "his history of concussions means this impact is more than what it would've been with other players". They will stoop to every low possible on this just like their scum fans.

I think Mundy nails this, if it's a teammate he's protecting the teammate. Because it's an oppo player he doesn't have the same care and instead is happy to throw his body in. Honestly if Maynard gets off it will be the biggest disgrace in AFL tribunal history.

I don't say this often Picket but I'm with you. I think having Brown has straightened us up and I felt like the goals were coming. I'm not sold on Petty forward, but Tommo has been in ripper form and deserves his spot so I can see from the POV of the selection committee that they want Petty in the 22. But we need Petty to become a consistent 1-2 goal a game player if we're sacrificing the forward craft experience that we get from Brown. I'm willing to back this move and turning a negative into a positive at least we have players to come in and out that we know can do a job if needs be. Plus Melksham has been turning back the clock with this late season run, if Fritta gets fit prior to finals and we throw him in I personally have the mix as follows: Chandler Petracca Melk Fritta JVR Kozzie Obviously the spots will change, I then have Petty/Brown coming off the bench to rotate with JVR. I have a bad feeling for Tommo that the selection committee are waiting for one bad game and then he's back to Casey. It's so harsh and I hope that it isn't that black and white, but Petty is a natural defender, I think that where they want him for finals. Also just an aside, Smith has become the super sub. Two weeks in a row he has come on and made an immediate impact (though he needed to celebrate that "touched" goal harder, if the soft call had been on our side it would've been given!).

Totally agree with this, we have had at times a habit of winning the big ones and then dropping our standards to lesser teams. We need the Brisbane game to be a launch pad, come in a be professional with all our performances. Do the job. Don't go in thinking "oh we beat Brisbane who are amazing, we should beat Adelaide". I would even say North in Tassie is not a straight forward prospect.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed this. At the ground I was saying to my dad, "how did this happen???" but the truth was we were all over them for 90% of the quarter but we just weren't taking our chances until we finally did with Melk x2, Kozzie, and Viney. I put a lot of that down to a good talk at 3 quarter time of don't give in" but also the Lions went into "protecting mode" from the moment Daniher got his goal 3min into the quarter. I of course give us huge credit for coming back but they played very poor footy for most of the quarter. Can i also make a comment that after Kozzie was sick against the Saints and practically useless, we picked an underdone Harry Petty who looked hampered from the end of the 1st quarter. Can we please stop picking players that are hurt/injured and instead trust our depth to get the job done? I can only imagine they are giving the players way to much of an ability to make the decision on whether they are picked. We looked a so much better team the moment Smith came on for Petty.

I usually don't mind Underwood as a host of a show and chat guest, but that is the dumbest comment she may have ever made (if she said it). In the rooms May and Melksham were arm in arm and May was getting around him more than any other player. If she said it she should actually apologise because that's creating a narrative that doesn't exist.

This will probably be an unpopular thought but I actually didn't think Tomlinson played a bad game, and I don't think it's a coincidence that Lever had one of his best games for the year with him in. McKay is a bloody good footballer and was getting regular (and quite often unpressured) service, getting hands on the ball hasn't been his problem it's the finishing that's been his main issue. I personally think Tommo stays, as does Smith. Unless there are absolute gun footballers that are direct replacements (say a Petty or Oliver) I say given them a body of games to prove their worth to the team. Our backline functions better with to key pillars complimenting the Lever interceptor. And JVR and Smith seemed to have space from each other which is actually what Roo needs, space to have his opponent one on one. I would expect more from Smith going forward, but giving him one game and dropping is going to do nothing for him or the team. Bowser for Hibberd Sparrow for for Oliver (Sparrow Sub)

I should be confident about tonight but I haven't seen much in the last month of footy to tell me that we are genuine this season. Hopefully it starts with them tonight. Really hoping Smith can show something. His time is now, he either brings it this season or he's done. Also looking for big games for Kozzie, Fritta, ANB, Spargo, and Chandler. Our small/mid forwards haven't been performing of late, we need our tackling pressure game to come back in a big way, especially leading into next week.

I think the sad thing about him is that he was a part of our program and we definitely would've picked him up had it not been for the rule change after Jamarra Ugle-Hagen. I also don't think he was worth the pick that GC gave up for him, he was a bolter that was boosted in profile because of his connection to us. Staying in our system may well have helped to avoid the situations he's found himself in. GC has a proven track record of failing to keep players on the straight and narrow (doesn't help the culture up that way for young people does centre around gambling, partying, drugs, and alcohol).

I think it would be a fair critique to say they could have a dedicated button on the main menu rather than being in the drop down for "teams". It's not like it doesn't exist it's just a little hidden.

It's funny, I used to kinda enjoy "Frost Ball" when he was with us because it enjoyable seeing someone from our club take the game on. Now I enjoy it even more as an oppo fan because I'd say the success rate is below 50%, and it's utter chaos to the point it unsettles his own team. It's exciting and exhilarating when it comes off, but most of the time it's just insane! I would imagine Frost will be going to JvR, it could actually be an interesting match up. Frost has speed and strength, but JvR is pretty smart for a young pup so I could see him running rings around him if given the chance. I would love for him to kick a bag today.

Death riding Freo's season has become such an enjoyable second storyline to the season. It's not just that it's fun watching their fans go from "Flagmantle" to working out where it's gone wrong, it's that they've paid so much supreme talent after chasing him so hard only to use him so badly that you can see it's affecting him (I don't wish ill on Jacko, just on Freo). I hope after this season they do manage to work it out, it would be sad to see such potential [censored] down the toilet. But for now let it ride!

I have to imagine that Kozzie's drop in form has been the direct result of these negotiations dragging out. I've got no doubt once it's all done and dusted he'll be fine. Really wish he, his manager, and the club had just sorted it out before the start of the season if Melbourne was always going to be his final destination. I think he just needs to get back to basics; tackle, pressure, stay on the ground for a bit, be at the fall of the ball.

We've been playing poorly and only looked to have a bit of flow about us towards the end. But jeez the umpires are killing us. How that ANB 50 isn't paid given EVERYTHING we've seen this year and the soft ones that do get paid is completely beyond me.