Pates

This is incredible and I don't know how to feel about it. Part of me says get him in if he gets through the session, another part says hold him back a week to make sure there aren't going to be issues. I just think of last season with Oliver and how he pushed himself just that little bit too hard when he was only a week away and set himself back another month. But as this is the positive thread I'll just say I'm happy to hear he's back on the track!

If Maynard had been suspended I would've definitely said this should be the case. Sadly as the AFL ticked it off as "nothing to see here" they get another pass. Most fans I come across are of the opinion that we shouldn't be forced to pay out his full contract under the cap, with those saying we should pointing to extremely different cases (players with one year to run on their contracts, clear risk in signing them with injury issues). Us not paying it under the cap sets a very dangerous precedent and I would say the PA in particular should be getting involved to encourage it be outside the cap, otherwise it will make clubs far less interested in doing long term contracts. What really gets me annoyed is when people say "oh that's what you get for signing a player with concussion issues", Gus hadn't had concussion issues for a very long time, bearing in mind he was regularly checked by experts.

I'm reserving my judgement until after a couple of rounds but one thing that really did frustrate me was how poorly we transitioned out of defence last week. Now it's very possible the smaller confines of the SCG weren't suited to whatever style we wanted to implement but it's fair to say we simply weren't up to it. Hopefully the return to the MCG will bring better games from Lever and Rivers who definitely were below their best, these two at their best are huge to our transitions.

Of all our pre-season drama, this flew right under the radar. Our forward line output has been garbage for years now but Stafford remains. We don’t have a great forward line but [censored] it’s not awful either, Fritta walks into any team in the comp, JvR is a rising star, Pickett is Pickett, Nibbler works harder than anyone at the club, and Chandler/Spargo have shown they can hit the scoreboard. All the while we also have Trac as a mid/forward who’s one of the best players in the comp. I’m sorry if you can’t make something of that you’re not a good line coach. Petty will make a difference but he’s returning from a serious foot injury, we can’t rely on him being the answer.

The good: Judd McVee is a gun, Windsor showing he’s ready made, Howes solid The bad: way too many passengers to name The ugly: our skills and ball handling was atrocious (I get that it’s “opening round” and it’s dewy but do the basics right) EDIT: forgot to add Howes to my youngster praise

Game over, I’m switching off like the boys have already done.

He had the runner, why he’s taking them all on is beyond me.

Two clear opportunities at centre clearances totally and utterly f###ed by senior players. Why Jack? Why are to trying to take the entire swans team on?!

We’ve been better, getting the goals now but giving up some easy chances as well. Love seeing that goal from Trac.

Two questions regarding rules. They highlighted Grundy taking away Gawn’s space at centre bounces, he goes straight to the man before the ball is up in the air, I’m surprised that’s permitted. Second one is the McDonald has the ball from the mark on the forward 50, May stranded from the stand rule but McDonald is allowed to go straight towards goal ignoring May’s positioning and off the line of the mark, umpire doesn’t call play on. I don’t mind the rule, but that’s insanely unfair on the defensive team.

If (big if) we can start holding marks and taking chances when they’re on I’m confident we can win, but jeez we gotta be better.

I’m glad I’m not the only one, sickeningly BT was the only one that actually said “hold on I’m not seeing a finger move there”. All for the decision changing when it’s blatantly clear, but to me there wasn’t absolute evidence of a touch.

I can only imagine he’s a training hero, loves a practice match (hey he was good against Carlton last week) but he shows nothing when the game means something.

How we didn’t seek a new coach at the end of last season is beyond me.

Our ball handling skills are VFL level right now, dropping easy marks and fumbling the ball like amateurs.

Am I tripping? I swear I couldn’t see the finger “clearly” moving.

Thank you Nibbler!

Can a forward take a f###ing Mark?!

Spargo and Fritta have to nail those two goals, you don’t miss them at AFL level. We aren’t playing well, but it’s the first quarter. Get a run on and get some confidence.

A genuine thought IF the AFL were to go down the path of forcing us to pay it inside the cap, I wonder if we could repurpose Gus into a coaching role. Gus as a midfield/role model coach could at least mean that money isn't completely dead to us. I really do have to wonder about any opposition fans having an issue about us requesting it be outside the cap. I would have compassion for any player and club that is in the situation that we are, and not only should common sense prevail, but basic human decency. Of course such a thing is practically impossible for the fans wearing Black and White.

Brayshaw's loss is definitely going to expose our midfield depth, or possibly lack there of. But what it will also do is force some changes that perhaps were coming over time anyway. I've often felt that Rivers was destined for a midfield role, particularly after the Lions game last year where his boldness help us win the game. We also do have a couple of young guns that we recruited and would be itching for a regular game. There is every chance there will be a bolter we don't see coming this season. One thing last season did show is that we need the flexibility to send Trac forward, he is just too important forward of the ball.

I hope that at least one of the players (Gawn or Trac my picks) will do a golf swing celebration after a goal in tribute to Gus. As for Dees fans I think the 10min mark 1min applause is a good idea.

Yep the Pies narrowly had top spot in the most hated department for a while, now no club will ever come close to the hatred I have for them. I hope this premiership is cursed and they never see another premiership until they permanently retire his cursed number.

The thing that drives me nuts about the Brayshaw/Maynard incident is that I thought that the messaging for years has been if you do not show proper duty of care for your opponent, and they are severely injured with a head injury then you get suspended. He opened the door for suspension the moment he went up and didn't show care for the opposition player.

It's definitely an interesting and different situation to other retirements from the game. Most if not all players wind down their careers with 1-2 year contracts and at most might have an extra year to run in which they fully intended on playing but got say a knee injury that prevented them from seeing out the contract. This on the other hand is totally different, this is a player that was very much part of the future for the next 5+ years and has been forced to retire due to an act on the footy field causing severe brain injury. I think it's only right in this context that the AFL allows his contract to be paid outside of the salary cap or at the very least most of it outside. It's not like we entered into the long term deal with the idea of a medical retirement on the cards. Jesus effing christ that Maynard hit is going to be one of the most constant reasons to hate Collingwood for me, I had managed to move on from it but this has brought it right back. I hope their club is cursed from the 2023 premiership and they never see another until Maynard is a bitter old man.