Pates

If he gets the ball in a position where he holds it long enough I hope the crowd gives him a good cheer. Problem is he's usually quicker than anyone!

I was just thinking that that was how I assessed it. Going by their system it was negligent contact (1 point), low impact as Oliver was on his feet straight away (1), and to the head (2). I believe that would come to about 100pts with gets downgraded with a fine for an early plea. How did they come to 2 matches down to 1?

If it were Viney Schofield wouldn't be alive right now. If Jack didn't get him then he would've laid the mother of all tackles on him later in the game!

I'd disagree with that, mainly because their all different players. For me ANB hasn't been doing much wrong since coming in but has been relatively non-influential he was be one I'd look at. Stretch was solid in his return, and especially if Jeffy doesn't play perhaps we play Billy as more of a HFF. We have come to the problem we all knew was coming. How do we fit all our forwards in? Pederson was quiet for much of the game but made his presence well and truly felt at the end. He's also been in career best form. Hannan has proven to be a real livewire and unpredictable at times, the goal he kicked was so quick onto his boot I didn't even see it. Harmes I see as one potentially missing out but like ANB he really has done very little wrong in recent weeks. 21 disposal, 6 contested, 5 tackles, and a goal is a very handy return from him. His goal also massive in the context of the game. If Hannan and/or Jeffy pull up sore than the decision could be made for the selection committee. But I would say ANB will be first to go. I would like to give Jeffy a week off, he looked way out of sorts and we need him for the rest of the year. Out: Garlett (inj), ANB/Hannan In: Watts, Hogan (if good to go) or JKH/Kent I'm guessing though, selection headaches again. Best kind of headache to have!

Look the sad part about this is that it will bring Oliver's honour into question, which could overshadow an incredible year from him so far. Ultimately I don't think there was enough force to warrant a 1 match ban and certainly not a 2 match ban. I would've thought if they gave him fine they would've just copped it and all parties could save face from it, Clary gets vindicated that he copped a knock, Schofield gets reprimanded and the media moves on. This really turned into a circus.

They had Brent Harvey at their club for 2 decades, so to their credit they would know exactly what a stager/diver/flopper/oscar nominee would look like. Seriously Harvey was the worst of the worst, I can remember numerous free kicks/50s being given from him falling from a feather touch. God I hated the little [censored].

On the weekend gone, he would've been in the bottom 5 players. He was off, still niggled and competed but didn't do a lot. But he's been in enough in recent weeks that one bad performance isn't going to have him dropped.

There was a total gift of a free to Tom McDonald for a hold that resulted in a shot on goal (a behind) that I couldn't believe was paid. It was abysmal all night, started favouring the eagles in the second half. The Frost trip really annoyed me because it was a momentum changer, if we'd lost I would've looked back on that moment. But our boys are made of sterner stuff this year, isn't it great!

I'd say that's fairly accurate, it's a way of say, "we see you've got something and believe you can become a player, but you have one and half years to prove it." He's had a good period at the VFL, I feel a recall isn't far off. He could well turn into the next Nev Jetta type situation. He did have a horror run of injuries after his first year.

A few weeks ago (after Gold Coast I think) I was very much in this frame of mind. But I've swung, he does enough competing and harassing and does get a few snags every now and then for me that he justifies his selection. He's not pretty to look at, and he should practice goal kicking until he can kick them in his sleep but he's a certain starter at the current state of the list IMO.

Disgraceful by those clubs. Both teams with traditionally low drawing numbers, maybe that's why their crowds are looking lower this year. Raising them against GC is absolutely ludicrous. As for us, I'd say we're an interesting position where we have enough fans coming out to get solid enough attendances to our games but are still not smashing it. So the powers that be have obviously decided for a little less revenue it's better the keep the fans coming out happy. That said maybe next year a cheeky extra $2 on each ticket except children's tickets for Queens birthday would give us another $50k-100k, it would be tempting. For that matter we'll also have the ANZAC eve match. But for all that I do say, keep tickets affordable. It's one of the best things about our great game that most people are able to go.

Agreed, the tribunal really should only sit for hideous acts or incidents that are difficult to judge under the MRP. They've completely handballed it to wash their hands of it. I would be saying given the force it should be about 3, but also given that it wasn't unprovoked 2 might well have been fair.

There were actually a few the bemoaned that we might've ruined another young star by burdening him, at the same time pointing to Jones being a real captain. Like many things with this club it was a process and it took a few rounds for Jack to realise that being a captain isn't about doing everything yourself but continuing to play on his instincts and use his natural abilities. It was that that made him co-captain. I have this feeling that his game on the weekend will be looked at as a defining performance for his career. It was the moment he well and truly stepped out of any shadows that were being cast on him whether it was from his dad or Jones. He stepped up, big time.

Obviously Brad Johnson's bias is so bad he doesn't even rate a mention! Was kind to Hamish McLachlan, I don't rate his commentary at all.

Agree with most of what you said. I refute that he hammed it up, I think he was caught off guard and it got him more than what it looks (like Vince who was also called for hamming it up despite vomiting from the punch to the gut). But as you say rolls reversed we'd probably say he was staging. The best way for him to silence everyone is to go as hard as he always does at the first bounce, be smashed as he always is, and get up for the next one, as he always does.

It was always the fear, really sucks for Salem too because he's having a breakout year. Wagner should come in for him, he didn't do much wrong before he got dropped, there were just players ahead of him. JKH comes in for Garlett IMO. Can't ingore such consistent VFL, particularly when he's done literally exactly what was asked of him. JKH can rotate through the middle and forward line with Stretch, Bugg, and Petracca. If he comes in he needs to be in everything with tackling and pressure. That has to be his aim. If he gets 11 possies but has 8 tackles and 2 smothers I'll be satisfied (especially if he can snag some goals). Who else is sore?

When's Oliver staged before? I've only ever know him to take the force of players bigger than him and dish it back. Didn't he get kicked in the head last year and walked it off?

Get stuffed then Gary, 2nd year player who has never taken a dive once AND there was definite impact! There was no reason for him to dive, no chance of a free, no chance of a 50, I think at worst he overreacted to the contact and he bloody well got him. Lyon's credibility is rating below Hutchy, Barrett, and Slobbo. After his year away he's trying to gain relevance again, big target taking on a 19 year old.

There are a lot of players I feel the club failed miserably in development, Grimes is one of them. He and Trenners were made captain because we didn't really have anyone else. Jones wasn't the player he is today, and Moloney was the only other senior player we would've had in contention but he didn't buy what Neeld was selling, so he went the opposite way. Perhaps Grimes being made captain contributed to his downfall, but ultimately I feel Neelds labouring style of play stunted him when he could've been given a bit of a license to show some flair. The same thing happened with Trenners before his injury. He was attacking and exciting, then Neeld came and he was looking backwards and sideways, anywhere but forward. Maybe Beamer is just bitter with Neeld, but I think he was right when he said Neeld tried to transplant the Collingwood gameplan into a team that didn't fit it. So yes I do feel that Neeld played a big part in Grimes's downfall.

Just been having a look at the twitter banter, would've been fine from Martyn if he hadn't tagged Oliver in it, he probably would've just let it go through to the keeper (going with the cricket theme). But fair enough he bites back at the [censored] when it's directed straight at him. Dry your salty tears Damien, Olivers a harder nut than you'll ever be. (By the by, I used to hate watching him bat, sooooo boring!)

I hate you. In all seriousness I'm trying not to look too far ahead. We gave up games earlier in the year against teams we should've beaten; Freo, Hawthorn, and North. We've now got two of those back with wins over Adelaide in Adelaide and WC in Perth. We're back on about par of what I was hoping for at this time of year in terms of wins and we have a decent percentage as well (which could be huge at the end). Let's take it week to week and focus on beating another team that is very used to singing their song after matches against us.

I felt that 50m penalty, while silly, was extremely soft and when people talk about Oliver taking a dive they should take a good hard look at how others fall easily from contact after marks. He didn't have a good overall night but he was important in the final quarter.

I'm a bit on the fence with this, I think we're entitled to review it strongly towards the end of the contract and see if it would be possible to raise the dough another way. The AFL are very keen to maintain a regular presence there in the H&A season and regardless of where we are situated we are still their best option. So we should negotiate a deal with the AFL that we continue this on the proviso we ALWAYS have a bye after the Darwin game. I honestly can't believe we don't do this anyway (I can only imagine we've been cautious of not biting the hand that feeds you), but it is a definite disadvantage to our team for not one but two weeks. If they want that presence to continue then they should want to play ball with us. FFS we had the bye after Alice Springs, why didn't we play in Darwin for that and Alice for round 17?

I'm glad I wasn't the only one frustrated with his calling! I did a double take when he called Tom McDonald "Colin Garland", I initially thought, "maybe he meant Garlett" but Jeffy was nowhere to be seen. It always confuses me that the best commentators are on radio, is it simply a case of wanting people that have a "face for TV"?

Jeez Geelong have been lucky this year. Richmond is starting to shown how lucky they were at the start of the year when facing quality opposition. They are overrated and do not frighten me in the slightest. We'd be able to beat them in Geelong. GWS appear to have their groove going but I feel like they will be set for a crumble at some point. I could see them doing a straight sets finals exit. Very interesting year, and what a great round of footy!