Pates

I love Hunt but that kick cost us badly. We should've had a shot on goal and instead the Pies got the goal.

Have to start winning it in the middle.

Can we stop setting Howe up for speckies!!!!! Dumb dumb dumb football from us in the last 2min! Any idiot could see how they were setting up.

Get some bloody composure!!!

Vince!!!! Two terrible kicks!!!

Aaaaaaaaand we're playing catch up again.

Bugg's miss has killed our momentum.

Bugg has to learn to kick, it's killing us.

He had a good quarter, it was a shame he missed that kick in the middle as we were away but his tackle gave us our second goal. Interesting first quarter, I think it's a bit like the suns last week where is close we're better but Collingwood seem to be spreading quite well. Both teams have had great opportunities that were stuff up through poor decisions or disposal. it's a very even game, the team that settles first will get the advantage at half time.

3 plays Oscar has been involved in, all 3 of them disgusting efforts. First us steaming away and he lofts one without looking, second he needed to get to the contest and didn't attack it, the final one he kicked in hope and coughing it up in defence. He's a liability.

These are the sort of games he's made for, he's that sort of a player that can go up a gear in front of the big crowds. Hope we see him pull out his strut after his 5th goal!

I'm definitely going to join the chorus of D-landers saying he should definitely be the one to take the second ruck/forward post when Gawn is back. Watts is a forward and plays his best footy when patrolling the forward arc and delivering on a silver dime for others. Weids has a great future ahead of him, but no need to push him. Let him develop without pressure to perform and let him grow into his body.

I'm in the UK, luckily have the day off on Monday so I'll be able to watch it, but I am really struggling to get to sleep. I haven't been this excited about a queens birthday match in a long time. Really wish I was in Melbourne for this one! Don't think I'll be sleeping too well tonight, probably play the worst case scenarios in my dreams!

Earlier in the year we had a similarly big build up to the Richmond game and ran out of legs with injuries taking its toll. Still I felt like that had we won that night it would've set our year up not just in terms of wins on the board but showing the ability to push through when our backs were against the wall. Of course it ended up being the 3rd loss on the trot from a winning position and has meant we've been playing catch up ever since. This game places us in an equally important position as a win puts us right back in the mix for a top 6 spot while a loss will set us back to the pack. With the evenness of the competition games like this are absolutely crucial for building momentum, but should we make the finals this will be great "big game" experience for our club. We will have to rise to the occasion, contest every ball as hard as possible, execute our game plan correctly, and finish off the good work by putting it through the big sticks. If ever the players needed reminding that you need to bring it every week then the weekends results should be it.

Salem is a best 22 player, fact. Lewis let the team down as well, should he have gone through the VFL? Sucks for Wagner if he is the one to make way, but Salem has played some good footy this year and we should be encouraging him to make amends out on the footy field. Don't know what to make of Spencer's inclusion. Can only imagine it's a back up in case Watts doesn't get up. I don't like the idea of Watts part-time rucking with a dodgy ankle.

Hopefully adding him to the list of "Jack Viney made me cry". Every year I just want Jack Watts to be BOG against this mob. Don't know it'll happen this year though, feels like his rucking efforts are taking its toll. I'm a bit disappointed we haven't brought Spencer straight in, I feel like we'd get more from him as a recognised ruckman than say OMac. But I also trust they know what they're doing. EDIT: just saw the team selection and they've got Spencer in the squad. Might've jumped the gun there!

And if you prefer tabloid right wing "journalism" the Herald Sun is the go.

I'm going to put something else on the agenda, the gate receipts from QB. Every year we get them, it's a fantastic boon to our income but I want to see us sharing them in the future or alternating them as we do with Richmond. I say this because I'm sick of hearing Pies fans and stakeholders hanging it over us as if it's some kind of charitable donation. Of course they forget that they get all the best time slots and blockbuster games anyway. Still, we are almost at a point where we are financially independent of the AFL and once we get to a satisfactory financial position I'd like us share these receipts so then we are in nobody's pocket. Interested to get other thoughts though.

Good luck Vanders, I didn't like the sound of it at the start of the year and his return date just kept getting pushed further and further back. Do it right and set him up for a good 2018.

Hogan was always a long shot to return for QB, it would've been right on the edge of his recovery window. Spencer has to come back in, we've been getting by without a recognised ruckman for a while but now we actually have someone who can properly compete. Keep Pederson in as our second ruck, and Watts can be played as he should be, a forward.

I actually wonder what the club was thinking when they gave him the extra year. Were they seriously thinking he might be a regular/semi-regular player? Or did they already have names penciled in front of him on all positions he might fill and they just gave him a go because "why not, we've gone this far with him". Given he's yet to play this year despite being consistently in the best for Casey lends me to thinking it's the latter. Which personally I think is a poor move. If he is regularly up there in the best, how is it fair on rewarding form to not give him a go? Having said that, with this week's ins having Salem as a walk up start and the likes of Hogan, Spencer, and (probably not) Gawn potentially returning, and realistically no one begging to be dropped, I don't see him coming in for QB. Bugg would be the only one I can think of but Bugg has more forward pressure and has been in the game, he's just a terrible kick He surely could've come in for other games though.

The Richmond game was probably the best we've played at the G. We were the better team for 3 quarters and succumbed to the tolls of our two injuries and that it was a hard fought game the whole night. (Taking nothing away from Richmond and also recognising we need to find a way to win those) I understand a lot of the sentiments here that with injuries and pressure, the Pies will probably be the "backs to the wall" team and that can be very dangerous. We can't afford a slow start, not like the first half against GC. But I also feel our players seem to rise for bigger occasions. They certainly did when faced with a loud hostile crowd in Adelaide. If Spencer is physically ready (not underdone, ready) then he comes in. Chances are he won't give us a whole lot around the ground but he will give us something competitive in the ruck department. Salem obviously comes in, who comes out? Wagner, Melksham? Both played quite well vs GC. Big game, always want to see Watts have a day out against the Pies.

Wish I could be there. This should be one of the biggest QB games for a long time. Both teams aren't in the most amazing form but both have shown good patches through the year and a win is important for both teams season. A loss for either side will be big too. Hope to see a sea of Red and Blue at the MCG.

They were wearing the white clash top this round which is even worse that the MFC white top. Maybe that's why they resisted using a photo from this game!

I hope the selectors aren't considering JKH for QB. Although he played a very good game what what I can see he needs to put it together in consistent performances with high tackle and work rate being the highlight. Both were completely absent during his games with the seniors this year. He also tends to go to water with high pressure. Well done to him for this game though, keep it going and who knows....