Pates

Yeah that kind of ruined the article for me, silly I know. Everytime he mentioned Robbo I just thought, "c'mon you got Robertson wrong?" Also how about the lack of mention of the wizard, one of the best aerialists the game saw in 90s/00s. Long term it's going to be interesting to see what he does with Howe, I still think his best position is in the forward line, particularly when the ball is kicked in quick so as not to give the opposition time to stifle his run. He's also still only learning when to go the grab and when to go the first, an art form in it itself as a defender.

The moment we didn't manage to get the successor in place for this year I was confident that we would have Roos for the full 3 years. I think it's fantastic that he has also said that he will stay with the club in some capacity afterwards, he may have started as a Lion, and made a name for himself as a Swans coach, but he's going to leave his mark at the Dees.

They asked Jones about this on Talking Footy, Jones was pretty guarded about it but couldn't hide his hope that he could return. I got the feeling that it was more to do with his hope that he's on the road to recovery. It's all about Mitch getting better, if he feels up for a return then I hope he considers us first.

The difference is that we are now a team with direction and purpose. Any players that were waiting to see where Roos was taking the club must surely be thinking that the future is right in front of us. Our list all of a sudden doesn't look hopeless, and our young brigade are already showing great promise. Whatever will be will be, but I'm confident that the culture and attitude of the players is on a totally different wave length to last year.

I'm going to be one of many to admit that I thought he was cooked, he showed very little in his time under Neeld and like many I was furious the club gave him such a long contract. I'm very happy to see him turn it around and the OP's point of "could he be the man" has been a really good call. He, like many others, are showing what happens when a coach shows faith in you, and in fairness Neeld played him a lot but it always felt like he was on a knife edge, for that matter just about everybody was. Now he is playing with freedom, knowing that his mistakes aren't going to over analysed and as long as he keeps performing his role then his place in the side is solid. No doubt his career best game on the weekend, and I hope he's striving for more.

Pretty much right for me. Minimal changes, Jetta needs to come in for his defensive ability and Frawley does a straight swap for Dawes.

We would've passed 35k earlier if we had won games in the first 3 rounds and hadn't had the bloodbath vs WC. Unfortunately a lot of the fans that are trying to decide whether or not to get a membership make their decision early. Those early rounds cost us about 2k members. Still good effort and welcome to the new members, you got on board at the start of something special (I hope!).

My feeling is that we should take the one match but then I consider the fact the Delidio managed to get off with a reprimand and part of me thinks that we should challenge based on the impact rating. He wasn't concussed and he got up straight away, surely that constitutes low impact.

It's sort of a tag team combo with him, Eddie, and Huddo swapping around. I think Sandy tends to do mainly Melbourne games. I reckon his mistakes are simply about research, but mixing up Salem (no 3, Lebanese background) with JKH (no 24, indigenous background) is just woeful.

We're getting cautious praise from the media, they recognise we've improved but aren't willing openly state how much better we are. I'm genuinely keen to see us face some top 4 teams, because if we keep them to 5 goal losses and are in the game at 3qtr time (or sneak a win!) I think that is when the praise will come. We've had a soft draw to start the year, and teams like the Saints and GWS started the year well when we lost to then are now in a slump. Two weeks time we face Port on neutral ground, they are arguably the form team of the comp, we put in another good performance then the comp will take notice.

He is shocking! Salem/JKH, Jones/Terlich. He's been a commentator for years, making a gaff once or twice you can let go but he made the mistakes all through the game. Get the record and make sure of the numbers.

This will be one of the toughest team selection the club's faced in years, for a good reason though! Frawley is too good not to have in the team but jeez Gawn was good at it was great to have a proper second ruck to support Jamar. He is our current future ruck prospect and if he's playing well he has to get game time. Jetta was doing a great job before his gastro, but Toumpas needs to get experience and he didn't do a hell of a lot wrong, and Salem didn't look out of water for his first full run. Gonna be some headaches after the bye!

So after sleeping on it (I started last sunday's post like this!) I'm still pumped! A really great win to take into the bye, the players can savour it and go off on their breaks feeling pumped for the season ahead. It was an intriguing game to break down because although the Tigers had more scoring shots I think bettered them most key areas of the game. The big ones being the contested possession, hit outs, and the best on for me the tackles. It is amazing to think how far we've come already, we make teams earn every single touch they get and hit them hard when we get the chance. Yesterdays pressure, although not on the same level, reminded me of Freo vs Sydney in the prelim last year. We've still got a long way to go but I am genuinely interested to see how we go against the top 3, because ultimately as brilliant as these wins are the big test will be if we're able to stock a juggernaut like Hawthorne when they get a run going. I bet the players are starting to get a taste for this winning feeling!

The interesting things about Nate Jones is that for a while he's the only player at our club to get any recognition around the comp but it was kind of pitying respect. Commentators would say stuff like, "in a bad team Jones really works hard". Now people are finally starting to realise he's not just a good player rising to the top in a bad team, he is an A-grader who is rising with the team now that he has support.

As far as I know he has a good record (probably because he hasn't played many games in the last couple of years) so I reckon it'll get a reprimand. Stupid and pointless.

I have never seen a player with as much pure ferocious attack on the footy. He is a gun.

Toumpas in for Jetta late change.

JKH being the sub surely must be about long term management, I'd imagine the plan if all things go well would be to sub Salem out.

I reckon all the game last night showed is how close the competition is this year from 4th onwards. This feels to me like an unusually even year which will have quite a few twist and turns, it'll probably have a lower number required for teams to make the 8 than last year as well, it could come down to percentage at the end.

I just saw that on Fox Footy, that is an incredible slap in the face to his leaders. The guy has gone out drinking while injured and allegedly got into not one but two altercations, he is facing very serious charges that could land him in jail (and terminate his contract) and he's appealing the decision? What happens if he's successful? He still has to play at the club, they could just leave him in their reserves for as long as they want as punishment. I also believe there are financial rewards as well that goes with playing certain amount of games the seniors, they keep him in the 2's for longer and he loses out on the $$$$. I would've thought someone in his position would want all the brownie points he could muster with the club for his playing future and for that matter any future he could see at another club.

Pretty happy with the changes, congrats to Riley on his first game no doubt he's earned it.

I don't know what it is but in recent years the idea of "do it for ......" has died off for me. It started to grow a bit inside me when we lost in Daniher's final match and it certainly showed again the week Jimmy passed away, nowadays the idea of milestones and other external factors being the extra ingredient to get a team across the line seems silly. Once they're out on the park it comes down the players mindsets and the desire to win. I reckon last week will have burnt the players big time, that was a genuine feeling of "it was there for the taking" and they blew it, so I'm hoping that will act as a spark for them. I give us a good chance this weekend, but on the balance of where the two teams are at the Tigers should get over the line. But I reckon we're going to give them one hell of a fright in the process. I expect TMac will get first crack at Riewoldt, but I really like seeing Chip give him a bath (which has happened more often than not) so it's kinda good to think we've got that up our sleeves.

Always a risky proposition of planning to sub someone out, all that needs to happen is one player get injured he's on for the game.

Yeah I saw that too and just laughed. My mum commented that of course he's going to defend them, but I retorted that they gain more respect from the football public when they admit they got it wrong, or even just say it was to the letter correct but stiff. Blindly backing them does nothing, it creates more bad habits and confusion. Looking at the free kick stats we were clearly favoured, but I felt that it was more the dogs tactics that have us ahead on the frees rather than really poor calls. The dogs came out with a bit of the old Footscray bite.

One of the best inspirational/public speakers I've ever heard. Every single person in the place was glued to every word he said. It's an honour that Melbourne will be a part of the tribute to him this Saturday. Though of course I hope we spoil the day for the Richmond faithful with a Demons win. RIP Tom