Pates

Weid has to start taking grabs.

Well done Rivers Well done Nibbler Well done TMac

Important steadier there, well done Trac and TMac.

Two very soft goals to the dogs to start the quarter.

Poor communication created that goal for Bruce. Just an aside, Bruce used to be one of the worst kicks on goal but is kicking at 26.5 from set shots. That’s incredible.

Well that was unexpected, dogs not switched on at all first quarter. Expect them to come up firing in the second after that though. Our pressure game is completely opposite to last week, incredibly we should be further in front. Spargo usually doesn’t waste it but he’s probably going at 50% on chances had creating goals. Keep going Dees, long way to go!

Fritta starting well, looking very dangerous.

I’d be interested to see that free kick for high against Fritta, looked to me like it wasn’t a shepherd and instead he burrowed into him like a tackle.

Good god Nibbler ?‍♂️

The latitude the umpires are giving on holding the ball is becoming a blight on the game, if you complete a 360 in a tackle without getting rid of it you should be pinged.

May’s a very proud player, but was beaten last week by Tex. I would expect he’s doubled down on the angry pills this week to get back to previous form. Salem bring back is huge for us, his absence was very obvious at key moments in the game. Love Jetta for everything he’s done as a Demon but he is not even close to Salem’s ability.

Ok 8 pages I can’t be bothered going through. Who was the player and is all hunky dorey now? I don’t see in the game day thread that it’s been called off.

Have to admit I’m pessimistic about our chances tonight, I worry that if the dogs get let off their leash they will tear us apart. We’ve started poorly in almost every single match, do it against the dogs and we’ll be chasing our tails all night. (Sorry for the dog puns!)

Shouldn’t happen, playing almost half a season under 20min quarters and then dropping to 16 would seem blatantly unfair. Though going on the AFL’s history I could see it happening. Personally I think 20min quarters suit us more as we usually finish strong, last week being the exception to that which I would put more down to a poor mental lapse than fitness.

Right changes (or change since it’s one for one). I agree that it’s too early to swing the axe but I really hope these players were put on notice: Weid - take your opportunity, now is the time or it’s back to Casey Fritta - had a good season for kicking goals, but defensive efforts aren’t good enough Petty - giving you time to develop, but we can’t afford another nothing game like that Jordon - not so much put on notice but make the point that being a young player fade outs are expected. If that comes Sparrow will jump at the chance ANB, Kozzie, Spargo - they know what they’re in the team for, they didn’t do enough of it last week. Kozzie is safe but he’s been quiet for a couple of weeks now, time for a kick up the bum EDIT Melksham - forgot about him. He’s definitely becoming a downhill skier, looked a million bucks in the first quarter when we were probably at our best but faded to nothing after that. Lucky to still be getting a game

FWIW I’ve had my first vaccination of AZ. Felt crummy for one day, fine after that. The reluctance towards vaccinations is a slap in the face to countries that have copped it bad. Life will not get back to normal until most of the population gets vaccinated, simple as that.

If it’s not in the Alice, and we can’t have it at the G (why not) I’d vote for GIANTS stadium. We played well there during the sydney part of hub life and it’s a truly neutral ground.

I agree the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Our 9-0 run was definitely built on everyone playing their roles whether they were stars or fringe players.

I’d like to see them still permit a very reduced amount of crowd, maybe select cheer squad only and plonk them at opposite ends. Allow 500 people from each team, space them out. I know it’s different worlds but they have been able to do it in other countries, it’s amazing how much of a different it makes just having some sort of crowd at the game.

If ever there was a (non health related) reason people need to get vaccinated this is it. Population gets vaccinated, it no longer becomes an issue how many cases get reported. Life goes on.

I get what you’re saying but there was that classic encounter where the Saints beat Geelong (with I think both team unbeaten at the time). Saints won the H&A but the cats won the game that mattered. If pound for pound we go with them, keep in mind this is on their home track as well, that will be something to take away. The only result that will be a disaster will be if they comfortably beat us without us giving a whimper.

I’d put the Saints in “ok wins” only because the score line totally flattered them. Should’ve been 50+ points. But I completely agree regarding momentum. We had it with 6min to go in the first quarter when we got out to a 3 goal lead, and 6min to go in the last quarter when we had just under the 3 goal lead that got pegged back. Both times we let them score quick cheap goals and let them back in. Credit to Adelaide for staying in it and not giving up but we could’ve (should’ve) been able to put them to the sword after Clarry’s goal.

I have wondered that. Nibbler was the only player to really go for it while everyone else just moved into position. I feel like it's the equivalent of LWB/Caught behind in cricket, if the appeal (and this includes crowd) isn't strong enough the umpires ignore it.

I think we're going to play frustratingly well but come up short, I say frustrating because we will look back and say if we'd put in the same performance vs Adelaide then we would have had zero problems.

That one I could understand as they gave the players a lot of latitude through the night. The deliberate was simply inconsistent with how they’d judged it (against us) the whole night.