Pates

If we can’t over run them with the amount of injuries they have (plus the long trek from Perth) then we can’t say we’re a chance of much this year. It right there, but we have to keep our intensity going for the full quarter. Still having dips in and out. The other point of concern is that when the ball hits the deck in their forward half they look VERY dangerous. We don’t have our marking game going back there and it’s largely due to good tactics from the Giants, they aren’t giving Lever, May and Tomlinson runs at the ball. The good news is that there were signs we adjusted to our forward entries, but if Max is going to play forward he can’t rely on his height. He needs to lead. Personally I’d prefer Max to remain in his position behind the ball and be a sweeper, keep Jackson as our forward.

We’re giving away some silly frees but equally not getting some big 50/50s.

This is a big test tonight for him, so far he’s failing.

Soft goal, we had a two on one. That should’ve been killed.

Big goal from Spargo, well done!

Hunt needs lower his eyes.

Our forwards lead to lead better. They’re statues tonight.

At least twice TMac was very clearly blocked from the contest.

Here’s the thing, Giants are beating us by pure efficiency. We have the territory, we have been controlling much of the play but when it gets out they are using the ball so much better. Clarry should’ve kicked one of his goals and we’ve had a number of forward entries that have gone to no one, while a couple of kicks that did go to someone get dropped or be a little short. Our poor kicking is catching up with us today. Fritta completely unsighted.

**** Clarry.

Brayshaw needed to handball that off.

That Max miss couldn’t been a killer, thank god Petracca kicked that goal.

Max!!!!!

Back to bombing it long into forward 50.

Is that 4 GWS inside 50s for 3 goals?

Need to start making the most of our territory.

Poor from Jetta for that first goal, could’ve rushed it. And poor from Salem for the second, they seem to be rushing things.

I was feeling ok about this match a day ago but as it gets closer I’m getting nervous again. This is a really big test for our maturity, a chance to go 3-0 and set ourselves up for the year, it’s a situation that has my MFCSS going nuts. I really want to see if our pressure from last week continues into this week, GWS will be feeling their season slip away if they go 0-3 so it’s huge for them. Would love to see a statement similar to last weeks opening bounce from us. Oh and accurate kicking for goal please!!!

I wonder, I’m glad they’ve sent Baker back to Casey. No need to keep him with the sun with no match practice (though I think there’s no matches this weekend!). Either way it’s good to get someone else in the sub role, I reckon Hibberd or Melksham should go in there. No change is the best thing for the team.

They had a successful 90’s (though could argue not as successful as it should’ve been with the team they had). Since then they’ve been a team that’s always sat middle table trying to push for finals but never doing much more, too afraid to bottom out. Now they have and reaped what they’ve sowed for the last decade. Even that run of wins they had a few years back were clearly flukes against lowly opposition, we were awful and only just lost to them (BBB got some of the softest free kicks ever that day).

Looked good with his two shots last week, very fluid and much more the like the Tommy of old. But you’re right, without him kicking a footy once for us BBB would be the only one I’d want having a shot after the siren.

I will say that towards us North fans had a ridiculous amount of arrogance for a team that has achieved exactly nothing in the last 20 years.

Did Kozzie win? I can’t see any announcement.

What’s the reason for later squad announcements? I know last year it was a lot to do with the craziness of COVID but surely now we can return to squad announcements on Thursday.

Ouch, I just opened the AFL app to see what happened. This could be the beginning of the end for North if they aren’t careful. They’ve almost certainly lost the Good Friday game for next year, they will be a terrible team for at least the next couple of years and after pushing so hard for it you can’t put up such an insipid performance. We’ve been there, it really sucks.