Pates

Guess they made their choice. They want an early finish to the year.

This is our worst half for the year. Disgusting play on all aspects, can’t give a pass mark to anyone but Max who was starting to give us first use finally towards the end of the quarter. Jones made a big error last week that almost cost us, this week he had three golden chances to make amends and he stuffed them all. What the hell was he thinking playing on from that set shot???? I’ve been a defender of Oscars for a while at times but I can’t defend him now. Spud. He shouldn’t be playing anyway, I didn’t understand the decision to keep him in the team. Meanwhile a team that has been crap all year, we are making them look like premiership contenders.

If by chance we were to get a "home" final I would love it to be played in Alice Springs. I get that we don't always have the larger supporter base there but imagine us sending a final their way, surely they would really love us for that and it would be down to our marketing team to get the word out there to show support for us. Otherwise I would like us to choose Adelaide Oval, we just really seem to play it well.

I really thought Hunt had the tools to be a top player, he just looks lost every time he’s out there.

Good question, that was definitely out of the blue. We definitely still have our reputation of wilting if a team brings the heat.

Could depend on how the game goes, this is not me getting ahead of myself but more a scenario should it play out this way: if we do happen to get a big lead in the last quarter I would definitely look at playing those two in the ruck as much as possible and give Max either a rest on the bench or forward.

Would prefer this score line than them getting thumped as that might’ve called for a response against us. Will also give the players a reminder that any team can bring it on their day.

Thanks for your extremely valuable contribution, I’m not surprised you need a nap after really straining yourself on it.

I’m not a huge fan of Smith but he did actually play a decent role on Reiwoldt. I’m ok with him getting a shot at it.

I worry that we’re going too tall in defence, I would’ve brought in either Lockhart or Nev for Oscar. Comfortable with the outs though. AvB has been playing poorly for a while now and Hannan was the obvious one to make way for Fritta. Managing Pickett this a good move, hopefully a rest will have him right for Freo. Nibbler back after his suspension, it’s an interesting thing to think that if they hadn’t allowed suspended players to play in the scratch matches then he wouldn’t have got this chance. Hope he does his role and tackles well, this time perhaps in a way that won’t give him a suspension. Harmes named in the forward line, we’ve been calling for this change for a while. Hopefully it gives him confidence.

I think it’s too late to happen for this year but if I were I would start looking at a return to the defence next year. Problem is does that put him back in the same issue of being behind others? Hearing Clarkson get upset about the draft being compromised this year is absolutely music to my ears. As many have said our recruiting and subsequent development did us no favours but the compromise GC/GWS drafts set teams like us back. So I hope the Hawks have years down the bottom for their arrogance at nabbing players that had broken bodies and past it in the hopes of maintaining their top 8 status. I hate the cats but they at least have the intelligence to invest in some good draftees. (They can be next on the drop off though!)

I’m with you on no excuses. That should be printed on the wall of our changing rooms wherever we play. But barring us losing the rest of our games badly Goodwin will be coaching us next year so you should probably just get used to that thought. Every game is winnable, and yeah other teams have had it softer for travel but we have had a close to full strength list to choose from every week. Missing finals from this position would be embarrassing.

Pretty much spot on for my changes, no match up for Oscar so he goes out. Jetta instead of Lockhart is a chance, he was given a positive mention after the scratch match. After a stirring win like that I think they’ll try not to ring in too many changes.

DAndrews really doesn’t seem to be hitting the mark this year. I mean in a year where the economy has been beaten from pillar to post and there being no parade or anything what good does that public holiday so except push up costs and losses for small businesses? Chances are there’ll still be restrictions in place on seeing each other. I’ve been pretty happy with his time as premier but this year has been off the mark. Can’t see him surviving the next election.

I know this is focused on the father/son side of things but any daughters who carry famous names who might pull on the red and blue?

Enjoy Scully and Frawley! ?

I feel like the Crows v Hawks game is a win/win situation to watch. Either Hawks become the only team to lose to a truly awful (Neeld level) team, or the Crows botch this lead and end up going the season without a win.

Wouldn't bet on it just yet, Crouch missed that set shot and then the Hawks squeezed that late goal (it was almost scripted). I haven't watched the entire match but the crows have very clearly been the better team from what I have seen, they've had some pretty stock standard opportunities that they've missed. Crouch's ball drop was absolutely awful, never looked like it.

Jesse Hogan back against Richmond, I wouldn’t be expecting much from him but it’ll be interesting to see how he goes.

Al Clarkson said this: “our focus isn’t on the urgency of a win or loss....at the moment, winning is valuable for us but it’s not absolutely critical.” So winning isn’t their priority This is less about Clarkson but more about how in the past the AFL created a system that rewarded “experimenting” with players in different position and other clubs exploited it but we were the only ones to be punished. Tell me if we see Frost playing forward this week will that be scrutinised or will the media just say “oh Clarko is a genius coach and was trying something different”.

I dunno, I feel like the Saints game was a big chance for Hannan and he really didn’t do enough for me. Hannan is kind of a mixture of mid/pressure forward so I think he would make the most sense to be dropped for balance of the forward line. How long has AvB been on thin ice and continued to survive? To not lay a tackle at all and be relatively unsighted for the game is really poor. I really would like to see Goodwin bring Harmes in to take his spot and rotate himself, Jones, and Viney through the middle/half forward line.

Personally I’d be resting Hibberd, bring in either Lockhart or Jetta to cover the small forward role and move Rivers into Hibberd’s position.

The MRO have painted themselves into a corner by continuously excusing Lynch’s off the ball acts, they had to give Greene a pass or it would’ve exposed their blatant favouritism. The system needs an overhaul and a new MRO.

I’d be watching the last 5min again then if I were you, he laid some of the most important tackles of the team. Far more than AvB and Hannan did who are also there to pressure the opposition.

Yeah all good and I am definitely in the category of shrugging my shoulder about it, I wanted him to stay but I wasn’t desperate and Frost was always behind the current crop. Is he an upgrade on Oscar? Yes. But his unpredictability made life complicated at times. I say good on him and good luck to him.