Maldonboy38

With how bad they have been the last 2+ years, all media and commentary forgot how good their coach is, and his track record in developing players. I rate Simpson in the same way I rate Goodwin and if I was a lot younger (and a better footballer!) would love to play in a team coached by him. They have a long way to go, but can see them making it difficult for teams sooner rather than later.

Pies, Blues and Bummers all winning. And I was having such a good day. At least the footy has been of a high standard and very watchable.

Good call Chook, for as much as we can conclude after 6 rounds. Their footy is a training video in how to play every part of the game. Must watch. However, many premiers these days come from a team making a late run after round 12 so I reckon one of Dees, Blues, Pies, Lions or Swans still have a really good chance.

Appalling from Rachele - serious errors and the old-fashioned footsteps. Not much better from Tex. I actually feel a bit for Nicks. His system looks good and his personnel is also OK, but the players repeatedly cannot execute in critical moments due to total brain fades from individuals. But that non decision while Draper is lying on the ball - umpires need to be dropped for that one.

Some horrendous basic skill Errors from the Crows.

I reckon there are times when he does deliver, and his best is very very good. But for some inexplicable reason when he does ordinary things or even errors the commentators continue to gush and froth.

Ahhh the joy of watching the Bombers struggle. Makes for a very pleasant Friday evening. Tex Walker, not intelligent in a general sense but one helluva footballer. Love watching him at his best. And I would take that Harrison Jones too.

As bad as Hawks & Tigers are, they have HUGE injury lists so there is no way to accurately assess them. And as bad as the Roos are, I'm not getting sucked in at all. They are doing exactly what Clarkson did at the Hawks in his first 2 years and with his track record the club will just wear all the carp. The current difficulty is, they don't have a Buddy Franklin and they need 2 large backmen.

I know Ginnivan presented himself as a w-anchor when he started, but boy he is a natural footballer. His decision making and goal sense are brilliant.

I have only watched the last 5 minutes of the Blues v Crows game. Do Carlton supporters think a tackle means holding the ball? Just shut up.

6. Gawn 5. TMac 4. Langdon 3. Chandler 2. Lever 1. Sparrow (his stats don't show it but I thought he was the inly midfielder who cracked in all night. 7 tackles)

Gawn, Sparrow, Rivers, TMac, Langdon and Chandler at least had a go. Marking practice at training required. Trace Viney and Oliver all a pale version of their best. Don't play injured players out of position to hide their injuries. Actually, don't play injured players. Our young brigade were poor tonight. Tholstrup, Howes, Woewodin, McVee. I can't wait until Melksham and Bowey are available. 22 point loss doesn't feel right. It feels like an 8 goal loss.

If we play 3 Saturdays in a row, that covers 15 days. For example Sat 6th, Sat 13th, Sat 20th.

Well, 3 games in 15 days is normal if we play 3 Saturdays in a row so no, not a reasonable excuse.

I am going to have a very grumpy weekend. Even the goals video will only go for 1 minute. So few highlights.

We are losing 9 out of every 10 contests on the ground, in the air, and our link up handball around stoppages has been like a bottom 4 developing team. Our tall forwards are appalling tonight. Tholstrup nowhere near ready for the AFL. Our other younger players - Windsor, McVee and Woewodin - have all looked lethargic and stunned. Gawn, Sparrow, Chandler, Langdon and sometimes Rivers are having a crack. Have no idea where Oliver, Viney and Trac have been. It is so rare for all 3 to have an off night at the same time. All games have ebbs and flows but we have not shown even a 5 minute sustained period of excellence. Very, very disappointing.

In the last 8 minutes we actually won a lot of ball at half back, only to totally stuff it up with poor disposal and/decision making. JVR, Fritsch, Petty and Brown have been as poor as I have ever seen them. No influence, and losing contest after contest. Not sure what to do here - it feels like we are mentally and physically fatigued.

At least Sparrow is having a crack.

Fumble, trip over, blind kick/blind handball, turnover, rinse and repeat. Can one player stand up and DO something.

We have had three chances of a one-on-one in our F50, and the kick to the contest has favoured the opposition. decent kicking might also make a difference.

They killed us at the stoppages, and we are letting their wide onballers run free. But we are only 14 points down. Need Gawn to stop the big slaps to nowhere, and our mids to get their hands on the ball.

Our tackling is great. Our system is average Our marking is poor. Oliver and Viney strangely fumbly.

There is a part of me that feels a bit guilty about these posts from opposition fan forums, but then I have a reality check, dive right in and enjoy them to the hilt. For too many years we were irrelevant or the butt of jokes. Now, we are respected and feared and oppo fans take pot shots at our players (a very high form of flattery). You never know what game day will bring, but at this ,moment, we could annihilate the Bears. And it is a damn good feeling.

You have to be careful when you get near to 60 yo; so many things from the past look better than they actually were. This even applies to footy, because there are a lot of small things in modern footy that simply give me the jimmy-brits. The clash jumper idea (which has some merit) has gone too far. What the .... are Fremantle wearing? How does purple with a white stripe clash with a navy blue jumper so dark it is almost black? Just wear your jumper, and if there is an obvious clash between you and an opponent, the away team wear your white clash jumper.

Yep, bottom 8 teams, at home at AO. Their big name players go missing too often against quality opponents. Dixon should be clunking marks and kicking 60+ per season and doesn't, while their other two forwards lack impact. They are murdering a very poor Essendon tonight, but this is what they keep teasing everyone with.