Maldonboy38

Today consolidated 4 themes that have emerged and been growing over the past 2 years, but on full display this year win, lose or draw. Our kicking skills are poor. Really poor. We hand the ball over unpressured time and time again. Today was foul. Our foot skills lack penetration, favour opposition interception, but it is often covered up by Petracca or Bowey getting one right making us froth at the mouth. And we have not recruited good foot skill players in the last 3 years. Our forward line is weak. I have some compassion for Fritsch but even he this year has had moments of disinterest and weak effort. Kozzie is too much flash and not enough result. Petty forward (which I thought was a very good idea) is an epic fail. Singe basic forward error: lack of movement. Stationary targets to create scores from stoppages. And unfortunately I think this part of our game plan. We lack presence. Our midfield is struggling. There is a part of me that cannot believe this to be true, but the results don't lie. We often now get beaten badly at stoppages and centre bounces, and teams annihilate us by handballing forward. Gus was way more important than we thought, with Sparrow, ANB, Rivers, Kozzie and others not being given time to develop in there. Our backline covers over many cracks. I do NOT believe it is time to sack Goodwin, play the kids blah, blah, blah. I have watched a lot of Casey games and apart from Jefferson and Verrall developing nicely, there is no-one forcing the door down for an AFL game. I don't think there is a single answer, but I would love the boys to find a fire in the belly again, which is the main thing lacking. A John Northey rant. The aggro of Shwartz or Grinter or Neitz. No thuggery, but a fierceness, a line in the sand. Jakovich arrogance. Sadly, the 2024 premiership is probably beyond us now.

Our starts have been so poor, but we rarely get blown away. If we are even-ish at the end of the first quarter, I reckon we win. Fritsch, Kozzie and ANB to do the goal kicking damage. Dees by 16.

Just before my time. My parents loved him and talked endlessly of his leadership and nouse. 5 premierships!! Well played, John, RIP.

I like the Crows list, their best players are very good, and I keep on expecting them to "emerge". Enough is enough. I am not a fan of coach sacking but Nicks has had 5 seasons, and they simply cannot play 4 quarters of decent footy, and too often play slack, boring, risk-free footy. The young Hawks are the opposite. I love the way they are playing. Their young, no-name players are playing with hunger and aggression.

Jefferson, great work, poor finish. Howes, great work, poor finish. Very frustrating.

Much better intensity from Casey. Jefferson and Kolstrup working hard and in everything up forward. Again, finishing and composure still a concern.

How many times can there be 2-3 Coburg players running forward of the ball versus 1 Casey player? Our midfield and half forwards are not playing a team game and moving defensively to help out. Really annoying.

Getting annihilated at ground level and Coburg's forward spread at pace is showing our lack of speed. Fullarton's ruck work is not great but I like his work around the ground. I don't quite understand all the negative comments regarding him. Difficult for the forwards to show their wares - it is rarely going in there. As a positive though, we get a shot on goal on many of our forward thrusts.

Great tackle and effort from Jefferson. He really is developing well. Kicks a behind unfortunately.

The commentator just said "he brang it"!! I haven't heard anyone speak like that since a mate of mine in the 1980's who was from Broadmeadows. Casey finding it hard to get their hands on the ball at the moment.

Casey looking a class above all over the ground, but boy, their forward entries and ball sharing has been sloppy. Laurie, Kolstrup and Jefferson looking good. And I have to wonder about Mitch White. Is he one of those poor sods who is brilliant at VFL level but wasn't able to transfer it to AFL? Because he looks like one of those players who should have made it. Great reader of the play and hits targets off half back.

Due to my personal calendar and the footy fixture, I have watched a number of Bulldogs games this year. Over the past 4 weeks I have been impressed with their both method and form. And some of their young players are emerging quickly. They still have some defensive issues and the forward set up is messy at times, but they are going to cause some issues for those trying to get top eight positions 6,7, and 8. I love the look of Sanders, O'Donnell and Darcy.

The best are the best for a reason. Bontempelli - take a bow, that goal was a thing of beauty.

I loathe the Blues, but I have to give them credit on this last quarter. Away from home, hostile crowd, and they come out dominating.

Two good teams chucking everything at each other, but a LOT of unsuccessful forward thrusts, meaning most of the energy and effort being used up between the arcs. Port missing Rozee's class and speed.

I suppose defining "greatest" means some strange interplay between skill, influence, fan favourite, and club devotion. I'm going to use my Dees-mad mother (dec.)as an additional reference point to my own experiences and observations. To save myself all the angst of rating them in order, I will put my top 5 in chronological order: 1. Norm Smith 2. Ron Barassi 3. Robbie Flower 4. Max Gawn 5. Clayton Oliver Shwartz almost makes it. Would have been anything without injury. Stynes was a freak and changed the ruck role into being midfielders as well. Petracca is by far the best match winner, big moments player I have seen at the Dees. Stuey Spencer - Mum reckoned he could play in any era and excel. And just for the hell of it - MFC Freaks of nature: Farmer, Jakovich, Stynes & Jurrah. And last - Lyon and Brian Wilson are much better footballers than people give them credit for.

Patience, my young padawan, patience. This kid is a gem but he is not ready for the midfield yet. Yet. I see him in there in the next 2 years. Also we have no-one else with his poise and kicking skills to replace him down back.

Gives me strong TMac vibes. Solid and dependable, good team man, can play either end of the ground, safe in pressured moments. Is better than he often appears. Worthy of a thorough investigation depending on price.

6. Gawn 5. Salem 4. Tomlinson 3. TMac 2. ANB 1. Langdon

I'll take the win, but I need medication to get over the first 2.5 quarters of snooze fest. When we take risks and change the angle of play to come through the corridor, we really are dangerous and exciting. This was the best thing about the 3rd and 4th quarters. Great to see Tomlinson play so well. The gut run and repeated efforts of Langdon, ANB and Rivers looked top quality today. I was unconvinced about Billings and I remain unconvinced about McAdam. Hated those 3 last quarter goals. Best game from Oliver Viney and Trac as a trio in some time. Max Gawn - simply the best.

Woewodin is wasted as a sub. McAdam is looking so lacking in presence in every contest. St Kilda are terrible. It is good to be winning well again.

I am just soooo sick of all the positive spin put on "defensive structures", and we the Dees are among the worst. The 18 player defensive zone waiting for a turnover is such boring football. This game is atrocious, even if it is starting to open up now because we have decided to run and carry, and take some risks. Good that we are winning and winning well though.

I can see what they are trying to do, but in every good chain of footy between half back and half forward, that last disposal includes an easy turnover error. And it looks like they are tiring now and so Essendon begin to look ok.

I can't remember the last time I "barracked" for the Tiges, but I really like a few of their young players, and their game plan looks really good. If they can actually finish some of the good work upfield, they could win this. Repeated errors at half forward are killing them. And let me reiterate for umpteenth time - I despise the Bummers, so it is very easy to barrack against them.

Horrible game of footy, but game going to script. Freo keeping pressure on, lots of tackling and stoppages, keeping Pies at bay. Pies slowly pulling away due to Freo over using/abusing handball. Papley's over celebrating, Draper's ridiculous hair cut, commentators drooling over all things Daicos: all these things are annoying, frustrating and rage-inducing. But Maynard . . . this pretend tough guy is in a class of his own. Surely footy gods/karma/reap what you sow has to see him cop his right whack some time soon. Looks like a Pies template game. Close score, they will kick 2-3 goals in red time to win. Again.