Maldonboy38

Wasting our effort a lot. 

Lack of polish at the moment

ANB on fire.

And sorry, but that was a rubbish free kick to Jackson. 

Forward transition looking good.

Not the greatest fan of "all things regal", more of a republican myself. Having said that, there isn't much difference in the outcomes of a constitutional monarchy v representative democracy. I would definitely not say that her passing grieves me overmuch, but I greatly admired QE2.

She inherited a bigoted aloof worldview of royal families dominating Europe via interbreeding and snobbery. She had to be the figurehead over a period of time which saw the greatest ever social change including royalty being a sideshow rather than a centrepiece of governance. She handled it with dignity, wit, candour, intelligence and a profound sense of duty that none of her family could ever match. 

WW1 changed the world. I believe her passing will be another gateway of extraordinary change.

I just hope the AFL doesn't attempt some ill-begotten token acknowledgment before the game tonight (I have Angry Anderson in a batmobile, or a pitch-imperfect Meatloaf at war with melody and timing going round in my head. "My spidey senses are tingling...")

Interesting about Ratagolea. I love his attack on the footy. He also hits packs very hard. But the outcome seems about the same as that of Weid. Lots of effort, gets to contests, but rarely actually takes the mark.

Perhaps the difference is the physical impact on the contest.  Ratagolea is like Casboult - everyone in the marking contest feels the thump of his presence. At the right price, maybe this means he is a good option and fit for the Dees.

Not fully convinced, but worth a ponder. 

The strategy itself is actually brilliant. It is the easiest part of the F50 to lock the ball in and defend. With our contested possession game it should actually work. Currently, it is not working for the following reasons:

1. We use it almost every time, making it easier for opposition teams to plan around. Other options should also be happening (leading patterns, switching, 3 or 4 short passes etc...)
2. Our small forwards are either not at the drop of the ball, or being kept away too easily. 
3. BBB is not a great contested mark. For this to work, the main forward target has to be a genuine threat in the air. In last year's finals, BBB, TMac and Fritsch were causing havoc in the air. 

I maintain the strategy can work, but not with the limitations listed above dominating.

4 great finals. 2 standout themes: defensive pressure and taking your chances to score.

Defensive pressure. Tigers v Lions the only game where the winner didn't demonstrate it, so I would reckon the only team that can't win the GF from here is the Lions. 

Taking your chances to score. Dees and Freo were both wasteful but both teams can adjust that in a week. 

Looking at the quality of football, Cats, Pies and Swans looking the most likely at this stage.

But I have had a mantra for this entire season - our best is still the best. I hang on to this so continue to believe we can win it.

We had enough of the ball to win the game so I can't see too many changes being necessary.

Harmes. I was about 40 metres from the incident, and I reckon he will miss 2 weeks. Yes, Cripps got off  but I he should not have. You can't do that. The noise of both the forearms to head and shoulder contact, and the thump as the body hit the ground was very, very loud. Very lucky for there not be a serious injury.

ANB for fumbling, decision making errors, and getting in other players' way.

Melksham for not executing a major part of his role. Absolute momentum killer.

A 2nd tall forward option, not Gawn or Jackson.

Having said that, I hope Dunstan, M Brown etc... don't get called up. For mine, they are not AFL players. Give Chandler, Bedford, Bowey, JVR a call up if necessary.

After the walk of solace back from the MCG to the carpark I didn't get back home to the country until after 1am, so this is my first chance to sit and post.

I wasn't angry like I have been after other losses, more sad and disappointed. I find all the commentary about game plan a bit ridiculous - it is the same plan that got us a flag with basically the same personnel so that can't really be the problem. We won enough of the ball to win the game. But last night we were poor in a few areas, along with the one glaring problem with our F50 game plan was on full display.

Disappointments:

• Skill execution. So much hard work by backs and midfields in defensive 50, for it to turnover at the wing or half forward or by some silly 'centring' of the ball by players who should read the moment better. So many Swans goals initiated via our own errors resulting in free running Swans play then a goal. 
• Absolutely murdered at ground level. For the talent we have through our midfield, Park, Lloyd, Mills and Rowbottam were cleaner, often first to the ball, and their system was actually amazing to watch. Their half backs were brilliant at ground level.
• The offerings of ANB, Kozzie, Melksham, Brayshaw and Jackson. I honestly could never expect them all to play that badly in the same game.
• Fumbling, slipping over, kicking into the corridor with floaty kicks to see one Dee v 2 Swans time and time again.
• 7 out-on-the-full in the first half, 5 of them unpressured. 

F50 Game plan:

• Our one wood is to kick it to the left forward pocket-ish, have BBB attempt to mark, set up defensively around the ground ball, lock it in and make a chaos goal. The problem is that every other team now knows this so they simply put lots of body on BBB (often 2 people) which he can't manage, nor should he have to. If this game plan is to work, it needs a physical marking presence which we simply don't have. Or at least the other forwards working harder to free up BBB, Fritsch etc...

I am not in despair after last night, but this list of players is too good to play like they did last night. 3 'learnings" (stuff me I hate that term) to reflect on before we take on the Lions:

• The INs and OUTs at selection will be crucial. Harmes, ANB and Melksham should not play, but ANB never gets dropped for form reasons so I can't see him being dropped unfortunately. 
• Skills and execution (Maybe Chocco leads a few sessions to tighten this up)
• One of TMac, Weid or JVR have to play. BBB as a solo forward with Gawn or Jackson resting doesn't work, especially with Jackson playing a howler.

Glad to get that off my chest. 

That is one of the most ridiculous and remarkable finals I can remember. I'm OK with the score review - Lynch hung his head knowing he missed it. 

But with that defensive effort from both teams, the winners won't get another step forward into the finals series. 

Poor skills, poor defence, decision making errors followed by running into open goals. Umpires missing a lot of pushes and blocks and then paying things not there. And then Daniher kicks a goal. Ridiculous game. Don't know what to make of it. 

Amazing shootout, but a defensive nightmare of a game. Just so much easy ball inside F50 for both teams. 

Basic errors by Lions are costing them in almost every passage of play. Turnover, Richmond sprint forward, Lions with defensive gaps everywhere = Tigers goal. And now Lynch is putting on a clinic.

Tiges by 14

Dees by 25

Freo by 30

Geelong by 30

He is one of a handful of Dees forwards I have seen who could tear a game to shreds. Unstoppable at his peak, and a dominant  physical presence. If he was one of our forward options now, wow...

I love his unapologetic Support of the Red and Blue.

Tom Hawkins as AA captain? OK, now it simply has become a farce.

They need to choose wingmen for the AA wing positions. Touk Miller definitely deserves his place n the AA team but not on the wing. 

And 3 Geelong forwards is a bit much.

There are always players stiff to miss out on AA. Sicily damn unlucky but the 6 who were selected had great years.

I'll go into bat for Paddy Dangerfield. Yes, he comes across a bit too sincere at times, but most players can't put two sentences together without mentioning "the boys", or "good team effort" or "I just play my role". Basically, all the stuff they are taught in PR classes when they first make it to their first club.

He asks genuine questions, can string some thoughts and words together, as is a bloody good footballer. 

On a different matter, no way is Pendlebury captain of the year. Lots of other candidates. 

8 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Could someone explain why (edited name ) Robbo is using this occasion to raise the Zorko/ Petty incident?

FMD!!! He is the chief football writer for a major paper.

The standard of "journalism" in this country is a joke.

I've seen both your posts above, BBO, and have to heartily concur. I turn on Kayo to have a look and have to put up with Robbo. How does this bloke continue to get gigs on TV? Slovenly, inarticulate, over-excited by his own questions, and clearly makes the others around him feel so awkward because of his total lack of awareness.

The last 3 weeks have been gut wrenching. Close loss to Pies, close win over Blues, and then all those other games over this current weekend affecting who we could play in finals and where. I am glad for a bye week in my own right!

But I am very glad with how it has panned out. The Swans are no easy beats but our best covers them. I want Cats out in straight sets, Pies to lose Prelim. But I don't care who we play or where. 

Cripps is burning his team mates and needs to give off, handball, and stop trying to beat 3 tackles.

Ginnivan is a duck master, but the boy can play. And he is a beautiful kick.

The big stage is defeating the Blues. Shaky all over the ground. 

Game slowly swinging into a defensive battle which suits Carlton. If they start marking inside 50 (and converting, unlike Curnow  just now) it should become a closer tussle.

Carlton looking bog ordinary. They look like they are not handling the spotlight of a finals-like game. Can't mark, can't kick and decision making really off. If they settle, it might be a good game. Otherwise...

JVR looking very, very good. Not just in the air but as a link up player. Can't wait to see him next year.

When Clarry looks back on his career, he will acknowledge and appreciate all his achievements. But I get he feeling that because he knows he isn't a great media performer, he dislikes having to do all the public stuff that comes with the awards. 

Also, I am of the opinion that there won't be too many AFL-wide awards for Dees players during this era. We have too many players playing at the peak of their powers, all at the same time. Trac, Clarry, Max, Gus, May, Viney, etc... all taking votes from each other. I will be very glad to be wrong and would love to see some of them rewarded. But Premierships count so much more.