Maldonboy38

I love this club but boy our Jekyll and Hyde, atrocious and brilliant, sloppy and excellent patches in games is killing me. We were brilliant that quarter. One heck of a last quarter coming up.

Trying to think what is actually wrong. Main three things - Clearances. Marks inside 50. Ground ball. But I reckon these are symptoms of a greater issue. Ball hunting intensity seems to be stone cold for most players. Not sure what is going on for Trac, Kozzie, Max, Viney, (and others) but when the ball hits the ground it looks like they are waiting to grab a Port player rather than attacking the ball. I know we score well from turonvers but is this taking it a bit too far. I actually think TMac is doing a power of work and not being rewarded, but Spargo, JVR and ANB are like headless chooks. Chandler and Fritsch are at least having a go. And can Clarry and Hunter please stop taking the tackle and handballing to nothing. Port are feeding off this and running away with it.

"In this quarter, Melbourne have not had a clearance". Damning stat.

If we hit our targets inside 50, different game. Their defence is looking good due to our lack of efficiency. But we are still getting hammered at the contest and on the ground.

The chances we have had going inside F50, our delivery has been poor. Twice, Tom MacDonald on the perfect lead, each time kicked over his head. Fritsch's field kicking is a worry. But it is Port's forward spread from a stoppage that is killing us. Our defensive mindset was missing. And our groundball play is ugly.

I like a tagger in the 22, and Harmes plays this role better than any on our list. I understand the battle for position between Harmes, Sparrow and Jordon, and would prefer not to lose any one of them, but Harmes' tagging ability is a discipline few players ever develop. He is also a better kick than Jordon. Unfortunately, he probably sits below both Sparrow and Jordon in the pecking order.

I remain convinced that we are a better team with BBB in, even though he can go missing, or drop lots of marks he gets to. At this current time, I prefer Jordon over Sparrow. OUT: Petty, Sparrow IN: BBB, Jordon Harmes to sub I like the sound of J Smith as an option, but reckon he would lack genuine game fitness. If something required him to be subbed on in the 2nd quarter, he would be out of steam in the last quarter.

A real measure for me has three components: Keeping opposition to around 60 points per game Dees kicking 90+ points per game. We win the contested ball differential It can never be this precise game by game, but when results start to resemble this measure, we are unstoppable. A real bummer is Petty going down - he was taking marks inside 50 which is possibly our F50 weakness.

Agree Bobby, very tough call, but to get BBB back into the 22 it is going to be tough on some other player. The only other option is Fritsch to come out for BBB. Otherwise, one of Sparrow, Jordon, or McVee has to come out. It would be tough to drop any of these three but in my opinion Sparrow is providing the least of these three.

Carlton might be the worst turnover team in the AFL. Boy they hand it over easily.

I love a good Shiraz, but don't need one tonight. And I don't enjoy it for what it "does". I enjoy the taste, the experience and the conversation over a good wine. We won, only it was in a frustrating manner.

BBB in please, please, please. I would be dropping Sparrow, but it means the interchange bench would be out of balance.

Happy with 90 points. Happy with 54 points. Happy seeing us win regularly and well. What does my head in is unpressured sloppiness from a skilful list. Trac Viney Kozzie & Sparrow often fumble at their feet and over run the ball. Now Fritsch is doing it as well. And when we do pick it up our handballing is full of errors. Some are pressured, but many are not.

6. Oliver 5. Petracca 4. Rivers 3. Brayshaw 2. Viney 1. ANB

Very frustrating watching such a great list of players fumble, make poor choices, handball to team mate's feet, and get beaten at the ground ball game. I simply don't get it. Kayo ought to be flogged for the reliability of their product. Trac, Oliver and Viney were all immense AND flawed. Rivers and ANB were brilliant in the last quarter. Fritsch looks half-hearted too often. If Sparrow and Jordon are fighting for the same place in the 22, tonight's game suggests Jordon gets the chocolates. Sparrow's work rate was good, but his effectiveness and clumsiness were poor. Pushing in the back in marking contests is now legal again. Both teams did it all night. Why do I feel so frustrated after a 10 goal win? It might be time to lower my expectations because the last 3 games have done my head in.

I am furious after watching that quarter. Allowing the Hawks to play like that is inexcusable. Fumbling. Fritsch - what is going on? Does he need a spell at Casey? And if I see another handball to a team mate's feet I will scream.

Dees to dominate the first quarter to lead by 20 points. Hawks to manage to stay with us, and be only 30 points down mid way through third quarter. Our fitness and late game strength to have us win by 8 - 10 goals. Fritsch, Kozzie and chandler to provide most of our goals. The Hawks will put a lot of energy into JVR to stop his confidence, and to the limit energy the Dees squad will have from him being free to play. Until the last quarter, it might not be a great spectacle with the Hawks doing all they can to play keepings off, make it a scramble, lots of stoppages.

Really disappointed he has been dropped. Spargo is great to have, but with Chandler in such top form there is no way I would have dropped Jordon so Spargo can play.

Tigers being burned by the umpiring. So many pushes in the back, missed throws, and holding the ball decisions earnt but not given.

I reckon there are three contributing factors: We are amazing to watch spreading FORWARD from a stoppage. Trac and Sparrow are naturals and Clarry is often looking for a forward handball. If this doesn't work, we are wide open for the opposition to run forward with all our players caught behind them. Our stoppage handballing this year has been really poor, so we mess up more stoppage forward thrusts than we get correct. Our gameplan sits on a concrete foundation of a very tight half back safety net. It often feels like we surrender the middle ground, with Langdon, Hunter, Brayshaw and Jordon sprinting into defensive position to assist at half back. It feels like we place more emphasis on this than we do stoppages. Oppositions have figured out how Trac, Clarry and Viney work together (which is poetry when it works) and set up to counter it. Only dumb teams (e.g. North last week) allow Trac to sprint through a stoppage to feed off Clarry, Viney and co. As an extra thought, we have been more fumbly this year than I can remember. Our top ball handlers like Trac, Fritsch and Bowey have been unclean at times and we have missed the silk of Salem's composure. This is causing turnovers at a higher rate (this is a random observation and opinion, no stats to back it up).

6. Viney 5. Gawn 4. Oliver 3. Brayshaw 2. Rivers 1. Sparrow

We don't win well, and we don't win easily, but we find a way. Some massive deficiencies to be sorted out in our midfield. Some other deficiencies to be worked out in our F50. In the last 5 minutes Rivers, Viney and Brayshaw were immense.

We are in front. Go Dees.

I want Salem back. Turner is developing nicely at Casey but out of his class here.

I HATE 50m penalties for trifles like that. Ruins the game. But I will take the goal. It's game on boys. Both teams are error riddles but intensity is off the charts.