Maldonboy38

We need him to stay. Whether he plays half back or wing he plays a very similar game. I know Goodwin repeats ad nauseum "contest and defence", but we also use our wings like no other team, and they are central to our transition. Jordon making it 3 players to rotate through just makes it better. Brayshaw is my favourite Dees player so I am clearly biased about him, but I would be letting a lot of our squad go because of salary cap pressure, before I let him go. There is a lot of chat about more midfield time, his brother at Freo, having to pay others more than him etc... and some or all of it might be true. But he is playing well in a Premiership team that everyone else is chasing, and he is a much loved club man. I would be surprised if he left.

Lions have stopped. Oh my, Rayner, what an absolute howler.

Our best is way above these two, but we are not playing as clean as Cats or Lions so far in 2022. They booth look sharper than us. But, I am not sure either of them will improve much while we have heaps of improvement to gain.

Not a bad game of footy after the first 5 minutes. Both teams very clean. Interesting that McStay and Daniher are both running to the same spot time after time, but it is McStay who presents so well when they do. I love seeing a tagger v star battle, but can't believe Neale is being blocked from so many contests.

There are a lot of players playing below their best. Hunt, Tomlinson, Spargo, Pickett, ANB, Rivers, TMac. Weed was out of touch. We can't drop players easily if we are winning the way we are. If recent history means anything there will be as few changes as possible. We are playing well below our best but are winning by strangling the life out of the opposition. I would bring in B Brown, and give TMac a rest at Casey. The only other one who worries me is Rivers. His run and carry has disappeared, he looks really shaky on his sore knee, and his wonderful kicking looks mediocre at best. I don't reckon they will rest him though.

We are a good side now. Our defence all over the ground was great, and we ran the game out. I will take 4-0 any time. Even though our system continues to be a bit clunky and imperfect, we win and win well. I hated the feel of our play in the last 15 minutes - looked like they absolutely switched off. Some signs emerging that our forward 50 play needs an efficiency upgrade. A LOT of ineffective, sloppy forward entries.

Loving the fact we are winning, hating the attitude that is emerging in the last quarter. Just too casual and careless at times.

Wow, Port ought to be flogged for effort since half time. Some of their chasing and defensive spread has been pathetic.

Our defence has been supreme, our midfielders have been 6/10 without having to tear the game apart. Forward line looks like the 2 tall forwards - TMac and Weid - are not quite sure how to play forward. They are often near each other and not providing 2 separate options. ANB, Spargo, Kozzie, Fritsch have been ok, but no-one is really tearing it apart. Actually, to be fair, Port's backs have done well considering how undermanned they are. I like the look of that Bergman.

Hahaha, my bad! Well, Port have no excuse to be so exhausted.

Really good summary. With Lever back in, I can't see their forwards penetrating our defence system too easily. We are no way near our best and therefore vulnerable to players like Boak and Wines, but they don't have too many others to threaten us at the moment. Port are young, a bit thin on talent, and a whole lot thin on endeavour and effort. I now Burgess has moved to Port, and I remember the Dees struggling at times early on in his reign. Port possibly fatigued by their new fitness regime? Dees by 18, in another ugly win. I don't reckon our best footy will emerge until round 8 or later.

Wow, have West Coast diminished since 2018. They are making Freo look like a top side. I have never really rated NicNat as highly as others but he is way, way beyond being match fit.

With Paddy Ryder back, Ben Long who is as tough (and sometimes brutal) as a cats head, and Zak Jones still to come back, the Saints will be ok. Too many soft-ish players at the moment who prefer an outside role. Fix that with some grunt and they could worry a few. I rate Ratten highly, and actually enjoy watching his team play.

Yeah, I get the stats, but it seemed to me to be his game didn't impact as much as others. Happy to be wrong but I didn't notice him much.

I watched more than half than game and it was a good win considering Weid playing AFL and M Brown going down. Bedford and Howes look next in line, with Rosman a possible option as a rebounding defender. None of them are getting huge stats, but more they play with vision, energy and reliable skills that look AFL ready. I also like Chandler and Laurie but didn't rate their game versus the Bummers.

I can't see a stadium in Oatlands or Ross!!! So no, they will need to play in both cities I would think. York Park in Invermay (basically Launceston) is considered the best surface to play on in all of Australia and has shown that the crowds will go there. Not sure what they will do in Hobart: the North Hobart oval is good, but the facilities are rubbish and there is little room to develop. If a business model and government investment is available, they will build a new stadium in Hobart somewhere.

In some game soon, he will get beaten by his direct opponent for the first time, and (hopefully not) the Dees will lose one with him playing. These two things will be the making of him. Once he faces difficulty and emerges the other side, I see him as a 200+ gamer. His poise is so stabilising, and after watching 2 decades of a squad with poor disposal, it is pure joy to see him kicking so well, so easily, so often. The Brett Lovett comparison is interesting. Along with Gary Hardeman, Brett Lovett is the next best Dees defender I have seen. Bowey has a fair way to go to get into this rare air, but his kicking and reliability does remind of Lovett. And that is VERY pleasing.

Thankyou. I aim to please (and confuse).

Love them or hate them, it looks like Geelong have weathered the Pies best efforts, and and now settling. Selwood - a sook and free kick hunter but one of the best captains I have seen - is now a liability.

I find it hard to watch non-Dees AFL as a neutral observer, I usually end up supporting one team, for various reasons. But I am finding the Pies v Cats game invokes no support for either, just a residue simmering dislike. As for the Ginnavin kid, I went to school with his dad. If the son is anything like the dad, he will be a total [censored].

I thought the crowd at the Dees AFLW was a bit poor - how bad it as at Giants v Suns!! All you can see is a vast panorama of vacant orange seats, Giants players in orange difficult to make out because they blend in with the seats, and the Suns in an absolute shocker of an away guernsey. Abomination. Add to it Brereton bagging on about Preuss, and as bad as the commentary was in the Casey game, it was easier on the eyes than this.

Well done Dees. Some gutsy performances and some moments of brilliance. I have family members who are umpires, one might end up at AFL level, so I am hesitant to over-criticise. But the game was ruined by sub-par, very poor umpiring today. I am talking really, really poor. Clear free kicks to both sides missed by the umpire having a clear view but play on. Head high contact repeatedly missed, jumbled understanding of holding the ball or prior opportunity, and incorrect disposal. Sorry, but it really spoiled the game for me and I feel really annoyed.

I lived in Tassie twice, and can tell you they love their footy. The north/south divide is very real, so I reckon they will need to play home games in both Hobart AND Launceston. Not sure how it would work but can't see a way around it. The main arguments against have always been around business model/finance/sponsors etc... - can Tassie sustain the huge financial beast that is an AFL club? Hopefully they have worked that out. As for the name, the Devils rings true, but there has always been conversation around giving due homage to their convict heritage.

Just watched the highlights etc... of the Port v Crows game Showdowns are great to watch, and this one looked like a great game of footy. Some of the Crows young players really stepped up which might see them emerge from the bottom of the ladder. Might. At least they have a new benchmark. Power played some good footy but don't seem to have a match winner or big moment player. But they seem to lack passion and intent which are usually two of their strengths under Hinkley. That was a brutal incident, even though the contact was not head high. So unnecessary and could only end badly. I hope the young fella from the crows is OK. That was his first game back from neck surgery and he went off holding his neck.

If Ben Brown not available, both TMac and and Weid stay in. TMac has had a really poor year so far and needs time at Casey, but he stays in until Ben Brown available. Mitch Brown will get seriously exposed at AFl level - he is injury cover now. AS I am typing, just now in the media conference, Goody just said both Brown and Lever are likely available for next week. I actually think one of Spargo or Kozzie need a break - both have been ineffective for most of this year, but unlikely to happen. OUT: TMac, Smith IN: B Brown, Lever