Maldonboy38

Just watched Goody's press conference. Although he looked calm, focused and composed, it felt like he was barely holding his rage in check. I reckon he is filthy about that game, even if he is the master designer of the game plan. He was also VERY clear on his belief that our personnel and method are doing lots right and he has full faith. I might not always agree with him, but I love his positive team belief and doggedness.

My 2 bobs worth. Last night, we had the ball so much in our half of the ground, and kept it there for long periods or repeat entries means 2 possible things: pressure acts aren't required (we have the ball) or we are messing up the Pies as they move through the middle, taking possession and driving it back inside our F50. So, in this context I can understand why the pressure acts would be so low. What I cannot fathom is this: we took so few F50 marks (did we take any?) which means the ball hits the ground and this is where the pressure is required. And yet we didn't lay one F50 tackle for the night? Appalling! But more than this I see so few dynamic leads by forwards. Fritsch and Brown try but we need a better plan to make space for them to lead into. we don't have a single "clunker" on our list (you could HEAR Neitz mark the ball, and Carey. Curnow and Naughton do it now) Our small forwards rarely crumb properly. When they do it looks amazing because we see it so rarely. a gameplan of kicking to the left forward pocket. I know this is a defensive mechanism because it is a lot harder for the opposition to clear the ball out, but we do it EVERY time. Our midfield kicking inside F50 can be elite one minute and totally inefficient the next.

6. Oliver 5. Brayshaw 4. Gawn 3. Viney 2. Brown 1. Lever

No way do we drop Hunt or Melksham - neither are the reason we lost tonight. Carlton are very tall, and have very big bodies in the midfield. Can't drop Hibberd because his size and strength will be needed. We need a marking tall forward and simply don't have one. I can't see JVR debuting now and we have no one else. I wish Jackson would show some forward form but he is really off the boil at the moment. One of ANB or Kozzie must go, preferably both. Their form line is really bad and their decision making tonight was suffocating. Like Goody, I don't like lots of dropping and changing, but enough is enough. OUT: ANB, Kozzie IN: Harmes, Chandler.

I am struggling to think because the fog of rage will not disperse. Our game plan has been figured out. When beaten this year it is in the same style - fast with accurate kicking. I'm not sure what we can do about our forward play. BBB is taking some marks (and dropping lots) and presenting well but we have no aerial authority at all. Our midfield got trounced in the 2nd half. How is that possible with our personnel? How many marks did they take inside 50. We only lost by a goal, feels like a 5 goal loss. and that habit of receiving the ball, stopping, turning around to fend of the tackler (the Pies tackled in pairs tonight) then handballing blind is so rage-inducing. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

Furious, absolutely furious with that loss. We have too much class to be kicking and handballing like that. Atrocious games from Kozzie, ANB, Spargo, Hibberd, and Jackson. Kozzie in particular fumbled, ran over the ball, flew when he should have stayed down and played an all round shocker. The old Dees habit of handballing under pressure to a team mate who is under more pressure. That one from Hibberd to Viney in the Pies forward line - unforgiveable. It happened all night. We canNOT keep kicking our forward 50 entries into the pocket. EVERY time, even when we have short options. My rage hasn't settled yet. Really grumpy right now.

I'm getting really sick of our players stopping, trying to take on 2 tacklers, then handballing over their heads. Collingwood's pressure is too good for this and we are turning it over to their runners too many times. ANB in particular is driving me nuts. Also Max, and BBB should be allowing midfielders to pick it up off the ground. And if I see the Pies get 1 more mark within 20 metres of goal I will freak out. Having said all that I still reckon we are the better side at this point.

Gawn and Brayshaw - outstanding.

Goodwin was furious a few times on the bench, not happy with manning up or corridor footy. And rightly so. Also, we have 2 goals from 50m penalties (which I hate when they are borderline). The reason they are so efficient is they are getting a lot of shots from pretty-much directly in front, except for a couple of flukes off packs. We have to push their F50 entries much wider to change their goal efficiency.

We are so much better than them in every aspect of play but they are kicking them out of their %$&es. Petty, Spargo and Hibberd playing as bad as possible. But our defensive transition is being exposed time and time again. But boy our best footy is outstanding. Great game of footy.

Surely this is rubbish. Cannot see a winner in this scenario.

I've never been the biggest fan or the biggest detractor of Joel, but he has never given me confidence s a back man. I would love to see him across half forward, but never thought it would happen. Athletic and quick. Can't see it happening in 2022

"Well I couldn't just call you man...". And in footy parlance, 37 IS old! Seriously though, I don't understand at all why they would choose to not proceed with Mundy, but I will be glad if they do. He is one of those players who has destroyed us over the years (Paul Chapman and Andrew Embley are 2 others).

Absolutely. I need the Bombers to lose and it is a VERY sweet weekend.

Don't like Cody Weightman very much as a player, but that was a bully act from Ceglar. Lucky there was no injury.

I know we no longer play footy as a one-on-one game but surely if you are getting flogged as the Doggies are now, stopping Geelong's free flowing football with multiple free players becomes something of a priority. And from memory, you have to run - lots of Doggies players trotting around with little intensity.

Selwood is a gun, a great footballer, tough and hard as nails, courageous and more skilled by foot than he is given credit for. And he is probably in the top 5 captains of all time. One of the best last quarter players I have seen, and is personally responsible for getting the Cats over the line in many games through leadership and courage. But his ducking, whinging, throwing, and "lip service" to opposition players and umpires marks him way down in terms of the respect he gets - from me and many other non-Geelong football people. My daughter, soon and I went to the Geelong final in 2018 and got seats near the fence at the dug-outs where all the interchanges happen. We could hear and see a lot of what went on. I have never, ever in my life head someone whinge and complain like Selwood. Really surprised me, and really annoyed me. Despite all his greatness I can't stand watching him play now.

Quick, cat like, a great freakish mark, and has become a very reliable kick. Super player, classy, and is so good to watch.

I hadn't thought of this but I reckon it is a very, very good idea. But for the most part, I don't understand all the down talk about Grundy. Yes, his last 1.5 years have been flat and injury riddled but his tap work is better than Jackson's and around the ground he is like an extra very large midfielder. Him and Max would impossible for other teams to match in a similar way it is with Gawn and Jackson. The $ situation is the sticking point. Collingwood are in an atrocious mess re salary cap/player payments and I can't see them wanting to pay much of Grundy's salary at all, if he is traded. And having now signed all our main players for extended years, our own salary cap is going to need some management soon.

This close to finals, as few changes as possible. If BBB is fit, he comes in for Weid. ANB has been on a run of poor footy. But he is the forward line leader so no way is he dropped. Feel sorry for Harmes. Bad time of year to get an injury but can't see who to drop for him.

From memory, the email wasn't after a particular game, more a build up over a series of disaster games. I saw the huge Essendon loss, WCE loss and Hawks loss and every time they were on TV (which was rare) we were embarrassing. My daughter was just getting into footy, and my entire family once caught the Dee-train from the city of Casey to the game to watch a massive loss. I thought, what is the point? To give them credit, I did get a response and it wasn't a generic email but a response to my questions. I did sign on again. couldn't help myself. But it was more about my defiant sense of continual membership than it was about enjoyment.

As much as I am a huge fan of Sparrow, I have been one of his critics this year. A lot of clumsy football and poor disposal. But he was much better last night. He maintained his physical edge but made better decisions once he was in a place to deliver. Kudos to him - onward and upward for him now I hope. Even though I was disappointed when Hunt was dropped, I understood why. But it was great to see him doing his thing last night. In patches I thought he was super. He will always have a few "Frosty" mind fades or mistakes but his line breaking is invaluable. You gotta love Hibbo - he reminds me of a 1980's footballer. Socks down, unkempt, untidy but simply a natural footballer with a great brain and a great kick. I will never forget his run with the Premiership cup in hand. Absolute shockers from Weid, ANB and Jackson (he had a few patches of good footy). I used to quote the phrase "OK boys, spread out" whenever Fritsch was kicking for goal. His reliability was atrocious. Not now. One of the classiest players we have produced in along long time. A very good mark, a wonderful kick, a better tackler than you would think with his slight build, and cat like reflexes at ground level. Nowhere in the same stratosphere, but he is classy in the way Robbie Flower was. I love Demonland after a win!!

6. Viney 5. Brayshaw 4. Fritsch 3. Hibberd 2. Petracca 1. Spargo

Loved watching that. We were much cleaner in disposal and steadier than we have been for most of the year (except for a LOT of slipping over or running over the ball). A few passengers but even they had moments of being effective. Best thing - this was a very Melbourne game. Stifle the opposition and kick classy goals. Viney the beast again, great to see Brayshaw in the middle, Fritsch is a freak, and our backline back to its best.

I remember really clearly that Neeld was gobsmacked at our poor pre season training standards and returning fitness level. So he when complete nuts and made the training standards really strict. He actually did that well. The rest was a total mess. Unhappy players, huge losses, dysfunctional play, really poor skills, captains too young, low membership, a coach who couldn't communicate, etc... I remember emailing the club (1st and only time ever) asking them to give me a reason why I should renew my membership.