Maldonboy38

A great game of footy between Dogs and Swans, Swans looking really good.

Young players can develop habits that need quick attention. Think Kozzie and his flopping for free kicks. Young Bowie needs to stop showing disgust every time someone does not kick it to him. The kid has some talent but I would hate him to end up with an entitled attitude like Rankine from the Gold Coast. Bradtke is really interesting. How long can you let someone take take to develop? We have seen nothing over 3 years (?) But he looked really good yesterday.

As much as I despise the expansion clubs, I have to take my hat off to Gold Coast. I hate the modern terminology of a team's "brand", but you can actually see a definite system of play emerging. Can't believe I am saying this, but I actually enjoy watching them.

My eldest son almost played for the Boort 2nds - for a bit of kick and giggle. Your observation is astonishgly accurate.

If Baker could kick he could be anything. Vandenberg, Melksham and Jetta all look like AFL players but this game doesn't put them in the picture for a recall. Weid looks good, but struggles to transfer it to the AFL. Bowey and Declase look like a couple to keep our eye on. Sparrow, Chandler, Bedford all look ok but nothing outstanding.

Corey Ellison looks like he should be playing for the Quambatook reserves, but goes OK.

I am very close to poking my own eyeballs out - this Crows v Bombers is atrocious. Half-back to half-back practice match.

I can get really irate at certain Dees players, especially our stars when they make Hollywood mistakes, but this is the best attack on a player from a supporter's club, that I have ever seen. I hope Marshall doesn't read it. Stuff me, that's harsh (if just a little bit accurate).

At some stage, they all attended school in Melbourne? All wore headbands?

Have a deep dislike both Bombers and Hawks but this is a great game of footy. What's the chance of getting Harrison Jones to the Dees. Wow.

I usually hate these things. But the Pert interview and the Petracca piece were both really well done.

Maturity is important. Love seeing Petracca growing up before our eyes. Being able to articulate team values and direction, and speaking after wins or losses are important. Brad Green and Jack Viney really struggled with this. Being a draw card for members and supporters is also important. Max Gawn excels at this. Playing with heart and soul, and team-inspiring strength and commitment. Jack Viney excels at this. But in essence, it is about influence. To quote John Maxwell - "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way". So, who would our players, club personnel and supporters naturally look to and follow? So, Jake Lever by a mile. Ans as far as AFLW goes, we have the best leader by a mile - Daisy Pearce. Now THAT is a leader. We have had some great appointments over the past 7 years - CEO Jackson, Roos, Goodwin, Choco, Burgess. Personally, I rate Daisy Pearce in the Roos category. A1 football person who is a brilliant player, great with a microphone, inspiring leader.

No reason for the ritual wrist-slashing as we lose to a lowly rival AGAIN, but when we play with so little intensity and energy I feel like throwing something at the TV. But when we did get it, the dumb, dumb, dumb decisions in close gave the ball to the Pes midfield with annoying regularity. And I can't stand Petracca's 2 step kicks that always miss their target - be it wide, long or short. Frustrate the c**p out of me. And how many times in the last half did the Pies have a free player at half-forward, on his own, with no-one within 30 metres?

Flat over the entire ground. Selfish mid-field led by Trac and Oliver whose continual free choice not to give first option but go for the glory ball rears its ugly head from time to time. And I've got an idea! Kick it long to Fritsch verses 2 tall players ALL day.

Agreed. How many times can Oliver stop, take a step to the side, raise his arms to give off a handball, and get tackled, when he has a free team mate who has to stop and wait and see what happens? And Trac.

I am a huge Weideman fan, but enough is enough. After the bye, Ben Brown plays for the remainder of the year.

O North, how the b****y hell could you let that slip?

Been flat out all day, thought I would unwind with some footy. Switched on try Freo v Suns. O my goodness, it is appalling. Slow, atrocious skills, 2 poor game plans.

Heeney is a gun. I think I typed this last week.

At least we have a watchable game. Both Dixon and Hawkins being blocked and/or held continually. Port are VERY good spreading with ball in hand, but equally as poor when the opposition are spreading forward. Holes everywhere. And they get annihilated one-on-one.

Great footballer but I hated the way he left Brisbane to go to the Pies. Reeked of entitlement. Despised watching him as a player, not because of his play, but the pandering by the Media and Ed's fawning and drooling over him. Loved his media work - he has insights and can articulate them. I simply cannot understand how a bloke who has led a team into a Grand Final, a Prelim and a Semi Final in 3 years, can get the boot so soon after. He can coach, no doubt, but his people management skills are renowned as being direct, confrontational and too-high expectations.

I love the 3 rule changes that have opened the game up. 6-6-6 formation, 15m back from kick ins, and stationary man on the mark. General play is so much better to watch. But some of the basic kicking skills in many games are absolute rubbish. Freo v anyone, Pies v Crows yesterday, Eagles v Blues today. Really bad watching sub standard skills.

Northey is the best Dees coach I have seen. A piece of toast would play well for him - he was a master motivator. 1994 - the best player-by-player talent we have ever had. Still messes with my head that injuries robbed us so badly. This current team has the best defence and midfield, and plays the best team footy that I have witnessed across 5 decades. But someone above mentioned that most players/teams become game-wide greats by winning premierships, which we haven't done in a long time.

Adelaide v Pies is a skill error celebration. Horrendous!

TMac has played great footy before so his improvement is more like returning to his best, rather than discovering his best. Spargo for mine. I have always liked his footy brain, but he just couldn't impact enough. Now he is a serious problem for opposition because of his gut running, in-close skills, precision kicking and off-the-ball defensive stuff. He is everywhere, and continually makes things happen.