Jaded No More

I really need to actually start tipping...

I really hope that that's not the case. It would be a terrible shame for such a talented player to end his career so prematurely, all because of a freak injury. If he does call it a day, I hope he announces it on a more credible and respected forum than the Footy Show.

I'll be mighty [censored] off if they risk anyone who is not 110% fit. One more week will not make any difference in the long run, especially if these players are at risk of re-injuring themselves. I doubt very much they'll play Neita before Round 7.

He isn't an automatic selection, but we have quite literally run out of midfielders. McLean, Moloney, TJ and now Jones are all injured. That's 4 regular midfielders not playing. If Moloney and TJ don't come up for this week, we need to select someone who can replace them. We tried Whelan, but he's injured. Bell will be needed in the backline, Green needs to spend a bit of time up forward, and Sylvia is nowhere near fit enough to take on Sydney midfield. So who do you suggest comes in and covers the midfield injuries? Buckley is a midfielder, and has had a couple of years to learn the craft at Sandy. I rather we get him in to cover the injuries, than bring back Phil Read! <_<

I doubt he'll play but Neita is a 50-50 chance to line up this week Also, Brent Moloney (groin), Travis Johnstone (hamstring), Daniel Bell (concussion), Paul Wheatley (shoulder), Nathan Brown (calf) and Jared Rivers (hamstring) also are rated as tests for the Swans game. I'm not sure how accurate this is, as Ch. 7 declared Browny to be out for a couple of weeks. However, if we can get Beamer, TJ and Rivers into the side and Belly is also fit, we are some sort of a chance. Not a big one, but still a chance. Am I dellusional? P.S.- when did Travis injure his hamstring?

The SCG is small enough to possibly have Miller on Hall, with Dunn at CHF and maybe Sylvia/ Green/ Yze rotating out the square. But I'd hate to push him down back after he's been doing so well in the forward line. A bad game on Hall could completely ruin his confidence.

Not bad, but we won't make 3 unforced changes, given our injury list. Johnstone and Rivers are clearly needed if fit, and Petterd or Buckley should hopefully debut. But we will not drop Jamar and bring in Holland. If you want to bring in Holland, you need to drop PJ as they essentially play the same role and there is no room for both in the backline. Ward is deplorable, and I hope they drop him, but I just can't see it happening. The way it stands, he still has more pace than anyone else who could cover his position. Bartram and Frawley will hopefully push him out of the side later down the track. Out: Jones, Whelan, Brown, Wheatley In: TJ, Rivers, Petterd, CJ/ Buckley or obviously Moloney if fit!

Dunn > Jolly. It will prove to be a good decision in the long-run. If there was one ruckman we shouldn't have traded, its Simmonds. He is a much better all-round player, and ruckman, than Jolly. But that's old news, and we need to deal with the realities of the situation, and that is that White is nearly done, PJ is not a ruckman, and Jamar is extremely average around the ground. Whatever happens, we certainly need to look seriously at drafting a good ruckman and possibly elevating Neaves. I doubt both PJ and Jamar will be on the list next year, unless PJ proves himself a capable defender (not holding my breath on that one!). We just cannot waste list-space on 2 extremely average ruckman.

According to Ch. 7, Wheatley should be fine this week, but Jones and Brown are going to miss a couple, and we know that Whelan will miss 3-4 with a hamstring tear (is it just me, or does he ALWAYS injure himself when playing in the midfield?). Jones was on crutches when going for scans. God help our midfield!

Here is what I don't get... Last year people were accusing Miller of not kicking enough goals, and over-using handballs and getting suspended for ridiculous brain fades. This year, he has done more than his fair share of goal and field kicking, and is yet to lay a finger on an opponent illegally. Given that he is now double, even triple- teamed with the absence of Neita and Robbo, I think he has been more than admirable. He works hard all game long, but he also produces results and has an impact on the side. He was unlucky not to finish the game with 5 goals. That's a damn good outcome for an apperantly below-average forward. And the fact that at no point did Daniher attempt to throw him into the backline, goes to show that Miller is vitally important to our forward structure at this point in time. As for Carroll, I don't know many defenders who can shut down Pavlich, especially given the lack of midfield pressure.

You don't see the passion?? He's been one of our most consistent players this season along with Bell. Just because he's decided to stop belting people stupidly, doesn't mean he's lost the passion. The weight loss is probably due to his OP trouble last year. Losing weight means that the load on the legs is lighter.

Injuries are not entirely to blame, of course not. Adelaide are a far more disciplined outfit, tactically they are superior and they also have a number of star players who perform each and every week. We don't. But I think that we underestimate the affects of the injuries sometimes. For example, yesterday we had 30 less interchanges than Freo (3 times less in the third quarter alone!). We also had a few players running around in the last quarter who were not fit to play. How can any side, in a competition that is so even, except to be their opponents when they are this depleted? I think the injuries are exposing all the cracks in the walls, the ones we've covered up over the past 3 seasons by winning games and playing finals. But I also believe that we would have beaten Hawthorn and Freo with a full bench and a couple less injuries. Speaking of stats, I was shocked to read that we finished the game with 74% effective disposal, exactly the same as Freo!

The bigger issue is that the injured and wounded are always our top players. As if we weren't depleted enough, we had our best in-form defender in Bell coming off, followed by our best clearance player in Jones. I can't decide which part of the ground is suffering more right now.... middle, backline or up forward?

I actually thought Miller's kicking was good yesterday, not just for goals, but his field kicking too. For starters, he doesn't seem so keen to hand the ball off at every opportunity, and his delivery into the forward line is much improved. His marking wasn't great, but a lot of that has to do with our players constantly kicking over his head, or kicking to him when he has 2 opponents on him. BTW, he should have finished the game with 4 or 5. The umpires stupidly robbed him of 2 goals, one when they paid in the back, and one where they didn't.

Is Bruce McAveny his doctor? Is he aware of how bad his groins are? He wasn't at top speed, which really doesn't surprise me given he had no pre-season, didn't play at Sandy last week, and hasn't played senior footy for months. But at least he was chasing, and running and making position. It was an encouraging sign from him, and I just hope he doesn't pull up sore today. FFS, people's expectations of some players are just far too high. Did supporters really think he'd come out and dominate and kick 10? He got through a full match, which is victory in itself.

Yeah, it's a love that cannot be spoken hey? God he's a gun and his disposal under pressure is excellent now. He feels like he belongs, and he's playing like it. Go Belly!!!

Yes, he was very good today. Credit where credit is due.

Nothing to do with the fact that it was Sylvia at FF, just that we can't move the ball forward with any real purpose.

Y_M, he is coming back from OP and is not 100% fit. What did you expect? I'm just happy they played him personally, but I would hate for him to over-do it (like Moloney) and aggravate the injury yet again. Besides, wasn't it you who suggested we play him at FF? For what it's worth, I thought he did well and his work-rate was excellent.

Correct. The fact that we have so many players on our list who can't kick a damn football, is a disgrace. And when the side completely ignores the biggest man to ever walk the MCG, you know you're in trouble. It's not as if he's hard to spot! Daniel Ward, while obviously not the only one at fault here, is a great representation of what we're like at the moment.... unaccountable and unable to kick. Sylvia was the player I saw who kicked the pill, then ran FORWARD every time to try and present an option. And this is from someone who is struggling with injuries and fitness. Why the rest of the side can't do the same, I don't know.

Injuries definitely played a major part in the loss today, especially the further loss of Jones, Bell and Whelan. Still no excuse for playing such unaccountable footy, and having 19 players in the side who can't dispose of a football.

Yeah it was better than last week, but that's not exactly hard. Thought Dunn, Pickett and Sylvia all made pretty successful returns to senior footy. Clearly Sylvia and Pickett are not 100% fit, but god Pickett is all class and Sylvia was just out there running his guts out. He would kick the ball, and then run down to present. He wasn't standing around with his hands on his hips like most of his teammates. His hunger is brilliant and so is his kicking, I just hope he can stay injury free and get himself going this season. Dunn was excellent, Miller made the most of his opportunities, and Yze was very very good. A huge improvement on the last year or so. Ward, PJ, Bizzell and Wheatley are surely the worst defensive combination going around. Disgraceful! Yet again Daniel Bell showed them all up, until he got knocked out (third week running!). That kid is something special.

Petterd will surely play against Sydney, especially with Jones, Whelan, Wheatley and Moloney added to the injury list.

I thought he was much better this week, but that's just me. Yes, he made skill errors, but god he is hardly alone. Did some clever things, and took them on with a bit of confidence. I really liked seeing him and Sylvia combine through the middle. If you want to talk about clangers-galore, how about Daniel Ward? Not only can he not kick, he has no idea where his opponent is either.

Currently the skies are clearing up in Bayside, let's hope the trend continues. Moloney will most definitely not play. I'm not sure why they named him to begin with. At least we have some exciting emergencies. Who knows, this could be Sylvia's or Petterd's day.