Jaded No More

He hasn’t let anyone in? So he didn’t let Jackson in? He didn’t let Grundy in (actively participated in the pitch to get him across), who cracked the sads when he was told he had to spend time forward of centre? Please tell me who he’s stopped from playing in the ruck…did you know that he has helped turn JVR into the most effective second ruck in the game stats wise? Gawn is a player not a recruiter. God help us if we let players make recruiting and drafting decisions. This is AFL it’s not little league. Now if you’re saying that no established ruckman wants to come play for us because they know they won’t get a game ahead of Gawn, that’s a different argument, but it’s still got nothing to do with Gawn being selfish. Or do you expect a 7 time AA and club captain to tank his own performance to give someone else a go? Gawn is the premier ruckman of this competition. He doesn’t play second fiddle because he doesn’t need to, and the ruck is literally the least of our problems right now.

Last round against the Pies where we win by a point and they lose the right to a home final

I’m with you in that I’m not sure what type of player Kolt can be. His attributes don’t jump out at me like with say Windsor having elite speed and endurance and a neat kick. Or Langford who is a physical beast but with time and poise and beautiful decision making and ball use. Or Lindsay who has time and space whenever he gets the ball. I know Kolt is rated highly for his attitude and that’s a very important trait, but it’s not enough right now. I think half forward is a useless position for a kid trying to get his hands dirty, and he’d be better off going to Casey and playing mid/wing or even half back. Get the ball in his hands and get him some confidence. Rotting at half forward and getting 2 touches before being subbed off is not exactly progressing him in the right direction.

If I see Adrian Anderson representing us I will lose my goddamn mind. @Redleg I know you know someone better you can send to the club to do the job!

IMO we got him as a cover for Max, in case Max is injured, and NOT as a complementary second ruck. TC has said as much. The thinking was that if we lose Max, we wouldn’t want to throw an underdeveloped Verrell or a second ruck in JVR into a full time ruck role. TC is a big body with experience, but he’s at the end of his career and this is his 4th club. He's insurance and I don’t think he feels hard done by that. I’m sure we made it very clear that he’s getting another AFL lifeline for this exact reason. This is vastly different to what I assume Fullarton is feeling, who I am sure we hoped would be a backup ruck/ forward option, and who we recruited from Brisbane for this reason. He just hasn’t shown much at Casey or at AFL level to command a game ahead of Roo.

You said he’s selfish! How can you call Max Gawn selfish for carrying this club on his shoulders for the last 4 years is beyond me. Insulting to a champion who has won more games for this club than anyone else this decade. He worked beautifully with Jackson and never once suffocated his progress. In fact go ask Jackson how much he learnt from Max. Sure as hell more than he learns from Darcy! If Verrell showed real promise he’d get a game as a second ruck and JVR wouldn’t ruck and/or play. Gawn isn’t the problem, the lack of quality young rucks on the list are.

I hate Fremantle Go Dockers

Jackson did not walk he left to go home under enormous family pressure. And he would come back in a heartbeat. Gawn famously told Goody to leave him in the ruck in the third quarter of the GF because he was doing so well. Calling Gawn selfish is showing that you have NFI how many sacrifices this man makes for this club. The lack of respect for Gawn, the greatest ruckman of the modern era, is a complete disgrace. Find a ruck on any AFL list who would have a bigger influence on our game than Gawn… I’ll wait.

It must have been graded higher, hence he’s being sent directly to the tribunal. That means the AFL are asking for 4+ weeks. Absolutely mind boggling.

It’s silly to write someone off who’s had two years in the system and one has been marred by an interrupted pre season. Likewise it’s ok to admit that Kolt isn’t being helped playing seniors right now. He is barely getting the ball, and when he does get it, he isn’t using it well. I don’t think he’d be thinking he’s performing well himself, and to keep rewarding him with games at this level where he’s often subbed off, is a bit silly. It also makes a mockery of guys like Laurie who are consistently performing at Casey and knocking the door down each and every week. For his sake I hope he goes back to Casey and gets to play some midfield minutes for the rest of the year. Get his hands on the footy and set himself up for a massive pre season.

Yep, but because it’s May/ a Melbourne player he will cop 4 weeks. My disgust with the AFL grows stronger every day. I’m certain that if Melbourne ceased to exist I would never watch another game of footy ever again.

May sent to tribunal. Absolute joke.

Who you dropping to make room?

AJ is a VFL star

I’m with you on that. I know we want to win games, but likewise if we keep losing the same way you’re not moving forward. Rivers spent a lot of time training with the mids in the pre season. Yes we’ve had injuries which meant he needed to cover down back, but why not bring Howes in to play his attacking half back role and give him midfield time in the next 4 games? Let him attend some centre bounces, and some stoppages and see if he can take that next step as an inside mid. His body is certainly up for it from a physically stand point, which might not be the case as you say for Lindsay and Langford. Likewise I would love to see Chin get more time up the ground. Why not swap him with Viney? Why not go crazy and try Bowey at half forward since we skills going inside 50 are god awful? We have 4 miserable games left this season. I appreciate Goody saying he doesn’t want to waste time, well doing the same thing every week is wasting time. I don’t think supporters care if we win or lose now, but they would love to see some balls to wall type moves to spark something. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But if it does, we can take some away from this miserable season.

Salem was very good. One of the better games he’s played and he was actually damaging by foot, which is one thing I’ve really struggled to accept with him this year. He’s been kicking nothing sideways dinky kicks, which aren’t damaging and just inflating his stats. Kosi spent most of the second quarter rotting at FF for some ridiculous reason, but when he’s near the ball he’s just electrifying. One of the few players who can turn a [censored] into gold.

Pickett with 5 goals and 23 touches has to be the player of the game. That is insane level output for a forward mid hybrid.

He had 15 kicks versus 11 handballs and went at 77% efficiency. He was definitely better with his ball use. Did well in a head to head battle with Cripps. Both had almost identical stats. Funny how 26 touches and 7 clearances is seen as such a nothing game for him. Not many mids get those numbers every week.

What will happen Out: May, Tholstrup In: Petty, Sparrow What I want to happen and won’t Out: May, Tholstrup, Sharp In: Adams, Howes, Sestan Adams to FB, Howes and Sestan to half back, Rivers to midfield, Bowey to half forward

Needs some time at Casey. This level of output can’t be helping him progress.

The irony is that at Casey his kicking is the best part of his game. I think it’s a lack of confidence and nerves. He is actually quite skilled for a big guy. Kosi is basically the only player in our team who I want touching the ball from anywhere 65m-5m out from goal.

It’s all about confidence. He tries so hard and to his credit his attacked that contest, took a good pack mark and kicked the goal when the game was there to be won. He’s played 6 games, one of which he was subbed off in the first quarter with a broken hand. The season is done, what’s the use of not giving him exposure at this level? He’s contracted and he will be at the club next year, so let’s see what he can do with more confidence. That last mark and goal would be massive for his belief.

AFL is unwatchable. [censored] this joke of a competition.

The AFL is such a disgusting organization How many games ruined by umpires who should get sacked for utter incompetence

[censored] these umpires