Demon Dynasty

Form is a fickle thing Buck. I'm sure the boys will knuckle down this week. They can't all have a half of footy, some a whole game, as bad as that again this week i hope. Viney out is a big blow let's hope its not the old 426 issue. Fingers crossed.

Thanks Kent. Real pitty about Thomo but hopefully Tmac can play a similar role. Time for the Weid to make his 2021 debut you think?

Rnd 7, 2021 Blundstone Arena - Kangaroos vs Demons Strange game indeed and a round to forget. Nonetheless a win is a win and it does give us a tad more breathing room in a points sense. One of those rounds where the stats, in many cases, have little correlation with who did what and who had the most impact on the day. Mind you it wouldn't be the first time or the last but this one is up there as being a real doozy. Is it just me? Possibly i wasn't watching closely enough but not sure i would have had May in my top three or even five. No doubt the coverage from side on doesn't show a fair wack of what goes on behind /off the ball either. However, i suspect many of the possessions that went towards his top of the table outcome (statistically) were cheap ones lateral and/or on the switch. Wouldn't be the only player nor the first time. Plenty of defenders rack them up in this way as well. Even the kick ins count i believe. Now i usually focus on the positives here, but the last time a player received a negative weighted score for a whole match, at least without being injured early and not taking any further part (a la Tomlinson), was Joel Smith's Rnd 19, 2018 match vs the Crows with a -0.300 Statistically ANB's - 0.100 weighted score ranks as possibly the 2nd worst in the last four years. Let's look at some of the numbers. 5 effective disposals running at 50% DE, one 1%er, two inside 50s, 4 score involvements, 181 meters gained, 2 intercepts. Finally....Zero tackles and 8 turnovers! Hibb the only other player not to lay a tackle in this match! Not counting Thommo for obvious reasons. On the flip side a big positive. Young Jordan. Cop some of these for outstanding as a rookie... 18 effective disposals running at 90% efficiency. 4 Clearances, 4 inside 50s, 7 tackles (one inside 50), 7 Score involvements, 260 Meters Gained, 1 Goal and only 1 turnover! Nice work young fella. Top three for score involvements... Fritsch 10, Kozzie 9 & Tracc with 8. Top three for Meters Gained... May 552, Tracc 539 & Clarry 438. Top three for Intercepts... Lever 9, Salem 8 and May with 7. Top three for Tackles inside 50... Brown 2, Equal 2nd were Salem, Hunt, Dogga, JJ & Kozzie with one a piece Top three for Turnovers... ANB 8, Melk 6 and equal third Clarry & Tracc with 5 each. Player Score Rank Steven May 5.300 1 James Jordan 4.650 2 Clayton Oliver 4.525 3 Ed Langdon 4.350 4 C Salem 4.175 5 C Petracca 4.050 6 Jake Lever 3.800 7 Luke Jackson # 3.625 8 A Brayshaw 3.500 9 Trent Rivers 3.450 10 Bayley Fritsch 3.425 11 T McDonald # 3.350 12 K Pickett 3.300 13 M Hibberd 3.225 14 Nathan Jones 2.700 15 Oskar Baker 2.325 16 Max Gawn # 2.325 17 Jayden Hunt 2.075 18 Charlie Spargo 2.050 19 J Melksham 1.800 20 Ben Brown 0.750 21 A Tomlinson 0.000 22 Alex N-Bullen -0.100 23 Team Score 68.75 Top 6 27.05 Bottom 6 9.00 # Hit outs to advantage not captured Stats courtesy of footywire.com

For mine it all started with that first contest between Max & Goldy. Max barely got a trot up and only just made the contest. Then when the ball hit the turf Goldy tunnel balled it backwards towards their goal (which should've been called a throw), one of their players cleared and pretty sure they scored from that shortly after. They were off with tails up especially after the 2nd in a row. Now Max has had a very good year. Not questioning the big fella's contribution. BOG in at least one match & fabulous so far. But at times today he looked like he was playing in an E.J. Whitton legends game after a big night reminiscing on the turps.

He is the equal of any likely replacement pushing up from the McGoos at present in terms of his mop up and link man role. I understand him being managed occasionally for a freshen up but that's about it. Yes he is fringe 22 but still just inside 22. But here's the rub vs alternatives...he is also very much the spirit, the essence of this club/team. Was it any coincidence there was no zip / intensity at the start of the first half without Mr Jones? Tow ball is as important a link as anyone and his inclusion ensures the caravan stays coupled to the 4WD and completes the journey. Keep him in as much as possible.

Accidently took Indica instead of Sativa before the bounce....mistake realised at half time. ..Sativa FTW!

Watch the 2nd half. The work of Kozzie, LJ, Jordan and Fritta along with a few late cameo grunt bits from Clarry is worth a look. But then there's the fact we were playing bottom of the ladder Norf to counter that argument. Flip a coin maybe!

Kozzie went straight back behind the mark yet.... "Play on ...Play on ...Play on" straight away. Kozzie has the last laugh! Haha

ANB!!!!!! ... is not Kozzie ?

Free kick every day to Lever....ignored haha. These umps def have a bias...or at least one of them does.

Finally Tracc back into the middle. Not sure why he was forward for so long. Cant finish in front lately.

Jordan! Nice game today

Healy ...."wasn't that a push out!??"

Clarry not closing in on nearest opponent early enough there....just enough space to gather and execute. Gosh if only he could finish and damage on the flip side. That could be the match!

Weid for Tmac who takes over Thommo's role will fix that a little

You were saying Clint ?

In the back to May....woukdve been called if he was a forward

Thanks Dazzle...called it early ?

He's not a mid fielder that's for sure. High HF kicking inside for the hit ups is about it. Doesn't pressure without ball and when it's on the ground good luck. I'm not sure a team can carry that one major asset long term. Or can they?

And usually dives forward for the "in the back" when he knows he's done.

He's wearing red & blue Andy... why else!

ANB has been almost unsighted today. I know he's role player pushing forward but wow.

Yep but only against us apparently.

Been barracking for Norf the entire match

Jordan's done ok today. Been our best through the middle.