Ouch!

I thought that all players were supposed to report even the most minor of niggles to the medicos? With that being the case, I suspect Viney didn't inform the club that his foot was sore, which after the time it has taken to heal earlier this year seems really odd. I guess that part of it is trying to work out what 'type of soreness' we are talking about, ie general wear and tear or stress/load related. Either way... disappointing outcome for Viney and the club going into finals. I know the club is saying it will be conservative this time round, but I'd prefer they hold out and try and get him ready for the GWS game. Sydney might be a game too soon, and Optus Stadium is still quite a hard surface isn't it?

Great end to the season coming up, I agree with a lot of comments here stating that we could win or lose 5 of the 6 games remaining depending on who turns up. However I think that is because there are still a lot CURRENTLY in contention. For instance if Adelaide lose to Brisbane this week, which could occur given Brisbane's form. If that happens expect to see a few players put into cotton wool. Adelaide are very keen to get the best outcome from the draft this year. If they are out of contention next week,... suddenly the game against us is easier. It's definitely a season where you can only focus on one week at a time. 2 games covering 3rd to 10th.

I agree with your comment if we are measuring as 'ultimate success' i.e in terms of premierships. However if we are talking in terms of a team and their likelihood to front up to a game ... or a season and not have any hope except for the following seasons draft.... all supporters want a premiership, but we are sustained by watching our teams play week to week. Fronting up knowing that the odds see you getting flogged by the opposition .... sustained periods of that scars clubs and supporters! I haven't got a lot of doggies supporters as mates, but how would they feel at the moment, on one hand they got a premiership, but the success was so short lived that the premiership might actually feel bitter sweet. They are now seen as 'one hit wonders' and every subsequent season to that premiership has been deemed as a massive disappointment... and it's not like built towards a premiership at their peak, they fluked it on a 4-5 week hot streak!

Yep, When a team is down, you expect to see the wheel turn, however it took a very long time for our club to turn things around, Carlton arguably are taking even longer than we did. Gold Coast and Brisbane similarly, although the Lions look ok in the next couple of years. Free Agency has not helped the plight of supporters at the base of the ladder, one bit! But again it's not easy for the players to be smashed for so long either. It's a key reasons why the MFC has to take on some opportunities with Free Agency (like Gaff etc) because they are the free hits that we get whilst we are seen as a destination club on the way up... and it's why your list managers are probably the most crucial member of the football dept.

I can see the Saints smashing Carlton tonight. Harry Mckay having a strong game, which just piles more pressure on Bolton. Carlton are in a horrible state. Its so bad that it's not even amusing to make fun of their supporters anymore ? ... and we've been there!

.... and apparently coming off the stunning logic that refers to St Kilda as being the only club into Gaff, and therefore why would he leave the WCE because they are closer to a flag than the Saints ?

Nah, sorry don't buy that Saty, if that's the case imagine how he looks with Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca, Viney and co!

Is it too soon to see Kent coming back in? I know he has only played one game since coming back from another Hamstring, but he was looking good prior to the injury, but he might need more time in the VFL, but I wouldn't be surprised seeing him coming in for Hannan. I'd like to see TMac settled up at FF with Hogan roaming a bit more across the forward half. I'd prefer to have Petracca sitting forward (even FF and have TMac chop out in the ruck rather than Weid as a third tall (for this week) bringing in another small like Spargo/Garlett or both. Tyson for Stretch could be another option I guess. I'm more concerned about the players already in the team putting in a big effort in Darwin, ... the changes to the 22 are less significant!

I don't think Goodwin will need to remind any of them, Gawn and Viney have been public in the media about how that loss still burns. With that said, emotion will only get the boys only so far,... Goodwin is better off focusing the team on doing the same thing that they have been doing for the last 6 weeks. All the players know what happened in round 23, and they can't get hung up on that going into the game. That could go pear shaped very fast.

The test for Goodwin ... and the team is how we respond to Lever? Typically a good team and coach will just have the next soldier in line and they play the role, but perhaps Goodwin might 'restructure' and change it up a bit perhaps... ... will be good to see.

except, I can't see Frost as the like for like replacement for Lever. I see him as a replacement for OMac. I know they play more as flankers but Wagner and J Smith are the ones that could try to play Lever's role. I don't know enough about Keilty for me to comment, and Petty is still finding his way.. Other thing that I thought could e a possibility is that Hibberd plays more the role that Lever was playing, and Hunt returns to the side. Collingwood only really have Mason Cox as the big tall at the moment in the forward line, which OMac should be able to handle. Even if Reid came in, he's not a monster forward. The rest of their forward line, Hoskin-Elliot, De Goey, Mayne etc should not see us need Frost to come in.

.... yep?

Interesting point made on Access All Areas today (yeah I know how that sounds....) Damien Barrett put it to the other panelists that clubs might be better off chasing TMac's signature and keeping 500k or 600k to spend elsewhere than chasing after Tom Lynch's signature. With the form he is in currently, that's hard to argue with...

Max has dominated most weeks, but I actually thought that Max struggled quite a bit against the Sun's ruck last week? Was it Witts? seemed to get pushed off his line with throw ins for the best part of the game, but I think he tired as the game went on and Max came into his own, but certainly in the first half, I didn't think we got a lot moving in our direction from Max. ...Not a criticism, just an observation,

... and judging from how GWS played against Nth, I don't think the players still at the club are showing the strategy to be a good one either. Sure they have injuries, but they still have exceptional talent on their list that has not had good exposure to AFL footy, and I think is hurting their development.

Great weekend for the Dees with both VFL and AFL. Big margin, and the kicking for goal was very accurate, but looking back on it, Petracca badly missed his first, I think Spargo missed a couple of set shots and TMac missed that last one... that margin could have been huge. Also in reference to people being disappointed that we are going to play in Alice and the Blues get a friday night game.... the twisted side of me says thats a great outcome. Put the spotlight VERY firmly on the blues, I can guarantee that they will not get many if any Friday night matches next year, should not have received the number that they have this year, we on the other hand just need to get on with the next game! Next years fixture will look after itself based on the teams performances this year! A little over those in the media who are still trying to justify how we are playing by pointing to 'an incredibly soft run over the last four weeks' and that the club cannot be 'trusted' yet. You can only play who the schedule puts in front of you, and given the club last year was slammed for losing easy matches that they should have won, I don't know what else they want? Anyway, really looking forward to the clash with Adelaide, and I think another 4 quarter effort should see us win, especially with how they have been hit hard with injuries.

If they AFL is trying to stamp this out and be consistent, surely Steven May should be appealed too? I know his was a little different, but it took place as he was arguing with the umpire directly.... I think the AFL needed to do this and sort it out given that Hawkins got a week (but he pleaded guilty... and I don't think attempted to plea for careless) for essentially the same as Ed. Interesting !

Fairly sure Jack Billings at the Saints is the worst, and by a long way. Was the segment about set shots at goal or all goals?

Lets be honest though, Stevic should be charged by Michael Christian for staging after that footage, a normal person would typically not get knocked back a couple of steps, especially given momentum had him moving towards the contest.

It is intentional contact isnt' it? I've seen several examples where players have bumped into an umpire without even knowing they were there and possibly get fined at the most.

Whilst I would love for both Curnow boys to be out, what you can't see is where Charlie is even looking, I suspect he has noticed something in his peripheral vision, and put a hand on it to make space, I doubt he even knows it's the umpire. That said, it' can't be considered accidental contact and Stephen May, and the two Curnow boys are going to be made an example of I suspect and will all have a stint on the sidelines. This is not a hard rule to adjudicate...

well, given the state of the GC reserves we should go ok. They had 11 listed players and 5 are first round picks and they failed to score a goal in the NEAFL against the Lions reserves team. how can a team that is 3-2 in the NEAFL, with players such as Peter Wright and Kade Koladjashnij not score a goal and only score 4 points for the whole game.

Just on the same theme, statistically we are 4th for quarters won this year, so 17 won, 10 lost and 1 drawn. Only WCE, Tigers and I think Adelaide ahead of us.

I agree that Richmond are an impressive side again this year, but personally I think we match up on them pretty well, and arguably if we hadn't if it wasn't for the injuries that hurt us last year, we would have won the last 4 against them. Stats above from ET actually show that a lot of indicators don't say we are that far off. But last week v the Hawks left a pretty nasty taste in our mouths. Tipping Richmond to win by under 4 goals, but if it remains dry I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us get up.

TMac at CHF, when form demands Weid to FF. Hogan is proving to be a valuable loose man floating across the forward half of the ground. Lever and OMac the talls in our defence. Add Max into the ruck and thats our talls covered.