Macca

Just watching the last quarter now. The game had everything just listening to the audio on tunein today (live) Packers were very good today, especially on defense. A big scalp even though it was at Lambeau

You have to chase hard Been done before and money talks (you have to pay overs) Or leave it as it is and continue to lose The new coach won't have a magic wand

I'd like to see the strike rate of tall forwards with regards to drafting (in terms of success) With us, it hasn't been great but our needs right now are immediate. So trading is a real option The downside is we'd have to shake up the list but Imv, we need to do that anyway The KF with the biggest upside is JVR but he has regressed. I'd go after a proven KF and then we wouldn't need to be so reliant on JVR (and the others)

Personally, I was quite happy for the club to go after JVR & Jeffo in the draft (back then) So far, it hasn't worked but it was worth the gamble (remembering that JT's strike rate in the draft is very good) Time to change things up and shake up the list

Brown succumbing to injuries along with T-Mac losing his impact was the main reason our forward line became dysfunctional And we have tried to remedy things with JVR, Jeffo, Smith, AJ, Petty, McAdam etc etc Hindsight tells us we should have gone after a proven key forward at some stage and we may well go down that path in the upcoming off-season I hope we do as our current batch of KPF's just keep failing to measure up. Aside from the delivery forward, our KPF's don't win their own ball enough anyway. Low impact and once the ball hits the ground, it's the oppositions ball I'd go after one proven KPF this year and then go again in 2026 We'd have to give up a bit but that's the price you have to pay for a quality forward Our delivery forward needs an obvious fix. That's a job for the new coach

I agree, well said, dc But others are allowed to be bitterly disappointed with the 2022 & 2023 seasons. That's their right and it's just opinions when it's all boiled down Just because you're in contention doesn't mean you're going to win big. Just ask Sydney, Geelong or the Pies Either the Cats or Pies (or both) are not going to win the flag this year. Let's hope it's both!! haha Top 4 might mean you've got a 1 in 4 chance. We got 3 x top 4 and won once We certainly weren't a tearaway favourite to win the flag in 2022 or 2023. In contention, yes But the club did act after the 2023 season anyway, endeavouring to add skills and running ability from the 2023 off-seasons onwards ... and that's coming from a point where we already had a more than decent midfield But I'm expecting more quality additions in the upcoming off-season (but how we do that is anyone's guess) Anyway, we secured Windsor, Kolt, Langford & Lindsay. In fact, we traded up or manoeuvred our way up in the draft in order to secure all 4 Whether any or all 4 players end up being top players remains to be seen. It's too early to judge (properly) ... we'll know a lot more in 2 or 3 years time

Well, there weren't many (if any) people questioning our method of attack in the 2022 or 2023 seasons Both years we won 16 games in the season proper and what we were doing was actually working I'll take a 16 & 6 or a 16 & 7 record any day of the week. Of course, we ran out of legs in 2022 and that was an issue. And in 2023 we ended up with a D Grade forward line once the finals started So sound reasoning for falling short in 2023 but no excuses in 2022 (Imv) But gradually, the long bomb started becoming obsolete culminating with a lot of questions in 2024 & 2025 The argument against not bombing it in back in 2022 & 2023 was that we were effectively stopping the opposition from scoring when we did bomb it in (average score against in both years - 65 points) For proof, go back and read the relevant threads in 2022 & 2023. Hardly anyone here was questioning our method of attack. Many of us thought we were heading for another flag especially with a 10 & 0 start to the 2022 season In hindsight, it's a different take. But that's hindsight. Bit like the draft ... shouda, couda, wouda As for the forward line, we need at least a couple of new additions as the personnel we have right now keeps falling short The midfield? Our existing mids need to share the ball in an attacking way with long bombs being a thing of the past. The extra handpass instead with our mids running into space up forward to receive 20 metre passes

Tampa Cinci Steelers

In a lot of ways we're not that far off The biggest issues are our disposal skills and decision making with the ball. (we win our fair share of contested ball and hard ball gets) And dumping the long bomb almost permanently. Effectively, that tactic just turns the ball over. Especially when targeting the hot spot. But the low, rapid kick forward can work. Backmen can panic in that scenario but if you give them 5 seconds of hang time, the intercept mark or spoil will eventuate (especially if we telegraph the ball to the hot spot) The better teams don't resort to bombing it long under pressure ... they'll look for the extra handpass or the low, fast, skimming kick As a percentage play that fast rocket kick can pay off if our forwards play in front most of the time Hopefully Kentfield comes on and JVR delivers on the promise he showed early in his career. Or if can somehow recruit a KPF In the meantime, we can win with a medium/tall forward line (Fritsch, Melk, Kozzie, Petracca, Chandler et al with 1 or 2 key bigs for structure) And our mids need to start hitting the scoreboard as well. It's a glaring weakness with regards to our overall scoring opportunities The other standout out feature of the finals is how the corridor is in constant use. Another area where we are sadly lacking But it's not rocket science ... just share the ball at pace and go direct. To do that properly, a team needs to be highly skilled We need a coach with an attacking mindset (when we have the ball) and a total-team defence mindset when the other team has the ball A bit like 2021 except the long bomb we employed back then is now obsolete

Well look at that! ... 500 pages up! Anyway, the Chiefs go down in an upset! Early doors but the Chargers could get on a roll with Jim Harbaugh in his 2nd year at the helm You'll have to click on the 'Watch on YouTube' link to watch the highlights @JV7 @DemonDave @DeeSpencer

Stan Alves - fleet of foot And Robbie had a bit of toe as well Rhino Richards once he was wound up

Cris Collinsworth was calling on Prescott to run with the ball to break things up (or change things up) 1 carry for 3 yards was all we saw Anyway, we get a game from Brazil tomorrow morning 10.00am (Chiefs/Chargers) ... I'm tipping a close one!

Jalen Hurts running ability is immense. The difference between the 2 sides as he gained a lot of yards in the red zone

The Cowboys might have won the game with an ounce of luck their way. Apparently CD Lamb dropped 5 catches all-up ... most were quite difficult though

Sure, but the rules are the rules (or are they?) We've seen numerous players get rubbed out for seemingly innocuous bumps that have ended up with contact to the head area But the AFL is corrupt as is the MRO so De Goey will probably get off scott-free

May holds his ground and receives a 3 week penalty So what does De Goey get when his action could easily be seen as deliberate?

Ha! Issue has been fixed as BDA's posts have magically reappeared!

7Mate games Mon 3.00am Raiders @ Patriots -Mon 6.00am 49ers @ Seattle

@BDA Your tips seem to have vanished from my apparatus but I retrieved them from your profile. In fact, your last 3 posts on this thread have disappeared! Here are your tips again ... Chiefs, Cardinals, Steelers

So how many of the 8 favoured divisional winners will actually win their division? It rarely goes the predicted way with 2, 3 or even 4 favoured teams not winning their respective divisions by seasons end Here are the current favourites as per the Vegas odds NFC North - Packers marginally over the Lions NFC West - 49ers then Rams NFC Sth - Tampa then Atlanta NFC East - Eagles then Washington AFC North - Ravens then Bengals AFC West - Chiefs then Denver AFC Sth - Houston then Jags AFC East - Bills then a big gap to the Pats The Falcons, Bengals, Jags, Rams and definitely the Lions would all be in the running And if Rodgers clicks at the Steelers, they could feature (last season 10 & 7)

Welcome to the thread! Feel free to join in on the comp if you are so inclined. It's not all that time-consuming coming up with 3 road winners, but nevertheless, it's not easy either!

@JV7 @DeeSpencer @Dee Zephyr @titan_uranus @DemonDave @Gorgoroth @The Cult of Disco Turner Yes, it's that time of year again! The NFL kicks off next Friday 10am with Dallas @ Eagles. Tipping comp should be a goer again ... 3 road winners with 3 picks gets you 3 points (2 from 3 gains 1 point) So far, 8 participants Bonus point weeks (Double Points)- Weeks 2, 5, 9, 13, 17 & 18 And if you are the sole winner in any given week you gain a bonus point And a shout-out to anyone that wants to participate in the comp ... just post up your 3 road winners and away you go. Easy as pie

Yeah there seems to be too much onus on Love but the team has been QB centric going back to when Favre starting his career I'd much prefer it if the team was renowned for it's defense and running game with the passing game as a reasonably strong add-on To be honest, every time I've seen Willis fill in as the QB he's looked good. But Love is now a 26yo so he's entering his prime years But really happy to have Parsons on board. He's a difference-maker I'm expecting the Bears to improve and the Vikes are hard to beat. And then there's the Lions with a real point to prove. The NFC North will be a big watch

Don't know but there's a lot of hype Texas lost today against Ohio State but Arch's numbers weren't too shabby The Manning name and because it's Texas and Jerry Jones?