poita

I can't believe this competition is still a 10 week season. Don't pretend that you are providing a serious, professional competition when teams are only playing 50% of the other teams each year. Why do we only have four home games, and just one in the first six weeks? How is that fair? Late Sunday afternoon games at Casey Fields are going to reduce crowds significantly as well. It would be really nice to go to Adelaide in round 1 and get the win, otherwise the Crows become a very big hurdle for us to jump as the losing streak continues.

This has been an amazing trade / draft period for the club. To keep the core of this list together when so many other teams have been significantly affected is huge. Colvin is a big loss, but we have 3 clear best 21 players coming in to replace her. Well done to all involved. If we can keep our better players on the field, another big year awaits.

Gary Pert indicated last night that we will be using Gosch's from next week. And also that an announcement on a permanent base is getting very close.

Our first three possessions coming out of defence are generally 15 metre sideways kicks in recent works, so the forwards are completely out of position by the time we are forced to kick long. If the likes of Salem and Lever take some responsibility initially we will be able to kick to a leading forward one out.

So then I would spend an hour plus each way getting to the game, for less playing time? Can't imagine that is too attractive to many people, unless entry costs are being proportionately reduced.

Disappointing that Eliza West and others have been pulled from the Casey side. It basically ensures that a team that has been very strong all season will be noncompetitive in the most important games of the season.

https://www.womens.afl/news/95003?_ga=2.230637020.1198275071.1655425182-2066107958.1654472609

I think so too. Jordon has been okay on the wing, but Brayshaw's ball movement is generally much better.

Facial fracture I believe.

Not fit enough, carrying injuries/illness, or not working hard enough? I suspect all are applicable to certain individuals. I'd be interested to know how much ground Langdon has covered in the past fortnight compared with the first 9 rounds. Petracca the first 10 weeks vs the last three. Sparrow, Jackson and Pickett before and after their Covid break. It seems that being able to do the work required by this game plan is dependant on being at or near 100% fitness.

Jackson's averaging under 2.5 marks a game over the past eight weeks, and I haven't seen him impact a centre bounce in the past fortnight. He's young with some excellent characteristics, but he'll never be a key forward or a no.1 ruckman. If we can get away with paying him $500K a season for the next three years while he reaches his potential, that's great. If his price is $800K, I'd rather go and get the next Nankervis for half the price and go looking for a key forward prospect in the draft.

Spargo and Neal-Bullen have to be at 70%+ goalkicking accuracy given their roles. Neal-Bullen's inaccuracy is a real concern given where he is taking shots from. His workrate is still excellent, and I'm sure this is why he is still in the team. Spargo is playing far too wide and is getting lost on the HFF. He needs to be more central so that he can deliver the ball inside 50 to a wider area. He is also letting his opponents be used far too often coming out of defence. Pickett needs to spend way more time at the feet of Ben Brown. He is spending a lot of time where the ball isn't at present. I couldn't tell you what Sparrow's role is other than to delay the movement of the ball into the forward 50. He needs a lengthy spell at Casey to recalibrate.

In: May, Tomlinson, Hunt, Rivers, Dunstan, Weideman (ugh), man on man defending Out: Turner, Lever, Bowey, Sparrow, Spargo, M.Brown, zone defence Happy for Petracca to spend time forward to allow Dunstan to play midfield. Hunt also to spend time forward. Brayshaw back on the wing. I'd be tempted to let Weideman do some ruck work early to get him into the game.

Salem and Langdon are clearly underdone and can't run. Gawn has been carrying injuries since before the West Coast game. Petty has been carrying injuries for weeks as well. Petracca has been well down since being sick prior to the Freo game. The young kids are looking tired and beaten up. How much more evidence do we need that we can't keep carrying players who aren't anywhere near full fitness?

It's amazing how quickly things turn to [censored] as soon as Goodwin signs a new contract. First 2019, now 2022. Sure he can't run around and kick the ball for the players, but he has presided over the declining standards over the past two months, played unfit and out of form players, and failed to accept the need to change a game plan that has been worked out by every other team. Failing to rest players through rounds 9 and 10 was a horrible, horrible error of judgement. Did it matter if we beat North by 5 or 8 goals, if we were in a better position through rounds 11 - 13? I'm amazed that so many people are fixated on us are giving up quarter time leads. In recent weeks we have had 1.6, 1.5 and 0.5 kicked against us in the first quarter. If those teams had kicked straight we would have deservedly trailed on each occasion. We've plain and simply been poor for the entirety of the past three weeks. The first player I would drop is Lever. He offers no leadership, can't / won't defend his opponent, and offers nothing with ball in hand. He spends more time lying on the ground than standing next to his man. He is playing like 2019 Lever with the arrogance of someone who thinks he is untouchable because he was good in 2021. Playing Turner was the equivalent of playing Petty in 2018 - you're just hoping to fast track a player who simply isn't ready. I'm sick of players such as Sparrow, Spargo and Salem who hold the ball up for 10-15 seconds looking for the perfect kick, then dink a 15 metre kick sideways. Take responsibility yourself instead of lumping it on your teammate. By the time we are finally ready to go down the line all our forwards have led and are out of position, and the opposition have flooded back. No wonder we end up turning it over. Sparrow, Spargo, Bowey, Jackson all need a rest. Petty and Gawn injured. Langdon and Salem underdone. Harmes, Neal-Bullen, Lever MIA. Forward line abysmal. We're in a world of trouble. At the moment we look more likely to miss the 8 rather than finish top 4. Goodwin and the supposed leaders of the club have ten days to turn around this sinking ship.

I'd say this sounds like a plotline from Dumb and Dumber, but I have the feeling that there is more to play out here and that we'll be crowning someone Dumbest of all the Dumb Dumbs by the end of the week.

Absolutely disgraceful comment by May if true, and on the back of the terrible decision to drink while under concussion protocols. He clearly has issues with alcohol, and if he is serious about getting the most out of the remainder of his football career, should give up drinking during the season. Violence is never the answer, and should be punished as well, but I can certainly understand why Melksham would be upset by the comment. Nevertheless it's an awful example for him to set for his kids.

What an amazing stupid and selfish act by May, a 30 year old who consistently makes decisions befitting a 19 year old. And ditto for any experienced teammates who stood idly by whilst he was breaking team rules. Goodwin needs to take charge of this team before the season falls completely off the rails. There are so many signs that this group isn't prepared to do the right things on or off the field that are necessary to challenge for a premiership this year.

Yep, needed a run at Casey to get back some form and confidence. Now we need to do the same for Bowey, Sparrow, Jackson and others.

I've said this before, people just don't go to the football any more. Covid hasn't helped, as people have become used to watching games from the comfort of their lounge rooms. The AFL are also largely responsible for this with their appalling scheduling of matches and the exorbitant costs of attending. I know a number of very proud Richmond supporters who happily attended for years as a family when they were an average team. Now 90% of their games are at night, all are reserved seating and they can't justify paying a small fortune to attend and having the kids up until midnight, even as the competition's dominant team for several years. This is our future if we keep winning and growing, and it alienates a lot of people. Now people are more likely to buy a three game membership, attend a couple of marquee matches for "the experience", and spend more time queuing for beer than watching the game. But you can be sure that their Instagram followers will know all about it. I enjoy the experience of being at games and will happily attend each week. But I can understand why people aren't going with the costs, the travel, the scheduling of matches, the safety issues, and COVID / flu issues. This is a long term trend and the AFL need to make the game more appealing to families, or they will lose the next generation of supporters coming to games. Maybe they are happy to have teams playing in front of empty stadiums as in the NRL, but I can't imagine the clubs or players will be happy. Are Melbourne fans worse than any others? Probably not really, it's just that Collingwood and Richmond have the benefit of locking in marquee fixtures a couple of times a year. Certainly the lack of crowd noise in recent weeks has been a stark contrast to previous years, and is representative of a crowd that doesn't really care about what's happening on the field. It is very disappointing when a small, but dedicated Freo supporter group is making more noise than the home crowd.

History shows that back to back premiership winning teams never do it with the exact same personnel or game plan. Standing still is going backwards in professional sport, and that is where we are at. Goodwin isn't prepared to change the game plan and he is determined to run with as close to the same 22/23 from last year as possible. I'd argue that every team we have played in the past seven weeks has worked us out, but only in the last two weeks have teams been good enough to do something about it. Unfortunately for us, almost every team we play in the last ten games is at that level, so we're going to need to do something different and quickly. We've got players horribly out of form, players clearly unfit or carrying injuries, and others who just need a rest. I'd almost be tempted to rest 5-6 players this week and give them a proper break before Brisbane in round 15. Reset and start again after the bye.

I wonder how many of the people who have spent the last three years potting Tom McDonald are prepared to put their hand up and admit they got it badly wrong. He is the one player in our forward line who blocks and creates space for his teammates, and leads to different parts of the ground. It doesn't show up in his stats very often, but I can guarantee that B.Brown and Fritsch would notice when he is not there.

My question for the cheer squad is why don't they ever turn the banner around any more so that the people in the Southern Stand can see what is written on the front? All we get is the advertising on the back.

I'm surprised to see so many people want to see Rivers as the sub. He needs to get a full game with Casey, and get some confidence and form back. The last thing he needs, particularly with a bye coming, is to sit on the bench and not get a run. I'm more than happy for Melksham to be sub, as it doesn't hurt us in the long run if he doesn't get a game this week. If he does play, hopefully he pulls his finger out and contributes more than he has in recent times.

I wonder if we have another move coming as we now have more than our required 3 list spaces free.