rjay

I reckon NSW is about 2 weeks away from a breakout. Things are just getting a bit shaky up there now. The other states might be lucky but wouldn't want to ease off too early.

Couldn't agree more 'Skuit'... ...and I think he's done his chances at another AFL gig a lot of harm. His judgement seems a bit out.

He hasn't come on as much as we would like but he still had 26 touches, 16 of them contested last week. I know it's only numbers but he's an important cog around the ball. He needs smarter players feeding off him, it's why I prefer Brayshaw and Trac around him rather than Viney who is more likely trying to go for the same contest. Bennell will feed off him if he gets up the ground a bit. Maybe it's also time to swing Salem up the ground a bit.

All good 'Pennant', I would rather see 2 of Clarrie, Brayshaw and Trac with Harmes as tagger where needed and Viney 5th option. I think Viney clogs up the middle with poor decisions. Tries to take too much on but hasn't got the skills, size or decision making to do it. Clarrie, Brayshaw and Trac are more likely to give us the breakaway we need.

...because it takes away our biggest strength.

To my mind this is a dumb move... We tried it a few times last year, probably Jennings idea. It didn't work... Clarrie is not a forward, he's a pure mid. Viney should be the pressure forward if anyone, he doesn't offer enough around the ball. Clarrie out of the midfield gives the oppo one less thing to worry about. I don't mind Harmes in as a tagger but only when there is a suitable job. Clarrie played one on one with Cripps and did him over in the first game, they had to move him forward to get some value. ...by the way, how is Cripps, Danger, Neale, Martin etc. etc. defensive game. Clarrie just needs more time midfield and learn to hurt the oppo more with his possessions, then it won't matter as they will always be watching him. There lies the problem at the moment.

He was having a dig at Richo... Not sure I would place much on this. Jennings has a bit of an axe to grind. I did find parts of the discussion interesting but also take into context the above.

Personally can't stand Cooney but he has played with Brown. Was about to post... Does anyone think Mitch Brown could be an option in defence?

Yep, no point wasting him in the scratch matches and couldn't do any less than Tommy. Let's see what Weid can do with a consistent rum at it...

Looks about right to me 'Pennant' but this would have to be Tommy's final chance. If we get more of the same then he can stay on the beach at Manly and let Jackson and Brown take over in the pecking order. Weid also needs a good run at it to settle, if he had 18 months like Tom he could be a reasonable player now. Pickett is the only one providing real forward pressure so of course has to stay. I would like to see him settle and take his shots better.

Sydney traffic, think Melbourne but worse. Google puts it as a 50 min trip...

At least there was some leadership on the plane...

Should have been a 50 metre penalty for a start after Lynch stopped the ball being relayed back. I think Max was laughing at the umpires explanation, or lack of one. Very poor decision.

Whilst on that, why wasn't it a 50 metre penalty when Lynch obstructed the ball going back to Max? ...and the ump even said it was ok. Maybe Clarko needs to talk about umpires following the rule book this week.

Whilst he is our best player at the moment, he is dropping marks he should take and still adjusting to the Captaincy...trying to do too much.

Pickett - Settle around goals He's raw but gives us a bit, just rushes his shots.

I haven't watched the game yet but will flick through later tonight. Made the decision not to watch them live anymore so I don't have to waste my time...I can fast forward through adds and breaks and get it over with. Also know the result so don't need to waste any nervous energy. I just don't have it in me to watch live any longer. In some ways life would be easier if the club just disappeared all together. Currently it's a slow lingering death with the occasional flicker of hope.

I posted something on this last year...it was frustrating looking at our forward set up. We had a great ruck, midfield combination but set up as though we would lose every contest. The only time we took the game on was the last centre bounce against GC when we had to score to win. Suddenly the forwards spread & gave themselves some space. The ball came quickly from the middle, the defence couldn't set up properly, we scored and won. ...lesson learned? no, we went back to the same old boring set up for the rest of the season and have started this one the same way.

If allowed they use it better into the forward half than us but as Daisy (the only special comments person that makes special comments and doesn't state the obvious) noted early EFC were determined not to give them an easy path out of the back half. Like us they don't have an effective forward line...their back half has been weakened with the loss of Howe and no Sidebottom means more pressure to Pendles. All that adds up to poor ball use going forward. Plus a couple of short steps tonight that Bucks wouldn't have missed.

Couple of interesting things. Stephenson is a bit of a seagull...picks up the scraps real quick if you give him some space but pretty poor in tight. Crisp must have been out on the turps with Sidebottom...must have had the DT's tonight, fumbled everything that came at him.

I think Tommy is the luckiest to get a game at the moment...Melk close behind him. I'm not sure why AVB was selected last week, he's strong at the player but offers nothing else.

I would like him to select the best 22 before he tries to stabilise it...

...and that goes to Wallace's point that we have players not at AFL standard.

They do it well, how he can change up a totally different game plan is testament to that. ...but we did nothing to put doubt in their mind, we watched it unfold. Goody seems to have a problem getting his message across to the players. Can he communicate. If he knows we should have been pushing up to take space and not allow them to chip the ball around so easily then surely he expressed this. What aren't the players understanding? Why aren't they understanding? or did Goody just figure this out after the game was finished? There is a problem...

Scott is a poor example...he's shown he can change their game around. His game against Hawthorn was polar opposite to the one he played against us...he's a smart coach. Their list is ageing and on the wane but they are well drilled and we didn't take it to them. ...and whilst I agree that you have a basic plan, brand or whatever, having a plan B is a bit simplistic. However you must have contingencies. We don't seem to have them, we hit up more of the same more often than not.