The heart beats true

This is a leadership issue. If I was an experienced player (100 games) I'd be expecting a meeting with the coach this week. Part of it is actually having confidence in your team mates when the game is swinging away from us. In the backline we don't believe we can get the job done in the air and too many fly. In the midfield too many crash in and if the ball pops out we aren't covered on the outside well enough (or if we come up with it we handball it 2 meters because not enough players are outside the contest). It's difficult to coach for, it has to be managed on the ground. Maintain structure, maintain confidence in the guy next to you to do the hard stuff. The 2 things you need from leaders is faith and composure. Lewis should have 3 more games of experience with this team than he does, Vince feels like he's treading water, and Jones was horrible with ball in hand on the weekend. They all deserve a rocket in my opinion.

After a nights sleep (slept well, thanks for asking) I have concluded that yesterday's loss belongs to the leadership group. You can not hold players with 20 games experience responsible (Hunt, Oliver, Track). Aside from Viney, who was outstanding and played a real captains game (and is only just turned 23), the older more experienced players did little to lead when needed in the first quarter. Goodwin needs to pull Vince, Jones, and Lewis aside and ask them to stand up. Jones in particular turned over the ball 3 times in the first quarter under relatively little pressure. I hope he gives them an all mighty spray because so far this year I've been underwhelmed by their on field leadership - and if you look at our stats the only thing we've lacked (aside from a ruckman) is composure and game sense. With that we should have a minimum 2 more wins on the board.

Here's my problem with this game: We either roll over and I'm livid, or We show up and pull off a miraculous win - and I'm livid because why does it take a rocket and backs against the wall for us to take this competition seriously? Out: No more picking when to play In: The consistent competitiveness the club is apparently developing as it's 'brand'

What? There was a Beiber concert?! Nobody told me! Could this day get any worse.

Stop potting blokes Saty. Have a little faith in the club will ya!

He got us moving in the third. I've heard him talk about how much fitness you need to be a consistent midfielder. He lost a preseason and a half with injuries so he just can't go like others yet. Not too worried about him. He's going to be a ripper

But that's also what gives us the ability to score 7-8 goals in a quarter. He wasn't on the ground in the first quarter when no player stood up and righted the sinking ship. At some point the players need to get their hands on the footy and give us some clean possession. No one can coach for a team that doesn't hit targets and show some composure. You may well be right about him, but I need to see the next 6 weeks. Not sure if it's the gameplan, or the cattle - but the last few years it's clearly been the cattle so I'm inclined to look at them.

Roughead got some frees that were pretty iffy. That one against Tmac in the 3rd when we had all the play just wasn't a free kick.

Can't see us competing for the 8 now. You've got to be able to win games where you're expected to get the job done. I like our competitiveness but we just have zero leaders when we need them. Recruiting them hasn't really helped - which I suspect is the reason Viney was made co-captain. We need that next generation to come on as leaders and they just haven't at the start of the season. They will, but it's frustrating to watch. Big mental challenge for the group coming up. Could go either way. I hope some leaders emerge.

Gotta play 4 quarters.

How Leigh Matthews is allowed to comment Hawthorn games is ridiculous. Hogan executes a perfect tackle on Gibson to get holding the ball and Matthews says 'Gibson unlucky that he got his arm there'

Sad to say to but we are a 10-12 side. Cant get in done when we should.

Bulldogs have no forward line structure and are leaving it up to too few. But Geelong are looking average so it's not all bad.

Ruck free kicks are a joke. The player getting the free kick doesn't even know it's for them.

Let the record state that I'd never defend a Scott brother. They are the worst! I was more intrigued that there is clearly an AFL rule that says you can't leave out a player if they seem tired if you may be forced to use them due to an unforeseen injury. Im guessing it's an AFLPA OHS contract situation. Player gets injured due to fatigue, club already acknowledged fatigue by resting and then playing player. Club and/or AFL negligent in its duty of care.

Am now waiting for a champion data stat about injuries that will force the AFL to make a change to the rules next season. It's literally the deciding factor in any game it occurs more than once.

The score worm in this match is identical to our Richmond game.

Anyone who said after the Richmond loss that injuries aren't an excuse (I believe the phrase was 'coulda shoulda woulda') needs to explain to me how a side as talented as GWS are trailing a side as middle of the road as St Kilda? Ill accept your apologies in both written and verbal forms.

Alright Demon nihilists, GWS most likely down 2 players at halftime, and it looks like Hopper is injured but playing through it. If only one of the injured party were a ruck man we'd basically have a like for like on our Richmond game. You'd have to think on average GWS have a minimum 3-4 preseasons on our boys so that will help them a lot. So what happens now? Can they work through 2 players down before halftime for a win? I reckon it'll hurt them in the last, but I'm fascinated to see.

JKH out of contract at end of 17, Does Tommy Bugg have another after this year? I suspect some guys are playing for contracts, and hence given time to earn one. Kents contracted until the end of 2018.

This is interesting for future reference in team selection conversation: From the AFL site "Coach Chris Scott said midfielder Sam Menegola, defender Tom Stewart and ruckman Zac Smith were all chances to come into the team after being left out of the 22 on Thursday night. “Sam’s still a good chance to play for us … unfortunately the rules dictate that we don’t have any flexibility with the way we pick the side on a Thursday night,” “If we've already named them managed they can’t play. “So don’t read too much into the fact that players are named omitted." So this may explain why players like Stretch have been listed as omitted in reason weeks. This may be public knowledge, but I'd never heard that before and thought it was an interesting thing to note when seeing players getting 'omitted' and then not playing in the VFL.

I really like the idea of one independent person working with Goodwin on selection - but only on the condition that person is me. Otherwise it's a terrible idea. Im pretty sure we all feel that way.

Put a fit Smith and Spencer back on the ground after half time and we would have won by 5 goals against Richmond.

Jack Viney's 3rd was fantastic. Got us going in tight. Tracc and Watts did very well, and I thought Jeffy continued his hard work. Good job boys.

Way more scoring shots, more inside 50's and getting beaten in a close one. The Dogs are the new Dees.