Wells 11

Im in the camo that thinks watts will be left out. But Im really mixed on it and looks to be carrying an injury for mine. He hasnt looked like himself at all since injured. As outsiders we dont really know what players try to play through and the sacrifices they make. All we have to go by is what we see on game day which is ultimately all that matters. On that criteria, I dont think we can carry him in the state he's in....but for mine he's a big loss. He's one of our match winners and we're a weaker side without an inform / free moving Jack.

Tricky to know. At 10-7 given so many key injuries we were way ahead of where I thought we would be. If we finish at 11-11 ( as I think we may) I think the whole club will feel a bit mixed. Not a definite bust . How could it be with the way we've played for so much of the season and some top class wins on the road over top sides. But not a real big tick either. How could we leave satisfied having given up a real show at final shot. Possibly a top 4 spot. Overall even if we do end up 11 -11 I think its still at least a c ... Perhaps even a B-. Given us a lot of to look forward to. The trouble is SO much can change in one off season these days. Eg if hawks grab dusty and Kelly for example. Or if 2 big stars leave or arrive. Its not just a gradual progression as it might have been in the past. Trading or holding in the off season can alter trajectories.

Deledio is a star and a match winner. Lets hope he's scratchy and runs our of puff.

EXACTLY....the commentators were clear . " thats a sling tackle when the arm is locked down and you've got no way of protecting yourself" We hated that at the time but if you're going to bring it in then bring it in...dont not apply it because its Dangerfield. If it was oliver it probaby would have been 3 again. FMD

Personally I would have been over the moon if we'd landed Zac. Bernie and Jordan in their last year or 2 .....we need some mids.

You can say we're building and while its true, look around at all the other clubs re next year. Essendon are coming with a bullet, the pies will fancy themselves, Stkilda will have 2 x first round picks this off season, Hawthorn will improve, North will be better as will Carlton. To fall into " its ok because we're building" is crap. We have a golden opp THIS year and need to find the belief to really take it...who knows when an opp like this will come again. So, while I agree that we are buidling, lets do that by making the 8 and build on THAT. If we blow this chance its going to really sting the club.

weid 13 possessions? where is he playing?

Well, lets just be real here...he did a bit more than that. It was club policy and he was enforcing it. The real argument isnt that "we didnt do it" its more that EVERYONE was doing it. But when big betting money started coming into the game the AFL had to act to protect them and we were just an easy club to target...and, after the Kreuzer cup, we were less subtle than some others. Caro loves the shame game. I still feel angry when I think about the "rolling coverage" that that story got and that some info came from inside our club somehow. Her inference that we should be kicked out of the comp still angers me. THAT was real shaming.....the dons protected themselves way better than we did. But they also had millions to waste on it and the backing of the media. Plenty of clubs tanked without suffering from it. The pies most notably .

Its not the way I remember it. I thought in the end it was Dews call and "family reasons" was essentially a "no" dressed up to not dis us or Roos too badly. I think he may well be regretting a missed oppurtunity...but we should be counting our lucky stars with Goodwin.

Agreed. How that was worse than Cotchins I have NO idea. Lions are just an easy club to make a statement with I think, sadly just the same as we are. And agree re Carltons doctors...a blight on the game. Can you suspend a doctor for a few weeks lol...I wish.

Its still a bit like we're going under the radar. pisses me off a bit but I think these days are passing.

With all the talk about Trenners being slow I think we can forget what a tough nut nut he is inside....and his footy smarts re positioning. Really hoping for him that he nails a place back on the big stage in a big game. Go Trenners. If he could shine again I reckon the whole club would just get a massive boost.

Saints game is massive isnt it. Jones, Vince back. Personally I dont see us winning on Saturday. Gawn and Hogan still finding fitness and form after lengthy breaks. Viney , Tyson, Watts may all be back but may be a little rusty . Garlett and Vince will be missing and it's ALSO the week post Darwin. Ominous. Top 4 would be immense but given our injuries atm I think its a bridge too far. If we could get into the finals , and with a pretty much a full fit list, that would be massive...and IF that happened I think we could take on anyone with some confidence tbh.

Another hit this year and probably so....but in reality he's taken most of hist hits playing in the VFL. So, given he's playing anyway, if he did hit form and confidence no reason not to bring him in eventually. Fingers firmly crossed on this one. We have Nev on one hand showing whats possible if things go right....surely he's, and the club, are due a bit of luck.

I think the same. He's definitely firming in my mind as the one we should go for. But will he want to leave, cost etc etc etc . We're getting close to being contenders just need to get a bit more quality in.

Darwin- please no more

clearly trying to pull up....

It should have been an awesome game.1 v 5 and a finals birth tantalising us for the first time in over a decade. Im just finding it hard to get fully hopeful about it knowing we're missing so many core players. But tbh I couldnt see how they could win last week either. The dees have continued to shock me in a good way this year .....and there would be no bigger shock than winning tonight. Still, Im hoping ...and perhpas the Darwin factor, and knowing the conditions, may give us some leg up.

It could be we finish 4th but it could be we also finish 10th. Can you ever remember such a season? Everyone has us for a win against North but we go in with something like 16 losses in a row against them and out two captains probably still missing. Stkilda has smashed us over the years and we got over the pies by under a goal last time. So I have Brisbane down as the only definite win and the rest of them are question marks. Will Hogan find his feet quick enough to impact in the next few weeks? Can Goodwin manage the workload of Smith and Hogan in their returns without exhausting the midfield. WIll testing the mids in this way in Darwin mean Port smash us the following week? Will Watts hamstring recover for Sat or is it still weeks away? How quickly will Jones and Viney be able to get back playing top footy. There's just centimetres and fate in the gap between 4th and 10th really Im hopeful as hell, but I find predicting impossible this year. One thing for sure is that There will be 2 or 3 teams that feel incredibly unlucky come September....hope we're not one of them.

Agrreed! I thought they were cracking down on that stuff. They probably are but waiting til someone less noteworthy gets pinged. They've basically just given the green light for the punch in the guts to go on for the rest of the year. He HAD to go for a week.

Just SUCH an important game for the club. I think we play 3 of the top in the next 4 weeks...and given we're missing so many of our guns that buffer may be key. Seems like this season theres just so little between so many.

talk about a non issue/ I Couldnt agree more. Hope they back him up this time. Fans leaning over the fence like that need to pull there head in. Oliver should have walked away but fair dinkum, taking it to the media...weak as [censored]. God I hate Carlton.

I think there's quite a few readers here who would have liked to be watching Jack tomorrow not today. Im still hoping he can crack another chance with us....looking slim now though.

Awesome post! Id forgotten how much I enjoyed that moment. Let hope there is more of such moments to go this season. With all the injuries the optimism of that day feels a bit of a distant memory.

As much as losing Viney and Jones is deflating for the team...I reckon having Hoges back will really lift them. Ive almost forgotten how good he is.