Lucifers Hero

Not to mention the fixture impact of covid related border issues already affecting the AFL. Not the ideal time to go from VFL/NEAFL leagues to an Eastern League. We may end up changing the fixture and Vic teams play Vic teams for a few months as they did with the early rounds of AFLW.

It will be interesting to see if either Hibberd or Melksham come back this week, especially as there is no Casey practice match for them to improve match fitness. If they don't, it gives a very strong message that regardless of experience or past performance they need to force their way into the side rather than be automatic starts. Having said that I would be surprised if Melksham doesn't play vs GWS - not so sure about Hibberd.

salary-cap-score Salary cap space after 2021 HAVES (with room): Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Adelaide. HAVE-NOTS: Richmond, West Coast, Collingwood, Melbourne, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast, Greater Western Sydney. SOME WRIGGLE ROOM: Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions. UNCLEAR: St Kilda, Sydney Player payments, including ASAs, are $13,165,950 in 2021, a cut of 9 per cent due to the pandemic. Player payments for 2022 are slated to be $14,769,322 if there are no cuts. All subject to the current contracts and without factoring in recruiting at season’s end or re-negotiations. We have some expensive traded-in players with 2-4 years to go on their contracts. Add the sal cap reductions and the AFL advice to clubs to transfer the reductions from the near term to later years ie back end the contracts. Not a fan of too many back-ended contracts as it is easy to get into strife - see Collingwood circa 2020. These factors will make our sal cap tight for a few years yet. Not sure our 'lesser-lights' and older players, whose contracts expire this year would be on big coin so I don't see much wriggle room there. So I can see why negotiations with Oliver will take time (ditto with Salem).

No whispers yet from Geelong re appealing Rohan's 2 week suspension. Gone to ground after last week's 4-day pro Danger media campaign failed spectacularly. They should read the writing on the wall and know that any head high contact that results in concussion will be shown no mercy. See Sam Reid's 2 match suspension for bump on Fye. Edit: Fox are reporting that Geelong have accepted Rohan's 2 week suspension. Wise.

Coaches votes: 9 Christian Salem (MELB) 9 Clayton Oliver (MELB) 5 Max Gawn (MELB) 3 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB) 2 Christian Petracca (MELB) 1Jack Steele (STK) 1 Adam Tomlinson (MELB) Split: 4/5 for Salem and Oliver 2/3 for Gawn 3 for Kozzie 2 Petracca 1 Steele 1 Tomlinson Coaches saw the Salem, Oliver and Gawn performances similarly. The other 4 were quite diverse. Good to see Salem get recognition for a great game. Not easy to get votes as a defender. LEADERBOARD 19 Dustin Martin RICH 18 Taylor Walker ADEL 16 Darcy Moore COLL 16 Clayton Oliver MELB 12 Dan Houston PORT

I'm beginning to wonder if there is room for Petty. Think he was an emergency but haven't heard much about him for a while. I wouldn't bring him for the sake of it - our back 6 is functioning very well with really good understanding. If we were to change it, he isn't who I would bring in as lacking AFL experience and working with a settled back 4-6. His time will come but don't think this is the time.

The only thing stopping us beating GWS is ourselves. Two good wins (albeit vs wounded prey) and a game vs GWS, another wounded team. While we've had injuries they are far less significant. It is the type of game where our players get ahead of themselves and become cocky thinking a win will just happen. We need to turn up and play 120 minutes of committed football. No 'drinking of bathwater', please. It will be a test of what is going on between the ears.

The cola was a few years ago now and they paid a high price and imv an unfair price, for 'stealing' Buddy from under the Giant's noses. The Swans are one of the best managed clubs in the AFL. They are well coached and seem to be excellent at player development - a lot of rookies become success stories at the Swans. I don't begrudge them.

Swans have a dream fixture: Teams they play twice: Suns, Giants, Ess, Freo and Saints. Only the Saints made finals last year Very hard to see the Swans not make finals this year and with that fixture they may even end up top 4..

North's complete failure against the Suns doesn't bode well for staying in Victoria. If they can't get a few wins and some decent crowds this year Tassie may be their new home in a year or two.

When is a suspension not a suspension? patrick-dangerfield-geelong-suspension-tribunal-vfl-practice-match Suspended players are being allowed to play in VFL practice matches. Not sure that is in the spirit of suspensions as commented in the article. I would think this 'allowance' by the AFL would not apply to VFL games for premiership points. imv, if suspended then suspended from all comps. Otherwise players could go and play in the lower (than VFL) comps just to keep up some match fitness. Then where does it stop?.

Thanks godees. I don't see that view of the AFL website on my android devices. Could you post or pm to me the link please.

Talking of gaining territory, nearly all our team kicked more than they hand-balled last night which to me, says we are now playing a 'territory' game. This is a shift away from the frantic 'chaos' ball game. We still have that but added a few more strings to our bow. Another string to our game plan bow which I noted a few weeks ago: The game plan now seems to be 'attack' (ala Tigers/Bulldgos) thru the Langdon wing for his speed and 'control' (ala Eagles/Cats) thru the Brayshaw wing for his smarts and vision. That is not to say we didn't try and play a 'control' game before just that we appeared to not have clearly defined or clearly understood roles so it didn't work too often. To me the Brayshaw and Langdon roles are becoming quite clear and team mates are learning how fit into those roles. Its still early in the season but it seems we have gone from being good at a one dimensional 'chaos' game to having an effective multi dimensional 'chaos'/'control'/'territory' game. I like it. I like it a lot!!

I've been a critic of one aspect of Oliver's game: lack of impact. Well, he certainly turned that around last night! He found space, had almost as many kicks as he did handballs (17/22), many of his kicks were sharp and went deep into the fwd line. I don't know where to get 'metres gained' stats but I would expect it to be very high, perhaps the highest he has achieved. It is close to his best ever game: a very balanced game played at an exceptionally high level with significant impact. Hope the Brownlow casting umpires take note. He doesn't get enough love from them.

Might have to barrack for Pies to beat Adelaide. Would rather play North in the first elim. Altho Feo has been ordinary of late, especially away from home.

If we end up 3rd we play North who are locked in at 6th.

Yes, 3rd and 4h play 6th and 5th respectively at their Home ground. We can't drop below 4th so the only question is who will be our opp.

We can fear no-one. Last 3 weeks wins over Lions, Crows and Freo. Bring on the finals. Lets hope Daisy can make it next week. Woo Hoo!. Home final!!

Time to switch to wet weather football. Get it fwd any way possible.

If we finish 3rd or 4th we get a Home final next week. Heaps to play for! Finish 4th and we play Freo at Home.

Roos beat Freo. Wouldn't mind meeting Freo in the first week of final. Their last 3 games: unconvincing last minute win vs Carlton, loss to Dees now a loss to Roos. On a bright note: Roos win snuffs out Carlton's chances of making the finals

Just read that the game will go ahead - Lions have been given an exemption by the State Gov't.

AFL has conceded it should have been a free to Bailey in the goal square. Hope karma comes back and bites Geelong in the backside.

Game scheduled to start in about 90 mins. Anyone know if its going ahead or even if Brisbane arrived in Melbourne this morning? Unfortunately can't find anything on AFL, MFC or Lions websites, twitter. Anyone down at Casey?

Looks like Geelong will make 'roughing up champion players' their 'one-wood'. Hope our players protect Oliver and Petracca, Geelong's likely targets, more than the Lions did Neale. They let him down badly in the first half.