stranga

Rivers is no longer in our best 22. Slow, average skills, no run out of defence. Doesnt suit the way we play with our link up out of defence.

Agree, this notion of not having to support the team just because you don tlike the stadium doesnt wash with me. Theres no real excuse its only a train station away from the G.

i dont condone the breaches but seems completely over the top and ridiculous, particularly not being able to earn points this yr. Would the penalty have been the same for a NSW club?

The paper says that Watts was beaten by Reid on the day but 20 odd disposals sounds like a solid effort to me.

2 weeks for a "flu" for blease?

As much as we all want Scully to keep playing and developing, realistically he may go this week with newton. Id rather he stayed in by the way but its just my gut feel.

So no one thinks Cheney has earned a game? They have talked him up in the VFL reports and has been emergency already.

I reckon the final bench will be Macdonald, Bennell, McKenzie, Cheney. Suppose they might treat Scully like everyone else and punish him for the recent poor disposal.

Would probably have liked to see Batram go and Strauss stay in. Please no Spencer.

Hehe Well im just saying, jumping the gun on potential/comparisons can lead to bitter disappointment. I think grigic was meant to be the "next Garry lyon".

Agree, for all we know he is the next Brent Grigic. Im over the potential talk.

Obviously Jetta's got OP, which is really disappointing as we could do wih him grunt and tackling at the moment.

A bout of food poisoning causing a forfeit is our only hope people. If 18 pies players tak ethe field we will lose people.

The ‘experience’ thing in my opinion is over rated. Just because a bloke has played more games it doesn’t mean he is meant to be better. For instance, Miller is a lot more experienced than Roughead, but Miller never was or never will be as good. You have to measure it on talent, and the facts are Hawthorns core players are more talented and better coached than ours regardless of age. By core players Im talking about the ones who are guaranteed selections each week.

Funny how i got absolutely caned throughout the preseason for my negative comments towards Miller and for trying to push my belief that he is not an AFL player and not in our best 22, yet now that everyone has finally realised it its perfectly ok to have a thread which contains direct critisisms of him. It great to finally see people have woken form their naivity. Anyway back to the point, I know its logical to think that playing youngsters in place of experienced players would give rise to a bigger belting, given how badly some of the senior players played (miller, bruce, dunn etc) would it be plausible that some of the kids like cheney, Maric, Jetta may actually put in a more competitive, spirited performance given the lack of support these "leader" provide anyway? I think the quicker we weed out some of these so called experienced players the better.

If the players arent going to play with pride and put in the minimum effort we expect then why should we pay them the respect of staying and watching the rubbish they serve up. No one expect us to be world beaters but we expect minimum effort, intensity and professionalism. I have no issue with supporters leaving early from a game like Saturdays. I suppose you expect people to also clap the players off the field after such a weak effort? We as supporters are not here to soley serve the players, we deserve some respect in return for our emotional and monetary contributions.

Its going to get ugly, very ugly. We are incapable of matching them in any part of the game. They are going to physically monster us. Seeing the way the punished the bulldogs turnovers can you imagine what they will do to us. I predict a margin of 80-100

Agree on spencer, just terrible. Has no attributes other than being tall. Sick of melbourne drafting that type of big man and hoping they will develop into something. Warnock's spot surely has to be under threat. He was well beaten in all the pre season games and looked slow yesterday. Also was unable to cope physically yesterday. Martin should be given a chance in the backline and frawley dropped back to full back.

I honestly believe we are now in crisis. Three years with no improvement in any of the key areas. While i admit Trengove and scully were positives out of the game, that is on a small scale compared to the deep rooted fundamental issues we have with this football team and its attitude, game plan, skills and tactics. When we look at this teams development over the last 3 years rather than just yesterdays performance, do we have to admit we are pretty much now in crisis?

The rumours about lack of morale and faith in the coach is a massive concern and i think the decision to extend Baileys contract so early was a massive mistake. I know Bailey is another Rhode, Schwab or Frawley and that these three years will have to be a write off. Have we unknowingly put our faith in a board that is just as bad as the previous ones in terms or football decisions? Scott West was on SEN earlier and showed an absolute lack of passion or remorse when discussing how we played. Also he seems to be a very poor communicator in my opinion.

Yeah add mckenzie to that, but no i thoght Grimes was disappointing in the first half when it matters most. Was unseen.

Hand ball round in circles in defensive 50 to flat footed players until you get tackled or turn it over because of our poor skills.

Agreed. Hit attempt at trying to turn on his opponent near the boundary line in the second quarter was embarrassing. Turning circle of an elephant. Looks to be in slow motion constantly.

Any idea how watts went today??? Injury free?

"We have to get games into our young players. Dont worry that even though the hawks were younger they still managed to show intensity and game plan, we just need 5 years to show any form of improvement. Trust me."