Diamond_Jim

Is there such a place as the wing these days. It seems to me that there is only the player with the ball surrounded by a moving phalanx of 35 players

Interesting concept. I was thinking while watching the Bulldogs game that the concept of a line breaker has changed greatly in recent years. We used to think of it as a player who would run and carry for at least 20-30 metres. Now because of the hard press a player need only run 10 metres before he can effectively break the press or the line as it used to be called. Equally delivery has become even more important than before when the line breaker could usually rely on his target having some open space. Watched Hunt several times at VFL level earlier in the year and he was completely ineffective at any appreciable form of run and carry. I suspect that the press has effectively ended Hunt's former style of play. Not sure if he is able to adapt.

One can just see this season slipping away like the last two. A win at Geelong was always going to be a hard ask but it just got harder. We may still win the three games needed but a win at Geelong would surprise even the greatest optimist. I see that Saturday is predicted to be windy with Sunday much stronger. Might make it hard to score and we could win the lottery in a low scoring game.

find a post by me that says it caused the injuries ... no you won't find one. Playing in 28 degree heat and 80% humidity is not conducive to maximum fitness for a Melbourne based team. That's what I said. We go for the money... there is no other reason whatsoever and it is time it stopped.

A little more promising news about Hunt (2 weeks away). Has a couple of games to force his way into the side for September ... if we get there.

TV exposure.... Darwin was not on FTA and on Foxtel it would have rated 3 men and a dog. NT supporters... come on ... show me the numbers !! The ground only holds 10k and Alice holds 6k most of whom follow the Crows and Port.

It's all your fault MSF (lol) since that post we have lost Stretch, Viney and Hibberd. And of course you have mentioned a few big bears in Gawn and Hogan ? Interesting that Hunt is still showing as 4-5 weeks... hard to see him contributing this season unless we play deep into the finals. Will be an interesting call as to whether they even try to get him back.

If you can find me one sports scientist or professional coach that says that playing in Darwin is a good idea (and by that I don't mean a neutral opinion) then I will agree. Football is a game of inches and we need every advantage we can get. Playing in Darwin is not an advantage.

I would doubt it. An MFC home game so the gate proceeds are ours for what they are worth. May be a contribution towards travel costs but as I understand it the interstate clubs have always had a bigger travel allowance. It's different to say the Port v Suns game in China where the Suns get a decent slice because in the last two years it's been a Suns home game. It just makes no sense whatsoever to take a team from a mid winter environment to play in sub-tropical conditions unless one absolutely has to do it a la the Socceroos last year with games in Thailand and Malaysia.

we whinge about Darwin each year and rightly so. Time the club came out with the financials on the escapade and seriously looked at the revenue it would need to replace the NT funding. $50 each member to avoid the Northern territory or whatever but let's put it on the table and work it out. By the way nothing commercial in confidence about the figures because no other club in its right mind would commit to the Darwin game.

If we target a back up ruckman and I don't disagree with the sentiment how do you ever get VFL time into Flip and of course next year -Anstey. Not to mention developing the skills of relief ruckmen such as we have been doing with Weideman. It was different when we had the development league but that's gone now. PS: Bradtke not Anstey but at least I had my sports right ?

I remember in junior football with the good players that they would play a season on their non preferred foot in order to develop. Made a lot of sense.

if we need to win 4 we are in trouble. Not saying it cannot be done but unlikely. Frankly winning 4 would be a great outcome. Our post bye draw was always horrible but our inability to beat teams in 50/50 games has been what has killed us. Strange because in years gone by it was our flakiness against lower teams that cost us. I can see three more wins at best. If we win 4 or 5 we will be going into the finals on a real roll. With our high percentage 13 wins should do it easily unless we suffer three terrible blow outs.

Yep and that's where the spreadsheet kicks in. What did the salary gurus have planned for Tom Mc and AB at season's start and what has their form as well as interest from other clubs done to those estimates. In a way planning for the solid players is easy by comparison to those like Gus who while we all knew had potential has come from the clouds in the last ten games. FWIW I think Gus will sign but it will make a mess of that salary spreadsheet. Riddle me this... what do you think Fritsch will need to be offered next year and do you think the salary gurus had that one in their spreadsheet.

Well picked DZ even if it took a howler by the keeper to make it so. While not quite hitting the highs of champagne football it was an entertaining match. I thought Croatia's tactics of soft fouling early and often went a long way to stopping France from getting any breakaways. Croatia should be proud. They played a good game but France were the best team of the tournament. Thoroughly enjoyable world cup and my time in Moscow and Kazan will always be a highlight for me. The Russian people in the end made it their world cup and it was a great one. Thanks to you all on this forum .... it's been great to swap thoughts with you all. Mbappe the fist teenager to score in a WC final since Pele... wow that's a big burden to carry. I will always feel lucky to have seen that France v Argentina game where he announced himself to the world. Now for a new coach and the Asian Cup.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-14/star-demon-a-late-out-as-injury-strikes-again Here's a bit more info from the AFL site: "It's a funny one. He was a little bit sore (on Friday), so we had a scan and there were some early signs of stress on that toe and really we didn't want to push him," Goodwin told reporters. "We need to get that right. We don't want to get to a stage where he can't play.

matching a six year deal with some form of loading (front or back who knows) would be a challenge for any club. BTW I heard the Hawks football manager on 3AW saying that Cyril Rioli's would not be in their salary cap next year as he had retired. Understandable but it does open the cap up to some manipulation. A retirement job at Visy or similar perhaps. Not suggesting that was the case for Cyril.

Saints play Giants, Bombers, Hawks and Norf in the the run home. A few wins by them against that lot would not harm our ladder prospects at all. Of the other non contenders probably Brisbane is the only one capable of an upset (perhaps the Dogs and let's hope it's not today.)

Wish him well but it would surprise me greatly if he fires. His VFL form has always been rather good but at AFL level he continually fails. Cannot see why this time would be different. As RBG says although our VFL team wins it has not been very successful in recent times at producing AFL level players. Brayshaw was an anomaly but who was the last player who played say a year at Casey and then established themselves in the AFL side. (Fritsch doesn't count.) Hopefully Petty and Baker start a new trend.

Did Oliver ever play in the VFL? If my memory serves me correctly he played the first round in the seniors after he was drafted.

tickets to the finals are in the main easily got except for the GF and buying a normal membership is really no help in getting a GF ticket. For example in the first few weeks of the finals AFL members can normally buy 5 guest tickets. Melbourne v Richmond in a prelim final is probably the only scenario that would get close to a sell out.

England should have iced the game in the first half. Their second half was woeful but they seemed to wake up a little in extra time. Well done to Croatia. They were the better team probably. If France play to potential it could be a big win but somehow I don't think that will be the case. France 2-1 in normal time. PS: The success of Belgium and Croatia in this World Cup augurs well for the smaller teams. Did we beat or draw with Croatia in 2006? Interesting comments on the academy systems in the guardian. People suggesting that by putting your money into so few(often identified at age 8-10) England is effectively limiting its talent pool.

no sauce..no post on a rumour like that

Good first half between France and Belgium but the game seemed to fizzle out a little after the France goal. England v Croatia ... who knows? Must say I was taken aback by Croatia in the black shirts against Russia. Very reminiscent of the days of Tito etc. England in extra time is my wild guess.

Evaluating the worth of Brayshaw both from a dollar and trade viewpoint would be a challenge. Interesting to see how it works out and where he fits in the relativity spreadsheet. Just hope North don't come in with a silly offer as they are prone to do. Gus deserves the success he is presently having as I am sure we all agree. Glad to see some sensible words about Tom Scully. In hindsight many of us over reacted.