spirit of norm smith

I must say the Bailey Fritsch had an excellent 2022. 55 goals and 5th on the goalkicking table behind Curnow, Lynch, Cameron and Hawkins. He has steadily improved and notably his goalkicking accuracy has improved tremendously. 55.22. An excellent conversion. All the practice which seemed to dessert him in game time finally paid off and he’s become a strong part of the team. Whilst I’m sure he rather be competing and winning the GF, he can hold his head high. Congratulations to Fritsch on an excellent 2022.

Great post. Our defence will be strong with Petty, Lever, May and I think Bowey, Hunt,Salem still forming the nucleus for the back half next year. But we can’t just be that strong defensive team. Footy is putting the score on the board. Our attack through Mids and Forwards will change. I’m still confident that we can beat anyone. We will challenge next year.

Watching all the coverage with the family. My youngest asked if the Queens Birthday traditional match will be switched over to a “Kings Birthday” match. my response “Yes I think so”. If we continue to have the traditional Monday holiday, to respect the current schedule and in a way start a new tradition. Maybe Charles III could be in attendance.

I agree. I was at the Gabba amongst the cheer squad that night and it was amazing in the first half how we ran and kicked deep&centred footy for the forwards and not “cloud-bursters”. It was very attacking and we were on fire. Goalkicking was also easier from a quick centred approach. It was the “power switch”that we thought was going to propel us in the finals. But sadly we reverted back.

I think he summed it up. Unsure why and how the coaches couldn’t fix the continuing forward line dysfunction and the Mids continuing to kick high up and under rainmaker kicks to the forward pockets. Goalkicking accuracy was probably the only thing that the coach didn’t cover. It was something that we thought could be costly and it was.

MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin believes rival teams attacked the "vulnerabilities" of the reigning premier during the second half of the season. Goodwin referenced the side's inefficiency going forward, its inability to deal with pressure situations, and its struggles in retaining big leads as aspects of Melbourne's season that opposition teams preyed upon. "Clubs are no different to what we do. We attack teams' vulnerabilities and clearly there was a pattern throughout the year of what we struggled with. We'll unpack all of them," Goodwin said. "We tried to address it on the run throughout the season and we weren't able to do that to a level where we could get results. We did it to a level to finish second on the ladder, which I'm incredibly proud of. "But, once again, in finals your vulnerabilities find you. They find you in big games where it matters and if they're not corrected, they'll keep finding you. We've got to go away and fix it." Goodwin said a disjointed second half of the season ultimately caught up with his side. "It's devastating, the result. There's no question about that. I can only imagine our supporters and how they would feel. Our players and staff are all feeling exactly the same," Goodwin said. "Clearly, to give up 70 points in the second half … you've got to give credit to Brisbane. The game swung a bit back their way. We weren't able to execute the basics of the game for long enough in the phases that we really value. "We speak about this a lot. In finals, generally your vulnerabilities come out in games and we've had some throughout the second half of the year. When we've lost games of footy, teams have been able to impact in the second half of games and mow down leads. It happened again tonight. "It's certainly not a shock, in terms of that. That's been a pretty consistent theme for us when we've been beaten, so we've got some work to do.

202 pages !!! Wow. Can’t wait to hear the news and the thoughts of what to do with the draft picks

Yes I’d be keeping Petty in the backline. It ain’t broken. There’s the need for the Mids to connect better with the forwards. Lessons over the summer on kicking to forwards, kicking to space and kicking as direct penetrating kicks (not high rainmaker kicks)

Has to do with the Crows getting Dees 2022 1st round and then traded to Swans for Jordan Dawson deal. Wish we had Dawson. Nonetheless JVR was worth the trade and hoping he’s another JT success.

Excellent win by Casey. Not quite a painkiller for last nights nightmare, but at least the club & supporters have a reason to look forward to next week. Great to see Bowey, Chandler and Tmcd all showing why they should have played last night. Weideman was excellent in the ruck but he was only against Lions 19yo 4th level ruck in Henry Smith. Bedford had a good game as did Turner, Tomlinson, Baker and Dunstan. JVR will be very good. AMW can be a bright spark with guidance and a Choco’s development academy !! Howes has some nice moves and will be better with a full preseason Really hope Casey can win the GF. It’d be a great boost for the youngsters and a reward for the vets like Mitch Brown (and Munro and White).

Absolutely been on the JVR train since last year. Keeps showing how smart and physical he is. Very good year development at VFL level. If he is fit and has a preseason in the gym, surely he’s a lock for round 1, 2023.

Bowey showing up the poor decision to leave him out. Clearly an elite ball user. And he’s never lost a finals game !!!

2022 positives 1. TRAC IS A STAR ⭐️ 2. CLARRY IS A STAR ⭐️ Brownlow 🤞 3.THE KOZZZY SHOW 🚀 (wish it was on weekly) loved the goal v blues … goal of the year for Dees 4. FRITSCH GOT BETTER AND BETTER 🚀- loved his goal v Swans 5. 2nd Position on the ladder (about right … Cats deserved top spot and premiership favourites) 6. 65000 members 7. 7-0 interstate record 8. ALL AUSTRALIAN FOR MAY, GAWN, CLARRY & TRAC 9. Long term contracts for Gus, Clarry and Trac 10. Big crowds back at the MCG 11. Petty had a full year and is very very good - signed until 2025 12. positive Lingers was very very good 13. JVR showed really positive signs at Casey 14. Casey 16-1. (And who knows how finals will end )

A big preseason for JVR and Howes. Good signs but still very young. AMW is showing why he’s earned another year.

1/2 time ⭐️Munro Bowey Tomlinson ✅Tmcd Chandler Grey Dunstan Baker It’s a shame Bowey and Tmcd not playing last night. Tmcd is much more physical and better contested mark than BBB

Posted whilst angry, disappointed, frustrated etc etc. Feel like for all the years we’ve been downtrodden, our team is really good and could’ve won it again. Really disappointed in the decisions made by several repeat offenders. I know they’re not spuds. Btw there was some positives in the star ⭐️ ratings.

Already lock in for round 1 2023 Ins. Tmcd. JVR. Howes. Bowey outs. Melksham. Spargo. Sparrow. Rivers.

Ins. Tmcd. JVR. Howes. Bowey outs. Melksham. Spargo. Sparrow. Rivers.

Dees got to look for more skill and speed. Too many chances for BBB, Spargo, Melksham, Sparrow and Neal-Bullen. Just footballers. Gave us nothing for too many weeks. Our goal scoring covered up by Fritsch and Kozzzy. Dees need JVR and Tmcd and find another true “goalkicking” forward to at least replace Spargo.

Originally it was 2x first rounders. But he’s value has dropped and he’s lost all sense and smarts in his game. “Captain fumbles”. In the air and on the ground. So much potential. So very very disappointing. I’ll feeling I’ll. I’ll take whatever we can get. Freo 1st round 2022 and Freo future 2nd round 2023 for Jackson.

So sad and farewell 2022 6-Trac ⭐️- battled through pain. Clearly our best. On one leg and he’s still a star. 5-Clarry ⭐️- scragged and gouged all night. Battled and tackled (12 tackles) and showed he’s a warrior 4-Petty ⭐️- battled all night and saved 3 certain goals. Great effort. Great year. 3-Harmes 👍🏻- better. Clean disposal. One grab footy. 2-Langdon 👍🏻- ran and ran and ran and kicked and was again in the best 1- ANB. Ok. Just gets a vote due to his 1st half. But generally disappeared after 1/2 time. Runs into trouble. At least got two good goals. Kozzzy ok - good 1st half but his miss in the 4th (in the goalsquare… No lions ) was unforgivable Hibbo Ok - battled and generally beat Cameron May - ok. Beaten but battling on. Hipwood showed his athletic ability and perhaps batter without competing with Daniher. Brayshaw ok - tagged Neale(why?) but generally looked tired. Good goal in 4th. Hunt - ok. Nothing terrible but nothing enlightening. Did his job. Fritsch - ok had a great year but had two costly turnovers. Two goals but was a little off tonight. 💩Salem -just looked slow. Was he even fit. Disposal not sharp at all. Kicks to the clouds not direct. Disappointed. 🤯Viney - ouch - had to say, heart of a lion and tackles all night but too often took wrong decision. Missed goal chance in 3rd quarter was costly. 🤯Gawn - start of ‘22, mentioned at best in the comp. But he looked tired. Hitouts to no one. Better with a big punch. Tapped it mostly to Neale and Zorko in 2nd half. 🤯Lever - good discipline in defence so then why???? A goal down and gives up an obvious 50. Why?? Arrogance ?? The spuds -1🥶Melksham- one good play then disappears. Wtf. Very disappointing. -2🥔Ben Brown - unable to mark and lead. Is he fit or strong enough. Dropped countless marks. -3🥔Jackson - omg. Fumbles all the time. So many dropped marks. Handballing to other players under pressure. Shines in 2-3 passages then nothing. Ummm. So disappointing. -4🥔Spargo - smart but essentially physically too weak. Tackled too easily. -5🥔Rivers - ran into trouble and panicked and fumbled. Costly mistakes. -6🥔 Sparrow - terrible all night. Missed goals. Missed opportunities. Cost us. Dumb tackles. Career worst game by far.

How bad is everyone tonight? sorry apologies to petty

Summary

Why Jackson you are so thick

3rd qtr Sparrow 🥔🥔 spargo🥔 harmes 🥔 Viney miss 🥔 Fritsch turnovers 🥔 gawn turnover 🥔 Trac 😘😘😘 anb 👍🏻 Jackson 🤮handball to May surrounded rivers🤮 run and fumbles and dropping the ball no matter what … it’s the worst game of the year we couldn’t beat the cats next week