spirit of norm smith

At the end of 2019, I was very keen on MFC drafting Hayden Young due to his elite delivery and he is able to perfectly play the modern quarterback type role. He’s also a good mark and decision maker. But happy that we got LJ and also Kozzy. Thd excitement of JTs face was priceless alone. Their mateship alongside Riv and excitement has brought us a lot and the premiership that we waited so long for. Good luck to Young and I think Freo have a definite 200+ game player in him.

Could I just hire him as our Forwards & goalkicking coach !!!

Yes agree it’s not Lobb for LJ … he’s as steak knives with 1st round draft pick. But Lobb does have the ability to kick goals and relieve ruck which is what we would need to aim to get to replace LJ if he goes.

Yes on reading they have quite good views and analysis. Thanks for the post WJ

I agree. Lobb would be a suitable trade and give us what we need. But I heard he wants to go to the Dogs. Surely we are a better match if LJ goes.

Yes it’s a question asked every week Why do we consistently have a high count of inside 50 and a very low conversion rate (ie as Goody says “we need to improve our connection going into forward 50”) Reason 1. Kicking into forward 50 is often a “bomb” , up and under high kick. It gives the defenders time to set and often it’s a heavily congested marking contest. I can’t think of any player who drills with bullet like accuracy or elite skill into 50 or thinks of ‘space’. Not our superstars Trac nor Clarry, not Viney not Harmesy not Brayshaw not even Salem. We saw a snapshot of an effective lower skilled pass when Langdon kicked to Fritsch in the first qtr v Swans for our first goal. It gave the forward to run and ability to mark in front. That’s the template. Reason 2. As we have debated all year, why do we predominantly kick to the forward pockets instead of the hot-spot. Reason offerred by others is because it means we can lock in the footy and it is proven to reduce other teams scoring on a rebound. Ffs. I get it’s statistically better for defence. But if you kick into forward50, it’s with strong intent to score not to defend. Kicking to the pocket allows the defence to get the ball across the boundary line and reset. Or if you win it, it’s a tougher shot at goal. MFC even had 5 out of bounds on the full from kicks into the forward50 with deep unpressurized entries. (And by the way, our kicking into forward pockets is getting so fu@$($&n predictable).

Not sure which way LJ will decide. But having a look through the Dockers list to see if any add-on players could be in a Jackson deal. Sure we could ask for Haydn Young or Andy Brayshaw but we need to be realistic. We could ask for Freo 1st round pick for 2022 & 2023 & a player. Ruckman Lloyd Meek could be a good backup for Max Gawn. Meek is a huge 203 cms 105 kgs. Behind Darcy as the key ruckman. Another is youngster Josh Treacy could be one to consider. He’s a solid tough young key forward from country Victoria. Still developing and just turned 20yo. If we think that Tmcd is close to the end, BBB has probably only 2023 left given his knee issues and the Weid is not the answer, then we need another young key forward to be alongside JVR in years to come. Might be worth checking in on Treacy’s availability as a handy set of “added steak knives” in a deal.

Yes it was stupid. Deserved the 50 penalty. But yes common sense prevails and only a fine.

50 goal Dockers in front !!!

Thanks ET. I had mentioned this earlier. It sounds odd to play with a “broken leg” but it’s the magnitude and location of the fracture. I think it’s a huge risk. Huge. One week possibly. But potentially for 3 matches is unbelievable. It’s the doctor and the clubs call.

It all depends on the Jackson decision. If he leaves, we have additional trade bargaining power. Then we’d have to go with a cheaper back fwd/ruck like Haydn McLean or Ratugolea. I do love the thoughts of making an offer for Georgiades if or when his contract is coming up. No wonder JT was looking at him back in 2019 draft.

Agree. Huge risk. Probably could get through one week with rest and on painkillers but for 3 straight weeks is a huge risk. Trust in the doctors to make the right call.

Definitely Petty has had a great year. His form seems to be getting better and he’s become a key part of our team. His defence is A grade. His marking also is strong. Have to remember he’s only 22 still.

Was moving ok in the 2nd half. Expect to play with painkillers most likely

Well written and nailed it. - cute little flicks or handballs in congested clearances is another game strategy to be punted. No more volleyball!!

Watched the game and then had a painful look at the highlights of the game and also watched Jake Levers comments post match. We cost ourselves and gave up goals which hurt us. Yes looking back there’s a lot of work to do and composure is critical under pressure. We slipped last night but we get up and go again. 1. Lever stumbles and slips and doesn’t take the option to Brayshaw. Drops it when trying to kick. 😭 Goal to Hayward 2. Forward stoppage. swans clearance. Goal to Rowbottom (he was very good all night) 3. Umpires 🤮hang your heads in shame.🤮 Soft free to swans for a May elbow to Franklin then 50 penalty for Franklin running at May and getting bumped 4. Gawn trying 9-iron chip in back 50 to Hunt. 😭 Turnover and papley goals. 5. Jackson 😭taps it down to Mills to goal 6. Rivers panics 😭and kick OOB on the full. Stephens is a gun and slots it from 50 on a45angle 7. Mills tries to break free, tackles by Oliver …🤮umps no free? 🤮… picked up by Papley good goal 8. Harmes - love ya but you can cost us. Split section too slow in disposal. 😭Grubber ball to 50. Lloyd omg kicks a great angle goal. 9. May error trying to access corridor from defence. 😭Turnover. Reid marks. Kozzy 😭gives away a soft 50 (🤮umps !! ) 11. Reid - good mark and kick from 50. A good goal. Fair enough. 12. Warner to runner Mills to put perfect kick to Hickey who marks 15 metres out (simply outsmarted Maxy ) 13. Harmesy 😭😭😭😭flattens Lloyd unnecessarily and 50 and goodnight 14 . Overlap run by swans chaos ball - row bottom to Heeney - its over!!! Some very costly mistakes. Simply last night hurt but we can fix it. I’m sure we can respond.

ANB had a very poor year and yes gone backwards. He seemed to click in 2022 but somehow reverted to fumbling, turnovers, missed shots at goal and missed tackles. If he kicks the two shots last night, we were back in business. Goal accuracy is poor … 7 goals (16 behinds) in 22 games as a permanent half forward. He’s endurance is his strength but that’s not enough when you’re footy basics are below average. Dees outs ANB Melksham ins Bedford JVR/Tmcd Lions IN - Rayner Answerth Fort out. BigO (concussed) Ahchee Robinson/Wilmot Dees In- 1. composure with the footy (we miss him in games of pressure v pies v swans ) 2. Ability who can kick the footy to find a target inside 50 (played the first qtr v swans than strangely disappeared) 3. a heartbeat and intensity … you’ve got to show a walking on glass mentality in finals. Some of our players were simply folding under pressure 4 , winning clearances (surely a tap down by out dominant ruckman is useless when the players are stationary or use butterfly handballs) - who’s on the move? out. 1.- get rid of reckless ill disciplined footy (teams suck us in ) 2. risky kicks in back 50 … strangely brought in and must go immediately 3. ; fumbles fumbles fumbles ; 4. KICKING TO THE POCKETS ALL THE TEAM. MUST BE DROPPED. Hes been in all year and is symbolic of a poor conversion rate ( we do it to reduce opposition rebounding and scoring … ffs you have to score yourself) . 5-6 good scoring opportunities were wasted but stupid kicks that actually on 3-4 occasions went out of bounds on the full… ffs drop this kicking to the pockets;

ANB had a very poor year and yes gone backwards. He seemed to click in 2022 but somehow reverted to fumbling, turnovers, missed shots at goal and missed tackles. If he kicks the two shots last night, we were back in business. Goal accuracy is poor … 7 goals (16 behinds) in 22 games as a permanent half forward. He’s endurance is his strength but that’s not enough when you’re footy basics are below average.

Lions IN - Rayner Answerth Fort out. BigO (concussed) Ahchee Robinson/Wilmot Dees names are just names it’s our style that was lacking and Longmire simply outsmarted us and his players “owned us” again In - composure; someone who can kick the footy to find a target inside 50; a heartbeat for some players, ; winning clearances out. - reckless ill disciplined footy; risky kicks in back 50 ( Gawn 🤮🤮🤮) ; fumbles fumbles fumbles ; kicking to the pockets;

Sorry to earlier posters - I love Gus Brayshaw but tonight he was in the bottom “poor” category 11 turnovers!! And fumbled it and didn’t create any real movement probably his worst game of 2022

Christian Petracca alteady a champion of the game love him MFC premiership player norm smith medal bull of a midfielder but two things … 1. stay hungry … looking like his playing fancy little delicate handballs and tackles being missed 2. He must must must sort out your goalkicking. It’s a huge knock on him and imv stops him from being elite … he’s not confident and his routine is poor. Straights and simple levers are the key !!!

78,700 fans 30,000 swans 35,000 Dees 13,700 casual observers!!

Really ?? Yes should have kicked 4 or 5 Melksham 🤮 Melksham🥔 slips and stumbles and Spargo🥔 stops and has it smothered Sparrow hits the post Gawn 🤮 Trac running inside 30 and … misses 🚑

Still believe it's the kicking into the forward linethat hurts us.

Yes must have had gastro through the club They looked tired and swans could have won by 7-8 goals