spirit of norm smith

Rusty rides again. I love it. Harmes is the type who loves the contest. Give him some raw meat and unleash him. But importantly give him the prey. This week it is Steele or Billings. It’s that type of assignment needed for Harmes4 right now.

QUESTION TO ALL during the warm up, the Bulldogs were practicing their centre square routine with Ruck and mids. At bounce and clearance work to forward leading option. The field umpires were helping out by going through their warm up bounces. This was for 7-8 routines. Is this encouraged? Can we have equal time? Can the MFC request this for our next game? Can we have the boundary umpire also help with pregame ball ins???? It seemed strange to me. Albeit smart by the Dogs.

Just to reassure. I’m a big fan of Kozzy. I just hope he gets the development that has been so lacking in our program over many years. I just had some observations.

That means Gawn and Rivers Sparrow and Preuss out Hannan and Vandenburg and Kozzy will be lucky and Spargo relieved. Love to see Bennell and Baker and Bedford given the chances to show their pace.

Absolutely love Kysaiah (“ Kozzzzzzy “) Pickett. He brings the excitement to the game and is the small forward we need to bring the pressure and the energy to our forward 50. But he is still a raw kid who needs coaching. I have watched both the Pies and Bulldogs games live and have some coaching observations. 1- Kozzy gets sucked up the ground too much especially v the dogs. In general play, he has been brought upfield too much leaving us with no forward crumbers. HE NEEDS TO BE INSTRUCTED TO STAY IN THE FORWARD 50. That’s where he is truly dangerous. Not on the HFF or wing where he is consumed and tackled in traffic. Get him either 1 on 1 or at the feet of Weid or running around the goals. We lacked the forward pressure and crumbing. Where was the front and centre roving which we saw against the Pies. 2- Kozzy needs to stop flying into packs to take the mark. Twice v Bulldogs we had Weid, Fritsch and Kozzy all flying together in a pack. Guess what. No one down to get the crumbs. Twice the footy came out the back to the dogs to run it out. 3- Kozzy loves to snap the footy across his body. Twice he hit the post on Saturday which would have been crucial goals. It’s unlucky but both times he could have steadied for a regular drop punt. Everyone loves a Stevie J snap but sometimes a regular kick is better. Just some observations which I’m sure our Supercoach will be fully across.

I hope Bedford and Bennell are ready. Would replace Pickett and Vandenburg who were both out of their depth v dogs.

Goodwin - Here’s a collection of 3 words... no effen idea lost the plot outcoached by Beveridge Got to Go No Plan B

Agree. His footy IQ is poor and not the answer imo. I know others don’t agree, but I think the Kangas could look at him and whilst a punt, we could try to grab the out of favour Mason Wood off the Roos as a swap.

After watching the Saints today, we WILL need the speed of Rivers and Baker. It’s that obvious that our outside speed needs 2-3 additions. I also thought Salem was caught out several times and his legs couldn’t keep up at crucial times.

Joel Smith will definitely be traded at year end. He will ask to be traded imo. Baker and Rivers must play v Saints. Need them to match Hill and Jones for pace.

Not sure why Melksham was stand in skipper v Kangas !!! Steven May should be the next leader and in as skipper if Gawn and Viney are not available.

no Plan B sums up Goodwin. we got matched in contested possessions and beaten on the spread we refused to tag Bont or Macrae

Agree it’s ambiguity at best. I watched the dons v tigers and Dusty on 2 occasions moved sideways along the mark and imo over it. No call. The ridiculous inconsistency is painful. Melkshams 50 was at a crucial stage in the game as it broke the game to the dogs.

I’m still laughing at Mahoney. Tomlinson played his best footy at CHB or CHF for Giants. That’s why he needs to play CHB for Dees.

Hunter and JJohannnnnnsen were laughing. Simply walked around Vandenburg and Sparrow. They knew they had the leg speed. Goodwin was too slow to realise it. We need outside mids. I’d draft 3 young kids in the draft exactly for this. That’s the priority. short term - Baker must come in. He must be given a chance. And memo to Goodloss. Let him run and run.

Absolutely. Goodloss has no idea. Kept Harmes at half back but he was lost. We needed to TAG THE BONT or TAG MACRAE. No let them run free. Ffs. Harmes needed to go to either. He can tag and get into the contest.

Simply have to give him a chance. Baker has pace. We need pace !!! It was our deficiency v dogs and v Saints last year. In baker’s first game , he had burst to get it, get clear and run. By game 4, he was stopping to handball. His natural pace and run had been outcoached from him by Goodwin. Baker needs to be given the next 2 games in the wing opposite Langdon. If he fails, then he is on the edge and likely could be delisted. But give him a go !!!!!

Umps were rubbish. But didn’t necessarily cause our loss But 3 things need explaining 1- dogs 50 to gift them a goal in 3rd qtr. was Melksham stupid or wrong? He didn’t go over the mark. He went to the side just like when someone marks in the deep defense and they prevent the switch. There was no warning. 2- push when kicking. It’s not downfield. It’s a retake. Got to ask for clarification (Goodwin??) 3- when it’s not advantage? Viney free kick and Vandenburg has the ball, advantage called but Vdberg says no (hand up) as a bulldog is right next to him. He gets tackled. Ump pings him for holding the ball. Clarification(Goodwin)

Two tackles yesterday. About 6 missed tackles. Did you watch the game ? He was so slow the Bulldogs defenders walked around him.

outs. Sparrow (inj). Tmcd slow Vdberg ineffective Hannan clueless Pickett unlit dynamite - looks dangerous but harmless Preuss huge heart but lacks smarts Spargo little boy in a mans game in. Brown Baker Bedford Rivers Bennell Gawn c.wagner Why? Brown replaces Tmcd Baker for pace Bedford replaces Pickett Rivers has run and skill. Bennell kicks goals Gawn is our skipper and a star, C.wagner can actually compete lockhart. May. lever Hibberd. Tomlinson. Salem Langdon. Viney. Baker Melksham. Brown. Bennell Bedford Weid Fritsch Gawn Petracca oliver Rivers c.wagner brayshaw Harmes

6 May 5 Lever Naughton and Bruce were nothing. 4 Langdon kept running when others simply stopped 3 Viney his gut running and centre clearances were competitive 2 Tomlinson he was steady and CHB is his position 1 Weid presented well but often ignored when free apologies to Hibberd who actually ran and took on the game yet Wallis goals were costly

Slow. slow. slow. he was too easily stepped around by both defenders. then he was half hearted. Offered nothing around the ground when he went into the ruck. his fumble in the last to gift the bulldogs a goal was a game killer has to be dropped this week

Excellent summary. Add in “dumb footy and decision making”, in fact I’ll do a separate thread.

Wallis. Really !!!!

EXACTLY. NO TAG ON BONT. NO TAG ON MACRAE