Earl Hood

At 186 cm I doubt he is that much taller. Tappy was 180 cm?

Well yes DC if he has Swanny's ability to read where the ball is going to be but that is what I was trying to say in the first place. I best give up my point, that was that Petracca's extraordinary build is no real advantage in modern footy unless you have half a dozen other tricks in your kit. Anyway let us move on he is going to be a gun, its obvious, just look at him.

Pro I am glad you got a laugh. But I think you missed my point. Petracca has not played a game yet, we all have our fingers crossed hoping he is a gun but comments about his massive build is no indicator of future success as we all know. I was trying to point out that a build like his which is almost identical to the likes of Kekovich of the 70's once gave one an advantage but not in the modern era of hard running, endurance midfielders who carry much less muscle these days. Anyway I am sure this will have you fits.

Let's hope he has some serious talent because his body type is not modern AFL that is more about leaner endurance type physiques. Slamming Sammy, Kink, Conlan types worked in the crash and bash era of the 70's and 80's but not sure now. His physique may work against him. Hopefully he has some explosive acceleration and knows where the ball is going and is there when it arrives.

No WJ they haven't but I can't see why Freo would want to win this one. They have top spot sown up and they would want to make the Dorks finals campaign as hard as possible, that means not helping them get top 2 but making them travel as much as possible. Just wondering if coaches can change how games are played by changing their normal tactics. An example from the past was the Krueser Cup where the Blues chose not to man up on TJ to the tune of 42 possessions so if you let a play maker have a free run the game opens up. Anyway it may turn out to be the usual brutal affair but all that will do is aid the Dorks quest for 3 in a row which seems almost inevitable at this stage.

Rjay perhaps it is Ruck rover and pinch hit in the ruck while Max is fit. If Max goes down then Stef takes over. If we got Steff we could make some decisions on Spencil and Jamar for next year. It Would be interesting experiment as both these guys can cover some ground and get to contests so opposition balls kicked in the air become a problem for them as we have two pretty good aerialists blocking movement forward.

Please come home we need you. Neeld is long gone.

Anyone else expecting a very free running offensive derby over in WA this week? I wonder if the coaches have had a chat. The last thing they need is a bone crunching Derby battle where they both drop the following match as well.

Interesting we have gone from 12 players injured around about round 4 through to round 16 or so when we dropped down to 6 injured for a short while, then it is now back to 9. Now most of our injuries are from our top 25 players so we have played only at about 60% potential all year. If it all came together next season it could be interesting! Here is hoping.

Very talented but too injury prone I am afraid. We can't take the chance. Another top club could perhaps.

You don't remember 2002 in Bali or then again 2004, the tsunami? No overseas holidays in the off season for our guys. Too dangerous!

So unlike the rest of Demondland of course!

Good point I thought Toumpas turned the corner in that match. He had a blinder in the third quarter if I remember correctly, 11 possessions and set up a number of goals but then a week or two later he was gone? I think too that Etihad might suit him and if over the flu maybe its time to have another look.

Hmmm it could be a young Bob Geldolf wearing a hoodie pre Live Aid. I think.

I would be happy for us to cycle a few marginal players through in the last 4 games so we can have a good look before end of season decision time and perhaps to lift their tradability. . Fitzpatrick please! Toumpas, Riley, JKH, even White and I would give Salem a run if ready, not that he is in doubt as the future. Fitzy is odd, groomed this season as a key backman, played there for one game in AFL, did his job well, then thrown forward next game due to injuries and in a belting, was lost and then banished back to VFL, as I remember it all? Papers seem to be stamped but not sure why?

Macca where has Kramer Gawn?

Yes that is right Jones was held on numerous occasions by Jacobs. i made a point of watching that match up after I realised Jonesey had hardly had a possession at quarter time. Amazing the umps did not see at least one of them!

Dermot Brereton talked about Yarran during the week on SEN. Basically said he would be icing on the cake at a top club but doubted his value outside a top 4 club. He said the Dawks should throw the kitchen sink to get him running off half back for them. But in a lower club there would always be doubts he could produce as we have seen at the Blues at times. Personally I would be happy for us to chase him but the price would have to be realistic for us, he may struggle because he would have to get his own ball.

Not a bad game today now that I reflect on it soberly after I have recovered. I have to admit I had put down a few sherbets by half time but I could have sworn I saw Prince Phillip when I came out the Men's at the third quarter break. I tried to run up to say hello but got taken out by some six foot plus transvestite dressed as old lady with grey hair and wearing a tiara! Never saw her flying elbow coming. Did anyone else see Sir Prince Phillip? Didn't think he was touring at the moment.

I thought we fought it out well. The margin at the end flattered North and was helped by 3 mystifying frees in the last quarter that snuffed out our challenge. The one on ANB in our forward 50 was unbelievable, he should have been lining up for his second. However we lost it in the first with 0 to 9 centre clearances and then coughed up numerous vital goals with our kick outs and our failure to defend their kick ins. Can we do some coaching on these area? Our centre set up for Gawn seemed wrong. We mainly set up behind him and are static while he managed to win a fair share of the centre ball ups today and tap forward or sideways mostly to North players on the move. Can we devise some semblance of a point kick out strategy? Kicking long to Waite or Goldstein doesn't make much sense. And when they are kicking out can't we man up and try to keep in our 50? Fixing some of these basic things to the point where we are highlyncompetitive in the clearances and moving the ball swiftly out of defense would make a huge difference to our score lines.

We need a strategy for kick outs! That was 3 or 4 long bombs to Norths advantage until they get the enivitable goal.

Jamar and Stretch will be off by car to Box Hill as soon as the warm up is over at the Gee. They won't get much time before the Scorpions run onto the ground.

He maybe our Jake Stringer, and come to be known as "the full package" Petracca!

Coincidence or what? I happened to be down at the Dunes Golf Club on Sunday and was talking to my bother and nephew about the Dees and somehow we got talking about Tilbrook, not sure why or how but my nephew said he knows him because he is a member at Peninsula Golf Club where Diamond Jim is club captain. Good golfer apparently. I also remember he went off and played American Football as well, he was there a few years, not sure how well he went. Must have been a trail blazer back then.

DC haven't you noticed Jazza is missing in action, Deefrog not heard of for ages, Biffen has undergone some sort of transmogrification, I mean things have turned a bit scary. BBO is not making any sense, although yes I admit that is normal. Anyway I am out of here the placevhas turned wierd.