Earl Hood

Port should have been 5 or 6 up but now we have a ball game.

I am not sure what’s changed since last few years that has the media & our FD thinking that we have to convert Grundy into a gun forward or he moves on or plays VFL. We played both Max and Jackson in the team in 21&22 with Max doing the bulk of the ruck and Jackson more time forward where he was OK without dominating as a forward, he was a not contested marking beast. Jackson kicked 30 goals in 52 games. I note Grundy has kicked 9 in 13 games, similar return. Both LJ and BG are very mobile for their size and cover the ground well so not sure what is different this year, that we can’t run BG in the LJ role, perhaps with agreement Max takes 70% of the ruck duties. We know the forward line has been a shambles this season (but so has the delivery into it)so something had to change. I wonder if the loss of Fritsch, decision to drop Smith and the recall of BBB has convinced the coaches they can’t run such a top heavy forward line?

6 Gawn 5 Tracc 4 Viney 3 Rivers 2 Brayshaw 1 Melksham

Backs have no hope the way the ball is sling shotting back from our half forward line straight through the corridor. Our ball entry into our 50 is slow, predictable and inaccurate and just comes straight out again. We refuse to use the full width of the ground just kicking back into traffic inviting a turnover.

Buddy gets another soft free.

I thought Tom Freeman 67 for Casey played well today. Does anyone have info on him, his age, size. Looked very composed in the backline? Would he be worth a rookie spot next year?

6 May 5 Tracc 4 Salem 3 Sparrow 2 Viney 1 Brayshaw

And what is Tracc doing? Is he being tagged closely?

Slinging a 200cm giant by the jumper could be devastating I mean he could have been dismembered!

Now the midfield need to lift and get some clearances.

Woey kicks to a forwards advantage! That’s novel.

Gee we are looking sharp NOT!

If we go in with the small forward line as listed and then start bombing it long and high and watch the Saints intercept mark repeatedly I will lose it big time. We have been here before in 2019/20. Let’s just hope the inside 50 delivery will suddenly improve replicating late season 2021. Fingers crossed in optimism.

Unless it is to fix something that is totally broken and is losing us games, perhaps.

With Fritsch out injured surely Smith should have kept his spot ahead of Melk. Smith played well in the Pies game, then had 2 games in the wet where he struggled with all the other forwards but kept tackling and competing in the air and on the ground. Pity he doesn’t get to play in dry conditions under the roof. Selections again puzzling.

Are we trying to throw this test? Green bowling medium paced, half pitch tripe to Stokes and has played him into form. Cummins doing the same but quicker.

Our delivery into our forward 50 has been laser like in its precision, the only problem is it’s nearly always to a Giant standing on his own. It’s doing my head in. Our field kicking has been abysmal, even taking into account the wet conditions. Goal kicking worse.

But to add insult to injury just prior to that the Geelong defender grabs the contested ball 20m out from our goal throws out a don’t argue but gets tackled to the ground holding the ball. Definite free kick but nup not from these Nuppties!

Yes Grundy being manhandled in the ball ups, before the ball is even bounced and for once decides to put an arm out to keep some distance to contest the ball and gets pinged for a “straight arm” by the umpire. What are you supposed to do when you get no protection from the umps? And add in Petracca who is being obviously held at stoppages by his tagger, often in front of the umpire but gets nothing. Tracc is getting frustrated for obvious reasons.

How many clear centre bounce tap outs can we win but still not win the clearance?

He did some smart work near me on the Members wing. I still wonder why we haven’t played him as a wing/half forward more. OK not that he has been fit for too many games. However when fit & available he can cover ground, has great hands and according to Alan Richardson, a few years ago, he has an elite endurance engine. He should be able to run quickly all day but guess we will never know. But I hope he gets a good, injury free run as an athletic, defensive forward who takes the odd spekie!

Surely they are instructing him to stay down for the crumbs. And I would be giving him more midfield time. But then quite often the ball goes high into our forward 25m zone with Kozzie up against one or two bigger forwards so he feels he has to contest in the air. Get our forward set up right and he will click.

6 Viney 5 Hunter 4 Tomlinson 3 Salem 2 May 1 Tracc special mention to Fritsch and Smith up forward.

What happened to Choco’s goal kicking academy? It’s a shambles!

Yes I am about ready to metaphorically of course, shove a whistle down an umpires throat! It’s ridiculous, they paying just about any contact as a free!