Earl Hood

Delivery into the forward line was deplorable. So I am not sure how to judge the tall forward’s tonight though BB is obviously struggling to get near it. It’s back to 2019/20 stuff just lob it in high and hope. Just kept feeding the McCartyns long set up balls. Completely different to our entries for most of 2021 where we had control of the midfield battle and had the time and space and composure for the ball carrier to pick out a short target. Max was unbelievable but the rest of the engine room is struggling to work as a unit even if they are racking up possessions.

Yes but where is the engine room? Clarry and Tracc just going through the motions, not as clean with their hands at all. Viney battling, Harmes some cameos. If they get their act together in the centre we may take back control. At the moment the Swans are all over us. Reminding me of last week.

Didn’t control it and then a late call from the umpire who was behind and in worst position to call it.

6 Viney 5 Brayshaw 4 Jordon 3 Oliver 2 Gawn 1 Kossie

I would definitely play M Brown. Always looks like a natural key forward to me but does suffer at times from poor accuracy. But he is tall, gets to contests at least to bring the ball to ground. Not our long term future but we should be concentrating on what we need right now, whatever it will take to get the final prize again this season.

Interesting what you do in a game like that? We struggled in the midfield and when we did get it forward it was lobbed high on Brown’s head and the Freo fullback just bulldozed Brown forward, meters under the ball time & time again. Odd that there isn’t a rule for that sort of blatant action. But use a hand push or God forbid grab a bit of jumper in a wrestle for position, the whistle goes immediately?

6 Viney 5 Pettracca 4 Brayshaw 3 TMack 2 Jordan 1 Kozzie

Gosch’s Paddock training ground looking good today on my morning ride. Work continues on landscaping around the perimeter. I wonder how long it takes for the turf to fully bind with the sand base so it’s safe for use?

6 Brayshaw 5 Langdon 4 Oliver 3 May 2 Petracca 1 Pickett

Well as it turns out we actually just fell over the line against the Hawks! This is why I will NOT be taking football advice and any game predictions from some body bulking, Basil Rathbone loving, bogan from the northern outskirts of Melbourne in the future! And you can include Frogs from Perth and pensioners from Burwood in that as well. And long live Prince Andrew, the rightful Duke of York forever!

Think we might be taking him for granted, not me but I include the coach who didn’t give him votes last week. If we lost him we would really struggle I reckon.

Agree with most of that. Gee did Lever actually have a clean possession all day? Tracc and some others need to go back to Chocco’s goal kicking school.

6 Gawn 5 Petracca 4 Oliver 3 Viney 2 Brayshaw 1 Bowey

Yes can’t replace ANB defensively and didn’t do enough offensively. We missed Kosi and ANB’s forward pressure I thought. Hawks moved the ball out of their backline too easily.

6 Oliver 5 Gawn 4 Langdon 3 May 2 Brayshaw 1 Bowie

6 Gawn 5 Petracca 4 May 3 Oliver 2 Viney 1 Spargo

I thought he must have Covid issues, close contact or something?

I was sure the push in the back rule was adopted to protect the man in front from just being pushed forward out of a marking contest so the man behind can just take a chest mark. Had that one wrong on tonight’s interpretation anyway. No it seems it’s more for when some guy has already fallen forward to the ground with the ball and the tackler falls into his back.

6 Gawn 5 May 4 Harmes 3 Jordan 2 Brayshaw 1 Langdon

Yes I was there. I remember commenting to my friend at I think it was the 12 minute mark of the first quarter that “ gee have you noticed we haven’t had a possession yet?” And I think by then Wines ( who we didn’t draft against everybody’s thinking) had already kicked 2 goals! Have I got the right game?

6 Oliver 5 Brayshaw 4 Langdon 3 Weideman 2 Bowie 1 Harmes

The few times I have seen Brown he has always looked like a natural forward. Tall agile, knows where to run and good hands. He has been inaccurate at times and hasn’t been given a second chance unlike others.

Get him down back and tell him he is accountable for an opposition forward! Let’s see how he goes. if he refuses to be accountable in the backline then it’s time to end the relationship. At least we might learn something not just repeating the same thing over and over.

I am saying to trial him at CHB at Casey, if it works then you have a selection option. At the moment he is not a selection option at all. And I just don’t see him making it as a forward but he definitely has size, mobility and clean hands (if there isn’t a fist coming through of course). At this stage he won’t be at the club next year.

Been saying for 2 years throw him to CHB and let’s see what he has. If it worked Petty could return forward. Weid appears to have the tools to play off half back, and it’s easier to play there and build some confidence than be a key forward with limited opportunities and someone sitting off your left shoulder all day.