Earl Hood

So how did Kossie also get three? Moore’s late second flopping contributed to his high hit and from memory didn’t miss a match? Sparrow went for the ball and got knocked out from a trailing stiff armed coat hanger dished out in heavy traffic! And will miss games but somehow these are equivalent transgressions? Sorry this was a 4 to 6 week brain fade.

6 Melksham 5 Petracca 4 Fritsch 3 Gawn 2 Langford 1 TMac

Yze looked very comfortable as a lead up half forward at this level. Verrall goes well as a mobile ruckman at ground level but doesn’t provide a lot in the air. Billing’s was great but he is not the future. Spargo not ready just yet. Howes is more than ready when called. Adam’s worth a run this season?

[censored] they are the two we hope have something!

Verall looks like he is worth persevering with, especially in that second ruck role, if he can develop some forward craft. Howes stands out. Billing’s has been good but desperately looking for something big from our younger guys, e.g. Kentfield.

That is one of the worst umpiring decisions I have seen but I note both commentators called it as an obvious free kick? I give up. So the defender can’t even go for the ball?

In 2010 I went to have a hit of tennis with my wife at Anglesea tennis club only to find the courts were locked. A car pulled up and out jumped an elderly gentleman who introduced himself in a very strong voice, (not unlike John Clark in a Clark and Dawes segment) as Brian Dixon, Melbourne and did we want have a game? I said the courts were locked but that was no impediment, he went to check and somehow managed to open the lock so the doubles game was on. ( I pointed out I was a long suffering Dee supporter and knew exactly who he was.) Me and my wife in our early 50’s versus Dixon and John Birt of Essendon FC fame both in their mid 70’s! Amazing to think that between us there were 7 VFL premierships on that court at Anglesea that afternoon. Shouldn’t have been a problem working over these geriatrics especially as I was exploiting Johnny Birt’s lack of sideways mobility due to his recent knee replacement, by serving it wide. Hey we were playing for keeps! We took the first set 6-4 only for me to tear my Achilles tendon approaching the net in the first game of the second set! Retired hurt and off to emergency and 3 months in a moon boot while Dicko and John Birt called their wives out of the car to resume the game! RIP Brian Dixon

Petty down back with TMac, throw Turner and May forward for the last few games. Turner actually has some idea how to play as a leading forward and May can play deep, taking the best key defender. That might reduce the pressure on one of the newbies like Jeffo, if we want to persist with him.

I still haven’t seen what his weapons are. Great that he has confidence and aggression but for a medium sized player he doesn’t seem to have leg speed, unique evasion skills or innate goal sense. Why was he so on our radar?

6 Turner 5 Pickett 4 Melksham 3 May 2 Viney 1 Bowey

And Reiwolt commented wondering why were 3 forwards running to the same pocket instead of spreading? Was that kick to the pocket the only option for the ball carrier, hard to tell from the TV?

What was that kick from Langdon out of defence? A high punt to the middle of the ground infested by a murder of Crows! Inevitable goal.

Our once tough as nails much vaunted, veteran midfielders have turned to marshmallows! It’s embarrassing watching the Crows mids just bulldoze straight through them.

The umpires have turned feral!

Extraordinary every time the Pies go forward it’s to Elliot so how does he get separation from one, should be two defenders, time after time? Are there any real shutdown defenders playing AFL footy anymore?

Don’t remember what deal he is on but doubt he is tradeable so keep as depth but next year we need something else off halfback, we need players who can break lines and set up forward entries. The stats tell us Salem is cooked.

Yep it’s a real puzzle, Champion Data measures us as the second fastest ball movers in the competition, yet we when we enter our F50, everyone else is already there?

Yes obviously the umpires had a forensic session on blocking in the ruck during the week and rediscovered the rule, although I must admit I couldn’t see what Grundy was doing that he and others haven’t been doing all season. But it’s cost him 3 blocking frees against in centre bounces.

I would rather the Steven May Forward Experiment.

I agree with much of this, especially now that the season is done. Let’s do some experimenting. May goes forward to provide someone who can use his body to get the advantage and take a grab and I believe he can kick straight at goal. And could going forward extend May’s career for a season or two? Petty back or bring TMac back in as a KPB (and back up ruck). He was in good form then dropped for what reason? Yes Windsor to the wing, move Langford to the midfield, Viney to play as a defensive forward. Fingers crossed that Jeffo clicks up forward and we can run with Jeffo, May, Fritsch as targets, Viney, Chandler, Pickett at ground level. Of course no matter who you have up forward is irrelevant if the ball movement stays predictable with long bombs to the same spot. Rule 1 - Oliver to handball at all costs, not kick. Rule 2 Max to handball at all costs when forward of centre, especially if he is within goal kicking distance. Tracc, at a loss, any suggestions? Test run JVR as a KPB at Casey for a few games. Give Seston a run at it when he is back fit and has played a few at Casey.

You are sounding a lot like Simon there. If we win contested footy, generate more inside 50’s than them, on percentages we should win, so don’t sweat too much on the small stuff, like goal kicking, forwards leading at the ball carrier etc.

Except I don’t believe it was an accident. But yes it won’t likely happen again.

It’s a given, we can’t afford to sack him early but is there anything in his contract that stipulates that he has to be the main man who calls the shots? In any other workplace he would be moved on, the same failures occurring for 3 seasons with hardly a recognition they should be rectified. I suspect he just doesn’t really believe that the game has moved on, that far. By that I mean I believe Simon begrudgingly accepts changes are needed but believes his basic 2021 formula will still work, that is backline presses up, win contested ball, bang it forward, get a stoppage, hold it in, conjure a score, rinse & repeat over and over. However yes this season ball movement has definitely sped up and we are sharing the ball around more until we get to the F60+ but then it’s often just bang it forward. To us outsiders there seems to be zero emphasis on goal kicking accuracy, no demand that we develop a forward line strategy where forwards lead toward the ball carrier, forwards that try to get separation from their opponents, just some fr**king movement, FFS ahead of a ball carrier. Particularly that there are No penalties applied to the old guard when they repeatedly just bang the ball mindlessly forward, burning team mates in better positions. Oliver, Viney and Tracc are repeat offenders. During our run of wins (5 out of 6) recently, Oliver was almost exclusively handballing to a player on the outside, not kicking, ball carriers were looking for short targets in the F50. For some reason in the last 2 weeks, Oliver is dump kicking and ball carriers are dumping long kicks into the F50? A restructure and some new faces might be a possible answer to get a fresh approach. Some new assistant coaches and maybe the football operations manager actually calls the shots on game strategy and has a greater say in selection.

Very punchable face

6 Gawn 5 Bowey 4 Kozzie 3 Fritsch 2 Turner 1 Howes