Earl Hood

Both captains on notice also.

Desperate times, season all but over, time to see who we have on our list. ins: Stretch, Lockhart, Jeffy, Sparrow TMac goes back or out, Fritsch to a wing or half forward outs: Lewis, Spargo, the Wagners

That reminds me of Brian Wilson kicking 6 against us in 91 and they beat us by a few points. Don’t think he played another game. That said Kent asked for a trade for more opportunities. We did the right thing by him, not sure about our club.

Not so sure he failed, he was injury prone usually just as he got some form. I did qualify my praise by saying he could be good in a dominating side. He always had some defensive deficiencies. But gee we have some small forward deficiencies at present, no crumming, no forward pressure. Forward set up is a mess and Goodwin seemingly won’t pick Jeffy because he doesn’t meet our contested ball at all costs mantra.

Wrong call, yes I want too see more but he tried today and was the least of our problems.

Spot on JM we had a win against Sydney only because it was on a smaller ground against a similar contested ball side. That win changed nothing in terms of our inability to play the wider expanses of the Gee against quicker sides. Yes We have no crumbing forwards and no defensive composure. The game plan is not working at all. Last year we dominated contested possession, clearances and inside 50’s, we depended on this to win. This year it’s the same plan but we aren’t dominating the midfield, we aren’t defending well through the midfield and our backline is a mess.

Normally playing for us, Kent would have pulled a hammy by half time or had some collision injury. Just our luck, he was always a potentially dangerous half forward in a dominate side, but he always got injured when he looked like hitting form.

And talking of draft picks we have coughed up multiple first rounders for highly rated defenders but have just been taken to the cleaners by a well organised Saints defence made up of newbies and triers apart from Geary. No stars there today but they totally out played us as a very competent defensive unit, working as one. Hmmm maybe at least one first rounder for a talented outside runner instead!

Coughing up 2 goals in the last 2 minutes sums it up.

What happened to our midfield in that last 10 minutes? Dominated first 20 m than Saints took over.

Backline set up is a shambles, no one at the fall of the ball up forward but somehow we are still in it. Umpiring is diabolical by the way!

Saints beat us last year at the Gee when they intercepted on half back and just ran the ball forward at all costs along the wings. Made us look slow and unaccountable. Looks likely to happen again this week.

Really think he should have been given another chance. We need some leg speed, instead we bring in 2 slower types. I have no issue with Jetta and Lewis, it is more about who gives way.

Has his management been approached by the Pies? All unofficial of course but potential $ discussed. Leading to this tripe!

Which is the case, no one is silencing him. Rugby Australia is just not happy, that is all.

Yes that seems to be the situation. His employer pays him big money and has set down rules about social media use. Israel has been warned on numerous occasions not to do what he did or suffer the consequences. Israel chose to go one more time on his proselytising campaign, as he does in the lead up to Easter each year, so Rugby Australia has apparently decided to cut ties. Fair enough, they are not silencing Israel, they are just withdrawing their payments, most likely because their sponsors have cracked it! If Isreal really believes in his views he will gladly pay a price, isn’t that the definition of a religious martyr! But given his mercenary tendencies, that is to take the biggest pay cheque wherever it may arise whether it be at GWS or for various rugby clubs and national teams I suspect he won’t like losing a single $ for his beliefs. Amazing athlete, not the sharpest tool in the shed and certainly has zero loyalty to anyone except himself and perhaps his close family and religious community. I pity our chances in the up coming World Cup now.

Now who wanted Jones dumped from the team?

One of many. But don’t let a tackle go slightly high on a red and white jumper.

No such rule as the front on spoil apparently, you can just be taken out while you are facing the ball.

U pairing is [censored]. Boundaries can’t throw the ball in. Field umpires always looking for a soft over the shoulder to the Swans and if we get a free they bring it back everytime allowing the Swans to manup. Front on contact to our forwards doesn’t exist. Anyway we are still in it. Petracca stand up mate!

Amazing we are still in it, no help from the umpires either, they are [censored]. Max dominating the hit outs but always finding a Swans player but in that quarter I am not sure it is his fault, our mids just aren’t at his feet. Are our guys just dumb? They can only take one instruction at a time, they have been instructed to concentrate on the defensive side of their game during the week, so now they have forgotten about getting the ball first.

This is going to turn ugly, we are now playing without a midfield.

My hope is that it could be that simple. Just instruct the backline to go man on man and forget zoning. Then instruct all others to go man on man when they have the ball but if we get the ball, then run into space, spread and look for the pass forward. It should be that simple but if it was why are we so [censored]? Is that basic plan too hard to follow? At least until we win a game or two.

The ruck coach is Gregg Stafford who has grey hair and would be a bit shorter than Pruess. But Greg is the ruck coach so who was the other guy?

Baker not showing much, pity.