Earl Hood

So many players out of form it is unfathomable. Oliver?

Tracc has kicked a goal!

Yes forward pressure is important but my observations on our losses this season is that there has been near zero defensive forward pressure. The playbook has been the same every time. We bomb it in 60 plus times but our conversion rate is less than 20% and it comes straight out through the corridor or over our high press around the wings. It seems to me we are favouring defensive small forwards who can’t kick goals and aren’t defending that well either against the sides that can match us. Can we afford to play someone like a Jeffy who can kick a goal from nothing? I also note that Spargo is out, he is another with some spark but limited crash and bash ability which is Goodwin’s current preference.

You said it not me. But yes nice imagery!

Hmmm having politically incorrect thoughts, let’s move on.

GWS incompetitence in front of goal keeping the Dorks in it. Dorks being smashed in the clearances but Giants brain fades and poor kicking means the Dorks are in it.

I think we need to give him some opportunities in the ones to gain some form if we make finals and want to be competitive. That said if we persist with the high press and manic high bombs into a congested forward line then maybe don’t bother. Just continue to lose despite winning the contested footy count and 60 plus inside 50’s.

Garlett is not a crash and bash player so is on the outer with our current coaching philosophy. I am not convinced we don’t need some silky skills, pace and unpredictability on the outside. So far the better sides have easily defended our one dimensional forward entries and strangled our scoring while easily running the ball out of our forward 50 yet we talk about the importance of defensive forwards. We aren’t seeing much of that against the better sides.

Interesting analysis, the fact we go forward in a narrower corridor makes us more accurate at goal as we have demonstrated in our big wins against lower sides but has also made us vulnerable against the better sides as they just set up to counter our predictable attacks and in some cases such as Hawks and Tigers where they just strangled us to a standstill. It is akin to that situation where you have one gun forward and go to him 9 out of 10 times and thus become predictable and defendable, think G Ablett Snr and Buddy in finals over the years. We have to get our forwards spreading more and our mids looking for wider options. We do practice this at training, quick, unpredictable ball movement forward but don’t see it on game day that often.

Also good to see Gary Hardeman down at training today, chatting with Todd and Jack Viney, Peter Jackson and some of the players.

Let’s tinker with the high press as well as we keep leaking goals over the back against the better sides

Cheap shot Pickett!

At training today when they split into the VFL group and the AFL group, Spargo was with the former so I don’t believe he is in the mix. Weids for Smith, Pedo if TMac doesn’t get up and Stretch in Vince out.

I asked Tom at training how his chest was going and he replied that he wasn’t doing any contact work today but he felt really good and reckoned he would be OK to play. Petty, Weid and Pedo training with the AFL squad may indicate one or more are options this week. Petty looked impressive in the drills I saw. Jetta trained well I think he copped a few hits last week. Great to see Vanders and McKenna finally getting to train and Kent was moving well.

Exactly what Jimmy Bartel was saying after the match, the crash and bash contested possession ethos was great but further success will require a bit more composure and strategy to set up scores and absorb opposition attacks.

I see Greg has been promoting nude golf recently. I have always been keen to get the gear off and enjoy playing the fairways of our nation’s best golf courses in total freedom. Does anyone know what clubs are offering the nude option? Although I will have to wait till the weather picks up a bit locally before I get out on the first tee while starkers. I just have to work out where to put my ball marker!

It is interesting that we don’t hear more about some of these decisions, not to smash umpires but to understand the interpretation and at times to admit mistakes. There were at least 2 mystifying ruck frees against Max vs Grundy last week, but we still don’t know why; then we have the Melk blocking decision this week. I would have thought all forwards need to know they now can’t hold their ground in a marking contest, before there are more poor unfortunates who ignore a whistle, thinking they have the free and give away a 50.

Anyone know if the club or anybody of substance has asked for clarification from the AFL umpiring officiondos on the Melksham one on one blocking free and resultant 50 meter penalty for a goal down the other end? Hmmm 12 point decision!

You are right Macca it is impossible to umpire perfectly. But some areas for improvement in my eyes would be to review the push in the back rule. Going back to the original intent, the rule was created to stop a player pushing out the man in front in a marking contest. Fair enough. I don’t believe it was intended to punish someone who falls onto someone on the ground or who tackles someone and they both go forward. Play on unless it is Malicious. As for the high tackle, if the tackle starts correctly it is legit, irrespective of whether the hands go high or low due to the player ducking or throwing their arm up. Base your decision on severity, was the tackle potentially dangerous to the players head. As for the incorrect disposal rule I don’t know where to go. I want to reward the ball getter, not the lurker waiting to strip someone of the ball running past. So I would be lenient on the ball getter myself. But let us be brutal on any player on the ground in a pack that does not try to release the ball, if they grab the ball with no hope of moving it on they are gone. That is a player on the ground should be out of the contest, like rugby union. Forget nominating ruckmen and third man up just throw the ball up ASAP and same with boundary throw ins, don’t wait for the ruckman to line up. And finally only pay the frees that actually disadvantage a playmaker. So no twiggy touchwoods, or technicals.

Everytime you play in SA or WA you concede 3 to 4 goals before the first bounce. Similar to the old days playing the Pies at Victoria Park I think. Not sure how you change that bias. Just even up the FIXture somehow.

Gil in frantic phone calls to MRP, looks like accidental, high contact, low impact, fine only! It was the hard ground surface that knocked him out, not the elbow?.

Out Vince in Petty depending on the Saints forward line setup. Not sure how tall they will go. in Stretch and Garlett out Tyson, Harmes or ANB in Weids if TMac doesn’t get up. I just think we have to try and play Garlett into form as he provides speed and can make something out of nothing up forward and didn’t we need that last night! Stretch has done everything asked of him and we have to reward effort in the magoos to keep pressure on the firsts. The coaching panel’s obsession with hard, contested footy types is commendable but the last 2 games show we also need some X factor, silky skills as well. Jimmy Bartel spoke about this last night on CH7, he loved our contested endeavour but said there are more layers to success than see ball get ball stuff. OMac needs help with the bigger guys so looking longer term maybe Petty is the answer to losing Lever and allows J Smith and Hibberd to rebound more until Hunt is fit and shows something. The obvious choice down back is Frost but I, like many others worry about his decision making, he is not a natural footy player, but a great athlete. He needs more time to work on his game at VFL level.

Weids and Stretch putting their hands up for consideration but that doesn’t resolve the backline issues.

He put it back to the journos what did they think, then trotted out the diplomatic line about it being a tough job etc and it wasn’t the difference....

Powell pepper was good though, 17 tackles and 29 kidney punches is a club record apparently.