A.F.L Thread

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Losing both Frawley and Rivers killed us in that 3rd, didn't have anyone to stand Hunter.

 

[mikeW]

Dees arent far off from being a competitive unit. Having been smashed by injuries i think they've had a good start to this season. Big call but i rekon they could make the 8 as soon as next year.

 

[James90]

They're still horrendous. Just need to extend their good patches into good quarters, develop some talent like Watts and learn how to get the ball out of their defensive 50. Still three years away I reckon.

 

[Nate]

Great game this so far. Collingwood throwing away their hard work with inaccuracy in front of goal at the moment though.

 

[Nate]

Got to laugh at the Collingwood fans aswell. Pretty disgraceful.

 

[mikeW]

Pies are poo.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Having a big dip, but they just really don't have the gameplan. Rarely seen them look so out of their class.

 

[mikeW]

Geelong will smash the saints.

 

[Matt79]

Faaark. Saints were just far too good tonight. Like Hawthorn-Geelong last year, it's a travisty we have to wait til round 17 this year IIRC to see Geelong-StK. Geelong would be the only team that could challenge them at the moment.

Many problems tonight, bit that said, I don't think getting smashed by this StK side means that you're necessarily crap, thought aside from our inaccuracy in front of goal we were pretty decent for large chunks of tonight. Medhurst, Davis, Anthony out, plus Didak, was always going to hurt our efficiency in attack, esp with Cloke down on form and Rocca SLOWLY getting back match fitness (can't imagine he'd have played in the 1s tonight but for injuries/suspensions).

Couple of random thoughts - f-ing hate Monday night football - some of us have jobs and kids and can't really soprnd two hours on a week night watching footy.

So sick of Josh Fraser. I'm normally not a fan who turns on his team after a loss, but it's been twelve years of getting dominated in the ruck. No coincidence that when Steve McKee actually had a decent couple of years we made the GF. We over paid for Cam Wood a couple of years ago because our rucks are so dire, and he was the best available (possibly), but he hasn't come on, and Bryan is comically inept. Actually looking forward to Josh retiring so we can get a decent ruckman who can y'know win a hitout if their life depended on it, and maybe lay a bump now and then as well.

 

[Jono]

Stiff to play the Saints without Didak, Medhurst, Davis and Anthony. Can't expect to be competitive, let alone win.

 

[Matt79]

Hurts us more as, as has been commented upon in the media a bit, Travis Cloke isn't the same player this year. Whether it's just a form thing, or whether the injury he got from the bashing on the Gold Coast over the summer has affected his confidence, he is not giving us what he used to.

Still all teams have issues. We've gone backwards this year so far, I'd say, in that we've become more inconsistent. The positive is the blooding of players like Beams, Barham, Macaffer, and last night Sidebottom. Given we already had a young list, the future looks alright, but we're gettig shown up some weeks. That said, our best 22 would have probably lost to StK last night.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Still think that you're playing a Sydney Swans brand of footy, shutting games down and moving the ball carefully by foot. All the talk of handball pre-season seems to have gone out of the window.

It's being further exacerbated as the side is filled up with kids that don't have the strong bodies to maintain the game for lengthy periods. Other sides with young kids are being encouraged to run and carry, whilst the Pies are being instructed to take care of the ball, maintain possession and head out wide.

 

[mikeW]

Anyone rekon we can get within 7 goals of the saints?

 

[Matt79]

Can see what you're saying, but to me, we've always had a more attacking focus than the Swans, albeit with an emphasis on maintaining possession until a good opportunity to move forward appears. I don't think we have produced the kind of abominations of spectacles that Sydney have been responsible in recent years. Sydney drags other teams down to their level, we tended to elevate ourselves above our skill level and list through intensity and get shown up when that intensity wavered. But, yeah, it's not going so well this year.

I wouldn't mind if Mick decided not to go around again with us at the end of the year - he's done a mighty job, but time for a change maybe. Would love Bucks to be given a shot. Will never forgive those involved if Mark Williams gets the gig.

 

[Matt79]

Anyone rekon we can get within 7 goals of the saints?

Not being nasty, but no. Patty Ryder's done a mighty job covering for Hille to date, but you'd think he'd struggle against a big guy like Gardiner, and you need to clone him anyway, as I can't see anyone in your team but Ryder cramping Riewoldt at all. Seeing what their defence did to our forwards this week, I don't think Lloyd can kick enough to keep you competitive. I think you simply won't have the time or breathing space against the Saints intensity to play your running creative style, which is when you guys look at your best.

 

[superkingdave]

Zeibell wins the rising star for this week, expected Walker to get it this week but can't say Jay-Z didn't deserve it.

 

[Josh]

Jay-Z

 

[cameeel]

[U][I][B]CW Tipping '09 - Round 7[/B][/I][/U]

Simon - 40
James90 - 37
Sam_Vimes - 36
Voltman - 36
Jono - 36
SuperKD - 35
Clapo - 35
Pasag - 35
Alternative - 35
BoyBrumby - 35
**************************************************
Ausage - 34
Cameeel - 33
Sir B.I - 33
DCYE - 32
MikeW - 32
Heath DS - 32
Josh - 31
Howardj - 30
NewZT - 30
Hoggy - 29
Vic_Orthodox - 28

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

My tactic of tipping the Dees every week not working. I'd (IMO) be on 39 if I had been tipping properly.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Fremantle vs Hawthorn
Melbourne vs Footscray
Geelong vs North Melbourne
Brisbane vs Adelaide
Sydney vs West Coast
Port Adelaide vs Richmond
Collingwood vs Carlton
St Kilda vs Essendon