Round 1 2016 Discussion

[Eastdog]

Round 1 Fixture

Date Home v Away Venue Time

Thursday March 24

Richmond v Carlton MCG 7.20pm


Saturday March 26

Melbourne v GWS Giants MCG 1.40pm

Gold Coast Suns v Essendon Metricon Stadium 4.35pm

Sydney Swans v Collingwood ANZ Stadium 7.25pm

North Melbourne v Adelaide Etihad Stadium 7.25pm


Sunday March 27

Western Bulldogs v Fremantle Etihad Stadium 1.10pm

Port Adelaide v St Kilda Adelaide Oval 3.20pm

West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions Subiaco Oval 7.40pm


Monday March 28

Geelong v Hawthorn MCG 3:20pm

[whythelongface]

It's very early but Carlton already look like a different team under Bolton.

[ledge]

It's very early but Carlton already look like a different team under Bolton.

Still don't have a forward line, Richmond haven't changed at all.
That's only after the 1st qtr though.
I think if a top side was playing either of them tonight they would both be getting flogged.
Neither side have showed any sort of forward line plan of attack.

[whythelongface]

Still don't have a forward line, Richmond haven't changed at all.
That's only after the 1st qtr though.
I think if a top side was playing either of them tonight they would both be getting flogged.
Neither side have showed any sort of forward line plan of attack.

Agree with you there. I was mainly commenting on their ball movement, which is quicker than in previous years.

[jeemak]

Richmond have looked ordinary tonight (though I didn't see the last six or seven minutes of the second). Full credit to the Blues in having a crack.

[jeemak]

Weitering is going to be a gun.

Not a big call for a number one, but he's been very composed in marking contests and has used the ball very well.

[F'scary]

Watched about half the game, very scrappy affair but Carton looks better than last year while Richmond supporters look like they will have many games to fight amongst each other.

[bornadog]

Umpires called some ridiculous deliberate out of bounds. Hope this is not going to flow through to every game. The worse one was Kreuzer kicks the ball out of a pack, and shanks it towards the boundary line. The filed umpire asks the boundary umpire if it was touched, he says no, so the filed umpire calls it deliberate. This sort of stuff puts people off AFL.

[Rocket Science]

Umpires called some ridiculous deliberate out of bounds. Hope this is not going to flow through to every game. The worse one was Kreuzer kicks the ball out of a pack, and shanks it towards the boundary line. The filed umpire asks the boundary umpire if it was touched, he says no, so the filed umpire calls it deliberate. This sort of stuff puts people off AFL.

That was a particularly atrocious call.

[1eyedog]

Umpires called some ridiculous deliberate out of bounds. Hope this is not going to flow through to every game. The worse one was Kreuzer kicks the ball out of a pack, and shanks it towards the boundary line. The filed umpire asks the boundary umpire if it was touched, he says no, so the filed umpire calls it deliberate. This sort of stuff puts people off AFL.

That was terrible. I'll have no hair by the end of the year if that's the bench mark. As alluded to on the telly, under the pump, 6 foot 6 and on the left. He was lucky to get as much on it as he did, or unlucky as it turned out.

[jeemak]

You guys are all nuts.

The AFL said it was going to improve the game beyond the cheap Sunday pies and LED lights from last year, and they've come up with a new ten metre rule that completely disregards physics and potentially quantum mechanics, whilst also taking mitigation away from tall uncoordinated people when they make mistakes by judging those mistakes as punishable offences subject to over the top penalties.

What's not to like?

[Maddog37]

Weitering is going to be a gun.

Not a big call for a number one, but he's been very composed in marking contests and has used the ball very well.

He has the best (softest, one grab) hands in the comp already. Big call but I'm super impressed.

[F'scary]

Car v Rich: from what I'm reading, Car basically ran out of rotations well before the conclusion of the 4th qtr and that contributed to their loss. The bit of the game I watched indicated that they were copying our men of mayhem style (extreme forward defensive press) though not as well. I don't think this style of play can be used for any great length of game time with the cap on interchanges. We modified it significantly in the second half of the season anyway.

Players with stamina may well be the new black by the end of the season.

[bornadog]

Car v Rich: from what I'm reading, Car basically ran out of rotations well before the conclusion of the 4th qtr and that contributed to their loss. The bit of the game I watched indicated that they were copying our men of mayhem style (extreme forward defensive press) though not as well. I don't think this style of play can be used for any great length of game time with the cap on interchanges. We modified it significantly in the second half of the season anyway.

Players with stamina may well be the new black by the end of the season.

Watching Foxtel the other day, "AFL Round Table Coaches" Rocket said something interesting. If the interchanges keep getting restricted, then teams will revert to chipping the ball around in the backline, so that players can have a rest. This of course can lead to flooding to stop the chipping around. All of a sudden we have so called ugly football. The AFL just doesn't see the consequences of changing rules and what it does to our game.

[GVGjr]

Watching Foxtel the other day, "AFL Round Table Coaches" Rocket said something interesting. If the interchanges keep getting restricted, then teams will revert to chipping the ball around in the backline, so that players can have a rest. This of course can lead to flooding to stop the chipping around. All of a sudden we have so called ugly football. The AFL just doesn't see the consequences of changing rules and what it does to our game.

I think that is a crock. Badly coached teams might resort to that but I think the IC restrictions will lead to teams have more versatile players which will be a good thing.

The major problem with having unrestricted changes is for a team that gets a game ending injury early because the other team can just keep making substantially more changes. The facts supported this.
This is also what led to the sub-rule as a way of not disadvantaging a team than copped an early injury which ironically Rocket also took longer than other coaches to accept.

We can't give the coaches a free run at making unlimited interchanges because I think the spectacle of 3 or 4 players from on one team running to the bench at the same time after a goal isn't good for the game.

[F'scary]

Watching Foxtel the other day, "AFL Round Table Coaches" Rocket said something interesting. If the interchanges keep getting restricted, then teams will revert to chipping the ball around in the backline, so that players can have a rest. This of course can lead to flooding to stop the chipping around. All of a sudden we have so called ugly football. The AFL just doesn't see the consequences of changing rules and what it does to our game.

That is what the mediocre sides may well do. We have one of the best forward press games, so if they want to do that, as we did to quite a few sides last year, we will be pressuring the forward turn overs and creaming the goals.

The better sides will use their superior ball retention skills to methodically move the ball upfield while still controlling the tempo as suits them. I think we can be one of those sides.

[bornadog]

I think that is a crock. Badly coached teams might resort to that but I think the IC restrictions will lead to teams have more versatile players which will be a good thing.

The major problem with having unrestricted changes is for a team that gets a game ending injury early because the other team can just keep making substantially more changes. The facts supported this.
This is also what led to the sub-rule as a way of not disadvantaging a team than copped an early injury which ironically Rocket also took longer than other coaches to accept.

We can't give the coaches a free run at making unlimited interchanges because I think the spectacle of 3 or 4 players from on one team running to the bench at the same time after a goal isn't good for the game.

You misunderstand, Rocket was talking about reducing the interchange even further. He agreed 90 was about right. There has been some talk going down to 40, ie 10 a quarter.

[GVGjr]

You misunderstand, Rocket was talking about reducing the interchange even further. He agreed 90 was about right. There has been some talk going down to 40, ie 10 a quarter.

I'm sure I read he didn't want it to drop from 120 but either way his predictions of flooding and chipping the ball around etc are premature.

[bornadog]

I'm sure I read he didn't want it to drop from 120 but either way his predictions of flooding and chipping the ball around etc are premature.

He said if it was reduced further, ie from 90.

BTW: Last night Richmond had 80 and Carlton 88, so 90 sounds about right at this stage.

[GVGjr]

He said if it was reduced further, ie from 90.

BTW: Last night Richmond had 80 and Carlton 88, so 90 sounds about right at this stage.

90 is a good starting point.

[soupman]

We can't give the coaches a free run at making unlimited interchanges because I think the spectacle of 3 or 4 players from on one team running to the bench at the same time after a goal isn't good for the game.

Why is this an issue? If ever there is a time to interchange players it is when the ball is out of play for 45 seconds. even if we reduce the quantity of changes further I would still expect to see mass changes during set shots and after goals have been kicked. Sides can't afford to lose a player in their attempt to setup a press or zone, or lose an outlet when they are breaking through that zone.

And it's hardly that big a blight aesthetically either. Besides, NFL see's the entire field change over, ice hockey likewise except they are jumping over a fence to do so, and then at the other end you have soccer players going as slow as they possibly can, undressing as they come off the field.

How many players are swapping over at once and when is surely not that big an issue that it needs to be addressed.

[jeemak]

I'm actually with Eade to an extent, because coaches are inherently risk averse and will tend to go defencive rather than attacking meaning if players are fatigued the game will be slowed down and numbers will go behind the ball.

It will be interesting to see how the year pans out, if we don't see an increase in scores I don't think a further reduction will do much to change things.

[Greystache]

I'm actually with Eade to an extent, because coaches are inherently risk averse and will tend to go defencive rather than attacking meaning if players are fatigued the game will be slowed down and numbers will go behind the ball.

It will be interesting to see how the year pans out, if we don't see an increase in scores I don't think a further reduction will do much to change things.

I agree to an extent, but the better coaches will exploit the new rule and the out of touch/limited coaches will try to minimise the impact. It'll give progressive coaches an extra tool to work with.

[Testekill]

I hope that Hogan is a whinge in the media if anyone criticises him for his game today.

[Greystache]

I hope that Hogan is a whinge in the media if anyone criticises him for his game today.

He couldn't get a kick in a horse fight but has been given 2 of the softest free kicks in front of goal in the last quarter you'll ever see. Looks like he's going to be the new Nick Riewoldt, throw him some charity if he can't have an impact.

No doubt Boyd will have 3 defenders holding onto him tomorrow and it'll be play on. Then we'll hear how he just has to work harder to beat his opponent.

[Testekill]

He couldn't get a kick in a horse fight but has been given 2 of the softest free kicks in front of goal in the last quarter you'll ever see. Looks like he's going to be the new Nick Riewoldt, throw him some charity if he can't have an impact.

No doubt Boyd will have 3 defenders holding onto him tomorrow and it'll be play on. Then we'll hear how he just has to work harder to beat his opponent.


Yep, I can easily see someone (like Barrett for example) saying "Hogan struggled for 3 quarters but was instrumental in the final quarter" when they were soft as hell and he was still sooking for the 3 quarters when things didn't go his way. I guarantee that if Boyd had a similar game then he would be hung, drawn & quartered.

[F'scary]

Just wait for Hogan to put off the contract extension talks at the end of this season. Popcorn time, as the Yanks say.

[Remi Moses]

Gee GWS threw that away . Any sign of Griffin in the last ?
Full credit to the Dees, but that game should have been over by 3/4 time.
Clayton Oliver very impressive .
Is Anthony Hudson trying to hard to be heard ? He was yelling at the end

[ledge]

My god if Essendon are like this in the first game it's going to be a very very embarrassing time for the AFL, ANZAC day will be a disaster.

[Drunken Bum]

My god if Essendon are like this in the first game it's going to be a very very embarrassing time for the AFL, ANZAC day will be a disaster.

and the schadenfreude shall be so very delicious

[ledge]

You would think Melbourne just won a premiership The way they are carrying on.
The team song was well over the top for a first game win.
God help us next week when they proclaim its theirs when they beat Essendon.

[G-Mo77]

You would think Melbourne just won a premiership The way they are carrying on.
The team song was well over the top for a first game win.
God help us next week when they proclaim its theirs when they beat Essendon.

I was at the game and didn't think that at all. Really good come from behind win so to escape with a narrow victory after looking down and out I'd have been celebrating hard as well.

Walked away unimpressed with both sides though. Round 1 so it's hard to judge on how either side will be. One thing stood out to me for at least 3 quarters was how good Davis was for GWS. Ward was fantatsic, Griffen looked heartless and 2nd rate. Dees? Hogan's game was overrated. Did nothing for almost 3 quarters but did break it open late, loved Kennedy's game, and McDonlad did well down back but no real stand outs.

Roo's nearly lost them the game.

[bulldogtragic]

Sydney 62 points up at half time and should be 80+ up.

Collingwood are the biggest pretenders going, ahead of North. Buckley must be happy they recontracted him before this, because there's going to be blood in the water if this continues.

[1eyedog]

Buddy's back.

[chef]

Buddy's back.

Love it

[1eyedog]

Love it

It's good for footy.

[chef]

It's good for footy.

Im a Buddy fan, so im very happy to see him play like this.

But its also great for his own personal sake to be back and looking like hes loving it again.

[jeemak]

Don't really know how Norf are pretenders given their ordinary list managed to win a final in the last two years BT. I don't think anyone - maybe apart from Angry Face McGee - thought they'd take the competition by storm this year.

Great to see Franklin getting on the board. He's a gun.

[ledge]

Cooolllllliiinnngggwooodd haha,sorry couldn't help It ..
They will be blaming the change of venue no doubt.

[1eyedog]

Jenkins and Tex stitching up Norf too.

[G-Mo77]

I don't know how Lindsay Thomas can look himself in the mirror and call himself a footballer

[The Underdog]

Slaughtered everywhere, Swan injured, Sidebottom reported. Absolute catastrophe for the Pies.
All positive for the Swans. Some great input from some of their young guys too.

[jeemak]

Cooolllllliiinnngggwooodd haha,sorry couldn't help It ..
They will be blaming the change of venue no doubt.

They actually will. They'll claim their entire strategy was around a long narrow ground rather than a short wide ground.

[Bulldog4life]

They actually will. They'll claim their entire strategy was around a long narrow ground rather than a short wide ground.

Or they will blame the headlines about them this week.

[ledge]

Or they will blame the headlines about them this week.

Commentators already using that one.

[bulldogtragic]

Or they will blame the headlines about them this week.

Can they do both, while explaining recontracting Buckley was the right call because he's the right man for the job?

I wish Sydney kicked straight, should've been way over 100 points.

[jeemak]

Can they do both, while explaining recontracting Buckley was the right call because he's the right man for the job?

I wish Sydney kicked straight, should've been way over 100 points.

By the time his reign is over, Buckley as a leader will prove to be a 20 year antidote to premiership victory for Collingwood.

[Bulldog4life]

Commentators already using that one.

Thought they would. I have been watching the other game.

[GVGjr]

Gutsy win by North. Full credit to them for beating a good Crows side

[Go_Dogs]

Gutsy win by North. Full credit to them for beating a good Crows side

Very enjoyable game to watch, fast paced and both sides went incredibly hard at the contest.

[Remi Moses]

Result flattered Collingwood .
They looked disinterested and got massacred in the contest .
Going to be interesting to see if they bounce back next week.
Sydney once again answering the critics, and with that midfield,they'll win plenty of games in Sydney .
Didn't see the Norf game, but still carried by Harvey . The danger loss just weakens the crows significantly

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I only saw the last quarter of the Swans, Magpie game but Franklin reminded me of a feeling I had fifty years ago, when Ted Whitten would seem a level above every other player, able to do things at will.

[1eyedog]

I only saw the last quarter of the Swans, Magpie game but Franklin reminded me of a feeling I had fifty years ago, when Ted Whitten would seem a level above every other player, able to do things at will.

I remember having the same feeling quite often throughout the 1980 season.

[Twodogs]

I remember having the same feeling quite often throughout the 1980 season.


He was unbelievable wasn't he?

If he hadn't done his knee he would have been the greatest player ever.

[1eyedog]

Brought us to the footy week in week out during tough times.

[The Underdog]

Gutsy win by North. Full credit to them for beating a good Crows side

Only saw the last but how good was Goldstein? Was a good win, they had 81 tackles for the game which is the kind of number we should be aiming for.

Just watched the last quarter of the Dees and Giants. Giants really blew some chances and gave away some easy turnovers. Shaw's turnover that ended in a Garlett goal was unforgivable from a senior player. While Hogan will get credit for his 3 goals, 2 were from free's, one of which was created by smart play from Vandenberg.
Jack Watt's looks like he's read the Bryce Gibb's contract year handbook.

[Greystache]

He couldn't get a kick in a horse fight but has been given 2 of the softest free kicks in front of goal in the last quarter you'll ever see. Looks like he's going to be the new Nick Riewoldt, throw him some charity if he can't have an impact.

No doubt Boyd will have 3 defenders holding onto him tomorrow and it'll be play on. Then we'll hear how he just has to work harder to beat his opponent.

And sure enough it's exactly what's happened so far. Boyd's been tackled to the ground several times while the ball's in flight and it's play on. Looking forward to hearing from the media how Boyd failed to have an impact while Hogan heroically single handedly lifted Melbourne to the win despite winning only one contest for the day inside 50m.

[Mantis]

And sure enough it's exactly what's happened so far. Boyd's been tackled to the ground several times while the ball's in flight and it's play on. Looking forward to hearing from the media how Boyd failed to have an impact while Hogan heroically single handedly lifted Melbourne to the win despite winning only one contest for the day inside 50m.

It's a *!*!*!*!ing joke... Seriously, it is.

[Greystache]

It's a *!*!*!*!ing joke... Seriously, it is.

I'd like to see how the AFL could explain to a new follower of the game how 2 players playing the same position in the same round of the same sport in the same league could receive such different treatment. That is without admitting they look to manipulate outcomes.

[Sedat]

Not sure Port are going to just waltz back into the top 8 this season. They play a very kamikaze style and their mids don't exactly run both ways.

[jeemak]

Credit to the Saints, they're going at things really hard.

Agree with you regarding the running direction of Port mids Sedat.

[jeemak]

'stache I was thinking of your post on my way in when I heard of Boyd's treatment in the first few minutes of the game. It's amazing how poorly he is treated by the umpires. It's almost time for some comments to be made publicly by the coach and for him to write a "please explain" letter.

[jeemak]

I'd have been really happy with Wines. I'm happy with Jack, but I'd have been happy with Wines.

[Remi Moses]

Great game of t20 played by both sides .
Port just getting killed by lack of each way run .

[ledge]

And port will run away with it.

[Remi Moses]

They did . They'd be concerned by the amount of goals stkilda kicked over the back .

[soupman]

They did . They'd be concerned by the amount of goals stkilda kicked over the back .

It was like they were playing an offside trap. Wrong sport unfortunately.

[bulldogtragic]

Commentators shit me to tears. Dangerfield was two inches off shoving his finger into the chest of the umpire and an abusive and demonstrative fashion and Luke Darcy doesn't like a free kick 'in a tight game'. WTF has a close game got to do with it, and since when is the whole zero tolerance of aggressive behaviour out the window for good players.

He should be suspended, Dangerfield was lucky the umpire stopped his momentum or he would have shoved his index finger into the umpires chest. I don't care who the player is or what time of the game it is of how close the scoreboard is.

Has Darcy had a lobotomy? Because he sounding worse and worse every time I hear him.

[westdog54]

Commentators shit me to tears. Dangerfield was two inches off shoving his finger into the chest of the umpire and an abusive and demonstrative fashion and Luke Darcy doesn't like a free kick 'in a tight game'. WTF has a close game got to do with it, and since when is the whole zero tolerance of aggressive behaviour out the window for good players.

He should be suspended, Dangerfield was lucky the umpire stopped his momentum or he would have shoved his index finger into the umpires chest. I don't care who the player is or what time of the game it is of how close the scoreboard is.

Has Darcy had a lobotomy? Because he sounding worse and worse every time I hear him.

Had that happened on a rugby field he would have had hell to pay.

Say what you want about Rugby Union as a sport but any sort of misbehavior towards a referee is absolutely is dealt with swiftly.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Commentators shit me to tears. Dangerfield was two inches off shoving his finger into the chest of the umpire and an abusive and demonstrative fashion and Luke Darcy doesn't like a free kick 'in a tight game'. WTF has a close game got to do with it, and since when is the whole zero tolerance of aggressive behaviour out the window for good players.

He should be suspended, Dangerfield was lucky the umpire stopped his momentum or he would have shoved his index finger into the umpires chest. I don't care who the player is or what time of the game it is of how close the scoreboard is.

Has Darcy had a lobotomy? Because he sounding worse and worse every time I hear him.

Darcy has become excruciating to listen to. Really truly unbearable.

[bulldogtragic]

Had that happened on a rugby field he would have had hell to pay.

Say what you want about Rugby Union as a sport but any sort of misbehavior towards a referee is absolutely is dealt with swiftly.

Absolutely. I still can't believe Darcy was saying it wasn't a free kick. Let alone 50m, let alone reportable. If the AFL do nothing because he's a name player then local umpires will have hell to pay for it.

[GVGjr]

Hodge has apparently broken his arm today and likely to miss 4 weeks.

Cats prevail in a tough encounter

[chef]

Good win to the Cats. They looked to have topped up nicely, not sure they have a good enough squad though for a flag push

[Webby]

Hodge has apparently broken his arm today and likely to miss 4 weeks.

Cats prevail in a tough encounter

Geez, suddenly we get Hawthorn minus both Roughead and Hodge in round 3... I'm hopeful we can set up our season by the end of May.

[Go_Dogs]

Went along this afternoon, was a good contest and Dangerfield, along with Zac Smith were very impressive for the Cats.

The Hawks looked very likely at 3/4 time but Geelong managed to control the game and lock it in their forward half really well in the last - it actually reminded me a bit of what we did yesterday.

[Remi Moses]

Dangerfield was incredible
Crows fans might need a bex and a lie down after seeing that.
Geelong's back 6 is still lacking run for me, and I'd be inclined to go in with a small forward line against them.
Hawthorn were off to a degree, and played spasmodically

[Sedat]

Has Darcy had a lobotomy? Because he sounding worse and worse every time I hear him.
He's been Channel 7'd

[F'scary]

He's been Channel 7'd

That sounds pretty bad.

[bulldogtragic]

He's been Channel 7'd

There's no known cure for that is there? Poor bastard, why isn't the government funding a cure for this disease?

[Remi Moses]

He's been Channel 7'd

There's no cure either .
I'd rather the bubonic plague

[merantau]

He's been Channel 7'd

Footy commentary is so abysmal at times. Been downhill since Peter McKenna got shafted.

[Sedat]

Footy commentary is so abysmal at times. Been downhill since Peter McKenna got shafted.
Fox Footy are not world's best practice by any means. Likewise Ch 10 and Ch 9 when they had the footy were far from perfect. But all of them at least try to provide some proper analysis to the commentary and tend to let the game speak for itself.

In stark contrast Ch 7 treat the game like it is another one of their piss-poor reality TV shows. The 'analysis' they provide is generic and obvious, they shamelessly try and make the commentators the stars of the coverage (each with their own annoying personality type, like we are supposed to vote for them to stay on the show or something), and they take the viewers on unwanted excursions with their extended puff pieces during the breaks instead of actually telling us what happened in the game and why. Oh, and Standard Definition went the way of the dodo bird years ago - it is insulting to the viewers to not provide HD coverage so as to save a few pennies. Here's a tip - if you want to save money, instead of having 7 commentators/boundary riders per game, get rid of 4 of them, none of whom offer anything meaningful to the coverage.

I despise them.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Absolutely. I still can't believe Darcy was saying it wasn't a free kick. Let alone 50m, let alone reportable. If the AFL do nothing because he's a name player then local umpires will have hell to pay for it.

If only teachers and I suspect police were treated with proper respect then the umpires would have less of a problem.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Hodge has apparently broken his arm today and likely to miss 4 weeks.

Cats prevail in a tough encounter

Good to know Hodge doesn't always get away with things and Fate catches up with him sometimes.

[bornadog]

Dangerfield 44 disposals, at 65% efficiency. Compare that to JJ and Biggs at 35 disposals but 80 plus efficiency

[Happy Days]

Dangerfield 44 disposals, at 65% efficiency. Compare that to JJ and Biggs at 35 disposals but 80 plus efficiency

I love JJ and Biggs but I'd trade them both for Dangerfield and run away.

[Mantis]

Dangerfield 44 disposals, at 65% efficiency. Compare that to JJ and Biggs at 35 disposals but 80 plus efficiency

Dangerfield = 21 CP's.

Biggs + JJ = 15 CP's

There enlies the answer you were looking for.

[dog town]

I think Dangerfields game was outrageously good but he must have missed at least 6 easy handball targets. Not as perfect a game as some have made out. Still a clear best on ground.

[bornadog]

Dangerfield = 21 CP's.

Biggs + JJ = 15 CP's

There enlies the answer you were looking for.

Depends what you do with those possessions.

PS: Dahl 16 cp from 25 disposals.

[F'scary]

Good to know Hodge doesn't always get away with things and Fate catches up with him sometimes.

Mitch Wallis's back injury, round 3 last year?

[hujsh]

Only saw the 3rd quarter but Dangerfield reminded me of when GaJ was at the Cats towards the end. They just constantly looked for him would give him lots of quick one two passes and it looked like he was anything but a new recruit

[Mantis]

Depends what you do with those possessions.

PS: Dahl 16 cp from 25 disposals.

Why bring Dahl into the conversation?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I hate Geelong and so I now cannot stand watching Dangerfield run around and dominate in their colours. I sincerely hope they fall in a hole, don't want them anywhere near top 4. They've had their time.

Just on Hawthorn, I know they came back strong in the third but I wasn't impressed by them. I went to the game and what really stood out was how much they miss Lake, Hale and Roughead. Their marking power around the ground was non-existant without those three. Frawley and Gibson are now required to play on better opponents, McEvoy had to shoulder the load and can't play forward like Hale (Ceglar to come back will help mitigate) and Schoenmakers is a pretty average footballer, particularly when a defender of any quality is appointed to him.

I think this will be telling for Hawthorn. Yes, they have a few to come back and they'll never be easy to beat. I still think they make top 4, but I don't see them being dominant. A slight drop off from either Mitchell (seems unlikely), Lewis or Hodge would be catastrophic for them.

[Sedat]

I hate Geelong and so I now cannot stand watching Dangerfield run around and dominate in their colours. I sincerely hope they fall in a hole, don't want them anywhere near top 4. They've had their time.

Just on Hawthorn, I know they came back strong in the third but I wasn't impressed by them. I went to the game and what really stood out was how much they miss Lake, Hale and Roughead. Their marking power around the ground was non-existant without those three. Frawley and Gibson are now required to play on better opponents, McEvoy had to shoulder the load and can't play forward like Hale (Ceglar to come back will help mitigate) and Schoenmakers is a pretty average footballer, particularly when a defender of any quality is appointed to him.

I think this will be telling for Hawthorn. Yes, they have a few to come back and they'll never be easy to beat. I still think they make top 4, but I don't see them being dominant. A slight drop off from either Mitchell (seems unlikely), Lewis or Hodge would be catastrophic for them.
When Danger took that hanger in the last qtr, Frawley sagged off and was only worried about his direct opponent. This is why he will never be as good as Lake - Lakey would have instinctively done the team thing and gone off his direct opponent to kill that contest.

[bornadog]

A slight drop off from either Mitchell (seems unlikely), Lewis or Hodge would be catastrophic for them.

They don't seem to have any quality young mids to replace these guys. That is the beauty of the draft.

[Maddog37]

I am always wary of writing off Hawthorn but the longer they stay up, the deeper they will fall.