OK, so it's gameday. For me the key is Gawn. Has to be the number one target for us to nullify. I'd be reviewing the tape when Sydney played them and use the same tactics Grundy did way back then. Pitt doesn't have to get off the ground just use his bulk. Work him over as much as possible. I mean really work him over (legally). Intersperse that with the TDK leaping over the top of him and really finish him off. Crucial we get that right tonight for any chance of a win.
WIth no Doc/JSOS available, this is almost our best 23 with probably Motlop and Fogarty as the only ones to come in....and maybe Williams if in form. If Marchbank could stay on the park I could see him being the second key defender.
On paper, both teams look very evenly matched. We've probably got the two better key forwards, but they've got arguably the best key defender combo in the game. Midfields are probably pretty even although Gawn probably gives them a slight edge...but we have two ruckmen compared to Gawn and Van Rooyen as backup.
You've forgotten about another bloke who could be useful right about now in Saad! Will be good to get him back
Not sure what to say after that. Horrific story and I was hoping there was a happy ending coming but it never did. Very courageous of you Mantis. I hope you've had some professional help along the way.
You can add the Pendlebury goal and the goose who didnt pick him up which didnt require much effort given he moves in slow motion these days.....I would have dragged his opponent and sprayed him even if it was Cripps.
At the end of the day, I'm just so pi55ed off that with all our limitations we couldn't beat this mob who are still running around with a quite a few geriatrics. In fact, it was one old timer kicking it to another old timer in the end that broke our backs. No respect
We constantly look at who's missing as to the way to improve.
When martin is in and plays 2 average games we want him dropped. When his injured we want him back as another ‘dud’ is not performing. Rarely any team is injury free and apart from your high end top liners, injuries to players ranked below your top 10 are over rated imo.
If cripps weitering charlie harry are out its a big loss but when we start counting on a injury riddled blokes like martin marchbank mcgovern and even a young player like motlop to fix our problems we are kidding ourself.
Correct, we are kidding ourselves. The "experts" tipped we would be flag contenders, but they don't know for this to be even remotely possible we have to have our best 22 on the park and firing at the same time. We do not have those 4 to 6 bit players to come in and fill up gaps when the neeed arises. Like tonight. We have limitations. We have no depth
I really hope we're not favourites again next week because we are truly just not there yet. Don't know if we'll ever get there with this mob but it would be a shame to waste a generational power forward combination in Harry and Charlie with the rabble that's running around them at the moment. Having said that "H"'s last kick basically sealed the game for the filth. Could not have had a worse kick if he had of dreamed it. Although and quite honestly they were a better side than us all night. A one goal loss flattered us. If we somehow managed to steal this one, well, we're in great train robbery territory right then and there. Anyway back to our small forwards. The fact that Owies was our most effective says enough. How I yearn for Martin and even Motlop or even better still Fogarty to be back because the likes of Fantasia, Durdin and my man Owies are really just filling up space and wasting air. How the hell Cunningham comes straight back in is baffling and gee I don't get paid a lot of money but I was pretty much right. Anyone else? Young scares me every time he gets near the ball. Very much like Liam Jones, but worse. Can't believe I'm praying for McGovern and maybe even Marchbank to get back, but there it is. That's we're we are at. Pretenders Carlton are nowhere near it. All we are is a strain on the heart. Too many softcorks. I have absolutely no confidence playing any other side other than Norf and the Weagles
Ollie has not been playing well and probably needs a refresh so OK with that one. Carroll pretty much the same and Binns was always going to be the first to make way. The new Paddy Dow? Kemp I thought would still be there purely because he can play on a tall, but he has been stuffing up all year so maybe it's a wake-up call. Can't work out how Cunners goes straight in. Was not setting the world on fire and pretty sure he got dropped before getting injured? Cerra back is one. We just need about 3 more.
Watched the replay. Sure we missed way too many opportunities against a good team to have any chance of winning and yes there were some dubious decisions/non-decisions that conspired against us, but at the end of the day we are better than this team and to be truly taken seriously as a contender we have to start winning these games. If Saad was fit I'd give Williams a rest. His 1st half yesterday was putrid. McGovern for Young is a no-brainer Motlop in can replace either of Durdin or Owies who are just not giving us enough. Hell I'd even give Boyd a crack as a small forward ahead of those two. Ollie Hollands is not doing a lot at the moment. Gee we need Jack Martin back ASAP There's a lot of blokes who can improve our side and I hope at some stage this year we get them back.
Never would I have imagined the Pitt / TDK ruck combination would've worked let alone worked so well as it did yesterday. Easily Pitto's best game for a while if not EVER. Was like a man possessed. Maybe his position was being questioned? Anyway, not sure if it will be replicated, but I guess we'll find out next week. Didn't think we were playing badly from the get go but just kept missing shots on goal and the Giants seemed to make every shot. Then the blitz in the 3rd. Just came out of nowhere and it is so exhilarating Cripps was outstanding. Just inspiring. Walsh magnificent. Like he's never been injured. George is having a really, really good year. Thought he was past it early on but he just seems to be motoring. Kennedy's best game for the year and couldn't have come at a better time Surprised the soldiers that came in to cover in Cowan and Young did pretty well. Just cameos all over the place. Cottrell, Durdin, Hollands x 2. Just brilliant. The boys worked very well. Can we produce the same effort next week as we play the undefeated top team again? I hope so! Glad it's at the G
Just watched the final qtr of the Croweaters game... coulda, shoulda won by about 4-5 goals but there was an element of cockiness/lairising which let the Croweaters in. Arrogantly, perhaps, I suspect this was a game we lost more than the opposition won.