Give some of the kids a chance to play in afl conditions and their output will magically improve.
Give our kids a game in the AFL before they’re ready and we’ll probably throw the game and set their careers back. We didn’t see much magical improvement from Samo, LOB, Polson, and Dow!
Of course, the MC doesn’t just go on key match day indicators but takes into account what happens at training … and while we don’t know how Fantasia is going versus Durdin, etc, team selection gives us a fair idea.
Carroll got 32 touches today Billy Wilson got 24 today Binns got 21 and a goal today Durdin got 15 and a goal
All are younger and have performed to the same level as Fantasia (or better)
Carroll had 2 tackles in 19% TOG on Thursday and backed it up today Fantasia had 2 tackles in 55% TOG on Thursday
Did you watch the game?
Carroll was OK but his opponent touched him up. No-one else is putting their hand up for a game so Carroll probably stays in the 23.
Binns is probably most able to do the role Fantasia is currently doing. He has the tank for it but he hasn’t yet developed a defensive side to his game, is too easily brushed aside, and his disposal could be better.
Wilson shows promise but he’s a small defender who needs time to develop and would be exploited at AFL level.
Durdin got a bit of the ball today but not nearly as much as he should have. A disappointing, poor effort from a bloke who should be fighting for a spot in our AFL team.
Fans wouldn't accept Lang or O'Brien not entering the fray, why do they accept Fantasia?
I mustn’t be paying as much attention as you because I can’t recall Fantasia (or O’Brien for that matter - I don’t remember how Lang played) “not entering the fray”. I have noticed him and many of his teammates no doubt following instructions and staying outside the contest to receive a pass or disrupt an opposition play.
I suspect that a player who didn’t enter the fray when required would lose Vossy’s respect and would struggle to get a game in the Magoos.
Fantasia is well-entrenched among the bottom 3 or 4 players in our 23 and probably wouldn’t be picked if we had more fit players to choose from. The fact of the matter is that he is in our best available 23 for now and is doing the job set for him.
For some fans, that makes him an ideal whipping boy 🤣
So, do we go in unchanged again or are there changes to be made? Looking at the 2s I see Carroll is named - is he able to play given he subbed on or will he be a late out for the 2s today?
There’s nothing to stop subs backing up in the VFL and it’s a fairly common occurrence. It will depend on what the fitness staff say but I would expect him to play after being the sub two weeks running.
This is a funny old game...(insert cliche*-"a game of inches" )
If Fantasia had kicked that 'almost' freak goal I doubt we'd be having this discussion, other than to say "We need to see more of that."
That’s the issue; for most of his career, that goes through but now he can’t buy a goal.
Cottrell’s comments earlier in the season about people not going to the footy to watch him perform his mundane yet important role made it clear that supporters often judge players without knowing what their performance criteria are. However, Cotters usually adds a goal or a mercurial act to performing his role.
Raz has averaged over a goal a game over his career but has managed just two goals for us. No matter how well he performs his role or how satisfied Vossy is with his work, supporters expect goals and Raz doesn’t really look like he’s going to kick one.
Fantasia is 'doing his role' is fine. But what was he doing that Durdin wasn't? Its certainly not kicking goals. Going through all the stats show very similar. Plenty have noted Durdin on the last line of defence, so he is clearly working hard as well.
My point about Motlop which most seem to have missed is that pure output wise, he is $hitting all over Fantasia, despite being 10 years younger. Usually when you recruit a mature age player, you do so knowing that you'll get MORE output that the kids they are replacing.
Not the case with him.
Durdin is ahead in goals but that’s it, and his last five or six games yielded no goals and little else. Fantasia does more behind and around the ball and Voss is clearly happier with the role that Fantasia is performing.
Motlop’s form from last season is irrelevant; he hasn’t been available and his form in what was virtually a practice game for him was average. Motlop is also a very different type of player to Fantasia in that his impact is as a forward and the latter does more work behind the ball.
That said, I wouldn’t hesitate to replace Fantasia with Motlop or Martin if they were fit and in form. Same with Durdin.
Hinkley should have stuck a fork in Dixon and played Finlayson. It’s a bit sad to see such a powerhouse going at half rat power but I suspect that Weiters didn’t mind.
The alternatives are many, but include Motlop......who kicked 4 goals against this mob as a late in last year. Kickd 2 goals or more 10 times last year as well....as a 19yo.
Meanwhile, this (soon to be) 29yo has kicked 2 goals in 10 games.....total
Still having trouble understand the hostility?
Vossy reckons that Raz is performing the roles he's been set so, no, I don't understand the hostility, particularly since Motlop has only played in one VFL game where he didn't do much.
I'd prefer to see Motlop in the 23, but only if he's burning it up in the VFL.
We laid 75 tackles last night and how many frees did we get for holding the ball? Owies got one under the new interpretation but were there any others?
I believe that Port were awarded three holding the ball frees from 60 tackles.
I can’t really get a handle on Aurangzeb’s religious beliefs. He lets the holy rollers lay their hands on him while flogging dodgy bibles in an effort to make some much needed cash.
Many of his supporters are convinced that he will lead a Christian revival and expel the unbelievers from positions of power if not the country. I watched an interview with several MAGA supporters who were gobsmacked and/or disbelieving when told that his children follow the Jewish religion 🤣
I can't see any difference in the Soldo hit to Plowman a couple of years back against the Hawks....going for the ball to spoil, eyes on the ball at all times then accidental contact with the head....and he got two weeks. Commentators last night trying to say it was just accidental and nothing in it.
Nothing in it; incidental contact while going for the ball, and McGovern wasn’t hurt. If anything, the high contact on De Koning immediately before the clash with McGovern should be looked at.
Horne-Francis took on the tackler(s), was eventually brought to the ground and didn’t attempt to dispose of the ball; ball up.
Walsh was pinged for similar efforts, the difference being that the ball was jarred free. Is that how the rule is meant to be adjudicated?
In his pre-game interview, Sam said that they had made adjustments to comply with the changed interpretation and that seemed to be the case most of the time. A player like Sam, who loves to take the game on, can be excused for a couple of adrenaline fuelled holding the balls.
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