Freo are such a dirty negating team, so typical a Lyon team.
And it wasn't just Crowell and Ballentine either, it the whole team.
If I had of been playing for the Blues tonight the tribunal would be more than likely giving me the rest of the year off....
Irks me that in Lyons press conference he couldn't admit that they were fortunate to win. He talked like they beat us comfortably. We did make mistakes but they played far from their best.
I know murph received 6 frees from Crowley, but what about the 47 they didn't pay? I know hendo got a couple of frees from that spud Dawson - but he should have broken fanning's record the way Dawson held, scragged and chopped his arms EVERY time he went near the footy (and each free he gave away resulted in a performance from Dawson of "what, me?" That had to be seen to be believed), I don't know how juddy had it 20 times in the first half, when he was tackled before he had the footy at every contest - super human!
I hated monotone "it's all about the brand" Lyon at stkilda, and if possible he is worse at freo. The way they play is just terrible for the game. Bar fugue and hill, none of their players try to win an even contest. The scragging, pushing, holding had my blood boiling all night. Just the little pushing blokes heads into the ground while getting up from a pack, and holding onto the footy for a sec longer after giving a way a free, cribbing the mark. They must be really proud the way they play
The commentators (WAs own commetti and who? Zemplis ) actually talked about the frees in our favour, but it's not the point , they had the guts to pay one or two early, but couldn't bring themselves to keep paying them, especially late when it mattered. AFL needs to do something. And not just look at the free count, it doesn't tell the whole story
BTW - basil, can you tell us that riveting story about freo's white jumper again??
Yazz - unsighted - thought we got the "lazy Yazz" tonight, apart from a couple of tackles.
thouhgt the Hawks did a good job of taking Yazz deep and, therefore, keeping out of the play. we needed him in the play and he would have helped with our lack of polish. MM needs to recognise this and swing him onto a wing and swap someone back onto his man, when this happens.
same thing used to happen with Gibbs, when he played HB - he would be taken to the goal square and taken out of the play
have to recognise it ealry and do something about it
Ps - this umpiring is really a chance to have me stop watching. Bounce not recalled, Waite in the back, Waite score review, Mendel free, about 15 holding the balls.......
Based on the fine the club gave him last year and the rules in the player contracts which specifies the fine conditions, his salary is about 500k. It may be backloaded so maybe more this year.
Even at the lowest end, those 2 combined are likely to provide better value in the way of an earlier draft pick, an additional spot on the list, and additional currency to throw at a top notch player. With Kruizer especially, it's gotta be better value for the club to cash in rather than having his wage and list spot tied up in a recovery ward.
Waite is on veterans list, so, only half of his salary counts towards salary cap. Any new player would have 100% of salary under cap
Any chance our guys could start shepherding and blocking opponents so their team mates can get a run at / with the ball?
I hope so, it stands out doesn't it?
On Sunday night there was a prime example of how this affects the team. There was a kick out from D50 to Curnow on the HFF/Wing, it went over his head and he was running with the flight. Curnow could have easily ran onto that ball, marked it and kept going, he only had one laboring spud Scummer following him who Curonw could have easily burn off. Instead Curnow let the ball bounce, it bounced backwards to his trailing Scum shadow as it tends to do, and was turned over for a cheap ar5e Scum goal.
Curnow let that ball bounce because he had no confidence, no faith, no communications and no experience of others in the team sacrificing themselves for the betterment of the club. If we protected each other, the way the Dawks protect each other, if we gave some chop outs and some shepherds, he would have run onto that ball and into our open F50 without fear!
Sometimes football is that simple!
Of our current list only Scotland and Armfield do the good stuff regularly, the rest I fear are Sunday drivers, even Robbo!
If its the same situation I'm thinking of - Curnow didn't run onto the ball as he was being HELD. Cheats FC players were doing it all night (1 free against Hocking for holding Murphy off the ball vs the 78 times he did it). It goes back to another comment on here (about cribbing the mark etc) - we just dont push the rules. Hocking holds Murph all night, CheatsFC players dive on our mids a fraction before we take posession, and what do we do the other way?? Nicely wait for them to get the ball, give them a beat, then think about grabbing a jumper.
Pies and Tiges finished 8th and 7th so that makes all of the other Top 8 from 2013 will be played twice.
Playing Collingwood, Richmond and Essendon once next year. It will be very strange, let's hope Essendon isn't R3/R4.
I'd be surprised if this happens. I know they have changed the format (to groups of 6s), but I'm pretty sure there are still "exceptions". These exceptions will include ensuring their are always 2 blockbusters (Carl, Coll, Rich, Ess and also the local Derbies in WA, SA, QLD, Syd). No way the AFL doesnt have 2 Carl/Coll games next year.
There has been a tweak to the fomula used, but I dont think it will have the effect that some media were spouting
Hang on I forget something. Fox sports today and David King. "Dustin Martin" is the key to Richmond beating Carlton today. He is evasive and a quality player. an elite finisher and Carlton won't have a match for him today. he will win this game off his own boot. "Martin this and Martin that". "Martin, Martin, Martin". Don't even get me started on Cotchin. King, you got it WRONG. They lost. Martin did something but not near enough to win it today. Dermie thought we were a chance even though he thought we would lose. He said never say never. he has watched us come back. Him and Maclure were fair about their analysis. The others were all knobs. Especially Roos. He gave us no chance in each quarter. he still can't believe how we managed to win it. No anti-Blues bias at all the commentators.
How about using guys who say it as it is and being non-biased.
I reckon King will still be saying that we should trade Gibbs!! Once he gets on a topic, he will never admit he was wrong.
Roos has always hated us, I reckon we promised him a job, before he took the Sydney one, and backed out. He is just so anti-Carlton it is not funny
Not sure that I agree with that Mav; Malthouse seems to be using Gibbs more in a defensive, shut down role. [/quote]
I know I saw someone suggest Gibbs on Mayne this week and sort of shook my head (not at the poster) at the fact that our number one draft pick full of skill and class but with little or no heart has been developed into a run with player. [/quote]
Pre-season (as with many past pre-seasons) Gibbs was "going to get a good run in the mid-field". Then, all year, he lines up at half back. This, then allows EVERY coach to push his man to the goal square, and we have our classiest player sitting in a back pocket. It happens every week and Malthouse does nothing about it. I know it is because Malthouse thinks he needs Gibbs' cool head and class in the back half, but we really are robbing ourselves of an offensive weapon. Even when he is occasionally allowed to play on a wing or a forward flank, he looks very dangerous, but then the opp coach will recognise this and send his man back to the goal square.
