Mega Thread 2026 Media & Miscellaneous Thread

[BREATHLESS_987]

For those of us who can never get enough - there are literally two Bailey Banfields on the field in the Peel v Claremont game tomorrow

 

[Quay Club]

For those of us who can never get enough - there are literally two Bailey Banfields on the field in the Peel v Claremont game tomorrow

Yes but ours is the original and the best.

"Often Imitated Never Duplicated"

 

[Lach72]

Damn, that’s not good. Best of luck to the big fella

 

[Quay Club]

Damn, that’s not good. Best of luck to the big fella

He was too brave for his own good and copped a lot of head knocks.

Hopefully it all works out OK for him.

 

[poshman]

Pearce has been great but I wouldn't say he's been Top 5 in the league for his one on one ability for a while now. He's a bit of a best of both worlds having developed his intercept marking. He's also surprisingly great at setting the tempo and taking the game on when we need a lift from the leaders. The rules have changed which means being caught out one on one is going to happen more and more. Outside of the job he did on Sam Darcy last year I do struggle to think of a game where he dominated his direct opponent in most contests for a few years.

The person I did forget about in my pessimism was Ryan who was probably the best in the game during that COVID season. But he's also a far cry from that particular version of himself. Walker also had a pretty strong 2022 as a lockdown small defender.

I dunno, something about our defence just feels brittle, especially to the blowtorch the new rules will put them under

He is poor at getting to contests as the third man up. He is a poor kick. And as he isn't playing lock down anymore it makes our backline brittle.

Cox is the key to our back half and we need to develop someone to go with him. Or find a mix that works with him when he is fit.

 

[Kapow!!!]

He is poor at getting to contests as the third man up. He is a poor kick. And as he isn't playing lock down anymore it makes our backline brittle.

Cox is the key to our back half and we need to develop someone to go with him. Or find a mix that works with him when he is fit.

Cox is not better than Pearce and in no way the answer to any one on one woes. He's another strong interceptor. Pearce is still our best one on one defender unfortunately

Honestly I'm WAAAAAY more critical of Cox's ability one on one than I am Pearce. Any time we've had Pearce out and Cox in he gets obliterated because he has to be more accountable and just can't cut it when he can't float in third man up or read the play and zone off to intercept.

 

[Cesoir]

Another example of our pathetic list management, we should have traded Darcy to the Gold Coast and used that pick for Mac Andrew. Then we would still have Lllllloyd Meek.

 

[Barnabus]

Cox is not better than Pearce and in no way the answer to any one on one woes. He's another strong interceptor. Pearce is still our best one on one defender unfortunately

Honestly I'm WAAAAAY more critical of Cox's ability one on one than I am Pearce. Any time we've had Pearce out and Cox in he gets obliterated because he has to be more accountable and just can't cut it when he can't float in third man up or read the play and zone off to intercept.

I think that might have been right a couple of years ago but Cox has improved significantly in one on ones the last couple of years. Pearce is also pretty good at them when he is fully fit.

Key defenders is not an area we should be worried about.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Another example of our pathetic list management, we should have traded Darcy to the Gold Coast and used that pick for Mac Andrew. Then we would still have Lllllloyd Meek.

We can always rely on you to keep it light
.

Could you imagine if we had have kept Meek and traded Darcy and then Darcy doesn't get injured and continues his initial trajectory and Meek is...fine?

 

[DocT]

I think that might have been right a couple of years ago but Cox has improved significantly in one on ones the last couple of years. Pearce is also pretty good at them when he is fully fit.

Key defenders is not an area we should be worried about.

If Cox/Pearce were reliably fit I don't think we would be worried. But they're not so we are.

 

[s_wd6]

Cox is not better than Pearce and in no way the answer to any one on one woes. He's another strong interceptor. Pearce is still our best one on one defender unfortunately

Honestly I'm WAAAAAY more critical of Cox's ability one on one than I am Pearce. Any time we've had Pearce out and Cox in he gets obliterated because he has to be more accountable and just can't cut it when he can't float in third man up or read the play and zone off to intercept.

Did you miss like the entire second half of last year? Cox was significantly better at the lockdown and Pearce and him swapped roles so Cox was taking the number one forward every week.

He’s improved massively in that area and I just hope the injury hasn’t screwed with his form too much.

 

[Kapow!!!]

Did you miss like the entire second half of last year? Cox was significantly better at the lockdown and Pearce and him swapped roles so Cox was taking the number one forward every week.

He’s improved massively in that area and I just hope the injury hasn’t screwed with his form too much.

Truthfully I just don't trust that it's permanent improvement given his own history with injury and, well, consistency. If he's even slightly off, hampered or doing the job without the support of Pearce and Ryan there are serious question marks. I can't stop thinking of that game when, finals were on the line, Hogan absolutely destroyed him.

 

[poshman]

Did you miss like the entire second half of last year? Cox was significantly better at the lockdown and Pearce and him swapped roles so Cox was taking the number one forward every week.

He’s improved massively in that area and I just hope the injury hasn’t screwed with his form too much.

He is thinking of Pearce before last season. Pearce is not our lockdown anymore as the role is past him. He also isnt good as an interceptor and worse as a distributor.

 

[poshman]

Truthfully I just don't trust that it's permanent improvement given his own history with injury and, well, consistency. If he's even slightly off, hampered or doing the job without the support of Pearce and Ryan there are serious question marks. I can't stop thinking of that game when, finals were on the line, Hogan absolutely destroyed him.

You do realise that he has had better availability than Pearce across his career?

He is by far our best KPD and a consistently available more than Pearce.

 

[poshman]

Cox is not better than Pearce and in no way the answer to any one on one woes. He's another strong interceptor. Pearce is still our best one on one defender unfortunately

Honestly I'm WAAAAAY more critical of Cox's ability one on one than I am Pearce. Any time we've had Pearce out and Cox in he gets obliterated because he has to be more accountable and just can't cut it when he can't float in third man up or read the play and zone off to intercept.

You must not have watched last season when Cox played as our number one lock down defender for most of the year.

But yes, he is also way better than Pearce as the interceptor or float across spoiler.

 

[s_wd6]

Truthfully I just don't trust that it's permanent improvement given his own history with injury and, well, consistency. If he's even slightly off, hampered or doing the job without the support of Pearce and Ryan there are serious question marks. I can't stop thinking of that game when, finals were on the line, Hogan absolutely destroyed him.

That was also two years ago a couple weeks fresh off a 16 week Hammy and before he took over that lockdown role. He was chosen to take Hogan over Pearce the last time we played and kept him to 1 goal.

 

[CaseySibosadoHOF]

He is thinking of Pearce before last season. Pearce is not our lockdown anymore as the role is past him. He also isnt good as an interceptor and worse as a distributor.

If Pearce wasn't a good interceptor last year, that means there's less than 10 good intercepting key backs in the league. Ridiculous statement.

There's more to distribution than kicking. Nobody would accuse him of being a good kick. But he's 1 of the best key backs in assisted metres gained per disposal. Metres gained by a teammate that receives an uncontested possession from you. Coz he was really good at taking on a defence, drawing players in, squirting out a handpass right on time, and then all of a sudden the next dude has acres of space to work with.

He wasn't moved to centre half back to hide his lockdown abilities, which he still has to use (see Round 24 vs Bulldogs on Sam Darcy if you think Pearce can't lockdown anymore). He was moved to CHB coz he's an elite contest winner and ball winner for a key back.

 

[poshman]

If Pearce wasn't a good interceptor last year, that means there's less than 10 good intercepting key backs in the league. Ridiculous statement.

There's more to distribution than kicking. Nobody would accuse him of being a good kick. But he's 1 of the best key backs in assisted metres gained per disposal. Metres gained by a teammate that receives an uncontested possession from you. Coz he was really good at taking on a defence, drawing players in, squirting out a handpass right on time, and then all of a sudden the next dude has acres of space to work with.

He wasn't moved to centre half back to hide his lockdown abilities, which he still has to use (see Round 24 vs Bulldogs on Sam Darcy if you think Pearce can't lockdown anymore). He was moved to CHB coz he's an elite contest winner and ball winner for a key back.

I want to understand your argument.

We both know he isn't a good kick. Would you say that is one of the important roles for an intercepting key back?

Do I think there are ten intercepting backs better than him? Yes, if you include kicking as a requirement and availability.

If he can still lock players down we need him in that role. He is poor at making and spoiling contests he should make. See the Dangerfield mark last week and the last goal conceded last season. Both he should have made with ease. Or at least both that a top ten intercept defender in the league would have made.

Here is a question which will test how rosey or otherwise our glasses are... Sam Collins or Pearce, who is the better player?

 

[CaseySibosadoHOF]

I want to understand your argument.

We both know he isn't a good kick. Would you say that is one of the important roles for an intercepting key back?

Do I think there are ten intercepting backs better than him? Yes, if you include kicking as a requirement and availability.

If he can still lock players down we need him in that role. He is poor at making and spoiling contests he should make. See the Dangerfield mark last week and the last goal conceded last season. Both he should have made with ease. Or at least both that a top ten intercept defender in the league would have made.

Here is a question which will test how rosey or otherwise our glasses are... Sam Collins or Pearce, who is the better player?

I think he's a good interceptor coz he gets good intercept numbers, and I think the primary measure of intercepting...is intercepting. Like it's a measured statistic.

Hilarious to bring up last week. Coz for all his faults in that game (clearly rusty, played less than 60% game time)...he got 4 intercept marks.

And if we're critiquing a play from his last qtr against Gold Coast, goodness gracious me. At that point you're asking him to get everything, coz he marked pretty much everything else that quarter. 5 intercept marks. Not in a game, in a quarter!

I'd take Collins coz the best ability is availability.

 

[anchor man]

When you have East Coast heavy weights like Whately and Lyon tell then how wrong it is, then you know the Boys Club have it wrong. But will they admit that! I think not.

 

[Dockeroo]

I want to understand your argument.

We both know he isn't a good kick. Would you say that is one of the important roles for an intercepting key back?

Do I think there are ten intercepting backs better than him? Yes, if you include kicking as a requirement and availability.

If he can still lock players down we need him in that role. He is poor at making and spoiling contests he should make. See the Dangerfield mark last week and the last goal conceded last season. Both he should have made with ease. Or at least both that a top ten intercept defender in the league would have made.

Here is a question which will test how rosey or otherwise our glasses are... Sam Collins or Pearce, who is the better player?

A piece of advice for everyone on this board.

Find a partner in life that loves you as much as poshman hates our captain

 

[poshman]

I think he's a good interceptor coz he gets good intercept numbers, and I think the primary measure of intercepting...is intercepting. Like it's a measured statistic.

Hilarious to bring up last week. Coz for all his faults in that game (clearly rusty, played less than 60% game time)...he got 4 intercept marks.

And if we're critiquing a play from his last qtr against Gold Coast, goodness gracious me. At that point you're asking him to get everything, coz he marked pretty much everything else that quarter. 5 intercept marks. Not in a game, in a quarter!

I'd take Collins coz the best ability is availability.

Ok so you agree he cant kick. Which is a vital part of the role. You also didnt comment on his lack of ability to get his fist to the ball when he is in the contest.

But ok, he is above average at intercept marks, and poor at all other components of the role.

 

[poshman]

A piece of advice for everyone on this board.

Find a partner in life that loves you as much as poshman hates our captain

I don't hate anyone, it is a waste of life.

As for Pearce, he has been a good servant of the club and is unreliable, aging and playing in a role he isn't equipped for. I hope I am wrong and he plays 17 great games this year. Let's see and if I am wrong I will be very happy and celebrate as the team will go a long way.

 

[ubiquitous226]

Ok so you agree he cant kick. Which is a vital part of the role. You also didnt comment on his lack of ability to get his fist to the ball when he is in the contest.

But ok, he is above average at intercept marks, and poor at all other components of the role.

I'm thinking you're maybe using intercept and rebound the same way here?
They're 2 skills in my view that are handy to have together but aren't the same thing.

All 3 of Pearce, Cox and Ryan are good interceptors, and I haven't checked the numbers but I'd suspect they're down in intercept numbers overall over the last year or two because it feels we've restructured to get some more offensive rebound and faster movement up the ground at the expense of the forced rush ball into a well set defensive framework.

 

[thistimeforsure]

Jeez the bloke played one of the best halves of footy I’ve ever seen a KPD play in that final last year , give me another example of a KPD ( almost ) dragging a team to victory in a finals game

Doesn’t get talked about because we lost but it was an all time game for key defender in a final

Injuries and kicking sure he has issues but he’s a great backman