Random dozen player thoughts

[twaters]

1. NBrown - well done.
2. Maxwell - absolutely well done.
3. Thomas - our BOG
4. Didak/Swan/Pendles/Ball/Beams - beaten by the Saints' negators.
5. Goldsack - one of our best negators missing on Goddard/Hayes
6. Sidebottom - don't know what the stats say, but visually well over the pass mark, and also the youngest player on ground. May add that without Presti we are younger than the baby bombers of 1993 - perhaps we should talk our guys up more for the heights they have achieved this year.
7. LBrown - amazing that such a late pick should change an opposing Grand Final's team's structure in order to counter his influence. Still grand.
8. Jolly/Ball - not quite the offensive force hoped for, but yep did dry the Saints' own supply up.
9. Davis - none of us external to inner sanctum will know the medical state of Leon, Medders. Obviously we relied on the razzle-dazzle factor one way or another. Bit of run out on Leon today, and suspect we have no-one better, except to go Goldsack as a shut down everywhere and leave Sidey up front.
10. Blair - thought he helped Ball incredibly well today in under - except for the obvious fact that Saints probably play more 'unsociable' football than Hawthorn 2008. The amounts of elbows to guts/heads really needs to be looked at by the AFL if we want a product that can be internationalised. Gratuitous knees and kicks to the head seem to be called 'play on'.
11. Johnson - all hail; great game.

12. Got to get our mids more up and firing; Davis out, Goldsack in to take some defensive heat off our scoring mids, Didak full forward for a spell.

 

[Invigoration]

5. Goldsack - one of our best negators missing on Goddard/Hayes

I don't think Davis should have played, but get serious. Goldsack was average last week. deserved to get dropped and is far from one of our best negators.

If Goldy had played today he wouldn't have gone anywhere near either of those guys.

Agree with pretty much everything else though. Blair was brilliant in the first half, very quiet afterwards. Leroy was shown up quite badly in the ruck and then by Fisher, I thought he was pretty poor overall.

Dawes and Beams are best not discussed.

Dale Thomas and Maxwell were both ****ing brilliant.

 

[Knightmare]

Dale Thomas was my BOG tip if the Pies won. Turned out to be our best player and really set the tone in the 1st quarter.

Maxwell was very impressive in the 2nd+3rd. Then when it counted in the 4th again could be relied on. Felt like a captains influence on the game.

Nathan Brown was terrific and almost deserves another week. Did an outstanding job and can hold his head high. I do fear Riewoldt will come in harder next week so I'd almost give the game to whoever has the better week on the track and whoevers body is more right.

Bring in Goldy for Davis. Called it during the week and it showed. Davis is not a forward pocket and can't perform in the position consistantly. Keep Sidebottom forward for the week and have Goldy as a versatile tall who can mix things up. 1 good goal from Davis but not nearly the tackling production he needs if he is to play that role. I don't believe it is that he isn't a big game player, he has shown he can play well further up the ground in bigger finals, but certainly as a forward pocket. No.

To win next week we need to win the 1st half by 30+ points. And Swan, Pendlebury and Didak all need to improve their production.

Riewoldt could lift next game so, he is the one who could lift St Kilda next week.

Looking forward to next week.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Harry O may wish to consider holding a mark at some point next week.

 

[the mighty T]

Harry O may wish to consider holding a mark at some point next week.

oh boy was that frustrating... There was at least 2 from memory

But he kicked that sweet goal...doesnt quite make up for it.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I reckon at least 4 or 5. Drove me nuts.