Match Day Rnd. 3 Sydney V Collingwood. 7.50pm SCG

[Meg]

GC beat Hawk in contested possessions 181-117! I don't think I've ever seen such a big margin.

Yes, Hawthorn players looked totally disinterested. Might be a one-game anomaly but we will see.

[longmile]

Beautiful, there may yet be joy in season 2017

[Industrial Fan]

The best part is their first round pick they gave away which is currently #1

[Hotpotato]

Dunstall took it well ....
lying in a coffin hosting the first segment of Bounce ... pretty funny actually .

[dejavoodoo44]

The best part is their first round pick they gave away which is currently #1

Shhh! Don't say that; or the AFL will change the rules.

[barry]

Regarding ladder i think giants and dogs still a ring above everyone. Adelaide will fall back to the pack. Richmond are pretenders.

- - - Updated - - -

Hawks last. Lol.

[Hotpotato]

My favourite Melbourne team are The Tigers ...
And their supporters are so manic ....
Can we get Dusty to Sydney ?

[0918330512]

My favourite Melbourne team are The Tigers ...
And their supporters are so manic ....
Can we get Dusty to Sydney ?

Just what Talia needs

[ScottH]

At least we can't blame the Umpires this time, they were fair both ways this time.
Dropping Laidler may not have been that smart a decision. His intercept marking may have helped stem the tide in the 1st qtr.

[1PR]

I'm looking forward to seeing how Longmire and Clarkson respond to this adversity. They have been the two great coaches in the AFL over the last 5 years. Sydney's game plan and depth has been tested, while the Hawks have moved on veterans in a aggressive rebuild. How will Clarkson and Longmire respond to the challenge.

We don't need Dusty Martin even though I encourage my son to watch him play. Brilliant player but a Ben Cousins rat pack type.

[chuckie]

I wrote after the first round that our defence has been really good over the last few years partly due to the pressures put on the opposition players up the ground from our mid field and forwards and when that is not done we look slow and small.
My wife often mentions that we are 5 metres from our opponents all the time and that when she played netball and I played football we were told never give your opponent an inch. I heard on the radio on Saturday during the Melb v Geelong game Jimmy Bartel say that defenders don't play on their opponents anymore they try and close his space which is how our defenders play, I would have thought that the best way to close his space was to stand next to him. After the grand final I also wrote that Smith and Grundy will struggle this year as they are so slow and with the game getting quicker they won't keep up.

[Markwebbos]

Ross Lyons conversation with Paul Roos applies to our current situation:

?sometimes it?s just working around the ball and the contest a bit fiercer.

?Then your backs look like they can defend, your backs look like they can run (and) your forwards look pretty good.

[Ludwig]

I wrote after the first round that our defence has been really good over the last few years partly due to the pressures put on the opposition players up the ground from our mid field and forwards and when that is not done we look slow and small.
My wife often mentions that we are 5 metres from our opponents all the time and that when she played netball and I played football we were told never give your opponent an inch. I heard on the radio on Saturday during the Melb v Geelong game Jimmy Bartel say that defenders don't play on their opponents anymore they try and close his space which is how our defenders play, I would have thought that the best way to close his space was to stand next to him. After the grand final I also wrote that Smith and Grundy will struggle this year as they are so slow and with the game getting quicker they won't keep up.

I agree that our defence is too slow and we struggle to move the ball quickly on the counterattack. I think Longmire recognises this, which is why Marsh has come in to take the place of Laidler. Newman also adds some pace to our back line. It's hard to cover a forward moving directly to good lead up pass. I don't think Smith is that slow, but even the quickest players can't cover that short lead up pass. I've been pushing to give Melican a go, which would help our backline pace and think he would make a good combo with Aliir.

If we have a backline containing Aliir, Melican, Rampe, Newman, Marsh and Jones, we would be more than quick enough. Maibaum has reasonable pace as well, while Talia and AJ both are medium paced players that wouldn't hurt us if either eventually takes the place of Reg.

If Dawson and Hayward come through, and feel pretty confident they will, we could see Rohan go back to defence to give us some more drive on the rebound.

There's been a recognition that we can use some more pace and some of the ones we thought might contribute in that area, Cunningham, Towers and BJ, haven't worked out. We off loaded Tom Mitchell and picked up another speedy player in the draft, which should help. It seems that we are well aware that we need to transition to a quicker team and are making good progress, especially given the failure of the above named 3 quick players.

[1PR]

I agree that our defence is too slow and we struggle to move the ball quickly on the counterattack. I think Longmire recognises this, which is why Marsh has come in to take the place of Laidler. Newman also adds some pace to our back line. It's hard to cover a forward moving directly to good lead up pass. I don't think Smith is that slow, but even the quickest players can't cover that short lead up pass. I've been pushing to give Melican a go, which would help our backline pace and think he would make a good combo with Aliir.

If we have a backline containing Aliir, Melican, Rampe, Newman, Marsh and Jones, we would be more than quick enough. Maibaum has reasonable pace as well, while Talia and AJ both are medium paced players that wouldn't hurt us if either eventually takes the place of Reg.

If Dawson and Hayward come through, and feel pretty confident they will, we could see Rohan go back to defence to give us some more drive on the rebound.

There's been a recognition that we can use some more pace and some of the ones we thought might contribute in that area, Cunningham, Towers and BJ, haven't worked out. We off loaded Tom Mitchell and picked up another speedy player in the draft, which should help. It seems that we are well aware that we need to transition to a quicker team and are making good progress, especially given the failure of the above named 3 quick players.

We have the pace in the backline but not the attitude. Harry Marsh would not be that much slower than Jayden Hunt or Johansson, but these guys take the game on with no fear.

Can Harry Marsh take the game on like Jayden Hunt without Longmire getting angry if it does not work out?

[Ludwig]

We have the pace in the backline but not the attitude. Harry Marsh would not be that much slower than Jayden Hunt or Johansson, but these guys take the game on with no fear.

Can Harry Marsh take the game on like Jayden Hunt without Longmire getting angry if it does not work out?

Marsh really struggled his first few years. He started as a midfielder, then he was tried as a defender and dropped to the rookie list. It looked pretty bleak for him at that stage. But he's really come on the last couple of years.

Marsh has good pace, but not in the class of Hunt or Johannisen. Nonetheless, I think he has shown a willingness to take the game on and I doubt this will be discouraged by Longmire. He still has a way to go, but the signs are encouraging given he's only played 10 senior games and seems to be on a good track now. Longmire has shown confidence in him by putting him ahead of the reliable and more experienced Laidler. Marsh is no certainty to hold his spot over the long term with Rampe coming back in a month or so and several good defender prospects that should be pushing for selection as the year progresses.