AFL Round 4 general discussion

[Markwebbos]

Finally with the final question of his press conference a journalist asked Longmire about Mills in the midfield and if he might start there. His answer... yes we know he is a very good midfielder but he's a very good defender too and we would have to replace him there... having good defender's are pretty important.

Geeeeez John, what a surprise! No need to change things up as our side is looking sensational at the moment!... dominating in the middle! [emoji19]

I wonder if he realises that if we do have a dominant midfield we hopefully won't have to defend as much thus lessening the urgent need for another 'good defender'...[emoji2357]

Sent from my SM-G977B using Tapatalk

Slightly gobsmacked that Horse said: “we think he can be a pretty good player in our midfield. We've always thought that.”

Defender or midfielder? Longmire ponders what to do with gun Swan

Yet he’s never seriously given him an opportunity there and our midfield has been THE weakness for years now. WTF?

[Nico]

They should be paying incorrect disposal. So many times players just let the ball go when tackled, feigning knocked out in the tackle. You rarely see players actually making contact with the ball to dislodge it.

This priority opportunity thing; the close in way the game is played right now hardly gives a player time to think about disposing, let alone have an opportunity. If they follow this week's narrative we are going to get some horrible decision inconsistencies. Can't wait for the talking heads take on it on Monday.

By the way how about they pay throwing the ball more often. The Dogs simply throw the footy too often.

- - - Updated - - -

Slightly gobsmacked that Horse said: “we think he can be a pretty good player in our midfield. We've always thought that.”

Defender or midfielder? Longmire ponders what to do with gun Swan

Yet he’s never seriously given him an opportunity there and our midfield has been THE weakness for years now. WTF?

Our defensive mind set isn't helping our cause right now. Grow some flair Johnny boy.

[Ludwig]

I know it takes time to develop a good defender, but we can say that about every position. Right now we need to win more ball and create more offence.

We have lots of defenders, but Longmire doesn't seem to want to play them. Jake Lloyd is still not a good defender, despite playing there for most of his time at the Swans. We're not going to develop the defence Longmire wants unless he puts some of these young players in the seniors and lets them get their feet wet. This is great year to do it, since it's really a practice/development season for us anyway. It took around a hundred games to train up players like Neville Jetta and Luke Brown (ADE) to become solid small defenders. But sometimes you have to do that.

We need to give Melican and O'Riordan senior game time to work through their deficiencies. Stoddart can also play off HB. So what if they make mistakes at this stage of their careers. We need to give someone a go, or we'll never have the defenders we want.

Let Mills and Dawson play in the midfield where they can contribute more to our attack.

[royboy42]

I have to say, I am in awe of Matt Rowell. It's unbelievable what he's come in and started doing as a first year player! Has this ever happened before? Sure it's only three games and it will be interesting to see how long he can keep it up but it's still incredible. He has single-handedly turned GCS around. Suddenly all their other talent makes them look like a dangerous team - but they've always had a lot of talented players and they've never before looked so dangerous. Still expecting them to fade a bit as the year goes on. They won at least 3 of their first 4 games last year. But they are surely going to do a fair bit better than last year.

If the Suns can surge up the ladder it's also going to make a few of their trading decisions look a bit smarter.

I saw Carl Ditterich play his first game in the 60s. Teenage ruckman, and quite brilliant. He totally dominated the game. Had a pretty good career too.

[The Big Cat]

I saw Carl Ditterich play his first game in the 60s. Teenage ruckman, and quite brilliant. He totally dominated the game. Had a pretty good career too.

Absolute thug

[snajik]

All good posts - especially yours, neilfws!

As Gil said: "What would I know?"

Gotta love Clarko's lack of self-awareness. Based on one game and another that he didn't see, not paying enough HTB frees is making the game ugly. Hawthorn under Clarkson have done more than any other club to sully the aesthetics of the game.

Three men in a ruck contest. Thanks Hawthorn, that was really ugly.

Shepherding and nudging the man on the mark. (Why is this not illegal?) Ugly.

The 2008 GF where Hawthorn won in the most unsportsmanlike manner by rushing behinds at every opportunity. Ugly.

Its President Jeff Kennett. Ugly.

Those hideous fookin' hawthorn jumpers. Ugly!

[dejavoodoo44]

I have to say, I am in awe of Matt Rowell. It's unbelievable what he's come in and started doing as a first year player! Has this ever happened before? Sure it's only three games and it will be interesting to see how long he can keep it up but it's still incredible. He has single-handedly turned GCS around. Suddenly all their other talent makes them look like a dangerous team - but they've always had a lot of talented players and they've never before looked so dangerous. Still expecting them to fade a bit as the year goes on. They won at least 3 of their first 4 games last year. But they are surely going to do a fair bit better than last year.

If the Suns can surge up the ladder it's also going to make a few of their trading decisions look a bit smarter.

Though strangely, since I wrote that, it looks like I should get the chance of seeing the Swans at Metricon, when they're not actually playing the Suns. Although, as far as I know, the club hasn't contacted us Queensland members about ticket availability.

[dejavoodoo44]

Happily, while writing the above post, I got an email saying that ticket registration opens at 9am tomorrow. Now all that has to happen, is for us to play like we did against North.

[dejavoodoo44]

Gotta love Clarko's lack of self-awareness. Based on one game and another that he didn't see, not paying enough HTB frees is making the game ugly. Hawthorn under Clarkson have done more than any other club to sully the aesthetics of the game.

Three men in a ruck contest. Thanks Hawthorn, that was really ugly.

Shepherding and nudging the man on the mark. (Why is this not illegal?) Ugly.

The 2008 GF where Hawthorn won in the most unsportsmanlike manner by rushing behinds at every opportunity. Ugly.

Its President Jeff Kennett. Ugly.

Those hideous fookin' hawthorn jumpers. Ugly!

I don't think that I've watched a Hawthorn game this season? Is this year's incarnation of the mustard on turd, particularly good at tackling?

[Ruck'n'Roll]

The data is probably spot on and I cant for the life of me see why increasing of the holding the ball free is going to free up play. All it does is allow the defence to get reset down the line.

Paying more holding the ball frees would be in Clarko's interest, and it does allow the defence to reset.
But a sequence of non decisions, where a tackle takes place the ball remains in contention and neither an incorrect disposal or incorrect tackle is paid, simply turns the game into an ugly rolling mall, and draws more and more players in to the congestion.
The only solution, as recommended by Don Jolley is remove the equivocation caused by "prior opportunity" and "he made an attempt" interpretations and umpire the game according to the rules.
Unfortunately to implement such a thing would be politically brave, and therefore unlikely to happen, because whining about umpiring decisions is so popular and the AFL is generally extremely spineless / sensitive to criticism.

[Nico]

I don't think that I've watched a Hawthorn game this season? Is this year's incarnation of the mustard on turd, particularly good at tackling?

Their alternative jumper on the weekend looked half decent. But they will revert back to that rat@@@@ poos and wees uniform this week.

[royboy42]

Absolute thug

He didn't start that way...got loose later at Melbourne as he aged. But a brilliant player.

- - - Updated - - -

Absolute thug

He didn't start that way...got loose later at Melbourne as he aged. But a brilliant player.