Only seen the first quarter of today's game so far. But it would appear that we just can't match the run of most teams on the bigger grounds like the MCG. We matched the Tigers run for a quarter. Pies for 2 quarters. And doesn't sound like we matched the saints at any stage.

Only team we could run with were Essendon*, another team that is severely deficient when it comes to runners.

We run wide and concede the corridor too much in order to keep control of possession. We've virtually abandoned the corridor since round 1.

Hence you wind up running a bit more to present an option, especially given how much we switch play without any real loose options on the side we're switching to.

Ahh good old decision making.

Although I don't mind playing Walker and Simpson down back, I wonder if they have to be played midfield on the bigger grounds to give us a semblance of a hope of matching the run of most other teams. I wonder too whether blokes like Russell and Bower (if he hadn't been injured) should be automatic inclusions for us on the bigger grounds.

I'm glad they gave Blackwell a run today, but I would have thought it would make sense to give him a run at Telstra Dome ahead of the MCG.

When a team is shit, they are shit on EVERY ground.

Don't blame the venue.

_________________

************************************************************
NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.

I'm not blaming the venue. I'm commenting on our deficiencies, which become more apparent at certain venues.

Obviously we need to become good enough to compete with any team at any venue. But we're a fair way off that at the moment.