After tonight's game, I'd suggest the following should be discussed at selection this week:

DeLuca: totally ineffective, not really sure why we played him at Subiaco. Bring on Bryan or Kennedy.

Chambers: Looks great when he gets space and runs, just never gets space and runs

Sporn: I'll get a hiding for this, called him hopeless during the week and was crucified. Does a lot of good things, but for every good thing there's a turnover, dropped chest mark, etc. Too slow also. Not a fan at all.

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"I had to eat"

stuff Sporn! yes he had a few kicks tonight, but that's because he doesn't have a role tonight and the opposition team doesn't bother puting a player on him. He's on our list for 5 years now and has he improve? He certainly hasn't grown any muscles, he's not gonna improve much so why still waste time on him, play blackwell or russell instead please!

we could directly swap these players with no noticeable change

deluca > bryan

chambers > russell (or even wiggo)

sporn > teague or bannister


jeez we missed fish tonight .. comeback soon fish !


.. go fish ..

.. go blues ..

The midfield.

The forwards rely on the midfield for delivery. No good delivery = no marks = no goals.

The backs rely on the pressure the midfield can exert on opposition players running the ball down the corridoor. No pressure = lace out passes to the opposition forwards.

Crucify our forwards and backs if you must, but at least take the midfield into account when you do so.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Agree with that, but I reckon the three I named continually disappoint.

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"I had to eat"

Chambers and Sporn are part of the midfield. Hacks both of them and we won't improve as a side until they're both, along with Deluca, playing in the VFL where they belong. I can't wait for Blackwell, Russell, Setanta and Kennedy to be fully ready for AFL senior football.

Where did they line up though? If they're on a half back flank then their priority is to negate their immediate opponent.
Chambers didn't seem to get much game time when compared to Stevens, who was flogged by Crowley early, and Kouta, who had very modest output.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

I define midfielders a little differently then most. Midfielders for me include people who play in the middle (including rucks, wings, ect) roving HBFs like Lappin or Walker, and roving HFFs like Paul Chapman. They all play a similar role in the side. Some are defensive and some are offensively orientated but they're all midfielders.

If Chambers and Sporn were any good they could've replaced Stevens in the midfield and given him a rest like most backup midfielders do in every other side in the league. Chamber and Sporn just aren't good enough. Kouta's game is apparently underrated. He wasn't brilliant but he got plenty of the ball.

I'm not denying he got plenty of touches, but for mine he didn't have a huge impact on the game.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

He played more of a link man role, and he got plenty of his own ball. But you're right, he didn't exactly set the world on fire when he had possession.

Which was the story of the entire midfield.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Plus Hartlett who has a helluvalot more to offer up forward and downback than Deluca!

At least the alleged blacklisted player can kick the skin off the ball and roost it 70 metres!

Is hartlett THAT player? or just speculation on your part?

I also heard on the grapevine about the blacklisted player. Pagan got a call from Senantor Joe McCarthy alerting him to the communist infiltration of the Team and singled out a player with communist sympathies. Until he names the players who are playing under the guise of footballers from within the club he will have to stick it out in the magoos.

When will people on the internet finally learn that 'than' and 'then' are two completely different words?

It is driving me stark-raving mad!!

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Kouta had 10 contested possessions. So did Houla.

Kouta's kicking was as bad as I have ever seen it tonight, got a bit of it, but coughed it up a lot.

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Can you elaborate on your point?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Kouta was sadly out of touch and showed very little interest intrying to tackle, chase, spoil etc. I was surprised to see his stats.

I agree re Deluca - send him back to the Ants.

Sporn was okay and though every time he got it I cringed he only really clanged it once or twice, which is better percentage than Stevens, Whitnall and Lappin, who gave away a goal by kicking it into the man on the mark.

Yet he had 5 tackles (equal highest in the team with Carrazzo).