Post Match v Dorkers...All comments here thanx

[Culprit]

Josh is no newcomer, Guy has some excuses. I was happy, geez with the heat it would be hard to be motivated and to go down by less the twenty points was a bonus. Sandilands was on fire and took both Guy & Josh to task and our disposal straight to him did not help. Slaughtered may be a bit over the top, he did do as he pleased.

[BBHS]

Sandilands did win the Tap work but I think we won the clerances

[Presti35]

In Perth, (Against a team who pumped the flag favorites)

Very hot day,

Down 5 players in our starting 18, (Freo were missing Bell and Hedland)

Showed some fire.

I'm happy.

Bring on season 2006.

[BHPIE]

How was the delivery to our fwds?

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

It was always going to be a struggle to beat Sandilands in the tap-work department. However, i believe we did well in the clearances which in the end is the stat we want to win!

I was happy with both Josh & Richards - ALL things considered. They will both only improve during the season with more footy under their belts!

Apart from that it was great to see:
- The kids have an impact [I like the look of Thomas & Stanley]
- Great tackling & chasing particularly in that weather!.... although at times Freo make it easier for us with their nonsensical handpasses & possession sharing!!!!
- Maxwell is a gem!

Can't wait for Monday night!!!!!!!
We're really going to enjoy this year!

[HAL]

How was the delivery to our fwds?

I can enjoy almost any conversation.

[favourites 2008]

How was the delivery to our fwds?

Well it was similar to the St Kilda game in parts in that we bombed long and hoped for the best, which is alright when rocca is playing howeer for most of the game its what braught us unstuck. In the comeback in the third qtr thomas began to use the footy and short pass to hit tarrent and davis and then tarrent again. So to answer your question it wasn't too bad however it probably looked bad becos we didn't have a tall marking option.

[stui magpie]

Just some things that really stuck out for me.

1. the intensity of the team as a whole. It's great. Back to 02/03 standards
2. J Cloke attack on the man/ball. FMD, C1 is tackling people like they owe him money. No half assed attack, he is fully committing himself everytime. Brilliant to see and sets an example for the team.
3. Thomas. He just kept bobbing up. Hard at the ball, flair and setting up forwards with oinpoint passes. With Passing like that, tarrant wants to go to MM personally and Beg him to play this kid.

All in all, stoked that we played so well. Roll on the season proper

[uey]

It is all very, very exciting! at the moment I think our best 22 looks someting like this:

Clement Presti Lockyer
Swan Wakelin Maxwell

Buckley Holland Burns

Tarrant C.Cloke Davis
Didak Rocca Fraser

Richards Licca O'Bree

J.Cloke (must be in the 22)
T.Cloke (must be in the 22)
Caracella/Egan/Davies/Stanley (flanker types, 2 offensive, 2 defensive, who do you pick?)
Thomas/R.Shaw/Johnson/H.Shaw (onballers/pockets who do you pick?)

and what about Morrison? in between hieght, can play across half back or on ball...

and Lonie, tackles hard, and is a deadly accurate long kick, one trick pony, or starting 22?...

and what about Rowe when he gets fit?, and Pendlebury? and Rusling?
GO PIES!

Love the post Joe.

Id love to know how Rhyce has been going at training.
Last season he would have to have been close to leading the Copeland when he went down. For someone who has copped so much he has a massive ticker, but he needs lots of work to develop self confidence in his execution, but the bloke was verging on explosive last year and if he has not lost pace, and can get some footy (could take 8 games) under his belt, he is in our best 18. Im worried about Brodie and think R. Shaw will be more valuable by Round 8. Egan getting close but not quite there yet for mine. Rusling could be anything but 3 shoulder injuries in what the last 5 games, its very worrying for the lad and the club. Touch wood its just bad luck and/or bad management and they can resolve it. Ill Take Travis over Cam, more presence, more determined. Cam will have to work very very hard and no shenanigans to stay in the 22.

I wish i knew what happened to Jonno, maybe he needs to be back in the back pocket, or has he lost pace. Him or Tarqs??

If you look at that 18 we are desperate for explosive pace. Those quick kids must play.

How good is it that so many established solid footballers are under pressure for spots in the 22 including, Lockyer Wakelin Holland Davis Lonie Caracella Jonno and we could go on.

Any word on Rhyce from the track watchers????

[RudeBoy]

Just a few more comments. While it's true we were soundly beaten in the ruck, Sandilands is a monster of a ruckman, and our on ballers did a great job at clearances. Under the circumstances, Josh did a great job using his mobility around the ground. Guy Richards is still finding his feet after missing so much football, so I think we can cut him some slack for a few more weeks yet. If he doesn't come on, then at least we've got Fanning, who is physically more imposing, although more inexperienced.

I'm surprised at some of the criticisms of Heath Shaw, as I thought he did some really great things, using his pace and revealing some good disposal skills. He also spent a fair amount of time on the bench. With 8 on the interchange, and so many rotations, it was a difficult game to judge some players, as it was hard to know how much game time they actually had. I thought Sam Iles looked a goer, until heat exhaustion got the better of him. Harry O'Brien continues to impress. Danny Stanley got a bit of the ball, but I'm not sure that he's got enough pace to make an impact - it's just an impression, so I might be wrong there. Hall and Cox did not seem to have much game time, so I wouldn't judge them on this performance.

Overall, I reckon MM would have been rapped with the attitude, endeavour and commitment of our vastly undermanned group of youngsters. It's all looking good to me. Go Pies.

[DaicosMagic]

When Thomas hit Tarrant lace out on teh tits twice in a row, the beaming smile on Tarrant's face when he congratulated DT ... I've never seen him so happy. He was like, "Thank you God, finally someone who can PASS teh ball to me."

[doppleganger]

freo were also missing a couple of key players

bell - inspirational leader, their equivalent of burns id reckon
headland - talent but doesn't always show up
hadrill & polak - FB & CHB respectively for them when firing

pies were good

down back looked strong

presti & maxwell had the key posts did very good jobs
h.o'brien looked comfortbale
lockyer had a tough game on the wizz, but looks alright
swan, h.shaw & stanley all looked pretty good as other smalls
even the crab looked useful!!

Wakelin & Clement still to come in to defence too!!!

midifeld was interesting, still plenty of rubbish turn-overs
o'bree knows how to find the ball, wish he could kick the thing!
similar re licka
leon, thomas, didak did showed good foot skills
like j.cloke running around harassing everything in sight, perhaps could become a bit of a weapon??
Holland???

Buckley, Burns to come back here too

Forwards

Taz improved as the game went on, think clearly his role is as a HFF not the FF, he needs to be able to roam around the ground!!
T.Cloke didn't really do much, Carey commented that he was only leadin once instead of doubling up....hopefully he will learn this

Fraser again looks dangerous around the goals....our best goal sneak??

Rocca, C.Cloke & Cara to come back

Rucks

worrying, stretch was horrible for the second game in a row, hopefully he is brushing away some serious cobwebs as we need somebody to stand up in the ruck so we can release josh

josh was ok around the ground, but sandilands just killed them

neither looked to make any form of body contact, wonder if C.Cloke was playing whether he may have been given a go & just told to jump into sandilands for a bit???

plenty of options in most positions which is very promising

[Johnson#26]

... Bring on the crows indeed
I just looked at the Round1 fixture...WTF?
There are games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Whats with that.
Sucks we have to wait till Monday, Should be worth it though

Blame it on the MCG and the Comm Games!

Can't wait for Saturday vs North.

[eddiesmith]

Was a strange game, the fact that we held Rocca and C2 back tells me MM was worried about injuring our best performing forwards.

Rocca wasnt held back, ROcca was injured at training, why Cam missed is one of the great mysteries of life

[Morrigu]

Well after a spectular weekend at the Island have just watched the game - good signs there I reckon!!

Plenty of spirit, plenty of endevour, plenty of desire - been missing the last two years

Daisy - tick, Harry- tick, Taz - tick, tick tick - how anyone can criticise that performance is beyond me - body language is a personal perception thing - so he ain't as intense as Bucks - is anyone???

I certainly didn't love Carey as a player - he killed us too many times for that and certainly don't think much of him as a male - BUT he was a hell of a player and now as a coach he scoffed at the suggestion that Taz doesn't love his footy and apply himself - well I 'll take his evaluation ta very much!!!

All in all bloody good performance by a young team in a practice match in testing conditions - albeit with some rusty skills - but much to look forward to!!!

Bring it on Crows!!!!!!!