A question rather than a statement.

No doubt we have improved across a number of areas BUT we still make a lot of mistakes and poor decisions which i fear will cost us against the better teams.

Richmond game - won but had a lapse or two - first round!
Gold Coast - anyone worth anything have beaten them easily
Collingwood -despite the margin - never really threatened
Essendon* - had all the favours and probably let this one slip
Adelaide - controlled the game for most yet found ourselves scrambling to win
Sydney - great performance coming from behind - one of our best wins in the last few years
St Kilda - similar to the Adelaide game - had it by the throat and let them back in.

i'm not trying to be negative as a 5-1-1 result after 7 matches i would take every day of the week... but where do we really think we are in terms of improvement, the style we play/game plan and personnel.

i'm interested in your thoughts.

It's been a long time since I was in high school but my memory of a question is that it ends with a question mark. The exclamation marks indicate a statement.

Back to the "question". We are good, how good will be determined by year's end. All you can do is win games. We have an eye on next year as well playing a lot of inexperienced players.

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T E A M

Grammer was never my strong point...thanks teach.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Grammar. (just joshin'..!)

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Ironically, we could be out of top 4 after the Geelong game if we lose that

Putting GC aside, we haven't smashed a team but I don't see that as a huge issue.
NM beat Port by 10 goals in between a loss to Richmond and an 11 goal loss to Geelong.
I can see definite improvement in the team from last year. We have had key injuries but keep on winning. Its a good sign.
We are right up in contested possession, tackles. We have our defensive structures much better and the "press" works most of the time.

The only way is up AFAIC.

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T E A M

It's a good question.

I see us as controlling most of the games we've played this year but silly errors and dumb decisions have almost cost us!

Richmond, Adelaide, StKilda wins could have EASILLY gone the other way and we were lucky to come away with the draw against Essendon*.

Either way............... We've beaten nobody so far (Sydney the exception).
Richmond / Adelaide / Saints / Suns................... all outside of the 8!

It'll be interesting to see how we play against Geelong. I reckon they're gonna beat Collingwood.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Good time to play them anyway. Coming off a really big/hard game against Collingwood, and with us coming off the bye. And with a good record against them in recent clashes.

.....or we could be 2nd on the ladder if Geelong lose to the Pies and we beat the Cats.

Not really sure where the irony is?

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dane's trolling again

Smashing teams at the clearances.
Smashing them on the tackle count.
Smashing them with pressure.
Smashing them with our will to win.
Smashing them with inside fifties.

We just need to score more when we have games under control. We are getting the shots but not capitalising. We improve with this and we are real good.

Big k playing forward / ruck and a CHB (Bower or Henda) and things will only get better also.

Try the laundry. Your shirts are in the basket. And ffs can you stop leaving a mess in the kitchen after breakfast

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#DonTheStash

You can apply this to a lot of teams though - Hawthorn, Essendon* and Fremantle haven't really beaten anyone either. And it depends on your definition of "anyone". Richmond are looking better than last year. St Kilda are grand finalists last two years. etc.

I think I would prefer we focus on beating the teams we should account for, even if they aren't "anyone", rather than taking top 2/top 4 scalps. That was an area we struggled in last year.

too many crunchy nut cornflakes for me.

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dane's trolling again

Yeah your right. But i'm talking more about HOW we played during those games.
sure, we won, and 4 points is 4 points, but we have Hardly been convincing. If anything, I reckon we've been a bit lucky!

But hey.................... We deserve some luck anyway!

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

A bit of straight kicking and both Richmond and Adelaide wouldn't have seemed like struggles. Same last night. Should have won by 4 goals.

Also, some composure would have meant a win not a draw against Essendon*.

Basically better kicking for goal will make us look more like a top 4 side.

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

More to do with our forward structures and setups in our fwd 50....if this weak link is rectified you will find our conversion rate will improve and our winning margins as well....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Good teams find a way to win.
isn't that us?

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Agree. A lot of our goals/points come from snaps from packs and shots from the pockets.