We won that on the back of a good effort from the boys.
Yes, there were shite umpiring at both ends of the game but also the overall umpiring was atrocious. The HTB rule is a shambles. It is now OK to just let the ball go in a tackle and the umps will pay it as knocked free. Once in our F50 the Freo player just put it on the ground like a rugby union player.

My biggest concern is the forward setup. We ask our defenders and forwards to over commit. It's why we get a lot of goals scored against us over the back and also why the opposition sweeper takes a dozen marks a week against us.
When Harry takes a mark on the HBF, he turns around and there is literally nobody to kick it to. H has to go short and then run back. Then if you look at the wide picture, we ask our forwards to go into the middle while there is a line of opposition players between our last attacker and the goals. It literally stops us from using the paddock. It forces our forwards to run back with the flight while the defenders are coming at the ball. It's just stupid. We got caught out at least four times tonight where the opposition sweeper took an uncontested mark behind our deepest forward.
Most of our goals come from chaos and contested possessions in the forward fifty. Not many come from a forward taking a mark on a lead.

I'll take the points any day but our system needs tweaking. Leave Eddie or Fisher or Harry in the square. It forces the opposition to change their entire defensive setup. Look at the Cats and how Hawkins plays deep. It's not rocket science.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

I am speechless.
Terrible game but what a finish.

Really pleased with the overall effort.

Can't nurse TDK through to another pre season though. Was out pointed time and time again.

He's had a taste, that's enough until next year.

Eddie was never going to star in these conditions, particularly with the congestion he was facing.

Thought Curnow was terrific. I've been critical of him this year but he was probably best.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Our forward line structure has been causing us problems all season. Need to be more precise entering 50. Looked even worse without Martin's silk. Zero lowering of eyes looking for a target. Poor old Levi getting 3 defenders all night and we keep banging it in high, rarely to advantage.

Happy to take the 4 points, would have been a tragedy to lose again due to charity goals going against us.

CB

Doing to Perth what Clive Palmer wishes he could.

Actualy, I thought TDK had a pretty good night in the ruck. Didn't do a lot around the ground

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Great to win a close one, and it was a magnificent kick...better than Gray’s. But our game style is a joke...it was dry for most of the 2nd half and we just kept bombing it into 50 and down the line. No wonder we couldn’t score. Until we change our tactics we’re going nowhere.

Cottrell is going to be good and a cult figure. The Badger should be given another game. Murphy 23 touches but is impacting games less and less. Love Ed but a poor month puts him under the microscope... I’d play Owies and rest him. SPS is doing nothing down back, on his form there he should be dropped.

Almost makes up for the crap umpiring last week ..... almost

BTW ........ Great gutsy win

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"IF YOU FAIL TO PREPARE, YOU'RE PREPARED TO FAIL" - Mark Spitz

jeebus, that took some thinking to work that out....

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my last one was rubbish

I’m just happy to walk away with the 4 points. It was a tough night.

Ed Curnow was EPIC
BOG by the length of the Flemington straight for mine - but come Brownlow night 3 Votes N Fyfe

Good to see players lift after HT....Kennedy, Setterfield, TDK, Fisher

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"I had to eat"

Ditto! Who is our forwards coach BTW?

Exactly.

Found one in Cottrell.

Regarding the downfield free, it was a bit soft and I'd be livid if I were a Freo supporter, but the umps set a precedent by giving them 2 soft frees for pushing after the kick earlier in the quarter, so really they had to pay ours.

I've always defended Newnes on this site, he has a beautiful right foot. Hopefully the calls to drop him will abate for a few weeks.

just needs a bit of composure, but can find it at least

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"I had to eat"

You have to remember Eddie has left his pregnant wife and 4 kids in Melbourne.
Can't be easy for him.

they're on the gc as of two weeks ago, not that he's there

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"I had to eat"

Teague said he got a corky and should be fine.