Hello darkness my old friend

It's more than a bit depressing when you realise you could rehash the post from the corresponding game last year with a few changes to names, dates and faces.

When Hardwick comes to talk to us again about how this is a team that can beat anyone, there's a vision softly creeping that everything will be fine. But this couldn't be further from the truth. They may be able to catch any team off guard if the planets align, but the bigger issue now is that we can be beaten by anyone.

Foolishly I convinced myself they'd get it done tonight without too many dramas. It would be good to get a look at the depth we'd heard so much about, I thought to myself. Instead, a gander at life outside the top 30 on the list left a vision that was planted on brain that the cupboard is dreadfully bare (I'm finished with that now I promise).

Deledio's absence has been well documented, but missing Newman and Chaplin rattled us far more than I thought it would. Rance battled Hogan (hell of a kid), who despite Bruce's commentary kicked 2 instead of 12, but without Chaplin there to chop out he looked very much like the Rance of 2012, a better than average defender who can't do everything on his own. Astbury got worked over by Dawes which might make you feel like putting your head in an oven, but he's two games back off an injury break. Batchelor beat Watts senseless and Vlastuin mopped up where he could, but where was the rest of the support? Morris is moving from questionable to liability quicker than Garlett can turn him inside out and run towards goal and why would we keep Elton on the list if we aren't going to play him when Grimes and Chaplin are injured? And if we aren't going to play Elton, why didn't we get involved in trade week or free agency to address a gaping chasm in the list? Anyone who can help out is preferable Chris Dawes running around doing gleefully doing what he pleases. I'd even settle for McGuan..... nope it's not that.

For the second year in a row, the Dees won because they wanted it more and a shellacking handed to Hardwick by Roos. I don't really need to go on about Hardwick's limitations again but I'm going to anyway. We played a blockbuster gameplan tonight with the cast of E-Street, when guys like Drummond, Arnot and McDonough come in you don't keep playing the same style as when those names were Deledio, Knights and Newman, you scale it back. Getting out coached by Roos is no disgrace, it's happened to (much) better coaches, but when you get your keister handed to you on a plate by Luke Beveridge, alarm bells are ringing (really flat I couldn't find the Lock Stock 'alarm bells are ringing Willie' clip).

So many of the second and third tier were exposed. Lloyd isn't even close to up to it, McDonough looked all at sea, Griff had one effective disposal, five clangers and probably wishes he could play against Carlton every week, Arnot tried hard and might have been OK in 1993 but is another for the tip, Hunt only had 10 disposals, Gordon just gets a pass because of his first quarter and McIntosh might already need a break. It's all pretty deflating.

It wasn't all bad (it actually was), my hypothesis that Miles looks at his best when everyone else looks trash is holding true, I don't know why on earth that could possibly be but his most impressive performances seem to always come in losses. As of the Brisbane game, it's a legislative requirement to observe how underrated Shane Edwards is whenever mentioning him and he was magnificent again. Maybe magnificent is pushing it but he was pretty damn good and by christ isn't he underrated?

I hope we've reached that point of the season where everyone remembers we've got a two time Coleman medallist running around and it might be in our interest to clear out a bit of space and get it in quickly to him, before returning a week later to entering 50 via Siberia, making him lead three times before ignoring him and kicking it to Lloyd who buggers it up before the ball is whisked down the other end because nobody knows how to tackle inside 50, Morris falls over and then some scrubber of a small forward runs into an open goal.

Hardwick sitting there after the game aggressively batting away questions reminded me of old mate Defence Minister from Iraq who tried to portray that everything was fine as Saddam's statue was tumbling behind him. Everything isn't fine, in fact it looks as a little like this. Frenzal Rhomb makes everything better.

The most annoying thing is that we'll likely come out fired up against Geelong and because they've even got more injuries than us we'll give them a shake. If they manage to win, every one will furiously pat each other on the back, fondly remember the great nine game streak of 2014, talk about returning to the finals because it's really loud there, think of all the good times ahead before getting five goals up against North the next week, falling asleep at half time before Drew fucking Petrie goes bananas, again.

For now I'm just off to investigate the list of assistant coaches on the verge of a senior gig.

Changes for next week.

Because we don't get anything of remote value out of the club on injuries I've got no idea if Chaplin and Newman are back in next week, but this is list is on the assumption that they aren't.

In: Vickery, Lennon, Ellis and Elton
Out: Griffiths (inj), Drummond (inj), Morris and Lloyd

Obviously Chappy subs in there for Elton if he's available and Newman can come instead of Ellis to give him another week in the twos. Who knows who plays as small defender? I don't mind Dea but he's short of a run, Batch goes OK on smalls but that only compounds the talls problem. Mitch Clark is going to kick 10 goals isn't he?

The votes:

5: Shane Edwards
4: Nick Vlastuin
3: Anthony Miles
2: Jack Batchelor
1: Jack Riewoldt (very lucky to crack a spot)

Unlucky: nobody.

The Benny:

10: Shane Edwards

6: Alex Rance
5: Taylor Hunt and Bachar Houli
4: Brandon Ellis, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Nick Vlastuin
3: Kamdyn McIntosh, Chris Newman, Ben Griffiths and Anthony Miles
2: Sam Lloyd, Shaun Grigg and Jake Batchelor

1: Jack Riewoldt

Blair Hartley Appreciation Award:

5: Taylor Hunt and Bachar Houli
3: Anthony Miles
2: Shaun Grigg

Anthony Banik Best First Year Player:

3: Kamdyn McIntosh

Joel Bowden's Golden Left Boot:

5: Bachar Houli
2: Shaun Grigg

Greg Tivendale Rookie List Medal:

No votes yet.

Reading list:

On a much happier note, there a couple of truly brilliant articles written this week:

This yarn on Titch over on TTBB.

And this piece on a fan who sounds like a flat out amazing all round bloke on the RFC website.