Spineless

... we thought, we thought... [laughs] We thought it was gonna go about two minutes before that, but they locked it away.

Last time we're gonna play it at a home game.

They, they're not gonna be playing here in WA again, of course, Sydney and then MCG when they win it.

So, so basically when they played, I just...

And, and look, we're...

This is the problem.

[laughs]

It was spineless

...

Uh, we [laughs] we thought it was gonna go about two minutes before that, but they locked it away.

Last time we're gonna play it at a home game.

They're, they're not gonna be playing here in WA again, of course, Sydney and then MCG when they win it.

So, so basically when they played, I just...

And, and look, we're...

[laughs]

What's been the messaging from the club this week, Goss?

Um, I think it's a full media ban, isn't it? I think they've overcooked it for the last six...

Nah.

The, the, the one is I, I just watched some training, Chadley.

I watched some training of them yesterday, and I just reckon they, the nerves, you know, they've, they've had their mulligan, and I reckon they were pretty good at training yesterday.

There'll be one change.

I think McVeigh will come back into the lineup.

Ooh.

Do you think he goes to Tom Stewart this week, Goss?

Yeah, I think he does.

And he was terrible against Sicily.

He was terrible.

I think he's probably, if you're really talking about a player that probably reads their own press, that was him.

He was very poor last week.

And I will say this to Paddy.

He's

Do you think he goes to Tom Stewart this week, Goss?

Yeah, I think he does.

And he was terrible against Sicily.

He was terrible.

I think he's probably, if you're really talking about a player that probably reads their own press, that was him.

He was very poor last week.

And I will say this to Paddy.

What's a couple of match-ups from your point of view that could decide the match?

what's the primary emotion then, Goss? Was it sadness, anger, shock? What would you describe as the overwhelming emotion coming back at you?

Disappointment.

Just disappointment.

The expectation, albeit they haven't been great over the last three or four weeks, is But this has been coming for a while.

They've had this game in, you know, they've had top spot.

They were always going to play here.

It was only who they were going to play was the only issue.

So what about the game itself then? Is there consensus on the feedback? What's the common piece of feedback out of the game itself and where it went wrong?

what's the primary emotion then, Goss? Was it sadness, anger, shock? What would you describe as the overwhelming emotion coming back at you?

Disappointment.

Just disappointment.

The expectation, albeit they haven't been great over the last three or four weeks, is But this has been coming for a while.

They've had this game in, you know, they've had top spot.

They were always going to play here.

It was only who they were going to play was the only issue.

So what about the game itself then? Is there consensus on the feedback? What's the common piece of feedback out of the game itself and where it went wrong?

Oh.

I reckon there's some upside and uptick to come, still to come.

I really do.

And look, they're not making wholesale changes.

I like the fact ...

Now, Brendan Cox is out again with a knee, so he's not being managed.

He actually has got a knee injury, so he's injured.

Tell me.

Get involved.

[upbeat music] Squeeze into the freeze.

Fuck what they say.

I'm the dum-dum-dum-dum-dum.

He's not very good with his stats.

Did you know that in the last 16 games for Fremantle...

Uh, sorry, for West Coast, their first quarters, they haven't, they have not kicked more than three goals in their last 16 games in the first quarter.

So their starts are terrible, right?

Oh, he pumped up about that, wouldn't he?

He was not happy.

He was not happy.

And then he's gone to Canberra, and he's only played 50% of game time again.

Then they're coming to a five-day break.

So I don't know whether this is just, you know...

Is it worth sort of on a five-day break playing a- again, you know, in a big game against, you know, Grundy and co, or is it better off just putting Mason Cox in, putting some work into Darcy away from the game, and then bringing him in back next week? I don't think he's gone, but I think he's got a fight on his hands, but Mason Cox has got to step up.

Goss, can you tell us a bit about Jamie Graham? Sounds like he's really firming for the Carlton job.

[laughs]

Well, he was not happy.

He was not happy.

And then he's gone to Canberra, and he's only played 50% of game time again.

Then they're coming to a five-day break.

So I don't know whether this is just, you know, is it worth sort of on a five-day break playing a- again, you know, in a big game against, you know, Grundy and co, or is it better off just putting Mason Cox in, putting some work into Darcy away from the game, and then bringing him in back next week? I don't think he's gone, but I think he's got a fight on his hands.

But Mason Cox has got to step up.

Gos, can you tell us a bit about Jamie Graham? Sounds like he's really firming for the Carlton job.

But what do you think has changed? Is it just simply they're winning, or is there something that's, that's tangibly changed that you've picked up about the football club in general?

Patience.

Patience.

They have constructed...

David Walsh and, and Essien's finest, Peter Bell was a big part of this as well.

They have constructed the ideal list.

They have got the ideal list out.

Yes

Is Ryan and Cox and Chapman probably not big enough to take that third tall? Is that one area of concern?

It shouldn't be because I reckon they've been a pretty hardy, miserly back six this year.

Carl Warner has really come on.

I reckon McVie is finally playing some decent footy, and I never felt McVie was going to be a great recruit, but he's just starting to look a bit more freer, a bit more backing himself in, coming off half-back, sort of that link play with Jordan Clark.

Their back six has been pretty rusted on.

I agree they can get found out.

I do think they get found out exposed one-on-one.

Did you believe him?

Is Ryan and Cox and Chapman's probably not big enough to take that third tall, Goss? Is that one area of concern?

It shouldn't be because I reckon they've been a pretty hardy, miserly back six this year.

Carl Warner has really come on.

I reckon McVie is finally playing some decent footy, and I never felt McVie was going to be a great recruit, but he's just starting to look a bit more freer, a bit more backing himself in, coming off half-back, sort of that link play with Jordan Clark.

Their back six has been pretty rusted on.

I agree they can get found out.

I do think they get found out exposed one-on-one.

media managers,

Yep.

Yep, absolutely.

It's just a matter of who they're going to be playing and what the margin will be.

Look, I genuinely think, I genuinely think, and I've been laughed at, I think they can go right through undefeated from here on in.

So they lose round one against Geelong.

They'll beat Geelong this week or whatever.

I think Sydney is a tough one coming up.

like his body language?

Mm

... couple of other keys going down, key backs and retirements and players and the like.

Hung in there long enough, and as you mentioned the other night, he's only 21 Shanahan, who I thought when I looked at him the other night, for the first half I thought he was tentative on that shoulder.

I thought he was feeling it.

But then when he just unleashed, we were just going, Oscar who? Where's Oscar Allen gone? You know what I mean? I'm thinking, this is huge for them.

A Duff Title is 18.

You're right.

You don't like his body language?

Mm.

If this was a second V third, round 18, and top four or top two was at stake, you're probably talking bigger.

But yeah, to be honest, it is such a huge game.

And you know what Hawthorn comes to play and, and, and w- and were they lucky last week.

They've made a couple of changes.

Some sort of regular names have made way for ...

You know, there's even a debutant.

Mm.

Hey, Goss, would this be the biggest game, one of the biggest ever, in home and away for Fremantle, stand-alone, Thursday night?

Yeah, probably.

The only thing that would take a bit of edge off that is the time of year that it's being played.

If this was a second, third, round 18, and top four or top two was at stake, you're probably talking bigger.

But yeah, to be honest, it is such a huge game, and You know, what Hawthorne comes to play and were they lucky last week? They've made a couple of changes.

Some sort of regular names have made way for, you know, there's even a debutante.

What does Tom Barris do in regards to playing on Josh Tracy? That's going to be a massive match-up.

Where can he get to? He