The Restump Podcast

We were all Sarim Akhtar on Saturday. Unfortunately, if only as a coping mechanism, it’s time to somehow Restump Podcast that, double negative intended, catastrophic calamity.
I know it was a morning start time in WA but it wasn’t in Victoria... did we really need to be the dog’s breakfast? They should have already eaten!
At the Restump we always look at every game with a wholesome holistic approach, we try to find balance, we search for the positives, we look for silver linings. There isn’t even a shadow of a slight subtle greyish hue of a line here.
We were simply out-worked, out-muscled, out-thought, out-coached and out-strategised. It wouldn’t surprise us if Champion Data’s analysis showed Sonny Walters was in our best players in the second half!
At some point we have to contemplate the real possibility that our form, or at least our recent form, has a degree of inauthenticity to it. It feels as if there is a lack of integrity in many of our performances that is disguised by our often, opposing team factor driven wins.
For mine the games where we truly showed our capabilities were against Carlton, Port Adelaide and Sydney. Ironically, we lost all three, but it wasn’t due to lack of effort or intensity. Umpire decision, a momentary brain fade and inaccurate kicking respectively, were the cause for the losses. But the fact is, we were genuinely as good as our opponents all day.
On Saturday, admittedly from the cheap seats, it appeared to be a severe lack of application and intent. There was a lethargy in our endeavours. It seemed no one really wanted to do the hard work. We have been trying to increase our outside run and carry, quick ball movement game and it looked spectacular at times when it came off, but everyone wanted to be on the outside.
If it wasn’t the third or fourth type of similar performance we’ve delivered this year, we’d call it an anomaly, rule a line through it and move on. But by the very definition, a bunch of outliers can’t exist.
Quite simply, the Dog’s without Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy, the two tall forwards leading their goal kicking, managed their highest score of the year kicking 23 goals against the statistically number one defensive team in the league. It is beyond inexplicable.
If only our goal kickers were as accurate as Jojo’s “Kiss of Death” abilities! His pre-game ‘Losing no Sleep Over’ player this week was Rory Lobb. Yeah, great work Jojo, you’re about 6 and zero!
The Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition has jackpotted for the second successive week after the Captain Alex Pearce was abandoned by the punters. So, there’s a $150 spend at 2 Brothers Foods up for grabs this coming week.
Let’s start the pod and see if we can make heads or tails from Saturday’s debacle to salvage something, anything, from the wreck. We understand if you’re all purpled out but we need some closure before we move on. So, if you’re in despair and struggling for purpose, come along and we’ll all attempt to heal together.

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Our post bye game form isn’t the Dog’s breakfast we perceive and an AM start in WA doesn’t hurt! Should we Lobby the AFL for more byes? Time to Restump Podcast the Saturday morning dog fight.
For some reason we’re all of the belief we’re still in holiday mode or we’re jet lagged when we turn up after the bye and consequently our form isn’t flash. However, we’re misleading ourselves because we’re 8 wins and 7 losses from our 15 post-bye games.
So, we’ve got a 53% post-bye win strike rate which is about 8 percentage points greater than our overall historical win rate of 45%. Does that suggest we’re better coming off the bye?
Fractions and odds and percentages aside, every game is its own bag and that includes tomorrow at Marvel against the Dogs.
After not putting a foot wrong in his two quarters from his last two games as the sub, Corey Wagner unfortunately makes way for the return of Matt Johnson, who is a really good in.
With Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy out of the Bulldogs, maybe we took the opportunity to strengthen the midfield depth?
The Dogs have some quality ins though with Corey Weightman back in since sustaining the arm injury against us 7 games ago. They also have brought back Ed Richards who adds some heat to their midfield in both defensive and offensive manners. And they lose Alex Keith which is a positive for us.
Front and centre on the team strategy white board should be, “avoid playing to Liam Jone’s strengths”. Whoever is on him at any given stage needs to lead him away from the action.
The Dogs were seemingly flying but they got opened up last week by the Lions. Without two of their three tall timber goal kickers, too much pressure fell on to Jamara Ugle-Hagan’s shoulders. Corey Weightman will no doubt alleviate some of that pressure but they’re not the same side without Naughton and Darcy.
This is a very winnable game and it gives us the chance to pt a little mini space between us and those outside the eight if we do grab the four points here.
Jojo couldn’t let another Rory Lobb moment pass quietly so he has apparently gone gimmicky again. He wouldn’t divulge what he’s done but we’ll evidently find out tomorrow before the game.
And if the cost of living is biting, study up and an enter the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition. We have a jackpot so there is $100 spend at 2 Brothers Foods on offer or a $200 spend if you go one of the two specials, Bailey Banfield or Rory Lobb.
Bounce down is not far off so we better get into it. Big second half of the season starts now so feel free to come along for the ride. You’ll learn nothing, you’ll throw 40 minutes away and you might even be lesser for it but what if that isn’t the case? Can you really take that chance?

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And Melbourne thinks it’s the world’s best at lockdowns! Somewhere, probably outside a golf course, there’d be an angry Dan Andrews. Time to Restump Podcast the dismantling of the Dees.
Eighties kids will remember John ‘Hannibal’ Smith saying “I love it when a plan comes together” at the end of the A-Team episodes. It is easy to have visions of Justin Longmuir doing the same at the conclusion of Sunday’s game in Alice Springs.
While you’re not being absolutely honest with yourself if you’re not acknowledging Melbourne’s physical or mental inadequacies on the day or the fact they’ve got some real weaknesses at times, 90-point beltings still have to be earned. However, it was the manner in how we achieved it which was so encouraging and it was the adherence to the system which was confidence boosting.
It was simply a joy to see the back six get unconditional trust. It set the tone for the day, kickstarting the system we want to play, which we got to see in all its glory.
We found the ideal tempo balance, we took the first option and we ran in waves to support. Whether there was a lack of in-your-face pressure from the Dees or not, the forward line showed great functionality and we created efficient mid forward connectivity.
More than anything else on the day though, most importantly, we found our accuracy and that makes life easier for everyone.
Sammy Switkowski just played his career best games. Relentless across the four quarters, he’s now put two superb performances together on the bounce. Is Sammy Switta about to deliver in spades what he has consistently given us in patches? We’re in good shape if he brings that every week from here in.
Welcome Back Nev! Jye Amiss got amongst it early, slotted his first goal, got a shot of confidence in the arm and went on to kick three more, seeing off the accuracy monkey from his back. He teamed up with his tall timber mates, Josh Treacy and Luke Jackson, and together, working cohesively, they easily kicked more than Melbourne’s entire score.
Hayden Young’s signature to the end of 2027 proves to be a great move because his stock continues to sky rocket. We can’t sing Heath Chapman’s praises enough, Jordy Clark is a lock for All Australian and should probably be coated up alongside his captain Alex Pearce.
Was the performance of the Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy combination, otherwise known as team JackArce, the first step to showing the naysayers how it may operate? Let’s not forget Sean Darcy is still way underdone and the bye probably comes at the wrong time for him.
The reality is you can’t leave anyone out for praise. There were simply 23 serious contributors on the day that were all on the same page, all performed their roles and all had an influence on the result.
They can go into the bye now enjoying the well-earned rest knowing they’re in 6th position, knowing JL’s system works and knowing if they bring the endeavour, the intent and the smarts they did Sunday to every remaining game, they’ll be playing finals.
We've got a jackpot in the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition after Hayden Young was overlooked so when it returns in two weeks’ time there will be a $100 spend on offer from 2 Brothers Foods.
Freo’s form has been a difficult read over the last five or six weeks but Sunday’s performance just saw us take a step in the right direction. We’re going to get much tougher and more engaged opponents in the run home but that has to be the base performance.
There are now two weeks off so lets gets this nonsense out of the way. While the negative is there is no Freo footy now for a fortnight... at least the airways will get a b

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It should have been 4 points, it was looking likely to be zero points, so we’ll grab the two points and get the hell out of Dodge! Time to Restump Podcast the two-point Pie heist.
Like so many previous occasions, our beloved Fremantle Dockers have left us with mixed feelings. It was a game against a very depleted side that we should have won. It was a game that was looking like we were going to be on the end of a five-goal hiding and yet it was a game we somehow salvaged something from the wreck. Can you be disappointedly grateful?
Were the final seven minutes a case of us finally clicking into gear, or was it Collingwood’s recent and in game adversity catching up with them? It is probably a little of both but does that seven minutes and salvaged two points cloud the reality? It’s a matter of opinion, its open for interpretation and discussion.
We’ve significantly upped our handball game over the last half a dozen weeks but we’re struggling to find the right balance. We hit our season high handball numbers on Friday night, but against a team that thrives on applying pressure, it may not have been the ideal occasion to do so.
With errant and poor decision handballs we nearly sold as many teammates into trouble as Mi Casa Property Boutique sells homes!
Jye Amiss needs some purple love and support. The poor kid looks mentally broken, suffering a serious and bizarre case of the yips. His confidence had taken a beating in recent weeks and upon missing those two shots at goal by a long way, it was shattered. He went into his shell and barely got another touch all day.
One man who is at the opposite end of the scale and usually the opposite end of the ground, cannot put a foot wrong. Captain Alex Pearce did his job down back and then went forward to show them how it’s done up there.
Sometimes you momentarily put results aside to admire and celebrate a very rare moment in this game. Alex Pearce’s goal and his dedication to Cam McCarthy was one such special moment.
We’re precariously placed in 9th. Seven of our remaining twelve games are against current top eight sides, five of them against top four sides. We really could have done with that extra two points on Friday! It’s a tough run home, so we can’t let any more opportunities slip through our purple fingers.
After winning it three times in a row, The Mi Casa Property Boutique competition has turned into “guess how many metres Luke Ryan will get,” so it’s getting a revamp. It is unconfirmed, but apparently the Neighbourhood Watch segment is returning and there will be a lot of the usual repartee to endure.
So, if your cautious optimism is starting to wane and you’re confusingly disappointedly grateful, then you’re amongst likeminded purple people here. Join us as we try to crack the conundrum, unravel the riddle and attempt to put together the pieces of the purple puzzle in this hour of who knows what!

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Todays Pod is bought to you by https://www.dingobrewery.com/
On the Pod we have a think about what we'd load into the Semi-Trailer thats been packed with Surfboards and Guitars and is headed for the Gold Coast. We look at any injuries that could impact the selection of Freo's Round 2 side, Harley Bennell and his comeback and the Closing Quandary makes a return.
Footy is Back on Thursday, we play on Saturday!
If ever there was a time to be Wearing Purple it would be Now.

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