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

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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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No one wanted to lose Lachie Schultz but the fan’s reaction at the time was way over the top! Who is offering up a 1st rounder to get him back? Time to Restump Podcast the Friday night Pie fight.

It wasn’t necessarily in a Don Corleone type of manner but Collingwood made us an offer we couldn’t refuse, and they probably didn’t have to!

If only to stoke some retaliatory fire it is worth mentioning, albeit with some cherry picking embellishment, that Lachie whined that he felt disrespected, he cried victim and he packed his bags, took his bat and ball and went home! As we said at the time, it’s disappointing to see him walk out the door but he was never irreplaceable and we’re extremely comfortable replacing him with Collingwood’s first pick this year.

Enough water has gone under the Lachie bridge now so it’s time to bind together and invoke the George Bush’s drum beating war cry, “You’re either with us, or you’re with the Collingwood terrorists.” I know… I was surprised Bush said that as well, but it’s true… take my word for it and don’t look it up. Lachie chose the terrorists so the sympathy time is over!

The Blake Acres back of the head punching Lachie Schultz shenanigans aside, this game is a huge opportunity for us to peg one of the wins back that we shouldn’t have lost recently. Collingwood are travelling ok but now is the time you want to get them, so we have to take advantage of it.

Jordan DeGoey, Tom Mitchell, Jamie Elliot, Will Hoskin-Elliot and Jeremy Howe are all absent. That’s a shedload of talent and experience. Further advantageous for us is the fact they’re playing 2 debutants and a further four players have a total of 15 games between them.

We welcome back Sean Darcy and combined with Luke Jackson, it looks a powerful and versatile combination that should prove far to superior for Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox.

Corey Wagner also makes a well-earned return but we lose Freddy to concussion and unfortunately for Paddy Voss, for team balance and nothing more, he steps aside.

We’re going in as $1.72 favourites and, when you look at the two teams on paper, it is difficult to argue that shouldn’t be the case. But on paper, goal accuracy doesn’t enter the equation! We’ve had two horror weeks in front of the big sticks… hopefully Friday night is the exception to the philosophical rule that things come in threes!

Don’t forget to take a stab in the dark in the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition. It is free to enter and you can win yourself a $50 spend at 2Bros. Look up the competition post on our socials and remember entries close at 5.10pm Friday night.

It’s less than 24 hours until Andy Brayshaw puts a bit of hurt on the back of the Blake Acres head cowardly punching Lachie Schultz, so we better get on with it! If you’re looking to knock off 40 minutes between now and bouncedown… by all means come along for listen but only if you have low expectations.

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