The Restump Podcast JoJo and The Chief

Accusations we tempted the Footy Gods with our overconfidence are unfounded. They tipped Freo by fence panels. Sadly, it’s time to somehow Restump Podcast whatever Saturday night was.

If anyone said they saw Saturday night’s performance and result coming, they’re lying. Biff Tannen armed with his Grays Sports Almanac handbook wouldn’t have bet on West Coast in that game. 

We thought we weren’t that club any more. The team that unexpectedly puts in the most bizarre and inexplicable performance. After Saturday night, it is difficult to suggest we aren’t.

Admittedly without Freddy, without Switta, without Coxy and without Amiss we were somewhat undermanned against, really, as full strength an outfit West Coast are likely to have for some time. But it wasn’t who was and wasn’t out there, it was how we did or rather didn’t go about it.

We should have gone into this game five and zero, or at least four and one. Where was the resulting fire? Where was the anger of the two weeks in South Australia that we should have unleashed on West Coast? To the Eagle’s credit they brought and delivered what we didn’t. They monstered us, they intimidated us, they verballed and niggled us and we allowed them to do so. 

Harley Reid is a jet. He’s a generational talent and freakish for his age and experience. But while that is the case, he’s a 19 year old kid in his 6th AFL game and we allowed him to physically and verbally bully us!   

We weren’t clean with the ball, individually we rapidly descended into self-preservation mode and seemingly, or consequentially, our footy intelligence decreased. We repeatedly made terrible decisions; we were more often than not, standoffish and we were simply destroyed by a team with a substantially greater appetite. 

Maybe the extended Gather Round trip had a far greater detrimental impact than we all know? Maybe the compound effect of the Gather Round trip and the loss of Freddy, Switta and Amiss exposed our depth? In all reality we’ve been winning games off the back of our defence. We did raise the point that if they had a rare down day we’d be picked off. Still, no one thought that would be enough to see what the Eagles did to us.

We’ve now destroyed the early work we did setting up our season and at three and three we’ve lost our advantage. We’re back to the pack, run of the mill and fighting for survival! Are we fighting though? That remains to be seen this week against the Dogs.

Some drown their sorrows with alcohol, others choose to comfort eat. For the latter, it would have been a great week to win the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition and tuck into the $50 of 2Bros foods. Deb Albrecht did just that and we hope she remembers that sharing is caring!

I feel like we’ve got so many more questions than answers. So, let’s see if Jojo can even up the ledger and give us a few answers and provide us some direction in life. This was a really tough one to take as the result and performance was all on us, not umpires and not freak circumstances.

Apparently, a problem shared is a problem halved so join us on the pod as we all need to band together and do a shedload of sharing.
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The pent-up anger of the last two weeks, a hunger for points lost and the reuniting of Jackarce! God help the West Coast Eagles. Time to Restump preview Podcast this Saturday’s bird cull!

After erring on the side of caution last week, Sean Darcy is tip top and ready to rock and roll right through anything in blue and gold Saturday evening. We’ll send a wreath to the funeral of those who stumble into his path.

Surprisingly, after just a few touches in the WAFL, Sammy Sturt has been thrown a lifeline. Without Freddy and the injury to Switta, this career saving opportunity has opened up and Sturty needs to grab on and not let go.

We obviously are only jesting but the reality is, it is extremely difficult to not go into this game ultra confident. Last week’s win by West Coast was an improvement, but it is false form in the greater scheme of things. You can imagine the result had Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper, Dion Prestia, Noah Balta, Dylan Grimes and Tom Lynch actually been out there for the Tiges.

With two outs and two ins it means Neil Erasmus holds his spot. The question is will he be in the  starting 22 or will he don the sub vest yet again?

Bailey Banfield judged to be the 3rd best winger in the league with Champion Data. Banfield has been good this year, albeit with a couple of recent pivotal blemishes, but apparently the same crew rate Massimo D’Ambrosio in first spot ahead of Errol Gulden!

We were all on Gaff watch but sadly the treadmill runner gets to remain in the safety of the WAFL. With his contract ending at the close of 2024, we may have just one more opportunity for some retribution for Andy Gaff's indiscretion that has gone unpunished, before he saunters off into the obscurity.

Anyway, whichever way you look at the form of this game Saturday night, the numbers just don’t stack up for the Eagles. The bookies seem to think so as well given they have us priced at $1.14.

In other news it was heartening but not surprising to hear the green cap wearing Jordan Clark sign on for a further three years.

Apparently, you can now belt someone on the field, head to the tribunal, get someone to say you’re a good bloke and it was uncharacteristic behaviour and, hey presto, get your charge downgraded.

The Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition is back for the Derby and Jojo is again putting up the prize from his 2 Brothers Foods company, so make sure you get involved.  

If you’re pacing the halls and constantly looking at your watch impatiently waiting for bounce down like us then, feel free to join us twiddling our thumbs as we preview the Freo V the feather weights Saturday night. 
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Any longer in South Australia and we’d end up putting our own bodies in the barrels! Time to Restump Podcast the end of the horrendous two weeks in bandit riddled Adelaide.

We should be strutting out of South Australia with two big wins and eight fat points, sitting pretty near the top of the ladder with all but a finals campaign berth in the bag!

But no, we’ve spent two weeks getting done over by bandits and now we’re hitch-hiking home back to WA with nothing to show for it…. except Bailey Banfield who has a Zak Butters imprinted lump on his head!

We still weren’t over the Carlton debacle from the previous week and we end up with another case of the Blues a week later against Port Adelaide! We have to look where we put our feet and stop standing on rugs that can be pulled out from under us!

To be real, we were robbed against the Blues but we’ve only really got ourselves to blame for the snatching of Saturday night defeat from the jaws of victory. A combination of mistakes, lack of composure and a serious inability to score brought us undone. We did what we always do, and that is leaving the door open for the opposition to roll us. Port Adelaide cased the joint, got their foot in the door and then lifted the four points from right under our noses.

Yes, Bailey Banfield made a couple of blunders kicking a couple out of bounds on the full, as did Matty Johnson. But if we’re singling out people then Sammy Switkowski should’ve nailed his shot just prior to ¾ time and Caleb Serong should have done better on his gettable goal. No one is getting a pass but there are many moments that should have had us in a much better position leading up to the last two minutes of the game. 

It’s becoming apparent we need to find more avenues to score. Prominent teams are getting goals from their midfield and it is something we rarely achieve. Consequently, with our forward line often malfunctioning, our fortunes are unfairly far too dependent on our magnificent defensive unit.

All Australian Alex Pearce is possessed, Luke Ryan can read opponent’s minds and Josh Treacy could catch a slippery eel in an oil slick with his bare hands! We just need a few others to climb on board.

However, if we can console ourselves by taking a momentary bigger picture view, we’ve just run two, probably top four to top six, teams to the wire and all but beaten them.

Sean Darcy is due to return, Freddy is not far away and a little increase in forward craft and cohesion and a goal or two from the mids and we’re off to the serious races.

The Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition is getting traction and it’ll be back for the Derby this week so study up. 

It’s been a long painful two weeks in South Australia so let’s wrap up what was our final game there for the year. If, like us, you’re keen to extract the positives, bury the SA saga and move on, then by all means grab a shovel, join us and dig in.
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Something we didn’t know about Tommy Emmett…. apparently, he’s an avid reader! Time to Restump Podcast the Purple versus Port parade Saturday.

After last week’s shenanigans, which still isn’t sitting well with us, we need to focus and pull the four points against Port to get out of the two-week South Australia stint with something to show.

Unfortunately, Sean Darcy didn’t get up for the game as his return would have seen him reunite with Luke Jackson to deliver a history book worthy ruck dominance! However, while Ivan Soldo has been good for the Power, did we take a bit of a gander into Port Adelaide’s ruck stocks, realise they don’t really have a second ruck and say…. “Hey Darce, give yourself an extra week.”

Michael Frederick is a big loss, especially with half an injury cloud hanging over Sam Switkowski. His replacement, Neil Erasmus makes his way into the side to probably don the sub vest.

Over at Port Jeremy Finlayson is unbelievably out for 3 weeks for saying mean words and potentially hurting someone’s feelings because the sticks and stones policy has somehow become irrelevant! Injured stalwart Travis Boak also takes a spell on the sidelines which we’re not too disappointed about.

They’re two big outs that will make the job a touch easier but with Ollie Wines and hard nut Sam Powell-Pepper coming in, they’re comparable replacements.

Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall and the returned Mitch Georgiades up front are a pretty big challenge but we’ll back our defensive unit in all day.

The midfield will be a big watch in itself. Connor Rozee, Zac Buttters, Ollie, Jason Horne Francis up against Nat Fyfe, Andy Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Hayden young. Whoever gets the better of it in the middle might decide the contest.

Let’s also keep a close check on Dan Houston and Kane Farrell and not let them into space with the ball anywhere within about 60 metres of goal!

Can’t wait for this one. Just quietly as good as Port Adelaide is, when you look deeper into it, I can’t help but think their form is a little false, or rather distorted. Consequently, I’m slightly leaning towards the thinking that we’re a better chance than the tipsters and bookies are suggesting.

Don’t forget to throw an entry in the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition. Go to the Restump facebook, twitter or Instagram page and enter under the competition post. Its free to enter and a $50 2brothers foods voucher is up for grabs, possibly supersized to $100.

Count down to bounce down is on so let’s get into the pod, into the numbers and try to assess the game in more depth. If you’ve nothing better to do on a Friday night than listen to us, you need to have a good look at what you’re doing with your life!   


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When will the flat feeling end? Blame whoever you like but Saturday’s shenanigans have Jack Newnes’ conspiratorial finger prints all over it. Time to therapeutically Restump Podcast the blatant broad daylight heist!

Yes, we know, if Josh Treacy takes that mark, we probably win the game but I’m not ready to hear that! Yes, you can tell us the plenty of ifs, buts, maybes and woulda, shoulda couldas…. but what’s your point! Let us grieve in peace and, for now, focus all our blame energy on anything other than purple!

The reality is, remove the last minute and a half of the game and we’re staring down the barrel of an overwhelming shedload of positives. That was arguably one of the tougher tests we’ll have this year and, apart from the result, we passed with flying colours…. it was the flying fluoro green colours that were the problem. 

We strangled Carlton all day making their task incredibly difficult. It was a rare occurrence when they didn’t have to kick to contest and they simply struggled to get their game going. Unfortunately, though as far as our scoreboard damage goes, we still leave the door open for opponents which, on this occasion, came back to bite us. 

He’s been building in recent weeks and on Saturday Jeremy Sharp had a monster. His continual run to space to provide an option and his subsequent ball use is a sight for sore purple eyes, not seen since the Ed Langdon / Brad Hill days! 

Tommy Emmett has been reading the Josh Carr playbook. He’s surely having team meetings with Josh, Crowley and Hayden Ballantyne and we’re just loving it. 

Jordan Clark is in super-duper hot form and it looks like continuing. His communicative manner and on field observations are absolutely on point.  

Is the Fyfe aerial work returning? While Jojo wasn’t enthused by it, I’m of the opinion he had a phenomenal game and looks to be building. His presence out there is a luxury we can’t afford to lose so let’s hope he stays fit and healthy. 

We could go on and on but let’s wrap it up here and continue it on the pod. Jojo has plenty of explaining to do regarding his preview pod comments and we had our first winner in the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition. Congrats to Vince Costantino. 

We’re already a day late and there is at least two shedloads to get through so we better get on with it. If you’re looking for that non-pharmaceutical purple therapeutic pick me up, you’ve come to the right place as we’ve got the good gear at bargain basement prices. 
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We’re unbeaten but we’re about to face our toughest test yet…. 2 weeks in Adelaide! Oh, and we’re playing the Blues tomorrow as well. Time to Restump preview podcast the Carlton clash in Crow country.

It’s Gather Round and unless you’ve gone to South Australia to enjoy the festival of footy, it means absolutely Bo Diddley to everyone else. However, it can have its positives, like playing an inform Carlton at a neutral ground rather than on their home deck.

Whether we like to believe it or not Carlton sort of looks real-deal-ish this year. They appear very good down the spine and they’ve added, I hate to use the term x-factor-ish so lets say a bit of spark into the mix.

We go in with an unchanged line up for the third successive week and that is a very rare feat. The irony is though remaining unchanged is out of necessity and not by choice. Given the opponents tomorrow, we’d love to have a McDonald or a Cox find their way in this week…. or a Hamling!

However, the reality to date is that Carlton beat Brisbane by a point, Richmond by 5 points and North Melb by plenty. We beat Brisbane by 4 goals and North by about the same. So, we have each played the same two sides and retrieved similar results. Are they strong stackable form lines? We’ll find out Saturday arvo.

The Blues though are superior to us in goal accuracy and inside 50s. While we generate the same scoring shots, Carlton gets the ball inside their 50 metre arc on average 11 more times than us and they convert their scoring shots, going at 67% to our 56%. They kick almost 3 goals per game more than us from the same opportunities.

Our defence has done remarkable things in the first 3 games, but with our current lack of talls down there, could this be the week Carlton, and more specifically Charlie and Harry, make use of that 11 extra inside 50s? We need an enhanced defensive effort from the mids and the forwards to cut off their supply and help our defenders out.

Either that or…. does anyone have Griff’s number?

Do we attempt to get under the skin of the Blues and into their heads by going after Adam Cerra with the niggle? Given how good a friend he seems to be to many of the Docker boys, it is difficult to see them meaningfully doing so. But white line fever…. do what it takes… leave your friendships at the gate mentality, shouldn’t be beyond us!

We’re testing the competitive waters this week launching the Mi Casa Property Boutique Metres gained competition. So, while it may go pear shaped, tune in to the pod to find out what its about and what you can win. And remember if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, give the team at Mi Casa a call and tell them you’re from The Restump Podcast. We appreciate you supporting the people that support us and we’ll support you with a little something extra if you do.

Jojo’s promise that he has ‘turned the corner’ seems to be holding up at the moment so let’s get the preview pod on the road before he decides to fire up the junket jet and head off on what would be holiday number 15 this year.

So, join us as we try and pick apart the Blues and look for a weakness to exploit in the hope of starting the season four and zero for just the second time in our history. 
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