Agree on all counts. We’ve got Adelaide away and then City at home at Dolphin 🐬Stadium. 

I know it's fantasy land, but I can't help sometimes imagining what it would have been like if Brisbane played out a transplanted Hindmarsh.  Regular sellouts, always full, great atmosphere.

Wanderers, ironically, were wonderful at Pirtek and are now in a stadium too big for their support.  

When people look at the TV figures, one of the factors that is rarely raised is the negative effect of the optics for the home viewer being confronted by seas of empty seats at Suncorp, SFS, McDonald stadium, MBE and Marvel - Victory signing a long term deal to play out of the latter when they had a purpose built stadium of the right size must go down as one of the stupidist and most short sighted decision ever made by an A League club.

ROD strikes me as a confidence player.  I reckon he will be transformed once he buries a decent chance from open play.  At the moment, he looks short of self belief.

He was strangely out of sorts in preseason, only really scoring from penalties, and that form has carried over. 

Hmmmm....you mite be right but what basis do you ha e to make that assumption. 
Other than goals scored....Because stats would prove otherwise

I think he will, it’s just a matter of when. He’s not the only player guilty of missing chances mind you but certainly in the three games so far he’s missed chances Fowler could reasonably expect him to score. 

Its what, if anything, Fowler does to help him?

At the moment his strike partner is a midfielder in Inman who spends most of his time some distance from from ROD so he might change that to Holloway or DWH providing more support; he might also drop ROD to the bench and start the energetic DWH instead putting ROD on later in the game with fresh legs against a tiring defence. Most probable imo though is he’ll wait it out assuming ROD will start scoring sooner rather than later. 

Worth mentioning that ROD has a good goal-scoring record against AU (5 goals from 7). Even though he's totally out of form and DWL is clearly a much better option, wouldn't surprise me if ROD popped up with a goal on Sunday. 

Can someone please advise the best way of getting to Dolpin Stadium?  Is there a station nearby?  Parking options?

Thanks in advance.

I just hope it doesn't go on much longer.  Seen this happen with older players before - when the confidence goes it's harder to get it back.  The clock is inevitably ticking in the back of the mind at 34.

If you can drive then there is ample parking both at the stadium and on surrounding streets. That’s the best way imo. 

The train station is a bit bit of a walk but people do it 

Keeping in mind that most of us agree DWH is a developing player who needs time to learn his craft in games.

He missed a few chances last game by not running where or as soon as the emerging opportunity required.

If we start with him we will have energy, enthusiasm, speed, uncertainty for defenders, and likely shots on goal. He is a wild card who has proven his value in tough times. But we might end up just as scoreless while he learns his craft at this level. I would accept that if Robbie said that was what he was doing (not prefer it mind you) - potentially sacrificing some games to get DWH's development on track. In that vein - maybe Robbie is working towards wins on the board with his first choice team (getting them right) before he makes that sort of sacrifice, rather than putting on the youngster in the hopes of getting a win. Coach for the season not just for the game.

We cannot start with Inman and DWH at this stage unless they showed a high level of cohesion and common thought in pre-season or at training. Inman is a goal scoring midfielder and I do not think DWH is a solo striker yet.

I want Inman to stay in as an attacking mid. I would stick with ROD till he hits his straps or our chances start to drop off; but I would bring Holloway on for Mauk/Inman much earlier in the second half for the opportunities his creativity, speed/strength and threat level will bring to the final third of the game. Holloway for Mauk/Inman (or even ROD) around the 60 minute mark and DWH for ROD somewhere round the 70-75 minute mark to continue his season long introduction to the starting side. Problem with that is that ROD may be the best partner for a developing DWH - so nothing in my non-coach book tells me how to get around that. Inman/Mauk subbed for Holloway/DWH maybe.

I'm warming up to O'Shea. I thought he played a pretty good game on the weekend. 

I'm still not happy with the way we're playing. While we're getting balls and crosses into the penalty area, in my opinion their not the right crosses. They don't seem to trouble the opposition. They know that we're going to attack down the flank and make a cross from there. Most of the time the opposition defence can handle our attacks very easily. Not to mention our build up play can be too slow at times which means the opposition is usually set. 

I'd like to see us play through the middle a little more and become more direct in the manner we attack. More through balls and little one two's to unlock the defence.  At the moment I feel as though it's too predictable.

A bonus is that our defence is looking very organised. It isn't all bad news, we simply need that front third to click. I'm hoping for a WSW season 1. WSW was very organised and were losing games very closely or they were simply playing out draws. On top of that they were having a bit of a drought in front of goal. However once they were able to score the floodgates opened and they went on a bit of a run.

I think O'Shea has been the Roar signing to date.  He's made team of the week in two out of the three games he's played.  I think Aldred has also been good value.  Maybe they need to change their names to Sheaburg and Aldric to get some respect from non Roar supporters  ;) 

I said it before the season, the partnership O’Shea and ROD strike up will determine our season. So far O’Shea is doing his part that’s for sure 

And as I said before the season, ROD was a bad signing and he's living up to my expectations, that's for sure.  Hopefully DWH and Amadi-Holloway get a decent run together and take some of the chances that are being created by O'Shea

Yea I was never excited that Roar got ROD, mainly because of his past discipline but it seems he is fine in that regard so far but shit in the department Roar need him in which is goals. 

You know I disagree on ROD (although I’d prefer it wasn’t a two year deal but I’d bet it’s front loaded so he doesn’t take up much cap room next year) and if we keep creating those chances he will start taking them; 

Yes I know you disagree on ROD:)  Hopefully he starts scoring and you can tell us all that you had faith the whole time, and the doubters have to eat humble pie :hehe:

I think Waz O'Donovan was the only one defending the friendless ROD from the get go

If he doesn’t snack 15 goals i’ll be amazed. And no, I won’t remind you of anything ... I’m full on humble pie most of the time myself 

I'm 50/50 on ROD, wasn't enthusiastic when he was signed, but watching the game at Suncorp he did his job....except knock it in. 

However he has been in the right place, right time on several occasions but missed or seemed to lack the belief on 2 occasions against MV. 

If he can find the net a couple of times I think his belief will return and then he strikes me as being a "stop this keeper" instead of a "I hope this goes in" type of striker.

in saying that tho I don't believe he's a 90min man now and AH and DWH will get favour if his drought doesn't soon end. 

Sorry I mean against WSW. 

I reckon if we signed Berisha instead of ROD we would be much higher up the table. 

I agree based on current form. But when Bes was at Victory in his last year there was a period where he went 6 or 7 games without scoring too so RODs just hit the same downer that all strikers hit at some point 

Should have gone after Keogh, probably cheaper than ROD too.

Apart from nervous, how are we all feeling today? 

Seems plenty of fans have flown down for this game which is good to see 

Not confident at all.
A fresh AU team coming off two wins,with pace to burn Neville McGing and Gillesphey.
CCM had two away games in a row and couldnt back up.Can we ?
If we win this it could be season changing .If we lose we are in trouble.MC next week.

Waz, when do you think we’ll see JCP and Powell come back into the first team set up? 

I'll be getting my 'Is Robbie Fowler in trouble?' thread ready should Brisbane lose.

Quietly confident, we are due for a win. Been playing well, just that final pass/finish is what we need. Would be interesting to see how we went in DWH or Holloway started over ROD, which I'd certainly be happy to see if Fowler made this selection.