22 hours ago, nutbean said:

Jones is not lightning quick -  what Jones does is hit the contest at top speed . Viney does that too.

I think what has really improved with both of these guys is the reading of the play  - it means you can go at the contest at full pace with some confidence knowing that the ball is going to be there. It also helps first and foremost that Gawn will put it exactly where he promises he will. But if you look at the goal he kicked from the Oliver handball - he just took off past Oliver knowing he would gather the ball and give it to him. Weidman looked quicker than he has because he took off knowing he was going to  end up the end user of the handball chain. Confidence in your teammates abilities is a glorious thing. 

They talk about "quick sides" - but it is not always about leg speed - it is about confidence that your teammate is going to get the ball and give it to you so you feel right about going hard to get yourself in a good position.

I think Clint's point still stands though. Jones looked quicker in the legs than I've ever seen, or noticed. It was exciting to see him in what looks to be peak condition.

Just now, P-man said:

I think Clint's point still stands though. Jones looked quicker in the legs than I've ever seen, or noticed. It was exciting to see him in what looks to be peak condition.

I do agree. 

I think most look quicker and I'm' sure it is partly fitness and being injury free.

I also think it comes from belief that we will win contests or at worst halve them. I bemoaned the dark years that we had no idea how to "spread". We probably knew how to spread but weren't confident of getting the ball out to the spreaders in the first place. During the Neeld era we had a disproportionate amount of contested to uncontested ball. That was because we had so little confidence in our ball getting ability that everyone would pile in and if we did get it we had no one in space to give it out to !

Jones had every confidence in Oliver's ability and flashed past him st full tilt to receive the handball . In the Weeds goal, Petracca flashed past Oliver again knowing he would get the ball to him. 

We are doing so much at breakneck speed now because we have confidence in our own teammates ability to deliver.

52 minutes ago, P-man said:

Glad you added that edit. Tyson was poor in his JLT game which I think has left some a little jaded, but we know what he's capable of at his best. Him hitting some form makes that Fab Four a Fab Five.

Yep. Dom is still one of my favs and is maligned very unfairly by some MFC supporters. If he was at Collingwood or Carlton, he'd be spoken of as a star. He's a B+ grader with an A+ grade capability IMO.

Goal kicking midfielders are worth their weight in gold and Dom is that at his best.

Edited March 29, 20178 yr by A F

22 minutes ago, A F said:

Yep. Dom is still one of my favs and is maligned very unfairly by some MFC supporters. If he was at Collingwood or Carlton, he'd be spoken of as a star. He's a B+ grader with an A+ grade capability IMO.

Goal kicking midfielders are worth their weight in gold and Dom is that at his best.

Tyson is a gun and I cant believe some posters are questioning if he is best 22 lol

He was our best player in the second half of 2016, and for the season averaged 25 touches, 4 tackles and kicked 11.11.

Oh and he tore Hawthorn to shreds in that epic win.

1 hour ago, nutbean said:

I do agree. 

I think most look quicker and I'm' sure it is partly fitness and being injury free.

 

Jones said on SEN (he is on Tuesday mornings at about 7am on a segment called The Inner Sanctum) that having a stronger midfield has enabled him to play less time as a mid and more time on the wing and HB. He said it makes a huge difference in terms of post game recovery not getting smashed from pillar to post all game. Has to help during games, both in terms of being fresher for games but also less physically worn during games 

Good to see Stef Martin getting in also. Was badly burned by a previous administration.