47 minutes ago, FlashInThePan said:

If you believe the PR, dropping Fritsch was about height and matchups. WC were playing 3 talls. 

I really like the idea of Fritsch, KK and Salem rotating the HB sweeper / wing positions. 

yeah match ups on the WC 3 talls.  you don't want to be chopping and changing the back 6 though to suit teams imo. that's why I think Hore can come in to give us a better match up on different players. he could of taken darling, frost on kennedy, Oscar on vardy. I wouldn't feel safe playing Fritsch on darling for example and obviously the coaches didn't either, and Hore has to be a better option than Smith. 

yeah you're right, we'll roll different guys through the wing/sweeper role no doubt. Fritsch and KK look best suited to me but I like salem as a permanent back 6 though. reckon he really made that spot his own after vince got dropped, but yeah he can do it too.

Edited January 24, 20196 yr by Demon Dude
spelling

1 hour ago, In Harmes Way said:

 

Tiers, this from Ben Guthrie to support your point

 

 

 

Tweets will embed in to posts if you copy and paste the link, far cleaner than a screenshot

 

Don't think Bayley will ever fill out much, he just has that slight frame, of Cam Bruce/Kade simpson.  he reminds me a bit of Kade Simpson off half back actually.

what a beauty he is. love having guys in the team that when they get it, you just relax as you know they won't cough it up

he will play multiple roles in 2019 you would think.  great option to have

Turned up at 10:20 so might've missed a bit but they were in to some decent match practice between two teams. Maybe 12 or so per side.

(Keilty the latest in rehab doing a fair bit with Baker, Lever and Viney laps).

Ball use across the backline and creating angles to work the ball in to the middle of the ground was slick. From there it was really going quick and aggressively in to the forward line which meant some errors but also some nice pieces of play.

Standouts:
T Mc - got on the end of a couple and marked well
May - a couple of nice intercept marks
Fritsch - finding a stack of ball on a wing with some sharp ball use
Vanders - not always the best with the ball but high work rate, was constantly in play

The draftees all showed a bit as well. Hore was composed across half back. Bedford stuck a tackle on Gawn and bought him down. Jordon linked up nicely received a handball and kicked perfectly to a fat side lead. Chandler was busy and has sure hands overhead.

Corey Wagner another who gets involved quite a bit. Part of the forward group and working hard up and back.

Lewis did a few nice things, took a strong mark and looked very sharp but then got the ball under pressure and did this thing twice where he holds the ball low over his boot and quickly squirts out a shanked kick that just puts team mates under more pressure. Concerning.

They moved in to small 2/3rd ground match practice with 4 different teams rotating. Again, ball use, overlap, quick movement. 

After that they split talls and smalls, with the smalls working on quick hands and pressure. A bit of 3 on 3 kind of stuff. 

In two different groups they did some running, not flat out but up and back over about 40m at a good pace for a period of time.

Jordon/Neita/Chandler/Bedford did some one on one tackle/evade drills, the two smalls look strong tacklers as you'd expect.

Some of the main guys did an exercise that involved fast steps then receiving a ball whilst rolling to ground on either side of the cones, bouncing up for an attempted hanger, then a bump/tackle, out to get a high ball then on to a lead. It looked pretty brutal stuff but also like a really good drill to simulate in game movements and 2nd/3rd/4th efforts. It's the kind of stuff I like seeing because it's smart training rather than just flogging them laps.

By that time it was well in to the 30's and I'd seen enough.

 

Fritsch was a lock in the best 22 after his first kick in the AFLX last year, however he should be on a wing or up forward.

31 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Fritsch was a lock in the best 22 after his first kick in the AFLX last year, however he should be on a wing or up forward.

I've only seen him train with the midfield and get the ball across half back in open space as wingers often do. I don't think he's part of the back 6 plans. 

 

2 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Ball use across the backline and creating angles to work the ball in to the middle of the ground was slick. From there it was really going quick and aggressively in to the forward line which meant some errors but also some nice pieces of play.

 

Good report ds.

This bit is interesting. This approach is a real hallmark of Goody's game plan. It was the cause of a fair amount of frustration on DL, particularly in the first half of the season as more often than not 'going quick and aggressively in to the forward line' meant bombing it in, with the result often the ball coming straight back out.

We got a bit less 'bomby' as the year wore on and got better an hitting leading targets and finding open players but still bombing it in chaos style was often the go to approach.

Obviously the idea is to get it in quick, create a contest, mark it if possible (obviously) but failing that bring it to ground then trap it in the forward half though a combination of tackling pressure and the mids and defenders pressing up.

As i noted on different threads i think that Weeds and Smith are great fits for this model as they both really attack the ball in the air and make a contest. Hopefully Jeffy gets out of his funk because small and medium size forwards will get their chance to impact games and need to for this strategy to work. 

The stratgy also relies on quality, highly skilled kickers coming out of the backline and it is for this reason that i see Fritter playing off HB. 

 

Overall thoughts:

- Game simulation was high intensity, Macca made big point of saying to the lime coaches that if we can execute in last  15 when other sides are knacked, we’ll Win. This seems to be a real mean theme this year, as too often we let close games slip and could easily of won top 2 spot if we won 90% of those close games. 

 

Standouts: Fritsch disposal and acc of touches.

Vanders was a bull and did some great work entering attacking situations turning slow transitions into scoring plays. 

Brayshaw showed great hands & timing.

Pruess was solid w/disposal.

May solid & gave his all through entire session l, and was certifiably buggered at end of the training session. 

Tmac was sensational with hands & positioning, looked cut above.

Nev was talking all throughout and encouraging every play, whilst also showing absolutely insanely accurate short passes.

Sparrow looks to be one they’re working to develop foot skill wise before anything else and his focus was solid all session. Chandler to me is a sleeper too. Has real poise & game sense.

Oscar was frustrating coaches quite a bit throughout missing key instructions & being a bit clumsy.

Clarrie’s size is at another level again - 2-3cm talker IMHO to 12 months ago & bulk is now more refined clearly more powerful in arms especially.

Joel Smith’s hands again looked great but foot skills short are really questionable & can’t see him breaking into back 6 this year will be more a fwd and utility option. Fritter clearly a wingman and sweeper. KK, Salem, May, Lever, Hibs & Nev all look like forming a truly gifted backline with Frosty ahead of Oscar for Mine.

Petty worked reallly strongly  all session, def has development to come and could be ready to make a mark if called upon.

Jeffy looks a little behind fitness wise but is def pushing with Bedford for small spot.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

I've only seen him train with the midfield and get the ball across half back in open space as wingers often do. I don't think he's part of the back 6 plans. 

i thought i have read track watchers noting he has been training with the backs?

2 hours ago, Demon Dude said:

yeah match ups on the WC 3 talls.  you don't want to be chopping and changing the back 6 though to suit teams imo. that's why I think Hore can come in to give us a better match up on different players. he could of taken darling, frost on kennedy, Oscar on vardy. I wouldn't feel safe playing Fritsch on darling for example and obviously the coaches didn't either, and Hore has to be a better option than Smith. 

yeah you're right, we'll roll different guys through the wing/sweeper role no doubt. Fritsch and KK look best suited to me but I like salem as a permanent back 6 though. reckon he really made that spot his own after vince got dropped, but yeah he can do it too.

Don't you think if we re-played that game with our list as it stands now that May would take one of those forwards?

15 minutes ago, The Chazz said:

Don't you think if we re-played that game with our list as it stands now that May would take one of those forwards?

yeah of course. I see May as Oscars replacement. I was merely pointing out that if we had a player like Hore we wouldn't of had to drop Fritsch for Smith in that last game.

Marty Hore

 

 

25 minutes ago, binman said:

i thought i have read track watchers noting he has been training with the backs?

he has been training with the fwds (at least from the reports I've read)

good too, as we need some fwd options in the 190cm+ range as we are a bit light on

4 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

The club might not have major issues but I think we should nevertheless be concerned.

This follows a report from a Demonlander that he was complaining about knee soreness at a training session last week.

I've heard the "no worries" story enough times to be a trifle sceptical.

 

 

24 minutes ago, binman said:

Good report ds.

This bit is interesting. This approach is a real hallmark of Goody's game plan. It was the cause of a fair amount of frustration on DL, particularly in the first half of the season as more often than not 'going quick and aggressively in to the forward line' meant bombing it in, with the result often the ball coming straight back out.

We got a bit less 'bomby' as the year wore on and got better an hitting leading targets and finding open players but still bombing it in chaos style was often the go to approach.

Obviously the idea is to get it in quick, create a contest, mark it if possible (obviously) but failing that bring it to ground then trap it in the forward half though a combination of tackling pressure and the mids and defenders pressing up.

As i noted on different threads i think that Weeds and Smith are great fits for this model as they both really attack the ball in the air and make a contest. Hopefully Jeffy gets out of his funk because small and medium size forwards will get their chance to impact games and need to for this strategy to work. 

The stratgy also relies on quality, highly skilled kickers coming out of the backline and it is for this reason that i see Fritter playing off HB. 

 

I think a lot of the issues last year were on repeat entries where you really struggle to score. We pushed up high to keep the ball forward as well when dropping deeper and then switching the point of attack would've been better. Either way,  teams are just too good defensively once they've packed the backline.

Getting it in quickly is still the best way to score. I had a Hawthorn mate tell me how much the Hawks hated their bombing in to the forward line last year. Even the best side in the comp in Richmond could carve teams up on the counter usually in second halves but struggle on straight forward entries. 

Personally I think they'll hope May, Hibberd, Salem and maybe Hore or some Hunt run will provide the defensive rebounds. KK and Fritsch should be the class kickers who start on the wings and whether they are folding back and hitting up the corridor (as both did today) or pushing forward and kicking inside 50 (as Fritsch did today) will depend on where they get the ball. There was a bit more space than a full game today but all of the defenders I mentioned had some nice kicks from half back. As did Oscar.

You may well be right about fritter being a wingman who pushes back as required ds

The 6 6 6 rule might make the wing a more specialized position and it certainly is one fritter ou s well suited to with his skill set. The advantage of him playing wing instead of HB is he will be delivering inside our 50 more often. 

11 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

Update on Billy Stretch would be appreciated.

Oh and some one tell the coaches that Fritsch shouldn’t play half back. Thanks ?

 

7 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Fritsch is too valuable as a forward to play in defence ... he ain't got jostle power, for defence ... but he is a great mark, has some speed, kicks quite well for goal (s) and can lead into space quite OK. Great at passing across minus 40metres, too. Sound handballer. Definite forward.

They said the same thing about Robbie Flower, when 'Barass' put him to halfback... to teach him the defensive side... and to plug holes, as Barass ripped the side apart, in rebuilding the club.

Then down the track, Flower went to Half Forward and R/R.   Flower was at his most damaging on ball, covering the whole field.

 

Fritta is just starting to learn the caper.

5 hours ago, Watson11 said:

I can see the logic of playing Frisch in defence.  Most scores come from turnovers.  So the best pressure players are going forward and the best kicks are going back.  It’s all about getting the ball forward and if you don’t kick a goal creating turnovers in forward 50 and lack of turnovers coming out of defensive 50.  Defenders often kick inside 50 with repeat inside 50s as well.  I suspect the best laid plans don’t always work and he’ll be thrown forward at some stage though.

Players who rely on their spring to take contested marks, like Fritsch and Jeremy Howe, often don't make it as forwards despite seeming to have great potential in attack.  For defensive units in modern AFL teams, it's too easy for someone to block their run or get some body on them.  Howe takes a lot more marks in defence than he ever did in attack because he doesn't have one or two players devoted to stopping him.  Same with Fritsch.  In defence, he will often be able to float across packs whereas up forward he would be blocked or knocked off his line.  So half back might actually be a better use of Fritsch's marking ability than up forward.  I agree with what others have said about it being a better use of his kicking skills aswell.

Having said all that, I hope he can sneak forward a few times during games from half back/wing - would be a headache for opposition coaches.

5 hours ago, General Malaise said:

Good question, the left from memory. The strapped one.

I'm no doctor, but from watching training I don't reckon he's got an overall weight problem. More a case of Buttoxia Grandiosa (or Hugh Jarse Syndrome).

He has had weight problem in previous seasons.

If he is looking trim now, its because he is heeding the message, to reduce weight.  His best partner in crime has left the building now, and flown west.

Tracca is no doubt on strong request, to shed some kegs and work harder.  more consistently.

 

If he is indeed trimmer, than the word is getting through.

5 hours ago, It's Time said:

Ha! Thanks for the vote of confidence Ethan. But I'm back in Sydneytown. That was an unexpected trip due to an illness in the family. But I can say with a great deal of confidence about today's training the following :-

They are training the house down. It's more organised than I've ever seen it. Everyone has gone to another level. etc etc

Hope that helps. 

cheers for the reports IT.

I hope your family member is OK.

 

4 hours ago, Demon Dude said:

yeah match ups on the WC 3 talls.  you don't want to be chopping and changing the back 6 though to suit teams imo. that's why I think Hore can come in to give us a better match up on different players. he could of taken darling, frost on kennedy, Oscar on vardy. I wouldn't feel safe playing Fritsch on darling for example and obviously the coaches didn't either, and Hore has to be a better option than Smith. 

yeah you're right, we'll roll different guys through the wing/sweeper role no doubt. Fritsch and KK look best suited to me but I like salem as a permanent back 6 though. reckon he really made that spot his own after vince got dropped, but yeah he can do it too.

I think Hore was recruited to cover for/allow, Smith as our 3rd tall forward.

1 hour ago, binman said:

Ball use across the backline and creating angles to work the ball in to the middle of the ground was slick.

I love this working the angles, to upset the opposition structures.

1 hour ago, binman said:

This bit is interesting. This approach is a real hallmark of Goody's game plan. It was the cause of a fair amount of frustration on DL, particularly in the first half of the season as more often than not 'going quick and aggressively in to the forward line' meant bombing it in, with the result often the ball coming straight back out.

We got a bit less 'bomby' as the year wore on and got better an hitting leading targets and finding open players but still bombing it in chaos style was often the go to approach.

Obviously the idea is to get it in quick, create a contest, mark it if possible (obviously) but failing that bring it to ground then trap it in the forward half though a combination of tackling pressure and the mids and defenders pressing up.

I agree 'bin', that our forward structure suits quick nimble skilled small players to feed, and to keep opposition defenders guessing.

1 hour ago, binman said:

i think that Weeds and Smith are great fits for this model as they both really attack the ball in the air and make a contest.

Weides has great hands, feeding the ball off to teammates... and I suspect Smith will have as well, from his basketball background.

I had to work this afternoon, so pics on here and Insta tonight

Fritsch was the standout, with Salem running him a close second and Tommy Mc next, in my humble opinion of course

Umpires there again, which is great initiative 

It was a really good near 3 hour session, for a hot sweaty session the skills were excellent

Tommy Mc charged past me on way back to AAMI in just shorts, obviously the barefoot is the rule, was hardly sweating

Vanders proves footy is back, has a lovely black eye, as displayed on the party shirt photo on here

Even though he has a fight on his hands reckon Jeff Garlett will shut up some of the experts on here, the battle for the small forward spots is going to be hot

I see things differently. Modern footy is a real team based game where teams select a squad so as to be able to mix and match and use players in their best positions to suit the game being played - not somebody's idea of how a player should be played. Whether Fritter will play back, centre or forward will depend on the team structure for the particular situation.

The teams that will prosper will be those that have a range of abilities and capabilities in each part of the ground. For any combination of our back six we will have a stopper in Nev, running defenders and play makers in Hibbs, Salem and Fritter, cunning on field captains in Lewis, gorilla busters in May, interceptors in Lever and talls in OMac and Frost - a total of nine to select from to suit the weekly game plan.

Similarly for our mid six we will have rucks in Gawn and Preuss, inside grunt in Jones, Viney and Oliver, outside runners in ANB, AVB, Stretch and Hunt, occasional fillers in Tracca and Spargs - a total of 11 to select from.

In our forward six we have Weids, TMac, Jeffy, Melks, Smith and Smith and any of the above who rotate through the forward line - a grand total of 28 at least. In my opinion, we will lose very little in any combination of 22 from the above lists (we even have Weids and TMac to ruck if necessary). Not many teams can match this evenness and versatility and it should give us a dominant edge.

So long as we pick our 22 for each game based on our game plan, not as a response to their game plan as used to happen in the past, we should have great prospects.

2020

Go dees.