6 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

 

Absolute no to dropping him. He isn't in the best form (to put it mildly) but he is not worthy of bring dropped. A few others in front of him who cause our structure and man-ups more concern than Gus. 

Out of all our midfields, atm his head is first on the chopping block. Maybe we all expect too much because of his 2018 year & 3rd in the Brownlow, but he is in an absolute rut at the minute.

1 hour ago, Elegt said:

12 touches 0 tackles simply isn't good enough for a bloke playing in the guts. Needs to be dropped 

He’s your hobby horse is he? [censored] canned him in game day thread (“disgrace to the jumper” was you exact [censored] poor post) and first person to jump in this thread on him. 
 

Wasnt great but certainly not our worst. He does need to play midfield or it’s bust.

Edited July 11, 20204 yr by Cards13

9 minutes ago, Cards13 said:

He’s your hobby horse is he? [censored] canned him in game day thread (“disgrace to the jumper” was you exact [censored] poor post) and first person to jump in this thread on him. 
 

Wasnt great but certainly not our worst. He does need to play midfield or it’s bust.

I dont understand why youre so offended by my criticism . I think he's got great talent but he's a passenger at the moment. Would rather sparrow get a few games in the guts.

He's responded to concerns about his defensive running by this new habit of just sprinting back to the backline and a couple of occasions tonight he actually opened a hole in the corridor infront of him for a suns defender to run through.

I actually think he's been going ok this year in a lower possession but more accountable role. 

We're certainly looking for players at half back though. Harmes didn't work out. Rivers not ready, Lockhart just going. I'd certainly think about giving Gus another go there and seeing if he can make a good go at it. 

Yeah if Oliver and Viney weren't in the side he'd play more on ball and probably do well but the midfield game has sped up so much the last couple of years, I worry about Gus as a transition runner even if he was surrounded by better movers and users. Half back could see him get good value from his marking and his ability to use either foot - if taking safe or long options.

I thought our best centre stoppage clearance team was Gawn, Oliver, Gus and Petracca. And Gus received a couple of nice handballs on the outside and got clean clearances away. That's his go for mine, but in the contest tonight he was as soft as butter. Young Suns players waltzed passed him too many times. Needs to be tougher and his legspeed seems sluggish to me. Reckon he's still a goer when he plays in the middle, but needs to be stronger.

43 minutes ago, Pates said:

He must be close to being dropped, poor this week and having a poor year, can’t keep gifting him games. 

Got seven coaches votes against Geelong and was Melb's best. Last two weeks have been poor though.

Gus is a much better user of the footy going forward than the rest of our inside mids. At our best in 2018 he was winning clearances and the delivering the ball forward. He’s creative and he good at spreading to receive the ball wide which makes him a lot less predictable than Oliver and Viney. The issue is he isn’t getting enough inside mid minutes at the moment. 
I would like to see him played at half back instead of on the wing. 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

He's responded to concerns about his defensive running by this new habit of just sprinting back to the backline and a couple of occasions tonight he actually opened a hole in the corridor infront of him for a suns defender to run through.

I actually think he's been going ok this year in a lower possession but more accountable role. 

We're certainly looking for players at half back though. Harmes didn't work out. Rivers not ready, Lockhart just going. I'd certainly think about giving Gus another go there and seeing if he can make a good go at it. 

Yeah if Oliver and Viney weren't in the side he'd play more on ball and probably do well but the midfield game has sped up so much the last couple of years, I worry about Gus as a transition runner even if he was surrounded by better movers and users. Half back could see him get good value from his marking and his ability to use either foot - if taking safe or long options.

i'm not his biggest fan but i didn't think he was too bad tonight

i have conniptions about the idea of him playing at half back...that kicking....

if he can continue to make okay decisions with the ball in hand then he has a role as a role-player - no different to that which tyson played for us really

i can't understand what's happened to his defensive game...it's non-existent

31 minutes ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

i'm not his biggest fan but i didn't think he was too bad tonight

i have conniptions about the idea of him playing at half back...that kicking....

if he can continue to make okay decisions with the ball in hand then he has a role as a role-player - no different to that which tyson played for us really

i can't understand what's happened to his defensive game...it's non-existent

Bad kicks can become good kicks at half back though. The options are much easier. Long down the line or safe switches works more often that not. 

He's not playing too badly right now, but he's not really improving either.

2 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Bad kicks can become good kicks at half back though. The options are much easier. Long down the line or safe switches works more often that not. 

He's not playing too badly right now, but he's not really improving either.

yes, not a huge amount of improvement so far this year from last year

if anything his defensive work might have gone backwards

10 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

He's responded to concerns about his defensive running by this new habit of just sprinting back to the backline and a couple of occasions tonight he actually opened a hole in the corridor infront of him for a suns defender to run through.

I actually think he's been going ok this year in a lower possession but more accountable role. 

We're certainly looking for players at half back though. Harmes didn't work out. Rivers not ready, Lockhart just going. I'd certainly think about giving Gus another go there and seeing if he can make a good go at it. 

Yeah if Oliver and Viney weren't in the side he'd play more on ball and probably do well but the midfield game has sped up so much the last couple of years, I worry about Gus as a transition runner even if he was surrounded by better movers and users. Half back could see him get good value from his marking and his ability to use either foot - if taking safe or long options.

I'm not against Brayshaw playing a more half-back/midfielder role. Particularly if it frees up Harmes (who should never be played in the backline again - he showed last night that he is an A-grade talent in the middle and in the forward line) and Salem (we got on top in the second with Salem higher up the ground).

We need midfield depth. Trade Brayshaw and next year the depth is Jones, Sparrow or Jordon. 

1 hour ago, Fifty-5 said:

We need midfield depth. Trade Brayshaw and next year the depth is Jones, Sparrow or Jordon. 

Two of which may not be on the list next year (Jones candidate to retire and Sparrow candidate for delisting if lists shortened)

38 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Two of which may not be on the list next year (Jones candidate to retire and Sparrow candidate for delisting if lists shortened)

Sparrow delisted? Very highly doubt that mate, even with diminished lists.

2 hours ago, Fifty-5 said:

We need midfield depth. Trade Brayshaw and next year the depth is Jones, Sparrow or Jordon. 

Is it though?

Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Melksham, Salem, Tomlinson, vandenBerg, ANB, Sparrow, Jordon, Dunkley, Jones all capable of playing in the guts.

Seems a bit of an overreach there.

36 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Is it though?

Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Melksham, Salem, Tomlinson, vandenBerg, ANB, Sparrow, Jordon, Dunkley, Jones all capable of playing in the guts.

Seems a bit of an overreach there.

Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Melksham (cameos), Salem (has almost never played there), Tomlinson (has never played there), vandenBerg (has never played there), ANB (good VFL player), Sparrow (untried - unproven), Jordon (untried - unproven), Dunkley (untried - unproven), Jones (if this year isn't his last year, next year will be) all capable of playing in the guts.

We've got 5 capable of being regular starters in the centre square: Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Brayshaw.

We're already consistently playing a younger and less experienced team than the opposition.  We need to use the relative strength and depth we have in this area to our advantage.

Edited July 12, 20204 yr by Fifty-5

4 minutes ago, Fifty-5 said:

Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Melksham (cameos), Salem (has almost never played there), Tomlinson (has never played there), vandenBerg (has never played there), ANB (good VFL player), Sparrow (untried - unproven), Jordon (untried - unproven), Dunkley (untried - unproven), Jones (if this year isn't his last year, next year will be) all capable of playing in the guts.

We've got 5 capable of being regular starters in the centre square: Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Harmes, Brayshaw.

You said depth, now you're talking 'starters'.

As I said, all the players I listed are 'capable' of playing there as depth.

Brayshaw is playing minimal game time this year, let alone spending much time in the centre, hardly think losing him is going to make a huge difference to our midfield depth.

Edited July 12, 20204 yr by Lord Nev

Gus had a poor game yesterday, but I still feel it’s due to not being played in a suitable role. His best footy, and coincidentally the teams best footy, comes when he is at centre bounces. In 2018 Gawn to Brayshaw was the best centre clearance combo in the league. We get more value from our clearances when Brayshaw receives the ball defensive side and the charges into space to deliver inside forward 50 by footy. It’s usually Petracca who feeds him too. Gus needs to play on ball. He’s one of our few mids who can hit the scoreboard as well. 

At the moment he’s being shoved between outside roles, flank, onball and as a result he’s struggling for consistency. Viney and him never play well at the same time. Whoever is on all plays well.

We need to balance our midfield better. IMO it works best when we have the on all unit of Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Gus. Need less bull at the gate inside kids getting sucked to the ball.

40 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Sparrow delisted? Very highly doubt that mate, even with diminished lists.

Just going on the DL comments that he isn't at the hub.   

18 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Just going on the DL comments that he isn't at the hub.   

I don't think with young players you can read too much into that IMO. Might be better for some development-wise to stay here and work on areas of focus.

All that aside, are you sure he's not there? Thought I remembered seeing a photo of him in the gym up there.

 

Edit - Yep, he's there mate.

Edited July 12, 20204 yr by Lord Nev

Bloke played out of position not playing well, go figure 

Brayshaw is doing his job. I saw him get a few key takeaways from centre bounces and he plays a bit more on the wing than others.

We don't need everyone racking up huge possessions, though it seems some Demonlanders would like 22 players with 30 touches each....

Brayshaw was serviceable and that's all he needs to be

He isn't going to ever be a dynamic player - it's just a shame how little speed he has. So if we lack speed with him then we need speed elsewhere which we've got through the core (Oliver off the mark is actually pretty quick when he kicks).

His ball use is ok and his clearance work is handy so I don't think he'll be going anywhere soon. Unless Sparrow is way better than him then he might take his spot but I doubt it.