3 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

Van Rooyen has developed nicely, but I'd be careful to talk him up too much. 

He's a swing-man, not a natural forward and will not be THE answer/solution to our forwardline woes but will help structurally for sure and provide strong off the ball support. 

Our problem is we have Ben Brown, Tom McDonald, Weideman, Fritsch and a resting ruckman. And obviously we can't play all of them given they offer so little at ground level. They apply zero pressure. Like zero zero. 

Van Rooyen at least has great pressuring ability for a big guy and is quick and agile. 

I can see a big change to our forwardline next year both in personnel and role and it better happen or very little will change for us. 

Fritsch offers nothing at ground level???????

Are we talking about the same Fritsch? You know, the one that crumbs the ball on the run and can snap left and right while baulking opposition? That Fritsch?

52 minutes ago, Future of Aussie Rules said:

Fritsch offers nothing at ground level???????

Are we talking about the same Fritsch? You know, the one that crumbs the ball on the run and can snap left and right while baulking opposition? That Fritsch?

I should have specified. 

Defensively, he is awful. 

Yeh his goal sense is unreal so if the ball is in dispute and he's running into it he can be lethal. But outside of a 3 metre radius, he almost gives up at times. 

Edited September 11, 20222 yr by JimmyGadson

Van Rooyen was a very good defender in underage competitions. Perhaps he is the answer to releasing Petty forward.  JVR, May, Lever as the back three and Petty forward.  That gives us flexibility to switch those two around as required.  JVR may well be that very rare breed of key position utility for those old enough to remember in the Terry Daniher/Ross Glendinning mould.  At 193 cm he's a little shorter than Petty but he reads the play well and I'd imagine he'd play the intercept game pretty well.

11 minutes ago, Swooper1987 said:

Van Rooyen was a very good defender in underage competitions. Perhaps he is the answer to releasing Petty forward.  JVR, May, Lever as the back three and Petty forward.  That gives us flexibility to switch those two around as required.  JVR may well be that very rare breed of key position utility for those old enough to remember in the Terry Daniher/Ross Glendinning mould.  At 193 cm he's a little shorter than Petty but he reads the play well and I'd imagine he'd play the intercept game pretty well.

JVR's just put in a year of playing good footy for Casey as a forward. After all that, we're going to flip in into the backline? Not sure about that.

Just now, titan_uranus said:

JVR's just put in a year of playing good footy for Casey as a forward. After all that, we're going to flip in into the backline? Not sure about that.

Possibly, however the match committee no doubt realised we had Tomlinson as tall cover in defence and our weakness in the seniors was our forward line. Watch this space, I reckon. 

43 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

Van Rooyen has developed nicely, but I'd be careful to talk him up too much. 

He's a swing-man, not a natural forward and will not be THE answer/solution to our forwardline woes but will help structurally for sure and provide strong off the ball support. 

Our problem is we have Ben Brown, Tom McDonald, Weideman, Fritsch and a resting ruckman. And obviously we can't play all of them given they offer so little at ground level. They apply zero pressure. Like zero zero. 

Van Rooyen at least has great pressuring ability for a big guy and is quick and agile. 

I can see a big change to our forwardline next year both in personnel and role and it better happen or very little will change for us. 

Agreed, with the addendum ball movement needs to change too.

Know what you’re trying to say about Brown, TMac, Fritsch, et al. Bayley is so quick on a lead but doesn’t spend those tickets to stop defensive transition - he plays like he is our FF and that he doesn’t need to do that and when he does that; he looks lazy and we look so slow.

I am hopeful with; an actual FF (either Brown back where he competed for Colemans or McKay-like trade) who plays out of square, TMac back at CHF, JVR as a taller HFF who competes on the ground, Fritsch can be removed from the ‘the tall brigade’ that doesn’t chase and harass, that we can ameliorate a lot of what we saw in 2022.

11 minutes ago, Swooper1987 said:

Van Rooyen was a very good defender in underage competitions. Perhaps he is the answer to releasing Petty forward.  JVR, May, Lever as the back three and Petty forward.  That gives us flexibility to switch those two around as required.  JVR may well be that very rare breed of key position utility for those old enough to remember in the Terry Daniher/Ross Glendinning mould.  At 193 cm he's a little shorter than Petty but he reads the play well and I'd imagine he'd play the intercept game pretty well.

Why not invest a successful forward in what we are aiming at as a KPF probably FF but looks mobile and has the footy smarts to take CHF as well. JVR fits the bill.

I would  move Petty forward also and see if that works and drop Tmac back although he breaks packs and makes life easier for the Small and medium forwards.

Harry gave a great insight with that one mark! Why so late Goody why not at 3/4 time?

The other 2 players we have got that come into the equation are Disco Turner and AdamTomlinson. I'd be surprised if one or the other are not successful in defence for us in 2023. So between all these players our KP stocks are potentially in good shape.

BBB also may well be fitter as well and put pressure on the forwards.

My idea solves all the problems not just a sole switch which won't do that.

Also flexibility of JVR Petty and Tmac and hopefully a fully fit and firing Joel Smith is in the reckoning either end is mouth watering. 

Only problem is Goody is so slow or a no show with changes and moves at selection and on match day!

I think it's very fortunate that our 2021 pick fell where it did and we took JVR.  From all reports we were keen on half-backs Chesser, Wilmot and Brown who all went earlier.  They may all be very good players, Wilmot looks very promising, and I think we do have a need for strong players with sure ball handling in that area - but they are easier to come by than good KPFs.

54 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

JVR's just put in a year of playing good footy for Casey as a forward. After all that, we're going to flip in into the backline? Not sure about that.

If we get Grundy and TMac comes back in next year, there is one more spot left which goes to Ben Brown, Van Rooyen, Petty, Weideman or Cadman*. (I think TMac’s value has risen in his absence because he is good in the air and on the deck and not a pressure valve.)

Personally, I think the case to at least try Petty forward is pretty good.

If Petty moves forward, Turner, Smith or Van Rooyen will play back. 

Van Rooyen will still get benefits from this year even if we switch him back. 

Edited September 11, 20222 yr by Fat Tony

3 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

Van Rooyen will play back

This is crazy

JVR needs to start forward in the AFL side round 1 next year, ideally along with Harry Petty and Tom McDonald 

1 minute ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

This is crazy

Why did you chop off the back end of my sentence. I said: 

If Petty moves forward, Turner, Smith or Van Rooyen will play back. 

4 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

If we get Grundy and TMac comes back in next year, there is one more spot left which goes to Ben Brown, Van Rooyen, Petty, Weideman or Cadman*. (I think TMac’s value has risen in his absence because he is good in the air and on the deck and not a pressure valve.)

Personally, I think the case to at least try Petty forward is pretty good.

If Petty moves forward, Turner, Smith or Van Rooyen will play back. 

Van Rooyen will still get benefits from this year even if we switch him back. 

TMac in for Brown, JVR in for Melksham, Petty at CHF. I’d say Smith, Turner or Tomlinson to replace Petty. Yes it makes our defence weaker, but we aren’t regularly giving up 100 points.

The problem is we aren’t scoring enough from our clearance wins. This forward line looks a lot more difficult to hold than Brown and Melksham.

Petty, JVR, Fritsch and Koz as the pillars of our forward line for the next decade makes me excited.

4 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

TMac in for Brown, JVR in for Melksham, Petty at CHF. I’d say Smith, Turner or Tomlinson to replace Petty. Yes it makes our defence weaker, but we aren’t regularly giving up 100 points.

The problem is we aren’t scoring enough from our clearance wins. This forward line looks a lot more difficult to hold than Brown and Melksham.

Petty, JVR, Fritsch and Koz as the pillars of our forward line for the next decade makes me excited.

Where do Grundy or Gawn play? (I’m not in favour of Grundy but it sounds likely.)

21 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

Where do Grundy or Gawn play? (I’m not in favour of Grundy but it sounds likely.)

On the ball!! 

37 minutes ago, Dwight Schrute said:

JVR needs to start forward in the AFL side round 1 next year, ideally along with Harry Petty and Tom McDonald 

Agree DS 

4 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

Van Rooyen was a very good defender in underage competitions. Perhaps he is the answer to releasing Petty forward.  JVR, May, Lever as the back three and Petty forward.  That gives us flexibility to switch those two around as required.  JVR may well be that very rare breed of key position utility for those old enough to remember in the Terry Daniher/Ross Glendinning mould.  At 193 cm he's a little shorter than Petty but he reads the play well and I'd imagine he'd play the intercept game pretty well.

He’s 195cm, not 193cm. He’s also up from 91kgs to 95kgs. He’s a perfect size for a tall forward, especially given his aggression in the air. 

The club said he was drafted to play forward. He’s spent a year developing as a forward, shown he’s a natural forward, and is a really impressive prospect as a forward. We are crying out for quality forwards. If the club for some reason then shifted him to defense, where we have lots of depth, it would be lunacy and [censored] poor player management. If anything both he and Petty should play forward. Zero value in switching them at this stage of their careers.

5 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

If we get Grundy and TMac comes back in next year, there is one more spot left which goes to Ben Brown, Van Rooyen, Petty, Weideman or Cadman*. (I think TMac’s value has risen in his absence because he is good in the air and on the deck and not a pressure valve.)

Personally, I think the case to at least try Petty forward is pretty good.

If Petty moves forward, Turner, Smith or Van Rooyen will play back. 

Van Rooyen will still get benefits from this year even if we switch him back. 

Then leave Petty in defence.

Petty's played all bar 5 minutes this year as a defender after playing all of last year (when in the side) as a defender and winning a flag doing it.

If he has the ability to be flung forward in a game for a surprise or changed tactic, fine, but let's perhaps try the natural forward as a forward and the established defender as a defender before we flip them around.

2 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

He’s 195cm, not 193cm. He’s also up from 91kgs to 95kgs. He’s a perfect size for a tall forward, especially given his aggression in the air. 

The club said he was drafted to play forward. He’s spent a year developing as a forward, shown he’s a natural forward, and is a really impressive prospect as a forward. We are crying out for quality forwards. If the club for some reason then shifted him to defense, where we have lots of depth, it would be lunacy and [censored] poor player management. If anything both he and Petty should play forward. Zero value in switching them at this stage of their careers.

Not according to the MFC app. And he was drafted as a utility who has played both defence and attack.  He was a key defender only last season for the WA national championships.  Not disputing he looks an effective forward.  Just raising the possibility he could be more than that.  I do laugh though at the overreaction - lunacy.  Might even be creativity.  Something that's probably been a bit lacking this season. And a tall utility is a great asset to have.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/672918/nab-afl-u19-champs-finn-gorringe-jacob-van-rooyen-strong-as-western-australia-demolishes-south-australia

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1033254/drafted-demons-land-jacob-van-rooyen-with-pick-no19

Edited September 11, 20222 yr by Swooper1987

If he can play forward well that is where he will play. Goody laughs at suggestions that T Mac could move back permanently. Tall,  mobile hard at it forwards are hard to come by. 

He looks as if he has a good furure forward.

5 minutes ago, manny100 said:

If he can play forward well that is where he will play. Goody laughs at suggestions that T Mac could move back permanently. Tall,  mobile hard at it forwards are hard to come by. 

He looks as if he has a good furure forward.

I'd agree except that Petty can play forward but has been anchored to the back six all year when we were crying out for a decent tall forward.  Goodwin's lack of imagination was a positive in 2021 but an albatross around our necks this year.

2 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Then leave Petty in defence.

Petty's played all bar 5 minutes this year as a defender after playing all of last year (when in the side) as a defender and winning a flag doing it.

If he has the ability to be flung forward in a game for a surprise or changed tactic, fine, but let's perhaps try the natural forward as a forward and the established defender as a defender before we flip them around.

I expect Van Rooyen to play mostly in the AFL next year. But I just think it’s a tough ask for a developing tall to play key forward for a contender. The backline is much easier for young key position players. Neitz and TMac are examples of talls who started off in defence and built sufficient strength over the years to play at the other end.

Petty to the forward line would lessen the backline, but it could be only marginally if Turner or Van Rooyen or Smith improve. I just think Petty might be a much better forward than Van Rooyen next season. 

10 hours ago, The heart beats true said:

TMac in for Brown, JVR in for Melksham, Petty at CHF. I’d say Smith, Turner or Tomlinson to replace Petty. Yes it makes our defence weaker, but we aren’t regularly giving up 100 points.

The problem is we aren’t scoring enough from our clearance wins. This forward line looks a lot more difficult to hold than Brown and Melksham.

Petty, JVR, Fritsch and Koz as the pillars of our forward line for the next decade makes me excited.

As long as May and Lever are 100%, I think our backhalf problems (we gave up higher scores this year than last) were with injured or not right small defenders. 

I am interested to see Petty forward as he is quite mobile and is a good mark. He has progressed so much in 18 months, really solid growth and I would say most improved player for 22.

Jacob will ruin opposition's defences because he is so agile, great overhead and will give second and even third efforts if the ball comes to ground.

No pressure then.