9 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I hope Bedford keeps his spot (as the substitute if nothing else), he was very composed and neat. 

Played his role perfectly.

What was his role last night? That's not being flippant, but he seemed to be doing more than just playing "small forward" but wasn't really on-ball either. He doesn't seem to have a strong enough body to be anything than a small forward. 

As to team selections for next week, if Lever doesn't play, does Tom McDonald remain in defence (where I thought he was more than serviceable) and Weideman play forward? There were time last night when Brown was off the ground that we had no talls in the forward line.  

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

I didn't think Hunt did a lot wrong. Was he playing a lock down role on Weightman?

I wonder whether if they'll leave Tmac down back until Lever is right? Could that mean Weideman comes in to support Ben Brown?

Hunt was pretty solid, i agree. I think he's just probably seen as behind the guys likely to come back. he might remain the Sub. 

I think there is a chance. based on last night, it'd be an interesting discussion on Smith vs Tommlinson vs Petty vs McDonald. if Weid can provide a good target up forward, McDonald may be an option to swing back a bit more. 

7 hours ago, picket fence said:

Agree with all you have said , But I will go to the grave maintaining...... THAT HE IS A FORWARD!! I rated him EXCELLENT TONIGHT!

I used to think that as well but changed my mind when Smith played forward at the start of 2019.  He kicked a few goals, but we were getting rebounded way too easily and Joel was regularly at fault.  As a forward, learning the defensive structures is a lot tougher than as a defender.  I remember one preseason game where Houlli had about 45 kicks.  

1 hour ago, chook fowler said:

Jordon was very good - can’t see him being dropped.

Very good??

Sheesh

In addition to Salem being out, I'd be looking at Bedford and Jordon as possible omissions. I still have no idea what Bedford brings, other than fumbles and dropped chest marks.

Obvoiusly much depends on where Rivers, Lever and Hibberd are at - I would much prefer to see McDonald forward and Brayshaw on his wing, although both did the jobs required of them last night.

Do the likes of Dunstan, Melksham and Weideman get a Casey game this weekend to push their claims? We need players putting pressure on the incumbents at all times.

2 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

 Jordon - tries hard, yes, but a strictly average player and worse: he is a slow thinker. 

Could not disagree more. 

Is WAY above average and i predict will be a star, in large part BECAUSE he is is such a quick thinker and has such great footy IQ.

He makes such smart decisions, for example when to release the footy when tackled and when to hold onto the ball. 

That footy IQ, and natural football skills means Goody can, and does, use him as a utility to plug holes and give key players a chop out when needed - wing, half back, midfield he can play it all. 

And he is total solid citizen - a culture builder. 

You only need to look at the players he kept out of the team last year, such as Jonsey, to understand how highly goody rates him. 

Needs to build his body up to get a bit stronger (which i why Sparrow got the nod come the business end of the season i reckon), but that said is deceptively strong as evidenced by how often he get the ball off when tackled.

I suspect he has the sort of physical makeup that means he struggles to put on muscle bulk (paging @webber is that a thing?). 

But has only just turned 21 and by the time he is 25 will be built like a brick, have elite endurance, have 100 plus games under his belt (he already has 25) and be a mainstay of of our midfield.  

No player has reminded me more of Jnr McDonald. 

And like junior, i can see him becoming a captain of the dees at some point.

Edited March 16, 20223 yr by binman

5 minutes ago, poita said:

I still have no idea what Bedford brings, other than fumbles and dropped chest marks.

If you take this approach, Petty would never have got another game after his debut. And he turned out pretty good with a few games under his belt.

28 minutes ago, FlogDee said:

Very good??

Sheesh

20 disposals at 70% - 73 points. A solid performance IMO

Tom Morris will start on the interchange bench.

Take that to the bank.

28 minutes ago, binman said:

Is WAY above average and i predict will be a star, in large part BECAUSE he is is such a quick thinker and has such great footy IQ.

He makes such smart decisions, for example when to release the footy when tackled and when to hold onto the ball.

He has quick hands and is super reliable to crash in, win a ground ball and give it out.

But… his kicking and decision making when kicking are still a huge work in progress. He doesn’t back himself to take quick kicks and then his long down the line execution is iffy too. I can see why some on here probably noticed some patchy kicks and have thought that was reflective of his overall game. 

Overall I thought he played Gus’ wing role comfortably as well as Gus did most games last year. Can’t see him coming under pressure unless Gus gets moved back to the wing, and even then I think we’d like 3 wingers so Harmes can rotate forward and on ball rather than fill wing minutes. 

2 hours ago, Billy said:

Disagree, didn’t see too much of that elite pressure tonight & 5 possessions is not good enough, thought Bedford was better & got involved in the game.

 

were you at the ground?

i'm sure on the teev it was hard to see but his running from half-back to deep forward was incredible to watch from my spot on the wing

his work rate is fantastic

I thought our two most important players last night were Jordan and Spargo. Their positioning and contested work in predominantly one and one situations were excellent. Their decision making under pressure is elite IMO.

At 21 and 22 years old they both play like 200 gamers with their footy IQ and understanding of the game.

 

As noted elsewhere we may be sanctioned for playing an extra man (Tom Morris) so it seems he will be omitted for this round. Apart from that forced change I have no idea on changes. I found it interesting on Fox the panel were talking about everything that Melbourne does off the ball (and you dont see on screen) as being critical to our plan.  I think we slightly suffered forward for not having TMac there (although Bb was epic)  so apart from changes down back we may need to think about that. It will be fascinating to see how the coaches see it. 

A few interesting decisions to make.

If Lever's fit, does he Tomlinson's spot? If so, does TMac stay in the backline? Or does Lever come back, take TMac's spot, sending TMac back to the forward line?

Alternatively, if Lever's not fit, do we leave TMac in the backline? If so, do we bring in Weideman as a second tall forward (when Brown was off the ground last night we had a real dearth of marking options forward of centre. Personally I think 2021 showed us that we need two tall forwards plus Gawn/Jackson, not one, and that we can make enough running power around them without needing to swap a tall out for a small. So, if TMac stays back, I'd be bringing Weideman in).

11 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I hope Bedford keeps his spot (as the substitute if nothing else), he was very composed and neat. 

Played his role perfectly.

Really? I saw nothing from Bedford last night to suggest this, and IMO he's the first one out if/when we start getting the missing premiership defenders back.

10 hours ago, binman said:

Exhibit A, our first goal. 

Kozzie put a beautiful block on the defender to create enough space for langers to balance and kick.

Smart, disciplined and team focused.

How many small forwards in the AFL would do that rather than attack the ball and try to score himself (which he would have well been within his rights to do).

Similar to the block that set up trac's dribble goal in the GF.

Doesn't get a score assist or score involvement. Perhaps a one per center, but no other stat for that play.

But I'll bet a million dollars the coaching staff count those pressure acts and that they are one of kozzies kpis.

Agree with the reasoning, but stats-wise his pressure acts last night were rather low.

He had 12. Was our 12th-most (i.e. mid-table). ANB had our most with 29. Even Bedford, the sub, had 13.

In other words, Pickett can do more from a pressure perspective IMO.

Bedford has some wheels eh.

Can we get Tom Morris to ask Goody if Tmac is moving back?

6 hours ago, Superunknown said:

Bedford has some wheels eh.

Can we get Tom Morris to ask Goody if Tmac is moving back?

I reckon the reason tmac moved back was because our sub, Bedford, was always going to be used as a nibbler style running half forward.

Goody mentioned in his presser that the plan pre game was to put tmac down back in the event we lost a defender to injury. I suspect that was because Bedford was the sub.

Edited March 17, 20223 yr by binman

This is a great position we are in. Our depth in most spots on the ground is elite. You lose 5 backs and still get the job done against, what most experts think is the best or the 2nd best team in the comp. Got no idea who comes in but happy with what they all did last night and more depth in the wings waiting for a chance.

12 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Did he rip into any journos as well?

No but the nervous left thigh scratch is gone.  Guess thats what happens when all pressure is off you.

Wouldn't change much given it is GC. Give the backline boys another week off to return cherry ripe.

TMAC back looked good as did Smith. 

Salem out and Dunstan in. Bedford in the 22 and JJ as sub (looked a little slow and fumbled quite a bit). 

I really rate Smith and you can take it to the bank, he is our next great defender. He won’t be dropped and even if he played a mediocre game, which he didn’t, he needs to be given some continuity so that he can develop.

I didn’t see in Bedford what the coaches obviously see. He has a pretty good set of wheels, maybe the fumbling was just nerves. He dropped a pretty basic chest mark on the wing/half back and had to really turn on the jets to save the situation. I haven’t seen enough of him to say to know whether the dropped chest mark or the incredible evasion characterises him most accurately.

 Whoever makes room for lever and hibberd will be stiff but there is no way you’d left either of them out.

12 hours ago, Billy said:

Kozzie needs to pull his finger out was very poor tonight 

I was howled down here after the Carlton game for suggesting similar 

Lot of dispute here regarding Jordon. I said he was slow-thinking and others disagree. I believe he is, and think particularly of when he marked the  ball on his own in the halfback flank, on the “fat side”, With wide open spaces before him and he basically just stood there, looked around gormlessly and opted to take his kick from behind the mark. That’s what I call slow-thinking.

Most of the comments are about the backline but I'd like to see more adjustment in the forward half.

I just think we are too small up there.   Brown did really well when competing against 3 at times but the bulldogs do not have a great defense.   For a lot of the time we have Gawn Dogga or TMac on the bench resting which creates difficulties.

In the forward line we have small/medium at those times with 5 of Fritta, Spargo, Pickett,  Jordan, NB, Bedford and at least one other on baller going through.  I'd rather have Weideman instead of one of the smalls.  Not sure who it is.

It was exacerbated when TMac had to go into defense.

Ins: Lever, Hibberd 

Outs: Salem, Jordon (who might just need time to shake off some rust).

13 minutes ago, stinga said:

Most of the comments are about the backline but I'd like to see more adjustment in the forward half.

I just think we are too small up there.   Brown did really well when competing against 3 at times but the bulldogs do not have a great defense.   For a lot of the time we have Gawn Dogga or TMac on the bench resting which creates difficulties.

In the forward line we have small/medium at those times with 5 of Fritta, Spargo, Pickett,  Jordan, NB, Bedford and at least one other on baller going through.  I'd rather have Weideman instead of one of the smalls.  Not sure who it is.

It was exacerbated when TMac had to go into defense.

McDonald will return forward next week and either Lever or Hibberd will come in. If both come in, then Bedford might miss/be named sub.