Worth noting that Gus as a half back is right up the pointy end of the league for Marks and intercept marks. 

He's really shown he's a bit of a unicorn player down there because he's so good in the air but also quite a good aggressive half back. 

I'm bloody glad not to be a coach because when you've got a guy of this quality in multiple positions it's a hard choice. 

1 hour ago, rpfc said:

The real thing to point out here is that in no way is an ellipsis into an exclamation mark proper grammar. 

I don’t what astronomy has to do with grammar at all!

Can we bring back the Trade Brayshaw thread?? 😂

Now that Salem’s back, I want Gus back on wing, and Rivers selected and back in defence. JJ to remain in wing/midfield rotation, with Sparrow likely candidate to be squeezed out.

Best game I’ve seen Gus play was in Grand Final as a defensive wingman. He was critical to our success last year in that position.

I agree he should play in the middle or wing, our movement into the forwards has been poor and this was where Angus excelled. 

1 hour ago, Ben E said:

Now that Salem’s back, I want Gus back on wing, and Rivers selected and back in defence. JJ to remain in wing/midfield rotation, with Sparrow likely candidate to be squeezed out.

Best game I’ve seen Gus play was in Grand Final as a defensive wingman. He was critical to our success last year in that position.

I agree, other than I'd keep Sparrow. He kicks (?kicked?) goals and is a bull. Rivers is a defender who can break the lines, and I think we miss him.

 

Petracca's little run of ordinary form has made our midfield look a lot less potent, despite Oliver's efforts and Viney's notable lift in form over the last 4 weeks. Viney just doesn't punch holes the same way Petracca can.

Outside that core three it has been a mixed season for the other players who contribute to the midfield with any regularity. It will be an issue when we come up against teams which bat a little deeper for true midfielders, like, dare I say, Carlton when their Cripps/Walsh/Cerra/Hewett engine is operating well.

Brayshaw is now doing spectacularly well across half-back, but once Salem fully settles and May comes back, and presumably Rivers steadies his kicking and returns to AFL level, we actually have a pretty rich selection of smart interceptors and rebounders.

The place where we most need the special talents kept inside Brayshaw's helmet is right in the middle of the ground. Going both ways - to delay, confuse and repelling the fast counter-attacks which are our greatest weakness defensively, and giving us much smarter movement across half-forward and inside 50.

I think an in-form Angus Brayshaw would be just about the best true centreman you could ask for.

8 hours ago, rpfc said:

The real thing to point out here is that in no way is an ellipsis into an exclamation mark proper grammar. 

 

No, it's not. It is punctuation. Correct grammar is terrific. Proper grammar is variable; it depends on who is using the grammar with merely a plum in the mouth. 

Edited June 16, 20222 yr by Deemania since 56

8 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

Gus is having his best year at HBF.

Our woes in recent weeks have been due to our lack of forwards and losing key defenders in game.

You could play that position FT.  Gus into the middle for mine!  I'd even play Harmes off the non-Lingers wing for a while and see how he goes.  Jordy is solid but slow plays far too often for my liking.  Harmes will roll out and play on quickly inside 50 more often i reckon and give our forwards a better chance to convert.

Edited June 16, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

1 minute ago, Demon Dynasty said:

You could play that position FT.  Gus into the middle for mine!  I'd even play Harmes off the non-Lingers wing for a while and see how he goes.  Jordy is solid but slow plays far too often for my liking.  Harmes will roll out and play on quickly inside 50 more often i reckon and give our forwards a better chance to convert.

I don't understand how there are Jimmy Jordon deniers.

He only slows play on occasion because he looks up and sees half a dozen witches hats. 

7 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

Wouldn't hurt?

He come 3rd in the Brownlow as a mid a few years ago.

Yeah but he has concussion issues.

7 hours ago, Ham said:

Those that say, "Gus is this, gus is that" are too narrow minded, Gus has proven that he can ADAPT and play multiple roles to a high level. It's not about where he plays his best footy, it's about where he makes us a better team. 

He could play Mid/Wing/Back and do it as good if not better than some players currently are in those positions, but that doesn't answer what best suits the team. At the moment, the coaches clearly feel as though that's as a back. 

I love Brayshaw. But he is one or two concussions away from an early retirement. Keep him wherever he is less likely to get injured. Especially if he is an AA level back and winger. 

17 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

You could play that position FT.  Gus into the middle for mine!  I'd even play Harmes off the non-Lingers wing for a while and see how he goes.  Jordy is solid but slow plays far too often for my liking.  Harmes will roll out and play on quickly inside 50 more often i reckon and give our forwards a better chance to convert.

Harmes is horribly out of form and has been [censored] while James Jordon is one of the in form wingers of the game.

Really don't understand this logic.

1 hour ago, Deemania since 56 said:

No, it's not. It is punctuation. Correct grammar is terrific. Proper grammar is variable; it depends on who is using the grammar with merely a plum in the mouth. 

It ain’t proper…

 

Also, an ellipsis provides the reader with the pause of a open ended sentence or thought, to then hit the reader with a exclaimed finish to that is just jarring. I got whiplash. I am just thinking of the children…

54 minutes ago, adonski said:

I don't understand how there are Jimmy Jordon deniers.

He only slows play on occasion because he looks up and sees half a dozen witches hats. 

Negative Adonski.  After watching him carefully on Monday i saw him glance inside on a few occasions to open receivers but turned back towards the line and instead bombed it long to a massive contest.

I agree our movement etc up the field and sometimes inside has been woeful much of the time.  So yes the bulk of the time most wingers would do likewise (up the line).

He has choices on slim occasions and after watching him on Monday he refuses to take the chance/risk and pull the trigger.  Not sure if it's a lack of confidence in hitting a loose receiver over medium distance.  I guess he could be under instruction but sometimes it's on the player to pull the right trigger.

Outside of that one flaw he's playing the defensive role very very nicely the bulk of the time.  It's a tweak that this club needs in my view if our forwards (and mids pushing forward) are to have any chance of converting more often.

And not just hitting 45s.  He needs to roll and move quickly more often and back in that a forward will be there on a lead or maybe even a few that he can hit up.  Kicking up the line most of the time is killing us right now as most oppos are crapping on us in  contested marks.  Probably at a greater disadvantage in this area now with Maxy out!

Edited June 16, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

34 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Harmes is horribly out of form and has been [censored] while James Jordon is one of the in form wingers of the game.

Really don't understand this logic.

Because our forward cohesion/connection is a complete and utter failure and has been most of the season bar Macca dazzle.  And he's out for some time.  Maybe the rest of the season.

We either get the ball inside 50 alot quicker more often or .... we can defend defend defend 8 to 9 goal average scores beautifully, maybe even better than we have all season ....and continue losing.

Harmes has come back from a hammy and played two matches against top 8 red hot opponents.  He'll be fine.  Have faith... bloke's never let this club down yet.

Edited June 16, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

Shame there is not a thread that says 'XXX must play at CHF'.  Cupboard is bare.

On 6/16/2022 at 9:33 AM, Deetention said:

Carlton and Fremantle's midfield has gone to another level of dominance and depth... 

If the Dees are going to challenge for a Premiership. I am adamant Gus has to be playing predominantly as a midfielder. He can dominate this position. He is the Dees trump card...! 

If Gus is not put into the midfield then he will leave the club, end of story

If I was Gustavo Brayshaw and saw Harmes & Sparrow getting midfield minutes ahead of me, I'd already have my 12 month lease for a bedroom in Peter Bell's penthouse sorted

7 minutes ago, Dave1711 said:

If Gus is not put into the midfield then he will leave the club, end of story

I agree. Brayshaw, Trac and Harmes should rotate  through HF and midfield with Sparrow to come out of the side. 
 

Brayshaw is just too valuable to waste on the defensive wing. JJ has proved he can play that role. 
 

Qn is whether Brayshaw can play a high HF role to improve connection into the forward line. 

On 6/16/2022 at 11:32 AM, DeeSpencer said:

I think the entire balance of the backline has been off with Lever, Gus and Salem all came together.

Thats 3 players who primarily ignore their opponents to intercept and/or distribute the ball.

Which means the other 4 have a whole lot of defending to do.

The best solution would be to drop Lever but we don’t have any fit 3rd talls available. So he has to stay. In which case I wonder if the balance comes back with Hunt or Rivers in, and we rely on Lever (and May and Petty) filling the intercepting void we lose with Gus in another role.

Excellent point.  Isn't Bowey another?

Also, aside from Salem/Bowey on some occasions (but usually only short kicks... nothing adventurous all that often), we don't have anyone who pulls the trigger and kicks inside (and by pulling the trigger i mean a kick of about 20 meters or further to hit a relatively open receiver) too often?  May is about the only player i can recall who is confident at the medium to long 45s and/or switch kicks and he's been missing during all three losses.

Our unwillingness and/or inability to pull the trigger (medium or longer switches/45s inside) is telling this season IMV and is backed up by recent stats from the HUN....

..."Melbourne is ranked No. 1 for kicking down the line and ranked No. 18 for switching the ball across the ground."...

Edited June 17, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

Gus is having a great year down back...! In great form and I believe is yet to hit his peak. That’s scary...! He would be leading the Brownlow if he was a permanent midfielder...

So put him on ball ASAP...! 
 

It would be a shame if this didn’t happen.

Edited June 18, 20222 yr by Deetention

On 6/16/2022 at 11:07 AM, layzie said:

Not always the most efficient field kick but he does lower the eyes. A move there could be what is needed. 

His field kicking has been phenomenal this year 

13 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

His field kicking has been phenomenal this year 

it's been better than it's been in the past, but i'm not sure 'phenomenal' is the word i'd use

i like him playing the role he's currently playing

i don't understand why people look at the brownlow as an arbiter of quality - it's voted on by the maggots, and they are, as we all know, clearly blind!

Agree with this. Came 3rd in the Brownlow as a mid. Kicking & footy smarts has gone through the roof since this time. 

At least trial it for a 1-2 week period.