Jump to content


Recommended Posts

Posted
2 hours ago, mo64 said:

Hope Richo and Perty were wearing their Reg Grundies under their training shorts. If not, the deal's off.

My mail says the opposite is true. Mrs Grundy appreciates full disclosure.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Posted
7 hours ago, KingDingAling said:

Grundy to MFC just defies logic. We already have an established ruck. Best in the league. Gawn isn’t a good forward and neither is Grundy. Both are just sole rucks. Why we would pay top dollar for an excess big man that we don’t need, whilst desperately needing to recruit a key forward - it’s beyond me. It’s actually just stupid. Reminds me of the Lakers recruiting Westbrook. Just a bad fit that would never work, and now they are stuck with a fat contract they cannot move. If rumored numbers are correct we’ll be paying 700k for a second ruck. Just plain bad list management.

Gawn is more than a capable forward. Where did you get 700k from? That would mean he comes as a fourth round pick. Collingwood would be paying half his salary guaranteed. The only problem is should he be a first rounder or a second rounder. I don't think he's any better than Ben Brown who was a second rounder.

Posted
42 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

Gawn is more than a capable forward. Where did you get 700k from? That would mean he comes as a fourth round pick. Collingwood would be paying half his salary guaranteed. The only problem is should he be a first rounder or a second rounder. I don't think he's any better than Ben Brown who was a second rounder.

Gawn is a poor forward. 2 goals in 7 games

aside from that Prelim last year he hasn’t shown he can be a consistent forward

  • Like 6
Posted
1 hour ago, DubDee said:

Gawn is a poor forward. 2 goals in 7 games

aside from that Prelim last year he hasn’t shown he can be a consistent forward

He's not a poor forward but he's not a good forward either. He's a capable forward. If McDonald comes in Gawn as the 3rd tall could cause problems. 

  • Like 3

Posted
32 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

He's not a poor forward but he's not a good forward either. He's a capable forward. If McDonald comes in Gawn as the 3rd tall could cause problems. 

.Not really sure what ‘capable’ means in this context…

One thing that can’t be argued is he is inconsistent up frwd and is an absolutely terrible shot for goal, which annoyingly is an important skill for the position. His goal accuracy this yr is 34% which is in the worst bracket for performance in the comp…. The majority of NBA teams have a more efficient 3 point average than Max has accurate shots at the big sticks.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Posted
5 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

not sure how you can play all 3 Gawn, Grundy & Jackson if he stays.

It will Jackson or Grundy not both.

  • Like 1

Posted

Fingers crossed Jackson goes, we get a draft haul plus Grundy. A host of changes in the off-season, a refined game-style and a more potent offensive system. 

And no Loading. 

Thnx Santa. 

  • Like 3
Posted
10 hours ago, DubDee said:

Gawn is a poor forward. 2 goals in 7 games

aside from that Prelim last year he hasn’t shown he can be a consistent forward

You realise he only plays 30% forward in terms of game time?  He misses goals he should kick, but he's the best contested mark in the competition. 

  • Like 3

Posted
6 minutes ago, grazman said:

You realise he only plays 30% forward in terms of game time?  He misses goals he should kick, but he's the best contested mark in the competition. 

He’s played more than 30% in recent weeks, and he’s the best contested mark as a ruck, taking on opposition rucks and dropping behind the ball. Marking as a forward - and the leading patterns required - is a completely different skill set.

  • Like 4
Posted
10 hours ago, DubDee said:

Gawn is a poor forward. 2 goals in 7 games

aside from that Prelim last year he hasn’t shown he can be a consistent forward

Even that game was mainly brilliant ruck performance as opposed to forward.  

Posted
23 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

He’s played more than 30% in recent weeks, and he’s the best contested mark as a ruck, taking on opposition rucks and dropping behind the ball. Marking as a forward - and the leading patterns required - is a completely different skill set.

In his press conference Simon Goodwin just sad that max played "64-65% ruck time last week" as he has consistently, he played 91% game time, so 91% - 64% = 27% forward time.

  • Like 1
Posted
16 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

He’s played more than 30% in recent weeks, and he’s the best contested mark as a ruck, taking on opposition rucks and dropping behind the ball. Marking as a forward - and the leading patterns required - is a completely different skill set.

He attended 56% of all ruck contests against Sydney. That's basically the same as his 53% rate for 2022 and 58% in 2021. He averages 89% game time in 2022, which means that he spends about 35% of his time on the field NOT as the primary ruck. This also includes the times where he is just playing behind the ball.

Gawn is the best contested mark in the league and teams absolutely wet themselves when the ball is kicked near him. The leading patterns required of a footballer 20 years ago (or even 5 years ago) are very different to now .... since 2017 nobody has even kicked 70 goals, let alone 100. Brendan Fevola was the last player to even surpass 80 goals, which was in 2009. You don't need to be able to lead for the ball anymore because you don't play as much one on one with a zone defence. What you do need is a player that can take advantage of a weakness in the zone (eg, a weaker opponent nearby) or to be able to mark/influence a contest against a set defence. Max does both of those. 

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Posted
4 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

He attended 56% of all ruck contests against Sydney. That's basically the same as his 53% rate for 2022 and 58% in 2021. He averages 89% game time in 2022, which means that he spends about 35% of his time on the field NOT as the primary ruck. This also includes the times where he is just playing behind the ball.

Gawn is the best contested mark in the league and teams absolutely wet themselves when the ball is kicked near him. The leading patterns required of a footballer 20 years ago (or even 5 years ago) are very different to now .... since 2017 nobody has even kicked 70 goals, let alone 100. Brendan Fevola was the last player to even surpass 80 goals, which was in 2009. You don't need to be able to lead for the ball anymore because you don't play as much one on one with a zone defence. What you do need is a player that can take advantage of a weakness in the zone (eg, a weaker opponent nearby) or to be able to mark/influence a contest against a set defence. Max does both of those. 

Good data!

  • Thanks 1

Posted
47 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

he’s the best contested mark as a ruck, taking on opposition rucks and dropping behind the ball. Marking as a forward

There's an element of truth about this...contested marking is definitely harder as a forward where your opposition is generally trying to spoil but his marking is still a weapon there, he will rarely be out marked.

Posted
9 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

He's not a poor forward but he's not a good forward either. He's a capable forward. If McDonald comes in Gawn as the 3rd tall could cause problems. 

Gawn has kick more than 10 goals in a season 4 times out of 11 seasons. 

In those seasons he has kicked

  • 12g 14b
  • 16g 17b
  • 13g 12b
  • 16g 11b

 

He is not a fwd.

  • Like 3

Posted
1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

He’s played more than 30% in recent weeks, and he’s the best contested mark as a ruck, taking on opposition rucks and dropping behind the ball. Marking as a forward - and the leading patterns required - is a completely different skill set.

The alternates to playing Gawn forward either aren't good enough or aren't ready.  So it's Gawn.  If Gawn plays more in the ruck, we'd have to go in with one key forward (Brown) and/or Jackson will have to play forward (and that's a big ask)

They might pick Van Rooyen but to my way of thinking, that selection would be half a season too late and we'd be expecting a lot of the lad.  He isn't a future Dermie (Brereton debuted in a final) but if he did somehow turned out to be that good a player, it's wishful thinking right now anyway.  The stuff of dreams

As for T-Mac, even he conceded that he could run around ok but the rest of it was going to be a test

No change unless Petracca is out.  Van Rooyen might get a call up but it's a big ask expecting the lad to shine in his first game (a final to boot)

And if Petracca is available we might be better suited with him having a role in the forward line (thus, alleviating the onus on Gawn)

I'm all for taking risks but those risks need to be calculated risks

Posted
1 hour ago, Axis of Bob said:

He attended 56% of all ruck contests against Sydney. That's basically the same as his 53% rate for 2022 and 58% in 2021. He averages 89% game time in 2022, which means that he spends about 35% of his time on the field NOT as the primary ruck. This also includes the times where he is just playing behind the ball.

Gawn is the best contested mark in the league and teams absolutely wet themselves when the ball is kicked near him. The leading patterns required of a footballer 20 years ago (or even 5 years ago) are very different to now .... since 2017 nobody has even kicked 70 goals, let alone 100. Brendan Fevola was the last player to even surpass 80 goals, which was in 2009. You don't need to be able to lead for the ball anymore because you don't play as much one on one with a zone defence. What you do need is a player that can take advantage of a weakness in the zone (eg, a weaker opponent nearby) or to be able to mark/influence a contest against a set defence. Max does both of those. 

I reckon he’s hit 40-50% in some late season games and hasn’t been a big scoreboard factor. Not that scores are the only metric of a forwards worth.

If we plan to spread the ball out more and move it faster (and we aren’t winning jack if we don’t) we need more than just bomb it to Max down the line out of him as a forward.

Obviously the days of Fev on the lead are over but even Mason Cox on his good days knows how to lead in to spots in the zone. Or someone like Tom Lynch is a big contested marker who gets out the back of zones. 

A good amount of forward time - as he’s played the last 2 years - is good for Max and the team. I just think he’s a ruck/forward and not a forward/ruck 

Posted
26 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Obviously the days of Fev on the lead are over but even Mason Cox on his good days knows how to lead in to spots in the zone.

Mason Cox has kicked 6 goals in 16 games this year, whilst averaging about 40% ruck time. He averages 0.7 marks inside 50 per game, whilst Max has averaged 1.1. Max is top 50 for marks inside 50 despite being a primary ruckman (23), with Darcy Cameron the next best on 16 and Tim English on 14 being the next highest rated primary ruckmen. 

The other thing it allows us to do is we can play fewer tall forwards when we know that we won't get beaten in an aerial contest. This allows us to play smaller forward lines where Kozzie can be a more attacking small forward or we can play more creative players like Laurie. Currently we need to play multiple talls because Brown can't reliably bring the ball to ground without a supporting tall to hold the pack. A kick to Lynch, McKay or Hawkins is , at worst, a crumbing opportunity because they won't be outmarked. This allows you to play more mobile players that can cause matchup problems (eg, Cameron, Curnow etc). We have the mobile forwards to make this work, but we need Max to take advantage of it.

  • Like 1
Posted
14 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Gawn is more than a capable forward. Where did you get 700k from? That would mean he comes as a fourth round pick. Collingwood would be paying half his salary guaranteed. The only problem is should he be a first rounder or a second rounder. I don't think he's any better than Ben Brown who was a second rounder.

Would you back Gawny, 20m out, straight in front to kick the goal? 50/50 proposition at best

I love Gawny but his goal kicking is not reliable

  • Like 1
Posted
3 minutes ago, BDA said:

Would you back Gawny, 20m out, straight in front to kick the goal? 50/50 proposition at best

I love Gawny but his goal kicking is not reliable

Would you back Trac? He’s just as bad.

  • Like 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    TRAINING: Friday 22nd November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force on a scorching morning out at Gosch's Paddock for the final session before the whole squad reunites for the Preseason Training Camp. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS It’s going to be a scorcher today but I’m in the shade at Gosch’s Paddock ready to bring you some observations from the final session before the Preseason Training Camp next week.  Salem, Fritsch & Campbell are already on the track. Still no number on Campbell’s

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    UP IN LIGHTS by Whispering Jack

    Those who watched the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships closely this year would not be particularly surprised that Melbourne selected Victoria Country pair Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay on the first night of the AFL National Draft. The two left-footed midfielders are as different as chalk and cheese but they had similar impacts in their Coates Talent League teams and in the National Championships in 2024. Their interstate side was edged out at the very end of the tournament for tea

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    TRAINING: Wednesday 20th November 2024

    It’s a beautiful cool morning down at Gosch’s Paddock and I’ve arrived early to bring you my observations from today’s session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Reigning Keith Bluey Truscott champion Jack Viney is the first one out on the track.  Jack’s wearing the red version of the new training guernsey which is the only version available for sale at the Demon Shop. TRAINING: Viney, Clarry, Lever, TMac, Rivers, Petty, McVee, Bowey, JVR, Hore, Tom Campbell (in tr

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 18th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's Paddock for the final week of training for the 1st to 4th Years until they are joined by the rest of the senior squad for Preseason Training Camp in Mansfield next week. WAYNE RUSSELL'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS No Ollie, Chin, Riv today, but Rick & Spargs turned up and McDonald was there in casual attire. Seston, and Howes did a lot of boundary running, and Tom Campbell continued his work with individual trainer in non-MFC

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #11 Max Gawn

    Champion ruckman and brilliant leader, Max Gawn earned his seventh All-Australian team blazer and constantly held the team up on his shoulders in what was truly a difficult season for the Demons. Date of Birth: 30 December 1991 Height: 209cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 224 Goals MFC 2024: 11 Career Total: 109 Brownlow Medal Votes: 13 Melbourne Football Club: 2nd Best & Fairest: 405 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 12

    2024 Player Reviews: #36 Kysaiah Pickett

    The Demons’ aggressive small forward who kicks goals and defends the Demons’ ball in the forward arc. When he’s on song, he’s unstoppable but he did blot his copybook with a three week suspension in the final round. Date of Birth: 2 June 2001 Height: 171cm Games MFC 2024: 21 Career Total: 106 Goals MFC 2024: 36 Career Total: 161 Brownlow Medal Votes: 3 Melbourne Football Club: 4th Best & Fairest: 369 votes

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Friday 15th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers took advantage of the beautiful sunshine to head down to Gosch's Paddock and witness the return of Clayton Oliver to club for his first session in the lead up to the 2025 season. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Clarry in the house!! Training: JVR, McVee, Windsor, Tholstrup, Woey, Brown, Petty, Adams, Chandler, Turner, Bowey, Seston, Kentfield, Laurie, Sparrow, Viney, Rivers, Jefferson, Hore, Howes, Verrall, AMW, Clarry Tom Campbell is here

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    2024 Player Reviews: #7 Jack Viney

    The tough on baller won his second Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy in a narrow battle with skipper Max Gawn and Alex Neal-Bullen and battled on manfully in the face of a number of injury niggles. Date of Birth: 13 April 1994 Height: 178cm Games MFC 2024: 23 Career Total: 219 Goals MFC 2024: 10 Career Total: 66 Brownlow Medal Votes: 8

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 3

    TRAINING: Wednesday 13th November 2024

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers braved the rain and headed down to Gosch's paddock to bring you their observations from the second day of Preseason training for the 1st to 4th Year players. DITCHA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I attended some of the training today. Richo spoke to me and said not to believe what is in the media, as we will good this year. Jefferson and Kentfield looked big and strong.  Petty was doing all the training. Adams looked like he was in rehab.  KE

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast Stream 


    Open Stream in
    New Window
        TuneIn    Opens in New Tab
  • Support Demonland  



  • 2021 Premiership  

  • Social Media 

  • Trade & Draft Forum  

  • Preseason Training  

    Friday, 22nd November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force on a scorching morning out at Gosch's Paddock for the final session before the whole squad reunites for the Preseason Training Camp ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 22

  • 2024 AFL Draft  

    UP IN LIGHTS by Whispering Jack

    Those who watched the 2024 Marsh AFL National Championships closely this year would not be particularly surprised that Melbourne selected Victoria Country pair Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay on the first night of the AFL National Draft ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 21

  • 2024 AFL Draft  

    Welcome to Demonland: Harvey Langford

    With the Demons first selection in the 2024 AFL Draft they took ready made midfielder Harvey Langdord from the Dandenong Stingrays at Pick 6 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 21

  • 2024 AFL Draft  

    Welcome to Demonland: Xavier Lindsay

    With their second selection in the 2024 AFL Draft the Demons selected Gippsland Power midfielder Xavier Lindsay at Pick 11 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 21

  • Preseason Training  

    Wednesday, 20th November 2024

    A plethora of Demonland Trackwatchers arrived on a beautiful cool morning down at Gosch’s Paddock to bring you their observations from today’s session ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 20

  • Preseason Training  

    Monday, 18th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers ventured down to Gosch's Paddock for the final week of training for the 1st to 4th Years until they are joined by the rest of the senior squad for Preseason Training Camp in Mansfield next week ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 18

  • Player Reviews  

    2024 PLAYER REVIEW: Max Gawn

    Champion ruckman and brilliant leader, Max Gawn earned his seventh All-Australian team blazer and constantly held the team up on his shoulders in what was truly a difficult season for the Demons ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 18

  • Preseason Training  

    Friday, 15th November 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers took advantage of the beautiful sunshine to head down to Gosch's Paddock and witness the return of Clayton Oliver to club for his first session in the lead up to the 2025 season ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 15

  • Player Reviews  

    2024 PLAYER REVIEW: Kysaiah Pickett

    The Demons’ aggressive small forward who kicks goals and defends the Demons’ ball in the forward arc ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 15

  • Player Reviews  

    2024 PLAYER REVIEW: Jack Viney

    The tough on baller won his second Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy in a narrow battle with skipper Max Gawn and Alex Neal-Bullen and battled on manfully in the face of a number of injury niggles ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 14

  • Player Reviews  

    2024 PLAYER REVIEW: Ed Langdon

    The Demon running machine came back with a vengeance after a leaner than usual year in 2023... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 13

  • Player Reviews  

    2024 PLAYER REVIEW: Trent Rivers

    The premiership defender had his best year yet as he was given the opportunity to move into the midfield and made a good fist of it ... READ MORE

    Demonland | November 13

  • Trade Week  

    THE TRADING CHRONICLES Part 03 by Whispering Jack

    It would be fair to say that when the Melbourne Football Club entered the free agency and trade period earlier this month, its reputation was flagging, if not in tatters ... READ MORE

    Demonland | October 19

  • Trade Week  

    THE TRADING CHRONICLES Part 02 by Whispering Jack

    Some critics find Test cricket boring, but the first week of the AFL trade period is even more tedious, often putting football fans to sleep. The past week has been no exception ... READ MORE

    Demonland | October 12

  • Trade Week  

    THE TRADING CHRONICLES Part One by Whispering Jack

    The festival of player movement kicked off yesterday with the opening day of the Free Agency Period which resulted in six players changing clubs including journeyman ruckman Tom Campbell who landed at Melbourne, his fourth club after playing only 58 AFL games in 14 seasons ... READ MORE

    Demonland | October 05

  • MFC Forum  

  • Match Previews & Reports  

  • Training Forum  

  • AFLW Forum  

  • 2024 Player Sponsorship

  • Player of the Year  


        PLAYER VOTES
    1 Max Gawn 220
    2 Jack Viney 123
    3 Trent Rivers 112
    4 Steven May 104
    5 Christian Petracca 97
    6 Alex Neal-Bullen 93
    7 Kysaiah Pickett 81
    8 Ed Langdon 79
    9 Clayton Oliver 65
    10 Christian Salem 60

        FULL TABLE
  • Demonland Interviews 



  • Upcoming Events 

×
×
  • Create New...