Sorry 58er I didn’t count our regular fit talls in that equation.!! But you are correct when you add in Max, Disco, Steven May, Harrison Petty and Jake Lever, if they all bear fruit we are in for one helluva ride.!!!!!

Edited January 15, 20233 yr by DeeZone
Added in missing talls pointed out by 58er.

I feel like the somewhat forgotten man in this thread is Joel Smith. IF he can stay uninjured for more than half a season, I really do feel Joel could be a real weapon up forward or down back.  Felt like he was just starting to hind some real confidence at top AFL level before he got injured 'again' last season.

If our A team defenders are all fit and firing, I think Joel would struggle to get a game down back, but is quite useful depth in that part of the ground.

Would definitely love to see him given another crack up forward though, where I think he's got real X factor talent about him, suited to that part of the ground.  He has pace to burn, which would be a real weapon with the flood/zone/team-defense style of game we play and where there is often space out the back, begging for someone to run into and take the game on.  Combine that with the likelihood that having both Kossie and Smith forward would make it very hard for the opposition to find 2 defenders fast enough to stay with them.  He'd also be a tough match-up in this regard due to his height. 

Joel's contested marking has come on nicely in the last few years and he's got that leap which is often spoken about, but he doesn't have licence to use down back.  In my view, he can be something of an unreliable feild kick down back, but is a fairly reliable shot for goal.

We would need the right oppertunity to use him, as I feel that JVR probably gets picked ahead of him most weeks if he's fit and in form, but I still think it could be good to have Joel up our sleeve if the circumstances call for a player like him.

Edited January 15, 20233 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

5 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I feel like the somewhat forgotten man in this thread is Joel Smith. IF he can stay uninjured for more than half a season, I really do feel Joel could be a real weapon up forward or down back.  Felt like he was just starting to hind some real confidence at top AFL level before he got injured 'again' last season.

If our A team defenders are all fit and firing, I think Joel would struggle to get a game down back, but is quite useful depth in that part of the ground.

Would definitely love to see him given another crack up forward though, where I think he's got real X factor talent about him, suited to that part of the ground.  He has pace to burn, which would be a real weapon with the flood/zone/team-defense style of game we play and where there is often space out the back, begging for someone to run into and take the game on.  Combine that with the likelihood that having both Kossie and Smith forward would make it very hard for the opposition to find 2 defenders fast enough to stay with them.  Joel's contested marking has come on nicely in the last few years and he's got that leap which is often spoken about, but he doesn't have licence to use down back.  In my view, he can be something of an unreliable feild kick down back, but is a fairly reliable shot for goal.

We would need the right oppertunity to use him, as I feel that JVR probably gets picked ahead of him most weeks if he's fit and in form, but I still think it could be good to have Joel up our sleave if the circumstances call for a player like him.

Yes RBG both Joel Smith and Blake Howes around the 190 cm mark (6’3”) med talls both good marks and both are quick and capable when fit, our quill runneth over, coaches have no excuses for not changing up the team to get the best fit against different teams. I felt that Swans and Dockers exploited our lack of height last year.!!

On 1/14/2023 at 9:52 AM, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

One of the real strengths of Tmac's game is his areobic capasity to work up and down the ground for a big man.  As well has his strength and contested work forward of centre, he contributes in other ways. I think he plays a pretty important part structurally comming out of defense as he pushes up between the wing - half back and often provides a reliable outlet option for one of our defenders.  Even if he doesn't take clean possession, his size and competitiveness mean he's rarely beaten and at the least usually forces the ball across the boundary and allows us to reset our team defense and players forward of the ball.  If he wins the possession, he often uses his strength to break tackles and move the ball forward quickly with long penetrating kicks deep inside 50 for our other forwards to make use of.

Did Tom Mcdonald have a great season in 2022, even before he was injured? Not really.

Did we lose a game in 2022 while Tom McDonald was in the team? No.

Just eyeballing it, "Tom McDonald vs No McDonald" there's about a four goal per game difference in our for/against in 2022.

It hopefully matters a little less in 2023 with Van Rooyen matching him for height, size and blondness and Grundy being an extra tall around the ground (the old 'value over replacement' equation a little less dramatic), but McDonald is a top quality structural player who we do well to remind each other of.

If anyone knows where to dig, I'd love to see what his "pressure acts / team acts" ratings were like, as well.

1 hour ago, Little Goffy said:

It hopefully matters a little less in 2023 with Van Rooyen matching him for height, size and blondness

And can't overstress how important that blondness is either.  It's worth at least 6 - 9 Brownlow votes in a good season.

4 hours ago, DeeZone said:

Yes RBG both Joel Smith and Blake Howes around the 190 cm mark (6’3”) med talls both good marks and both are quick and capable when fit, our quill runneth over, coaches have no excuses for not changing up the team to get the best fit against different teams. I felt that Swans and Dockers exploited our lack of height last year.!!

Joel Smith - 6 years and 28 games.  6 years because  he is the son of a beloved former player; only 28 matches because he is a couple of inches too short for a KPP (like his dad), even though he has a tremendous leap (like his dad), has B- disposal (unlike his slicker team-mates), loses Charlie Cameron and co./leaves the same to go fourth up (unlike Old Man Hibbert who replaced him in the 2022 finals).  Fitting him into the firsts should stop being an end in itself.  MFC told us that he was recontracted because they saw him as having an enormous up-side.  That is the terminology for the Cat B Rookie.

Edited January 15, 20233 yr by redandbluemakepurple