5 hours ago, kev martin said:

McVee played on Higgins most of the time. When Higgins was a high half-forward he followed him and beat him one on one, and also did the zoning where he covered two players (competed well when he had to go the ball), he also followed Higgins around the goal square area. Had great acceleration,  stepped, shimmied, ran at good angles, competed in the air and hit targets that got the ball moving. He also pressed high up to just outside the forward 50 arc.

I mentioned just how impressed I was with him in my last training reports. EXCELLENT PICKUP🤩

Reviewing form in a 9 hour feb game probably not the best thing to take away from this match. Structurally, the main thing I saw the kick in play is still to go down the line. However there was a real point of making sure Gawn and Grundy were at the same contest. One would often play diversion for the other in these situations, which is kind of cool! 

I had the Saints as bottom 4 this year and that performance did not change my opinions. The Ross the boss marriage isn't going to work for them sorry to say saints fans.

It was a solid hitout. Game was more designed to blow the rust out and get out game plan into gear.

Alot of positives to take out the game.

The Gawn Grundy combo worked as well as I thought for a first hiout. Grundy still finding some touch after missing majority of last season with a serious ankle injury. He'll be cherry ripe for round 1.

Chandler is best 23 for me. Thought he was zippy at times. Loved his work.

Hunter. It's easy to get caught up in the whole Petracca/Oliver dominance but I thought Hunter was BOG for me. His ability to find space and keep his length was very impressive. Not only that his left foot got him out of trouble a fair few times. So excited for his inclusion. Honestly could be the recruit of the year.

McVee was very impressive. At one stage he outmarked Higgins and beat a two on one which he was the one. On today's performance he's almost a lock for round 1. Can't believe his rapid rise.

Good to also see Benny Brown and Tom McDonald move well. They both just need more practice and should be ripe for round 1.

Kozzie just did kozzie things. Surpreme talent.

On a negative.

Not entirely sure where James Harmes is at. Thought he was poor and gave away a few free kicks. He looks like a guy that knows he's slowly sliding down the pecking order to the point where's he over thinking things when he's out there. Do wonder if taking that Essendon would have been more beneficial for his career.

All in all a pretty solid performance. Saints were going all out while we were just cruising.  Get another solid out against the tiges and I think we'll go into Round 1 looking fit and ready to go.

 

Not sure what game people are watching that say we were horrible up forward, 16.9.  not only did we kick straight we kicked 100 points without our leading goal kicker for the past 2 seasons.

Grundy was fine and if you watch the game closely his presence opens up a lot of other opportunities in our fwd line which is why he floats around the 50m arc and pushing up creating space behind him.

with those extra tall targets the likes of ANB, Sparrow, Kossie and Chandler look so much more dangerous with more crumbing opportunities.

BBB was good up fwd and T-Mac working hard around the ground and taking fwd 50 ruck which allows both Gawn and Grundy to set up a kick behind play means we will see a lot of opposition turnover leaving our D50 either from kicking to those two or skill errors trying to avoid them. 

All in all its as much as we could ask for in our first hit out against AFL opposition

Cleanest and most consistent marking I can remember from BBB. Promising, since at the end of 2022 some here would not have been surprised not to see him again (including me).

Bowey looked good apart from a couple of uncharacteristic disposal errors. Obviously Trac awesome (does he never stop going 100%?) and Oliver and Hunter looked good.

Others have noted the new Mac who was incredibly impressive and Kozzie looked hot also. Petty always good and May set for a ripper year. Much to like. If I were a Saints' fan I'd be thinking about missing players and hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

9 hours ago, binman said:

I have to say it was impossible watching at the ground to work out what sort of game plan Lyon is running with. 

And they looked pretty bloody average. 

 

8 hours ago, Demonland said:

It didn’t help that they were missing King & Membrey. 

Whatever it was I doubt it involved 16 goals against.

9 hours ago, binman said:

I have to say it was impossible watching at the ground to work out what sort of game plan Lyon is running with. 

And they looked pretty bloody average. 

In that brief period of the 3rd where they pinched a couple of goals back they were borrowing from the slingshot from halfback style Clarkson used to slice us up a couple of years back, and actually looked like they were playing to a template for beating us, but it was not sustained and the Dees reasserted control. Other than that, I agree.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I had the Saints as bottom 4 this year and that performance did not change my opinions. The Ross the boss marriage isn't going to work for them sorry to say saints fans.

It was a solid hitout. Game was more designed to blow the rust out and get out game plan into gear.

Alot of positives to take out the game.

The Gawn Grundy combo worked as well as I thought for a first hiout. Grundy still finding some touch after missing majority of last season with a serious ankle injury. He'll be cherry ripe for round 1.

Chandler is best 23 for me. Thought he was zippy at times. Loved his work.

Hunter. It's easy to get caught up in the whole Petracca/Oliver dominance but I thought Hunter was BOG for me. His ability to find space and keep his length was very impressive. Not only that his left foot got him out of trouble a fair few times. So excited for his inclusion. Honestly could be the recruit of the year.

McVee was very impressive. At one stage he outmarked Higgins and beat a two on one which he was the one. On today's performance he's almost a lock for round 1. Can't believe his rapid rise.

Good to also see Benny Brown and Tom McDonald move well. They both just need more practice and should be ripe for round 1.

Kozzie just did kozzie things. Surpreme talent.

On a negative.

Not entirely sure where James Harmes is at. Thought he was poor and gave away a few free kicks. He looks like a guy that knows he's slowly sliding down the pecking order to the point where's he over thinking things when he's out there. Do wonder if taking that Essendon would have been more beneficial for his career.

All in all a pretty solid performance. Saints were going all out while we were just cruising.  Get another solid out against the tiges and I think we'll go into Round 1 looking fit and ready to go.

 

Good summary Dazzle.

There's a lot to like - injured players now fit including TMac and BBB; Hunter and Grundy are significant upgrades on Hunt and Jackson; players are showing significant natural improvement including Rivers, McVee, Chandler and AMW; players showing promise including Verrall, Jefferson and KFW; and no injuries.

16 minutes ago, old55 said:

 

Whatever it was I doubt it involved 16 goals against.

Agreed they are a shambles. 

6 hours ago, WERRIDEE said:

Really impressed with the seniors today didn't have a bad player on the ground. Really impressed with McVee more than happy to see him take Hibberd's spot. Enough has been said about Hunter great pick up and Bowey back to his best.

The reserves were destroyed by one player and he was in a Demons jumper that was my new SPUD alert in Tomlinson. Got a bath by Camanti and Sharman. Slow as treacle. The sooner we delist him the better not even VFL standard.

As for St.Kilda they are a real worry, bottom 4 maybe bottom 6 at best for them. King and Membrey out didn't help but apart from Steele who gives his all and they look like they have a good find in Philipou and in the reserves Camaniti, Sharman and Van Es showed they should be in the senior side. The rest of the players are pathetic a long year coming up for the Saints.

Looking to next week against Richmond we should only have 2 players unavailable in Salem and Dunstan.

So here is my best 45 for next week.

 

B: Lever, May, Bowey

HB: Brayshaw, Petty, Rivers

C: Langdon, Oliver, Hunter

HF: Petracca, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

F: Fritsch, Brown, Spargo

FOLL: Gawn, Viney, Pickett

IC: McVee, Harmes, Sparrow, Grundy

SUB: Chandler

 

B: K.Turner, D.Turner, Adams

HB: Hibberd, Tomlinson, D.Smith 

C: Howes, Jordon, Burgoyne

HF: Laurie, van Rooyen, Moniz-Wakefield

F: Melksham, Schache, Jefferson

FOLL: Verrall, Woewodin, Munro

IC: Farris-White, Sestan, Edwards, Baldi 

 

B: Lever, May, Bowey

HB: Hibberd, Petty, McVee

C: Langdon, Oliver, Hunter

HF: Spargo, McDonald, Neal-Bullen

F: Fritsch, Brown, Pickett

FOLL: Gawn, Viney, Petracca

IC: Rivers, Brayshaw, Chandler, Grundy

SUB: Harmes (or Sparrow)

Based on preseason feedback and that performance, McVee will be close to impossible to keep out of the round 1 side. With Bowey and McVee this can allow for Brayshaw to rotate mid (ahead of Harmes and Sparrow who were limited) and Rivers in spurts to change it up. With Pickett playing some mid minutes and Spargo/ANB playing the high half forward we need to give Chandler a good run at it. Has the tools to bring what we need to the forward line and should be given a good run at it early in the season. 

Im not convinced in having all Brown, TMac and Gawn/Grundy all forward but suggest we will go that way early to give it every opportunity of working particularly on dry tracks early in the year.

Edited February 24, 20232 yr by Lil_red_fire_engine

I'll also add that I thought Jake Bowey was superb off half back. Didn't realise he was so strong overhead and took a couple of good intercept marks.

Bit scratchy at the start but as the game wore on he got better and his ball use and drive off half back was excellent.

He's best 22 now. 3rd year now and I expect him to make big strides in his game.

Watching Riv go through the midfield is salivating.

Powerful 188cm 88kg type with speed and and a booming kick who could really change the dynamic of our midfield set up. Looks fit and ready to go.

THE GOOD...

Grundy & Gawn combo wasn't too bad.  Remember Grundy hasn't played much at the level of late so it will take him a few weeks of AFL matches in my view to get back to his best.  I'd prefer to see them not within cooee of each other when both on the ground.  However, as PartyTime has mentioned up there, we appeared to be using them a fair bit 'together' down the line, one acting as a diversion.  Might be the go.  Who am i to say that won't work.  Not big on the continual down the line stuff and prefer to see more 45s and or run & carry through the middle off HB wherever possible.  We where murdered by some of the better teams on the spread/counter last year when we overused the 50/50 down the line play imv.

Kozzie looked very slick indeed.  Don't mind him as a pinch hitter in the middle but would't want it to be much more than 20% game time as it would likely cost us too many snaps up forward feeding off the likes of Grundy, Sideshow and Macca.

Sideshow looked to be in the best nick ive seen since coming across to the Demons.  This wasn't sloppy sideshow.... this was the old sideshow on steroids that we once saw at Norf when he was at his peak.  Noice.

Hunter looked the goods as a HF pushing back at times.  This bloke can play as we know.  His two way running is elite, he finds space and creates options out wide and his delivery coming inside is a step up from most at the club along with the likes of Spargo and Kozzie.  A nice addition indeed.

Nibbler.  Looked to be in fine fettle.  That goal he kicked from 45 out or so was like a dart.  Doubt he would've even made the distance last year and if he did it would've usually shanked left.  Choco?  Having said that, there did appear to be a bit of a gale heading to the right of screen.

McVee.  Wow.  Just everywhere down back.  A slightly smaller foil for roaming Rick?  However he is also capable of beating his opponent one v one.  Probably needs a year or so in the system and it was only the Aints but still.  Nice prospect on our hands.... plus Disco waiting in the wings.

Disco.  A little raw but also stood out in the second half B section.

Moniz.  As per disco.

Macca early looked ok.  Think he may have been switched back to dover and injured Lever at one point.  Looks out of sorts back there for mine.

Rivers.  Some surprise time in the middle and even pushed forward for the big bomb from 55 at one stage.  Looked slick and fitter / stronger than last season.

Tracc.  Limited game time but was clearly a notch above everyone on the park.  Physically appears to be back to his bustling bullocking 2021 best and raring to go.  Potential Chas material for mine if the body holds up!

THE BAD...

Too much down the line not enough run & carry.  Ok so happy to see how the Gawn/Grundy combo works here.  It might and we have nothing to worry about.  Also have BBB as an option to take the odd grab which is another plus.  But just hope this isn't our main go to and we're looking to switch inside or just switch across HB alot more often as teams did to us on many occasions last season and found us out.

Harmes... usually takes 2 to 3 matches to find form but sadly he looked very ordinary for mine.  Fingers crossed he will step up as he gets more game time.

A little too much bombing in straight lines without lowering the vision and going to a short option.... or just propping and looking to switch it around the arc till an opening arises.  Patience vs pound it in there on the top of eveyone's head a little more often pls coach!  Possession also helps the mids and defenders to recoup and defend a little bettef if we do turn it over coming inside.  Run & Gun off HB is fine and we do it well.... just want ro see a little bit more clever use and finesse at times.  Looking at the likes of Viney, Tracc & Clarry here in particular.  They've got the basis of a great game within them.  That's a given.  Now can we add a layer of finesse coming inside or around the arc with those last kicks / handballs pls!

THE UGLY...

The bulk of the B team.  Aside from Disco, Piggy & Moniz i didn't see much there at all although there was plenty of newbies so not saying its a complete flop with the rest either.

Tommo... been a great clubman but boy, if you're getting beat by some of the second rungs from the B team of a pretty ordinary club well....

THE OPPOSITION

Phillipou.... WOW!.  What a lovely footballer the Aints have their hands on here it would seem.  The next Kouta but more a medium forward?  If he's this good at this age the sky's the limit.  Early days and not getting too carriex away juat yet but lip smacking stuff for mine.

Steele played a handy game.  Higgins ok.

Meh to the rest!   So it was only the Saints...and it was a scratch hit out.

Reserving my judgement to where we are at as it's obviously just the warm ups but.... i have to say there where a number who looked VERY rusty who would want to make some decent progress in the coming weeks / months form wise if we're to go places this season and have a real crack at another GF.

Edited February 24, 20232 yr by Demon Dynasty

Also in regards to our forward line (which still managed 16 goals with a few gettable misses due to the swirling wind in 33 degree heat) we lost TMac to the backline after half time. 

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Not entirely sure where James Harmes is at. Thought he was poor and gave away a few free kicks. He looks like a guy that knows he's slowly sliding down the pecking order to the point where's he over thinking things when he's out there. Do wonder if taking that Essendon would have been more beneficial for his career.

Not entirely sure I agree with this.  I didn't overly notice Harmes, but did see him do a few good things.

In terms of sliding down the pecking order, from the moment he stepped into the club as a final round rookie draftee, I think he's been fighting to justify his place in the side just about every season since.  He's a tenacious beast and good honest footballer in my book, but does also have some assets being his hardness, kicking is generally better than some make out and I think he has a reasonable ability to break out of a pack situation with his strength power and speed in those situations and break lines a bit.

His best asset is his ability to be at the right place, right time and execute some fantastic well weighted passes into 50 in critical match situations.  Turned the premiership in our favor with his brilliant pass to Fritta in the 3rd quarter and back in 2018, he hit up a perfect pass to Dean Kent that put the sealer on us beating West Coast and got us a finals birth for the first time in 14 years.

Selectors would be excluding him form the side at their peril IMHO.

For me the surprise was that JJ didn't stand out in the second game anywhere near as much as I thought he would.  Maybe cause for concern or maybe he just had a bad day?

19 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

THE GOOD...

Kozzie looked very slick indeed.  Don't mind him as a pinch hitter in the middle but would't want it to be much more than 20% game time as it would likely cost us too many snaps up forward feeding off the likes of Grundy, Sideshow and Macca.

….

Tracc.  Limited game time but was clearly a notch above everyone on the park.  Physically appears to be back to his bustling bullocking 2021 best and raring to go.  Potential Chas material for mine if the body holds up!

 

Chaplain interview on MFC site sounds like it will be Trac and Koz Mid/Forward > Forward/Mid and they will send Koz in for a couple of bursts. I reckon Koz time will be something like 60:25:15 FWD/MID/INT. 

18 minutes ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

For me the surprise was that JJ didn't stand out in the second game anywhere near as much as I thought he would.  Maybe cause for concern or maybe he just had a bad day?

Or May be he is better with good players  around him. 

47 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

 

 we need to give Chandler a good run at it. Has the tools to bring what we need to the forward line and should be given a good run at it early in the season. 

 

100% this!!!!! He will also bring that defensive pressure in the forward line which was lacking big time last year. As long as he keeps it simple and plays to his strengths will be dangerous with that bit of X factor. Also loving having Kossie and Riv rotate through the mids once again providing a different look there with speed and X factor.

 On paper our forward line is really imposing but doesn’t quite play like it. It is the missing link and if we can get to a stage where we sort out the delivery, the leading patterns ensuring our key talls  have separation and our smalls are in the right spot. If we get back to playing selfless footy there providing blocks etc then I am certain we will break our premiership drought.

 Great that Chocco is the specialist goal kicking coach but I would have loved for us to invest in the off season in a specialist forward line coach or at least swap Yze and Stafford with Yze taking forwards and Stafford mids which makes sense as that’s where they played their footy. Early days though and it was a pretty good start.Give ‘em Hell…..again

 

14 hours ago, BDA said:

My boy Hunter played well. Loved his disposal.

He looks a great get for us.

Runs all day like Ed, but a better user of the ball.

He really improves us.

5 minutes ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

On paper our forward line is really imposing but doesn’t quite play like it. It is the missing link and if we can get to a stage where we sort out the delivery, the leading patterns ensuring our key talls  have separation and our smalls are in the right spot. If we get back to playing selfless footy there providing blocks etc then I am certain we will break our premiership drought.

There were a few instances at the wind advantage end (2nd/4th Qs) that the ball was kicked in high to one on one or two or two contests between talls and the ball was brought to ground but there were no smalls swooping in to mop up. 

I thought this was strange considering I had highlighted this exact drill in my training observations on Wednesday where a ball was kicked in high to a one on one contest and four players came in from different directions to mop up and snap for goal. 

2 minutes ago, Redleg said:

He looks a great get for us.

Runs all day like Ed, but a better user of the ball.

He really improves us.

Agreed. Having two crack endurance running wingers on the ‘G is an enormous advantage 

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I had the Saints as bottom 4 this year and that performance did not change my opinions. The Ross the boss marriage isn't going to work for them sorry to say saints fans.

It was a solid hitout. Game was more designed to blow the rust out and get out game plan into gear.

Alot of positives to take out the game.

The Gawn Grundy combo worked as well as I thought for a first hiout. Grundy still finding some touch after missing majority of last season with a serious ankle injury. He'll be cherry ripe for round 1.

Chandler is best 23 for me. Thought he was zippy at times. Loved his work.

Hunter. It's easy to get caught up in the whole Petracca/Oliver dominance but I thought Hunter was BOG for me. His ability to find space and keep his length was very impressive. Not only that his left foot got him out of trouble a fair few times. So excited for his inclusion. Honestly could be the recruit of the year.

McVee was very impressive. At one stage he outmarked Higgins and beat a two on one which he was the one. On today's performance he's almost a lock for round 1. Can't believe his rapid rise.

Good to also see Benny Brown and Tom McDonald move well. They both just need more practice and should be ripe for round 1.

Kozzie just did kozzie things. Surpreme talent.

On a negative.

Not entirely sure where James Harmes is at. Thought he was poor and gave away a few free kicks. He looks like a guy that knows he's slowly sliding down the pecking order to the point where's he over thinking things when he's out there. Do wonder if taking that Essendon would have been more beneficial for his career.

All in all a pretty solid performance. Saints were going all out while we were just cruising.  Get another solid out against the tiges and I think we'll go into Round 1 looking fit and ready to go.

 

We think alike Dazz.

Noted that Jefferson tackles to hurt, I like it.

Edited February 24, 20232 yr by Redleg

From anyone who went yesterday how many D fans were there?

12 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Agreed. Having two crack endurance running wingers on the ‘G is an enormous advantage 

We were band aiding the second wing, but now have 2 top wingers.

Will make a huge difference.

1 hour ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

For me the surprise was that JJ didn't stand out in the second game anywhere near as much as I thought he would.  Maybe cause for concern or maybe he just had a bad day?

He had a lot of the footy, he’s honest and reliable, same as when he plays in the senior side. He looks a bit thicker in the hips/legs this year.

I watched a little sporadically but my main thoughts probably echo a lot that’s already been said:

McVee was a surprise - he looks a little more classy and smoother moving than our regular HBF’s. I thought last year Salem might be starting to get found out with his leg speed, he’s now gotta be 100% fit to get in this side with Bowey, McVee, Riv and Hibbo fighting for the medium/smaller defenders roles

Chandler added some genuine zip and unpredictably to our forward mix. It was exciting having him up and about even if things didn’t click 100%. He’s an attacking player which is refreshing when we’ve used that spot as a defensive one for so many years with ANB.

Bowser is a ripper. He’d be one of my first blokes picked each week, very assured for his age.

Love the idea of rotating a few new guys through the midfield, which we haven’t seen in a long time. Kozzie, Riv and even ANB offer something different to the standard Trac/Viney/Clarry mix. This is essential in modern footy. Riv for one could really open games up with his long kicking and power. 
 

I’m intrigued to see what our actual gameplay through the season looks like because all preseason we’ve been hearing how quick and direct we’ve been going - this game was certainly not as far in that direction as I’d hoped. 

Edited February 24, 20232 yr by BW511