4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

If Tomlinson plays seniors again you won’t be hoping we get dominated.

When did we get dominated?

5 hours ago, Macca said:

We are largely on the same page anyway, DS

What really matters is looking ahead and yesterday didn't answer too many questions nor was it ever going to.  Saints didn't offer much

As Jaded said in a post above, the Tigers clash will tell us more but really, the answer lies in the season proper

We aren't going to declare our hand until then and rightly so

Still, it's nice to win by 10 goals in the 4 periods allotted to the Seniors.  We've got a good list so we'll be contending if augers well

My one concern is our forward line functionality and our delivery into the forward line (as stated earlier, there are more than a few areas pertaining to that functionality)

I always thought this previously as well ie keep something tucked away for finals or a big game. Reality is I don’t think it happens - teams need repetition so that they respond to situations instinctively during a game as you just don’t have time to assess multiple options, weigh up the pros and cons of game plan A vs plan B.
 

Bar a positional or personnel change I think what we see in pre season is just a less intensive version of the season proper game plan and what we saw yesterday was still a the old stoppage based, boundary favoured game plan. I’ll be happily be proven wrong but I just don’t know whether  this style of plan can win it in 2023.

Granted It’s still hard to counter for most teams and we should still finish top 4 (barring something unimaginable) but teams matching / bettering our fitness will still run over the top of us with a corridor based , ball-in-motion style.

Melbourne

A healthy, happy Demons side will be a force this season with Brodie Grundy and Lachie Hunter filling important roles in the match sim against St Kilda. Gawn and Grundy look a good combination in the ruck and switching forward while Ben Brown thinks it will be similar to last year with a resting ruckman joining him and Tom McDonald as key forwards. The Demons looked to be kicking more centrally and, at times, more long and direct during the St Kilda match. Another change is Kysaiah Pickett spending some time in midfield along with his pressure forward role, and he could cause havoc against tired midfielders this season.

3 hours ago, MoeSyzlak said:

When did we get dominated?

Not for years, is a fair point.

16 hours ago, kev martin said:

He is looking much stronger (more muscle) and a little bigger than last season. Must have worked hard over the off season.

I didn't recognise him when I saw him at the first preseason training session.

Well put KM. 
Dont see any issue with McVee in our team as he will have others around him to guide and support him. Looked very natural and took the game on and moved play quickly.  We need that in our plan to succeed.

23 hours 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?

JJ will be playing at Casey a lot!

Lampers from bigfooty did the stats on the game for the 4 quarters and provided the following. 

Jake Bowey 14 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 1 score assist 
Angus Brayshaw 13 kicks 3 handballs 9 marks 2 score assists
Ben Brown 7 kicks 2 handballs 6 marks 2 goals 
Kade Chandler 8 kicks 5 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind 2 score assists 
Max Gawn 10 kicks 6 handballs 7 marks 15 hit outs 2 goals 1 behind, 1 score assist
Brodie Grundy 4 kicks 4 handballs 2 marks 20 hit outs 1 goal
James Harmes 3 kicks 3 handballs
Lachie Hunter 17 kicks 10 handballs 9 marks 1 goal 3 score assists
Ed Langdon 10 kicks 5 handballs 6 marks 1 goal 1 score assist
Jake Lever 6 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 
Tom McDonald 4 kicks 3 handballs 2 marks 2 hit outs 1 goal 2 behinds
Judd McVee 12 kicks 4 handballs 6 marks
Steven May 19 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks
Alex Neal-Bullen 11 kicks 4 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind
Clayton Oliver 10 kicks 16 handballs 3 marks 2 score assists 
Christian Petracca 14 kicks 8 handballs 5 marks 3 goals 1 behind 5 score assists
Harry Petty 7 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks 
Kysiaih Pickett 15 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 2 goals 1 behind 
Trent Rivers 11 kicks 8 handballs 9 marks 1 goal
Charlie Spargo 4 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 3 score assists
Tom Sparrow 6 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 2 behinds
Jacob van Rooyen 1 kick 2 handballs
Jack Viney 9 kicks 10 handballs 5 marks 1 score assist

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

JJ will be playing at Casey a lot!

Not sure about that.

He was good in his match, much better than Harmes and Sparrow for example, in the main game.

 

It’s always interesting to read dissatisfaction with our attacking game when we  score 16 goals (or > 100 points). With our defensive qualities, that will win us every game, barring defensive aberrations, regardless of ‘system’. Likewise the entrenched belief that Max will be a guaranteed failure up forward. If he kicks straighter, he’s going to be an almighty headache for every other team. Simple. 

Having read most of the reports / comments it appears we have substantial depth going into this season. There will be injuries and unlike last year when tmac went down we will be better able to cover them. I find it hard to believe we will not be in the GF in 2023. 

Edited February 25, 20232 yr by old dee

7 minutes ago, Webber said:

It’s always interesting to read dissatisfaction with our attacking game when we  score 16 goals (or > 100 points). With our defensive qualities, that will win us every game, barring defensive aberrations, regardless of ‘system’. Likewise the entrenched belief that Max will be a guaranteed failure up forward. If he kicks straighter, he’s going to be an almighty headache for every other team. Simple. 

The bun is a good kick as well.

a few here bagged Grundy. If thats his stats spudding it up, We will be happy with that. 

27 possessions to Hunter was most pleasing

Rivers, Kozzie & Bowey getting amongst it through the middle was good to see

Grundy & Gawn worked quite well in terms of both having a real presence in different parts of the ground ... that will concern the other teams

McVee looked alright too.  Brown & Chandler were ok as well

Edited February 26, 20232 yr by Macca

9 minutes ago, Macca said:

27 possessions to Hunter was most pleasing

Rivers, Kozzie & Bowie getting amongst it through the middle was good to see

Grundy & Gawn worked quite well in terms of both having a real presence in different parts of the ground ... that will concern the other teams

McVee looked alright too.  Brown & Chandler were ok as well

I really had issue picking out the diff in Hunter & Langdon so they both appeared to rack up a lot of touches.  I wonder if shaving their heads was a deliberate play to confuse the opposition because I couldn’t work out it at the ground. 
 

Rivers a surprise packet and would have thought Kozzie got more of the ball. Harmes has got to be worried about that performance.

1 hour ago, Redleg said:

Not sure about that.

He was good in his match, much better than Harmes and Sparrow for example, in the main game.

 

Harmes and Sparrow are better players than JJ Imo

4 minutes ago, Gawndy the Great said:

I really had issue picking out the diff in Hunter & Langdon so they both appeared to rack up a lot of touches.  I wonder if shaving their heads was a deliberate play to confuse the opposition because I couldn’t work out it at the ground. 
 

Rivers a surprise packet and would have thought Kozzie got more of the ball. Harmes has got to be worried about that performance.

Harmes will be ok as it's only one hit out.  Certainly wasn't at his best but we know how good he can be

van Rooyen needs time as he is still only 19.  First of all he needs to break into the team and then needs a block of 3 or 4 games to show his wares

But Hunter really stood out especially because it was his first go in the Demons jumper.  He's hit the ground running and if he & Langdon both shine this year on both wings, lookout! 

If he'd picked up 15 possessions instead of 27 we'd probably be quite pleased with his output first time up

Also, Grundy was quite good ... he's certainly got a presence and is imposing.  And that's what you want from a ruckman (we've got 2 as well) The possessions will come

Most people don't take into account Brodie Grundy has virtually not played a game for 12 months and this was the first time he played a competitive game with his teammates.

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Lampers from bigfooty did the stats on the game for the 4 quarters and provided the following. 

Jake Bowey 14 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 1 score assist 
Angus Brayshaw 13 kicks 3 handballs 9 marks 2 score assists
Ben Brown 7 kicks 2 handballs 6 marks 2 goals 
Kade Chandler 8 kicks 5 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind 2 score assists 
Max Gawn 10 kicks 6 handballs 7 marks 15 hit outs 2 goals 1 behind, 1 score assist
Brodie Grundy 4 kicks 4 handballs 2 marks 20 hit outs 1 goal
James Harmes 3 kicks 3 handballs
Lachie Hunter 17 kicks 10 handballs 9 marks 1 goal 3 score assists
Ed Langdon 10 kicks 5 handballs 6 marks 1 goal 1 score assist
Jake Lever 6 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 
Tom McDonald 4 kicks 3 handballs 2 marks 2 hit outs 1 goal 2 behinds
Judd McVee 12 kicks 4 handballs 6 marks
Steven May 19 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks
Alex Neal-Bullen 11 kicks 4 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind
Clayton Oliver 10 kicks 16 handballs 3 marks 2 score assists 
Christian Petracca 14 kicks 8 handballs 5 marks 3 goals 1 behind 5 score assists
Harry Petty 7 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks 
Kysiaih Pickett 15 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 2 goals 1 behind 
Trent Rivers 11 kicks 8 handballs 9 marks 1 goal
Charlie Spargo 4 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 3 score assists
Tom Sparrow 6 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 2 behinds
Jacob van Rooyen 1 kick 2 handballs
Jack Viney 9 kicks 10 handballs 5 marks 1 score assist

Hey DD did they do this for all of the games?

If so, where can I find it?

1 hour ago, durango said:

Most people don't take into account Brodie Grundy has virtually not played a game for 12 months and this was the first time he played a competitive game with his teammates.

Exactly. First game since Anzac Day. He did ok

16 hours ago, Gawndy the Great said:

I always thought this previously as well ie keep something tucked away for finals or a big game. Reality is I don’t think it happens - teams need repetition so that they respond to situations instinctively during a game as you just don’t have time to assess multiple options, weigh up the pros and cons of game plan A vs plan B.
 

Bar a positional or personnel change I think what we see in pre season is just a less intensive version of the season proper game plan and what we saw yesterday was still a the old stoppage based, boundary favoured game plan. I’ll be happily be proven wrong but I just don’t know whether  this style of plan can win it in 2023.

Granted It’s still hard to counter for most teams and we should still finish top 4 (barring something unimaginable) but teams matching / bettering our fitness will still run over the top of us with a corridor based , ball-in-motion style.

Pertaining to your last paragraph ... we ourselves can have a corridor based, ball-in-motion style as well as some real dash off half back. It's entirely do-able. 

We played that style quite a bit in 2021 (Finals especially) And 2021 is still quite recent right now

I seem to remember Salem & Rivers (especially) dashing out of our defence a lot in 2021 and either linking up with the midfield or delivering to leading forwards.  (Rivers mainly linked up with the midfielders)

Yes, that largely went missing last year (injuries played a part re Rivers & Salem) and Langdon wasn't as good either.  Hunt the dasher was used as a defensive lock down player.  So we definitely lost our dash.  Brayshaw played well across half back last year but he plays a different style

Salem himself had 5 inside 50 entries in the first quarter in the 2021 GF

If we hadn't have put together 16 wins last year then the thinking might have been ... premiership hangover!  It's an easy thing to say when a premiership team drops away but it is a very real thing that does happen quite a lot

Edited February 26, 20232 yr by Macca

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Lampers from bigfooty did the stats on the game for the 4 quarters and provided the following. 

Jake Bowey 14 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 1 score assist 
Angus Brayshaw 13 kicks 3 handballs 9 marks 2 score assists
Ben Brown 7 kicks 2 handballs 6 marks 2 goals 
Kade Chandler 8 kicks 5 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind 2 score assists 
Max Gawn 10 kicks 6 handballs 7 marks 15 hit outs 2 goals 1 behind, 1 score assist
Brodie Grundy 4 kicks 4 handballs 2 marks 20 hit outs 1 goal
James Harmes 3 kicks 3 handballs
Lachie Hunter 17 kicks 10 handballs 9 marks 1 goal 3 score assists
Ed Langdon 10 kicks 5 handballs 6 marks 1 goal 1 score assist
Jake Lever 6 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 
Tom McDonald 4 kicks 3 handballs 2 marks 2 hit outs 1 goal 2 behinds
Judd McVee 12 kicks 4 handballs 6 marks
Steven May 19 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks
Alex Neal-Bullen 11 kicks 4 handballs 5 marks 1 goal 1 behind
Clayton Oliver 10 kicks 16 handballs 3 marks 2 score assists 
Christian Petracca 14 kicks 8 handballs 5 marks 3 goals 1 behind 5 score assists
Harry Petty 7 kicks 2 handballs 5 marks 
Kysiaih Pickett 15 kicks 2 handballs 7 marks 2 goals 1 behind 
Trent Rivers 11 kicks 8 handballs 9 marks 1 goal
Charlie Spargo 4 kicks 3 handballs 4 marks 3 score assists
Tom Sparrow 6 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 2 behinds
Jacob van Rooyen 1 kick 2 handballs
Jack Viney 9 kicks 10 handballs 5 marks 1 score assist

I've made a more visually friendly version

11 minutes ago, Demonland said:

I've made a more visually friendly version

Hunter was the leading disposal better for us... Wow

34 minutes ago, AzzKikA said:

Hunter was the leading disposal better for us... Wow

Bargain. He obviously had a big falling out with certain people at the Dogs. 
Wipe the slate clean at a new Club. 
he will excel on the big MCG Wings

Repeat: Bargain in the last minutes of trade madness 

21 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Bargain. He obviously had a big falling out with certain people at the Dogs. 
Wipe the slate clean at a new Club. 
he will excel on the big MCG Wings

Repeat: Bargain in the last minutes of trade madness 

Insane

To pick up Hunter and Grundy this year is like going to the draft with the first Two Picks, and both having already played in top football sides a Hundred Games each..