35 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

Smith has looked absolutely electric in patches in the VFL the last two weeks. He kicked well against Box Hill but he did not finish well against Gold Coast. There is not many players with his athletic profile in the competition.

Smith was really poor against the Suns.

Kicked a goal in the first and then sprayed a couple of shots badly, hardly having any involvement in the last 3/4 as I recall.

BBB would have to be in before him.

I think WJ suggested to me, bringing in Howes and playing him hff for bits. He is 190 cms and can take a mark and is mobile. This is probably the game to try him.

26 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Goodwin stated in his press conference today that Salem won’t play this week. As the VFL has a bye this week, he will play VFL next week and go from there. So officially no Salem for minimum two more matches.

Probably the right call. Love Salem but he will be super under-done if he tries to play a game in the 1s this weekend, best to get some game time into the legs at Casey.

Looking forward to Jefferson taking Frost to the cleaners

5 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Smith was really poor against the Suns.

Kicked a goal in the first and then sprayed a couple of shots badly, hardly having any involvement in the last 3/4 as I recall.

BBB would have to be in before him.

I think WJ suggested to me, bringing in Howes and playing him hff for bits. He is 190 cms and can take a mark and is mobile. This is probably the game to try him.

Smith has kicked 3 goals & 2 goals in the last two weeks. He completely drifted in and out of both games but he also had patches where he absolutely dominated both times. (The period versus GCS he fluffed his chances.) Listening to Goodwin's press conference, Smith is going to get a trial in the next 10 weeks and Brown is plan B(BB).

Howes body and intensity is not AFL ready. I am a big fan, but I think he is a 2024 project. There is not much chance he plays forward at AFL level because he has not played there at VFL level. If he plays this season it will be in a high half back role.

32 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Goodwin stated in his press conference today that Salem won’t play this week. As the VFL has a bye this week, he will play VFL next week and go from there. So officially no Salem for minimum two more matches.

Yep, sounds like they're targeting KB or a week before.

On 5/7/2023 at 8:01 AM, Kent said:

Hunter is  not fit enough in my view No acceleration is forced to attempt to balk which then  puts him self and team mates under pressure. He did it multiple times last night.

Reasonable observation - and given that - possibly a reasonable area for some focus. He most certainly was a little static across the game; I had expected him to be a far more manoeuvrable, running clearance machine. 

On 5/7/2023 at 7:54 AM, John Demonic said:

Looking forward to getting my annual dose of Frost ball, and not from the weather!

Yep, it will be good to see Frosty play - keeps us all full of smiles and tolerances - admire his speed, too.

I am open to trusting the coaches but can anyone tell me what Goody sees in Petty down forward?  He can mark and link but he is yet to actually perform the main role of a forward to kick some goals! I am convinced our backline will be better if he is down there, I really hope I am wrong. 

24 minutes ago, Robbie57 said:

I am open to trusting the coaches but can anyone tell me what Goody sees in Petty down forward?  He can mark and link but he is yet to actually perform the main role of a forward to kick some goals! I am convinced our backline will be better if he is down there, I really hope I am wrong. 

1) he competes well and is an excellent mark.

2) he takes a good defender.

3) he's better than Tmac or BB at ground level and follow up. 

I actually think the thing he needs to improve on is his link play. So if JVR and Max are the more stay at home/forward 50 players, Petty needs to get up the ground more and take marks, and link inside 50. This is something that an uninhibited and fit TMac at his best does. BB is more your stay at home, lead from the square forward - that doesn't mean he doesn't work up the ground sometimes, even into defensive 50, but I'm being crude with the descriptions.

At this stage, Petty is a better bet than those two. He's also a very good reader of the game, better in defence, but he reads the game. The only alternative to Petty if those two aren't options is someone like Joel Smith, who doesn't have a good game sense IMO and doesn't have a footy brain, but has excellent athletic traits that could link play and help at ground level.

In the end, I think they've turned to Petty because the other options are thin. But if it clicks for Petty forward (a bit like 2019), our forward half becomes super dangerous with tall marking targets in Max (elite), JVR, Petty and the mobile, but good above his head Fritsch. We'd be a handful in the air, being complemented by very good ground level players in Kozzy, Chandler and Spargo.

Edited May 10, 20232 yr by A F

23 minutes ago, Robbie57 said:

I am open to trusting the coaches but can anyone tell me what Goody sees in Petty down forward?  He can mark and link but he is yet to actually perform the main role of a forward to kick some goals! I am convinced our backline will be better if he is down there, I really hope I am wrong. 

I've found the best way to think about it is that he is a defensive forward, he's not really there to kick bags but to make a contest, bring it to ground and apply pressure, something that our forwards last year weren't really doing. 

Just now, Hawny for Gawny said:

I've found the best way to think about it is that he is a defensive forward, he's not really there to kick bags but to make a contest, bring it to ground and apply pressure, something that our forwards last year weren't really doing. 

This user name is excellent. 10 stars out of 10.

26 minutes ago, Robbie57 said:

I am open to trusting the coaches but can anyone tell me what Goody sees in Petty down forward?  He can mark and link but he is yet to actually perform the main role of a forward to kick some goals! I am convinced our backline will be better if he is down there, I really hope I am wrong. 

Im in the same boat as you.  Whilst he is "taking a Def" a Def is taking him.  He isn't offering a great deal and he doesn't have proper leading patterns.

JVR brings the ball to ground and I think BBB would compliment him well.  But, im also not a premiership coach so il trust they know what they are doing!

I’m one of those whose firmly of the belief that Petty is currently a better option forward.

He competes in the air and on the ground, and now is the time to really experiment and get a good look at it. The alternatives aren’t bashing down the door, and it allows us to still play with the structure we want - 2 big marking players forward, Fritta, and Koz. Then we hope to get a mismatch on the 3rd target - be it Gawn or JVR, to take a grab or bring it to ground.

We can’t win games 70 to 50 anymore. Turnover game styles are capable of easily scoring 100 points now, so we need to get our forward craft right, and trust our backline to continue to hold up as best it can.

Also, don’t whinge about our lack of coaching creativity if you want to keep players where they were in 2022. If nothing changes, nothing changes.

23 minutes ago, A F said:

This user name is excellent. 10 stars out of 10.

Now we just need @Hawny for Gawny to ask Andy a Q on the podcast thread or leave a review, so we get to hear him read the name out loud 

On 5/7/2023 at 8:01 AM, Kent said:

Hunter is  not fit enough in my view No acceleration is forced to attempt to balk which then  puts him self and team mates under pressure. He did it multiple times last night.

Fitness isn’t the problem, if anything he might be too fit and we might’ve trained the speed out of him. 

A week off or cutting his game time down towards 70% could help. But we might have to wait until the bye to see if there’s much change with a freshen up.

2 hours ago, adonski said:

Looking forward to Jefferson taking Frost to the cleaners

 Yes, but looking forward to seeing Frosty play, again. I have missed his unique pitch on the game. 

29 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

I’m one of those whose firmly of the belief that Petty is currently a better option forward.

He competes in the air and on the ground, and now is the time to really experiment and get a good look at it. The alternatives aren’t bashing down the door, and it allows us to still play with the structure we want - 2 big marking players forward, Fritta, and Koz. Then we hope to get a mismatch on the 3rd target - be it Gawn or JVR, to take a grab or bring it to ground.

We can’t win games 70 to 50 anymore. Turnover game styles are capable of easily scoring 100 points now, so we need to get our forward craft right, and trust our backline to continue to hold up as best it can.

Also, don’t whinge about our lack of coaching creativity if you want to keep players where they were in 2022. If nothing changes, nothing changes.

I agree THBT, There is more to forward craft than goal kicking. If the club is talking about the ‘Collective’, the forward line collective performs better with a tall, mobile, strong player in Petty. To the naysayers,  Go back and look JVR first quarter goal last week. JVR would not have taken that mark and kick the goal without Petty blocking GC players behind. 
 

Pre season training reports had Petty training as a KB. Give him time as his defensive forward work is very good. 

1 hour ago, A F said:

1) he competes well and is an excellent mark.

2) he takes a good defender.

3) he's better than Tmac or BB at ground level and follow up. 

I actually think the thing he needs to improve on is his link play. So if JVR and Max are the more stay at home/forward 50 players, Petty needs to get up the ground more and take marks, and link inside 50. This is something that an uninhibited and fit TMac at his best does. BB is more your stay at home, lead from the square forward - that doesn't mean he doesn't work up the ground sometimes, even into defensive 50, but I'm being crude with the descriptions.

At this stage, Petty is a better bet than those two. He's also a very good reader of the game, better in defence, but he reads the game. The only alternative to Petty if those two aren't options is someone like Joel Smith, who doesn't have a good game sense IMO and doesn't have a footy brain, but has excellent athletic traits that could link play and help at ground level.

In the end, I think they've turned to Petty because the other options are thin. But if it clicks for Petty forward (a bit like 2019), our forward half becomes super dangerous with tall marking targets in Max (elite), JVR, Petty and the mobile, but good above his head Fritsch. We'd be a handful in the air, being complemented by very good ground level players in Kozzy, Chandler and Spargo.

He’s serviceable. It’s still the glaring gap on our list moving into next year.

51 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

Now we just need @Hawny for Gawny to ask Andy a Q on the podcast thread or leave a review, so we get to hear him read the name out loud 

Next week is my time to shine.

1 hour ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Yep, it will be good to see Frosty play - keeps us all full of smiles and tolerances - admire his speed, too.

His 150th this week 56.
Good on him, gave us some entertainment and was part of a defence that got us to a prelim. 

3 minutes ago, Dee Zephyr said:

His 150th this week 56.
Good on him, gave us some entertainment and was part of a defence that got us to a prelim. 

Never forget that brilliant run down of one of the quickest players in the game,  Petrocelli ( over west coast I think) . Ragdolled him. Got up, got the free then promptly kicked a 20 metre pass out on the full. That seems to sum him up somehow. Did things that were incredible and terrible...often back to back. Good luck to him though 150 AFL games is good career by any standards. Fond and scary memories of him lol

So going on Goody:

This week no BBB, no Salem, Hibbo in, Spargo likely, Smith a chance, JvR definitely being picked  and Petty stays forward.

So likely Hibbo for Turner, Smith for JvR  if suspended, Spargo in and one of Harmes, JJ, someone else? to the Sub. Still not really clear how Spargo in works - someone must be dropped.

 

19 hours ago, A F said:

I tried to invite the Hawthorn supporting wife along. She declined. Still haven't been able to work out if it's because her team is rubbish; or if it's about getting a baby sitter for our two year old; or it's about watching football with me (don't blame her); or all of the above.

Our son is Melbourne, but she has this ridiculous rule that she won't convert to Melbourne (we've been together since 2007 FFS) unless we beat Hawthorn in a GF. She thinks she's pretty safe there, I reckon! I'd love to beat Hawthorn in a GF, but I'd much prefer they stay in the bottom 4 forever and eventually fold.

I hope your kids have a big, memorable victory, mate.

Cheers AF.

Fortunately, my wife has no interest at all in AFL so I'm free to indoctrinate the kids without her running interference. 

I'd rather they stay in the doldrums for a long time as well. They seem to be a making all the mistakes we did during our tanking period so our wish may well come true. I hope it does. I don't like that club at all.

1 hour ago, Hawny for Gawny said:

Next week is my time to shine.

Do you smoke durries in the car park and deliver pizzas?

Just now, Tarax Club said:

Do you smoke durries in the car park and deliver pizzas?

Nah get the missus to do that, she's great at Max Gawn role-play.