3 hours ago, JimmyGadson said:

The fact that you're zoning in on a couple of missed shots as the reason we lost the game proves to me how little you actually notice outside of one issue we had on the night. 

You're a stat's lover. Go and watch on the couch. You can't hide or give excuse to any of what they showed. Or will you somehow manage to? When you have that many forward half turnovers in a game and that many inside 50's in a game, there is ample opportunity to find an avenue for goal and the evidence has been shown with clip after clip of players who have so many other options. Whether it's a shorter kick, a kick with a lower trajectory, a player open inside 50 who is just ignored.. The list is endless. 

Some of this is absolutely method. Because if it wasn't, we would not be seeing the same kicks going to the same spots consistently. How do you not understand that? 

Why do you and @binmanconsistently ignore these things. 

Petracca literally came out and said the mids need to use that ball better as well. Are you going to argue that? 

It's both instruction and player depending on the scenario/clip you watch. 

Most obviously there are countless entries that will be scrappy due to pressure on the kicker etc etc. But there are so many clips where we have players under little pressure who just refuse to do anything other than 'get it in quick'. 

I could also make a case that we lost the game due to turning the ball over in dangerous positions which gifted Collingwood an easy goal. And if that didn't occur, our set shot inaccuracy wouldn't have mattered.. See how silly it is to rely on one cause?

Go and watch on the couch, look forward to you and @binman writing an essay on how unstoppable we are and how Collingwood's gameplan is flawed and doesn't stand up in finals..

Looking a little bit silly you two! 

 

It'd good to have you back Big Fella! Demonland's nowhere without our resident crank! Keep up the good work and don't panic we got this! 

On 9/9/2023 at 11:46 AM, DeeSpencer said:

I disagree, I think mobile key forwards are the future and whilst a 200cm one would be ideal we really only need a combination like Petty and JVR who can both take a mark or crash a pack despite not being 200cm. The concern is depth behind them and finding a playable ruck option.

I would’ve liked someone like Harry Jones for insurance/developmental reasons, if he gets his body right he’s a nice lead up option who could compliment the main man. Obviously his body is a huge risk but it’s a risk I’d have taken barring any better alternatives.

Hawkins gets those chances one on one because Cameron draws attention. Same with Daniher and Hipwood. Same with Curnow and McKay. 

Once you’re bombing it in it’s too late unless you’ve got Levi Casboult and Max King playing together. Sydney had 3 big talls last night, looked awful. Once Parker went to full forward and Amartey got sent to the pine they looked very good.

i think your forward line needs to compliment what you have up the field, we don't have mcinerney, gulden, blakey, florent hitting [censored] inside 50, we have clarry trac viney may and rivers just hoofing it in, therefore we cant recruit lead up players coz the combination doesnt work. we also have the best 3rd tall forward in the comp in fritsch plus when melky is down there too we have our second lead up type so HJ will take footy away from them and space away from them. we need the top of the goalsquare gorilla to maximise on our 69 mostly ugly i50s

1 hour ago, Turner said:

i think your forward line needs to compliment what you have up the field, we don't have mcinerney, gulden, blakey, florent hitting [censored] inside 50, we have clarry trac viney may and rivers just hoofing it in, therefore we cant recruit lead up players coz the combination doesnt work. we also have the best 3rd tall forward in the comp in fritsch plus when melky is down there too we have our second lead up type so HJ will take footy away from them and space away from them. we need the top of the goalsquare gorilla to maximise on our 69 mostly ugly i50s

Agree and we need extra class at ground level. Reid would be great but it might need to be Watson with our picks.

1 hour ago, old55 said:

Agree and we need extra class at ground level. Reid would be great but it might need to be Watson with our picks.

i'm not a watson fan at all, players who dominate at u18s due to their athletic profile nominally i fear struggle to transition to afl level. ie talls look good coz theyre taller/stronger. quicker players look quicker than they might be compared to afl defedners. if NW was to become an elite afl small forward he needs to be an elite tackler? is he that? will his speed which is his number 1 trait that fast.

i'd rather McKercher as his foot skills will give us a different look and can fit straight into the line up. and im growing on reid as i've seen what daicos and ashcroft can do when put in the right atmosphere and having him rotating with trac will be lethal in '24 and beyond

4 hours ago, Turner said:

i think your forward line needs to compliment what you have up the field, we don't have mcinerney, gulden, blakey, florent hitting [censored] inside 50, we have clarry trac viney may and rivers just hoofing it in, therefore we cant recruit lead up players coz the combination doesnt work. we also have the best 3rd tall forward in the comp in fritsch plus when melky is down there too we have our second lead up type so HJ will take footy away from them and space away from them. we need the top of the goalsquare gorilla to maximise on our 69 mostly ugly i50s

We need guys who can take a mark or halve contests but I’m not convinced they have to be 200cm. 

For instance Curnow is probably more effective than McKay even if he spots him close to 10cm.

Petty and once he gets more strength JVR will be very effective at that even though they aren’t 200cm. They have the strength to wrestle and the leap to attack the drop of the ball.

Jones has a leap and long limbs, I think he’s be good at that with the right development. More so we need someone to develop quickly in to a back up. Right now it’s either the very old or very young and it’s unlikely we get a big name. The less names, as I’m about to detail, aren’t very promising. 

Edited September 12, 20231 yr by DeeSpencer

Available key forward options:

Chol: not the best at the contest but has a nice left foot and can ruck, has one season of good footy under his belt  

Patrick Voss: solidly built aggressive forward who Dons fans have wanted to see play. Not the biggest or quickest but has a go

Chris Burgess: does very well in the VFL but hasn’t tasted afl for a while. Journeyman type

Jacob Kositchzke: fallen out of favour at the hawks. Seems to have some athleticism and aggression but has struggled to impact 

It’s slim pickings out there 

2 hours ago, Turner said:

i'm not a watson fan at all, players who dominate at u18s due to their athletic profile nominally i fear struggle to transition to afl level. ie talls look good coz theyre taller/stronger. quicker players look quicker than they might be compared to afl defedners. if NW was to become an elite afl small forward he needs to be an elite tackler? is he that? will his speed which is his number 1 trait that fast.

i'd rather McKercher as his foot skills will give us a different look and can fit straight into the line up. and im growing on reid as i've seen what daicos and ashcroft can do when put in the right atmosphere and having him rotating with trac will be lethal in '24 and beyond

To answer your question about Watson being an elite tackler currently no……because more often than not he has the ball in his hands but in an AFL environment would be a good pressure small forward. He is quick and very elusive but it’s his footy smarts, knowing where to be at the right time and working hard to get there. His ball use and decision making is very good. He also has a good set of hands and is lethal around goals. With all due respect I think he would be a significant upgrade on Spargo and put pressure on Kossie and Chandler. Love to have Watson as our first pick with either McKercher or Duursma. Reid alone will not fix our current problems.

I'd prefer 2 young guys who can put it on a Rovers [censored] rather a Forward who could contest the Long Bomb we continue with. Apologies if I offend anyone but if you've seen our inside 50s, you know what's needed. 

I actually really rate the combination of Petty and Van Rooyen with Jefferson developing. i don't think we're in a horrible spot if we can improve our entries. 

I'd be looking at a Key back. 

12 hours ago, Dwight Schrute said:

I actually really rate the combination of Petty and Van Rooyen with Jefferson developing. i don't think we're in a horrible spot if we can improve our entries. 

I'd be looking at a Key back. 

Agree, we have been pretty unlucky with injury, petty and melk who when in had us looking good

Presuming we don't get Reid, McKercher has the "player we need" written all over him. Zach Merrett clone, impeccable footskills, carries the ball forward and seems good in congestion too. Will be a star. 

7 hours ago, fr_ap said:

Presuming we don't get Reid, McKercher has the "player we need" written all over him. Zach Merrett clone, impeccable footskills, carries the ball forward and seems good in congestion too. Will be a star. 

I'd be going Watson. in my view he's in the best 2 players in this draft, some of the stuff he does is just special and i'd say he'll slide outside the top 3 simply because of his height. 

Watson and Kozzie is a combination that would give opposition teams nightmares

1 hour ago, Dwight Schrute said:

I'd be going Watson. in my view he's in the best 2 players in this draft, some of the stuff he does is just special and i'd say he'll slide outside the top 3 simply because of his height. 

Watson and Kozzie is a combination that would give opposition teams nightmares

I think he'll be good too. Would still go mckercher. Something about the way he moved and the conviction in his decision making....would be very very pleased if we are able to get him. With Oliver Viney and Trac feeding him ball he'd be ridiculous. Would replace Hunter very quickly too you'd think. 

1 hour ago, Dwight Schrute said:

I'd be going Watson. in my view he's in the best 2 players in this draft, some of the stuff he does is just special and i'd say he'll slide outside the top 3 simply because of his height. 

Watson and Kozzie is a combination that would give opposition teams nightmares

I think Bulldogs are eyeing off pick 4 purely to get Watson.

25 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I think Bulldogs are eyeing off pick 4 purely to get Watson.

Interesting, i would have though McKercher is someone who would really appeal to them. don't mind if he falls to us instead.

1 minute ago, Dwight Schrute said:

Interesting, i would have though McKercher is someone who would really appeal to them. don't mind if he falls to us instead.

The prospect to team up with Weightman is the appeal for them I think.

Doggies would go after McKercher I reckon 

They wanted Tsatas last year

Question marks over Bazlenka's future, a young mid would be their priority 

Add Buku Khamis to the slim list of available tall forwards. More of a mid sizer at 190cm but can go back and is even willing to have a dip in the ruck.

I’ve liked glimpses of the way he gets on the lead and jumps at the ball. 

Would fit in the category of - surely better than no one. 

If we don't trade for an established key forward, which i cannot see, I think we'll go for mids with good foot skills in the draft.

We have JVR, Petty and Fritter with Jefferson to hopefully put some muscle on over summer. That is the core of our tall/ish fowards, assuming they play most games. Or hoping, I should say.

Our problem is delivering it with vision and precision i50, which McKercher will do for 10+ years

Anyone seen Jake Riccardi? I haven't.

Decent first year and performing in finals, accurate kick.

22 minutes ago, SFebes said:

Anyone seen Jake Riccardi? I haven't.

Decent first year and performing in finals, accurate kick.

It’s his 4th year?

He has some talent, but a little flighty, he benefits from the attention Toby, and Hoges get and the Giants ball movement. 

Nice pick up by GWS but the opportunity to get him out of there cheaply has well and truly gone. 

I quite like the idea of Levi Casboult for 1-2 seasons. Played 41 games and kicked 60 goals over the past two seasons for the Suns so he’s absolutely got the tools and the durability. 200cm, brute of a lad, we know he can clunk them. Can ruck at a pinch, too. 
 

With Jed Walter, Chol possibly staying and the other academy ruckman coming on board, Casboult could be starved of opportunity up there and become an enticing option for us. Wouldn’t cost much either in trade or salary. A genuine Moneyball type recruit. 

On 9/12/2023 at 4:56 PM, DeeSpencer said:

Available key forward options:

Chol: not the best at the contest but has a nice left foot and can ruck, has one season of good footy under his belt  

Patrick Voss: solidly built aggressive forward who Dons fans have wanted to see play. Not the biggest or quickest but has a go

Chris Burgess: does very well in the VFL but hasn’t tasted afl for a while. Journeyman type

Jacob Kositchzke: fallen out of favour at the hawks. Seems to have some athleticism and aggression but has struggled to impact 

It’s slim pickings out there 

Everyone has seemed to have forgotten Joel Smith as a target forward. His forward craft has improved considerably and he ended up with 11 goals from 14 games (Petty 12 goals from 14 games) for the season. He provides a contest, has good defensive skills, is an accurate kick and is quick. If he has another strong preseason and avoids injury (big if) then I feel he could take his game to the next level. His game on Friday night was very good.

 

Edited September 18, 20231 yr by djr

It's safe to say we have a forward problem, a BIG (man) forward problem, which needs to be filled.

The outlook for our full forward and centre half forward options are bleak. McDonald and Brown's days are passed, Schache would be lucky to be classed as VFL standard, and the Grundy experiment failed. Sure, Gawn can have a stint up there, but that's just it, a stint. Fritsch is an excellent medium forward (in an ideal setting he'd be the 'third' forward), Melksham is 12-months away and that's IF he re-finds his form. van Rooyen has shown plenty of promise (as a BIG tall) but is still a few years off entering his prime. Petty also offers quality. But as we saw, the lack of depth in relation to injury hurts. Quality small options exist with Kozzy, Chandler, and Spargo.

So my question is, how do we fill this 'BIG-man' void and fast (with the premiership window open)?

The initial problem I see is that tall forwards don't come around too often, and if you need to trade them in they cost an arm and leg (e.g. ~$1M/year contracts). Alternatively, they're drafted, but they take years to develop and thus this option won't work with our current list and premiership window.

One solution I can think of is at the state league and minor league levels (e.g. Metropolitan Leagues and Country Leagues). There are a small few blokes you know could have a chance at the next level. Some do indeed get lucky, such as Michael Hibberd, Bayley Fritsch, and Harry Taylor. Therefore, I'd love to see the club scour the statistics sheets to identify the various league's leading goal kickers (ideally between the age of 21 - 26). Shortlist 10-12, invite them down to the club to compete against each other, then cull the list down to 6 (or so) and then have them compete against the likes of Lever and May (or have them try and out mark McDonald, Brown, or Schache). If a couple show enough promise sign them up as rookies. It's highly unlikely we'll find Curnow or McKay, but surely there has to be better forward talent out there who will excel once placed into a full time AFL environment. At least enough to provide us greater depth than McDonald/Brown/Schache.

What are your thoughts? Any other ideas or targets at AFL clubs?

 

It’s JVR and Petty (hopefully fit) for Round 1 2024 and the club will invest in Jefferson’s development.  
 

Given Schache scratches out another contract for a year shows how the club is desperate in KPF requirement.  
 

I think Tmcd and BBB are probably finished but have contracts so it’s a wait and see.