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Why Melbourne Must Hire a Coach to Solve Their Forward Woes

Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

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14 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

Stevie Johnson for me or maybe Jack Gunston.

Josh J Kennedy. 

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    Has there been any analysis of which shots were most problematic in 2023, both relatively and absolutely? Set shots, subsets angle and distance? In play, subsets running and snap? Kick type, subsets straight and round the corner? This might inform the type of coach experience / skill set.

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    I'm all for moving Stafford on for a genuine forward coach.

    Have heard him and Goody are close mates though so probably unlikely.

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    Im interested to see how Mcqualter goes with the midfield after replacing ooze. our midfield is star studded however struggled most weeks to get first use. improvement in this area will make a vast difference to our forward line. of course fresh ideas from a new forwards coach would also be good

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    Steve Johnson did just coach the Yarrawonga Pigeons to a premiership. But would he commute to Melbourne? There's no doubt as a player he had an amazing grasp of the dynamics of a forward line - more than once he was the leading goalkicker for Geelong despite not being the primary target.

    I'd be keen to have him as a part-timer at least - valuable kind of voice to have in the room.

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    Solving forward line Woes is a midfield, game plan issue not a forward line one.  Fix the garbage delivery going in and your 80% the the way there.  

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    The article is more about getting JvR and Petty (two relatively inexperienced key forwards) firing early and cohesively more so than our real issues.

    A lot of our woes in 2023 were caused by the injury crisis, inaccuracy and decision making. Whether we like it or not the game plan is the game plan and I still believe if we have the cattle on the pitch we'd have had a much better end of the season.  Hopefully McQualter can address some concerns though re: delivery with some fresh ideas though.


    These 3 will be the main threats in 2024.

    • JvR - 20 years old kicked 28.9, he will build on this.
    • Fritta kicked 35.25 missing a huge chunk of the season, two seasons prior he kicked 55.22 and 59.24 so he was a little off this year.
    • Petty kicked 12.1 in a injury ravaged season, if his foot is good, he will be good.

    They should all kick a bag in 2024.

    The Depth options weren't that wasteful, they'll chip in this year, as will McAdam

    • Melk Booted 20.11
    • Joel Smith 11.4 in limited game time
    • BBB 11.4 in limited game time

    We had a decent return from the small forwards, but this is where it gets a bit more inefficient

    • Pickett was 37.30 which was a bit wasteful but he's still kicked 120 in the last 3 season
    • Chandler kicked 24.13
    • ANB 19.11

    Whoever is forward coach, needs to get Petracca sorted as he has kicked 28.34 and 19.31 in his last 2 seasons. He can definitely win a game off his own boot but needs to be more clinical. 

     

     

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    Certainly worth considering. Our goal kicking for most of 2024 was atrocious. With our Forward Entry numbers, we should have been unbeaten and winning every game by 10 goals. 
    the Scoring Return was shocking 

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    3 minutes ago, roy11 said:

    The article is more about getting JvR and Petty (two relatively inexperienced key forwards) firing early and cohesively more so than our real issues.

    A lot of our woes in 2023 were caused by the injury crisis, inaccuracy and decision making. Whether we like it or not the game plan is the game plan and I still believe if we have the cattle on the pitch we'd have had a much better end of the season.  Hopefully McQualter can address some concerns though re: delivery with some fresh ideas though.


    These 3 will be the main threats in 2024.

    • JvR - 20 years old kicked 28.9, he will build on this.
    • Fritta kicked 35.25 missing a huge chunk of the season, two seasons prior he kicked 55.22 and 59.24 so he was a little off this year.
    • Petty kicked 12.1 in a injury ravaged season, if his foot is good, he will be good.

    They should all kick a bag in 2024.

    The Depth options weren't that wasteful, they'll chip in this year, as will McAdam

    • Melk Booted 20.11
    • Joel Smith 11.4 in limited game time
    • BBB 11.4 in limited game time

    We had a decent return from the small forwards, but this is where it gets a bit more inefficient

    • Pickett was 37.30 which was a bit wasteful but he's still kicked 120 in the last 3 season
    • Chandler kicked 24.13
    • ANB 19.11

    Whoever is forward coach, needs to get Petracca sorted as he has kicked 28.34 and 19.31 in his last 2 seasons. He can definitely win a game off his own boot but needs to be more clinical. 

     

     

    Tracc and Max were the main offenders. 
    I have Faith they can both improve with hard work over the off season 

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    5 minutes ago, roy11 said:

    Whoever is forward coach, needs to get Petracca sorted as he has kicked 28.34 and 19.31 in his last 2 seasons. He can definitely win a game off his own boot but needs to be more clinical.

    A definitive statement - and he won't get better. His accuracy fluctuates on the first kick for goal of the game - if he nails it - he tends to be 'on'.  It's more of case of accepting he has a range of assets, and with that are the flaws, and thus the ceiling to his game in certain areas is what it is... a la Joe Daniher.

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    13 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

    A definitive statement - and he won't get better. His accuracy fluctuates on the first kick for goal of the game - if he nails it - he tends to be 'on'.  It's more of case of accepting he has a range of assets, and with that are the flaws, and thus the ceiling to his game in certain areas is what it is... a la Joe Daniher.

    Just spewed my lunch all over the keyboard at work. Mentioning Joe and Trak in the same sentence can have that effect.

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    I think we are all forgetting about Jefferson.

    If he can develop a little quicker, he is another key forward option.

    He can take a contested mark and unlike most of our forwards, is a good kick for goal.

    A good pre season in the gym and on the track, could land us another key forward.

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    25 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Tracc and Max were the main offenders. 
    I have Faith they can both improve with hard work over the off season 

    Max has had 12 years in the AFL and won't suddenly, dramatically improve his kicking.

     

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    27 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Tracc and Max were the main offenders. 
    I have Faith they can both improve with hard work over the off season 

    Max has introduced a much more noticeable arc in his approach in the last year or so, he's always had it to some degree, but it's no doubt him trying to still be able to kick beyond 50. 

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    • Like 1

    In the battle 'It's game plan / entries vs. It's inaccuracy (when it counted)', my vote's with the latter. It was the case in the H&A season, probably materially affecting our finals ladder position, and in finals, materially affecting outcome probabilities. So technique and/or mind coaching (the basis of this thread) is important. As, then, is the 'by whom?'

    Edited by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

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    I don’t know if Cranbourne is Amish country  but we need a good old barn raising so that our forwards can spend their summer trying to hit the side of it. 

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    21 minutes ago, Redleg said:

    I think we are all forgetting about Jefferson.

    If he can develop a little quicker, he is another key forward option.

    He can take a contested mark and unlike most of our forwards, is a good kick for goal.

    A good pre season in the gym and on the track, could land us another key forward.

    It's not a case of just building up it is more about how to learn the forward craft at this level that's why we need to a person who knows about it for the younger players before they get into bad habits.

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    6 minutes ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

    I don’t know if Cranbourne is Amish country  but we need a good old barn raising so that our forwards can spend their summer trying to hit the side of it. 

    Cranbourne Amish country Jesus, it's Crimebourne way past that.

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    23 minutes ago, Redleg said:

    Max has had 12 years in the AFL and won't suddenly, dramatically improve his kicking.

     

    The funniest thing about Gawn being inconsistent  is the fact he managed that clutch goal in round 23 in 2021 and then followed that up by booting 5.0 in the Preliminary final a few weeks later. Think he used all his goalkicking luck up in that short period. 

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    20 minutes ago, Ouch! said:

    Max has introduced a much more noticeable arc in his approach in the last year or so, he's always had it to some degree, but it's no doubt him trying to still be able to kick beyond 50. 

    Yes I know. 
    in 2021 he used it well. It seems to be slightly off since then. If Max could kick 20-25 goals a season, we win a few close games

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    28 minutes ago, Redleg said:

    Max has had 12 years in the AFL and won't suddenly, dramatically improve his kicking.

     

    There is always room for improvement. 
    Max is an elite Athlete. The Club needs him to Kick Goals, not hit the post…

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