Forgotten Star Confident He Can Bounce Back

[The Jackson FIX 3,104]

1 hour ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Apparently the Pies are planning to play a faster brand of footy, GWS, Port, Carlton and the Lions to a point like the fast footy. 

Genuinely interested to see how they get faster and keen to see how others better expose their backline pressing up the ground when they’re moving it forward. 

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

I really like Benny. He is a different Cat, but if he could Kick 30-40 Goals this year, it could be the difference. If his knee needs constant management, then so be it. 

Give it your best shot Benny, i enjoyed the Podcast he did a few weeks ago. He certainly doesn’t sound finished yet. 
 

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,393]

17 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

Genuinely interested to see how they get faster and keen to see how others better expose their backline pressing up the ground when they’re moving it forward. 

FWIW David King attended their training and said there was an emphasis on rapid fast paced ball movement and their kicking was the best in the competition. To me this is similar to what the Tigers did, as I said in another thread the plan is no plan. Rapid ball movement bamboozles a lot of opponents, rapid ball movement on the back of elite kicking can tear good teams apart. This style of play also can create a high number of turnovers and good sides will make them pay going the other way.
I think they’re very beatable, they had a lot of luck last year (and their fair share of favourable umpiring decisions). How many games won by under a goal, if 2-3 of them go the other way suddenly everything’s different. 
 

Interested to see what we’ve learnt from last year with regards to our entries inside fwd 50 and creating separation for our fwds. 

[picket fence 17,154]

6 hours ago, Demonland said:

Ben Brown is prepared to earn his spot back in Melbourne’s best side in 2024 – and he could prove the answers to the Demons’ biggest problem. 

Since joining Simon Goodwin’s team at the end of 2020 Brown, hasn’t found his best football, with 30 goals in 2022 his best return. 

The 31-year-old key forward spent much of last year in the VFL and could only manage seven AFL appearances. A persistent knee concern has also played a role. 

But after off-season surgery, Brown says he’s feeling as good as ever. 

“I had a little cleanout on the knee about four weeks ago, so I’m still building back. I’m due to return in a couple of weeks which will be great,” he told SEN Tassie. 

“The aim for me this year is to try and get my body in the best place it can be. I am 31… but I’m definitely aiming to get back and playing the best footy I can. 

“My knee is the way it is and I’ve had issues with that ever since a young Jimmy Webster ran into me at UTas (University of Tasmania) Stadium years ago playing for the Tassie Mariners. 

“It’s one of those things with footy, everyone has their own little battles they go through with injury and those kind of things. At the end of the day, you put yourself out on the park and you’re just another one of the 22 players out there.”

Brown largely found himself stuck behind fellow talls Jacob Van Rooyen, Harrison Petty and Joel Smith as Melbourne scored the 5th most points across the 2023 home and away season. 

But as the Demons’ availability waned towards the end of the campaign, so too did their accuracy. Melbourne kicked 28 behinds across two narrow finals losses to Collingwood and Carlton to kick themselves out of finals. 

Brown is a proven goal kicker, having kicked over 60 goals in three consecutive seasons while at North Melbourne, each year at over 65 per cent accuracy. 

Bayley Fritsch was the Demons’ leading goal kicker in 2023, going at 60.3 per cent accuracy. 

“I’ve got to get myself to a point where I can really be competitive. I definitely think I’ve got some good footy to play this year,” Brown declared. 

“I’m definitely looking forward to it. I enjoying my footy at the moment as much as I ever have, which I think is a great mindset to be starting the year in, so I’m coming into it with the right attitude and really looking forward to the year. 

“Step one ticked, step two get the body right and get out on the field, I’m trying my best to get to that point.” 

Given his recent surgery, Brown is unlikely to be available for Melbourne's season-opening clash on Thursday March 7.

I'M BACKING YOU SON!!!!! 😁

[monoccular 17,427]

7 hours ago, SthSea22 said:

He must be delusional 

Blaming an injury that happened years ago LOL

Maybe you don’t understand the natural history of knee injuries, and of degenerative knee disease, and how they may be linked?