16 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

I’ve said this a couple of times (and been laughed at) but I’ll say it again. Switch Steven May to the forward line for at least next week. Oppose him to May-f’ing-nard. Love to see that scrap. But I also think May, along with JVR, will give us some grunt and fire that our forward line is desperately missing. Petty takes May spot in the backline - he ain’t no forward. 
I would like Oliver taken away from the midfield because he is still broken and unfit, and compared to the old Clarry, is just a faded shadow of his former self. I’d put him in the forward pocket (in place of McAdam) till he gets his mojo back. Kossie and, last week, ANB seem to be the only mids making an effort to clear the ball at centre clearances, apart from Tracc. Viney has gone back to his old bulldog ways - possibly because Oliver and Sparrow have not played their part at centre bounces. Gawn also must improve his tap outs - he was superb against the Saints in terms of hitting to our players advantage - but generally his tap work this year has not been up to standard. So for what it’s worth here is my side for next week:

McVee, Petty, Tomlinson

Bowey, TMac, Rivers

Langdon, Tracc, ANB

Salem, May, Fritsch

Oliver, JVR, Jefferson

Gawn, Viney, Pickett

Chandler, Turner, Woewoden, Windsor

Sub: Sparrow.

And I believe it’s time to get a new skills coach - hitting targets by hand and foot - as we are embarrassingly poor in these areas. The turnovers today through these basic skill errors killed us. 

It's worth a shot I reckon.

We need a bit of mongrel in our fwd line.

Although I worry about Petty even playing in the backline now. Yesterday he was defending and chose to try and handball over the head of a Docker's player only to have it intercepted and result in a goal to Freo.

Petty is so out of form he shouldn't be playing at all.

As for Tracca we simply can't afford to play him fwd. And as much as i like Kozzie he is much better playing fwd.

The real issue is our lack of depth. We don't have the cattle to drop players and allow them to regain form elsewhere. Or put mental pressure on all players each week through fear of being dropped.

Our "seconds" list consists of a few young players still developing or players rejected or let go by other clubs.

We have resorted to using players like McAdam who embarrassingly can't kick a footy more than thirty metres.

In 21 the best 22 was hard to break into and players new full well if you got dropped it was difficult to break back in.

Today it is much different. A player like Petty can play one good game and ten shockers and still get selected.

Why did we let it come to this? Why do we not have enough depth to mount a strong fwd line instead of having to consider Bbb who looked well and truly past it in our 22 finals campaign? Or why can't we drop Oliver or Sparrow?

Why did we recruit players like Fullerton, Schache, Billings.,and co?

Did the club get complacent after our 21 flag? I feel we need to go back and start rebuilding the entire list.

It's a shame that this generational team is only going to be remembered for one flag. Last year's loss to Cwood was a combination of a horrendous hit of injury to our fwds and also a dog act by one filth player. We should of and could of won it last year.

Alas in less than 12 months we are smashed by an average team by almost 100 points. We will be well and truly beaten in the KB game. 100 point losses scar you for a while.

The trio of Tracca , Oliver and Viney seems very slow and out of form today. 

I don't know what went wrong but we lack vigour, passion and commitment. Freo shook a lot of our tackles off and we didn't chase half as much as we should off.

I fear the KB game is going to see us smashed again .

I would like to see Petty actually dropped just as a statement to all that you can't play the way he has been and gifted games every week. But with Lever injured, I'm not sure we can do this.

In fact there are probably six to eight players I'd like dropped. They certainly deserve to be. 

I think the club got caught up in the 21 success and took their eye off the ball. Like the bulldogs a cup after a long drought makes one satisfied and distracted from all the things necessary to have got there in the first place. The club and the players seem to have lost a lot of their appetite for another flag.

 

 

1 minute ago, M_9 said:

I wouldn’t be dropping Tommo. He was far from our worst player yesterday. Furthermore, I seem to recall him playing pretty well on KB last year (15 disposals, 10 marks) only to be dropped the following week. He’d remember that and IMO have something to prove.

He played well on Cox, now there's no Cox. Yesterday showed just how badly he struggles without a dedicate big and ordinary opponent and upfield pressure.

He plays well when our pressure is on and he gets his confidence up. He's the first to struggle as soon as the pressure goes and he's required to make decisions and attack the contest. The same thing happens at Casey, he'll dominate the game for 3/4's but if the other team get clear run on the ball he'll panic and get beat by VFL players.

There was a passage in the second half where May needed support over the top and Tomlison gave up prime position and ran around the back of his opponent who then easily just held his ground and didn't let Tomlinson come over the top. He literally gave up best position to help May to run behind his own man so the goal wasn't kicked on him.

It was as insipid an effort as you'll see from an experienced AFL player.

8 minutes ago, M_9 said:

I wouldn’t be dropping Tommo. He was far from our worst player yesterday. Furthermore, I seem to recall him playing pretty well on KB last year (15 disposals, 10 marks) only to be dropped the following week. He’d remember that and IMO have something to prove.

Do we need a tall slow backline as they have no tall forwards? 

I also forgot about Mcadams. Rather give AMW a crack.

18 hours ago, monoccular said:

Dunstan was ordinary 

Also did an ACL and then retired so not really on the club “losing” him

9 minutes ago, Demonland said:

Honest but no answers

7 minutes ago, buck_nekkid said:

Honest but no answers

That was more HOPE than an unequivocal WE WILL 

We'll see 

18 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

That was more HOPE than an unequivocal WE WILL 

We'll see 

Even if it was we will they’re a wait and see for me. Big statements don’t impress me from this lot.

I still haven’t forgiven them for hanging Brayshaw’s helmet at the SCG and all touching it as they ran out before kicking 1.6 in the first quarter 🫣

They all quote the Daniher “it’s not what you say it’s what you do”, time to do.. 

Just saw a photo of Goody in The Age. Boy has he aged. Looks like he took a big one for the team.

The boys owe him one. Hope they turn up next Monday and play their hearts out for him. 

I'm genuinely scared what the Daicos boys kicking skills are going to do next week if its a free flowing game.  I'm hoping for biblical rain. 

17 minutes ago, Jjrogan said:

I'm genuinely scared what the Daicos boys kicking skills are going to do next week if its a free flowing game.  I'm hoping for biblical rain. 

We sometimes have decent kicking skills when we feel like showing up...we need that sports team psychologist to show up and see what's going on in the players heads...something ain't right.

20 hours ago, Neil Crompton said:

I’ve said this a couple of times (and been laughed at) but I’ll say it again. Switch Steven May to the forward line for at least next week. Oppose him to May-f’ing-nard. Love to see that scrap. But I also think May, along with JVR, will give us some grunt and fire that our forward line is desperately missing. Petty takes May spot in the backline - he ain’t no forward. 
I would like Oliver taken away from the midfield because he is still broken and unfit, and compared to the old Clarry, is just a faded shadow of his former self. I’d put him in the forward pocket (in place of McAdam) till he gets his mojo back. Kossie and, last week, ANB seem to be the only mids making an effort to clear the ball at centre clearances, apart from Tracc. Viney has gone back to his old bulldog ways - possibly because Oliver and Sparrow have not played their part at centre bounces. Gawn also must improve his tap outs - he was superb against the Saints in terms of hitting to our players advantage - but generally his tap work this year has not been up to standard. So for what it’s worth here is my side for next week:

McVee, Petty, Tomlinson

Bowey, TMac, Rivers

Langdon, Tracc, ANB

Salem, May, Fritsch

Oliver, JVR, Jefferson

Gawn, Viney, Pickett

Chandler, Turner, Woewoden, Windsor

Sub: Sparrow.

And I believe it’s time to get a new skills coach - hitting targets by hand and foot - as we are embarrassingly poor in these areas. The turnovers today through these basic skill errors killed us. 

Steven May is moving about as well as a 90 year old that's just had a hip replacement.

He is not himself at all. I'm not sure how he'd go forward at the moment unless we just plonked him the goal square in a lazy boy.

He's giving it all he can but he looks really really sore to me.

I have this crazy and controversial idea that may not go down well on this forum.

Play Ed Langdon on a wing. I know it's absurd but worth a shot I guess.

3 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I have this crazy and controversial idea that may not go down well on this forum.

Play Ed Langdon on a wing. I know it's absurd but worth a shot I guess.

No doubt he will return to the wing with Hunter blowing his old man calf.

Just don't complain when Billings come back into that half forward role. Cupboard is pretty empty.

2 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

No doubt he will return to the wing with Hunter blowing his old man calf.

Just don't complain when Billings come back into that half forward role. Cupboard is pretty empty.

Woewodin please, he deserves to start

Right now i couldn’t care less about this game

the last 4 weeks have killed our season

so what if we win?

we’ll lose to North if we play like we did yesterday or against WC

Dees need to show more than just one game. If we lift and beat an injured depleted Pies, it shouldn’t be seen as a “All good, happy days” premiership ahead outcome.  Theres lots to fix and the next month will determine which path we follow 

Edited June 3, 20241 yr by spirit of norm smith
D

On 02/06/2024 at 16:52, leave it to deever said:

It probably wasn't that hard to predict that Gus wouldn't play anymore.

The club has been complacent with team depth and made some poor recruiting choices lately.

How McAdam was chosen when he can't kick a ball past 30 m is a mystery.

Disagree — Gus and club were absolutely blindsided by the scan results, as it was first concussion in 5yrs! Club couldn’t act even if hey did know, as AFL still hasn’t fully finalised how his salary cap $$$ will be managed! SL that’s a totally inaccurate and flammable argument! 

2 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Dees need to show more than just one game. If we lift and beat an injured depleted Pies, it shouldn’t be seen as a “All good, happy days” premiership ahead outcome.  Theres lots to fix and the next month will determine which path we follow 

Don’t anyone would see it that way.. anything less than a Prelim will bring immense dissection and inescapable scrutiny 

2 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Dees need to show more than just one game. If we lift and beat an injured depleted Pies, it shouldn’t be seen as a “All good, happy days” premiership ahead outcome.  Theres lots to fix and the next month will determine which path we follow 

I'm afraid that will be the case on here. 

Well probably win and the usuals well say we're a top 4 side again and premiership contention and then waffle off some meaningless stats.

As Goodwin states, this issue has been ongoing for majority of thr year and still continues to do so.

On 02/06/2024 at 17:21, Deelectable said:

Doubt Jefferson and JVR could be anywhere nears as bad as Petty and Turner. Yes, forwards not solely to blame but these two were beyond woeful. I've been a Petty supporter but enough is enough.

Odd how Turner  was an automatic in after missing a couple of weeks. Apart from a 3 goal cameo several weeks ago, why didnt he prove himself at Casey.

Huge game on Monday.

line in the sand for us.

Unless something is really going on behind the scenes and they don’t turn up again.

57 minutes ago, Tolstoys Nudge said:

Disagree — Gus and club were absolutely blindsided by the scan results, as it was first concussion in 5yrs! Club couldn’t act even if hey did know, as AFL still hasn’t fully finalised how his salary cap $$$ will be managed! SL that’s a totally inaccurate and flammable argument! 

Not too sure how a guy wearing headgear was totally blindsided.  Perhaps you were

Surprisingly I still think we are a chance against the Pies because:

1) I expect our players to be so fired up for battle after last week that we would be a danger even to Sydney.

2) The Pies are so injury-decimated at the moment that they are the second smallest side in the league behind us, so we won't face the aerial demolition that Freo gave us.

Having said that, an unmarked Daicos can still cut us up, so hopefully a hard tag is applied to him and by hard, I mean someone who doesn't have to observe our zone defence rules and mans him, side by side from the word go. Daicos is mega evasive and he's really quick, so the tag probably has to be either Sparrow or ANB, but personally I'd go radical and give Bowey the job. And Ed has to go back to the wing and tag Josh Daicos - he's too important.

A lot of people will say Petty should be dropped and they'd be right if Lever was playing. But Petty as a defender is our best intercept flyer and I'd swap him and T-Mac - at least until Petty gets his hands back. 

We also have to have some fresh blood to spark some enthusiasm - if Goody goes back to Billings and Ben Brown it's season over, even if we win. Our only chance this season is to unearth a few surprises.

The first one is Moniz-Wakefield who takes Bowey's spot down back. I accept that MW may not have the kicking skills, but his run and pace has to be given a chance and we need those qualities.

The second one has to be Fullarton, who may not be tough enough ultimately, but deserves a chance and in theory with Cox out, he may be able to win some hitouts when Gawny is resting. We can't continue to go small and at least we can always sub him out, if we want some more last quarter run.

And I'd also bring in either Tholstrup or Sestan. Both have a crack at it and we've had McAdam for three weeks now and how many goals? Tholstrup's tackling deserves a reward, so i'd go with him.

Hopefully JVR is over his concussion and can play, so that we have a tall potentially powerful forward set up that could exploit the inexperienced Dean and the injured Howe.

And with the Pies being so small at the moment without Mihocek, Cox, Elliott etc, I'd leave out Tommo for this game - sorry but I can't see an opponent for him as Markov and Schultz are their key forwards with Frampton. That means Howes can come back and play on Markov, who has pace. i love Windsor, but unfortunately he needs a week off to watch from the coaches box - unless Goody prefers to make him the sub, rather than Chandler.

Out: Hunter, Turner, Tomlinson, McAdam, Windsor

In: JVR, Fullarton, Moniz-Wakefield, Tholstrup, Howes

B: McVee May Howes

HB: Salem Petty Rivers

C: Langdon Oliver Woewodin

HF:  Petracca JVR ANB

F: T-Mac Pickett Fritsch

Ru: Gawn Viney Bowey (hard tag on Daicos)

Int: Fullarton, Moniz-Wakefield, Tholstrup, Sparrow, Chandler (sub)

10 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

Surprisingly I still think we are a chance against the Pies because:

1) I expect our players to be so fired up for battle after last week that we would be a danger even to Sydney.

2) The Pies are so injury-decimated at the moment that they are the second smallest side in the league behind us, so we won't face the aerial demolition that Freo gave us.

Having said that, an unmarked Daicos can still cut us up, so hopefully a hard tag is applied to him and by hard, I mean someone who doesn't have to observe our zone defence rules and mans him, side by side from the word go. Daicos is mega evasive and he's really quick, so the tag probably has to be either Sparrow or ANB, but personally I'd go radical and give Bowey the job. And Ed has to go back to the wing and tag Josh Daicos - he's too important.

A lot of people will say Petty should be dropped and they'd be right if Lever was playing. But Petty as a defender is our best intercept flyer and I'd swap him and T-Mac - at least until Petty gets his hands back. 

We also have to have some fresh blood to spark some enthusiasm - if Goody goes back to Billings and Ben Brown it's season over, even if we win. Our only chance this season is to unearth a few surprises.

The first one is Moniz-Wakefield who takes Bowey's spot down back. I accept that MW may not have the kicking skills, but his run and pace has to be given a chance and we need those qualities.

The second one has to be Fullarton, who may not be tough enough ultimately, but deserves a chance and in theory with Cox out, he may be able to win some hitouts when Gawny is resting. We can't continue to go small and at least we can always sub him out, if we want some more last quarter run.

And I'd also bring in either Tholstrup or Sestan. Both have a crack at it and we've had McAdam for three weeks now and how many goals? Tholstrup's tackling deserves a reward, so i'd go with him.

Hopefully JVR is over his concussion and can play, so that we have a tall potentially powerful forward set up that could exploit the inexperienced Dean and the injured Howe.

And with the Pies being so small at the moment without Mihocek, Cox, Elliott etc, I'd leave out Tommo for this game - sorry but I can't see an opponent for him as Markov and Schultz are their key forwards with Frampton. That means Howes can come back and play on Markov, who has pace. i love Windsor, but unfortunately he needs a week off to watch from the coaches box - unless Goody prefers to make him the sub, rather than Chandler.

Out: Hunter, Turner, Tomlinson, McAdam, Windsor

In: JVR, Fullarton, Moniz-Wakefield, Tholstrup, Howes

B: McVee May Howes

HB: Salem Petty Rivers

C: Langdon Oliver Woewodin

HF:  Petracca JVR ANB

F: T-Mac Pickett Fritsch

Ru: Gawn Viney Bowey (hard tag on Daicos)

Int: Fullarton, Moniz-Wakefield, Tholstrup, Sparrow, Chandler (sub)

JVR had groin soreness last week, not concussion.