My son, when he was a little tacker, loved the Dr Seuss books so I would read them to him. In one of the books the good Doctor made the statement “Sometimes a question is complicated, but the answer is simple.” Over the years that statement stuck with me. If we accept that the good doctor’s statement is a fact, then the reciprocal, “Sometimes a question is simple, but the answer is complicated.” is also a fact.

Simple question: “Will our forwards perform better this season?”

Complicated answer:

Since our flag in ’21 our forward 50 has been the problem child in the team. ’22 and ’23 the team structures were good enough to get us into a good position in the H&A season only to fall out of contention in close results. What we would have given for a few good KPF performances in those games.

Last year there was a lot written about the quality of our delivery into the forwards, but it may have been a combination of a below par midfield performance and a lack of structure in the forwards.

Whatever, ’25 is a new season and a new opportunity for the forwards to perform. Selection, at this stage is pretty much wide open with a lot depending on form and performance in the intra-club and inter-club practice games.

In the tall department the first on the team sheet will be JVR.  A 21yo 193cm+ key forward that is the lynchpin of our team in the forward 50. I expect Turner to be the second tall initially as I think he has shown a bit as a forward with a few ‘meat and potatoes’ performances last season. I can see him stepping up this season to offer an alternative target forward.

Who else is there from the tall squad is really player  form and gameplan dependent.

Do we play two rucks? If so, do Campbell and Gawn spend some time resting forward when not on the ball or do we use them more flexibly than that? Will the new kid on the block, Johnson, play as a third tall and backup ruck to give Max a rest?

How much time will Petty spend up forward and how will he be used?

There is a lot of question marks that will not have answers until the real stuff starts. We will get some clues in the pre-season matches but I expect no definitive answers in those games.

Jefferson is the young developing tall that spent last season plying his trade and learning the ropes at Casey. This will be the season that he is given opportunities to show his stuff in the first team. It may be earlier than a few on here expect.

Other possible tall backups are Fullaton and Kentfield. Gotta be honest here, I really have very little, read no, idea of where they might fit in or how they are going in their development.

The first medium forward on the team sheet will be Fritsch. In my view, our one really consistent forward over the last 4 or so years. He is one of those players that the opposition must find very difficult to find a matchup for. He managers to lose his opponent and find space, he is good in the air and at ground level and is a good snap as well as set shot.

Melksham is our veteran medium forward. He is very good at what he does. He is getting on but is very professional in his approach to the game both on and off the field. If he is fit enough to train, he will give his very best whenever he plays. Provides a lot of support and direction to the younger players on the ground.

McAdam is in the mix and reports have him fit and firing at training. May well get time on the ground during the first 3 matches of the season with Pickett forced into a late start of the season.

Langford is a young man that might get a taste of AFL in our forward line as a medium with flashes in the middle. The small forward cupboard is looking a little bare with Pickett missing for 3 rounds, Chandler presently injured, Spargo coming back from and season with injury and a young Mentha in his first pre-season. I will watch with interest the pre-season games to see what the coaching team trail in this area. Is Sestan a chance to be given a run there? Maybe A M-W or Brown. I think it might be a ‘pic-on-form’ decision.

Petracca last season rotated into the forwards and kicked a few. I believe that we will play him predominantly in the midfield. He is one of the best in there and I think it is where he prefers to play. I see 80/20 midfield time for him. We need to win around the ball and he is one of the best in there. Tholstrup and Sparrow could spend time as HHF and play further up the ground a bit to facilitate our faster ball movement.

Oliver and/or Viney could also have cameos in the forward 50 at times.

A lot has been made of the loss of ANB and who will fill his position. I would have loved to keep him for the way he made and filled a role, but I do not see this loss as a big problem. With the new forward line coach, Troy Chaplin, I believe that we will have a very different structure this season and I do not know if the role ANB filled will be critical. I think the gameplan of the forward line will be based on the players we have, and their skill sets rather than looking to force square pegs into round holes.

 

Trying to select a R1 forward setup at this stage I find impossible as there are so many options given the players we have vying for selection there. I am a great one for selecting on form. Balanced against that, in the forwards we need to build relationships and trust within that team within the team so I hope the coaches can find a right balance.

I am also very interested to what Chaplin brings to the forward 50 as coach. I think we will see more structure and discipline in the forwards and the forward and midfield line coaches driving quality delivery.

 

No doubt about Chef, it's going to be interesting watching how are forward lines goes.

I thought Jvr would have a better season than he did last year but he went ok.

I was hoping he may be the next Curnow. Big call but it's still early days.

Having been forced into the middle was probably disruptive to his craft.

Petty is still a huge concern for me if He plays forward.

And I want to see more effort ....more chasing  and pressure acts from Fritta who sometimes didn't seem to give his all.

I want Kozzie closer to the goals as much as possible.

Tholstrup Turner Petracca

Pickett JVR Fritsch

INT: Langford, Chandler, Jeffo or AJ

Sub: Melk/McAdam

I'd play Trac forward as much as realistically possible. If the Oliver of old re-emerges that is. Viney more forward mins as a pressure forward too.

Edited January 27Jan 27 by adonski

3 minutes ago, adonski said:

Tholstrup Turner Petracca

Pickett JVR Fritsch

INT: Langford, Chandler, Jeffo or AJ

Sub: Melk/McAdam

I'd play Trac forward as much as realistically possible. If the Oliver of old re-emerges that is. Viney more forward mins as a pressure forward too.

I really don't agree with playing Petracca forward as much a we did last year. In my opinion, he is one of the most damaging inside midfield players we have on our list. We need to play to our strengths especially in the midfield where the games are won and lost. I want to see a re-build of the understanding that Petracca, Oliver and Viney had as midfield players.

The forwards have to be accountable for their performance.

I think AJ will come in as 2nd/3rd tall and be the 2nd ruck.

1 hour ago, CHF said:

I really don't agree with playing Petracca forward as much a we did last year. In my opinion, he is one of the most damaging inside midfield players we have on our list. We need to play to our strengths especially in the midfield where the games are won and lost. I want to see a re-build of the understanding that Petracca, Oliver and Viney had as midfield players.

The forwards have to be accountable for their performance.

Tracc's ball use and defensive running were both pretty poor last year, I think he's at the stage of his career where its only certain games that he should play full time mid and that centre bounces and then forward provides the best way to manage his work rate and get high impact in his game.

Especially if Oliver is back and Rivers steps up. That's 3 guys of a similar body shape, athletic profile and even some similarities in their game style.

The forwards really can't be responsible for slow, predictable and low skilled forward entries. Chaplin moving to forward coach is clearly an indication they want better structure. Structure simplifies decision making and creates easier targets, that much is on the forwards but the mids have to hit them.

Talls: JVR, Turner, AJ, Petty, Jefferson, Fullarton, Kentfield

Mediums: Fritsch, Tracc, McAdam, Melk, Langford

Smalls: Pickett, Chandler, Spargo, Kolt, Kynan Brown etc

Some big changes in every role.

Does AJ make the team and then allow JVR full time forward. How does he do in that role? Can Disco round out his game and find consistency between the high quality flashes his showed in 2024? Is Petty a lock down back or does he keep the froward spot given he's the most likely to take a big contested mark and has the tank to hit the wings? I still think there's a very good forward in there but it might take him going back before being swung forward to bring it out!

Mediums are a real x factor. I hope Frtisch can bring great form in an up the ground role. Then McAdam can take the deeper role. Combine that with a good dose of Tracc and who knows, maybe Langford is ready to go too and we'll have a super strange line up with a heap of options.

Unless McAdam and another of the taller options are pressuring at an insane level I can't see the coaches going away from 3 pressure players. So there's going to be game time for someone like Kynan Brown to take if he's good enough.

 

Edited January 27Jan 27 by DeeSpencer

If our mids can lower their eyes and hit a target then JVR, Turner, Petracca, Langford and Fritsch all become more dangerous. Johnson or Jefferson will get a chance and if they both fail then I see TMac replacing Petty in the backline and Petty moving forward. The problem with Petty is he can't ruck. Johnson is the wildcard for mine. If he can reach the level then we suddenly look a whole lot better. He doesn't have to star, just compete hard in the air and help lock the ball forward and then chop out in the ruck allowing JVR to stay forward. This allows Petty to play back. Johnson needs to become our meat and potatoes third tall who on occasion gets off the leash and kicks 3-4 although kicking goals wouldn't even be his number 1 task, structurally we'd look so much more dangerous in this scenario.  I'd love an AMW or Kynan Brown to go to another level and there's still Chandler, Spargo and and McAdam. Personally I don't see it with McAdam, for mine he's a highlights reel rather than a 23 round, goal a game forward who works his butt off keeping the ball locked in. All in all it remains to be seen if out forward-mid connection can improve enough for us to seriously challenge. I think it can, we've had some really classy additions the last 2 off seasons and our young forwards are another year older.

9 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

If our mids can lower their eyes and hit a target then JVR, Turner, Petracca, Langford and Fritsch all become more dangerous. Johnson or Jefferson will get a chance and if they both fail then I see TMac replacing Petty in the backline and Petty moving forward. The problem with Petty is he can't ruck. Johnson is the wildcard for mine. If he can reach the level then we suddenly look a whole lot better. He doesn't have to star, just compete hard in the air and help lock the ball forward and then chop out in the ruck allowing JVR to stay forward. This allows Petty to play back. Johnson needs to become our meat and potatoes third tall who on occasion gets off the leash and kicks 3-4 although kicking goals wouldn't even be his number 1 task, structurally we'd look so much more dangerous in this scenario.  I'd love an AMW or Kynan Brown to go to another level and there's still Chandler, Spargo and and McAdam. Personally I don't see it with McAdam, for mine he's a highlights reel rather than a 23 round, goal a game forward who works his butt off keeping the ball locked in. All in all it remains to be seen if out forward-mid connection can improve enough for us to seriously challenge. I think it can, we've had some really classy additions the last 2 off seasons and our young forwards are another year older.

A pretty reasonable summary IMO

Last year we didn't play the way we trained in pre-season.

Pre-season was lots of fast ball movements, cutting back to the corridor and playing on at all costs.

Come the regular season this disappeared. I called this out numerous times because I was flummoxed by it.

This pre season we are doing the same.

Curious.

We are still way to Max focused IMO. Easy to coach against with no dare, verve or ingenuity.

Will be watching with interest our first 8 weeks where we should be 6-2 or 7-1 given the draw.

 

I think we will have a different set up forward but not sure what option we will follow.

Petracca and Langford will share a HFF and midfield role.

There will be no role that ANB filled because Langford is the extra midfielder so you don't need the defensive forward to go on the ball.

Fritsch and Picket will take a HFF and a Pocket.

Do they go for 3 talls or 2 and another small pocket.  (probably Chandler)

Johnson is the spanner in the works.  They might rotate Johnson, Turner and JVR through the 2 main positions and resting ruck (ie one on the bench resting of them or Max)  That then allows another smaller defensive forward. The trouble is that takes up one of the 4 bench spots that usually they like to keep for running players.

You would think Sparrow, Rivers Salem and McVee would be the players alternating through the bench, given a backline of TMac, May, Lever, Petty, Windsor and Bowey.

It looks like a contest between Jefferson, Johnson and Turner for either 1 or 2 spots.

Its a good problem to have with lots of choices and then a huge amount of depth as well.

 

46 minutes ago, stinga said:

I think we will have a different set up forward but not sure what option we will follow.

Petracca and Langford will share a HFF and midfield role.

There will be no role that ANB filled because Langford is the extra midfielder so you don't need the defensive forward to go on the ball.

Fritsch and Picket will take a HFF and a Pocket.

Do they go for 3 talls or 2 and another small pocket.  (probably Chandler)

Johnson is the spanner in the works.  They might rotate Johnson, Turner and JVR through the 2 main positions and resting ruck (ie one on the bench resting of them or Max)  That then allows another smaller defensive forward. The trouble is that takes up one of the 4 bench spots that usually they like to keep for running players.

You would think Sparrow, Rivers Salem and McVee would be the players alternating through the bench, given a backline of TMac, May, Lever, Petty, Windsor and Bowey.

It looks like a contest between Jefferson, Johnson and Turner for either 1 or 2 spots.

Its a good problem to have with lots of choices and then a huge amount of depth as well.

 

I think they'll try very hard to replace ANB with either Sharp or perhaps Spargo if he can get fit. Can't see us playing Tmac, Laever, May and Petty at the same time. Imagine what an agile attack and quick entry would do to them especially on turnover, we'd get destroyed. We'll likely play 3 talls forward as we did last year, so JVR, Turner and Johnson/Jefferson will play with Fritsch, Pickett and A mix of Melksham, Petracca, Langford perhaps McAdam. 

I am ready for JVRs 50+ goal season.

fritsch has been, arguably, the best mid-sized target forward over the last five years; he should be at the peak of his powers

van rooyen looms as one of the tall key forwards of his generation 

petracca should, with a bit of luck, return the mid / fwd hybrid role where he can impact centre and forward, both from a scoring and a link in the chain

pickett is, similarly, on the precipice of being the best small forward of the current era, and his cameos on ball over the last few years have been so exciting to see

i have faith that we will have the pieces to place around them to maximise our scoring opportunities; my one concern is the lack of defensive forwards from both a 'big' and 'small' perspective, particularly if kozi is rolling through the midfield more - that up and down gut running that anb executed will definitely be missed