As everyone picks their starting 22, and Petty, May and Lever fill the key backline positions, I say we play Tom at  CHF. IMV none of the key forward contenders are showing much except JVR who must play FF. Make Turner , Johnson, Jefferson,  etc fight for their spot. At least we know we get a great contest  with Tom who had  an excellent year in 24, admittedly on the backline . Turner shows flashes but, really, how many disposals a match will he get? 8 or 10?  If Tom plays, is told to move around to offer targets from the middle of the ground, I’d rather have him at this stage 

4 minutes ago, Farmer said:

As everyone picks their starting 22, and Petty, May and Lever fill the key backline positions, I say we play Tom at  CHF. IMV none of the key forward contenders are showing much except JVR who must play FF. Make Turner , Johnson, Jefferson,  etc fight for their spot. At least we know we get a great contest  with Tom who had  an excellent year in 24, admittedly on the backline . Turner shows flashes but, really, how many disposals a match will he get? 8 or 10?  If Tom plays, is told to move around to offer targets from the middle of the ground, I’d rather have him at this stage 

He said on numerous occasions in interviews last year that the state of his ankle and foot means he no longer has the agility/mobility required to play forward anymore. Won’t happen.

Edited February 16, 20251 yr by Dee Boys

4 minutes ago, Farmer said:

As everyone picks their starting 22, and Petty, May and Lever fill the key backline positions, I say we play Tom at  CHF. IMV none of the key forward contenders are showing much except JVR who must play FF. Make Turner , Johnson, Jefferson,  etc fight for their spot. At least we know we get a great contest  with Tom who had  an excellent year in 24, admittedly on the backline . Turner shows flashes but, really, how many disposals a match will he get? 8 or 10?  If Tom plays, is told to move around to offer targets from the middle of the ground, I’d rather have him at this stage 

Turner's 8 0r 10 touches = 2 or even 3 goals!

1 hour ago, waynewussell said:

Turner's 8 0r 10 touches = 2 or even 3 goals!

How often has he done that? Once?

2 minutes ago, Farmer said:

How often has he done that? Once?

Daniel Turner 2024

Round 8, 13 disposals, 3 goals

Round 16, 6 disp, 2 goals

R19, 8 disp, 3 goals

R 24, 11 disp, 4 goals

Just now, waynewussell said:

Daniel Turner 2024

Round 8, 13 disposals, 3 goals

Round 16, 6 disp, 2 goals

R19, 8 disp, 3 goals

R 24, 11 disp, 4 goals

First season playing forward and really only moved into the role after pre season from memory. 

5 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

First season playing forward and really only moved into the role after pre season from memory. 

try halfway thru 2024 - had been down back til he was shunted forward one week in the vfl; next week he was playing seniors as a forward

plugger mac said last year that his ankles make it hard for him to play as a forward - i don't quite understand why, but i presume it's something to do with the running and pivoting required

our forward structure in 2024 and going, ahem, forward would seem to be set at van rooyen, turner, fritsch, and then one of jefferson / johnson / insert-mobile-tall-here

I’m not convinced Petty is an upgrade on TMac as a defender. TMac was excellent last season. 

Turner has played as a forward in every pre-season training session I have attended. McDonald has trained as a back in all of those. 35 days to our first game, only a massive injury count before March 23rd will have McDonald as a forward. I'm surprised that Macca is now primarily in the white (possibles) team for match sims. I think his form as a key back has been excellent.

20 minutes ago, waynewussell said:

35 days to our first game

28 days, I think @waynewussell.  Bring it on.

Have to assume OP lived in a cave in 2022 and 2023.

We might have to chuck Tom forward again at some stage but it would be utter madness to do it as a plan at the start of the year.

 

33 minutes ago, waynewussell said:

Turner has played as a forward in every pre-season training session I have attended. McDonald has trained as a back in all of those. 35 days to our first game, only a massive injury count before March 23rd will have McDonald as a forward. I'm surprised that Macca is now primarily in the white (possibles) team for match sims. I think his form as a key back has been excellent.

As mentioned in another thread - this is our selection dilemma. It is unlikely that May, Lever, Petty and TMac can play in the same backline - unless we are against a very tall (and hopefully slow) forward line. The only good thing about this dilemma is that we have a ready-made "tall back three" should any one of them be injured. 

Left field option, given TMac's solid pre-season and good match sim form, maybe they think of Petty as a genuine swing player (second ruck), i.e. you pick all four above but only three of them are playing back at any one time? Bowey, Howes and Salem are your three "small backs", with Windsor in his new role off half-back.

2 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

I’m not convinced Petty is an upgrade on TMac as a defender. TMac was excellent last season. 

me either

what i am convinced by is that may + lever + petty is a better back 3 than may + lever + mcdonald, both in 2021, 2025, and in to the future

petty will assume the role as our #1 tall defender once may retires - super 1:1, excellent defending the aerial ball, zones well, disposes of it neatly

3 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

As mentioned in another thread - this is our selection dilemma. It is unlikely that May, Lever, Petty and TMac can play in the same backline - unless we are against a very tall (and hopefully slow) forward line. The only good thing about this dilemma is that we have a ready-made "tall back three" should any one of them be injured. 

Left field option, given TMac's solid pre-season and good match sim form, maybe they think of Petty as a genuine swing player (second ruck), i.e. you pick all four above but only three of them are playing back at any one time? Bowey, Howes and Salem are your three "small backs", with Windsor in his new role off half-back.

I believe Petty has trained this pre-season both backline and forward. I think they will go with May, Lever and McDonald backline and use Petty as swingman to rest McDonald, pinch-hit ruck, and swap with tall forwards if they have a rest and assume full-time back man if one of May or McDonald injured, need management with TOG or resting for matches, which at their ages should start to occur, or if out of form. 

6 hours ago, Farmer said:

How often has he done that? Once?

He is still learning and developing has hardly played 10 games as a forward and you  want to axe  him. Be patient he will succeed . 

Tommy was thrown forward on a few occasions for 5 or 10mins in games we were struggling to take marks in that part of the ground and cluncked some good ones. He's well got the ability to finish it on the scoreboard when he takes them. Would love to see him used more in that sort of capacity.

Particularly if we also have Petty in defence and/or as a similar swing man, I think it gives us a great oppertunity to create a mismatch and catch sides out.  Even if it isn't T Mac or Petty going for the grab directly has the potential to create confusion and doubt for the opposition defenders and maybe its Roo, Disco or Fritta that comes over the top and takes the grab (certainly makes it harder to double or tripple man them to take them out of the contest) Sometimes all it takes is one goal against the flow to break a game open or get you back in it.

Edited February 16, 20251 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

15 hours ago, Harvey Wallbanger said:

As mentioned in another thread - this is our selection dilemma. It is unlikely that May, Lever, Petty and TMac can play in the same backline - unless we are against a very tall (and hopefully slow) forward line. The only good thing about this dilemma is that we have a ready-made "tall back three" should any one of them be injured. 

Or it gives us the option to be rotating one of those 4 off the bench some of the time.  May and Lever play best when they don't have a lock down role, so always having someone there to take that role frees them up in that sense and we'd never be caught out being short in defence height wise.

Probably want them all playing more than 75% game time, so perhaps the remaining time could be spent in the ruck and up forward for bursts.

TMac at CHF?? Um nope, plays back or doesnt play at all!

18 hours ago, waynewussell said:

Daniel Turner 2024

Round 8, 13 disposals, 3 goals

Round 16, 6 disp, 2 goals

R19, 8 disp, 3 goals

R 24, 11 disp, 4 goals

Sure.

I'll give you some terrific games where he has kicked mutiple goals with few possessions.

And, sure I'll give you that remarkable thing about his work as a forward is this preseason is only third AFL preseason (by way of contrast jvr has 4 under his belt) - and nly his FIRST where he has trained as a forward all preseason.

But Wayne, what did Turner ever do for us?

Turner is a straight kick!

I imagine Petty will largely play back barring an injury to a tall forward. I think last year showed that having him in the ruck is diabolically bad. I doubt we’ll experiment with that again.

Alternatively Johnson plays FF with JVR at CHF

Turner the 3rd tall when needed

In some ways the CHF position is more important than the FF position 

JVR has done ok when previously playing CHF and Johnson's role could be to add a physical presence (from the front position)

Bringing the ball to ground for the crumbers (whilst taking the odd grab) 

We'll know more after the practice match and the match simulation

8 minutes ago, Macca said:

Alternatively Johnson plays FF with JVR at CHF

Turner the 3rd tall when needed

In some ways the CHF position is more important than the FF position 

JVR has done ok when previously playing CHF and Johnson's role could be to add a physical presence (from the front position)

Bringing the ball to ground for the crumbers (whilst taking the odd grab) 

We'll know more after the practice match and the match simulation

I think Johnson could just as easily play close to goal to help bring ball to ground from the more rushed forward entries. He could go alright with a mix of Pickett, Chandler, Spargo at his feet.

2 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I think Johnson could just as easily play close to goal to help bring ball to ground from the more rushed forward entries. He could go alright with a mix of Pickett, Chandler, Spargo at his feet.

Our weak spot is taking marks in the hot spot.  Because of that, our forward forays are often via the cape

Just now, Macca said:

Our weak spot is taking marks in the hot spot.  Because of that, our forward forays are often via the cape

Indeed, we’re all hoping to see improvements in that front this season.