GWS will have a short forwardline with all their injuries to talls, so will need the midfield to be on their pressure game, force as many long high balls as possible for May/Lever/Petty to intercept.

Howes has been something of a disappointment. Looks the goods but hasn't delivered so far. However, with McVee out he's the obvious replacement. Fingers crossed for improvement.

That Bedford bloke at GWS ... he looks an OK player!! He's the type of player we could use.

5 minutes ago, At Least I Saw a Flag said:

Howes has been something of a disappointment. Looks the goods but hasn't delivered so far. However, with McVee out he's the obvious replacement. Fingers crossed for improvement.

That Bedford bloke at GWS ... he looks an OK player!! He's the type of player we could use.

Howes has been played out of position. 

He was drafted off the back of an All Australian under 16s year as a half forward and even before covid struck in his under 18s days he was playing fairly well as a Jack Gunston type forward who could push up to a wing.

He looks completely out of his depth playing down back and I feel with our current forward issues, I'd love to see him in his natural position where I think he could actually thrive.

3 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

I'm saying that we shouldn't play three tall forwards against the Giants in the wet and I think Johnson and JVR are ahead of him.

I wouldn’t be playing either, if we want to take a tall in then Tom Campbell would be my pick, gives max a proper chop out and didn’t look bad when he got fwd in the north practice 

9 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Howes has been played out of position. 

He was drafted off the back of an All Australian under 16s year as a half forward and even before covid struck in his under 18s days he was playing fairly well as a Jack Gunston type forward who could push up to a wing.

He looks completely out of his depth playing down back and I feel with our current forward issues, I'd love to see him in his natural position where I think he could actually thrive.

Totally agree, he’s just to tentative as a back man. You can see his brain turning over. I’d love to see him given some time forward and perhaps even fly Turner back. 

I was unpleasantly surprised about GWS last weekend. I thought they'd start the season slowly given their injuries, pre season form and potential scarring from the finals last year (make no mistake their 2024 finals campaign was more humiliating than ours in 2023). Full credit to them in beating a Collingwood side who I'm still bullish on in finishing top 4 (due to all their MCG games coming up) and GWS are clearly going to be one of the best sides this year.

Accordingly, I don't expect to win on Sunday although there is a slight chance that GWS could come out flat after an emotionally driven win to silence the critics. I gave us a chance prior to GWS's performance last week, but I now see them as a class above us in defence and attack. Midfield we have the potential of winning due to Max's expected dominance, but geez they bat deeper than us, particularly with Green likely back and Bedford being able to successfully tag.

Even if we lose, I'll still be buoyed if the following happens:

1) the lead ebbs and flows all day and the game is up for grabs with 5 minutes to go. I'm not interested in an 18 point loss after being 36 points down earlier in the day.

2) I don't want us kicking something horrible like 8.16.64 while the oppo gets out of jail by kicking 13.5.83. We win the honourable expected scoreline but lose the 4 points. It's absolutely soul destroying and I want to head home with the knowledge that we did all we could in relation to conversion.

3) a game plan that we can be excited about for the season ahead with the inclusion of Kozzie in round 4. A game plan that focuses on scoreboard pressure while withstanding premium offence and defence from quality opposition as the standard of AFL is getting so much faster by the year.

 

 

Edited March 11Mar 11 by Bring-Back-Powell

16 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

Totally agree, he’s just to tentative as a back man. You can see his brain turning over. I’d love to see him given some time forward and perhaps even fly Turner back. 

I suspect these 'fringe' players are so scared of making an error they forget to play their natural game?

1 minute ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I was unpleasantly surprised about GWS last weekend. I thought they'd start the season slowly given their injuries, pre season form and potential scarring from the finals last year (make no mistake their 2024 finals campaign was more humiliating than ours in 2023). Full credit to them in beating a Collingwood side who I'm still bullish on in finishing top 4 (due to all their MCG games coming up) and GWS are clearly going to be one of the best sides this year.

Accordingly, I don't expect to win on Sunday. I gave us a chance prior to GWS's performance last week, but I now see them as a class above us in defence and attack. Midfield we have the potential of winning due to Max's expected dominance, but geez they bat deeper than us, particularly with Green likely back and Bedford being able to successfully tag.

Even if we lose, I'll still be buoyed if the following happens:

1) the lead ebbs and flows all day and the game is up for grabs with 5 minutes to go. I'm not interested in an 18 point loss after being 36 points down earlier in the day.

2) I don't want us kicking something horrible like 8.16.64 while the oppo gets out of jail by kicking 13.5.83. We win the honourable expected scoreline but lose the 4 points. It's absolutely soul destroying and I want to head home with the knowledge that we did all we could in relation to conversion.

3) a game plan that we can be excited about for the season ahead with the inclusion of Kozzie in round 4. A game plan that focuses on scoreboard pressure while withstanding premium offence and defence from quality opposition as the standard of AFL is getting so much faster by the year.

 

 

To me it all seems dependent on stopping their running game. It looks pretty powerful. Hopefully our fitness is up to scratch and we're able to cut off their fwd handball chains.

54 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Howes has been played out of position. 

He was drafted off the back of an All Australian under 16s year as a half forward and even before covid struck in his under 18s days he was playing fairly well as a Jack Gunston type forward who could push up to a wing.

He looks completely out of his depth playing down back and I feel with our current forward issues, I'd love to see him in his natural position where I think he could actually thrive.

I’m pretty sure it was the form on the wing that saw him get drafted, rather than some traits as a forward.

We’ve often played him as a lockdown back pocket due to lack of other options which might not suit. But he’s hardly demanded to play as a half back, yet alone anywhere else. And back is the easiest place on the ground to win the ball and rack up disposals. If he can’t do that part where it’s easy I struggle to see how he makes any impact forward.

On 02/03/2025 at 23:19, dazzledavey36 said:

I've never rated him one bit to be honest.

I'm pinging my hope on Henderson becoming a handy little player and maybe Spargo gets back to form so that we see less of Chandler.

Hasn’t Chandler had an interrupted preseason.? I think that at his best he is a pretty good forward. Sharp shooter

On 06/03/2025 at 03:26, 58er said:

First of all I detest a team nominated and only 22 named. Just because Goody very rarely uses our 23rd named is no excuse either. 

Following the game vs Freo ( and Petty was out why did we not play Tmac on day on Tracey?)

we missed many tackles only half grabs mostly in defence and deep forward. I don’t think the 2 talls helped and the trio of Bowey Salem and Windsor (all very good footballers btw) was rather vanilla and looked ill equipped to put real pressure on the forwards as a team and definitely one on one. 

If Windsor is at half back We need 3 talls and McVee or Rivers on one flank to be physically proficient for most attacks.

As I have suggested all summer/Pre season the Duke is a natural attacking forward style player that was lost at half back IMO and with Salem  and Bowey lacked  the grunt and physical presence plus pressure to effect the game iMO.

As for the Forward line once Rooy was off it was op against it. Again Chin is a long way off as a hf flanker and has no form for about back to KB last year. 

Fritta is lost away from goals and we need all our finishers in the arc, including Trac when he rests up forward, also surely is Billing’s better nearer goals yo reach the distance at least plus I think the new players either Hendo or Culley on HFF and definitely Pup on one flank for pace and finishing and Sharp near goal when on the ground. 

In the post about our forward line most got it wrong IMO and the third tall should be Jeffo.as He has more forward finishing skills than the other talls. We need players to get say 10 disposals forward and 2/3 goals plus 2/3/4 assists not 15 wasted entries like Zvoney and I thought Lingers although busy shanked his kicks a lot plus no leading didn’t help. Our below par goal kicking in the first term and last cody us  the game. 

Lastly I reckon most of our match sims have been more energetic than this without Maybe the commentators reduced the skill of the game by lazy chatty style. 

Sorry for the length but we have  great scope for improvement with effort team selection and two or three additions TO OUR 23. 

 

The idea that Henderson or Curley be played without a single practice match seems ridiculous . If JVR can’t play, by all means give Jefferson  a run,  but,  either way, Johnson should be in the 22. I don’t want to see JVR or Jefferson in the ruck

In a lot of ways, the scoreboard and match conditions flattered GWS last week. They def played well but a hot, dry and fast track against a bunch of 30 somethings and an underdone/ injured Daicos played right into their hands. 

They did show their 1-wood of overlap running and linking by hand.  All well and good but the conditions at the G on Sunday will not favour this.   If rain is about, this is going to look a very different game.  Gws got spanked in contested possession and we should consistently win it at the source and starve their outside game.  So if the conditions nullify, to some extent, their fast playing style,  I hope we address their 2 other aces. 

Cant let Taylor dominate for 4 quarters, few intercepts here and there are going to happen but we must direct entries away from him in open play. 

Cant leave Callaghan unchecked from stoppages. He is so good. 

If Tony Greene kicks 5 snapping out of packs and they win so be it.. we dont really have a great match up. 

DEES BY 16. 

Do we try to run with GWS?

Or do we create an extra back by dropping Rivers from the middle in to a back 7 or sweeper role. Rolling an extra mid on ball and living with 5 v 6 at our end (knowing scoring will be very hard).

I suspect we’ll start out trying to play with them. Not sure how long it will last.

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

He looks completely out of his depth playing down back and I feel with our current forward issues, I'd love to see him in his natural position where I think he could actually thrive.

He had 2 years at Casey playing in his "natural position" or variations of (wing?), and he did the opposite of thrive. The move down back was a last resort.

On 10/03/2025 at 20:09, bobby1554 said:

This game will tell us a lot about how we fare this year. I expect GWS to be top 4 this year, along with Hawthorn, Brisbane and Fremantle. Where we fit in that 5-14 position could be revealed Sunday

You're drawing end of season conclusions from round one?

How old are you, kid?

3 hours ago, bing181 said:

He had 2 years at Casey playing in his "natural position" or variations of (wing?), and he did the opposite of thrive. The move down back was a last resort.

Incorrect.

He missed a chunk of 2022 then played as a wingman in thr back end of that year.

Played down back in 2023 and then missed half a season with a wrist injury.

So no, he's barely played in his natural position as a roaming tall forward.

23 minutes ago, pitmaster said:

You're drawing end of season conclusions from round one?

How old are you, kid?

Yes. Plenty of the football media have given their predictions for the year. Want to have a go at them too?

As for my age, I rode that 57 year bus, and then STILL missed seeing us win one! So spare me your patronising attitude champ

Although it is goes against the grain, we need 3 talls up forward.  Johnson should be picked with JVR and Disco.  He gives a greater contest.

Melbourne by 4 goals and finishing the season in third.  I really rate Langford, Howes and Lindsay although the latter is not ready yet.

On Billings ...
Can someone please explain the logic behind this series of events 

2024: 

- Billings proves himself miserably limited in all of intent, execution and sacrificial team play including pressure on the ball carrier (literally just meanders about), not to mention his body just isnt really made for AFL footy.

2025 preseason: 

- no apparent change in Billings. In fact, he is still finding himself space in the forward line for a cheap shot because until those moments he hasn't won the respect of the opposition. Not to mention his kicking for goal is atrocious, but not because it's an off kicking day, simply because he doesn't have any sign of really wanting it and earning it. You can tell from his demeanour, he just sort of kicks, without meaning, trying not to [censored] up (a terrible attitude to have and unfit for AFL) when he should be going for broke instead - afterall his spot in the team requires him to 'prove' himself rather than 'save' himself. 

- Billings fills Langdon's wing position (a role Langdon has mastered and one that is pivotal to our success in game), even when Sharp could fill it instead, OR Windsor ( we dont NEED Sharp forward, nor Windsor back, nor Langdon suddenly the panacea midfielder(!!) - a position already stacked with clarry trac viney sparrow rivers etc) 

2025 preview of round 1 

- Now fans are just accepting that Billings will be selected for round 1 with apparently very little interest in this catastrophe. 

  

  

  

WORD OF ADVICE - it literally takes 1 weak link in the chain in a single play to cause opposition dominance  

I'm going out of my head here 🤬 😖😓 

Henderson, Johnson and T-Mac to start up forward alongside JVR Fritsch and Chandler. Disco and Campbell will have to wait until the match-ups are right.

1 hour ago, Demondan75 said:

Henderson, Johnson and T-Mac to start up forward alongside JVR Fritsch and Chandler. Disco and Campbell will have to wait until the match-ups are right.

There's no way TMac will be played up forward.

Rain looking increasingly likely...

13 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Do we try to run with GWS?

Or do we create an extra back by dropping Rivers from the middle in to a back 7 or sweeper role. Rolling an extra mid on ball and living with 5 v 6 at our end (knowing scoring will be very hard).

I suspect we’ll start out trying to play with them. Not sure how long it will last.

I think we’ll get beat if we try to go with them in a running game. Thats just not our strength. I think we have to play a forward half game which I think we can win if we kick reasonably straight which is a reasonably sized IF. Nightmares have us at 1.12 in the third quarter to their 8.3

21 hours ago, Adam The God said:

Of the available players and based on pre season form, my 23 for the GWS game would be:

Howes May Lever

Salem Petty Windsor

Sharp Oliver Billings

Sparrow AJ Petracca 

Fritta JVR Viney 

Gawn Rivers Langdon

Langford Chandler Bowey Lindsay

Sub. Henderson 

I like this team. Think we need to go small and quick to match the Giants and if the forecast rain eventuates. I would though start Henderson and have Bowey as sub. I think Bowey needs message sent, has been poor since his injury. 

15 minutes ago, Demon Jack said:

Rain looking increasingly likely...

Weatherzone predict 27 degrees with 80% chance of rain @ 10-20 mm. Not condusive to too many talls or having an F1 race at Albert park