PREGAME: Rd 01 vs GWS

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,736]

8 minutes ago, picket fence said:

If Billings had of kicked 3 we would all be singing his praises. Give the guy a break...FINDS the footy and is a very good player!

In the side this week easily!

Great perspective PF. Billings will play an important role as a connector on the wing and we will all just have to accept he will miss some shots at goal.

[At the break of Gawn 4,514]

1 hour ago, dees189227 said:

Anyone see goody on 360 tonight? Gee I reckon McClure & morris are dying to know what what was said on that camp in bright. 

Sounds like a lot was gotten off  peoples chests

After watching Goody tonight on 360, I'm actually feeling less confident now. I reckon there's a fair chance we could see some of these teething issues with the new game plan he spoke about early on in the season. Perhaps we'll do the opposite of the last few years and come home with a wet sail and storm into the finals instead of starting hot and fading late.

[Demonstone 23,577]

15 minutes ago, picket fence said:

If Billings had of kicked 3 we would all be singing his praises.

If your Aunty had wheels, she'd be a bicycle.

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,825]

12 hours ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

I think AJ will be that guy. I reckon Melbourne supporters will love him and opposition supporters hate him. He gives me Nathan Carroll vibes and I like it.

I'm a fan of AJ already after watching one practice game.

The lad just loves the contest.

[nextskipclaz 4]

Just now, picket fence said:

If Billings had of kicked 3 we would all be singing his praises. Give the guy a break...FINDS the footy and is a very good player!

In the side this week easily!

But that's just the point, you WOULD have been, and I WOULDNT have, because I know kicking uncontested goals is not what it's about.

My question to you is, did you see his defensive efforts against Freo - a couple of goals were kicked by them from a play in which Billings made himself obsolete where he could have impacted the contest. 

I understand this kind of thinking is not what youre used to and you are looking for glamour, but I'm getting to the root, and that is a gift to you becasue we all want the ultimate success, not just to see some goals kicked at the weekend of footy... or am I wrong to assume that's what you want from your team

[DeeSpencer 26,679]

2 hours ago, nextskipclaz said:

1. remember what makes a good team these days: insistent pressure, putting 1 percenters first, sacrifical play, and then the 'space' opens up on the offence as a by-product of doing that well. Does anyone watch Billings in those aspects or are folks on this thread just concerned with who gets a kick?? Football is about what fills the negative spaces if you know what I mean. 

 

I would never have recruited Billings because I do somewhat agree that every player in a good side should have pressure and physicality. But hard runners on the wing present options for your backline to clear the ball quickly and avoid the negative outcomes that come when your backline are dump kicking or indecisive. 

2 hours ago, nextskipclaz said:

...and yes you do need speed (windsor) on the wing too, windsor held his own completely last year, with no significant endurance issues.

 

Windsor had some excellent games mixed with very quiet games where he looked tired. Battled through for nearly the whole year which was a great effort. But you don't have a plan for speed off half back if he's not back there. And we need that to break down zones and create attacking opportunities.

2 hours ago, nextskipclaz said:

2. ANYONE can kick a goal, or get on the end of one, or find space... ANYONE. And i would rather see trac kick a goal when he is in range rather than pass it off to Billings just because the little guy 'found some space'. Trac kicking goals is infinitely better of the trajectory of this teams success (not least because he is a barometer of the teams energetics - Billings has zero influence on galvanising team energy.

 

This is nonsense. Nothing beats unselfish team footy. There's moments for superstars to step up and do special things but passing inside 50 has been a really poor part of our game in recent years and it's well and truly time we see more players dish it off to guys in better spots. Billings will be on the wing if he's in the side, it will be rare that he'll be the one receiving these passes.

2 hours ago, nextskipclaz said:

3. Billings, along with Taj and perhaps others exhibit a different intent as AFL footballers - it is not something they are dying to do, it is not their raison d'etre like an Angus Brayshaw, a Bailey Fritsch or even a Charlie Spargo. And my desperation is founded on this contention: the more players in a team you have who don't really live and breathe footy (and I would go as far as to say if you have even 1 or 2 players in that state of mind - sort of content just to 'get a run'), the closer you are to failure as a group - no matter how good your top tier players are. 

 ---- This is also why Charlie Spargo is the better option than Chandler, because he is not 'goal happy', and he doesn't fake-play a role of team play which often chandler does very demonstratively. Charlie just gets down to business and shuts his mouth, but boy is he intent, and boy is his heart and gut RIGHT IN IT.

 

Bayley Fritsch - known competitive beast. That's a new one. If you don't like Billings' intensity wait til you watch Fritsch play when there's not a goal on offer.

Spargo cooks his team mates more than anyone inside 40 and spits the dummy when he isn't used when open (which I actually don't mind). Complete nonsense if you think he's not goal happy and shuts his mouth. No idea what Chandler did to get this criticism. If nothing else he's excellent at the role player aspects of his position.

[Oxdee 538]

1 hour ago, At the break of Gawn said:

After watching Goody tonight on 360, I'm actually feeling less confident now. I reckon there's a fair chance we could see some of these teething issues with the new game plan he spoke about early on in the season. Perhaps we'll do the opposite of the last few years and come home with a wet sail and storm into the finals instead of starting hot and fading late.

@binman mentioned on the podcast that we have trained this new method last off season and changed back to the more conservative style mid season. It might not be as big of a change as suggested 

[KozzyCan 975]

Was fascinating Goodwin said he wanted to play an entertaining brand of footy. I'll hold you to that Simon!

[forever demons 2,369]

21 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

Went back and watched the GWS Collingwood game, never seen a game more decided by fitness. Both teams looked pretty evenly matched at the early part of each quarter but Collingwood kept running out of gas the longer the quarters went on and that's when the Giants took control and scored heavily.

Will be interesting to see if our fitness is up to the same level as GWS.

or as low as collingwoods

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,552]

9 hours ago, At the break of Gawn said:

After watching Goody tonight on 360, I'm actually feeling less confident now. I reckon there's a fair chance we could see some of these teething issues with the new game plan he spoke about early on in the season. Perhaps we'll do the opposite of the last few years and come home with a wet sail and storm into the finals instead of starting hot and fading late.

The problem with that is we have a stack of winnable game in the first 8 weeks against the likes of North, GC, Essendon, Richmond and WC, and accordingly we can’t afford to drop these games due to “teething problems” as he clearly articulated last night.

(Well we can afford a slow start if it’s privately a rebuilding a year)

[Roost it far 10,138]

4 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

The problem with that is we have a stack of winnable game in the first 8 weeks against the likes of North, GC, Essendon, Richmond and WC, and accordingly we can’t afford to drop these games due to “teething problems” as he clearly articulated last night.

(Well we can afford a slow start if it’s privately a rebuilding a year)

No but we should be good enough to use these games to bed down adjustments and still win. I’m guessing the FD have planned everything pretty damn well. 

[samcantstandya 1,080]

10 hours ago, Demonstone said:

If your Aunty had wheels, she'd be a bicycle.

Is that a "Gino" quote. I saw an ep of that English morning breakfast show back a piece and he said it then.

[chook fowler 19,774]

1 hour ago, KozzyCan said:

Was fascinating Goodwin said he wanted to play an entertaining brand of footy. I'll hold you to that Simon!

the best entertainment comes with winning

[Deemania since 56 6,809]

10 hours ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

Great perspective PF. Billings will play an important role as a connector on the wing and we will all just have to accept he will miss some shots at goal.

With the correct encouragement/practices, he might (and is likely to) overcome the 'yips' with goal shooting, and it is agreed, he is a prolific connector and team player on the flanks; not as good as Windsor on the wings, but highly serviceable in the role.

[Deemania since 56 6,809]

1 hour ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

The problem with that is we have a stack of winnable game in the first 8 weeks against the likes of North, GC, Essendon, Richmond and WC, and accordingly we can’t afford to drop these games due to “teething problems” as he clearly articulated last night.

(Well we can afford a slow start if it’s privately a rebuilding a year)

New game plans, marque 'infinities' across the past few seasons. We need adaptability across the field of play, initiative held by the players themselves, courage and continuous pressure on opponents. 

[Queanbeyan Demon 7,024]

11 hours ago, picket fence said:

If Billings had of kicked 3 we would all be singing his praises. Give the guy a break...FINDS the footy and is a very good player!

In the side this week easily!

If I had been 6'6 with athletic ability and half a cup of courage, I would have played CHF for Croydon.

Edited 1 hour ago by Queanbeyan Demon

[old55 23,861]

2 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

Was fascinating Goodwin said he wanted to play an entertaining brand of footy. I'll hold you to that Simon!

I'm generally entertained when we're winning.

[Lucifers Hero 40,722]

I'm still very optimistic about this game.

They beat us by 2 points in rain soaked Alice in 2023 when the score line was 7.5 to our 5.15.  They were lucky Lever had a brain fade in the last minutes, didn't man the mark and let Kelly kick a 60m goal.  So I wouldn't think they are much better than us playing when wet.

Last year they beat us by 2 points again in 2024 with a score line of 13.7 to our 12.11 at the G.  Their midfield were very good but we had no Petracca, an underdone Oliver and Viney was having a poor patch of form. 

Of their 2024 team Hogan, Perryman, Peating, Briggs and maybe Green won't be there.  We will be missing a few, namely Pickett and to a lesser extent McVee and ANB but have Oliver and Petracca back. 

It is a shame Melksham isn't playing as he is very good as a 'defensive forward/decoy' to take Taylor away from the play.  Not sure we have anyone else that is respected enough that Taylor has to follow.

It will be close but don't fear them at all.

[Queanbeyan Demon 7,024]

On 12/03/2025 at 01:50, nextskipclaz said:

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 🤬 😖😓 

Mate, I think you've just unlocked a new tier of existential footy crisis here. I mean, forget the heat death of the universe—the real question is how does Jack Billings keep getting games?

And, how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go 'round?
How can you mend this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again

Edited 49 minutes ago by Queanbeyan Demon

[picket fence 18,187]

16 minutes ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

If I had been 6'6 with athletic ability and half a cup of courage, I would have played CHF for Croydon.

If I had of been a 6,footer and a tad quicker I would have played 200 games for the Dees such was my skill level!

[binman 44,824]

10 hours ago, Oxdee said:

@binman mentioned on the podcast that we have trained this new method last off season and changed back to the more conservative style mid season. It might not be as big of a change as suggested 

Personally I think the biggest challenges we have in terms of implementing a new, more agrresive method, in order of importance are:

- our defensive system 

- our propensity to turn the ball over

- leg speed

And obviously fitness is a key factor as attacking with fast ball movement and aggressive transition, and equally importantly defending the same is impossible for a whole game without elite fitness and running power

We saw the perfect example of the above in the pies gws game.

Surely to goodness the pies blew up with the humidity or some such - how else to explain them stopping to a walk in the last quarter of their first game of the season. If the issue is they are simply not fit enough they are toast this season. The pies run fell off a cliff in the last quarter (and late in quarters) and they couldn't transition the ball.

But more worryingly for them they couldn't defend transition. Evidencing that the giants outscored the pies by 8 goals from defensive half transitions, a big chunk of that in the last quarter. 

It looked so similar to many of our losses in the back half of last season.

It's ironic given the pies were the masters of transition footy, winning a flag just 18 months ago with that method.

We've now had two preseasons drilling in more offensive transition and practicing strategies like long forward handballs that many teams seem to be implementing. And signs are positive that we have the  fitness to implement a more attacking transition game.

But we took years to implement a zone based defensive sytem, the best in the AFL for much of 2021 to 2023.

Now we have to retool that system, which is no easy thing given defensive systems rely on every player (including non defenders) instinctively understanding the structures and their own role. And have to have complete trust their teamates also doing so.

The other challenge we face defensively is our relative lack of leg speed.

If we don't play the deep anchor role we have traditionally used in defence to defend turnovers (or use it less often, or perhaps set  not as deep) our defenders have to have the wheels to get back when we turn it over. And we are not blessed with speed.  

On that front I've been very bullish that tmac plays, but perhaps Howes gets the nod as he is considerably quicker than tmac. And I've no doubt this a big factor in Windsor going back.

Turnovers were a key factor in most of our losses last year. They killed us, both in terms of breaking potential scoring chains and exposing our defence. We have targeted players who are good kicks in the last few years - for example Laurie, Sestan, Hunter and Billings. Windsor, Langford and Francis obviously have other positive attributes but all are good kicks.

Turnovers are always going to happen. Even the very best kicks miss targets and turn it over. And all teams turn the ball over regularly. The difference is in the margins. We only need to reduce our turnovers by a relatively small percentage to get a big improvement. Can we do that? I'm not convinced we'll radically reduce turnovers, but again we don't have to.

Another preseason of drilling transition will help (for example because players will more instinctively know where teamates should be) and the addition of Langford and in particular Lindsay helps.

And I think we will see goody continue to use the strategy of chipping it around in the back half, particularly against quick teams, to reduce turnovers (and control the tempo, helping ensure games don't become end to end running fests).

By the by, on arelated note, the focus on Billings missed shots at goal is a complete furphy - as frustrating as they are kicking goals is not his role. Being a link in transition chains and defending turnovers is his role. And key to both is reducing turnovers.

I can't see Billings not being selected- he's quick enough, looks super fit and crucially is reliable by foot, particularly those boring, but critical 20 metre kicks that if turned over (hello Mr May) cost us goals both ways.

Edited 11 minutes ago by binman

[DistrACTION Jackson 10,736]

8 minutes ago, binman said:

Personally I think the biggest challenges we have in terms of implementing a new, more agrresive method, in order of importance are:

- our defensive system 

- our propensity to turn the ball over

- leg speed

 

I'm not so sure leg speed is as big an issue for us now as it was the last few years.

Windsor, McVee, Bowey, Sharp, Langdon, Chandler, Pickett, Tholstrup & Lindsay all have decent wheels from what I've seen.

Even guys like Salem, Oliver & Rivers, while not lightening quick have decent enough pace.

[binman 44,824]

5 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I'm not so sure leg speed is as big an issue for us now as it was the last few years.

Windsor, McVee, Bowey, Sharp, Langdon, Chandler, Pickett, Tholstrup & Lindsay all have decent wheels from what I've seen.

Even guys like Salem, Oliver & Rivers, while not lightening quick have decent enough pace.

Yep, fair call (though i'm not sold on Salem, Oliver & Rivers having decent enough pace) - and Spargs is not slow.

But none of May, Lever and Tmac are all pretty slow which can expose us defensively when those players push up high and the ball is turned over.