2 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

Agree, i don't think it has been said yet but our stoppage work especially at centre bounces should be no different than what it was irrespective of game plan adopted. I know they are running through new personnel, but not sure that completely explains how we have fallen off a cliff here.

20 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Excellent report, thankyou. To clarify, when you say you could see Lindsay and Jefferson "playing next week" I assume you mean Round 5 rather than Round 4? Is that right?

Correct

Given that Round 4 is Friday and “this week”, then next week is Round 5

17 minutes ago, bluey said:

Fullers came to us as a ready made player, I heard he crossed Goodies bad side last year over a difference and has his cards marked.

Sestan has been hanging off the back of the list for three years and will never replace Marty Ho.

Kentfield more of a recruiting blunder than anything else.

Verrall is a mystery man, a head scratcher.

You have no clue Bluey

Sestan has only just started his third year, and it is hard for him to replace Hore given he got moved to the backline about 4 months ago

Kentfield is 19 and hasn’t even been at the club 12 months, of which 2 months he was seriously ill… Recruiting blunder?? Pfffft

Verrall is a 21yo developing ruck behind the GOAT. Expecting him to debut by now is the only head scratcher here….

Not sure you understand the concepts of patience and player development. These players may not make it, but it’s much too early to know

2 hours ago, DemonKolt said:

I may be biased… but my god Tholstrup had mongrel and talent. He was roughing up Oliver and Viney with full encouragement by Goodwin to do so. Expect to see #19 and #12 as prime midfielders once we hit 2026

He is very quickly going to be my new favourite player I think. Love that Kolt.

25 minutes ago, bluey said:

Fullers came to us as a ready made player, I heard he crossed Goodies bad side last year over a difference and has his cards marked.

Sestan has been hanging off the back of the list for three years and will never replace Marty Ho.

Kentfield more of a recruiting blunder than anything else.

Verrall is a mystery man, a head scratcher.

3 of them are rookies so tbh it doesn't faze me much.

If you are right about the Fullarton/Goodwin issue, which is a rumour so not confirmed, then Goody needs to pull his head out his a$$ and worry about playing players in form.

2 hours ago, Adam The God said:

Laurie played midfield back end of last year. He did okay, but I think his pace is an issue there. I'd be more up for him playing half forward though.

I think AFL teams are using the EPL method more and more. If you think about the use of chipping at the back to shift the defence and open up pockets of space in the corridor or behind the defence, this is something I think we're attempting with our chip game, that hasn't clicked yet.

Didnt he come second in the the 2k time trial to Sharp?

He may not have blistering speed by he's OK

3 minutes ago, DemonKolt said:

You have no clue Bluey

Sestan has only just started his third year, and it is hard for him to replace Hore given he got moved to the backline about 4 months ago

Kentfield is 19 and hasn’t even been at the club 12 months, of which 2 months he was seriously ill… Recruiting blunder?? Pfffft

Verrall is a 21yo developing ruck behind the GOAT. Expecting him to debut by now is the only head scratcher here….

Not sure you understand the concepts of patience and player development. These players may not make it, but it’s much too early to know

They are hard facts, I understand that, not easy for everyone to digest, plenty of supporters are delusional about the back half of the list.

54 minutes ago, bluey said:

So it’s safe to say Fullerton, Sestan, Kentfield and Verrall have their exit papers stamped.

It's the start of the season. Ease up turbo.

29 minutes ago, bluey said:

Fullers came to us as a ready made player, I heard he crossed Goodies bad side last year over a difference and has his cards marked.

Sestan has been hanging off the back of the list for three years and will never replace Marty Ho.

Kentfield more of a recruiting blunder than anything else.

Verrall is a mystery man, a head scratcher.

Fullarton hasn't played because he sucks.

Fullarton has had a couple of strong weeks at Casey.

Casey's frantic and often fumbling ball movement has favoured his marking game.

Not sure if he will get a call up but form is decent.

Wouldn't mind seeing him trialled for a half each week down back. Fringe players have to play more than one position these days IMO.

Laurie, Woey and Brown ... just not sure. None seems to have that X factor needed to succeed at today's AFL

15 minutes ago, DemonKolt said:

Correct

Given that Round 4 is Friday and “this week”, then next week is Round 5

Are you the real DemonKolt? :D

1 minute ago, jnrmac said:

Didnt he come second in the the 2k time trial to Sharp?

He may not have blistering speed by he's OK

A time trial is a bit different mate then having a bouncing oval ball in front of you, and someone like Bruzza chasing you with evil intent, a lot different.

49 minutes ago, DubDee said:

Cue the outrage when Fritsch doesn't get dropped

He is obviously playing poorly but had 15 touches and 8 score involvements. Better than the rest of the forwards

Obviously he is out of form and some of his efforts are poor but he not a chance to be dropped with so many worse performers

His last 9 games he has been goalless 4 times and not kicked more then 2 goals in a game

His total lack of impact in first halves is frankly disgraceful and has been for 2 seasons.

2 minutes ago, bluey said:

A time trial is a bit different mate then having a bouncing oval ball in front of you, and someone like Bruzza chasing you with evil intent, a lot different.

Thanks Sherlock

3 hours ago, Adam The God said:

Laurie played midfield back end of last year. He did okay, but I think his pace is an issue there. I'd be more up for him playing half forward though.

I think AFL teams are using the EPL method more and more. If you think about the use of chipping at the back to shift the defence and open up pockets of space in the corridor or behind the defence, this is something I think we're attempting with our chip game, that hasn't clicked yet.

The Hawks did it in their golden years nothing new there.

4 hours ago, delaxey said:

They should give Laurie a game as a full time mid. Every time hes played for the dees it has been as a small forward which just isnt his natural position. He dominates as an inside mid at vfl level and has great disposal.

Would love to see him get a good run at the afl level

Does he dominate or does he do what is expected of a mature age midfielder? We’ve seen Dunstan, Viv Michie and JKH and many more over the years produce 30 and a goal at Casey.

I’d like to see him get a real go but it’s hard to argue that our midfield needs another slow mid

3 hours ago, Pennant St Dee said:

The big one is the short 45 kicking game to counter an opponent who presses and once you find the one who is sagging off go with speed on the ball in a more direct forward motion. That was happening in soccer for years with their short passing in triangles to draw teams out then go with a diagonal pass behind the back.

There’s also the popular in vogue scoring from turnover from the defensive half, which is very much what Elenio Herrera’s Inter Milan sides of the 60s were built on and still to this day is very much used as the call in soccer “counter attack”

Yep, good call.

The method obviously requires players to hit a high percentage of those short 15-20 metre kicks - kicks AFL players under little pressure should hit 85% of the time (does my head in how many of our players miss those kicks).

But just as important, perhaps more so, is multiple teammates have to bust a gut to offer a lead up target (multiple is important because it stretches defences and breaks zone).

That requires fitness and a willingness to do lots of unrewarding running, which is a mental thing. Brisbane are brilliant at it, as are the Cats. We were terrible at it against the Sun, which is real worry.

4 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Does he dominate or does he do what is expected of a mature age midfielder? We’ve seen Dunstan, Viv Michie and JKH and many more over the years produce 30 and a goal at Casey.

I’d like to see him get a real go but it’s hard to argue that our midfield needs another slow mid

id like to see Laurie trialed in AMWs back pocket role.

27 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Didnt he come second in the the 2k time trial to Sharp?

He may not have blistering speed by he's OK

Time trial and speed are completely different things. Even Sharp is only moderately quick, although he can sustain the high cruising speed for long distances.

Laurie would be our slowest mid or perhaps on par with the big bodies of Langford and Culley, he can just sustain his running over 2km.

1 minute ago, Bay Riffin said:

id like to see Laurie trialed in AMWs back pocket role.

Why? No aerial game, no speed, would be a disaster. Paul Johnson in the back pocket level stuff

33 minutes ago, bluey said:

They are hard facts, I understand that, not easy for everyone to digest, plenty of supporters are delusional about the back half of the list.

Disagree on Kentfield. I’m not high on him but he looked ok before Christmas, I’m not sure debilitating pneumonia was on the draft profile.

Also willing to give Verrall at least this year.

Sestan should’ve been moved to half back at Casey mid last year and then made a decision on.

Fullarton was beyond dreadful at Casey last year in terms of doing anything like the basics in the ruck or forward. They’ve now largely given up on him as a ruck but if his forward game improves I hope he gets a chance, he does have the combination of athleticism and actual height we’ve been crying out for. But I’m not blaming our coaches based on what he served up at Casey last year.

Fringe talls are always a gamble that you often have to be patient with. It’s recontracting unremarkable fringe mids and flankers where I think we’ve gone badly wrong.

4 hours ago, binman said:

It's funny you should note that as there quite a lot of overlap between soccer and AFL in terms of tactics and method (i think AFL coaches are influenced by methods and tactics employed in soccer)

As an example, i asked Copilot this question:

In 100 words or less describe Arsenal's current tactical method.

Copilots' answer was:

Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, employs a fluid tactical approach. They often use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, focusing on high pressing and quick transitions. The team emphasizes building from the back, with fullbacks like Zinchenko inverting to bolster midfield control.

Arteta's side adapts formations to exploit opponents' weaknesses, maintaining a high defensive line to support counter-pressing. This dynamic strategy aims to dominate possession and create numerical advantages in key areas.

Are you an Arsenal fan, or just interested in their tactics?

Arsenal also have too many defensive midfielders and can struggle to create at times if their sole creative midfielder is having an off day.

They also don't have a prolific Centre-Forward.

Familiar scenes

52 minutes ago, bluey said:

They are hard facts, I understand that, not easy for everyone to digest, plenty of supporters are delusional about the back half of the list.

How is your opinion “hard facts”??

21 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Why? No aerial game, no speed, would be a disaster. Paul Johnson in the back pocket level stuff

well i cant see him making it as a midfielder in the main team so...

14 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

Also willing to give Verrall at least this year

he would get absolutely torn to pieces in the ruck!!! we already have enough issues in the mid atm

2 hours ago, Mouseymoo said:

Are you surprised? Goody has his favourites and his stubbornness around team changes is very well documented

How many debutants have we played this season?