1 hour ago, Macca said:

We've got too many good players to just bottom out.

I don't think we do. Also, no point being good if you're being asked to play a game style that you're not good at.

Key position forward situation is beyond chronic, we have no-one reliable, no-one even experienced. And it's not just that no-one can take a mark I50, it's as much that no-one can even make a contest - so the ball just ping pongs out again.

2 minutes ago, bing181 said:

I don't think we do. Also, no point being good if you're being asked to play a game style that you're not good at.

Key position forward situation is beyond chronic, we have no-one reliable, no-one even experienced. And it's not just that no-one can take a mark I50, it's as much that no-one can even make a contest - so the ball just ping pongs out again.

You're probably right Mr Crosby but sooner or later most of our best players will have a good game on the same day

A redemption or personal pride game?

So class might win out as it often happens when an older horse has a day out at the races

Anyway, I'm obviously putting a positive spin on things (being a realist can be a bit 'meh' sometimes 😄)

6 hours ago, SthSea22 said:

HF - Pickett, Johnson, Turner

F - Fritsch, van Rooyen, Chandler

JOHNSON?????? Nup not up to AFL standard!

No Patrick Voss and Juddy and Jeffo back??

Light work. Dees by 91.

(This is a joke don’t yell at me angry people)

45 minutes ago, picket fence said:

JOHNSON?????? Nup not up to AFL standard!

Neither is Rooh at the moment though Mr Fence. I'd rather have AJ at CHF than a picket, Spargo, Chandler or Tracc.

We need a big bodied second tall in that position, even if it's just to crash packs get the ball to ground and compete / hold up until the small brigade arrives.

At the moment we are a non event in terms of presenting anything that threatens to damage the oppo back 6. They're having a picnic pretty much every time now in the air and at ground level.

Koz playing serious mid minutes is great but then we also lose his impact i50. Major conundrum there.

Roll the dice and bring in Brown dog and at least trial him through the middle for Vines over the next three to four weeks. If that works we might free up Koz to play a bit more forward and impact the scoreboard.

Can't be any worse than the recent tripe we've been dishing up surely?

We probably still lose but look a tad more respectable and start providing the ever elusive tonic for the playing group.... Hope! And who knows, maybe a tiny bit of confidence begins to creep in.

A few here have acknowledged how much we are fumbling. And it's right across the board

A sure-fire reason that we lack confidence

And fumbling often results in a rebound score

Of all the stats we digest, fumbling or turnovers can be, and often are, extremely costly. It mirrors soccer in many ways

‪Spargo. V Essendon.

12 possessions. 5 turnovers. 4 missed tackles. 1 tackle. 95 minutes.

One good kick to Petty after running 24 metres without a bounce.

Nearly killed Ed Langdon with a hospital pass.

Pathetic again. Gifted games. Why is he always Goodys favourite one? Madness. Must be dropped. Has done nothing to warrant a game.

This typifies Goodys poor selection and bias.

55 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

‪Spargo. V Essendon.

12 possessions. 5 turnovers. 4 missed tackles. 1 tackle. 95 minutes.

One good kick to Petty after running 24 metres without a bounce.

Nearly killed Ed Langdon with a hospital pass.

Pathetic again. Gifted games. Why is he always Goodys favourite one? Madness. Must be dropped. Has done nothing to warrant a game.

This typifies Goodys poor selection and bias.

Would rather see Kynan Brown or Bowey in that role now Juddy is back

11 hours ago, 48 Year Now said:

A reasonable case can be made for dropping each one.

Henderson, go and work on this. Reasonable start to your career.

Sparrow, go and accumulate kicks in the same role

Petty, just a weeks rest if you fix a few things

Melksham, practice a few of your tricks to get back to your best.

I don’t see it as punishment or anything other than you are not quite where we want / need you to be.

I am sure I’m not alone. In my limited career I was made 19th man in a junior final. One guy didn’t turn up and I got a second chance. I played one of the best games I ever played as I wanted to show my teammates and coach he should t have dropped me.

Simple phycology

I was at that match. You were awesome !!

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

‪Spargo. V Essendon.

12 possessions. 5 turnovers. 4 missed tackles. 1 tackle. 95 minutes.

One good kick to Petty after running 24 metres without a bounce.

Nearly killed Ed Langdon with a hospital pass.

Pathetic again. Gifted games. Why is he always Goodys favourite one? Madness. Must be dropped. Has done nothing to warrant a game.

This typifies Goodys poor selection and bias.

Agree adds zero, slow plodder, would struggle to get a game with a bottom 4 club...... oh wait!

4 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

‪Spargo. V Essendon.

12 possessions. 5 turnovers. 4 missed tackles. 1 tackle. 95 minutes.

One good kick to Petty after running 24 metres without a bounce.

Nearly killed Ed Langdon with a hospital pass.

Pathetic again. Gifted games. Why is he always Goodys favourite one? Madness. Must be dropped. Has done nothing to warrant a game.

This typifies Goodys poor selection and bias.

Firstly, selection is done by a committee, not just Goodwin. Secondly, when you look at stats like Pressure Acts Spargo was 6th against Essendon.

Not all that hard to see why the selectors want him in the team. If you look.

I watched at summer training the forward coaching that Chappy did with interest. All of his positioning and pattern work is nowhere to be seen. They have completely gone into panic mode and are not doing what they were taught over the off season. In particular, the lead ups, the use of small forwards to rove contexts etc.

When what you learn is not followed, all we have is the old forward panic stations. God help us…..

10 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

‪Spargo. V Essendon.

Gifted games. Why is he always Goodys favourite one? Madness.

Or Kompromat?

I jest

1 hour ago, buck_nekkid said:

I watched at summer training the forward coaching that Chappy did with interest. All of his positioning and pattern work is nowhere to be seen. They have completely gone into panic mode and are not doing what they were taught over the off season. In particular, the lead ups, the use of small forwards to rove contexts etc.

When what you learn is not followed, all we have is the old forward panic stations. God help us…..

So that is on the coaches to continue to drill it in, or drop players not adhering to team plans.

I guess it's hard to drop 23 players.... but they need to change something up in that forward line!

14 hours ago, picket fence said:

JOHNSON?????? Nup not up to AFL standard!

Take the 2nd ruck spot

Fullerton seems to be blacklisted so AJ is the next option

2 hours ago, buck_nekkid said:

I watched at summer training the forward coaching that Chappy did with interest. All of his positioning and pattern work is nowhere to be seen. They have completely gone into panic mode and are not doing what they were taught over the off season. In particular, the lead ups, the use of small forwards to rove contexts etc.

When what you learn is not followed, all we have is the old forward panic stations. God help us…..

Thanks for the insight.

My thoughts are, in the first round we had 3 tall fwds and their work was quite good. Since then we haven't had three and they've been changed every week. So no consistency or understanding among the fwds.

Last week we had one tall fwd who also rucked.

Reckon it is pretty difficult to follow training if the players who trained together aren't there.

Edited April 15, 20251 yr by Lucifers Hero

1 hour ago, Hellfire Dub said:

Or Kompromat?

I jest

"Give me back the phone"

1 hour ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

So that is on the coaches to continue to drill it in, or drop players not adhering to team plans.

I guess it's hard to drop 23 players.... but they need to change something up in that forward line!

Forward Strategy .....

8 hours ago, bing181 said:

Firstly, selection is done by a committee, not just Goodwin. Secondly, when you look at stats like Pressure Acts Spargo was 6th against Essendon.

Not all that hard to see why the selectors want him in the team. If you look.

Pressure acts should be a non-negotiable for all players, but particularly for small forwards. You don't get extra credit for doing the bare essentials of your job, when you contribute nothing else (goals, assists, tackles, etc). It isn't just Spargo, but he is a forward who hasn't kicked a goal since July 2023 - that's a long time ago.

With McVee returning I would assume that sees Rivers return to the midfield and Salem being able to push up the ground more. Still missing Lever obviously and an underdone May... structurally we are struggling as well.

The main thing I noticed at last week's game was our poor skill execution and decision-making.

Kozzie missed a simple kick to Fritsch in the first quarter under no pressure, Trac constantly missed kicks, and we constantly kicked to the disadvantage of a teammate or an outnumber.

Essendon also kicked two forward 50 stoppage goals because Max hit the ball to their attacking side or flipped it over the back rather than hit it to our defensive side. Why, I have no idea, but our players weren't there, and theirs simply said "thanks" and kicked the goal.

So frustrating to watch. It was like watching an amateur league side from a skills and decision-making perspective.

4 hours ago, SthSea22 said:

Take the 2nd ruck spot

Fullerton seems to be blacklisted so AJ is the next option

Agree to the extent one of them has to play each week and develop a role. I think they should be judged together with Gawn as a rucking forward duo rather than as an individual and secondary role. They are there as support to get the best out of Max and keep him from being battered. First sign of a opposing ruck getting rough, bring on the second ruck which needs to be Johnson or Campbell when fit.

13 minutes ago, 48 Year Now said:

Agree to the extent one of them has to play each week and develop a role. I think they should be judged together with Gawn as a rucking forward duo rather than as an individual and secondary role. They are there as support to get the best out of Max and keep him from being battered. First sign of a opposing ruck getting rough, bring on the second ruck which needs to be Johnson or Campbell when fit.

100%

Just think AJ has the angro and body to crash and bash

Roo needs to sit in the square

HF - Pickett, Jefferson/Turner, Chandler

F - Fritsch, van Rooyen/AJ, Tholtrup

Edited April 16, 20251 yr by SthSea22

Honestly, the club has sapped the energy out of me, so the only thing I have going for me right now is that I leave for Europe after the Easter weekend for the tennis clay court season.

Will still go out of my way to watch us, but I can’t believe it is round 6 and it’s already season over. Still yet to fully sink in.

We were top 4 last year when they smashed us by 90 odd and even when we were good, we still struggled against them. It is arguable that the loss in the Alice started this free fall.

God help us..

Edited April 16, 20251 yr by VNightCityLegend

18 minutes ago, VNightCityLegend said:

God help us..

Ain't gunna help us, bats for the other side 😉

Good luck and safe travels. Rest assured we all feel the same pain.

🤔 think I'd rather be winging my way to Europe than having to see out the season here.

🍻🍸🥂🎾🏆