10 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Changes ?

Turner & Sharp or Milkshake are outs.

Howes to the sub role.

McVee and May/Adams in.

Like to see McVee in as it releases Riv to play more mid or running back in an aggressive style.

If May doesn’t come up, happy to give Adams a debut. He can play in a young Tiger forward such as Armstrong or Faull. McDonald plays on Lynch.

** the two keys to stop the Tigers

1) Vlastin. Can’t allow him to play unmanned as a loose defender. He’s too good. This is Goodys priority. No loose defenders

2) Contested footy. Taranto and Hopper were the winners and distribution machines to outside runners like Ross and Short. That’s the big focus to stop.

We could play Melk on Vlastuin

But Vlastuin is at his best when teams bomb it into their forward lines (like the GC did on Saturday)

Even kicking the ball to a 1 on 1 involving Vlastuin should be off the radar. He had 15 intercept possessions on Saturday night

So we not only have to lower our eyes but we need our heads up as well

Edited yesterday at 04:191 day by Macca

14 minutes ago, DeelightfulPlay said:

Agreed! When I watch at home (which is most games since I live in Sydney and can't travel down as much because of work), I'm always asking the TV "who are you aiming for? Who's there??"

And now in general play, the shot is so close up that often handballls go out of frame. I'm sure they do this to make it more exciting for the viewer, not knowing whether the handball has gone to a teammate or whatever. I mean, how boring if it goes to a player well in the clear compared to not knowing what might happen next. (More apologies for being off topic.)

7 minutes ago, Macca said:

So we not only have to lower our eyes but we need our heads up as well

Sounds rather like a difficult contortion, especially when running at full pace ... 😀

10 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

Rivers played a very aggressive "running back" role without McVee in the team. IMV, he needs to stay at half back with the footy in front of him.

He's always been super dynamic in that role. His disposal can be iffy, but if we have more movement ahead of us, he looks A+ (only 3 turnovers from 26 touches on the weekend).

Without AMW, McVee should be locking down on the best opposition small and rebounding off them.

100% agree ATG.

IMO, half back is his best spot, in large part because it best uses his ability to get territory with run and carry and the good depth he gets with his kicking.

The other factor is he doesn't have the kicking skills to be an outside mid so is fighting for a spot as inside mid with Clarry, Trac, Viney and the Bison - and their best position is inside mid (ie we'd be robbing peter to pay Paul to reduce their midfield minutes to accommodate a player who plays their best footy at HB).

3 minutes ago, Red and Bluebeard said:

Sounds rather like a difficult contortion, especially when running at full pace ... 😀

I'm trying to think of those players who could do both with ease (eyes down, heads up)

Maybe Petracca when he takes the next step

But definitely Gary Ablett Jnr, Judd and these days, Nick Daicos

14 hours ago, binman said:

Two players who have been applying very little pressure inside 50 being dropped also coincides season high tackles inside 50 numbers - a key element of our win discussed by both coaches in their pressers.

Rd 1 v GWS 9 tackles inside fwd 50

Fritsch 3 JVR 2

In this match AJ was second ruck so the rest of the fwds plus those who rotated through combined for 4 tackles.

Rd 2 v North 7 tackles inside fwd 50

Fritsch 0 JVR 4

JVR was 2nd ruck I think so some of his tackles may have been outside the fwd 50. But in a game we lost by 59 points

Oliver 2

Trac 2

Viney 2

Sparrow 2

Rivers 2

Langdon 1

Sharp 1

Petty 1

TMac 0

Fritsch laying zero is unacceptable but looking at the above numbers many of our stars weren’t much better. In addition to that how many tackles were ineffective with the player being tackled still able to get a handball away.

Rd 3 v Suns 4 tackles inside fwd.

Fritsch 2 JVR 2

AJ was back after a one week suspension so what did all our other fwds do?

Rd 4 v Geelong 7 tackles inside fwd 50

Fritsch 1 JVR 3

AJ was dropped for this match so JVR obviously spent time in the middle. After this match Goodwin called for Fritsch to do more whilst ignoring

Windsor 1

Petracca 1

Petty 1

Langford 1

Spargo 0

Rivers 0

May 0

Rd 5 v Essendon 14 tackles inside fwd

Fritsch responded to Goodwin with 5 tackles, kicked 2 goals, all round a better game getting more involved but far from his best, JVR had 2 tackles and was 2nd ruck again. This match a few players responded brining more pressure with

Oliver 9

Chandler 6

Trac 5

Viney 5

But again we had

Petty 0

May 1

Pickett 1

Langford 1

Langdon 1

Spargo 1

Melksham 2

The Essendon game was where players refused to man up opting to guard vacant grass instead.

Only a few weeks back people were bemoaning the non Petty trade to Adelaide and what could have been draft pick wise, fast forward a few weeks a positional change and some quick ball movement all of a sudden he’s a must keep again. With the exception of Rd 1, Rds 2 - 5 the whole team were largely garbage, with players ignoring options on the outside preferring to just throw it on the boot and bomb inside fwd 50 or long down the line to Gawn making it easy for the opposition to intercept mark / force a turn over and score on transition. Posters then bang on about Fritsch’s body language, who can blame him with the delivery he’d been getting. So again, Saturdays inside fwd tackle numbers weren’t just because Fritsch and JVR had been dropped, but because for the first time since Rd 1 the team came switched on and played as a team. There was a real emphasis on pressure across the whole ground.

Tackles are just one element of pressure.

JVR, who by the by is a jet, was probably dropped for form more than his lack of pressure, but nonetheless still has poor in that regard. Friiter's form was poor AND his pressure was hopeless

Round one

• JVR: 30

• Fritter: 29

Round two

• JVR: 20

• Fritter: 11

Round three

• JVR: 19

• Fritter: 23

Round four

• JVR: 19

• Fritter: 20

Round five

• JVR: 17

• Fritter: 28

Thus far this season, JVR is averaging 21 pressure points and Fritter 22.2

By way of comparison, our other forwards season averages are:

• Chandler 38.2

• Koz 33.7

• Sparrow 33.5

• Spargo 23.5 (note: includes a game as sub, he had 33 pressure points against Freo)

• Melksham 18

Edited yesterday at 05:401 day by binman

Just don't want to see JVR as a second ruck again.

1 hour ago, Young Angus said:

Just don't want to see JVR as a second ruck again.

I think that's his go.

Petty as the big banana and JVR as the second banana and relief ruck.

3 hours ago, binman said:

If they are the metrics for assessing Spargo's performance, i'd respectfully suggest your assessment of his impact in the game is well and truly off base.

All week Goody talked about our need to improve our intensity and pressure, particularly up forward. He subsequently dropped two forwards, i suspect in large part because they were not applying enough pressure.

I went to the game, but have since watched the Fox replay, including the pre-game analysis, during which they banged on about Goody promising we would come out with more intensity and fire.

My point is that the coaching staff's starting point for assessing a player's performance, particularly forwards, would be whether they brought the heat and applied pressure

And on THAT metric, Charlie was outstanding - in addition to being part of a forward line that had season high inside 50 tackle count he had the:

• 5th most pressure acts (of the forwards only Sparrow had more 15-14)

• 6th most pressure points (of the forwards, again only Sparrow had more 37-33)

• Equal 4th most tackles (of the forwards, equal most with Sparrow and Kolt)

(Note: pressure points are the weighed sum of pressure acts. Physical pressure acts are worth 3.75 points, closing acts are worth 2.25 points, chasing acts are 1.5 points and corralling are 1.2. ( https://www.championdata.com/glossary/afl/ )

Leaving aside his terrific pressure, given he is a forward it's reasonable to judge him on his contribution to the scoreline.

On that front, whilst he only scored a point, he did have the equal fourth most score involvements (Max had 12, Koz 10, Trac 8 and Charlie had 7, as did Viney and Melksham).

Of the forwards, only Koz had more score involvements. But seven of Koz's score involvements were the 5.2 he kicked, meaning outside that he only had three other score involvements, whereas as Spargs had six (he kicked a point).

From this then Sparrow must have played OK as well

16 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

I think that's his go.

Petty as the big banana and JVR as the second banana and relief ruck.

Agreed ... if JVR gets back in and we continue to only play 2 talls up forward, he'll almost certainly be replacing Fullarton ... therefore, by default, he'll have to do the 2nd ruck duties

Petty as the mainstay up forward

Edited yesterday at 07:021 day by Macca

1 minute ago, Macca said:

Agreed ... if JVR gets back in and we continue to only play 2 talls up forward, he'll almost certainly be replacing Fullarton ... therefore, by default, he'll have to do the 2nd ruck duties

Petty as the mainstay up forward

I've been saying for a while I'd much prefer us go two talls and mids/smalls are them.

I'm glad we seem to revert to this on the weekend.

Just now, Adam The God said:

I've been saying for a while I'd much prefer us go two talls and mids/smalls are them.

I'm glad we seem to revert to this on the weekend.

Yes, but we also need the 2 talls up forward to join in on all the team aspects that are required, AF

Total team means all 18 on the field being team players

In: McVee, Adams

Out: Turner, Sharp

I would be tempted to debut Adams for an extra tall defender, drop sharp and have Melky as the sub.

With these team changes I would push Lindsay or Windsor onto a wing, Langford can go forward and McVee can do his thing at HB.

Edited yesterday at 08:151 day by MrFreeze

On 19/04/2025 at 17:24, Yarra Valley Demon said:

Turner out with concussion, Tholstrup will be watched closely for any late symptoms during the week you would think.

Sparrow still needs a run in the twos, barely sighted again. Spargo is too slow for AFL.

Out : Turner, Sparrow, Spargo.

In : May, McVee, Culley

Sparrow has been doing a lot of run with roles

11 hours ago, Roost it far said:

May looks done to me. He's 33 and has used his big frame as a battering ram. I'm surprised we're not giving Adams a shot, which likely has more to do with Adams than anything else. May had a terrible year last year by his standards and 2025 isn't looking much better. TMac on the other hand could well go to 2027, he doesn't play a high impact game and seems as fit as ever. Lever just keeps getting injured and there's not much we can do about that. Turner looked great on Amyss in the first half and Petty kicked 4 so maybe that's how we play it. 2 talls at each end with Windsor, Bowey, McVee and Lindsay running it out of defence and Pickett, Melksham, Fritsch, Petracca and Sparrow as the forwards? It's amazing what a win does for ones day, Life's good and full of opportunities again!

I agree

11 hours ago, Roost it far said:

May looks done to me. He's 33 and has used his big frame as a battering ram. I'm surprised we're not giving Adams a shot, which likely has more to do with Adams than anything else. May had a terrible year last year by his standards and 2025 isn't looking much better. TMac on the other hand could well go to 2027, he doesn't play a high impact game and seems as fit as ever. Lever just keeps getting injured and there's not much we can do about that. Turner looked great on Amyss in the first half and Petty kicked 4 so maybe that's how we play it. 2 talls at each end with Windsor, Bowey, McVee and Lindsay running it out of defence and Pickett, Melksham, Fritsch, Petracca and Sparrow as the forwards? It's amazing what a win does for ones day, Life's good and full of opportunities again!

I agree. Very doubtful May will ever get his body right again to play consistently. They need to get serious about going beyond the May Lever backline. JvR could perhaps go back where he has the game in front of him.knockingthe ball out and marking...maybe to get back into form or maybe as a KPB.

Moore started as a forward at the Pies and later found his niche as a KPB.

I don't think JVR has the mobility or aerial balance and recovery to twist and turn that is required for a dominant forward. Neither does he work well at ground level. He gets a few frees but has never played a dominant game changer..Max 3 goals.. Try him back.

They played Jefferson as a defender at Casey because with May's injury they needed a tall to fill a key defensive role if another tall defender went down. Howes did as good as he could filling in for Turner, but it meant Max had to play a defensive role (He even said so in a post match interview).

Adams is not there yet, so I think Jefferson will take Turner's role. It also gives the option of swapping with Petty if needed.

Otherwise no change for a winning side.

1 hour ago, MrFreeze said:

In: McVee, Adams

Out: Turner, Sharp

I would be tempted to debut Adams for an extra tall defender, drop sharp and have Melky as the sub.

With these team changes I would push Lindsay or Windsor onto a wing, Langford can go forward and McVee can do his thing at HB.

The wing's perfect for langford atm. Reads the play well and a beautiful kick.

Would this team remain or inclusions of May be present? Would they be good additions considering Maysie is getting a tad slower out there?

it seems most sides after the 6x6 start at a bounce, they use the high half forward as another on baller. This tends to leave the extra defender loose (one reason Bowey gets so much of the ball). But it also means extra space and the other defenders have to play tight, which is why I don't think Adams is there yet.

2 hours ago, Roost it far said:

The wing's perfect for langford atm. Reads the play well and a beautiful kick.

I think the kids a weapon who will excel anywhere

1 hour ago, MrFreeze said:

I think the kids a weapon who will excel anywhere

Agree.

He"s not fast, but he'll get bigger and stronger, and with a couple more preseasons quicker too - particularly from a standing start. Kid will be a beast.

But he IS quick of mind.

Really good decision maker, doesn't blaze away and lke the very best players has time with ball in hand.

His goal was a good example Of what I mean. Was already set up for hooking the ball around his body when he received the ball.

By the by that was an appalling defensive error to leave him by himself at a stoppage.

I do think Adams will come in if May isn't fit so this is my side

B: Bowey, May\Adams, McVee

HB: Salem, McDonald, Rivers

C: Langdon, Oliver, Windsor

HF: Petracca, Fullerton, Chandler

F: Melksham, Petty, Spargo

FOLL: Gawn, Viney, Pickett

IC: Langford, Lindsay, Sparrow, Howes

SUB: Tholstrup

balta avoids gaol term, but has a 10pm curfew for 3 months - rules him out of night matches

Noah Balta will not be playing this Thursday night with a night curfew issued by the Magistrate.