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There was a great stat that showed our top 4 on average CBA players in 2025 vs so far in 2026. In 2025 it went Oliver, Kozzie, Viney, Trac to Kozzie, Steele, Windsor, Rivers so far this year.

We were beaten in the midfield early on but after seeing the above it makes a lot of sense. It can take time to build that cohesion within the regular midfield unit. Going up against a big boy midfield like Freo's was always going to be a tough ask as well, so we were massively up against it.

It could realistically take half the season to get this midfield in sync and then you have to factor Jack Viney's return back into it as well.

As fans our muscle memory became used to a midfield that you could count on to win contested ball but with those being in the rear view mirror, do you guys think the sooner we accept the imperfections of this midfield and trust the process, the more enjoyment we will get out of winning the games?

I've decided I'm not fussed about wins and losses this year but really just want to see us continue to develop a playing style that will stack up against the best sides eventually.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by layzie
Updated to match actual CBA names

36 minutes ago, layzie said:

There was a great stat that showed our top 4 on average CBA players in 2025 vs so far in 2026. From memory it said something like Oliver, Gawn, Trac Kozzie in 25 to Kozzie, Gawn, Steele, Rivers this year.

We were beaten in the midfield early on but after seeing the above it makes a lot of sense. It can take time to build that cohesion within the regular midfield unit. Going up against a big boy midfield like Freo's was always going to be a tough ask as well, so we were massively up against it.

It could realistically take half the season to get this midfield in sync and then you have to factor Jack Viney's return back into it as well.

As fans our muscle memory became used to a midfield that you could count on to win contested ball but with those being in the rear view mirror, do you guys think the sooner we accept the imperfections of this midfield and trust the process, the more enjoyment we will get out of winning the games?

I've decided I'm not fussed about wins and losses this year but really just want to see us continue to develop a playing style that will stack up against the best sides eventually.

At what stage will big Moose get the call up? Big Max senior can’t do this on his own which is evident against strong double rucks like Jackson and Darcy.

What’s your thoughts on when the succession plan will fully kick in and instead of being the backup, Moose will start getting game time and actually start getting that experience he will need to take over when Max Senior departs?

Is trent rivers a midfielder?

So many of our fumbles and / or turnovers led directly to goals. Some players seemed more prone to this, Rivers and CJ in particular ...but this was not confined to them by any means. Here's the question. Was that just a " bad day at the office" affected by the pressure, actual or perceived, they brought to bear. They are a very good side after all. Or is our defensive structure just too easily picked apart now we're trying to get forward of the ball?

Freo were absolutley clinical when we fumbled, and equally it seemed liike every time the maggots didnt pay us Holding the Ball, the ball would spill out and they'd take it coast to coast.

I guess the point is that i cannot imagine that happening every week. We were off and they were VERY on.

I hope they dont make too many changes. Id stick with a similar team for a good patch of games before making too many whole sape changes

Hi Guys,

Should we be concerned about the form of Langford and Lindsay. Obviously only second year players and were high draft picks so talent isn't an issue. We are relying on young players stepping up this year and so far these two are not looking as promising as last year . Are we expecting them to do too much , did they look to be training well over pre-season ? Is it a classic case of second year blues ?

Hello to Demonland's Gleesome Threesome (except when MFCSS raises its ugly head). Thanks again for your splendid efforts to make sense of the MFC and its travails. This might be a bit naive, but we weren't playing man on man in the first quarter. Were we zoning or is there no such thing in these days of helter-skelter football? We really did look like witches' hats at times. Freo seemed always to have a receiver waiting on the outside.

Can’t copy across properly on my phone but I posted about our inside 50s on the post-game thread https://demonland.com/forums/topic/67060-postgame-rd-02-vs-fremantle/page/5/#findComment-2761114

Not quite as fun to look at as last week, but you can view the inside 50s here https://charting.football/i50/?matchName=2026%20R2%20-%20FRE%20v%20MEL

Fritsch our most common target (9 times for 5 marks/frees, 2 spoils, and 2 out of bounds)

JVR targeted 6 times for the one mark, and Mihocek 4 times for 1 mark and 1 retained, both JVR and Mihocek's marks coming barely inside the 50 though so not particularly high quality ones (unlike last week).

Kosi targeted 4 times, two times (from CJ and Chandler) an uncontested mark to Freo, one time (from Windsor) had Pickett having to effect a spoil.

We went inside with no identified target 19 times (last week it was just 4 times) and the results were as expected - 1 mark by Kosi, three ground balls retained, seven direct turnovers, and the rest being spoils etc. leading to ground balls (where we were getting killed for most of the nigh).

If we look at kickers Steele was the most prolific (definitely not calling him top) with 7, resulting in 3 uncontested freo marks, 1 contested freo mark, one out on the full, and two spoils by the freo defender.

Culley the only kicker to find multiple marks inside 50, but both uncontested with minimal distance on the kick to the arc with a decent angle for the kicker.

On the other side, Bolton found 2 marks as well as kicking two goals himself from outside 50. Freo scored 5 goals from outside 50 from 8 shots total.

Defensively Turner and Gawn managed contested marks to intercept an inside 50, Gawn x 2, Lever x 2, and Salem managed uncontested ones.

Turner got 3 spoils, two on balls intended for Amiss and one an undirected Serong entry. Tholstrup and CJ with 2 d50 spoils each, Petty, Lever, and Lindsay with singles.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Demonland
Admin Edit

I wasn’t able and haven’t been able yet to see the game.

Did we overachieve (as some have suggested) v Ain’t Skillda, did we underachieve v Freo, or something in between The result didn’t surprise me though after last week I had hoped for a better contest.

Even the mighty Max the Elder wont be able to sustain so much ground time and we definitely need him in big games and big moments. Can you conceive a method to ease in Max the Younger some time soon?

Perhaps we caught “the bug” that caused Ain’t Skillda to fumble last week though I am so glad that our regal coach did not stoop to sprout that as an excuse )even were it true) as did Lyon (and Scott in 2021)

Lack of guys putting their hands up at Casey probably means few if any changes other than TMac for Turner if his injury keeps him out - I guess we will have some sort of news by showtime Monday.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by monoccular
Addendum