1 hour ago, Dannyz said:

It isn’t droppable.

Paddy was given a specific role to execute and he did.

Coaches are looking less at stats (Rivers as an example) and more at players ability to play within a system.

Sounds like we won’t get a chance to find out given Cross has reportedly been sent for a thumb surgery that will keep him out for two weeks.

1 hour ago, Roost it far said:

I simply don't understand those calling for Max Heath. I'd be shocked if he gets a gig ahead of Kentfield as a support ruck/forward unless Max is injured. We are implementing a gameplan that really doesn't require a big man sitting on the bench or standing in the forward pocket having balls lobbed on their heads. He'll get his turn and he may well turn out to be our next ruck man but for now it's Casey. Cross had a good first game, clearly more first game than good and the very idea of dropping him makes no sense.

It’s really not complicated. We have a 34 year old, GOAT of all time ruck who is our captain and must play every game who is playing over 90% game time in a physical role and needs to be given a chop out for longer periods of time to keep him going all season. I don’t have a problem with Kentfield ahead of Heath but I don’t think his body is ready for AFL yet, he needs a VFL game post knee injury. In this case GC are a tall team with 200+cm backs and a powerful ruckman in Witts and we have a short turn around to our Essendon game where we will need Max cherry ripe for a game he should dominate and we should win. We also play with fire having a KPD playing pinch hit ruck, as we saw with the Freo game if a key back man goes down our team balance looks terrible. Heaven forbid Max go down and we have to play the game down both a ruck AND key position player. Max and Max will play together eventually, unless the plan is to give Gawn a full week off at some point (which I hope it isn’t!), or the club waits for Kentfield to be healthy and ready for AFL again which could be the option, but it’s still another big. I think it’ll be Heath this week. Hardly lunacy.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by deejammin'

40 minutes ago, BLWNBA said:

Might've missed it, but what was Cross' injury and where was this reported? Not doubting you, just this is the first mention of it I've seen.

reported in the injury thread. Hand injury 1-2 weeks. poor bugger

4 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

Sounds like we won’t get a chance to find out given Cross has reportedly been sent for a thumb surgery that will keep him out for two weeks.

It’s really not complicated. We have a 34 year old, GOAT of all time ruck who is our captain and must play every game who is playing over 90% game time in a physical role and needs to be given a chop out for longer periods of time to keep him going all season. I don’t have a problem with Kentfield ahead of Heath but I don’t think his body is ready for AFL yet, he needs a VFL game post knee injury. In this case GC are a tall team with 200+cm backs and a powerful ruckman in Witts and we have a short turn around to our Essendon game where we will need Max cherry ripe for a game he should dominate and we should win. We also play with fire having a KPD playing pinch hit ruck, as we saw with the Freo game if a key back man goes down our team balance looks terrible. Heaven forbid Max go down and we have to play the game down both a ruck AND key position player. Max and Max will play together eventually, unless the plan is to give Gawn a full week off at some point (which I hope it isn’t!), or the club waits for Kentfield to be healthy and ready for AFL again which could be the option, but it’s still another big. I think it’ll be Heath this week. Hardly lunacy.

GC also have Ethan Reid rucking and forward and King is 202cms as well.

6 minutes ago, DubDee said:

reported in the injury thread. Hand injury 1-2 weeks. poor bugger

Ta, thanks mate

On 30/03/2026 at 06:59, Billy said:

Petty was awful today absolutely awful, his sloppy efforts resulted in 4 Carlton goals, unfortunately you’re right until Turner comes back

In Rivers - Jaith

AMW - Pickett

Petty had awful moments rather than an awful game- but he also had some really good passages...

he was great when on Mcgovern, neutralising him several times

We could use a bit more bulk in the midfield

16 hours ago, DEE32 said:

Surprised no one has brought up Salem yet. Was really poor in that first quarter then spent a while on the pine until CJ went down allowed him back on.

Has had a few poor games recently in my view with a lack of hardness or speed in his game. Can still perform in patches and they look for him a lot, but is on the decline.

Hopeful AMW can take over from where Salo was.

I get this, but this is also a team lacking experience in defence - espeically as the non key backs with Bowey out. like a lot of players, was significantly better after 1/4 time

1 minute ago, heath55 said:

I get this, but this is also a team lacking experience in defence - espeically as the non key backs with Bowey out. like a lot of players, was significantly better after 1/4 time

Salem’s defensive hardness has never been his one- wood. It’s just a little more exposed for the lack of small backs that we have currently.

His field kicking, kick ins, defensive positioning and transition work outweigh the odd poor defensive effort.

12 minutes ago, heath55 said:

I get this, but this is also a team lacking experience in defence - espeically as the non key backs with Bowey out. like a lot of players, was significantly better after 1/4 time

I dont think Salem is been anywhere near where he needs to be. Not a lockdown and cant hit as many targets anymore.

I would bring AMW in straight away.

40 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Salem’s defensive hardness has never been his one- wood. It’s just a little more exposed for the lack of small backs that we have currently.

His field kicking, kick ins, defensive positioning and transition work outweigh the odd poor defensive effort.

I’ve had the occasional run in with @DubDee over this.

The balance is the other way around IMO, in that I reckon his kicking/etc isn’t making up for the poor defensive/contest stuff. Personally I think his kicking is overrated but even if not, I don’t think we can carry a (relatively) slow back half player who can’t/won’t defend or win a contest.

I know many disagree and that’s fine - it’s not like we have a plethora of options to replace him and his experience. But with Rivers out of the side and AMW fit again, I’d have Salem’s spot under serious watch.

3 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Against Freo after quarter time it was 10 goals to 9 goals

Just need to stop the blow out starts as its clear we can run out games

King’s said the last two days that he views the two poor starts vs Freo and Carlton differently. Against Freo he said it was their intensity/skill which overwhelmed us, but against Carlton he said it was just our own mistakes. I tend to agree, but either way, we have work to do. Gold Coast won’t let us bring a 43 point lead back (most sides not called Carlton won’t).

3 hours ago, deejammin' said:

Sounds like we won’t get a chance to find out given Cross has reportedly been sent for a thumb surgery that will keep him out for two weeks.

It’s really not complicated. We have a 34 year old, GOAT of all time ruck who is our captain and must play every game who is playing over 90% game time in a physical role and needs to be given a chop out for longer periods of time to keep him going all season. I don’t have a problem with Kentfield ahead of Heath but I don’t think his body is ready for AFL yet, he needs a VFL game post knee injury. In this case GC are a tall team with 200+cm backs and a powerful ruckman in Witts and we have a short turn around to our Essendon game where we will need Max cherry ripe for a game he should dominate and we should win. We also play with fire having a KPD playing pinch hit ruck, as we saw with the Freo game if a key back man goes down our team balance looks terrible. Heaven forbid Max go down and we have to play the game down both a ruck AND key position player. Max and Max will play together eventually, unless the plan is to give Gawn a full week off at some point (which I hope it isn’t!), or the club waits for Kentfield to be healthy and ready for AFL again which could be the option, but it’s still another big. I think it’ll be Heath this week. Hardly lunacy.

Max is my favoured player, hope he gets to captain the AA side this year and reach his 300.

But we do need to start planning for life without him. If Heath doesn’t get a game this week then I’m not sure they are going to try both he and Gawn at same time.

While King was at Geelong they were the first team to really start resting their older players a couple of times each season. I assume we have pencilled in a rest game for Max around rounds 8-10. Eagles in round 9 would be my guess.

Much like Tomlinson in 2021, I think CJ will struggle to get back into the side provided Petty pulls his finger out and Rivers is played where he belongs across half back.

Team depth looks like it might be tested this week with Jiath & Cross out and Rivers likely not ready to return. If disco can get up that would be the likely Jiath replacement but do you go with Laurie to replace Cross in the forward half otherwise Tom Matthews might be the other option available and is probably more suited to the role that cross played than Laurie as we have seen he has the ability to jump on packs, crumb, pressure and tackle also knows where the goals are but potentially might be rushing him into it

The nepo babies will be crying for mumma about half way through the fourth

44 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I’ve had the occasional run in with @DubDee over this.

The balance is the other way around IMO, in that I reckon his kicking/etc isn’t making up for the poor defensive/contest stuff. Personally I think his kicking is overrated but even if not, I don’t think we can carry a (relatively) slow back half player who can’t/won’t defend or win a contest.

I know many disagree and that’s fine - it’s not like we have a plethora of options to replace him and his experience. But with Rivers out of the side and AMW fit again, I’d have Salem’s spot under serious watch.

Don't get me started TU. 😉

Love Sales and reckon he is one of the first names on the team sheet and will be for a couple more years.

I reckon we are building and the 2nd half on Sunday was the best footy we have played this year. We were good at times against the Saints but we looked in control on Sunday after half time. Our structure and game plan looked more settled.

But GC have some fire power. We have no-one to stop King. Petty with Lever helping will try.

No Rowell, Humphries and Trac does put pressure on Anderson. Kolt to him perhaps.

Win the midfield battle and pass short and accurately and we are a chance.

GC haven't had a challenge of any sort since 4th March.

3 hours ago, Redleg said:

GC also have Ethan Reid rucking and forward and King is 202cms as well.

It’s really not complicated. We have a 34 year old, GOAT of all time ruck who is our captain and must play every game who is playing over 90% game time in a physical role and needs to be given a chop out for longer periods of time to keep him going all season. I don’t have a problem with Kentfield ahead of Heath but I don’t think his body is ready for AFL yet, he needs a VFL game post knee injury. In this case GC are a tall team with 200+cm backs and a powerful ruckman in Witts and we have a short turn around to our Essendon game where we will need Max cherry ripe for a game he should dominate and we should win. We also play with fire having a KPD playing pinch hit ruck, as we saw with the Freo game if a key back man goes down our team balance looks terrible. Heaven forbid Max go down and we have to play the game down both a ruck AND key position player. Max and Max will play together eventually, unless the plan is to give Gawn a full week off at some point (which I hope it isn’t!), or the club waits for Kentfield to be healthy and ready for AFL again which could be the option, but it’s still another big. I think it’ll be Heath this week. Hardly lunacy.

GC have dominated hit outs in their 3 games. Witts is a class act.

GC have also taken a huge number of marks in their fwd 50 (13 to 9 v Cats, 15 to 8 v WCE and 23 to 8 v Tiges) with some big scores resulting

They're tall in the back half and have a lot of good runners

Haven't really been tested yet. Should be a ripping game if we start well

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by jnrmac

Melksham in for Cross?

No idea who replaces CJ with Rivers likely missing again with his knee niggle and AMW requiring one more week in the VFL.

22 hours ago, binman said:

I'm not sure of Adam's contract status, but if he is out of contract at season's end i'd be very surprised if he gets another

Agree but with the likely retirement of TMac it leaves us very thin in tall backs

17 minutes ago, Sydee said:

Agree but with the likely retirement of TMac it leaves us very thin in tall backs

get o mac back - he'll be a free agent at the end of this season, i think

1 minute ago, whatwhat say what said:

get o mac back - he'll be a free agent at the end of this season, i think

Oh please NO

6 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

get o mac back - he'll be a free agent at the end of this season, i think

OMAC is no TMAC

2 hours ago, FTB said:

Melksham in for Cross?

No idea who replaces CJ with Rivers likely missing again with his knee niggle and AMW requiring one more week in the VFL.

Watching Cross on the weekend throw/launch himself into packs reminded me of a Melky

3 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

King’s said the last two days that he views the two poor starts vs Freo and Carlton differently. Against Freo he said it was their intensity/skill which overwhelmed us, but against Carlton he said it was just our own mistakes. I tend to agree, but either way, we have work to do. Gold Coast won’t let us bring a 43 point lead back (most sides not called Carlton won’t).

I reckon it was the other way round.

We had some ridiculous mistakes against freo in that first. Against Carlton they were just trouncing us at the start.