Lil_red_fire_engine

This is not at all surprising. He plays safe footy in every meaning of the word safe. Its a real shame Sestan got injured when he did as I am very keen to see him trialled back half of the year in half back place of Salem and/or Rivers. He is a high quality kick at varied distances who takes chances that open the field.

But it’s important that a captain is in the best 22 and more importantly on the list. I am not convinced we can be sure of either with Lever in 2026. I suggest unless he doesn’t want it that Gawn goes again in 2026 but with 3-4younger players in the leadership group with him. I would suggest they should come from Rivers, Chandler, Petty, Sparrow but I think all of them need to show further on field potential.

Yep Morris and Freijah are the ones everyone missed. They are also the only two I would be confident will have better careers than Kolt. The issue for mine isn’t that we took Kolt its that we traded up for the privilege when unlikely he would be gone later and in a draft that has generally looked pretty middling thus far otherwise.

Kolt is super clean with his hands and feet but doesn’t get enough of it yet and makes howlers when he overthinks the game. I believe he will look a lot different with a full preseason and continuity of play. As far as those who were drafted after him, I suggest go and have a look. Of the next 15 drafted, only two of them played seniors on the weekend and they were Darcy Wilson and Riley Hardeman neither who have been killing it this year. Logan Morris is the one at pick 31 that most clubs missed.

I know this will go against what most think is right for where we are at. In Campbell, TMac, Billings, Laurie. Out: Petty, Howes, Sparrow, Sharp Fritsch as sub. Campbell and Gawn to offer a long target when not in ruck. Old Man TMac to play on Old Man Walker. Billings and Laurie may not be the future but their VFL form warrants selection and they have endurance and polish. There will be better development opportunities later in the season if warranted for players. I suspect we will reintroduce JVR, Lever and Windsor but that would be wrong. Let JVR gain touch at VFL. Let Windsor get a clear month developing his midfield role. Let Lever show he can actually add value defensively.

6 Melksham 5 Pickett 4 Bowey DAYLIGHT 3 Gawn 2 Turner 1 Viney (at least he gave manic effort) How anyone could give Petracca a vote yesterday I assume they just check the stats. His defensive intent was poor and his use of the ball by foot was poor and he was one of the key players missing in Q1.

Goodwin needs to go. They either dont know what they are meant to do or dont believe in it or both. They dont want to play for him, for the jumper or for their team mates. Premiership players need to be moved on for whatever you can get Trac, Oliver, Salem, Fritsch May thats you. Watching them jog around with half ar$e efforts is embarrassing. Time to be brutal, reset and move on.

Like our backline structure. Don’t love our forward set up (but when have I) and will be able to see whether we have post bye learnings for our midfield based on the CBA mix during the first quarter. Best of luck to Jeffo who after a few soft kill 5 goal VFL games had his best big boy footy game in the VFL last game against Essendon VFL. Hopefully he takes that attack on the ball and demand on the lead into today’s game.

McStay's contract with Pies is 5 years estimated at $600k per. Fullerton signed with us for 2 years at I assume more like half that salary. McStay has missed more than half the games through multiple injuries since joining and when playing has averaged just over 1 goal and 4 marks a game. I would take Fullerton's non impact over 2 years over the cost and patchy impact of McStay at the Pies. I suggest landing a quality proven key forward at end of 2025 is unlikely with us based on market and chips to get a deal. We have to my knowledge attempted to land Larkey, Mitch Lewis, Tex Walker and Waterman at different points in time and all stayed at their original clubs. I am sure there would have been others. Our best path is as others have stated, bring in better ball users through the midfield via positional changes, trade (in and out) and draft. I hope we never see Oliver, Petracca and Viney at a centre bounce together again.

Not a fan of Lindsay?

6 Gawn 5 Bowey 4 Pickett (first half) 3 Turner (second half) 2 Howes 1 Fritsch

Someone needs to have the courage to tell Viney he is no longer good enough to play midfield. Send him to half forward to do a job on the oppositions key half back playmaker being no one has gone near Wanganeen Milera, J Daicos or Rozee in 3 successive weeks. Pickett was clearly not right after successive knocks. I await the announcement of delayed concussion. Why we did not start May on Georgiades was a mistake. Why we continue to persevere with Petty forward is now a joke. What Levers role in the current game is beyond me. Our inability Tom take our chances when we had momentum and do basic things to halt momentum late in quarters continues every week without fail. I never want to see Petracca, Viney and Oliver a centre bounce again. What’s the point of winning the clearance if you are all just going to blaze it to no one. The bones of a quality side are in there but whether Goodwin has the steel to actually make the changes required is doubtful.

Tom Sparrow. Harrison Petty. Jack VIney. Pathetic.

We MUST trade out some of our ball butchers over the summer to bring in some class. Viney, Rivers, Sparrow, Oliver, Petracca, Langdon you cant have them all regardless of their other qualities. Why was May not on Georgiades from the start. Why is Petty out there at all. If players somehow learn how to execute a kick into 50 in the second half we may eke out a win but I doubt why it would suddenly change now after 3-4 years of this rubbish.

At either end of the ground yes but their starting midfield was Hobbs, Tstatas and Shiel.

Jeffersons game time tonight was better than his recent two 5 goal hauls. His marks were commanding and clean his attack on the ball and man was improved and his kicking well executed. More of this please El Jefo. One of the better games I have seen Verrall play it was like watching a young Grundy. I do worry he is a touch too small to make it as a ruck and has shown little elsewhere but hope his development continues in the second half of the year.

Out: Lindsay (managed), Langford (managed), Melksham (managed) In: Viney, Culley, Jefferson

6 May 5 Langdon 4 Bowey 3 Gawn 2 Oliver 1 Pickett

It was a frustrating loss but kick reasonably straight and you win even with the low work rate and pressure. I know it makes people feel better but you don’t make mass changes after one poor loss to the group that has won you 5 of the last 7. I don’t rate Lever but he wont get ommitted, they will give him time to hit form and TMac does not have an obvious match up against the Pies. Out AJ, Laurie, Sharp* In: JVR, Viney, Sestan* *I love a big game debut and I don’t think the Windsor back experiment is working. Windsor or Fritsch to sub.

Jake Lever has been an excellent pick up for us and integral to our 2021 premiership and 2022/2023 making finals. However the game has changed significantly and away from his strengths. Unfortunately he struggles to actually play on a key tall and panics against all sizes when the ball comes in with any decent speed on it. I am conscious he has struggled to gain max form due to lack of continuity but that is another problem in itself. He is a fantastic clubmen but pointing at where to be in a defensive structure and giving your all in the air only gets you so far. His extension to 2028 likely made sense when completed mid 2022 but will offer challenges moving forward.

Our work rate had been extremely poor. We reduced the score that quarter because StKIlda are mediocre aside from effort. 2 players in a half of football with more than 10 touches. We have been winning games on work rate and selfless play but they seem to have not taken either onto the plane to Alice.

Gee didn't see that half [censored] effort, Hollywood football, no respect for the opponent start coming. SO Melbourne. Come on Dees pull your finger out.

It’s because it’s the FTA broadcast VFL game. These are only played at a couple of venues due to camera requirements.

Agree. Just get it done. There is enough of a pattern now to how we are trying to play and winning games. I expect Ross will bring a plan to stop us playing the way we want. It will come down to do we have the maturity and intelligence to handle it. Anyone with half an eye and thought already on Kings Birthday will risk our downfall.

I thought he was very good today in his work rate, clean hands and quality kicking. I am still unsure how he fits at AFL intensity but if he keeps presenting and making most of chances like he did today he could well develop an AFL career.