Lil_red_fire_engine

Blake Howes can seriously play. Will be primed to put pressure on best 22 with a second preseason. Weideman looks so much better when he can push up the ground. Bowey ready to go when needed. Harmes got a lot of ball but had limited impact with it.

Did not have an inside 50 kick though. Had three the week before, No point being the best at it if you dont get the pill enough to do it.

The first half was boring defensive footy with Carlton pushing numbers behind the ball and us over correcting on recent shoot outs we have been involved in. We tried to play with a touch more dare in the third but did not take advantage of it with some poor turn overs. We should not underplay how hard that was in the clinches and the pressure from Carlton that was finals level. We just need a touch more quality drive from half back and improved connection and pressure inside 50 to be at our 2022 best in September. Unsure whether Goody will make the changes to make it happen but then Melksham, Brayshaw in the middle and Hunt were in our best 6 last night. I feel some of us have watched our bang bang bang 15 minutes of premiership perfection and have forgotten that we did not play like that all of 2021. We’re in with a shake particularly if we can secure top 2 next week.

Harmes must come in for more drive and the Neale tag. Sparrow out for mine to allow this. There is no point being the best inside 50 kick in the league if you cant get the ball. Spargo out for one of Chandler/Bedford. I can’t see us swinging changes from Casey being the short turn around.

6. Melksham 5. Petty 4. Brayshaw 3. Gawn 2. Hunt 1. Oliver

One is 24 years old and one is 19 would be the starting point I think. Johnson seems more a lead up player not a crash the pack player.

Agree with this. How i left ANB over Spargo I was clearly tired and not clear in my thinking.

Great overall post Jimmy and particularly been thinking about your point above the last 24 hours. I think we are a few out in our balance of X factor vs blue collar role players. No disrespect to the following but we need to shift a few of Melksham, ANB, Spargo, Jordon, Sparrow. They are quality hardworking role players but we need some more spark and polish.

Naughton is contracted until the end of 2024. There is no way in hell the Dogs are letting him go anywhere. There is no decent maturing key forward coming out of contract this year. Nor does it appear that there is much key forward action at the top end of the draft. I think we will need to play a longer game to solve this one and work to line up the right target for 2024.

Either/or.

Accepting we wont make 4 changes at this time of year but. In: Bowey, JVR, Harmes, Chandler Out: Hunt, Melksham, Sparrow, Spargo

For those saying they just couldn’t miss look at where they got their chances and where they targeted the ball going forward. For those that say they got gifted goals from holding the ball decisions. Maybe we would have if we actually laid a tackle inside 50. We had a crack but could not handle their pressure when it went up in the second half. We were back to playing ring a rosey with handball rather than driving forward and swarming in behind it. The thing that does annoy me is having the 5 time All Australian ruckman starting quarters in crucial games in the forward 50 and letting his temporary sidekick start at the centre bounce. They had an all 22 performance whereas some of our role players went missing and our stars had high possession games but dulled for their usual impact.

They had 10 of the top 15 pressure players. We spent too much time handballing in circles. We did not take our chances in the second and just left them hanging in the game until they outworked us.

Talk of getting Darcy out with 2 years to go on his contract is farcical. As a pure quality player Fremantle have nothing that fits our needs that is plausible. Young would fit need but is on an extended deal, Serong does not fit our need, Brayshaw is their next skipper and on an extended deal. We will be looking for first round picks (assuming nothing inside top 5) that we can convert into a high quality recruit/draftee and I suggest a couple of moneyball type players as steak knives that may have upside in our system. As some have mentioned Meek or Treacy may fit the bill. Sam Sturt could also be an interesting one. Looked great early but has had a bad run with injury and preseason interruptions. Vic boy 190cm high forward and I think out of contract.

It will be Weid out for BBB or whoever is the best performing tall at Casey. Our balance looked better with Hunt back and Brayshaw in the pivot. It probably does come down to Harmes or Sparrow as Melksham I think is playing an important role (different to what’s expected of Harmes/Sparrow) and applying it well. For those thinking ANB will be dropped may want to consider how highly his 31 pressure acts (only second to Oliver) for the game are rated.

6. Viney 5. Fritsch 4. Brayshaw 3. Trac 2. Petty 1. May

Time to be ruthless. Put the foot down and send a message,.

A great hard working half of footy with Viney leading the way. We did leave a few goals out there and I hope we come out ruthless and dont have that bite us later.

I dont see how this fixes our F50 pressure but I guess it’s something different.

That explains his single digit possessions and might explain that kick into forward 50.

Well done Gus. Well done Dees. Never in doubt,

In: Lever, Bowey, Chandler Out: Tomlinson, Salem, Melksham I accept Salem wont happen but it should, he is the shadow of last years version. More likely Jordon is managed, Gus to wing and Bowey in if a third change,

I would pass on all of them for our needs and turn our attention to getting Callaghan the following year.

I feel tonight will be either Weids final dance for the Dees or he will cement himself in the side for the rest of the year. Does not need to kick a bag just create movement, demand the ball on the lead and win/halve aerial contests. I still believe a quality forward role is within him it just needs to be unlocked. No Daniels to slice us up from half back will make for a nice change. Our mids including Gawn need to get back to owning the stoppage and what better way than against the dogs.

Aside from Jones, none of the others are any good (including Cox). I would prefer LJ to stay but I see we are losing a second ruck who does not kick goals or take marks often when forward. I will back us in to maximise the picks, players and salary relief this offers to continue to improve our list. A young key forward should be at the top of it but you can only work with what’s available. A maturing ruckman with upside (Meek is a one worth considering) is also something that should be part of the planning.