Lil_red_fire_engine

The naysayers are already gone.

Did we not draft for run and polish? We by all reports tried to trade for Hinds but he chose elsewhere. It was pretty well reported we met with Philips (unsure who opted out) and wanted Smith but missed to the Cats. My view is we attempted to address it. We need to be fast tracking those that can like Bowey, Laurie, Bedford, Chandler as soon as we are confident they can play out a senior game.

In Viney, Hibberd Out Sparrow, Hunt

6. Lever 5. May 4. Oliver 3. TMac 2. Langdon 1. Spargo

There will be plenty of chances to be critical when we lose. Whilst that was not a complete performance it was a 4 goal win, which never felt in doubt against an emerging side. That is before you get to us missing likely 5 of our best 18. So being you would think we lost if you read this thread I will just focus on three bright spots as the bile in some of these posts already highlights the areas that need improvement and plenty that I just shake my head at, 1. May and Lever gave one of the more complete performances you will see from 2 defenders. They are our number one weapon. 2. Jimmy Jordon is a no frills worker with footy nous who I can already see is an upgrade on recent AVBs, Wagners etc... Will complement Oliver and Trac and co the more he plays. 3. We finally saw some consistently strong forward pressure from both our smalls as well as Tmac, Fritta and others forward,.

I never said I was confident. On paper this team should win. However I will never trust them to do what they should do.

Agree but our big recruit is injured so unless we want to play first year kids who have not played a full game of any meaningful footy for 18 months let a lone an AFL debut in a full length game as their first up what do you do. We actually should not be seeing much change for where we are at. The improvement should come from Second and third preseasons into LJ, River, Koz, Jordon, Sparrow Another year of May and Lever on the park together. Changes in our game and execution via Yze and Choco. Last of all a return to full length quarters and the inclusion of reduced rotations which I believe suits us better than most and minimises some of our flaws in pace and giving up runs of goals. I wish we had a second winger and worry we are a touch tall down back against their forwardline (wonder if we will see a late change). I also wish that kids would push passed Jetta and Jones to give us more pace but they need to deserve to be there and we need to be confident they can play the long game. This team should win today.

No one forced Jones out of his half forward role in the two games we saw. I would have played an extra small with Chandler as well, particularly if Pickett plays more wing time as expected but had no doubt that Jones would play on the two games played. Someone will need to go past Jones for a spot as he will do enough to maintain it until they do.

Has Chandler suddenly become an on baller? Team is pretty much right I would personally play Bowey ahead of Jetta and Chandler ahead of Spargo on form but its a good balance for who is available.

Seriously. F&ck I hope he proves you wrong. I assume your opinion is based on a detailed view of the growth in his game over the last 3 years and not based on him playing second mid against the dogs first string midfield last week. Allegedly works his butt off. Allegedly team first. Allegedly plays his role. For every Martin and Cotchin you need your Broads, Caddy’s and McIntosh. Does not need to get a heap of ball just work hard and do the job set for him. Best of luck Jimmy J. Do what got you a game, work hard and play your role and hopefully its the start of a long career.

I am very surprised that anyone would be against this. They need to remove any pressure to return a player to the field with any form of head knock. You cant feign this to get a competitive advantage because if you sub out you are not just subbing out of the game but the next 12 days. Concussion is completely different to any other form of injury and needs to more seriously addressed and this is another good step in the right direction.

Back Rivers May Lever HB Hibberd ATom Salem C Langdon Oliver Baker HF ANB Tmac Pickett F Fritsch Jackson Chandler R Gawn Trac Harmes IC Brayshaw Bowey Jones Spargo Emerg: Petty Hunt Jordon Petty in if no May Hunt if no Hibberd or Salem Bedford if no Pickett. I am not convinced with Baker on a wing but I dont see an available improvement at this time. I have assumed Viney, B Brown, Weid and Melksham as returning but unavailable.

Did you note I did not mention Brayshaw, Salem, Hibberd, Picket, Brown, Weid..... Our one wood was more like a nine iron in the middle of the ground which was my point. It’s where the game starts and usually won and lost. Plenty of disappointments but let’s be real with the disparity in the middle.

I wonder if our centre bounces yesterday were Gawn, Trac, Oliver, Viney against English, Westerns second best mid in McRae, 7th gamer Rhylee West and first gamer McNeil how much different the whole game would look? Very disappointed that none of the kids really showed high hopes. Very disappointed that none of the B Graders other than ANB stepped into the breach left by those missing. Very disappointed that we could not lay a tackle and refused to lock onto Caleb Daniel. But really how could anyone get a read on that game with the imbalance in the middle of the ground.

6. May 5. Lever 4. ANB 3. Fritsch 2. Jackson 1. Langdon

How was the delivery today? Bit early to go the crow on that today.

Bedford played a quarter and showed more than Spargo and Chandler combined for the full match.

We were always going to get outclassed around the stoppage with the players missing. However the ease they walked out of stoppages and our inability to stick a tackle was a disgrace. That and not one outside of our 2020 top 18 stamped a spot for round 1. May and Lever can only stop so much. Very underwhelming regardless of the players missing. Hope May is fine and take that as a win, because not much else was.

The biggest disappointments from the game so far is no one outside of our normal best 18 putting their hand up and our inability to stick a tackle. The stoppages are not a surprise when you see Jones Jordon and Vanders in against Bont, McRae and Libba but our ability to connect from half back and lay a tackle are a concern.

The young kids look like....um young kids. Not everyone is Clayton Oliver in their first 10 games.

ANB forward and mid has been exceptional and May and Lever have kept us in it. We have gotten better as both quarters progress which is a good sign. Forward structure very much a work in progress. You wouldn’t be trembling if you were a dockers backman. I would play LJ ruck and Gawn forward for a lot of the second half.

No Oliver, Brayshaw, Viney, Melksham ........Defended well. Our small half forwards need to get to work

Great opportunity for more midfield development for Sparrow and Jordon and next level exposure for Laurie and Bowey. I hope Bowey, Laurie, Petty and Bedford really make it hard for selectors for round 1. We are missing a lot vs a very strong Bulldogs side so today for me is about no injuries and those on the edges to really press a claim.

I actually dont think our turnovers or our kick inside 50 is the true issue. It has been our inability to switch quickly to defend and pressure when we turnover and an inability to contain inside forward 50s and maximise the value of stoppage goals. A more defensive mindset mix at stoppage, Gawn drifting forward and taking more i50 hit outs rather than dropping a kick behind and our likely increased small forward mix in set up will address a lot of this even if we didn’t improve our kicking efficiency.

May should play on him.