Lil_red_fire_engine

6. May 5. Tomlinson 4. Lever 3. Salem 2. Weid 1. Petracca

People thinking Goodwin’s coaching cost us really are clutching at straws or have agenda’s. That was a loss based on inadequate defensive run and not taking chances when they present. The same side did both well last week. We missed 4-6 high % goals and they made there’s. We played like an improving mid tier side who struggled with a higher level of pressure. We unsurprisingly were caught short for outside run which a lot of us had already said was a concern. Just need to reset and get the changes right next week otherwise outside run will catch us out once again. Lost in it all will be Steven May’s game which you will struggle to find a more complete defensive game by an individual.

As soon we we were put under any pressure all our mids go back to trying to win the same ball and leave them the outlets. They have just shown why we still need 2-3 good runners on the outside. Still had chances that quarter but Melksham, Fritsch and Sparrow unable to take them. Lets see if we drop our heads or have a crack still in the last.

1 Steven May. 2. When we do get it on the turn or a clear stoppage win we look likely to score. 3. Steven May

Tomlinson will get Bruce. Worth noting AFL article today mentions Tomlinson has only had 2 goals kicked on him in the 3 rounds since going back. “The Tomlinson move is paying dividends, and he’s conceded only 2 goals to a combination of Darcy Cameron, Brody Mihocek, Josh Walker, Cameron Zuurhar, Tom Lynch and Elliot Himmelberg.” Source article below https://www.afl.com.au/news/488070/brayshaw-s-back-angus-beefs-up-midfield-time-to-find-2018-form Lever to play third up to blunt the leaps of both Bruce and Naughton.

This is the 8 point game for the purist in me. No tags please just let Trac, Clarry, Bray, Viney, Sparrow go head to head with Bont, Dunkley, McRae, Libba, Smith. Put the close check on Daniel and May needs to work Naughton under the ball all day. As long as a forward or two step up and take their chances we should win this and really set ourselves for a run at it. If we lose I suspect it will show our deficiencies on the outside still and give us a chance to try and resolve any issues before a tighter run to secure a finals chance.

Worth noting that Ben Gibson asked Gawn on the Captains Run who would he ruck if he and Preuss were out and he named Smith. I mentioned it was left of centre and am yet to hear what your stellar idea was that doesn’t disrupt our forwards and backs.......

If neither Preuss or Gawn are ready to go my left of centre idea would be to bring in Joel Smith and ruck him. Can leap and is strong of body. It would Give us more options to ruck TMac or Tomlinson at a pinch and slot him in as second forward or third defender. It would also make us highly unpredictable an provide some more speed around the ground.. There is no perfect option but I would back this if needed over blooding Bradtke or robbing us initially of our preferred forward and backline set ups.

I have a feeling that Jones may have been playing a defensive forward role on Crisp. I would like him to do similar on Daniel. JJ may get the run but Daniel is their architect. The more I think about this the more I would go with Gawn/Pruess combo over Tmac, particularly with Ryder/Marshall the following week. I would prefer to see us balance the load on Max for the season as well as continue to have a true ruck inside 50 stoppages. It would be different if TMac was moving better and clunking them but I think we will get a similar output in those spaces with the big Preusster or Max resting forward. 6 day break should not need to see anyone managed other than maybe Sparrow if he is feeling it. Gawn for Tmac or no change for mine.

Disagree. I will back our mids in over theirs. Play accountable but take them head on.,

If Max is ready I reckon they may seriously consider dropping TMac and maintaining the big Preusster as the second ruck forward. He is definitely getting around the ground better for longer and would offer a true chopout and less game time reliance on Gawn. As the second forward (which TMac is only doing the bare minimum of) he just needs to get the ball to ground in 50 and would offer a true ruck for inside 50 stoppages for us to control. I reckon it will be well discussed during the week.

We appeared to maximise Brayshaw and Oliver in the middle and rotate Viney, Trac and Sparrow through half forward as the third.

It doesn’t matter who we beat the last 3 weeks it is how we have beaten them and the momentum of belief this is creating in the players. As Trac said post game, these are wins built on defence and out working the opposition. That is then translating into big scores as the game breaks and the opposition tires. We seem to have the balance right in structure in defence, attack and midfield. Trac and Oliver have realised their talent on the inside is not to get the ball to someone 3 metres away but to power out themselves. This is allowing others to back them in and spread earlier knowing they will at worst halve the contest. Weideman is realising and relishing his role as the number one forward target. Steven May is showing confidence in his body and those around him and smashing anything in his path. Langdon’s selfless running is starting to get rewarded as we use the width of the ground more and look too take best option. I have worries about the inefficiency of Harmes, Jones (better suited at half forward) and AVB but they are all playing their roles in different parts of the ground and as role players that role first vs occasional mishap will occur. Lots to like and lots to build on if the players keep believing that this is what hard work and team defence brings you.

Preuss showed enough tonight for us to wait until Gawn is truly ready, there is no need to rush him back. Harmes and Jones are the two that worry me the most, Sparrow is doing a good job but had lesser impact and may be worth a rotation to blood Jordon or shift Harmes into the midfield and Rivers to the back half. Will ee who gets called out in the scratch that we also won well before I decide but would not surprised if we go unchanged.

6. Oliver 5. Langdon 4. Petracca 3. May 2. Hibberd 1. Spargo

The contest is closer than the half time score suggests. The Melbourne way would be to come out and think the result will look after itself. Need to get the first couple and push on, best way to to blunt their clearances a touch and control the ball a bit more. Great first halves by Oliver.Langdon and Spargo in particular. Reset. Go again

Right decision to unleash Preuss, this is exactly why we have him as insurance. At worst he will make a banged up Grundy even more battered and soften him for periods TMac needs to go in against he or Cameron. I would have played Rivers ahead of Jones or AVB as surely a fumbly Harmes comes out of the backline and locks in on Sidebottom. Keen to see how we use Viney to allow Brayshaw’s continued momentum and hope to see Weid continue his promising form. Amazed that they dropped Stephenson who we generally struggle for a match up on.

Preuss for Jackson and Lockhart for Rivers like for like replacement. Viney for Hannan hopefully means Viney will rotate more through forward 50 and Brayshaw can continue to maximise his centre square time. Ecstatic no Stephenson has a habit of killing us.

Surely Preuss plays. I understand he played his first scratch last week but by all reports was good. He is a brute, had a great preseason and they are shortened quarters. Assuming no Gawn and with LJ out we are surely not going in without any actual ruckman. Worst case he bangs up Grundy to make it easier for TMac when he relieves.

Jack should play as high half forward to in the right games pushes to the stoppage as an additional midfielder. That aside he would be one of the best pressure specialists in the game and would maximise our inside 50 containment. It also minimises impact on his body for second half of year and shorter turnarounds. This to me is a fab 2020 idea as all 4 horseman will be needed once we get back to standard quarter lengths in 2021.

I will not be able to appreciate him until I watch him from my wing spot at the G. The TV coverage gives you little clue at the ground coverage.

We still lack outside polish and another pressure forward. They can be found later in the draft or hopefully with astute trades for players lacking opportunity/go home factor. I cant see us going big at a name even if we had the picks to offer.

There is no disputing Trac, Oliver and Brayshaw is the best midfield combo, particularly now all of them realise they have legs and can accelerate away. This is no knock on Viney its about how the three complement each other. Viney is perfectly suited to a high half forward who plays as another midfielder at the contest and can offer more to retain the ball in the forward half. For the best of the team which he is clearly worth a starting 18 spot this should be his role. We did what we had to do but I hope we dont sit back and think that 22 can match it with the top 4 this year or next. We cant carry all of Jones, AVB and Harmes lack of skill, we need some more dash or polish halfback/wing. We cant carry the inconsistent brilliance of all three of Fritsch, Hannan and Melksham. We need to decide who is the third tall defender, still up for grabs between OMac, Tomlinson and Smith (Shame Petty is not about as an option). We’ve given ourselves a shot at finals in the back half of the year but I hope we dont rest on our laurels.

Harmes was poor and has been for weeks. He cant play half back and we refuse to tag him. If we send him to Sidebottom next week he gets a reprieve but otherwise needs to go. Hannan was non impactful bar other than a period where he took 2 nice grabs.

In typical Hannan fashion was engaged in the game for a quarter and then hardly seen otherwise. I think even if Gawn plays they won’t want to run him in ruck as hard as normal. If we we play with two true smalls , with LJ playing 65% game time and Gawn more like 80% than normal I would play TMac as well as was serviceable. I would like to see us have 2 tall forwards at all times.