KingDingAling

I suspected as much. We play like a disordered football side. We desperately need structure, and players need to know their role. There needs to be some order established. The players don't need freedom they need an organised and well structured game plan. If you want players to play on instinct then drill the game plan into them until it becomes second nature, then watch them play on instinct. There is 18 players on the field and the more they play to a structure the easier the objective is. We have one of the best tap ruckman in the league, and here we are bombing the ball into 50, not giving Hogan a hope in hell of marking it, and having 3-4 blokes all go up for the one mark. its under 11 football. No organisation at all. Just disorder.

Even when the work rate was up to scratch this year it was often wasted through below average disposal. It must be disheartening for the players to bust their a**, only to see that not translate to scores We are an ineffective football side. I think when we do work hard we have the grunt to out hustle a lot of sides, even the best of sides, but they smash us on the rebound and on the spread. Opposition sides make the most of their opportunities and we don't. We don't lower our eyes going inside forward 50, and we tend to just bomb it out the centre - which we have been doing since Moloney was at the club. I would put Fritsch in the middle because at least he lowers his eyes and makes good decisions. He is spoiling Tmac in the forward line anyway. You would think after 3-4 times that someone would tell Fritsch to stop going up for the same mark as Hogan and Tmac. There is too many simple and basic things happening in games that continuously happen over and over again, week after week. I wonder if our coaches even watch the replays? I suspect they don't.

We will be laying in it this year. We traded that pick (along with another quality pick) for a guy with an ACL history, paid him well, only for him to come out and do an ACL. No fault of Lever's mind you. He does appear to be a quality young lad. Fair play to him for getting top dollar for his services. We need to trade for an outside player but its a bit of stiff sh*t now, we will have to find that player within, unless we can miraculously pick one out of the draft (maybe a VFL type). Although, I still wouldn't discount Bayley Fritsch perhaps becoming the outside midfielder we need. He can do anything that kid. Another pre-season and I could see him transitioning into a full time midfielder. Probably one of the top 5 users by foot in the league and also has elite decision making.

I don't know about gettable, but worthy yes. Martin is exactly he type of player I would be targeting. I would pay him and pay him overs, because it would take paying him overs (at the trade table and salary) to get him here. He is about to explode. In 2019 he will be an elite player. Paying overs this year will be unders at trade time next year. I think people would see a potential Martin trade as mostly trading for potential (in that he is potentially a great player but not there yet), but I have been watching Martin all year and he isn't far off elite right now. Massive on this kid.

Gaff is vanilla, he doesn't do anything particularly outstanding. He is mostly an outside mid, but is relatively slow. I don't see Gaff as an effective midfielder. What does Gaff do exactly that is well above average? Does he have any outstanding traits? I don't see any. Perhaps I am overlooking something.. Tim Kelly is blistering on the outside. The first few steps Kelly takes he just leaves opponents in their wake - that is exactly the type of player we need. Kelly is underrated but I won't harp on him too much because he isn't a target for us (but I referred to him because he is the type of player we need, we need that speed as we struggle on the spread). Brayshaw isn't a very good kick at present. Above average on his opposite foot but well below average on his preferred foot. Hopefully something that he can fix. He hasn't played a lot of footy but I won't sit here and defend his kicking - it isn't where it should be right now.

Baker will go very well at AFL level. Give him a license to run. Petty was never going to go well as he was playing a difficult position and was more or less thrown to the wolves. As stupid of an inclusion as I have seen. Baker will be coming in and playing an easier position, where his strengths are exactly what the position calls for (run, run, run). Petty's position calls for him to be strong and accountable. He was neither and it wasn't his fault. With experience comes accountability (as you learn to be accountable because you know full well the cost). It was stupid to include Petty. It would be smart to bring in Baker.

No way would I do that or even nearly do that. Brayshaw is trending upwards in a massive way. Great month of footy and is improving every game. He would be our most improved this year. Gaff is a vanilla mid, who whilst I acknowledge he is mostly an outside mid, he is a slow outside mid. We need a Tim Kelly type mid - blistering on the outside. Personally I wouldn't even entertain a straight swap of Brayshaw for Gaff. Gaff is a FA and if WC match him then they can have him. Gaff is massively overrated on this board.

Different players in different positions. Its easy to get exposed down back if you aren't experienced (anyone in football knows this). It was silly to play Petty, it was really a stupid move and a played out accordingly. Bringing is Baker is different because his license will be to run, that is what he is good at. Accountability isn't as important for Baker as it was for Petty. Clearly Petty was playing a more difficult position, and it is a difficult position, that is why its important to have experienced players to fill that role while the youth learn how to play the role. Petty is still learning but it was a big mistake to have him learn on the big stage. He was shown up and we lost. It could be argued that it was a big reasons why we lost.

The Jones/Viney combo is fine. Both of them are leading the way. Leadership is a strong point for us. It didn't used to be but I think we have great leaders.

Lewis, Tyson, Petty and Weideman back to VFL. They were all next to useless today.

He isn't up to it. I have no idea at all how he gets a game.

I tend to agree. I would consider pulling the blokes out at 3 quarter time.

We look hopeless.

At least we are still close. We shouldn't be within 10 goals of the Saints.

So long as its all above board. Collingwood should be struggling to fit DeGoey in their cap.

He wouldn't be better than Oliver. Different players but not close to Oliver in terms of impact. Gaff is a bit of a seagull.

Every senior player should be shown the vision of Keilty lowering his eyes before he delivered inside 50. That is what is missing in our senior side.

Tim Smith too good for this level.

I think Gaff is probably our best bet. Or any other FA we won't have to trade for. I would be all for going hard at Sloane or Gaff providing we don't have to trade into them. We have nothing to trade anyway, but ideally we could bring in Gaff, move on Tyson, and use that second round pick on a kid.

The Lever trade was stupid and leaves us in a sh*t position. But trading Hogan is just nuts. The whole point of getting Lever in - in the first place - was that we are well positioned for a tilt at a flag (in the next 5 years and beyond). Trading Hogan would be a big set back.

You're going a bit early there DV8. Performing in the VFL is one thing. The step up to AFL is a whole different ball game. If there are people suggesting that Frost isn't up to it - that is probably due to his AFL performances (which weren't good enough or he wouldn't be playing VFL) They won't be wearing any egg on their faces until Frost can replicate his VFL form in the AFL. He simply hasn't done that. He needs to or he will be delisted.

Quite happy with their efforts last night. I vaguely remember playing in games where the umpiring was extremely one sided and its soul destroying and hard to remain upbeat. I thought all things considered the boys battled on well.

Lewis was good at Hawthorn as a midfielder. He just isn't a backman. Simple as that. At this point in his career he may not be good enough to break into our midfield, or willing enough to take the hits if he was. I would drop Lewis back to the VFL for a bit. See if he can help some of those lads who we need to be making the transition to AFL.

Brayshaw was good tonight, especially early. He is tracking along nicely and has had a solid year - massive improvement. Brayshaw, Oliver and Viney are our future midfield.

Out: Lewis, Tyson In: VFL performers.