Garbo

The discussion round Spargo is interesting, I'm usually quite critical of him since i don't see a spot for a fwd who doesn't kick many goals in a team that struggles to kick goals, something has to give. But its also the case that over the last few weeks we have been able to lock the ball inside our front half for long periods of time, something we have struggled to do since 2023, coincidentally when Spargo last played consistently. Maybe what he brings to the team is what the french wound describe as je ne sais quoi.

Not sure why we let harmes go and then replaced him with players like billings, hunter and sharp

What else does he do besides kicking goals he certainly doesn’t do the other things like pressure and tackle and setting up goals. If he’s not delivering in front of the goals he’s of no use

Will he hand back his pay packet then, everyone has things going on off field it’s no excuse and his poor form started well before the baby

Agree on Fritsch we need him at his best not whatever he is serving up now, Melk will be ready but I don’t think Goodwin has the balls. JVR just swaps for Fullerton no real thinking needed on that one.

Josh Schache mk2, looks good in VFL but can't play at AFL level.

Fullerton beaten time and time again, ball is kicked to the hotpot and he isn’t even able to contest his player from marking it

Fullerton offering nothing, not even halfing the contest

Team let them self down in those last 5 minutes, let tigers get back into the game

From https://central.rookieme.com/afl/2025/04/18/scouting-notes-2025-victorian-u18-trials-game-one/ Ah-Mu remarkably kicked six of his side’s nine total goals, leading from the front as captain for the day. He inspired a sharp turn in fortunes during the third quarter, kicking four of five consecutive Country goals out of the main break. Ah-mu proved too big and strong for Metro’s lean tall defenders, owning the forward 50 and causing headaches with his physicality. The hulking marking target took contested grabs in packs and on the lead, also converting his chances nicely. AFL owe us after screwing us over with Mac Andrew

I guess we will see if Fritsch has learnt anything from getting dropped despite not having to earn his spot back in the vfl first. Hopefully just the fact he knows he’s not an automatic selection will be enough. I hope Goodwin has the balls to send him back down if he still has his bad habits.

Without watching the vfl game I can’t say with any authority but going over the stats he certainly wasn’t in the best and sharp for Mcvee isn’t like for like anyway, I would think he is competing with rivers, bowey, Salem and Lindsay for a spot, none of whom will be going out, If you moved Rivers mid to make room then who are you dropping from there, probably first one out is sparrow. I just don’t see the whole team being shuffled round after our first win to make way for Mcvee who probably needs more time anyway

Only changes I can see it may for turner and maybe Laurie for sharp as the sub. Why would Goodwin mess with what worked today particularly up fwd, no chance Fritsch or JVR get back in.

Not spargo fan and certainly think we can do better, when he stops and waits after he gets the ball rather than play on it is infuriating but he played his role today he was one of the many players putting pressure on freo players and forcing a rushed disposal and locking the ball in our fwd half, something we have lacked so far this year. If Frisch would do that he wouldn’t be playing vfl today

Very even effort don’t think there was many passengers today, first time this year we have been able to lock the ball inside of 50 for periods of time

Amazing how much better things work when everyone brining effort first. Just need to see if they can keep it up as I don’t expect freo will give up

Midflieds turn next week

Goodwin not promising miracles by saying we can win a final qtr, to be ahead at qtr time will be novel enough

Even if they both get back to there best hypothetically if the club is entering a new phase and needs to rebuild moving on players with value isn’t a bad idea, personally I think they are both still a bit off and the game has also changed such that their strengths aren’t as valuable and their weekness is more exposed. Oliver has never been quick and this is only getting exposed more and trac and Oliver have never been good kicks which is more important than ever for your main ball winners

By the logic of the press conference if we don’t come out firing in q1 on the weekend goody should walk because otherwise he’s just talking absolute bull. I’ll be watching with baited breath as I just don’t see the signs but if he manages to get the team to collectively pull the finger out I’ll be impressed and then he needs to get them do it for the rest of the year. If he does then we will get our share of wins for the remainder of the season and he might keep his job

I don’t think if we beat tigers and wc in consecutive weeks anyone would have there mind changed if we still goto the bye at 3 wins 11 losses or something of that nature, even if we went 50/50 for the next 9 games that’s still 4.5 wins and 9.5 losses, Goodwin isn’t surviving bar a miracle turn round. The decision will be officially made after the bye imo.

Better to be the team that was than never has been, at least we have 2021 blues have nothing to look back on if that group fails too. Have a few blues mates and there highlight of the last 20 years in beating Dee’s in that semi final, quite sad really.

Feel like either he takes us to a grand final in 2 years or he completely blows up the team and we spend the next decade rebuilding 50/50. At this stage I’d take the gamble.

We have seen plenty of of presidents in the afl do this David Koch called out Hinkley, we saw Kennett call out Clarkson back in the day, it’s quite common those are 2 I can think of quickly but there is plenty more if I cared to go over it

So better false hope than none, I guess some people myself included prefer to live in reality, we already have to much spin going on everywhere else to have the club we support joining in