Garbo

Ben Brown if he is to play fwd in place of Tmac (on the the assumption he is going back) needs to get up the ground more and be a link man, the real strength of tmac this year was his work round the ground not the goals he kicked. He gets a pass today being his first week in but going forward he needs to contribute more. The same for Weid when he gets his chance. Unless they can kick 3-4 a week the talls need to do more in other ways. 2 goals and 5 touches won’t cut it

Our issues in the first half and the turn round were not a result of Ben Brown playing or not playing, it was the result of north getting possession in the middle under little or no pressure and being able to deliver into there f50, our return from our own inside 50s didn’t change throughout the game north’s supply and quality of entry simply dropped off.

Feeling is at least a week. He chose to raise the elbow got the player high. The only mitigating factor is he had the ball.

Well at least it should be obvious to even Goodwin now, so hopefully this is the last we see of him

We clearly came out expecting the win probably best that it’s north and not swans next week

Not that it will matter for this game but I think we need to bring in another mid for rotations now Jones is out, Kade Chandler and Sparrow both seem to be up and about in the game on Friday I’d like to see one of them brought in for a Fwd as we seem to have one to many, as many have said first out for mine is Melksham but I’m sure Goodwin will probably drop 21 other players before him so who knows.

Not sure Gerard Healy is any more an expert on such things than you or I, either way I wouldn’t be putting any faith that Wied is the future down fwd for us. He is a nearly 24 year old in his 5th year of AFL football played under 50 games and only averaging just over a goal a game. Those aren’t the number of someone who is going to be a star. Hogan in the same time with the club played 71 games and kicked over 150 goals all despite battling multiple injuries and off field issues and he is considered a failure. I think people need some perspective on Wieds career he is a middle of the road player at best.

It could work but you can’t swap a Ben Brown for a Small, it would have to be for a mid size like Melk or Fritsch. Neither typically apply any more pressure fwd than the talls but can create a mismatch like Fritsch did vs cats.

Most AFL talking heads must only watch the highlights of most wc games, Nic Nat is always in them but if you watch the games he has always had large chunks when he goes missing. To me he has always been the most overrated player in the competition. Has way to many deficiencies in his game to be in the top echelon of players

Interesting to see if the north vs dees dees goes ahead next week, north might have to do 2 weeks quarantine. Feels like a repeat of the Essendon game last year

I like that we didn’t tamper with our fwd structure to fit weid or brown in, sooner or later either through injury or form they will get a chance

Doubt he’s on big coin the 5 year deal would have been less money for more certainty, when fit harmes is still in our 22 and at A minimum he will replace Jones going fwd and is still ahead of the younger mids like sparrow and Jordan for now.

Think we will be lucky if it’s 65k attending, until they allow walk up entry without having to pre book tickets I can’t see crowds getting close to pre covid levels

Have to wonder could Ben Brown come in for Jackson and play the back up ruck roll. While weid comes in for M.Brown. As much of a talent Jackson is he hasn’t exactly delivered in the goals department and if I remember correct Ben Brown did help with ruck at north from time to time

I’d like to see us just play our structure, if Martin gets off the leash early then you can look at tagging, the main thing with him is manning up when he drifts fwd, I’m fine when he’s in the middle to go head to head and back out mids in over them.

Interesting Langdon didn’t get a single vote

Who is creating the pressure and contesting the ground ball in such a fwd line, you would be lucky to get a single fwd 50 tackle between the lot of them. If they failed to mark the ball would exist just as quickly as it came in. A hallmark of our first month has been the pressure inside 50 all we have lacked is a more dangerous tall target than tmac and Jackson

3 talls fwd is the maximum you can play imo, So far this year we have had tmac, Jackson and fritsch (not a tall but plays as a lead up marking fwd). For Brown and Wied to come in 2 need to go out long term, there is probably room for one on the wing if you really want to push it. If we are playing a grand final and I had to pick our best side Tmac is the last picked from those 6 as harsh as that may be in some people eyes. Next out is Jackson however what he brings in freeing up Gawn almost has him select first. For me Brown is full fwd with Jackson rotating between fwd and ruck, the 3rd tall is then between Wied and Fritsh. Maybe you could fit both but then Melksham would have to make way and Fritsch would play slightly up the field. The 3 smalls in ANB, spargo and Pickett has worked so well I’d not be touching that other to you swap one small for another if form dictated.

Him and Gawn are going to be the best 1/2 ruck combo we have ever seen

Doesn’t look a threat in front of goal which his role atm, Ben Brown has to come in at his expense. If he has a role on the wing I’m all for it but we probably looking to tall then. Weid will come in for the other Brown

Looking fwd to see if Petty can slot in and play Mays roll

I’d bring in vanders split the role fritsch played between him and Melksham

Bombers would match any offer forcing a trade, they will be wanting 2x mid to early first rounds. The only players with value we might consider trading would be Brayshaw, Wied, Hunt, Harmes who even combined wouldn’t get us enough and you are giving up to much for just one player at that point. If by some miracle they didn’t match then I’m sure we figure out a away, priority is to resign our guys first if there is anything left them you try Merrett, don’t want to see us in pies shoes in a few years. Only way he gets to dees is if takes less than Oliver, trac, gawn, May.

Good teams will manage players throughout the year outside the bye, it’s a marathon not a sprint. If we don’t strategically manage players it will blow up in our face sooner or later, either via a spate of soft tissue injuries or just a collapse in form. I’m not saying rest Gawn and trac or players of that ilk now they are in there prime and don’t need it, but the under 22 and Over 30’s will. Edit also just to add Most teams by now are naturally doing this either via forced changes from injury or due to a loss and needing to change things up. Starting perfectly as we have there has been no need

We looked absolutely stuffed after the game, some of the younger and older players are really going to feel it next game, this is just the start of a long campaign, we are not even 1/6th of the way there. Goodwin needs to perhaps tempt fate against a weaker opposition this week and rotate out a few of the players if they aren’t 100% good to go and get them cherry ripe for the Tigers game. We have the perfect start now we can afford to look slightly ahead rather than week to week. Welcome to the be league boys.