—coach—

Praise the lord for the saviour has arrived ?

Bing I generally respect your view points, and have liked many of your comments over the years, however on this one I think you undervalue significantly what Pruess can bring to the side for all the points I raised above, not just the marks part. The only way we will ever know is if he gets a few games in a row in the seniors and we get to assess his value based on that. PS this conversation is very similar to the ones had in the early stages of 2017 when some (myself included) were asking for Cam Pedersen to get a game. Many argued he was second rate and VFL standard, then once he came in people realized he brought more to the team than what the stats would show.

There have been many one-trick ponies over the years who have played in grand final wins. (Frawley for example) For my mind, it’s not so much that anyone thinks he is better than Weideman as an example, it’s just that his one trick makes many others around him better. I’ve explained this numerous times but when you stick a guy who is 206cm and 109kg in the goal square who can mark and who can kick, the opposition have no choice other than to play one of their best defenders on him, this means that the likes of Tmac and Weideman get the next best defenders. This is exactly what happened last year when hogan played, he naturally got the best defender (or double teamed) freeing up Tmac to be far more dangerous than he is now. Our game style all year has been to bomb the ball inside forward 50 and hope (or spear pass it directly to the opposition), Preuss gives us far more hope of a mark than anyone else in our club apart from Gawn who is better used to ruck and play spare man in defense rather than inside forward 50. So in short Preuss is used as a foil which makes those around him far more dangerous as well as having the potential to be dangerous himself.

JLT this year also confirms your point, Brayshaw smashed it in both games with Viney out of the side

Would agree injuries have caused us much pain this year with basically our whole back line out for much of the season thus far, but it’s quite obvious that our forward structures are poor and our delivery inside 50 is extremely poor. This is a coaching issue not a personnel issue (plus I don’t believe our injuries to midfield and forward groups have been too bad. No worse than any other team). This is evidenced when we get a clean break out of a stoppage anywhere around the middle of the ground, race it, forward then bomb it hiiiiiiiiiigh up in the air hoping for a mark or spear pass it with deadly accuracy to the only opposition player standing stationary by himself inside our attacking 50.

Blasted Oompa Loompas at it again?

For my mind it’s simple now, season is done, so make sure we are best prepared for next year: - Don't play anyone unless 100% fit, healthy and with appropriate game time at VFL level under the belt - Play everyone who needs to build experience and game time at senior level with a focus on learning and development. Play a really simple game plan that encourages them to use their natural instincts - Make sure anyone who will need surgery prior to preseason has it done ASAP so that they can actually do a pre-season - Start the search for new line coaches, fitness coach, kicking coach ASAP and get them on board immediately to maximize time to gel with the group prior to next year - Cop the AFL fine for not tanking with good grace and move on

Amen brother amen ? I might add also, you can bet your bottom dollar that a number of our blokes would walk a little taller with that beast on the ground. Not sure Spargo has quite the same effect.

In 2017 our win/loss ratio was the same when max was injured versus when he wasnt.

I don’t think anyone is actually suggesting he is a magic bullet or a particularly good forward, just that he makes us better by taking the best defender because he is massive and can mark and kick goals as has been proven in his games with us this year. This means tmac and others get the next best defenders which gives them a better chance, and our small forward get more opportunities from balls that go to ground rather the simply being marked uncontested by the opposition. He also suits our bomb it in mindset which despite our suggestions, continues to go uncorrected

Your happy with the delivery inside 50 then are you?

Him and the bloke in charge of our kicking skills. Dunstall, Ablett and Lockett would all go goalless in our team at the moment with the crap delivery

I hate this thinking as it’s the same thinking that buried us in the mire in the pre Roos days... however I totally agree with you, get anyone into surgery that needs it now, revert to a really simple game plan, and make sure we are giving our young blokes as much opportunity to develop in an environment which nurtures and encourages as much learning as possible. oh and play Preuss as deep forward every week from now on with Lockhart, Spargo and Fritch playing for the crumb and given license to play their natural game.

Oh wow, Auskick stuff there

What the [censored] was that kick Tom!!!

And bring in who? if we want him to find form he needs to be played in his natural position

Because our back line are pretty much all injured so it’s just a matter of finding a deckchair to go there

Preuss would have been handy there, but alas Spargo was the call

Much better kick inside forward 50, more of that please

Great tackle spargo

Damn I hate that rule

3 inside 50s three horrendous kicks straight to opposition

Well here I am up with kids contemplating what could be...

Totally agree, but we haven't done that all year and are not looking likely to fix that any time soon. So given that, our next best option is to have someone like Pruess in a position to capitalize on the current method of delivery.

Not sure running would be something he needs to do a great deal of. The amount of times the ball was bombed to the 10-20m out directly in front ‘hot spot’ last week was ridiculous. Surely if he was to stand in the goal square and run 10m forward to this spot each time the ball was kicked there we would have a better chance of taking a couple of marks there? Failing that if he crashes the pack that creates opportunities for others to crumb.