dino rover

It’s cringy Manufactured inauthentic Good cause

Given our performance this year and our promise to be top 4 this year and beyond I don't think players like TMac / LJ are likely to want to move anywhere. We aren't the only team with Premiership potential but we seem to be in the window right now and that will a powerful motivator for players to stay. The signing of Trac and other core elite players makes it a hard team to leave. Going to Gold Coast at least might not be so attractive in the context.

That is my point - you dont "rest" in the forward line - it isn't or shouldn't be a bludge you need to work up and down the ground to provide options for transition. B and TMac work up to the CHB area for the outlet kick. My point was more to the claim that Maxxy was overworked or tired when LJ is taking a proportion of the ruck work - what I am unclear on is what proportion of the ruck work is he doing? BB takes some ruck in fwd pockets.

As regards "resting" Maxxy is his time in the ruck as distinct from on the ground that much more than those of other first rucks? Watching the Swans game I got the impression that Jacko was rucking for significant periods and having a resting ruck in the fwd line as well as BB and TMac might not be ideal. I could understand a resting strategy for selected players closer to the finals period might make sense but not this early.

The idea that playing forward is a relative bludge should be challenged

Thanks for this I too find it hard to take

I like this but with Chandler not Bedford who has some tricks has performed well and is good on the chase and defensive acts Sparrow is a natural Viney replacement. Dont try and find a Fritsch exact swap / copy he is an original. If there is enough pressure and if the bigger talls present the crumbers will feed. Trac can rotate through the fwd line to further challenge Sydney

I was surprised by how slow he was. I accept that his first game back will be not necessarily his best. Just by his size and contest he got us some crumbing goals I suppose but I also felt we reverted to a "kick it to the big fella" forward entry approach which hadnt been so evident.

If melksham doesn’t perform then he should get the axe too i like Bedford or sparrow over both Jones and melksham both now and for the future

Winning trumps optics i don’t get sentimentality here the team the club is more important than any individual that is the key take out on field - that players weren’t being selfless and if they did that would contribute to better performance why doesn’t it apply to selection?

Where on Kayo?

I like how Goody was up for improvement notwithstanding 6 and 0 and the win over Richmond. I also think that the Melksham / Brown swap makes the most sense. Melksham and Brown dont bring the same tackling pressure as the other forwards - they are there for their goal scoring. Melksham hasnt been compelling and Brown provides a lot of upside for the team. Jackson was never the option - not with 17 possessions at 100% efficiency and two goals plus how he helps Gawn and as a development project. Jones as the other option I guess but maybe he brings more leadership and pressure acts than Melksham.

In a medium sized defender I think Rivers is the archetype - fast good disposal courageous and selfless. Howe's main game is the hanger on a hapless fwd who got a rubbish delivery. No thanks to Howe.

Tomlinson on the Sunday Footy Show (go to 6:22 in the clip) that he offered to play CHB to Goody - indeed he became a winger at GWS more by accident than design / originally a defender "Skulls got injured" that the approach at Melb. was different to GWS - at GWS more one on one defence at Melb. "system based defence at the Demons whereas at the Giants you've got your opponent you beat your opponent it was very one on one" I don't know enough about our "systems based defence" but the idea that Tomlinson "goes to Lynch" or May "picks up X" seems at odds with Tomlinson's advice here.

Damn right where do players live? proximity to where they are predominantly is the thing with excellent facilities Supporter facilities follow that priority

In defence relative to 2018 we have significantly upgraded our skill level by foot with Rivers May Lever Tomlinson (note Frost's turnover to Tmac in the Hawthorn game). Our tackling pressure in the fwd half commences our defence and makes it easier for our defence in that there isnt too much easy transition. Our midfield runs to help the defence as Salem highlighted in a post match interview - not just Max running into defence but more of the midfield more often. Jacko whilst not a key forward - yet - is more than a chop out ruckman a la Pederson, TMac or Weid and that helps Max and Jacko is a big mobile talented mid. Finally Langdon on the wing with Brayshaw developing means our own transition is much better and the capacity for the wings to choke the oppositions transition is greater.

I dont think Tomlinson is an ideal CHB and Petty so far isnt a compelling replacement. When we have more 2m tall fwds to cover we will need more tall defensive options.

I note that BB covers some territory...a marathon man apparently "Ben Brown, 11.6km" https://www.afl.com.au/news/511202/marathon-men-telstra-tracker-reveals-your-club-s-endurance-kings c/f Top-five most distance covered per game in 2020 Ed Langdon, 12.3km Christian Salem, 11.9km Adam Tomlinson, 11.5km Clayton Oliver, 11.3km Sam Weideman, 11.3km So presumably when he plays if wont necessarily be out of the goal square. To have 2 times 2m mobile marking targets / assets (plus LJ) both for interceptions and transition - something to look forward to.

The Age reported "acknowledging the lure of finishing his career in the manner of Hawks great Shane Crawford, who retired after winning a grand final in 2008." I doubt that Crawford was gifted his last game for Hawthorn he made it on merit - right? THe same must apply to Jones surely? I take a less sentimental view of who owes who what. The team and the teams success is primary over any individual recognition IMO. If games are gifted to a player for services rendered - as admiral as that service is doesnt it debase the currency somewhat?

Which is why it might be hard for Maxy to win a Brownlow - too much competition for votes in his own side.

Loved this...https://howtheyplay.com/team-sports/Top-50-Stupid-Football-Quotes Its not just AFL... "He's got a lot of self-belief in himself." —Graham Beecroft "They were numerically outnumbered." —Garry Birtles "Not to win is guttering." —Mark Noble "And with 4 minutes gone, the score is already 0-0." —Ian Dark

Port are in the hunt for {dynamic, capable, tested, refreshed, journeyman, strong man, athletic, skilled, experienced, aggressive, redundant, overlooked, premiership medal winning, award winning, affordable, drug affected, cheap} free agent Star is just lazy.

inflation in hyperbole - worried me as a description because hyperbole is exaggeration so I am describing exaggerated (inflated) exaggeration! I guess the other dimension of this is that the "journalists" that write about "stars" have pretty limited vocabularies and tired cliches are all they can write. Its off topic but I enjoy the banter between Tony Chompers Jones and the Footy Show crew but Tony is actually a journalist who can neatly and eloquently package a news item (for both sport and non sport topics). Your average sports reporter or ex player now commentating has very limited journalistic capabilities and the ex players in particular may not have had much non footy education at all. Im not saying that all footy players are dunder heads - just many.

In general discourse there is inflation in hyperbole. Labelling an opponent as "worse than Hitler" or saying a policy is "like Nazi Germany" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-39266863 ...has become commonplace. Things cant be just better they are a "game changer".

I suspect because he is normally the most consistent converter of his opportunities and we dont have BB and Sam available yet. On Sunday however he missed a soda. I'm no fan of Melk but I reckon you need a mix of tackling machines and finishers (nice if they can do both - Cyril).