Forest Demon

Gawn Petracca Oliver - they were the 3 standouts to me today, and straight up our 3 best players Viney (almost in the above group) Langdon Jackson (gets a rookie boost, but loved his game. Thanks for your efforts Mitch Brown, but can’t see him getting too many games now)

Thanks. Neale has been huge this year, and didn’t realise Pendlebury had been that prolific. He’s always class.

100%. I see myself as a relatively measured, maybe negative, poster, but anyone who called for Oliver to be dropped is so far off the mark it isn’t funny. Even at his “worst”, he’s still a borderline top 50 player in the comp. At his best, he will rack up AA’s and BnF’s as one of the best inside mids in the game.

Who are the other 4 above him out of interest? Can’t imagine any of them are bossing games like Trac is at the moment.

Great win, so many good signs. Hope those of you still in Vic (assuming most) enjoyed it. Cant wait to get to the game at Metricon next week.

No way will Hawthorn play as badly as they have the last couple of weeks, but our best is good enough to win. Question is what Melbourne we get, and if we fall back to bad habits watch Clarkson pick us apart tactically and take advantage. Potentially lots of intercept marks to Sicily and the ex Dees down back.

Scully is such a myth. He had maximum 2 years of good years of footy at GWS and the rest of his career has been completely mediocre.

I thought it worked well in the first quarter with McDonald leading further up the ground, with Weideman deeper. For that reason, I thought Brown would be a better fit than Jackson. Maybe Tomlinson to come in instead to play that role.

Max's best game of the year by far imo. I didn't see Goldstein's game, so can't comment specifically on that. I did see NicNat's though, and no way did he have a better game than Gawn.

Coupled with a good performance in round 1, hopefully that's the new standard. If so, he's more than worth his spot and is actually pretty important to our structure in terms of freeing Lever and May up. In saying that, he will face bigger tests than Sam Day.

I’ve always felt footy in general is quick to turf out ageing players. If he’s fit, I think he’s good enough to be on the list next year, but that’s a big if at the moment. Recurring soft tissue injuries at the end of your career can be tough to shake.

OMac was unlucky to be dropped after being solid in Round 1, and was good again last night. If he and May can hold down the 2 key defensive spots, hopefully Lever can really get going and start playing his best footy again as the 3rd tall.

All in all, the “connection” and the composure was much better. Assuming TMac is out for a couple of weeks, which hurts, really liked the way he was working up the ground early with Weid deeper. It looked like a much better setup. Positives: Gawn - he was massive, and I actually feel he hasn’t quite been as influential as usual this season...until last night Viney and Oliver - both had great nights imo, and I think Oliver’s game has been underrated on here. There were a couple of rushed disposals, but thought mostly he composed himself and took his time Weid - provided a target and did plenty of good things, still room for improvement Hannan - thought his work inside 50 was first class Langdon - playing his role very well Rankine - wowsers, I’ve rarely had an opposition player strike fear into me like that every time it went forward, let alone a first gamer Negatives: Melksham - having a bludger of a year Brayshaw - just doesn’t seem to have a role that suits unfortunately TMac - as touched on at the top

There was zero movement all night from kick ins, and to me, it looked like the tactic to just bomb it to Gawn. Luckily for us, Gawn was having a field day and it came off more often than not, but not a strat I’d be relying on too often.

That’s why he is the odd one out in my view. He is 4th or 5th inline as an inside mid, and hasn’t been versatile enough to adapt to other positions, similar to Jonesy imo. Either we try flip him for an outside mid or a forward, or he needs to adapt and play that half forward role he played pretty well during his first season.

I like Gus, but sadly, he is the odd one out and if we can flip him to fill a need in another area of the ground, we should look long and hard at it.

Better half. No OMac, no Melbourne.

Can only laugh at some of the early comments in this thread. Provided he was even remotely fit, which is still a big if to be fair, he’d be our best forward by a mile.

Omac is a spud, but he needs to come in for team balance to free Lever up. Jetta for Lockhart is an obvious one, although I still think Lockhart is a player. Not sure on Jones. There isn't really a place in the middle, and while there are a couple of half forwards who should come out of the side, we need to bring in a tall or 2 for team balance, and we also need the class of Bennell in place of VDB. Anyway, we are a bees [censored] away from planning for 2021, so it's all becoming a bit irrelevant.

I am mostly happy to write this farcical year off, and get some games into some young guys to prepare for 2021, but then I remember we traded away our first rounder this year. That trade is going to look absolutely embarrassing by the end of the year the way things are going.

Goodwin spoke of starting to get continuity with the side through the week, but there are plenty who are straight away on the block, and some other bigger names who are not giving us anything, so there just has to be changes. Jetta in for Lockhart - I like Lockhart, but has struggled the last 2 weeks, and Jetta is ready to come in Jackson in for Melksham - Jake has frustrated me no end the last 2 weeks, so has to go, and we need another tall Bennell in for VDB - if we have an injury plagued player being managed through games, we desperately need Bennell's class over VDB ANB in for Hunt - bit of a deck chairs change, but Hunt has given nothing the last 2 weeks OMac in for Smith - can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe this frees up Lever to play the role we need him to

And the OP saying he is lazy is actually offensive to someone who is cracking in more than just about anyone out there. He has some things he needs to, and can, improve on, but he’s not lazy, that’s a [censored] call.

I’m not off him like some in this thread, but he has to take more time and responsibility with his possessions. He is unbelievable at getting the ball in tight, but too often he just dishes it off without thought or throws it in the boot. Wish he would slow down a second. He might get tackled every now and then, leading to a ball up or even the odd free kick, but more often than not, the game would open for him more than he thinks and he can be more dangerous.

No idea how to create scoring opportunities. Everything is so bloody hard for us. The hallmark of the Goodwin era.

That’s uninspiring. From that lot, I would like to see Jackson in for one the small/mid sized forwards and the rest can stay unchanged.