Thanks for starting a stand alone thread @binman, I really enjoy this type of analysis.
For a bit of context in how I view games, and my lens is slightly different from most I suspect, I'm a psych by trade and have worked in a high performance space across a range of sports - this lens always colours what I write in my posts.
Beyond the oft announced commentary from Goodwin, from the media that we are a contested ball team, there are a range of nuances in the game plan that I feel fly under the radar. It's a lot to do with the personnel that Goodwin has brought in in the pre season, namely Burgess and Richardson.
Fitness (Burgess) - it hasn't been on show this year due to the shortened format of our game, but in high stress games (read finals) capacity to execute when under pressure and fatigue will come to the fore...BUT not in one preseason. Over 2-3-4 is when we will reap the rewards
Age profile (Richardson/development/guidance) - this will also feed into our midfield and some forwards compliment hitting 25-29yo age bracket...which evidenced on experience profile is peak premiership winning time...so we are still 2 years or so away, or still 2 years of development phase.
Tactically - The High press/I50's - I still think it's a workable way of operating. It breaks down due to fatigue and poor structure at times, and this is something for the FD to work on... but there is enough evidence to suggest when it works it works... the question most rebut is, it's not sustainable... I'd feed this back into where we are developmentally.
Success, Culture is built on relationships. There is a lot of love from Goodwin to the players and players to Goodwin. More importantly I want to see the players taking risks during a game. I've said it before on here but the ability to take risks (and this looks like a myriad of things for each individual)and 'practice' them in real games to have the evidence that you CAN execute when it counts...not just in training. The obvious example last week was for Oliver to finally finally start to accelerate out of the pack once he had the ball. We all know he is highly skilled at handballing, we all know he can get the ball. BUT for Clayton, it would have felt uncomfortable emotionally to test this out in a real life AFL game... yep he has subtle emotions too, it's uncomfortable to do a different behaviour. So I cant undersell how important for Clayton it was to test this and ultimately be BOG... it bodes good things for the future.
Risk Taking also looks like Brayshaw on the wing.. playing to role..which sucks for some(him) emotionally, yet importantly contributes greatly to our structures around the ground. The risk is actually all about, what are you emotionally willing to have, in service of what matters.
It also looks like Bennell building competence in getting tackled, having body on body and not seagulling the ball..but this will come..he of course is coming back with a lot of trauma (I assume) -that cannot be understated.
It also looks like Weiderman - backing himself to kick goals from 50m - he is such a beautiful kick..and he is also developing capacity to have his body knocked around. God knows I don't like it when my 4.5yo punches me when I'm not expecting it, so I wouldn't expect anyone to really really want to have to experience, even if they are competing professionally.
Essentially when I watch, I look for positive risk taking behaviour, whether it comes off or not... and Goodwin...like the best across a range of sports, keeps promoting it, empathically.