tiers

Much too simple an analysis. It is always easier to take a contested mark when playing in defence and the oppos are not spoiling but trying to mark. It's a lot tougher when playing forward and the oppos are crowding and spoiling.

Modern day coaching, playing style, positioning, training, recovery and rehabilitation suggest that players can maintain high standards for longer periods. Player management based on individual loading and rotation during games and the new concept of planned rests for matches will contribute to longer careers. Depending on position, players might be able to maintain their prime performances until 30-32 and then still remain useful and effective until 35. The major downside is that new, promising younger players might have their careers delayed. Cricket is currently working through this with some players refusing to move on for the good of the game especially as there is so much money to be made.

Oliver, Petracca plus any one of Viney, Brayshaw, Harmes. Clarrie and Tracc are fixed.

It's intriguing that Langdon and Hunter, our two prized permanent wingmen, scored the lowest of the non-sub players. Are we now playing through the middle more? Are they playing too wide to be as effective in this new(?) style? Early days and there may be other games where our tactics change. But still a mystery.

David Schwarz was as good as, if not better, than any comparable player (Carey, Hart) in his prime and would have dominated the 90s. His marking, strength, mobility, ground play and general football smarts had to be seen to be believed. After three knee recos he came back and still managed to win a club B&F, be influential in finals and play in a grand final. In my memory, no-one who has suffered similar injuries has ever achieved this level of sustained comeback brilliance.

Agree. Nothing and no one.

Maxie is big enough as a player and as a character to be a group all on his own. Jack is there for back up only.

Why are we being constantly outmarked in pack contested?

Clean marks, easy straight kicks. What more could we want in a leading forward?

Yes. A forward coach might be teaching running and leading patters, blocking techniques, setting up at contests etc that have nothing to do with actual kicking for goal. It is important to receive the ball in an advantageous position, but so many goals are scored from what would normally be considered non-advantageous positions, that there is probably not much to be gained from over analysing forward entries. On the other hand, goal kicking whether from set shots or on the run is a specific skill that need not be taught by a goal kicking guru but rather by an expert kicking teacher. Things like reaching balance at the point of the kick, holding the ball, the actual ball drop, the motion of the kicking leg, the need for stability from the other leg, concentration on the target, follow through and other micro habits all contribute. As for converting shots, that is often a mental problem for which a whole team approach might be need. For example, a designated player is instructed to whisper the magic words to prepare the goal shooter mentally. In all this the best outcome would be to score goals from the goal square uncontested. Now that would be innovative as well as productive.

I have noticed that, in his time at the doggies, Hunter played predominantly on the left side of the ground so that he would be able to run freely along the boundary side and use the natural curvature of his left foot kick to deliver to a dangerous spot in the forward line. In other words, he did not have to turn into the corridor and encounter heavier traffic where he might not have been as effective. On the other hand, Ed has dominated equally while playing both sides of the ground. It will be an interesting to see what the CD tactical plan delivers, especially as Jordan, Gus and Tomlinson offer other options on the wings. Whichever way is chosen, we should be blessed with the best options for an attacking wing setup of any team.

If you want to spend the next few years viewing each game as a contest of sorts for the captaincy and viewing each game as a rehearsal for captaincy behaviours, then do. The overexcited media will do it anyway so we can relax. I, for one, will not participate in this wasteful ritual and I will just enjoy the footy. I am confident that, when the time comes, the next captain will announce himself at the right time.

Can anyone tell if it is an overuse injury?

Too early to speculate. Maxie has several years left in him and, on disclosed form, there is no-one ready to replace him yet. Maxie might end up being the best captain that the VFL/AFL has seen. Because of injuries he started late and now that he has Grundy as back up, his playing career can be extended.

Can't see AI ever being of use on-field in match conditions. Imagine having to make a decision that took into account the full range of possible movements and reactions of 36 disparate players without 360 degree vision and mind reading technology. Will never be able to match humans.

It was a feature of most losing games that we were leading well into the match but ran out of fitness/strength/ideas/steam/puff and were overrun. Without fitness and injury issues, I believe that we would have won most games simply because we were the better team on any given day. If we have the equivalent fitness and injury year like 2021, then with the depth and quality of our list other teams will struggle to keep up. If we develop better forward options and play to our strengths, then other teams will fold before our even, brilliant team. It is up to the coaches to make this work. GO DEES

The hallmark of an outstanding captain in our great game is that he can win games by his own efforts or can inspire his team to win games by his leadership. By this standard, Maxie is as good as any captain I have seen since the 50s, including RDB and Robbie. He also possesses the innate ability to gracefully share his unique character with the wider footy community. He is a one off and he is ours. There might have been better pure ruckmen (Farmer) or better goalkickers (Madden) or even better runners (Stynes) than Maxie but none combined all the talents as well as he has. GO DEES

Given that we will have Clarrie, Tracca, Viney, Gus, Harmes, Sparrow, ANB and maybe even Salem and Bowey supported by Maxie and Grundy running through the centre, let's leave Kozzie where he does his best work - out smarting, out running and out muscling the oppos in the forward line. Goals wins games - if the others can get the ball down to the forward line often enough with purpose, Kozzie (and his mates) will score plenty. Let him the best he can.

There's behind the ball and then there's behind the ball but in front of the gorilla forwards. Two different strategies. Behind the ball can be anywhere from back 50m to forward 50 but in the eyeline of the oppos when they kick. Can be either flank or in the corridor. Whatever, and wherever, it takes to disturb the oppos preferred option. Behind the ball but in front of gorilla forwards is static and potentially wasteful. Locking up a ruckman in the backline would reduce his effectiveness around the ground. Better to stop the ball getting to the gorillas than having to clash with them. Playing Maxie and Grundy together on the ground would create a massive mismatch that other teams might find hard to manage. On the other hand they might try to play a smart shortie (eg Sparrow, Gus equivalent) to force our rucks to run around and tire. 2023 could be fun, tactically. GO DEES

I saw Ditterich in his first game as a 17 year old against the dees at the Junction Oval in, I think, 1963. He was good. In later years he developed a white line fever mean streak and became dangerous as well. Not as classy a ruckman as some of the others but worthy of inclusion in any list of great ruckmen from the 60s and 70s.

Since WW2 the following ruckmen have won Brownlow Medals from 1946 to 1992: Cordner, Wright (2), Gleeson, Shultz, N. Teasdale, Thompson, Dempsey, Moss, G. Teasdale, Moore (2), Round, Stynes and Wynd. That period also included Nicholls, Farmer, Ditterich and Madden who were equally as good and influential. 15 out of 47 - 32%. But none since 1992! Does this mean that modern day dominant ruckmen such as Cox, Gawn, Grundy are less influential or does it mean that the classic midfielder is overly influential? One for the AFL to sort out, if they can.

In footy terms only in season 2023: 1. Flag; 2. Flag; 3. Flag. All else is hot air unless it leads to another Flag.

Let's take the season one week at a time. Remember 2021. Who guessed at the beginning of the year that it would be our time in the sun? So let's not waste time on rampant speculation, wild guesses, hopeful dreams and ill-informed commentary before the season has even started. There are too many talking heads in the media for us to compete with. Just enjoy reading training reports and encouraging the boys. GO DEES (one week at a time)

This thread should be over and out. Please. He's gone. There's no more to say. He is no longer one of us.

It amazes me that we constantly seek to find a damaging small forward. Kozzie is one, Spargo another but the most damaging forward who plays like a small is Fritsch. There was a highlights collection on this site recently and most of his goals came from small forward type snaps. What we really need is a more reliable tall, leading and marking forward who can kick straight (BBB?) as well as a pack breaker and ruck pusher (TMac?). Maybe JVR and a combined Max/Bro can fill the slot.