D4Life

Is AFL finally moving towards the round ball football approach where a player is recruited as left or right side specific! Example being at Celtic where Postecoglou recruited a right back specialist from Canada - Johnstone to replace Juranovic who they sold!

Beat me to the punch on Rivers! I think quicker ball movement also makes teams look faster! Sounds like the Demons are doing this in training from our track watcher reports!

LJ may turn into a star, but definitely not in top ten ruckman and being replaced by 2nd best ruckman in comp at present. In short term Grundy is a better player than LJ. Jackson form was below average last year, especially last half of the season, maybe he was carrying an injury.

I liked Jay Lockhart, but no other club picked him up when Demons let him go, and while very good at VFL level, big difference between being very good at VFL level and making it at AFL level. Who would you pick Lockhart in front of - Bowey, Hibberd, Rivers, JJ? I don’t think so! I also like Chandler, is great at VFL level but has struggled when given AFL chances, limited though they may be! Would be great to see him get half a dozen AFL games in a row in 2023! Then at least he gets a decent go! Laurie showed some glimpses at VFL level but needs to do a lot more to get a crack at AFL level. Bedford at least showed glimpses at AFL level, but would go totally missing. The 2nd small forward role is tough to play. Some on Demonland over rate VFL performances, there is a big step up to AFL! Sounds like from training reports ball movement into the forward line will be a lot quicker this year, making the life of small forwards and forwards generally easier. As fast ball movement give’s opposition defenders less time to get set! 2021 GF our ball movement forward accelerated from the point Harmes went to Fritsch and goal. If Demons play will that level of speed and decisiveness going forward, and we get a good injury run, we can expect another flag in 2023!

Agree Hunter is a lock, B&F winner at Dogs and has really hurt the Demons in multiple games over the last 7 years! I can’t wait for the season to start and have Hunter and Langdon on the wings being fed the ball of half back from Salem, Brayshaw and Bowey, and then ball moved quickly into the forward line!

Daisy is just incredible, insightful, considered, empathetic, a terrific leader and modest. Hearing her talk to Gerard Whateley who is also very considered, was always a delight, I’d almost go Daisy for PM! 😃 Hopefully she comes back to the Demons before too long!

The above highlights that we have better depth going into 2023. Grundy as extra ruck. Tall forwards with JVR close last year and now another pre season of improvement and Schache better back up than Weid. Hunter coming in gives greater flexibility around usage of Brayshaw & Jordan. Looking at backline options, it looks rock solid. Tomlinson will be much better this year, so if one of May, Lever or Petty unavailable he will provide better coverage. Smaller backs look well and truly covered with Brayshaw and JJ available if multiple unavailable. The challenge is for two of ANB, Spargo, Sparrow, Harmes, Chandler, maybe JJ to find 10 goals more a season, so basically a goal a week combined to boost the forward line. Our midfield, wings, ruck also need to be adding a goal or two a week, you look at the talent - Gawn, Grundy, Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Brayshaw, Hunter & Langdon is the best in the league and they need to also step up their influence going forward. Trac kicks straighter and there is 10 plus to start! Across the team find 2-3 extra goals per week, defence maybe a goal tighter and percentage is up 20~25%, and we won’t be losing too many matches in that scenario! 17-5 or better season, top 4 likely 2 finish and a red hot crack at the flag in September!

Geelong get a tick on culture but it is their location that gives them an advantage in player retention. Come live by the beach or in the country and real estate way cheaper than Melbourne! They also have a strong footballing region that players are happy to come back home to live.

Agree, as Binman mentioned many other factors come into play. As reigning premier and top of the ladder as we were for 12 or so rounds, teams prep and go harder for you. West Coast and North exemplified this last year, both putrid the week before playing the Demons, then both had a red hot go against the Demons, bashing and crashing into us as Langdon ribs unfortunately found out. We had a worse run with injuries and pushed a few players when obviously not ready Salem and Max immediately come to mind. 2023 seems like: - a bigger break after 2022, and we are in better shape, - a few new players who add to our strength in Grundy & Hunter, - better looking draw, - with a slightly modified game plan going forward, - TMac and BbB fitter, JVR stepping up a notch, - hopefully better goalkicking after Choco’s pre season work, - add a slice of luck, - to top it off for this KOZZY thread, he looks in great shape! Demons looking good for a top 4 finish and a crack at the 2023 flag

The willingness of Gawn to do whatever it takes for the team to succeed will be a big factor in Gawn/Grundy working. Hate to be opposition try to negate both Gawn and Grundy, different ruck styles, will be hard to stop!

We are so lucky to have Oliver, tagged every week, seems to never play a bad game, if he starts kicking a few more goals, will go from great to fantastic!😃

Someone finally identified how good Fritsch is as a goal kicking forward, only behind Hawkins over last two years, plus 6 in GF. Fritsch all class!

Agree 100%, Cats to get negative COLA of 10%, in fact let’s go for 20%! They could absorb the Suns player 700K into premiership team????? They have more advantages than any other team by a country mile! While we all have a natural negativity for the Pies, Tigers, Bombers, & Blues, I’ve got a special disdain for the Cats!

Pies lose 11-12 matches by two goals or less! Blues 9th! Cats walk under a ladder!

Agree Jackson was average and felt like his 2nd half of the season was poor, not sure if he was carrying an injury. I think Grundy will be a major upgrade on the output we got from Jackson last year. The Demons now have the best two ruckman in the comp or at worst 2 of best 3/4 rucks.

Agree and how fast the ball went into the forward line in the GF from 19 point down. Just became too slow going forward in 2022!

Do you live at Gosch’s paddock? Under a tree by any chance? Or just within binocular distance? You are a star on your training reports, greatly appreciated.

Lets hope JVR plays plenty, as may mean he is picked ahead of BBB or TMac, not due to injury would be great! Kozzie might go for money, but hoping he stays, just fantastic to watch some of his moves, goals and tackles! Gawn & Grundy will be in ground for 80% each, so that’s 60% together. Hitting the wall = fitness & injuries, possibly opposition adjustments at half time.

Whatever the reason, injuries or fitness, or a combination of the two, we stopped to a walk in the 2nd half of every game we lost after our 10-0 start. Fully fit or maybe just 20% better, who knows how we would have performed in the finals!

I like number 1 - JVR And this number 1 - Kozzie signature before round one Plus: - add a top 4 finish with fit players, so we can have a crack at another flag! - Bl..Dy beat those filthy Pies!

Fair enough, I see him more a Sparrow/Harmes match. Run through the 2nd small forward across all teams stats and it will be a surprising number!

Thanks old55. Spargo averaged 11.75 and 10 goals vs Miers for Cats in similar position 14.x and 13 goals. Who did a lot better than Spargo as 2nd small high half forward?

It would be great to see stats per position across the league. I think HF & FO & HhF would be great to see the list in that position and averages. Spargo doesn’t get 20 possessions per week but what do other players average in similar role. Stengel got 50 plus as number one small forward at cats our equivalent Kossie got 40 plus, but who is next in the league. Fritsch as half forward got 50 plus who was next best in league. Spargo as 2nd small forward who plays high only got 10 but how do other team’s equivalents stack up? Most supporters have unrealistic expectations on the player and stats when compared to the role they play and the average stats.

The Dogs also torched us in 2nd half of 2020 and I vaguely recall Hunter having a very good day. He certainly knows how to get the ball and use it and will be an upgrade on our 2nd winger choices - assuming Brayshaw not playing on the wing! In addition to Grundy feels like we’ve really increased our centreline on baller firepower - Rucks Gawn & Grundy Mids Oliver, Trac, Viney, Brayshaw supported by Sparrow, Harmes, (backups Jordan & Pickett) Wings Langdon & Hunter (backups Brayshaw & JJ) Just an awesome midfield / wing combination!

Good clubs don’t over react to one seasons results! Badly run clubs do - Essendon are the prime example this year! If next year goes badly, they will look at what to change but it won’t be the 2021 premiership coach!