Deeko2

Ridiculous negativity around this kid. Not playing at this best but is still worthy of a spot in front of at least 18 others at the moment. I see him in the backline all the time mopping up so he clearly runs both ways. He’s not a tagger and is tasked with winning the ball in which he’s still one of the best in the comp at it. As a 20 year old he was a star and All Australian and since then he gets a hell of a lot more attention from the opposition then anyone else in the team. I do have concerns over his skills not improving as they should have. This should be on him and the coaches. My biggest worry is what the other guys in Brayshaw and Viney are doing. These are the two who have worryingly dropped off further imo

Talent wise, there’s no reason we can’t be competing for potentially a top 4 position. I think even outside supporters can see that. We’re still very young and so few games played together which was evident in the shambles of Lever/May/Smith flying continually at the same pull in round 2. Also - adding Tomlinson, Langdon and Bennell to midfield rotations will take time to gel also. We’ve definitely over rated our key forwards. I’m hoping for a top 8 finish this year with continued improvement over the next three. It’s just going to take time unfortunately which will be even harder without a gun power forward.

As much as I rate Lynchy, how many flankers do we need? Vanders, Bennell, Milkshake, Trac, Hunt, Brown, Hannah, Fritta..... he’s an upgrade yes, we can’t fit them all in. Its a sad state of affairs that we’ve traded a lot for two key defenders that look very poor so far. I’d almost rather we go for Talia to free up one of Lever/May

All in all, pretty good with all players around the best 25 available for next week. I’m interested in how KK is going and wonder what he is up to at present and how one rehabs from concussion issues. I was a big big fan of his after his second year, thought he was the second coming of Corey Enright. Such a shame if we never see him reach his potential. Has he even been training with the rest of the boys?

Even though it was incredibly ugly, I struggle to justify changes after a win in the first game in months. I would never have picked Jackson to play and feel the Weid has been very hard done by getting through his strongest preseason and then missed out to a kid straight out of high school. Jackson showed a bit but had a couple small fumbles as expected. I would now feel equally disappointed if he was now dropped after 1 game. Jackson’s selection leaves us stuck between a rock and a hard place as I don’t ever agree with picking a player one week and dropping them the next. Jackson deserves at least one more match but I think we missed a trick in not giving the Weid first crack on a quick track under a closed roof. Could have been a great chance for him. Also - not a selection change but a training and mindset change. I have nothing against Lever/May/Smith working together in the backline but they played like selfish showboats with no cohesion at all. OMac isn’t popular and I’m not a fan of selecting him most teams now play that boring defender to allow the intercept defenders to fly. Think Astbury, Roughead, Barrass, Howard etc. Them taking the best forward allows your others to rack up the intercepts and get some showtime. The three boys we had on the weekend were embarrassing in there teamwork. Maybe even insecure and/or trying to hard to perform being early in the year but it was really poor. Still, if they’re the three preferred then back yourself and give them another go. So right now, only ANB out for Picket. Nibbler did his thing but was always going to be in for the one game. However Smith, Jones and TMac would want to show some serious improvement as I’d be looking at any excuse to get AVB and Lockhart back in whilst giving the Weid a few matches on the trot to decide if he’s worth keeping going forward.

These hindsight drafts really give me the craps. We really were given some exceptional opportunities only to shank it on many occasions. Still, I do believe nearly every pick at one stage or another showed they could potentially belong at AFL level however agree with most at our ordinary development. The biggest hindsight issue I picked up is how Gold Coast picked up bulk draft picks and surrounded them by a few mercenaries where as GWS picked up even more draft picks but surrounded them by elder statesman with more elite training habits. I'd love to know how some of the players we picked up during the dark years would have turned out if they started there careers with a West Coast, Sydney or Hawthorn. There is some talent that we picked up from 2006, they can't have all been duds: FB: Morton (4) Frawley (12) Bennell (35) HB: Strauss (19) Cook (12) Grimes (14) M: Blease (17) Gysberts (11) Scully (1) HF: Petterd (30) Hogan (mini) Howe (33) FF: Maric (21) Watts (1) Tapscott (18) R: Gawn (34) Trengove (2) Toumpas (4)

I agree that you can't fluke a 50 goal year. Tom was great in 2018 however I don't think he will be able to ever repeat that as a number 1 forward. From what I recall he was receiving the second best defender all season until Jesse broke down. Opposition teams would be dropping back there extra/intercept defender focusing on slowing down Jesse allowing Tom a lot more one on ones and space. Being the number one man in 2019 a lot more focus would have been put into Tom from the opposition. He was continually blocked away and double teamed and struggled - his injuries didn't help this... The way we moved the pill was as if we expected Tom to play like Hogan and just crash packs again and again where they are two very different players. It was a massive worry watching the exact same rubbish dished up Round 1 this year and the ball continually rebounded out twice as quick as it went it. It still looked like a focus just to get the ball in deep to the hot spot rather than hitting up players. If our forward line is going to consist of McDonald, Kozzie, Milkshake, Fritta, Brown, Bennell whilst rotating through Trac/Oliver/Brayshaw then surely we have to adopt the Hawthorn model to not waste kicks and spot up leads. Harley, Fritta, Brown & McDonald are great set shot kicks which I'd back having a shot from 40 out on a 45 degree angle rather than just bombing it long to outnumbered contests. The concept of 'gaining territory' when we don't have a crash/bash forward is pointless in my opinion

I never thought he had a big head, I felt with Cam it was the opposite in feeling he lacked confidence. The “rocket” comment was based on an old article I read. Link is below https://www.afl.com.au/news/120522/-they-said-they-weren-t-fussed-if-i-was-here-or-not- In my opinion, that’s a rocket.

Two names here that I thought were going to be stars for us for a long time. Both of these players I was against trading at the time and when so I deep down hoped they'd go on to have decent careers somewhere else.... I don't recall either of them ever firing a shot. Living in the bush I don't get to go to many games but I was at the G early on in Sam's career where he put on a clinic on the wing. He would have had close to 30 touches and I'm pretty sure polled some Brownlow votes. I was there the next year when he kicked a few against the Saints.... must have been his good luck charm. Jordy also started positively I believe winning a lot of the pill early on in his career. It seems both of these players got worse the longer they played for us. I hated Cam after his first year, thought he was the biggest flop of all time... especially after he ducked his head early. By the end of his time however I had a massive man crush on him. The way he kept using his body as a battering ram and played with passion made him one of my favourites and was happy to see a bloke finally get all he could out of his body - although I think it took a few rockets for him to click. I thought out best trade out was Watts. I was personally sick of defending him and had heard stories that he was a little bit naughty away from the club. Obviously a talented boy but I think everyone agrees he lacks the dedication to be great. Very happy with your Fritter - when he plays forward!!

FB: Jetta. May. Hibberd. HB: Young. Lever. Salem Mid. Langdon. Viney. Tomlison HF. Petracca. Weid. Melksham FF. Fritsch. T Mac. Bennell R: Gawn. Oliver. Brayshaw Int: Harmes, Hunt, Jones, P8 It’s actually a fairly strong 22 if in form but there are some fair dinkum “what if’s” in this squad that it’s still worrying. Will Viney, Jetta and Hibberd get back in form? And we’re our forwards in TMac and Weid one hit wonders? Will Young (assuming) become a Nick Haynes or a James Strauss? We’ve seen what nearly every player in this squad can/has done so if we’re fit and not a top 6 team this year I’ll be asking serious questions

I never bought fully into the hype last year on Sam but haven’t also committed to the pessimism that a few around here have either. I still feel as I always have that Sam will be a solid CHF, not a star, just a decent role player. He’s still a kid who basically gets tagged every week by a gun defender and has to deal with crappy delivery and a non functioning forward line. He’s clearly low on confidence at the moment as his set shot kicking in his short career (up until the last few weeks) has always been beautiful and his hands aren’t quite as sure however we have seen enough moments to back in the kid for a while to come. He should still be playing twos even now and make him tear games apart there and kick the door down, demanding to get back into the ones. Instead, through no fault of his own we’ve thrown him (and Oscar) into the wolves as under developed players trying to be key men in a poorly playing team and have had to deal with over the top expectations. I still think he will be fine and will continue to improve with time. Have faith

Has been playing on a wing which is where demon players go to die the way we move the pill. I think he adds more on the HFF than Spargo/Garlett and adds more in the guts than Viney at present. Id just leave him as a forward. He’s quick enough in close and still hard as a cats scone. He just gets burnt in space and it’s hard to watch

Frustrating basic mistakes from our defence. Oscar and Wagner spoiling to dangerous spots and Fritta wrapping a bloke up for no good reason. Just little things they all need to be better at.

The season is cooked and there would have been zero reason to play him anyways. I’d rather continue with ANB, Strech, Spargo etc, all players I don’t rate at the moment but need to be given chances to see if they’re up to it going forward. I don’t particularly care that he smacked someone in the twos and gets a week. I’d be more upset if he got picked to play over giving time developing some kids. As a recruit he has been fine. Yes it was a superfund top up but he gave us further relevance as a destination club and I’m sure his insights as a once wonderful player with the ultimate success has been priceless. Now Jordy, please retire from senior footy for the year and provide some guidance in the twos and/or on match days in the box.

I'm not a fan of Billy unfortunately at the moment. Works hard but his skill level is awful. Still - I'd persist with him over say Lewis for the rest of the year. The season is cooked so mind as well get as much time into Stretch/Lockhart/Baker/Spargo/Hore etc as possible to see if they will make it or not and to harden there bodies to stress of AFL footy.

Stretch Baker Lockhart Fritsch Garlett C Wagner J Wagner O Mac Petty Garlett Spargo Smith All VFL standard footballers. Some may get there but right now there is a lot of battlers above. A good team has to carry some players and that’s where role players can shine. Usually it’s only when 3 or 4 of the above get a game. No team however can carry a dozen fringe players like we are and can expect to compete. Unfortunately when the heat was on today, GWS looked faster, tougher and hell of a lot more skilful than our mob. There cue was well and truly in the rack for the last and I take nothing from that. Even with all the effort in the world you need some skill across the group and there is so many in that team who have minimal

Frost is such a polarising player. He has moments where I sit back in amazement with his chasing, tackling and courage in the air only to see him completely shank something so simple later on. I think Hore is just a solid role player and chipping away nicely. I saw this thread whilst playing golf with a fello dees supporter yesterday who summed it up asking would you rather play an even round with 18 pars (Hore) or an even round with 9 birdies and 9 bogeys (Frost) I’d still lean towards Frost as we need all the speed we can get but christ he stresses me out with the pill in his hands

Just read the report on the Melbourne FC web page about Hibbo only being out for a couple which is handy. It’s hard to compete when your first choice backline is looks like: FB: Knee. Knee. Concussion HB: Groin. Groin. Collarbone emergency (Lewis) to be advised. edit: forgot our forward line: HF: Knee. Soreness. Ankle FF: Foot TMac Jeffy

6. Salem. Absolute class. Never worried when the pill is in his hands 5. Milkshake. He was everywhere early while having a defender all over him. 4. Oliver. An amazing last quarter, he just bullied the opponents and never gave in 3. Jones. Back in the guts where he belongs and has to stay. Having a good couple weeks 2. Frost. Christ this bloke is frightening, exciting, mesmerising and then utterly ridiculous. 1. Harmes. Was everywhere early and kept powering on

I will keep defending the Weid as I always say young key forwards need a lot of time and patience however I feel we have massively over rated the impact that we expected him to have this year based on about 5 quarters of finals footy. I really worry that trading Hogan is going to turn out as a disastrous move.

The cats are looking seriously good and will be there late in September..... again.... Not flinching and backing themselves into hold Kelly was ballsy but could pay off with a flag the way they are looking. Plus getting some genuine speed in Rohan and Dahlhaus is paying huge dividends. I’m so sick of them but worse, I’m incredibly jealous of them.

Scully was cheap (trade wise) not just because of his injury if I remember correctly. He was still on big dollars and in contract which means that the hawks have to pay this in full. GWS clearly accepted less than what he would go for (trade wise) in order for someone to take over and pay his contract in full.

I get what you’re tying to stay but all teams have to give players mandatory leave post the end of the year and then usually start preseason the moment that finishes. So teams finishing earlier without finals obviously start preseason earlier. One would expect the boys who finish late in September would still be professional enough to look after themselves.

FB: Jetta. Lever. Hibberd HB: Smith. May. Kolodjashnij We have one person available from our best backline (imo) in Hibberd who isn’t exactly in great form. Id say the backline is the most important group of players who need to ‘gel’ for a team to be successful. They need to know who is going to go and when and back there team mate to win the contest. I genuinely feel this year is toast. Can only hope all these boys get ten weeks after the bye to play together and develop something great.

We can’t play Weid/TMac/Preuss in the same forward line. Teams walk it out when it hits the ground. If all three are to play TMac to play CHB and take one of Lynch/Riewoldt. We have been hiding him up forward and he’s in Struggletown big time. ANB may have had plenty of it in the twos but still butchered it from all accounts. He has to stay and work on that as he’s a momentum killer in the ones and the biggest down hill skier we have. I’d be disappointed if he was back in. Stretch didn’t deserve to be dropped after one match and should come back in. Garlett as well must play. Lewis, well I loved recruiting him and his first year and a half I was a big fan. He has his superfund topped up and now he can sail into the sunset. He will be destroyed by the tigs leg speed. It’s time to put a line through him like the hawks did courageously three years back. I hate the hawks but admire the way clarko is ruthless to win. So for me: Out: C Wagner and Lewis In: Stretch and Garlett.