Gawndy the Great

Put a wall around NSW FFS.

Lions will go to town on that 20mins where we were monstered by the Cats. They have the class to go even better so I’m not worried about the small forwards as much as I’m worried about the clearances.

Is that a poem?

Port have a few injury concerns. Gray, Fantasia…

I did. But the Cats were much better last week. Smaller ground, no travel, no 6 day break and it wasn’t a QF.

That’s the game.

Nah Cats are just playing terrible.

O’Connor gone..

Cats look tired. No wonder Scott was sooking about longer quarters and the non finals bye.

Umps terrible. Game is not much better.

Our starts of late have been measured and calm. I wonder now that we are in finals if we really crank it up early and exert some dominance.

Yeah somehow I think they’ll appreciate this more when the season/career is done. Right now they’ll be focused on Sat night.

Its an interesting consideration. I like the idea of having Bowey play an outside role. Rivers feels like he has good inside/outside skills as well. What does this do to our existing depth players (JJ, Sparrow, Harmes and to an extent Brayshaw). When Tommo comes back next year or if Weid fines some form, we then have to contend with having TMac/Tommo as potential wingers to get into the 22. So many options that my head hurts :)

Be careful @Winter Dan i was shot down for pointing out the same the other day. My take is hold onto rough diamonds (LJ). Midfielders and half backs are a dime a dozen. I wouldnt be a fan of letting LJ go as others have pointed out he has too much upside and is already proving to be a unique utility player. As for Rivers or Brayshaw (as the other WA boys) if they expressed a willingness to leave (very doubtful) then that is when i'd entertain the Cerra trade. The other component to this equation is whether Cerra would take a shorter term lower wage (again doubtful) 2 years @500-550K / year to fit into our cap. If he proves himself, then a heft pay packet will await him 2 years later. Too many roadblocks to contend with imho.

The problem? I think they draw confidence from the fact that they know they are superior in this aspect, just as we are superior in our defensive brand. So we will try to negate their strength at the contest and they will try to negate our defensive game plan with the numbers. The winner of this game will boil down to the battle in the tactics mentioned above.

I dont mind that match-up either (Smith on Daniher). I think we'll do whatever is necessary to ensure Lever has an exploitable match-up. Fagan is no dummy either and will have a few forward defensive match-ups to choose from that we may not be able to predict. Probably boil down to how effectively they (Lions) can do their role, but he will most definitely be held to account. The tactic that will be important is numbers around the stoppage - we typically setup to have one less around the stoppage and have that free defender in the backline. I cannot see the Lions allowing that so getting our defensive match-ups is a key to winning this game.

Did somebody say autocorrect? 😄

isnt there a bit of a height differential. I suppose our defensive structure and match-ups will all be about getting Lever on the 3rd/4th tall. Hence why the Lions will want to go tall.

Petty on McStay is the matchup that worries me the most. one-on-one McStay will outmuscle Petty so if we dont pressure the source this avenue to goal will be problematic. McStay is one of those players who in the past has played well against MFC. Yes we are different side, but im yet to exercise those demons.

Please enlighten me what is our salary cap position?

I think you need to re-read my post. I get that most people skim over comments and draw their conclusions. But if you examine it closely, you will see that the only players where you may get some luck in trading for Cerra are those with a WA connection. I said Brayshaw is doubtful given his immediate family is here, do everything you can to keep LJ (is he a rare commodity) and for Rivers only if he wanted to move. How is that destabilising?

So being reported that Clarko wont coach until 2023. I cannot see Teague sticking around - absolute shambles for the Blues. Having said that, i think we really chase Cerra hard as he'd be an out-an-out [censored] to go to the Blues at this rate. He is young and is an up and coming star and would surely be wanting to go somewhere that isnt rebuilding. His asking price is high though and i think if we can get him on a 1.0 - 1.2 (total), 2 year deal as a 'bridging' contract then it might be possible salary cap wise - frankly he doesn't deserve a 750K / year deal yet - maybe in his next contract and the Blues will insanely be making the same Martin / Saad / Williams mistake once more. If we can score Cerra and Maynard at the cost of Weid + 2nd rounder to the Pies , future 1st and <another player> to Freo that would be an absolute massive win. Yes i know - lots of ifs and buts here, but we can take a harder line than most given our success on field this year. Also, if it doesnt happen, im not too fussed as im happy with the 22- 28 players on our list. We still need to solve the long term issue around a KPF but we have 1-2 years at least with BBB / TMac. Possibly make a play for Ben King in 2023.

I wouldn't be so sure on that. Brisbane are elite in stoppage work, contested possessions and clearances. This is what wet weather footy requires. The only advantage we may have is how tall Brisbane go in the forward line. In dry weather i think they would try to exploit our shorter defenders and go super tall. That is risky in the wet weather. I think we have to do a number on Rich and Neale - maybe Melksham plays a defensive role on Rich as the initiate a lot scoring chains from their back half through Rich. Harmes to Neale to negate his influence on the game.

When you look at that we have definitely improved the bottom 5, added youth, pushed the avg skill lvl / capability profile upwards added to the list of bone fide super stars (Gawn, +Trac, +Oliver and Lever, May knocking on the door )

I dont think anyone would be interested in moving away from the Dees at the moment. Cerra would be a great acquisition and there are number of player + trades that will get it done. The one that is most logical would be one of Brayshaw / Rivers / Dogga given they are all WA boys. Brayshaw's immediate family is here (as is his GF and her family) so doubtful he would want to pick up and move. Rivers and Dogga however, may look to move back home purely given how COVID has displaced everybody here in VIC. I would look at Rivers + 2nd round pick for Cerra only if he indicated that he wanted to go back home. Id do everything to keep Dogga - that kid is going to be a star.