Jjrogan

Agree on all three. For all the talk how finals are different and need guys in the guts. In present day, teams are usually pretty complete football teams and wouldn't be there if they didnt have enough 'hardness'. Its really about finishing 50/50 opportunities and efficiency. Dusty has shown that three times. And Sheed. Imo i doubt Melksham is the reason we lose a final but he may well be the reason we win it.

And this takes the gold for the most stupid statement today. Comparing, in any regard, a few dodgy free kicks to the systemic bigotry and racism of the nazis. Perspective is a thing.

Im not saying harmes viney or jj are the answers. But when gus was in the centre we were free flowing, attacking and dominant. Right up until it we werent and shown up as frauds. We really a classy mid in this draft period. Ps. I really like the idea of Spargo through the middle. Him and viney switch up roles a little more next year perhaps. His touches through the middle would be great for a forward to lead to.

Exactly right. He is averaging 5 + intercepts a game, which by a quick glance is one of the highest by a non defender in the league. He's incredibly important in our game plan to slow up the opposition rebounds reading the play so well, cutting off passes and defensive spread. Our system really matters to Goodwin and he's been one of the key aspects of success of our system this year. Id be a little surprised if Goodwin suddenly went with this route now when it doesn't appear the system is broken.

Dont feel too bad. He has 4 years left on his contract for us to enjoy. Imagine having that money available to go chase a quality ball user.

Sorry, why do we need to send someone tall into the ruck? Send in Fritsch what difference does it make? Do brody and gawn lead to clearances? Nic nat is the only true clearance ruckman. But i would argue that yes, bringing in someone new is the only way to 'flip a switch'. Those names may or may not hit targets inside 50. Decision making and execution of those players will be the same for coming years. I say that because its been the same for past years. But playing the suns we probably get away and win comfortably so its moot.

Nice post. Not many polished half forward flankers out there. In another universe we have Chad Wingard for any combination of harmes, viney, brayshaw. A man can dream.

Id like to see Melksham to come in for the expense of Jackson. Our fwd 50 pressure is fine, but we cant have anb and gawn as inside 50 leaders and expect to be a top 2 team. In fact, we cant have Trac butchering it week after week. Has had league leading 125 inside 50s for 8 goal assists. 8?!?! Comparison. Bont 124 (19) Parish 111 (19) Merrett 111 (15) Zorko 100 (18) Seedsman 98 (14) Keays 97 (8) Oliver 97 (9) Wines 93 (11) Mcrae 90 (22) I love Trac, but he has been woeful this year kicking inside 50. Yes, part of it is goal kicking admittedly. We need Melksham to finish off our good transitions. Put whomever in the ruck as a chop out for Gawn, who cares. It clearly doesnt correlate with clearances. Harmes lucky to keep his spot but if he isnt tagging touk miller this week whats his role? Miller has been on absolute fire for a bottom 6 team. If they win and he has 35 touches and a goal allowed to run free and get first hands at stoppages it will be an indictment on our midfield and coaching staff.

Spot on. NOT fixable. Only way you fix it is by changing the players involved. Decision making and assessing targets under pressure (or no pressure in this case) is what you learn as a junior not fixed by one preseason of coaching or training sessions. This has been a problem for 4 years. Not enough coaching sessions? Really? Another year will do it?!?! We did not have this problem in 2018 when 4 v 3 and 3 v 2 almost always resulted in goals. Why? Because our top i50 players included Melksham (led the league in goal assists by a long way) and Brayshaw. Now we have alex neal bullen third and max gawn in the top 5 inside 50s for us. In this particular part of the game the system is not as important as the player. When you have 3 v 2 going inside 50 who's hand the ball is in really matters.

Before this game. Oliver 6.12 Gawn 8.12 Brayshaw 2.4 Viney 1.4 Up until tonight, our forwards have actually been 'covering' the fact these midfield leaders are 17.32. (all of them more goals than behinds except Spargo) Although tonight would suggest otherwise, if the club just focuses on the forwards its missing a much deeper problem. Namely our midfield are below average kicks. List gap imo.

Its not. It would have been fixed by now if it was? He's been kicking a football for 20+ years and reality is its not suddenly going to get better over one preseason or by coaching. Cant trade him now, but if the club doesnt work out how to use him better (eg up forward), we could just copy and paste this thread for the next 4 years. (Just like the last 4.)

Id actually be a little concerned as to our playing and coaching group mentality and preparation. There is no reason why the hawks should even be getting close if we are a premiership contender. Youd want to see some sort of momentum, consistency and confidence in the playing group in august september. No season is perfect but a loss here would be next level shizen

The last four premiership winners of the last eight years all lost this round. Sweet as.

For wins/losses the three most significant stats for the past 2 decades are contested possessions, inside 50 and marks inside 50. Not rocket science. Win the ball, kick it forward, mark it. On any one game, pressure ratings, free kicks, 1 percenters etc can have an influence but over the course of a season i believe those are the only three to be 'statistically' important across all teams' results over multiple years.

Im no hinkley apologist. But why do people think they have a good list. They've been 50/50 for a few years now except for last year which frankly was a gift to them only having to play in 2 states with minimum disruptions. They have 2 midfielders you'd worry about. (amon not bad but he's not strong tier b) They have one key forward in Dixon who's never kicked 50 goals in a season. And a bunch of kids who go in and out of games because they aren't that good? Consistency is a thing. robbie gray is a gun but on the wrong side of 33. Last night you could see holes in their list everywhere, primarily their midfield. And against the teams with better lists their deficiencies gets exploited. I dunno, 5-8th seems about right.

Play a drinking game where you take a shot every time a player or an action is described as 'unbelievable' . a) surely, given it happens every week, there is a chance one could believe it happened again. B) youll be proper drunk by half time. having said that, Petracca was unbelievable last night.

Im def ok with viney getting more tackles and/or pressure efforts than disposals.

Doesnt BBB just love to play in front. He is a ripper imo. Like a golfer on a course he knows well, the midfield will learn exactly where you can afford to 'miss' . Take 5-10 percent off the kick. He will be tough to stop and will continually bring the ball to front and centre. Ps convinced james jordan is the second coming of a young joel selwood. Head over the ball, gets the high contact frees, courageous, skillful. What a debut season so far.

This is where the NFL does it so creatively or has done in the past. Coaches should be considered as part of draft value. Patriots gave up a first rounder for Belichick in 2000. How did that turn out? Eg you want him Collingwood? Ok well, we could let him go for a early second rounder. Would be a great addition to our game i reckon.

This exactly. Having a stronger and more 'talented' forward line helps covers up our decencies with ball use into 50. But if we keep butchering the ball if forwards have space and separation its not going to matter.

Agreed we need a big forward, but in terms of our list, i think we also need a midfielder who is elite by foot. As long as harmes, trac, oliver and viney are getting a lions share of inside 50 entries, forward connection will remain a problem whomever is in the forward line.

I dont know if he's ready, but from all reports Bowey is a good decision maker and kick. Id be keen to see him in for sparrow. We need some polish in the midfield delivering into 50 by foot. Viney, trac, oliver and Harmes are all pretty much incapable of consistently kicking it to the advantage of the forward and in some cases anywhere near them.

Salem Mcdonald Gawn May Fritsch Lever

Easy up guys! Last quarter showed if we bring our pressure, get lots of free uncontested possession through the middle and have extra numbers streaming into fifty we can convert into goals and a big score. Oh wait. This is why top teams have a key forward who stays at home. So players like Petracca, Viney, Hunt and Oliver who are below average kicks and decision makers by foot dont have to think too much.

Yea i think this is fair enough. LJ is just going to be a weapon in a few years and will have match winning influence in games. Jordan reminds me of a young Joel Selwood. Hard at it and courageous from day one. Selwood came into that Cats team which already had a star midfield and averaged 20 touches/5 tackles his first year once he settled.