Altona-demon

Positives for me: 1. Hunt able to execute the clear game plan to use his speed off half back - looked good. HOWEVER, his lack of tackling ability was clearly exposed on a number of occasions - and I am not sure whether we should be carrying him in that way. 2. Tom McDonald - took a number of contested marks, and managed to create space on the lead twice (once leading to a goal). Was a good performance from TMac. 3. The speed of transition play and general play was a noticeable step up from last year. I'm not sure why - but we looked quicker and cleaner. Still some sloppy disposals - ones that I can remember from Nathan Jones - back into the corridor. 4. Petracca picked up where he left off. 5. Agree Chandler, and Jordon both look likely. I also think that Jackson looked OK today. 6. Jake Lever had a very strong game - and along with May that combination is starting to look very good. I got nervous the way May was throwing his body around, but I understand that that is the way he plays the game. He did a good job on Lynch for me. Negatives 1. Oscar Baker experiment was OK - I counted two goals which were directly linked to defensive mishaps from him - he's not a strong defender - and also didn't see much to justify the "he has pace to play that position". 2. Trent Rivers - seemed a bit quiet, but I guess not everyone can be dynamic. 3. Forward line lacked something - can't put my finger on it. But wouldn't be against Mitch Brown coming in - Jackson didn't really threaten...

Agree re Farmer. Freeman been good at the back. Gee this forward line looks rough.

Who is 44 - he is very good in the guts and looks very strong Laurie and Bowey both look very good. Rosman - looks laconic - not a good sign. Not enough effort for me. Clear gap between the twos and threes in this squad.

I feel like you get more from rotating Petracca in and out of the forward / midfield line. His fitness now warrants it as well. I think LJ may surprise some this year with his agility as a key forward - especially through his ability to create a second contest after bringing the ball down, or to even rove under another tall. Big unknown for me is his set shot. Fritsch has it all - apart from a set shot - fix that and he could be a 50 goal fwd - but we all know that. Mitch Brown, looked good when he played - although many DL'ers don't rate him. He's tough and has an engine. Tick there as well. For me I think they will play TMac forward again - maybe rotating him through the wing forward role. I still think TMac's fitness and running is very hard to defend if he continues leading up the ground creating space for the other forwards. Even when he was playing poorly over the last two years, I still felt like he was just a couple of clunks away and he just looked half a yard off. Hopefully as the training reports suggest he's addressed this fitness niggle time will tell. Spargo - another perenially underrated player on DL - had a good season last year, and though not a fan favourite looks more than able of filling Kozzy's space. He also provides a number of goal assists and linking play. The key for him is providing lockdown small defense - which he has not been consistent at (same for Fritsch). I agree with the posts above, there is still some dynamic talent in this forward line even with Weed and BB out. How the coach pulls that together will be great to watch.

OMG....ANOTHER small? Wtf?

Just adding my two cents - Jack tackles all day - put him in the forward line and let him loose on defenders. Amazing contender for a midfield convert to forward. Love the idea!

Great to have Spargo-pants signed for another year. Great football IQ, Kozzie could learn from him on how to position for the fall of the ball from contested possessions in forward 50. Tackling pressure needs to increase, but thats nothing new for our forward line.

Fellow DLanders - watching the way Richmond played in the Grand Final got me to thinking about the strategic role that shepherding plays in the modern game. Why? It's clear that Richmond apply a high degree of "tackle pressure" especially inside their forward 50 through their small forward brigade. To diffuse the pressure the defending exiting team has got a few options: 1. Hand pass (requires players within an immediate vicnity - and naturally contracts the space in the defensive forward 50 leading to a higher chance of locking the ball into stoppage). 2. Kick short (potentially a higher risk version of 1). 3. Kick long (low chance of retention of possession, but clearing the "immediate" goal scoring threat - however, creating high risk of re-entry into goal kicking positions). 4. Run the ball out - risk holding the ball or poor disposal version of 1,2, or 3. In addition to these options, it seems to me that the natural way to reduce the pressure on the ball player in the defensive 50 is to lay some HEAVY shepherds on small forwards - who by the nature of being small, should not be strong enough to ride through the shepherd. The question I have is around the officiating of the shepherd. If for example the shepherd causes the small forward to fall over and be taken out of the play - but the arm is extended and minor contact with the hip is made - is that likely to result in a free kick against the defensive team? I just wonder if the shepherd could be used more strategically to diffuse this small forward pressure, especially where it could be used to physically intimidate smaller players through strategic, planned and DELIBERATE use of shepherding. Has it been done before?

Weideman is a very very good player. He's one of these perenially underrated players on Demonland. 19 goals from 13 matches is not a bad return, and this is with a dysfunctional forward group. I place him in that very talented 23-24 year old group that we have at the club. Only a lot of upside with this kid as he grows up.

What are the strategic improvements to the MFC that you would like to see us develop to take into the next year? My initial thoughts: 1. The ability to adjust gameplan. I feel like Geelong have illustrated the ability to change gameplay to take away the strength of their opponents on multiple occasions. Whether this was keepings off with us, or their ability to get Menegola back as a wing defender. I like Plan A, B, and C. It was disheartening in the least to see Oscar Mc thrown forward or Steven May late in the fourth quarter as desperate "change ups". MFC is far too predictable in our gameplan strategy. 2. Increase the spacing at the ruck and stoppage. Teams know we are seagulls to the chip at stoppage. Let's include Brayshaw in the centre mix as he has an ability to hold space and create options for Oliver and Viney to hb to. A couple of key observations about our stoppage work: - There is no value winning a contested possession in congestion if (as is the case with Viney) - you are likely to get caught, or (as is the case with Oliver) you are likely to have a rubbish disposal and create a very damaging turnover. - Our setup continues to be poor - the amount of times opponent teams are allowed to sit at the top or outside of our stoppages and pick up our contested ball work does my head in. Work it out. - Connection - hitouts to advantage are dominated by Max - but these don't convert to clearances - why? What is going on? Again let's work this out. - Let's see Oliver continue the composure and run from the stoppage, he looks a COMPLETELY different player when he backs his pace and clears the stoppage. Let's get him to embrace that. 3. Entry into forward 50. - If we bomb it in there - let's increase the fwd 50 defensive pressure IMMENSELY. Let's do this by trying to play Jack Viney (arguably our best chase down defender) in the forward 50. - If we can enter with more panache, then let's chase Ben Brown to have a more centralised lead up forward creating space for Weid as the second forward (ala Hogan and McDonald 2018). - Let's move TMac on. Interested to hear what other demonlanders think?

I've heard that sources close to the club say that Tom injured his foot, and it was really bad, as in never going to be the same player sort of bad. And tbh, he's been running around as if this was the case. he just looks soooo immobile. Incredible given the way and amount he could move in 2018. He looks lame, and he needs to be moved on. it's not pretty, but we need to win, and we need to make these calls now. So move him on and get someone tall big and fast who can lock the ball inside the fwd 50. This probably is not Ben Brown in honesty - but until that defensive pressure increases in fwd 50 we are cooked. Especially the way that we KICK into forward 50.

Just had a look at his set shot accuracy - he is around career 60% - significant upgrade on someone like BFritsch - who kicks at 48% (career and 42% this year). His goal average of 2.2 vs. BF 1, shows what sort of lead up forward he could be for the club. Fingers crossed.

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Ben_Brown.html Backing Burgo in with a damaged player. 60 goals in that Norf outfit. I think we go for him. Avg 2.2 goals per game. That's higher than: - Tom Hawkins - Tom Lynch Also noting that Jack Riewoldt's best years appear to be 6-10 https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jack_Riewoldt.html

What's doing? He seems to have just dropped off the radar? Is it still management for next year - or is he out of favour?

Interested in what Demonlanders made of Garry's comments last night around having great individuals on paper but just a collectively average team. I thought this was an interesting insight - and an indictment on the coaching department to be honest. I think people look at our list, and it is good, but the lack of an identifiable (and changeable) system of play is a telling fault in our current club. We don't work out other teams, other teams constantly work us out and we just react. It's horrendous. Goody talks about becoming collectively ruthless and unconditional. He's failed at that. This team collectively is a joke - I think back to the way Port Adelaide laughed at us. I think the individual effort is good, but it's not cohesive (look at the way our midfield bulls are bees to the honey pot - or the way Fritsch almost spoiled Vandenburg for that mark in the fourth quarter last night, or the way Lever or May regularly spoils other defenders contests leaving a free run out the back). They run around like headless chickens, because there is no head. No leaders on field or off. I think while Gawn is a "nice guy" - I don't think he's a particularly competitive or even elite leader. If this collective culture is going to change, there needs to be some heavy decisions made around the collective aspirations of the club. Which may or may not involve some difficult decisions about individual's futures (Gawn, Viney, Oliver, Brayshaw, Petracca, Fritsch, Goodwin, Mahoney, Richardson, Pert)

To see his efforts this week and last week - for those sick sadists like me who rewatch the tape. Just look at how he runs after disposing to give a second effort, he's an attacking player, runs just like Hibbo used to before he got cooked. He's an All Australian waiting to happen for sure. To watch him hurting like he did today SCARES the sh&t out of me, BECAUSE here we have a player who genuinely hates losing and is a competitor (like Steven May) and our f89king shocking loser acceptance culture can gobble that up and turn you into a player who doesn't know how to win anymore. Look at how bereft of confidence for example Kozzy Pickett has become from that young confident player we used to have just 6 weeks ago. Our inability to kick in straight lines to predictable areas inside forward 50 is killing our developing forward line in Fritsch (a great reader of the ball and mark), Weideman (a developing key forward with a good overhead mark), and Pickett (a man who has to run to the f*&ng boundary line to try and find a crumb) - it's embarassing and it's been the same old story for about three years now.

Defence at stoppage is such a joke. Any chance Viney could touch the ball? Is Nate Jones playing - he's been attrocious. Can Melksham actually tackle in the forward half? OMAC believe it or not has applied more pressure in that quarter than any of our forwards (bar Spargo). This is the stuff that just kills you as a supporter.

Out coached. Clear that they didn't rate our forwards, and the forwards have shown that. No cohesion, no danger. Why the f&*k would you take out our only legitimate dangerous threat in Kozzy? We are so predictable. They sit back and then just shark better. F(&king disgraceful effort.

So, the Bulldogs rucking with Dunkley were able to dominate us around the clearance and the midfield contest, despite us winning the hitouts. What is the value in the ruck position?

It's a good point, Clarry is a completely different player when he uses that explosive speed to burst through the channels in the space (which don't exist when we are compact playing for tapwork). He also creates two looks for defences to manage - add tackle pressure to prevent him clearing the contest and he can hurt you with his handballs. I think Geelong's ability to change tactics and shift playing styles is the high watermark. The way they dismantled Port Adelaide with keepings off, looked very similar to the way they played against us. Their mix of experienced heads with the addition of players like Rohan and Menegola to add run and forward half pressure makes them a very hard team to beat. I can see them going the distance. If we can learn to shift our style as well, lead by experienced heads in the midfield (say Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw, Gawn) we could become a regular finals team. Right now though, I haven't seen that in any of our games. And our position on the ladder reflects it.

This is my point exactly, its not a comfortable question to ask, but it is the right question to ask. Players aren't exempt from scrutiny because of past performance, and no player is greater than the success of the overall playing unit. The style and strategy of the team has looked stellar in his absence. The challenge for Goody and the team, is achieving this WITH Max in the team. The kick out down the middle or down the line, should be used sparingly. Max should be tried forward and do some damage on the scoreboard as a contested mark winner. He did this on occasion in 2018....

I think your point about Oliver and Petracca is so important, but more so for Oliver. When he starts running through channels and clearing contests with his speeds, teams will need to apply tackle pressure (rather than hanging off waiting for the spud handball as is currently the case) - brining this element to his game - and then hopefully adding the Dangerfield-esque edge of 50 goal (which I believe he can kick) - will make soooo much more dangerous. He is a helluva talent. Similarly, Brayshaw holding space is so key to balancing the inside and outside contest work of the team. Can't underestimate how good Brayshaw is when playing in the middle. V. exciting for the weekend.

Some great posts here - and thanks to some posters for genuinely considering what I think is an important issue. I don't contend that we are better without Max (that would be crazy) but the last two weeks have shown (as some people on the thread have picked up) - that when Melbourne shows different dimensions in that midfield or at stoppage we can be very hard to match. I think we need to use Max in different ways, its clear the strong teams prepare well against our perceived strengths. The Lions and Geelong games where good examples of this. Is there a pressure on midfielders to receive all of Gawn's elite tap-work? Does this result in flat-footedness? Also think that Brayshaw holding the space and Clarry starting to run - rather than quick dish - are two massive things for the midfield. Not sure I want JV coming back in with another bull onball....

All valid comments, and reflective of his strong performances over a number of years now. I'm still intrigued about what people think life without Gawn might look like, and whether we should start planning for that now. It's clear there is no faith in Preuss as per Old Dee's comments. Rucking is super physical - when is a ruckman's peak? How many more years do we have Max for? What is the succession plan? Is this week (and maybe the Pies game) a potential to understand that a bit better? Maybe sooner than we may have liked, but still the same - if, and its a big if, Jacko can remain fit - he could be a very very good footballer.

Take your point about the last quarter really hamming up the entire game's stats. I guess my post really was wanting to understand what Demonland posters make of the relative importance of Gawn's major strength (hitouts to advantage) - although I agree he has other benefits as well (he's captain for a reason). This is especially the case given in previous games we have dominated this statistic, but not the one that matters. It's a sample size of 1, but where we didn't dominate hitouts and the centre contest - we still got the chocolates, and honestly never looked like not getting them, and if we were more accurate it should have been 100+. Obviously some of that is a product of Norf injuries, weird system etc, but also when we look at the relevant strengths of Jackson rucking, say a year from now, they appear to be different players offering different things. Just wonder if life without Gawn (and with Jackson) will be such a bad thing after all?