1964_2

Flynn (24 y.o), or Briggs (22 y.o) from GWS. They are pretty well stocked with those 2 and Preuss. Surely one of them would appreciate more opportunity, and playing with a better team. Both have shown some ability to take a contested mark / kick a goal, in their short careers thus far, on top of basic competent ruck craft.

Makes sense. Agree regarding potential for finals to naturally fix entry method. Also have my doubts whether Coll and others will be able to execute the slick ball movement against us come finals, but I guess we have to plan for the chance that they might.

Which would be better than Weid or Mitch Brown in the ruck, when Max needs a rest or is inured.

As explained by fr_ap above, it is our game plan to kick to a contest in the pocket, unless someone is wide open. Last year (and selective games this year - St.Kilda, Freo, a couple of others) it did allow our defence to setup, and strangle teams ability to get good looks inside their 50. Then when oppo is fatigued (use to be 3rd qtr), we would capitalise with aggressive movement and 4-5 quick goals. Whether or not we need to adjust the style against fast ball movement teams is the uncertainty. Partly dependant on whether we have enough forwards able to mark or worst case bring the ball to ground.

Well explained. The tactic has worked when we are playing more tempo style football against a team that is not using aggressive ball movement (corridor, switching etc). As we can wear out an opposition defence with repeat entries, and strangle their ball movement, as they try and make their way out of defence via down the line kicking. What I am a little confused by, is in a shoot out style game (Coll, dogs), why are we applying more attacking ball movement from defence, through the middle, and then sticking with the defensive kick to the pocket? When we take an aggressive ball movement team on head to head, we can handle the game style in most areas (contest, mids, run etc), but then we stick with the defensive kick to the pocket, which doesn’t really bother the aggressive ball movement team, who can switch, or even take a kick through the middle. What am I missing?

It is my understanding, although not yet confirmed, that Mel had corn flakes for breakfast this morning. Obviously has large ramifications for the developing trade situation, and I will report back as this story unfolds.

The good news is with Grundy out for the year, we will get a likely opportunity for payback in the finals. Viney should rip his goggles off. Too far?

I wonder what % ANB is

Something I have been pondering. Thoughts on this fwd line. Trac. Brown. Spargo Kozzy. Gawn. Fritsch where BB is the lead up CHF. Gawn sits in the hole and makes sure we don’t get out-marked when no other free options. (Gawn and BB can rotate roles throughout the game) Trac has a license of when to play up the ground, and focus on hitting inside 50 targets, vs being a target himself inside 50. Fritsch keeps being Fritsch. Kozzy and Spargo focus on crumbing Gawn and BB, as well as their pressure/defensive roles. With Gus playing well in the middle, we can afford to play Trac forward more. Don’t have any stats to back this up, but I think we win more clearances when Jacko is in the ruck vs Gawn, and Jacko is just not an effective fwd target this year. I realise we have tried a version of the above for small periods of games, but what if we committed to it for larger % of games? Feel free to shoot it down. Just hoping for a magic fwd line fix really.

I would enjoy your posts so much more, if I wasn’t thinking about the bloke who locked us down for 2 years while reading them. Any chance of a name change?

Regarding the attacking fast ball movement teams that have exposed us, and minimised our defensive weapons. Do you think teams like the pies, swans and cats will be able to execute this in the more contested finals? Or will it just be as simple as whether or not our pressure/tackling etc gets to a high enough level?

on the half fwd flank target list (backup for nibbler)

Check my forward line for next year :)

2023 Dee’s forward line Koz. Naughton / Larkey (either one). ANB Fritsch. J.Kennedy. Spargo Emerg: TMac, BB, JVR (replace JK in 2024)

Lethal obviously got no supercoach trades or bench left, and doesn’t want to field a donut if Cripps rubbed out.

Haven’t seen it yet, but triple m commentators said “big trouble, definite weeks”

Cmon Nev. You are holding the man 50 metres off the play, and pretending to be playing the ball.

Watching the replay, I must admit Collingwood’s dare, and willingness to switch, change angles, play aggressively was really impressive. Requires a high level of skill and smarts to execute that plan, and they did it perfectly. A few teams have worn us down with that style this year. Whether or not that plan will work in finals is an uncertainty, as the contest/intensity naturally increases. But it is worth considering that for us to defend against that style is naturally more intensive vs last year, when we would more frequently strangle teams, as they conservatively kicked down the line. So another variable separate to fitness & loading is whether it is too challenging for us to run 4 qtr’s out defending against teams with the willingness and skill to execute an attacking game that involves frequent use of the corridor, switching, etc.

A key reason our backline is not winning as many contests as last year, is opposition teams have learnt not to kick down the line inside 50 (which use to allow our defenders to peel off and intercept). The pies were constantly switching and changing angles, which opened up much more space inside 50, and allowed them to kick to their forwards advantage. Teams will continue to do this, which means our pressure needs to be better up the ground. Starting from our forward 50, where we can’t allow easy un-contested turnovers.

Well said. 100% we have done it. Whether it benefits us, and gives us the edge we are hoping for, is the key uncertainty we are all speculating about.

Well said. After watching the replay today, one thing I picked up on which I couldn't see from the ground last night was all the laughing and smiling. Especially in the first quarter. Maybe this was just a tactic to stay relaxed. But it appeared to be the exact opposite of last week, when we had a steely focus.

Well if they know Naughton wants out, it would explain their interest in Lobb

Our in-ability to successfully adjust strategy mid game, and the amount of times opposition do adjust things at our expense is certainly concerning. Rightly or wrongly it is my assumption that Yze provides the most strategic input during games. What happens next year when he is gone?

Jack Watts and Liam Jurrah would have functioned better than our forward line this year

A 27-28 year old would do the trick. Take the best backman for a couple of years while JVR develops.