rpfc

Ever diminishing, pal.

Maybe. We tried last trade week.

Do you think that the only thing ‘the midfield coach’ assists with are centre clearances? Playing Gods Advocate...

I don’t know about that... I want you to work the body too.

I absolutely think that Fritsch is struggling not going out of the square. Even his 6 goals against a laughable defence in NM was with TMac 100m away. However, we would be going nowhere with Fritsch as the deep target. So he needs to work out a way to be effective offensively AND defensively. He is almost a liability defensively so he might need to be excellent offensively if he continues to guard space and half chase on the defensive side. There are a number of ways he can be more impactful but none of them are as the top 2 targets in the forward line. I say, get up the ground and link up with the wingers BUT you have to take care of that footy and be strong in the tackle.

Viney does things for Oliver and Trac; blocks, takes the coverage on the offensive side, or just takes the most dangerous player in the stoppage. So he hurts when he isn’t there. But don’t confuse the contest with stoppages - we are still elite with contests around the ground and pressure the ones that the opposition win so much that they turn it over. So while we are putting ourselves on the back foot it isn’t the end of the world that are we are getting done in the centre clearances. It backs up what I was posting a few months ago about clearances losing importance as teams adjust to rules that allow them to counterattack so easily.

God, you are insufferable at times. I have an inkling that Fritsch is a front runner with little defensive capability but I won’t call him a ‘pea heart.’ Do people think as they post or are they just flopping it on the keyboard and hoping for the best?

Harmes will be better for the run, he got a lot of it and went to Kennedy. Fritsch was down and needs to build a way to be relevant when it’s hot like that. Melksham is flirting with having a good game. He’s getting the ball and getting in good spots. Petty is strong and he just needs to lift a gear around the footy. Great he can keep TMac forward. ANB was better but he needs to hit targets by hand and foot or he will struggle toward September. Will they rest Jordon? Is Petracca sore for Carlton? Uncharted territory.

So our forward line isn’t what Land thinks it is? Its competing well but I can still see its NQR at the minute. But the defensive pressure is the bedrock to build on. When we hit targets that will alleviate some of the need to pressure.

Would hate to meet the tigers in a semi - keep them in the top 4 please.

Ummm, I was the right age to think that and I never thought that. WTF thought that...

Lel

Yeah, with his consent. But we are not that idiotic. If you want to keep Weid - move TMac to a wing and if it doesn’t work - to Casey.

I think the FD should stick to what they wanted to do when they constructed this list - TMac to a wing and if he can do it great, but Weideman is a better forward and Brown is better than both of them. It’s laughable those that think Brown is the worst of the three.

Brown is our FF. Of the three, the one with the most standing in the game and is the best player is Ben Brown. I know we have 6 weeks of form and the bias of a high selection in Weideman but Brown is the FF we have committed to. I wonder if, over the course of the season, we slowly build to our desired forward set up that we had before injuries in the pre-season. We have to make some tough decisions with our cap to avoid a Collingwood-like situation with retention of players on large coin. TMac is on a bit and we tried to move him on already...

I get the sentiment, but they are not at the stage in their career where they would sign a long term deal for the money we would want to commit. Petracca is a known commodity - the stuff flags are made of. Dogga and Kosi are babies that are showing an amazing amount but would not be offered near to what they would think is their value until they show it consistently with healthy bodies.

Exactly! Thank you

We have no point of defence for this so just be glad we are not walking around wearing umbrellas as slippers. Also, we have been waiting a while so we are reassessing what we expect to happen almost weekly - and that is going to end in tears one way or the other...

I am intrigued by TMac on a wing... I don’t think Brayshaw is a natural for it and we could begin a month of seeing how it goes with The below; Viney replaced in mid rotation by Brayshaw Brayshaw replaced on wing by TMac Weideman in to replace TMac Petty in to replace Tomlinson Also gives Petty a period of time to impress and if it doesn’t work out we battle on with TMac in the backline and our preferred forward set up when we started to prepare for this season and constructed the list.

In no way was that the same and you know it. Fritsch knew what he was throwing his elbow at. Hawkins was flailing about due to a jumper tackle by May. But scream at the sky if you want, IDGAF.

He deserves a week for it - imagine if that was someone on the other team... He was careless and if he wants to fend off with his forearm instead of his hand then this is what you might do to someone. I would appeal but not expect anything. In comes Weideman.

How would you know that we are getting them right if you don’t look back at them? Also, DD is highlighting a trade that is now a testament to the work the club has done to maximise our ability to get talent.

One bad half and they are up and about... Hopefully a win next week and they can scatter back into the woodpile...

Cant replace your best players. To that end - Replacing Viney is a misnomer. Petty will come in and Sparrow I guess, unless they get Brayshaw in there and TMac makes the move this week to the wing. Brayshaw is as much a winger as TMac and they way his confidence is up - TMac can play anywhere and contribute.

Our game style can’t take too many passengers and if there are a few that are not high in their intensity we will struggle because we don’t hold and slow the footy like Geelong or PA; we crowd the footy to win it back in the forward half. If two players are not right, that creates holes that will hurt all the way past our high backline to the other end of the ground. Contrarian View I thought Fritsch was hopeless in the first half and with ANB being horrid, a more subdued Spargo and an out of sorts Melksham - our forward line was not up for it. Fritsch looked disinterested in his role as a small terroriser when we don’t have the footy and he needs to change that quickly. With Brown taking that deeper role; Fritsch needs to reassess his role IMO. And he should reap the rewards of Brown being down there as he did in the second half. Orher than that, there were a few ‘millionaires’ out there that shouldn’t cash their cheques just yet- they haven’t done anything. Certainly not enough for over the shoulder handballs, and kicks that they are not good enough to hit. I expect either Syd or a Carlton to beat us in the next two weeks as the season hits the legs and we move along in our journey to September!