Blind_turn

Sorry if I'm breaking the thread of this conversation, but I didn't want to start a new thread and didn't know where else to put it. But I just ran across a photo of Melbourne around the time when we were last winning premierships and I thought it put this Saturday in some context:

Now Collingwood get a [censored] load of cash!

I hope a whole bunch of our players are serious targets for other clubs. It's a great problem to have!

From The Age: "while pacy former Crow Jordan Galluci should appeal to clubs such as Melbourne seeking outside run." I wonder whether he really is on our radar? A Victorian, originally a high draft pick and does seem to have outside run characteristics.

Good news for our own plans?? https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/836673/state-government-announce-funding-for-punt-road-oval-redevelopment

Thanks Nev, great work! So proud of the club's history with indigenous Australians. May it grow stronger over time.

Thanks binman for starting this thread and to everyone who has contributed so far.

I know it's not about the Dees, but it's worth observing how Sam Mitchell does a player review: Mitchell Reviews Worpel

Gidday rjay, I'm not potting the coaching structure, I'm just sharing a factual observation. If it was as simple as the number of coaches you had per line - why stop at one? Quality is the key and I agree that a big part of an effective inside fifty is just as much to do with the mid-fielders as the forwards. With the prospect a reduced coaching rosters (along with all other areas of the club) Melbourne like all other clubs will have to think very hard about how they apply their human capital in the years to come. Anyway, can't type now - the game is about to begin - Go Dees!

Team Forwards Coach Adelaide Ben Hart Brisbane Jed Adcock Carlton Cameron Bruce Collingwood Brenton Sanderson Essendon Dan Jordan Fremantle David Hale Geelong James Rahilly Gold coast Ashely Prescott Greater Western Sydney Brad Miller Hawthorn Scott Burns Melbourne North Melbourne Brendan Whitecross Port Adelaide Nathan Bassett Richmond Craig McRae St Kilda Brendon Lade Sydney Steve Johnson West Coast Jaymie Graham Western Bulldogs Ashley Hansen Source: Wikipedia as @ June 2020

Hi Mr Onion, I can't immediately answer the Greg Williams question. As for whether he or someone else bombs it in - I suspect most of us ponder whether its our forward line structure as opposed to any great shortfall in the players delivering it into the 50. That is probably one of the thing I miss about not going to the footy at the moment - it is only live that you can observe how the better teams set up. Even when the footy's back on TV you cannot look forward of the play to try and get that insight.

I agree with you tiers - I'm not being critical of Clarry. He knows, the coaches know and we all know that he can be an even more damaging player if he kicks a little more. Hopefully that will come with more experience and players giving him a chop out. What it does highlight (again we all intuitively know this already) is that we need more classy outside finishers to feed off the likes of Clarry, Viney and even Brayshaw.

Below is a chart of the average kick to handball ratio of AFL players who have played over 100 games in recent times. (Thanks to the great work by Tony Corke @MatterofStats) Clarry has only played 83 games so does not appear on the original chart, but I have added him in to give us all a sense of his relative kick to handball ratio:

Thanks Martin, Have loved your work over the years. I look forward to reading your next piece - wherever that happens to be.

Mmmmmmmm.........Looks like I better find a new name!

Ok, fair point. I'll watch the replay again - it's becoming my favourite pass time.

Just in relation to the Brayshaw kick across to Oscar I think it was more a case of Oscar being that ten metres too far away from Brayshaw rather than Brayshaws decision or execution. I'd don't want to turn this specifically into another debate how Oscar is going, but I think as spectators we always tend to blame the player with ball but often the difference with the very good sides and the not so good is the players up the ground or in this case across the ground don't give their team mate with the ball a relatively easy option. If we are still trying to educate our players I'd be surprised if the coaches in the review session point out how a slight repositioning of Oscar in this case would have avoided a costly turnover.

Clayton Oliver - Wow!

After studying both team line ups I think it will be a close run thing. The most obvious observation I can make is that both back lines look vulnerable. Like nearly everyone, I'm surprised that Oscar is there at the expense of Dunn, but I can only interpret Dunn's absence as him still being under........ (you fill in the blank). But even if Dunn was there, despite the GWS forward line missing a number of their guns, they still present headaches for us - it's really to do their size. I expect GWS's two key forwards to be Lobb and Stewart. (Forget Tomlinson, he plays high half forward and I would not be surprised if Matt Jones gets that job. Both will run all day, each collect about 15 touches and neither will hurt anyone - nil all draw!) Tom, Oscar and Pederson will all at various stages have to play on Lobb and Stewart and this is where the game could be won or lost. At 206cm Lobb is a handful and it wouldn't really matter if Dunn or Oscar was there neither can contain a guy that tall if he has a good day. If he grabs a few marks or more likely brings the ball down to the advantage of their crumbers. Our back line could unravel quickly. This is where Stevie J becomes an important element in the context of this game. You may think that he is finished, but first up for his new club he may well just have one good one left in him. Even if he does not get a touch, his likely opponent is Garland and it really unsettles our defensive structure. Col is not that close checking at the best of times, but the mere presence of Stevie J will require Garland to watch him closely for the entire game and limit his natural inclination to play zone defence and come in as third man up when the ball comes in high. The good news is though we have options. Frost back, Watts dropping back to intercept, Vince moving to half back to steady the ship. All these are options, but they rob Peter to pay Paul and if we have to do some or all of these moves for long periods you know we are in trouble. But having said all that, our forward line should make Leon Cameron very nervous. This is how I think they will match up: Corr on Hogan I like. Shaw on Kent I like. Adam Kennedy on Gartlett I like. Marchbank on Watts I like. Buntine on Harmes I like. Davis on Frost ~so so! So maybe, as always it gets down to who wins the contested ball! On that score it looks very evenly matched. Let's hope the difference on the day is Jordie, sorry a first gamer called Clary.

I too have always been a supporter of Watts, but by half way through the third quarter I wanted him dropped and traded at seasons end. I reckon Roos would have added a few notes on Watts in his dossier after the game and I think it will be very telling whether he sends him back to Casey this week or not. I have never meet Watts but my gut feeling tells me he responds better to a tummy rub than a clip across the ear (your honour I submit the way he plays as exhibit 1). I think he loses confidence very quickly and it is reflected in what appears to be this "laconic" attitude. We have limited talent in this team so I suggest Roos puts him back into defence next week and gives him a very simple and specific task. Beat your opponent and the team will lord your contribution. I reckon if he can apply himself to a simple task (well below his potential) he will help the team and rebuild his fragile confidence. I also suspect that if he actually applies himself to a negating role he will inevitable successfully execute a few telling intercepts along the way based solely on his innate talent. If he can't do that against the Sawns, then drop him!

Rest in peace Dean. Our thoughts and condolences are with your family.

First time I have been to training this pre-season, here are some thoughts on the less well known players: Hogan will play Rd 1 and be that pysical presence we have needed since Neitz. This is unquestionably a classic example of the combined unit of Hogan, Dawes and Clarke being greater than the sum of the parts. Salem physically not as small as I thought. I expected something like the 2013 version of Toumpas but has a bit more weight and fitness than Jimmy had at the same time last year. Obviously needed more pre-seasons but you can see that he has class. Will debut second half of season. Toumpas kick something like 4 goals but with due respect was on Westrup. But he is ready this season to play AFL. Has undoubted class and will be a handy fwd/mid. Viney only ran laps but will be there Rd 1. He doesnt need match practice anyway, its all instinct. Tyson may only be 20yrs old but looks and acts like seasoned pro. Didnt do a lot but pros dont in scratch matches. Definite starter Rd. 1. Again has class. Clisby Same as last season, good value. Kent I was thinking he was going to be very under done but has speed, hardness and a footy brain, he is at least one of the small fwds this year. Blease did what Blease does. Cross Gee Im glad hes playing for us, we need mature heads in such a young side, very fit, very seasoned mid. Michie Strong, but not fast, I want to believe he has that great footy brain, but didnt see it today. Sure he has a mature frame, but if him and Tapscott were horses in the mounting yard, Tappy looks like a throughbred, Michie looks by comparison like he might win at Cranbourne. Vince Yes, quality on-baller, sure wont give the thrills that Sylvia could deliver sporadically, but much better value. Will clock up possession, knows how to play and is obviously a good character to have around the place. JKH Got real skill, pretty quick but only lightly built and that means you have to be exceptional to play AFL. I wish him the best has more upside than say, Magner, Couch or at this stage Barry. Hunt was not there. Riley ran laps with Viney, again mature body but needs a lot more miles in the legs. But kicked and ran freely, could debut later in the year. Evans body right, not without a footy brain could fill a mid role. Barry not there yet, it is easy to get seduced by his free running style, but doesnt get the ball, doesnt create. Gawn third in line behind Jamar and Pencil. Spencer Big, real big and very fit. Awkward style masks an acceptable level of skill. Matt Jones I thought he might struggle to get a game this year, but he is fit, can get the ball and knows how to use it. Fitzpatrick we know how quick he is and I really think in a forward line where he may be the third tall he coul be good value. Georgiou Clearly see why we got him, he would do a competent job as a third tall in defence. But is obviously behind Chip, MacDonald, Garland and Dunne. Harmes Just ok, looks competent. King very good. He clearly needs to mature physically, but he is just not tall, he has skill and can play the game. Game style: It seems to me its essentially the Hawthorn model. Keep possession until the centre then attack. Great in theory, but you need good kicking skills, a team well drilled enough to create those little pockets of space coming out of the back line and patience and nerve to hold on to the footy. It should work, but inevitably the really good sides will pressure so much that it may well fall apart on occasions.

Thanks Neil, your a quality operator. The MFC should offer you a meaningful position in what ever structure we end up with.

I know I am not in position to judge who should be our next coach. But for what its worth I have nothing against what Neil Craig is doing right now with the cattle he has at his disposal. But Rodney Eade does deserve careful consideration. Below I have jotted down some thoughts on his time at the Swans. Fact: Rodney Eade coached the Sydney Swans from 1996 to the middle of 2002. Question: Was he a good coach that developed a list that Roos then took on to a Premiership, or was he a mediocre coach that couldn’t get the best out of a very good list while Roos could? Facts: When the Swans won the flag under Paul Roos in 2005, of the 22 players that ran out that day, 12 of them were brought into the club during Eade’s tenure as senior coach. (Two players were on the list before Eade took control namely, Leo Barry and Michael O’Loughlin). The twelve players that came into the club during Eade’s tenure and ultimately tasted premiership success were, Barry Hall, Brett Kirk, Adam Goodes, Ryan O’Keefe, Jude Bolton, Amon Buchanan, Taghg Kennelly, Ben Mathews, Luke Ablett, Jarrad Crouch, Paul Williams and Nic Fosdike. Conclusion: Unquestionably the Swan’s recruiting during Eade’s period was very, very good. But some credit must go to Eade for shaping the recruitment policies and direction that led to such a successful outcome. (Just as when recruiting at a club has been consistently poor the coach tends to get the blamed). A second consideration in judging Eade’s time at the Swans is the fact that in his first season he took the Swans to their first Grand Final appearance since 1945.

I think NC is the answer. The man has great integrity, something the club has struggled to command for a very long time. He has a strong, long term playing and coaching record and has the balance right between a no [censored] communication style and yet a strong affinity and supportive attitude towards his players. I can't help but think that the players will at least want to play for him.