demoncat

Do I think they’ll play with as little pressure as they are today come Opening Round? No Are there still concerning signs about our disposal and decision making (which have been an issue for years now)? Yes

Looks like we’re relying on Maxy to be our sole ruck AND key forward this season

Make that 10 in a row for the Tiges…

Bad decision making, bad kicking, bad turnovers and no pressure when the Tiges are in transition Not the start we were hoping for after all the noise in the off season

Sparrow kick going inside 50 leads to a turnover and they go back up the other end with a few uncontested kicks - that’s been the story of this game since about 15 mins into the first qtr

These turnovers are yuck - unfortunately this team continues to really struggle with physical pressure

Kozzy has been an absolute bright spot in this Richmond run

Kozzy looking very lively at centre bounces though

5 in a row to the Tiges - all coming way too easy…

Some bad kicking leading to a Richmond goal late Had some incredible passages of play in that qtr but mis kicks in both fwd and def 50 leading to missed opportunities and oppo score

Really nice passage of play through the middle with precision handballs - unfortunately ends with a Billing’s mis kick, but great to see

Nibbler and Kozzy getting a run at centre bounce

Brown Jr absolutely threading the needle for a lovely goal

Bowey taking the kick in - you love to see it

A few minutes in - clearance dominance and mis kicks inside 50 We’re so back

Gotta feel for him - he just hasn’t been able to get a clean run at it since joining the club Looks to have all the ability and was every chance to challenge Tommo for that 3rd defender role early in the season

If Petty is injured we have to play Schache Having two fit key forwards is too important to our structure and I hope the club doesn’t try and be too cute by playing small and leaving JVR to shoulder both the key forward and back up ruck duties alone Yes, Schache may never come on as an AFL standard forward, but if the opportunity is there he needs at least a block of games to see what he can do and to ensure we don’t go in undermanned in our forward 50 again

Our forward availability picking up right where it left off in 2023 😭

The way you posited your argument was that we’re uniquely reliant on certain players and that we’re at risk of struggling if those players slow down with age My point is that’s not unique to us at all and can be said about 17 other teams - particularly contending teams, most of whom rely on veterans So if you agree that’s the case, why bring it up if not to be unreasonably negative about that aspect of the club? It’s a null and void point until if and when those players can’t perform or retire You’re entitled to your perspective, but like a lot of others on this forum you seem to be taking the most negative view you can and then want to back track or find a technicality when someone calls you out on it And don’t try and claim you’re not being negative when you wrote a whole essay pointing out every supposed issue facing our club this season Are we a perfect team? No. Do we need to improve in certain areas to win? Yes. But I choose to look at the much longer list of positives from our club over the last few years and not overreact to a handful of issues and overblown media noise

The “our game relies on X player” argument is such a furphy Because guess what? EVERY team in the league has a handful of players who they rely on, and who, if you took out of their game plan, they’d struggle Where would Geelong have been in 2022 without Selwood and Hawkins? They wouldn’t have been Premiers that’s for sure and we saw the proof of that in 2023 How many games and moments did Pendlebury and Sidebottom win for the Pies this year? Again, they’re not Premiers if those two aren’t fit and firing, and it will be a close watch to see if they can continue at that level in 2024 Yes, if Gawn and May fall off a cliff next year it will affect us, but that isn’t unique to us and can be said about any other contending team The real issue is - as always - injury and availability of players, which I maintain has been our biggest issue these past two years and which can effect every team

Look I understand his broader point about the potential impacts that the off field issues could have on the energy and mentality of the group But I also think the media and some supporters have greatly exaggerated how much the behaviour of two players - out of 40 odd - has or will impact the rest of the group Personally I back Max, Viney, Trac, Lever, Gus, ANB and Salem to continue to be the exemplary leaders they have been, as well as our club for continuing to create an environment where a vast majority of our players want to be a part of (see all of our recent resignings and ability to bring in talent from other clubs) And to put us finishing 11th with no regard to the talent on our list that hasn’t seen us finish that low - outside of one horror injury riddled season - since 2016, and I’m not going to take him very seriously…

If Josh thinks we’re finishing 11th then lock us in for the flag - one of the worst footy ‘analysts’ going around at the moment

Thanks @whatwhat say what - do you know whether the money is the primary reason for his interest in moving to the Crows? Putting aside the go home factor, surely if he has a productive season up forward - and the likes of Brown, McDonald and/or Tomlinson retire or aren’t offered new contracts - we would have a big sum we could offer him?

Shh… you’re making too much sense for the media and the negative nancies on Demonland In all seriousness we have had mitigating circumstances the past two seasons - particularly 2023 - that have meant we haven’t been able to perform at anywhere near our best, particularly come finals time Clearly there are some coaching, gameplan and personnel weaknesses that have exacerbated this, but more than anything it has been bad luck with injuries that has crueled us And I reckon new recruits, fire in the belly and a bit of good luck will take us a long way in 2024

Laurie - from all reports he’s taken a significant step forward with his fitness (coming 3rd in the 2km time trial), which is what Judd credited for his breakthrough into the senior side last year We’ve been crying out for classier ball users and if Laurie can hold down a spot averaging 15-20 possessions a game (which an increased fitness base should allow him to do) it will go a long way to addressing one of our biggest areas of weakness