heath55

Spot on…Geelong had their chances to run away with it, but look like they just couldn’t sustain the pace -it was a low tackle count and pure offensive footy with both teams losing key defensive anchors. Geelong showed Collingwood can be burnt the way they play, but they’re so damaging when they get it right - it shows how much the game can open up with kicking and forward movement, something we entirely lacked last year - our ability to put pace on and move the ball in any fashion.

Especially when there was a clear difference between McDonald playing and when he was out the 2nd half of the year in terms of forward structure and entry - I doubt they’ll mess with that and it would be more and in game move if it was needed

Spot on…it could be a tough season if we come out on the bad end of these first three games…

The wind wasn’t that great that it was seeing balls sail through, I’ve seen him regularly kick over that distance throughout last year… To say it’s low value if it’s a point, can’t be accurate as it’s more on the action of it being deemed low value, irrespective of the result…if he kicks the goal, is it then a good shot? you’re spot on about hitting people up, but running into the 50 with no one in front of them, I don’t necessarily think it’s a terrible choice - especially if he doesn’t have people leading at him…but that’s just me

I mean he was running into goal and clearly had the leg for the distance…he kicked the ball 60 odd meters - as you say Spargo knows his limitations, he has no other choice than to not take a shot there

I disagree to an extent about the leading patterns, they were leading, some were blocked off and there were a number of occasions balls were kicked on top of heads - Brown being a constant recipient of that whilst being out numbered…I thought they function rather well IMO, it’s a stark contrast to the way we moved the ball last season

He was the most like for like and his form hasn’t been as good as Bowey Hunt plays a different role to Rivers and you wouldn’t have Salem or Rivers then playing that role; Hunt has played it well this year. I called it a few weeks ago on a FB group that I thought Rivers would be the most logical replacement….it’s stiff, but that’s what this team has gotten to now

Played on the wing, so completely changed his role… Might take a reshuffle to get him back at half forward and have others on the wing

For what it’s worth, Tom Browne said today that he thinks the Jackson/Brayshaw deals are linked in the sense of if Melbourne pay Jackson, then it’ll drop the amount they can offer Brayshaw and he’ll then take that Freo money…but who knows…

I’m not sure if it’s as much of a ‘gap’ as it is just that the 22 haven’t done anything wrong to the point that someone has needed to be or is in danger of being dropped. If players are playing well, it’s almost irrelevant how well the others are playing in the VFL, players won’t get dropped when they haven’t necessarily played poorly. The only exception to this would be Weids/McDonald position