Skuit

Ex-Wallaby Ben Darwin is back in the media chatting about cohesion and player familiarity accounting for around 40 percent of sporting success - according to the number crunching of his data analytics company Game Line (for the record, he attributes just 2% to coaching, but I think it's probably a little more complex than that as to game-plans/tactics etc.). There's not much here to dig into but there are other sources if you search around: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2020/oct/19/ben-darwins-theory-of-sport-evolution-familiarity-breeds-success. I recently noted that Clarry, Harmes and Trac were all in the top ten for current consecutive games played (Langdon is also up the top of the list). Harmes has since dropped out, but it's interesting to note that Darwin highlights player positional moves (i.e. cohesion) as having another serious but detrimental impact on performance (something we're all aware of, but not something I'll ride the coach for just yet). Throw in Salem and Brayshaw (bar the end of this season), and our core midfield talent are starting to string a lot of games together alongside one other. While the article focuses on rugby and soccer, I do believe the AFL was part of the sizeable data-set (I admittedly have no idea how it's been quantified and interpreted though). How well do you think such a notion translates to the intricacies of the AFL? Are there many counter-examples? Off the top of my head, the recent AFL dynasties do seem to have been built off a core group of players coming through the draft together (some through concessions, but that's not entirely relevant here). We look at other chips falling in place, but are these partially incidental?

I forgot to add the main point of my post lol. I think how most of our trades will be judged this year on these boards will be highly dependent on each poster's perspective of where we sit on the 'premiership clock'. If you were of the mind that we had no hope of contending in the next two years then luring Smith would come across as completely idiotic.

Count me in too. I've outlined why I think we're on the verge of contention a few times before so I won't go over it all again, but the basic premise is a couple of disrupted seasons and ongoing immaturity have led us to perform below capabilities and now we face a changing of the guard from old leadership to new. How quickly we transition from Jones, TMac, Jetta and Melksham e.g. to a Petracca and Oliver-driven team will determine how quickly we get there, and having another able-bodied senior best-22 is an important factor as well as plugging a wing for a year or two. Throw in a KPF of Brown's quality and some improved coaching ranks and the recipe is right.

I can't work out how to turn on my TV lol (can't remember the last time I watched terrestrial TV). All the live blogs are rubbish - especially the AFL's. Any recommendations? I just want updates with who polled what in each round. Seems simple enough.

I recall that some of Storm Boy was shot in West Lakes . . .

Obligatory pet-project post now that Port's season is dead. Let's poach Nathan Bassett.

Mosman Park just north of Fremantle has the highest ratio of women to men: https://www.domain.com.au/news/areas-women-outnumber-men-revealed-abs-data-769673/#:~:text=While there are slightly more,the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Jesse will stay put.

It does help if you note the general nature of the source - not that I would expect you to divulge the second part. But the response (admittedly grumpy - pre-trade time does my head in) was in respect to constantly having to determine if statements in these threads are mere speculation or derive from gleaned information. I acknowledge that you provided some further detailed info which would help to deduce the latter, but I don't know if this is being repeated from the radio or somewhere else or whatnot. Anyway, thanks for sharing what you've been told. It is appreciated.

Again, it would be great if this was prefaced with 'In my opinion', or 'I've heard', or 'I've been reliably told by a solid source', or 'I read on Bigfooty that' etc.

Nice one.

You should put the opinion proviso part at the start of the otherwise seemingly definitive statement. I'll show you an example: 'In my opinion he is going to the Gold Coast, just playing hard to get so . . .' etc. followed by any other random speculation you wish to include. I don't mean to be a [censored], but the world will be a much better place if everyone just followed these simple rules.

To be fair, I'd give about as much weight to a player manager's word as I would to a contemporary AFL reporter. But clearly the latter has called the former and there have been strong denials - to what end a manager would deny the story I don't know? - seems counter-productive if they had planted the seed in the first place. That's all I know. Sweet [censored] all.

Good point. How mind my mind works with the smart is definitely another issue when it comes to the recruitment of Brown.

Glad that he's been finally exposed. Definitely don't want someone who puts his family ahead of his teammates at my club. Poor character in my opinion. Especially when it's so difficult to care about more than one thing at a time.

I don't agree or disagree. But it's a fact of life that we're all judged according to what we're capable of, rather than in exact comparison to our peers. A couple university degrees taught me this pretty quickly, and I had to work much harder than most to maintain my grades.

Not like that at all mate. Just saying they likely set a higher bar for Clarry and expect more. Coaches put it on him and then judge his performance accordingly (I would probably be [censored] too, being held to a higher standard). Though we all do the exact same thing on here - just check the D'land votes throughout the year (and also my advocacy of Clarry when he doesn't get a mention - clearly ahead of those getting votes). Viney does what he is capable of with in line with direct orders and gets the votes. Clayton is capable of much much more than Jack and is being encouraged to reach his potential. It makes sense to me, especially in terms of our bnf voting system, where each player is awarded points out of ten for each game.

I'll reluctantly entertain you on this one Doc (even though I seriously wish you would just [censored] off to big footy, no offence, but please [censored] off to big footy). Do you seriously think Clarry has reached his ceiling? Do you not believe that he has the capacity to get any better? I'd actually prefer it if you didn't answer and just [censored] off to big footy instead, but I'm sure you will come up with a way to avoid the the question at hand and just keep polluting these boards with your toxic garbage. I hope you feel satisfied with your life in that role.

Don't think that last part is fair at all. I think most of our coaches rate him as the greatest prospect they've ever encountered, according to just about everything I've ever read. But they've been driving him hard since day one, I think starting with McCartney (and to date he has responded well to that). I'll see if I can dig up an old training report - which if my memory is correct Nat Jones and others were tackling him harder and niggling him more than anyone else, trying to [censored] him off and testing his nerve. He clearly performed better than Viney this year but I think they've set a high bar based on what he is capable of and expecting that he gets better. That's okay: just tell him that. Goodwin recently said he was the hardest working player he's ever come across - and I assume that means both throughout his playing and coaching career. Which is huge. He was also a staunch defender when Clarry was getting criticized earlier this year. Hardly speaks of our coaches underrating or not appreciating him - just that they're employing tactics for him to get the best out of himself. If he feels that has been too harsh then we pull it in a bit - maybe like Trac - and tell him how important he is to us and what he can do to be better. Then give him that massive contract he wants and deserves.

I imagine a lot of older frustrated fans are seriously looking for a reason to if not exactly give up on the club entirely but at least care less about the MFC and football in general (i.e. paying membership) - then the loss of our great white hope (extra white) will be a major trigger in my mind according to personal perspective. The best thing to happen to this club in more than a decade. Get it sorted. Make it public. Sign a five-year deal and expect that back in membership 1000-fold.

One of the reports noted that Oliver's managers have strenuously denied all these rumours.

I completely agree with you Adam and have wondered if the Viney thing is at the real heart of Oliver's alleged disgruntlement (Melksham also finished 12th and captained the club for a day which is highly aggravating - and it seems clear to me that they've consistently put a high bar in front of Oliver, but perhaps rightly so?). But I don't think you should be so harsh on Jack based on one media report. Not sugar-coating it - it read poorly - but don't ever trust the media in terms of selecting quotes to fit a narrative. I think I'm one of the good guys, but still do it all the time myself in my reporting.

Cheers for setting me straight with your blunt inside-knowledge. Clearly I was delusional that some players care about winning. Silly me.

Okay. Glad for definite clarification on that.

If this or @Lucifer's Hero's responses are even partially related to a couple of my recent posts then I want to make clear I think Clarry is the bee's-knees. One of my top-three favourite players to have ever donned an MFC jumper, and by a pretty fair margin. While we all believe he can still get better, I wouldn't ever question or criticise his determination and commitment to doing so and the service he's provided to date. Goody is most definitely an astute supporter. I don't buy into rumours of him actively seeking to leave the club, but do accept the notion that he may be somewhat unhappy (as verified by some of our better insiders on here). I just don't dig the empathy given to him for being frustrated and that this would somehow justify his departure. It's Carlton for starters. All innuendo for now, but if he cut and run then I would consider him far far lower than $cully (I never really gave a toss about Tom's departure and fully understood it). Clarry is a key pillar to what we are building - and whether he likes it or not - he is now a senior leader of our team. If he rounds out his game then we will be one major step closer. He needs to drive our success, not run away. I hope the club sits down with him and addresses whatever may be bothering him and sell the vision while putting it back on him as well - a la, supposedly, Petracca last year. Then both parties can sign a big fat contract together. I'm frustrated too.

Yep. Ben Brown is worth more than just Ben Brown. Fritsch finished fifth for total and average marks inside-50 this season, while Weid was 10th for averages and seemed to be gaining confidence in this crucial area. In 2019, Brown was fifth and in 2018 TMac finished fifth - the latter's inability as a target to get near it (7 i-50 marks from 9 games) being a serious factor in our early season inability to score. Brown pushes the other two down a rung, and having three competent forward marking targets makes us a dangerous aerial threat. Remember, we still rank highly for i-50s. I'm mostly excited by the impact Brown's recruitment would have on Fritsch - a nightmare match-up if given space to move and jump. Add in a roaming Jackson with proper marking potential. The question over a lack of forward pressure however is fair. Pickett is one chip in place. Maybe Hunt. Sometimes Petracca. Spargo hmm. Bedford who knows. Lockhart too leftfield for a return up front? Melksham is a serious problem. Recruit Tippa alongside Brown and I would do cartwheels for days. Anything else around of this ilk in the draft?