Key Deefender

They just move the chess pieces around. Players can play in multiple positions.

Maybe a late change with Hibbo out and JJ back in? Hibbo was listed as a doubtful starter during the week. Tommo was also stiff to be dropped after Round One and ended up as a late in for May.

Unless Jackson signs a 5 years plus contract with us - which won't happen - I want him to go now. A two year deal doesn't cut it as Max will be close to retirement by then and he needs an heir to mentor and pass on the baton. If Jackson signs for two, then they both leave at about the same time, although a slowing down Max may still have a year or two. We will get good draft picks/players and other clubs may become involved to make it equitable if Freo can't satisfy. We can then go again with another young ruck. I am not convinced he will be a generational talent, albeit he is unique. He is and will be a very good player, however his ceiling may not be as high as bandied about contract figures would indicate. He does most things really well, but his marking, both contested and uncontested is iffy - no soft hands and he is not a clunker, nearly always two grabs which I don't think ever really changes in a player, unless it's a confidence thing and he doesn't lack that. It's more technique and I think his is set. He is also on the short side for a ruck, although he has a leap and his tap work is good. To date there is no solid evidence of any forward craft, although he only spends limited time there. He is two players in one with his mobility as a midfielder and his rucking assets, however he is not a top midfielder and he is a handy ruck. Jack of all trades but master of none? Is there scope for significant improvement in these two areas? I'm not really sure there is, as young as he is, and that's because he is good at them now. As a midfielder we wouldn't miss him as there are others, but as a back up ruck and heir apparent to Max we would, particularly with all the ruck tutoring he and Greg Stafford would have put in to him. However there are other developing rucks and tall forwards out there and I'm sure we are looking - Sean Darcy anyone? Having said all this, in an ideal world I would want him to play out his career at the Dees as he is there and he is ours - at the moment. However with the spectre of a return to Perth looming at every turn and not always at contract time, his value may well be higher now based on his potential, rather than in two years which will be more based on performance.

I’ve been wondering whether recruiters have a far better understanding of where certain draftees rank even among their competitive peers over any phantom draft experts. There are exceptions of course, and there are always the annual bolters and sliders. As a consequence of this, Taylor and co may be quietly confident of Mac Andrew sliding to 17 and this maybe a small part of the reason for keeping Majak on the list. He could help Andrew assimilate and act as his mentor, on top of Majak’s own emergency backup qualities if required. This is assuming that they are still looking at him and still rate him accordingly. If not, there will be plenty of other top end talent to choose from. Selecting for need or best available will be the conundrum given the great profile of our list.

I have two bottles of the Ron Barassi Port, #227 and #228, one of which was my dad's who is no longer with me. He sadly died in 1986 just 5 years later. We had always agreed to save them till the next flag, obviously not knowing it would be another 40 years - he would now be 106 and I was beginning to think I would be too! I am now the age he was when we got them. It is now time to open these liquid time capsules and taste its heady nectar during this heady time. I'm happy to hear after your tasting experience, that after 40 years, it hasn't turned into cheap vinegar or worse and that writhing, agonising convulsions on the floor are at this stage, unlikely. I will wait though until I can share it with those who have been on this same journey with me over the years, (my wife won't touch it!) fellow Dees I have been going to games with for a long time. However there is a yet to be determined time limit. If we don't open up really soon, it's going to very much be a case of "Ah stuff it!" and then straight down the hatch - and I won't care what happens after that!

It was Norm Smith finally letting go The Curse ….

I have a sneaking feeling Hunt just may come back in this week. He was playing well before injured and was nearly ready last week. He gives us great run and carry and he hadn't done much wrong prior to injury. In fact he's had his best season. One of Smith and Bowey to go if this happens. My gut feeling would be Bowey if this was to happen, as Smith is more versatile with a hardened, if not injury prone, body. I think Bowey is fantastic and will be a core player in years to come and he too hasn't done much wrong. I am a big fan. However a Preliminary Final is where the stakes are raised even higher and I wonder if a first year body against a very match hardened outfit is the way to go. I think a fit Jayden Hunt has earned the right to be there and his run and dare could cut swathes through a slowing Geelong outfit. He and Langdon running in tandem through the middle has been one of the more thrilling sights on occasions this year. If Bowey is picked, he has earned the right to be there on form, but in my opinion, I just think Hunt is the way to go given the opposition and the level of the stakes.

This coming weekend last year we were going into Round 8 of a 17 Round season. This year we will be going into Round 19 of a 23 Round season. Last year the Grand Final was held on 24th October. We are a good month ahead of where we were last season and they will find a way even if they have to postpone matches or even a whole round. We could still yet maybe have the Festival of Footy like last year when there was a game virtually every night over a 2-3 week period if they can get clubs into all the right places to make it happen. The AFL are now old hands at this - they will find a way.

I have to say I’m not a fan. The player should only play for their club and feeder club (VFL etc) and no one else. The mid season draft is there for topping up lists particularly if a player goes down early in the season leaving a list imbalance. I worry that that player would feel they are potentially expendable and they may actually enjoy playing for their adopted club more, resulting in greater numbers of player trade requests at season’s end. It sends the wrong message, no matter how it’s spun to them. Imagine our loaned player kicking the winning goal against us, injuring themselves badly or injuring one of their “teammates” on the opposing side. Players could also be cited for punching one of their own - none of these giving the game a good look. A player should be fighting for a senior game at their club, not seeking it elsewhere. If they are ultimately not good enough or frustrated, then the trade period is there for that reason. I would potentially look at a mid season mini trade period for fringe players, eligibility to be determined, to complement the mid season draft, but that would be it for me. Clubs try to build a good culture and sense of camaraderie among teammates. I see this as having the potential to erode that. With injury comes opportunity, both giving a fringe or untried player a game, or by playing a regular player in a different role which can add flexibility to the team, both for the now and for further down the track. This situation can make coaches with inspired moves that can unlock a great career for a player. Loaning out a player achieves nothing and is merely a bandaid for bad list management or bad luck.

I saw Caro say this on FC last night. She also said to her knowledge, he was contracted till the end of this year, or maybe next. However, if anyone saw Gus and Gawny's podcast 2-3 weeks ago, Darren Burgess was their guest. Gawny was going through his history at other clubs/codes and I replayed this comment twice to be sure I heard it correctly. He said that Burgess started at the Dees in 2019 and was contracted till 2024, to which Darren replied "At least!" Obviously things can and may have changed in that short space of time. From Adelaide originally, I think he has separated from his wife and has children over there, hence the family reasons for maybe needing to return, and who could begrudge him that - family should always come first. The Adelaide rumours have been around awhile. However, Caro prides herself on getting her facts right, and her statement about his current contract status, contradicts what I saw and heard on the podcast, so hopefully she is just basing her comments on that rumour. However, support staff are more easily moved on than players in these circumstances and COVID saw many of them released last year without a position to go to. The necessary financial winds of change then may have brought in a culture shift now and people's mental well-being is paramount. Contracts can be fluid or even broken it seems, particularly for personal reasons. I would hate to lose him and I'm sure he would have a major input as to his replacement with a program handover to follow. However the players should now be professional enough to know what is required, to know that what he has mapped out for them is working and any change should be relatively seamless. That said, I hope he stays. Time will tell.

I received the dual MCC/MFC email yesterday too. I also nominated a newborn for MCC membership in July and had since received no acknowledgement or payment deduction and so rang about two weeks ago to see if they had even got it. I did get an apology and was told that due to Covid and lack of available staff, processing for all new nominations had not yet been processed but will be done in the coming weeks. I was told it will be backdated to the date on the form. This delay no doubt filters into other membership areas as well. I guess essential duties or a snail’s pace only at this stage.

I suggested in a previous similar thread last year that his best position could well be on the bench. He can then come on and provide relief or instant energy in the half backline, wing or forward half and run the opposition ragged. Whether he needs to be settled into a role or whether he would relish the challenge of making an impact wherever he's required, we in the outer sanctum wouldn't really know. He does have skill although it is inconsistent at best, he is courageous and he can provide some more outside run that may still be an area of concern for us. And if he can regain some confidence which seems lacking at this early stage of the year, then he can still be a weapon. Put him on the bench and give him full licence to be an impact player in bursts wherever he's required. It can be an important role. I would play him this weekend to give him a chance to get some momentum and to let him know he is still very much in the mix. The arrival of Langdon and Tomlinson and the expected development of others does leave him a bit vulnerable for a best 22 position, but he also does have some X-factor that can be used explosively at the right times. It is up to the coaches to help him to be the best he can be, the rest is up to him.

11 best on grounds in the second half of the season should just about clinch it though! ??

Parking is also free today - no need to feed meters - as it is a public holiday. Just park legally!

I have see no footage of anyone so can’t comment on who’s better than who. However I believe if they think Jackson’s the one, and ditto Pickett, then they are drafting for need above anything. Jackson may become more Hogan like in size (already taller) and presence and we need a bigger bodied player (in time) to cover his loss. I’m hoping there also may be a touch of David Schwarz about him in the way he plays, athletic and smart and exciting. The Ox also had a basketball background although he had probably had a stronger grounding in footy than Jackson. The raw talent must be there to work with otherwise he wouldn’t even be considered. We have a definite need for someone of his type and that type of any quality may not be available either later in this draft or the next one and they do keep an eye on future drafts. They would also be able to see by his parents and others in his family whether genetically he has the capacity to grow and fill out into a powerhouse. Finally if we tried to trade for someone like him having who has had 2-4 years in the system, then they will cost the earth. Cheaper to try and grow our own if the raw talent is there to nurture. We have stated we are confident of bouncing back in a big way next year. Drafting for need in Jackson and probably Pickett to try fill immediate holes, although they will likely need some time and development, makes sense to me. Happy to go with both on everything I’ve read.

At the risk of sounding like I'm sitting on the bench, I would actually put him on the bench and then put him on where he's needed. He can play wing, half back, half forward or even deep forward leading at the ball with his speed. His returns to date have been inconsistent at best but he can add spark up forward and run and carry from half back or wing. Langdon and Tomlinson obviously take the wing spots first but there may be times Tomlinson is required elsewhere (tall forward?) and Hunt can take his place there. Hunt and Langdon on either wing provides serious run and carry on either side of the ground. All of the above may well depend on opposition matchups, in-game injury cover, rotations etc but for mine at least at this stage, he is inside the best 22 with what he can bring. He still has some good upside and his 2019 in a poor team was better than his 2018 when he really lost his way and injury has played some part in his journey. Some of what he does is breathtaking, a bit like Frost, and a bit like Frost it can be heart in the mouth stuff, but he adds some X-factor and is a tough matchup for the opposition, particularly up forward. His talents need to be lauded, but also harnessed to the team's advantage and hopefully Jordan Lewis can be some sort of a mentor for him both as a kicking coach and as a player who played in similar positions to Jayden for us and the Hawks. Whether he plays better settled into a position, or whether he enjoys the freedom of playing multiple roles, I'm not sure, but I somehow suspect the latter. It keeps him fresh. I think, if he can stay injury free and his self-belief and confidence can be restored and maintained, he will be a late bloomer and his best is yet to come.

Trading Max would indeed be shooting Bambi and her mum! To trade out your likely runaway B & F, the only player really who can hold his head up after the season from hell (others can be given pass marks), the one player who deserves to be captain, the one player probably more than any other holds the team fabric together - would be madness and stupidity. The place would lose its heart and soul and team morale would sink even lower. You do not trade out your heart and soul players in the hope that whoever you may bring in will live up to the hype and expectation. As we well know, early draft picks are not necessarily the only recipe for success - for any club. This has been the season from hell and there are many reasons for it, lack of fit and available personnel being one, which started straight after last season finished. Changes are being made and will be made on and off the field. Give them a chance to reset in the off season and pre-season and go again. If by mid season next year nothing has changed, then the need for real change will start to snowball. But let's not throw out our one shining light for this year and hope that fixes everything - it won't.

To play 320 games without being reported means he's no sniper. In a footy sense, someone who's a sniper does their work underhanded, pre-mediated and behind the play and cameras would have caught him long before this if he was doing anything of the sort. In the last two weeks his two similar reports have been careless, clumsy and stupid, but they were not underhanded, pre-meditated or even behind the play. Whether he should have got a holiday, got fined or got off is open to debate -and for such a brilliant footballer, he is certainly a polarising figure to fans. However he is certainly not a sniper.

Ironically without 6-6-6, we would not have won Saturday’s game. A goal behind with 49 seconds left on the clock, previously Gold Coast could have just stacked their backline and made it virtually impossible for us to score twice in that time. While the jury is still out on a number of fronts, it at least gives a team a chance in this last gasp situation.

It was a passing comment from King and not really dwelt on. My feeling when he said it was that he would prefer him coming from midfield and going forward hitting up forwards rather than half back moving towards midfield. I don't think he had him already camping inside 50. Agree inside 50s are often set up from half back, but not always. His reasoning was our inside 50s are so poor changing things up couldn't hurt by using our best kick to give our forwards a chance. Times like this it would be good to have two Salems!

King wasn't suggesting Salem be a target but more that he hits up targets from forward of centre rather than from further back. And yes we obviously lose something from the backline, however our delivery inside 50 is our biggest achilles at the moment. Must be worth a try - he can always be moved back again.

David King made an interesting comment in last night’s Fox Footy call. He said Salem should be playing forward of centre as he looks like the only one who can be relied on to hit a target. Don’t disagree with that- although it could be robbing Peter to pay Paul. However at the moment Paul needs all the help he can get!

Daniel Menzel has elite talent, no question. Jack Watts has elite talent also, as does Jeff Garlett. What none of them have is ability or desire to apply the forward pressure required in today's game. In Menzel's case, he may never have had it, I don't know, but four knee reconstructions mounts a case as to why he may not have enough confidence in his knees to do it. Ex- Geelong players at our club, Matthew Egan, Max Rooke, maybe even Shannon Byrnes and Brendan McCartney may know him well enough to know. Simon Goodwin has a game plan very much built around forward pressure. Jack Watts is gone, Garlett is teetering and yet both have more talent than say the likes of vandenBerg, coming off a longterm injury and Spargo, a kid who doesn't yet get enough off the ball, who while deficient in some areas, perform the non-negotiables of tackling and applying pressure. If a player in the 22 doesn't perform these non-negotiables, then the fabric of the team starts to fray at this one seam and then the rest can begin to rip and has to be patched as Watts and Garlett have found out the hard way. I have much respect for Daniel Menzel's elite talents and admire how he has been able to resurrect his career, however I don't think he fits what we are trying to build and would send a wrong message to the rest of the list. Having seen him interviewed, as a person he comes across as likeable, humble and grateful to those who have supported him on his journey and I really hope he finds an AFL lifeline somewhere.

Correct me if I'm wrong - but if Watts has a contract and he wants to stay, the club has to keep him and can't trade him against his will. Having said that he may decide to move on rather than stay under a coach who doesn't want him. For all the speculation and with absolutely no insight, I can't help but feel this is reverse psychology being used to try and stoke his fire although I know some will argue that there is no fire left to stoke. He would not be the first AFL player to be on the brink and then stay. He still may be of greater value to us than what we can get for him and as the best ball user and decision maker with ball in hand in the team, I hope he stays.

After the shattering loss to Collingwood, I am perversely pleased we didn't get there in the end. To rely on other teams, West Coast and Essendon losing to sneak us in, would have been a travesty after our insipid game against the Pies. The players need to learn that nothing can be gifted and that they need to do it themselves for themselves and also for us, their long suffering supporters. I actually think that this will stand them in better stead for next year rather than having limped in, likely gone out in Week One and then feeling like they had achieved something. As the enormity of this lost opportunity sinks in, hopefully the disappointment will galvanize them all to have the pre-season of their lives and to work as hard as hell on the skill and mental deficiencies that left us where it did. Nothing but hard work and that burning in the gut will redeem what might have been this year. The determination to make next year the year they really arrive should be their sole focus and mantra. Simon Goodwin will have learnt much about the list under his first full season as Senior Coach playing the game style that he is drilling into them - as well as assessing this game style and evaluating his own performance as coach and the coaching panel in general. The trade and draft periods will also be crucial as holes are filled and not wall-papered over. Having said all the above, we have made giant strides this year under often trying circumstances and let's not forget that. Jesse Hogan had the season from hell yet gave us a lazy 6 coming back from a busted collarbone to remind us not only of his talents, but his desire to succeed and contribute to the team as they pushed for September. Jack Viney played under duress most of the season, particularly in the final few rounds before succumbing - and a tilt in the finals potentially without these two (or playing them injured) would have got us nowhere. They can both now have a rest and full pre-seasons. Losing Gawn and Jones and others for significant periods also didn't help yet unlike previous years we didn't really fall away. The talented younger end of our list is improving and perhaps ready to explode. We are still mostly a very young playing group who have not played many games together. We won two more games this year than last and should have won at least three others and were in winning positions in the last quarter in all our losses bar one or two. The loss to North in Hobart was my biggest disappointment bar the last game. Our percentage remained over 100% all season and when on song we played some exhilarating football. However most teams no doubt lost games they could have won and this should be factored in. However it was our inability to bury teams when in a position to do so that really needs to be addressed, particularly against the lower teams - which good sides do bury. We will need to keep improving and significantly - as all the teams below us, except maybe Fremantle and Gold Coast, also seem very capable of pushing upwards next year. The competition is ruthless, nothing is a given - as the players have now found out the hard way. It is in their hands to make sure that the football world knows that they really do have what it takes to succeed and that the ultimate disappointment of this year was only part of the learning curve and merely a blip on their way to greatness. I await their response.