BaliDemon

Good discussion. Whateley has a very sound footy mind. If we do go down this path then Tom Lynch is a yes for me. Of all the suggestions it just makes sense given our unique draft hand and Richmond’s need to regenerate their list. We would also be able to keep pick 5 in a Lynch deal. He’s not costing more than a mid to late first round pick. Harry McKay is a no. The Blues would absolutely demand our two first rounders (5 & 13) straight off the bat. If it was Charlie Curnow sure you’d do it but not for Harry. He’s just too shaky in front of goal. Not at that price. I also like what Gerard said about Mabior Chol. “Melbourne already have a few of that type of mediocre forward. That’s not what they need. They need a game changer.” Will be so interesting to see what we do. They even mentioned shaking Jeremy Cameron out of the final three years of his deal at the Cats. That was really left-field but I do hope our FD is having these serious discussions. Whately is correct in his assessment that we’ve probably got two more seasons, two more cracks at winning another flag. Petty & JVR as your twin pillars. It’s a concern. I’m just not sure that’s going to be good enough.

In the Vale Ron Barassi thread someone described the fearful sprays Barrass would occasionally dish out to the group or individual players. Yet, because he loved them he was able to move on very quickly and held no grudges. I’m sure on rare occasions he privately apologised to some too if he overstepped the mark. Testament to the fact that his methods worked were not only his many Grand Final appearances as a master coach, but the fact that quite a few players followed him to different clubs to continue to play under him. They respected and in turn loved his willingness to speak the truth, give it to ‘em straight. Sometimes with a few furious ‘F’ bombs thrown in! Hate is doing it with resentment, disconnect and an inability to express empathy at other times. Goody’s got flaws like the rest of us but that’s definitely not him.

Bring back Cale Morton and Jordan Gysberts!

Good points but the problem there is - if you don’t play Viney in the guts where do you play him?

Love isn’t always soft ‘n cuddly. Sometimes it’s delivered straight between the eyes with a sledgehammer.

Miers still superior statistically in flag years, even though it wasn’t his best season. Look at the past 24 months. Miers has surged, Spargo stagnated/regressed. Not a good sign for a 6th/7th year player.

Hawkins possibly, not Reiwoldt he’s definitely cooked.

No doubt. It’s a shame the club CEO doesn’t have the floor to tear strips of the coach of after the game because Goodwin deserved his own blast for that error. But Grundy wasn’t going to be the answer. Either start Schache who at least has some forward craft or play Tracc deeper forward for longer periods and deploy a smaller forward line. Both not ideal options but better than playing TMac who was moving slower than the Tin Man from the wizard of Oz.

This is Australian rules football, not ballet. There is absolutely still a time and a place for a coach to rip paint off the walls. A few players were extremely undisciplined during that Carlton final and needed to hear the unvarnished truth. If a few choice expletives came out and individual players named, so be it. They’re adults, not 15yo school kids. You don’t get participation trophies in AFL finals.

They put a line through him because Gawn/Grundy did not work all year and because Grundy ain’t a forward. Why is that so hard for people to understand? He got dropped from the side during the h/a for a reason. Not selecting Brodie Grundy during the finals was not a reason we lost.

Miers and Spargo are not statistically similar. The former averaged 18 touches a game over the past two seasons, the latter 11. That’s a big difference. Miers also lays more tackles and takes more marks. Spargo is a “better ball user” yet has less score assists or score involvements? Hmmm 🤔 Seven years in the system and his numbers aren’t improving. With the FD set to re-model our inept forward line and bring in reinforcements, Charlie is going to be up against it. Both him and Chandler frankly. The addition of Wizard Watson (in addition to McAdam), if it happens, would likely signal the death knell for both of them.

Being an 'important' part of a C grade forward line isn't much to get excited about. Prefer neither. Need upgrades on both. Does that excuse him? I wouldn't lose any sleep if we move him on. No hate from me. Just want forwards who hit the scoreboard. A goal every other game doesn't cut it.

He was okay. Had some moments. Still didn’t trouble the scorer. Forwards must kick goals. It comes with the job description.

Averages 10 touches and 0.6 goals a game across his seven year career to date. Hasn’t measurably improved over the past 24 months. Do you honestly think that’s good enough from a small forward? That’s the bar you’re going to set?

Yeah the one who gets his hands on the footy about 9 times a game and doesn’t kick goals. That ‘forward’.

Grundy was a mistake but only for one year. Sydney will now take that contract over. We gambled on Gawndy, it didn’t work, okay we move on. Not the end of the world. Spargo wouldn’t be either if he left. He’s not Tom Papley. Uses the ball well but doesn’t get enough of it and doesn’t kick enough goals for a small forward. Not sure why you’re potting the Richmond model. It won three flags.

I keep reading posts where people are adamant either or both of Ben Brown and TMac will ‘retire’. Mate, no-one’s retiring and throwing away a year left on an AFL contract worth $400k - $550k. Would you throw away that sort of coin knowing you’re soon to enter the ‘real’ world? No way. Only way it happens is if the club opts to fully pay them out, which is unlikely.

I get that you’ve got to grasp opportunities when they present but I reckon Ooze would be smarter to bide his time a bit longer and opt out of the Richmond job. Their prospects over the next 3-5 years are the least enticing of all sides outside the current top eight imo, but they’re yet to fully face that reality. Like Ross Lyon when he ditched the Saints after their golden run in the 2000’s and Clarko when he left the Hawks, Richmond have overplayed their hand and have a list set to nosedive. The next Tigers coach will come under a heap of pressure with 24 months and will likely just ‘fill the seat’ until they hit full on bottom out phase. Keep your powder dry Ooze. Something better will come along.

Don’t know much about him but if I were him I’d be avoiding the summer party scene and put laser focus on becoming the best and fittest player he can be. Extra running, weights, get down the park with a mate and have two hundred shots on goal (left & right foot) every afternoon from different angles - set shots, snaps and kicking at speed. It’s this type of attitude that sets you apart. There’s a small forward spot there for the taking if he wants it badly enough.

That’s unlikely to happen. We’ve had the best if not the second best defensive back six in the AFL for a reason over the past few seasons. Tomlinson hasn’t been a first choice in it for a reason. No sleight on him, he just happens to be solid depth and provides a specific match up option in certain games. May, Lever, Tomlinson as a permanent fixture is too slow a grouping to carry into most games.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/09/18/dees-and-goodwin-slammed-for-crazy-schache-sub-call-in-semi-final-loss/ Dwayne has teed off on Goodwin’s poor decision making on Friday night - especially re not activating Schache and persisting with TMac - and rightly so ☝🏼

I quite like the idea of Levi Casboult for 1-2 seasons. Played 41 games and kicked 60 goals over the past two seasons for the Suns so he’s absolutely got the tools and the durability. 200cm, brute of a lad, we know he can clunk them. Can ruck at a pinch, too. With Jed Walter, Chol possibly staying and the other academy ruckman coming on board, Casboult could be starved of opportunity up there and become an enticing option for us. Wouldn’t cost much either in trade or salary. A genuine Moneyball type recruit.

Don’t muck around. Go for the premium midfielder (McKercher or Duursma) with the first early pick. We’re a long-term injury or concussion retirement (Gus) away from being too thin in the engine room. Both of those two boys look classy, good decision makers too. We desperately need that. O’Sullivan next if those two are off the board. Premiership sides are built on the bookends. They’re so hard to find and May’s got two years left in his prime. Only after those three kids are off the board would I look at Watson.

Fine with Tomlinson staying but people need to get over him not being a starting 18 player. He’s not quite good enough, lacks agility and dare as DeeSpencer pointed out. Maybe in a side floating around mid ladder he starts but not in our elite back six. Handy depth option for another season, especially with Petty going forward when needed. Can come in for specific match ups in certain games.

Disagree. It’s a revisionist take and ignores the reality that Grundy/Gawn didn’t work all year and Grundy has no forward craft. However the accusation of stubbornness on Goodwin’s part is fair, particularly in relation to the non-activation of Schache in the second half of the game. TMac was terrible against Collingwood and carried that form into the Carlton final. He could not get near it. Goody simply had to roll the dice on bringing Schache on in the second half, but he sat on his hands. Same in the Collingwood loss when he should’ve thrown Tracc forward much earlier in the game. He’s either not a risk taker Simon or he lacks an intuitive sense of in-game trends and momentum. Either way he can be extremely frustrating to observe in the box. I think they need a bit of a shake up in there in general, starting with Greg Stafford. Get an assistant forward line coach who has a genuine feel for the game in the front half, not an old ex-ruckman. It’s a must for me.