CHF

Ok. which one will kick the most goals this season? TMac or OMac?

A new season just around the corner and I wonder who people thought might be the biggest surprise on our list this season. A draftee? someone who has been in the system a season or two? For me it could be one of three. Spargo, Chandler or Sparrow. Spargo ha put in a couple of good solid pre-seasons and looks to have built his body well as does Chandler. Will not be surprised to see either of them step up But the biggest improver I think will be Sparrow. We will, of course, need a replacement for Omac as whipping boy. Last season Melky put his hand up and will be in the running for sure. My favorite for the position is Tomlinson.

I am not advocating that we adopt this system 100% and go back to square one and start re-building the list. I found this article interesting in the context of the injuries that MC have had this season and the way that they have adjusted to life without their two main strikers. As you say, the key is constant movement and one touch pass and go football. Watching Petracca he is the profile of this type of footballer.

I agree that Simon is no Pep but then again, there are not many sports coaches that would match him. I was interested in the article more for the approach to the problem that it outlined. The coaching staff managed to get the players to adjust their structures to fit the changed conditions and to understand what was needed to be done to compensate for the different conditions up forward. More flexibility and more running seems to be their answer with awareness that there will be numbers in the box presenting multiple options. I know that is a very simplistic outline but I think it is worthwhile noting. One of the things I enjoyed about the way we played in 2018 was that there was plenty of movement in the forwards when the ball broke for us downfield. Instead of a single option in motion in the forward 50 we seemed to have a number of options moving and presenting with players at their feet. I am hopeful that with the added depth to the coaching setup we will see some proactive team structures that will ask questions of the opposition in the coming season.

I came across this article yesterday and thought that, while it was not to do with AFL, it could be very pertinent to the situation we find ourselves in with the injuries to Brown and Wiedeman. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/feb/12/post-striker-manchester-city-may-be-guardiola-latest-masterpiece It discusses Gaurdiloa's reaction to losing his two best/main strikers for long periods of this season and how they have made the adjustment. Manchester City are at the top of the league, 5 points and a game clear. A quote from the first paragraph.... “If we dream that the striker is going to solve our problems,” Guardiola replied, “we are not going to win the games. What will help us to still be there is the way we play.” There is also reference in the article to multi-faceted players with a lot of flexibility in where and how they play. Here is a quote from Foden.... “When we don’t play with a typical centre-forward, the people have to move a little bit more,” Guardiola has said. “But we have to arrive in the box.” He is quoting what has been told to them by the manager...... onus is on the players to move and make the play/space. Last week they thrashed Liverpool 4-1 and it is referenced in this quote. "But Jesus's contribution without the ball remains peerless, and it is telling that last Sunday Guardiola responded to Liverpool’s withdrawal of Thiago Alcântara and Curtis Jones by introducing Jesus just four minutes later, sensing that Liverpool were now more vulnerable to losing the ball in dangerous areas. A great bit of coaching where he is supporting the tactical structure with positive moves. I found the last two paragraphs particularly interesting. The reference to goals being scored by systems more than by players and titles the same way. And lastly, this..... "Perhaps this is the trend that will distinguish the title-winners of the near future: teams with multiple threats, multiple focal points, midfielders upon midfielders upon midfielders, attacks replicating and mutating at mesmerising speed." Is that what we were doing with CHAOS BALL in 2018?

Bad luck for the Wied. I am one that believes he will become a very good forward. to me he showed a bit last year and I was looking forward to seeing progress again this season. With both B Brown and Wied out for, at least, the early rounds I will be interested to see how we look at working around this problem. I think it could tell us a lot about the progress the coaching set up has made over the off season. There is 6-7 weeks to go to round 1 so they have plenty of time to think it through and set up a number of options. The form of Tmac, M Brown and Jackson at training and in the pre-season games will be critical to how the forward structure is set up. If they are not performing then we could look at Petty, Tomlinson or Petracca as a focal point. Jackson I would not be putting too much pressure on to perform as yet. I think that sort of thing has lead to development problems with players in the past.

If I am honest, I was not overly impressed with Gawn's captaincy last season. iI my opinion he needs to drive the on field performance lot more, not just by his actions but also by giving timely, critical feedback to the players. I hope that he is getting guidance in this area. Having said that, I would still have him as sole captain this season but make sure that he had a strong and clearly defined support group under him. In some ways I think we have made a rod for our own back by having Viney as a leader so early. It is a difficult thing to demote him without demotivating him. I would have him as a VC but as VC I would also include May. He is a general in defence and was in great form last season. Three others to round out the formal leadership would be Lever, Langdon and Petracca.

Each year around this time in mid-January I begin to look at the list of players we have, read whatever training reports are available and take in the rehab group and their likely recovery times and I no matter how hard to try I just cannot keep optimistic monster from raising its ugly head. I know…. I know…. Each year we tease a bit, Madam Optimism winks at me and gives me the come on only for the lights to come up to reveal a laughing old hag spluttering “I got you!”. I hate that. It has happened so often over the years. BUT… This year is going to be different. This is THE year. We will sweep all aside and march to the flag. I am sure…. Really sure. This year our key players will step up and shine brightly. Our young players will be fearless and skillful and will look like they are enjoying playing game and getting paid for it and the rest will stick their tackles and hit their targets. Across the ground there will be competition for all positions, and we will play hard footy and be consistent all four quarters every game. Ahh, this season is going to be so good. Hope springs eternal. The minimum I can hope for is that the early results allow this optimism to carry on through a few rounds.

"All for one, one for all"...... short, catchy and well used....

I believe that Goodwin will improve in a few ways this year. He has a team around him that he just has to listen to. First thing he needs to do is to work out where the players play their best footy and then coach and train them during the pre season to give them the best chance to excel in those positions. Next he needs to do better at selection. Select a team to play to a plan against that week’s opposition. No favourites and no selections on what they did last season. last, plan your game day coaching. Be prepared for a number of eventualities and be flexible and proactive. I can live in hope...... can’t I?

I would accept getting into the finals and playing at least a couple. I would also like to see a development in Goodwin's coaching. As a basic step I want to see him playing players in positions at which they excel. Example is Harmes. Get him playing the tagging role that he was so good at. I don't want to see him as a wing/HBF/ medium forward. Play him where he is best. In the recent past there has been a big move to have flexible player that can play multiple positions as required. Not every player has the ability or natural talent to do that. Coach and develop the players to their best position.

I am looking forward to seeing exactly what happens with TMac this coming season. We might get some insight into what the plans are on where and how to play him from our track watchers in the pre-season. I will be looking for all the usual posters doing their much appreciated work to keep us all informed. Personally, I do not see Him changing his role very much. I do not see him moving back into the back half of the ground and taking up a defensive role. I just do not see him as nimble enough. Lose a few kgs, re-build the tank and get his feet/ankles right and I could see him adding to the forward mix quite well. Playing second fiddle to Brown would give him a chance to get a second or third defender and that may help his form and confidence. While I want to see Weideman develop his game I think with TMac on the list as well a Jackson it will give us plenty of options to structure our attack to suit the different circumstances that opposition teams will present. I could see TMac also as backup for Max in the ruck.

Not heard anything to date re Jordan and OOC players or possible DFA's. I think we might let the dust settle on the trade period and see what the future might hold re list numbers. Personally, I would look at contracts for Jordan and possibly Bedford ( I am not sold on him) and OMac on to the Rookie list. Lockhart moved from Rookie list to main list, M Brown not offered a contract and no idea what to do re Chandler.

The trade period this year was as much about positioning ourselves for next year's trade/draft periods as it was about looking to improve our list for next season. I think there is a strong belief internally at the club that we have the list to do well next year as long as we do not have injury problems and that we can get some incremental improvement into some of the players. I expect us to play finals next year and would not be surprised to give it a good nudge. Our trading and our attitude to players wanting to move on is a strong indicator to all in the competition that we are a good place to ply your trade and expect this to be reflected during the next trade period.

Personally I hope we retain Oscar in some way. He is very good cover in defence and I think would be better as cover than the other big mac.

I have to agree that we did very well this trade period. I think we managed to do almost all that we wanted to do except for moving a couple of players on. I do not mind that we have still got TMac on the list. he cannot be a bad as he was last season and he can serve as back up forward and in the ruck. Expect us to upgrade Lockhart, take a DFA and Look to trade further up the draft. My big take away from this trade period is that clubs need to invest much more in list management and contract structures or face a Pies future. I like the way Josh did his work.

My reaction as well. may be we are clearing the decks for next season.

I think so. But I am hearing that it might just be a strange one from left field. Personally I have trouble thinking it might happen but I will put it out there for reaction. TMac paying 150K pa plus pick 18 for Phillips.

I think there is one more player trade to be done in the next hour. 50/50 in my book.

I think it will just be one or the other. Not both.

I am confident that this will get done. As I understand it, just haggling over the price. I think it will be pick 31 or 33 that goes to Norf.

Not a rumour, just a thought..... TMac and pick 43 to Carlton for pick 30?

Still hearing that we have not given up hope on Tom Phillips. Less than 50/50 in my book.

One further comment I heard was that MFC are in this as a long game. What they are doing this off season will be part of a much longer term strategy that is in place for the next few seasons. I note the positive, supporting comments made on the exits of both Preuss and Hannan as a marker to other players in the comp as to the respect the club has for the players. (This is my comment, not something that ha been passed on to me)

I heard the Swans are nibbling again. Chances of it happening as far as I am concerned and in a basis of what I heard are around 1 in 4.