drdrake

Bit like Max, TMac, B Brown and Jackson

Every decent coach from u12s teaches in one side out the other, drills are based around bring the ball out the fat side of the ground, that is where the space is. To do this you need players working hard to that side, the ability to hit a low hard 35m kick and the courage to do it. Our problem is the last 2, our players work rate is high, or skill and therefor courage to hit the kick is low. Strange, when we had no expectations on us in 2021 we took that kick on, now there is expectations that we win we play safe football.

The VFL game whenever it is going to be important. Love to see Woey, Brown Jnr, Fullarton kill it and get their spots. I'm concerned about May's fitness, no doubt he hurt something last night, last thing we need May to be out and tmac come in, bulldogs talls will kill us.

A couple of bumps off the ball, they aren't big hits just annoying jack Russell's at you all night. Doesn't excuse him for the garbage he put out there in the last half. Grundy tore him a new one in the last half and Max couldn't or wouldn't keep up. I thought we should have kept JVR in the ruck for longer.

Will May be out for a couple of weeks, it looked like he tweaked a groin and couldn't change direction or accelerate in the last quarter? Excluse ANB as he really plays that 5th mid role rather than permanent hff, non of our small forwards offer any pressure inside our f50, Pickett coming in helps but Chandler, Laurie, Spargo they never seem to be where the need to be front and square crumbing, frontal pressure f50 tackles.

It was bad, no hiding away from poor skills a slippery footy will always find out players with poor skills. The amount of time we had multiple players going for the same ball, Sydney just let us and circled the contest on the outside, as soon as we turned it over they pounced. Positive we had 2 very good young players debut, negative these 2 young players played better then a large percentage of our team.

Fritsch kick some goals but he was woeful last night, just looking for the easy goal out the back. Bowey was good before injured, Salem was good in the midfield

Grundy smashing Gawn, our small forwards are terrible, Lever bad, any chance we can stop Blakey off half back

Our grippo was replaced by soap

I really hope that they don't make helmets mandatory at junior level, unless there is clear medical evidence that it will reduce concussion. I get the feeling the AFL just make it mandatory to try to increase participation rather than decrease concussion. The concern with helmets for kids, there will be an age group say u14s that helmets are no longer mandatory, kids will need to learn at that age how to protect their head. I see kids u9 and 10 level now that wear helmets just go head first into contest, tackles it gives them the false sense of safety.

Petty is struggling with injury, B Brown the same, TMac no idea why is training with the backs, Fullarton injured, Smith suspended, Jefferson a long way off, Schache is no good, our tall forward stocks are pretty lean.

Or gone harder to get pick 1 from WCE to get Reid, this kid will be a star

Wouldn't this become like a workers compensation claim, he was injured whilst at work, all players in AFL would be insured. No club should oppose to any money for a forced retirement should fall outside the cap.

Pretty easy for list managers this year, going to have a few spots to fill Brayshaw, Melksham, Smith, B Brown, T Mac, Schache, Tomlinson

We saw on the weekend Sparrow, Pickett, ANB and in the seconds Salem spend time in the middle. Oliver will he right for round 1, I reckon he will play next Wednesday night.

Really 3, B Brown is cooked as well

Best call for his health and that is the most important thing. People blaming Maynard, Unfortunately this was the last hit, but this has been a concern for a long time. There were doubts a few years back he would play again, to get back, win a premiership was fantastic for him and the club. He has been 1 more concussion off this outcome for a while, the hit was bad no question but you can't put this retirement solely on that hit. I'm sure Gus will be in the media, such a well spoken young man, we hope making this call now will limit any on going effects

St Kilda has this title. Bulldogs not to far behind them. They are pretty hard to win, 2024 will be the most competitive season the AFL has seen. The gap between top and bottom sides best 22 isn't that big. To me 16 sides are chances to make the 8, I think North and WCE will be much better especially if WCE can keep their best 22 fit, but they are both a couple of years of finals.

Rivers isn't an elite kick, over distance he is good but that 25 to 35m kick he misses it to much. To Jack Viney's credit, I thought yesterday was the best he has kicked the footy. Windsor hit the hard kicks, just missed some easy ones but you walk away happy with what you saw for his first hit out. The speed would take time to adjust, you hit a kick based on what level you last played at and it is a turn over at this level.

Our biggest issue remains the skills forward of centre, so many turnovers in our forward half. We were away then a missed handball, kick and Richmond just went the other way clean and used the ball so much better than us. We did try to hit the dangerous kick inboard, which for most of last year we avoided that kick, just need the right players hitting that kick, we missed it to much and as soon as you miss that kick your opponent will score.

That last disposal inside 50m still killing us

You want to see something that shows we will be a better side, the key areas that we needed to improve was skill execution and forward line efficiency. We have seen none of that

The big concern our skills are terrible.

There are massive alarm bells, no defensive pressure, no skills and being out worked

Richmond just cleaner by foot, they are controlling the ball.