Fat Tony

He looks a more natural defender to me. I’m not sure he is big enough or fast enough to play forward at AFL level. But it’s not the worst idea in future seasons.

The point is valid but a lot of the issues we have had with those players have been when we have been missing out best key defenders.

Goodwin felt that King was the more dangerous forward and that the obvious matchup for him was May.

GCS had King, Casboult and Chol all over 200cm. It was a tough matchup but I’m not sure Goodwin was entirely to blame. Particularly given we are clearly committed to giving the Petty experiment a full run before making a decision.

I think a lot of fans would have been a bit underwhelmed with Daniel Turner’s game on the weekend. There were times in the game when he was clearly undersized and outmuscled against Levi Casboult, albeit Casboult didn’t have that much impact on the game and only had 9 possessions. That said, I think there is evidence that Turner will be a long-term AFL player. He is a level above in the VFL and he has the right attributes. He is reasonably quick, a neat kick, makes good decisions, has courage and can take marks at the highest point. Currently he lacks a bit of strength and we have not seen if he can play on smaller, nippier AFL players. While Turner is clearly not in our best defence at this stage, I think we need to make sure he gets at least 4 or 5 games this year to see if he can improve and adapt to the pace of the game and be in our best side come September.

Smith has kicked 3 goals & 2 goals in the last two weeks. He completely drifted in and out of both games but he also had patches where he absolutely dominated both times. (The period versus GCS he fluffed his chances.) Listening to Goodwin's press conference, Smith is going to get a trial in the next 10 weeks and Brown is plan B(BB). Howes body and intensity is not AFL ready. I am a big fan, but I think he is a 2024 project. There is not much chance he plays forward at AFL level because he has not played there at VFL level. If he plays this season it will be in a high half back role.

Smith has looked absolutely electric in patches in the VFL the last two weeks. He kicked well against Box Hill but he did not finish well against Gold Coast. There is not many players with his athletic profile in the competition.

Goodwin said Hibberd would come back and Petty would stay as a forward. He also said that he sees Joel Smith playing in a very dynamic way as a forward in the VFL. Reading between the lines, I think Smith will come in if Van Rooyen fails to get off and Hibberd will come in for Daniel Turner. Spargo is also likely to come back in with one of Spargo, ANB, Chandler or Jordan as sub.

I hate Adrian Anderson for initiating the tanking investigation but he’s making a good case.

Great podcast. @binman On recent podcasts you have said you are keen to see Petty played back but you have also been bemoaning our ability to defend the ground ball in defence. I think you are wanting your cake and eat it too here! A part of the decision to play a smaller backline is to give us more run and better coverage for the ground ball. (It is also because Ben Brown is a witches hat on the ground balls and TMac is out of form/unfit, so Petty gives us a more competitive option as a second/third tall.) With Hibberd, Salem and Petty not in our current back 7 against GCS, I think you need to specify who you think should come out of the backline. I assume Daniel Turner is one player who goes out, albeit I think he will be a good AFL player and really needs a block of games to get up to AFL speed. But who goes out for Salem, Hibberd or Petty? Is it Bowey, who is our best ball user but struggles at times one on one? Rivers, who is career best form? McVee, who has come on fantastically well this year? Or Brayshaw, who is playing higher but could go into the midfield? IMO our issues with the ground ball could be exacerbated with another tall in defence.

Yes they can PF because the AFL is bankrolling the team.

He was saying the onus was on the existing clubs to make sure the environment was one where players wanted to stay. I don't think he understood that it would result in Tassie taking players off the bottom clubs, creating other problems for the competition.

Dangerfield was advocating for 1 contracted player from each club being able to break contract and head to Devil land.

James Sicily on the target list 🤣

We should not ever relax and be complacent after missing the finals in 2017 because of a couple of goals worth of percentage.

I don't see how another game makes more profit. It probably costs $40-50m for an AFL side. 10 games means more overlapping games and splits the audience. Surely we would be better to see if North, St Kilda, GCS and GWS can survive before expanding further.

You don’t have to be Jason Taylor to recognise this kid is special.

Lever tried to hit leading players in the corridor from 40m against both the Tigers and Kangaroos. Both times were on a slow play against a set zone and both resulted in turnovers. I am all for attacking aggressively if we can get a goal out the back before the zone is set. But on the slow plays, the corridor kicks need to be shorter (30m) and to a stationary player in those instances.

The game plan is fine, but there needs to be some players who have more licence to go for the risky corridor kicks (like Bowey, Salem, Pickett and McVee) and others who play the percentages. Lever needs to put the Hollywood kicks away. With Gawn back in the side, we don't have to be so aggressive with our ball movement all the time because we have the advantage kicking long to the contest. Particularly when we lead marginally in the last quarter like against Richmond.

Lever needs to put his Hollywood kicks away and take the long options. Pen license revoked!

This sentence must have hard to type Dazzle!

Disco Turner is definitely AFL quality. Very balanced, tough and skilled. He just needs a bit more muscle. Dursma looks a beautiful mover. Like his brother. Joel Smith is definitely good enough.

Your favourite players are Brett Lovett & Robbie Flower. I dare say that you are unlikely to be the target demographic of AFL recruiters.

Tassie will be a disaster. Player retention will be impossible and there isn't enough homegrown talent in the Apple Isle. GWS and GCS players get to live in Bondi or Surfers Paradise and they have enough issues.