Fat Tony

Spargo is a good young player but lacks the body strength required at this stage. IMO we would be better off with JKH coming in. A case could also be made for Hunt, Joel Smith or even Vince being the inclusion if he is fit. We also need to think about how we tag Issac Smith this week. Tyson on the wing is not a good match up and he could be omitted due to the opposition.

JKH should have held his spot IMO, with Spargo a bit lucky. (I like Spargo but he is only a baby.)

Well done Bernie! You are one of my favourites. Let's hope you haven't played your last game and you get to lift the cup!

http://m.richmondfc.com.au/news/2018-08-02/shorts-stay-extended

We lost on the weekend because of poor goal kicking but there are a number of other problems with our selection and game plan IMO. The decision to play Pedersen as a backman when the Swans had only two key forwards was clearly an error and looked a problem after 5 minutes. It took until half time for Goodwin to see this, which was very disappointing. This included a 5-minute period in the second quarter when we had OMac, Frost and Pedersen in defence, TMac in the ruck and Hogan and Gawn on the interchange. In this period we looked unbalanced in the backline and had no target going forward. Why did we keep kicking to Vandenberg when he was playing on Aliar? It looked like we actively sought to go through Vandenberg when we had other options. The structure of our defence on the MCG is porous. It looks like we are trying to pressure in the fat part of the ground rather than inside our 50 or folding back to defence. Goodwin loves having a player off the back of the square every centre bounce, but it means we are unable to lock the ball inside 50 when we win a clearance.

The Sexton goal would have been terrible play even if it had missed. OMac misread the flight of the ball and then was so slow to get back that Leslie beat him to the goal line despite starting well in front. OMac started the year well but has been poor since mid year.

OMac was good against Adelaide but otherwise his form has been down the last two months. Some will put it down to Lever being out of the side but it is more than that IMO. I am not an OMac bear and can see him being a good AFL player in time, but I think Pedersen might be a better option at present. Especially this week against McCartin. Letting the Sexton goal from 80m bounce through (and getting behind Leslie who would have kicked the goal if it didn't) was particularly poor play from OMac.

Hard to see him coming back this season. The VFL Grand Final is on 23 September.

We would be better off going with TMac, Frost or Pedo for another year IMO and hoping Max stays fit. We won't win the flag if Max goes down anyway. This saves a list spot to try and find a Vandenberg, Ronke or Graham type pick.

Josh Wagner would be the most like-for-like replacement for Smith, but Pedersen is in the best form. A possible way to fit Pedersen in is as a hybrid forward/back/second ruck. Gawn, Hogan, TMac, OMac and Frost played a combined 428% game time yesterday, so it should be possible to manage things so that all six are rarely on the ground together. Pedersen would split his game time roughly 30% forward, 30% back and 15% second ruck (25% on the bench). Melksham should come in for JKH or Vanders if he is fit. I think Spargo might drop out of our best side but he was very good yesterday, especially early on.

Hogan definitely needs a rest IMO. We need him firing in September and he is not offering more than Pedersen, Smith or Weideman would at the moment. Of the three, I would go for Pedersen, but I can see a case for the others. Hannan has not played for two weeks and could do with a run in the VFL. Likewise Vandenberg would benefit from another game in the VFL.

A Dees v Cats final would get close to 80,000 at the MCG. No chance they would play it at Kardinia Park.

Hannan for JKH if he is fit. Otherwise no change for me. Vandenberg needs another week or two in the VFL. Pedersen was our best in the VFL, but I prefer the balance of our side at the moment.

We managed to keep Geelong to 20 scoring shots for the game. So our defence was not as bad as you make out despite OMac getting a hiding. Geelong kicked 16.3, with one rushed. You would expect that type of accuracy once per season. And St Kilda smashed the Tigers in July last year. We are not shot yet. We are seventh and one game outside top 4.

IMO we were just plain unlucky on the weekend but our performance was first class. How many teams would beat Geelong at Kardinia Park when they kick 80% in front of goal? Maybe Richmond. The loss was devastating but you don’t win premierships in July. Petracca has hit form and is showing again that he can become an elite midfielder. Oliver is already a top 10 player in the AFL. And Brayshaw will be very good at the least and better if he can improve his kicking. Even without Viney, Hibberd and Lever, we are going to be a hard side to beat in the run home the way we are playing and I can’t see us having a down performance due to lack of effort given what’s happened over the last 12 months.

I would look at Jayden Short. Might get squeezed out of Richmond.

Goodwin needs to realise we can’t win a flag with an old, slow backline. Particularly with Oscar as our key defender and no Lever.

Austin Bradtke said on the video on the MFC website that he will be focusing on weights and running laps because his skills are "pretty good".

Based on the points system, I have Lever valued at around Pick 5. This depends on a range of variables, including the discount rate on future picks, the quality of each draft, next year’s finishing position and compensation picks. The key variable is really where Melbourne finish in 2018. Pick 10 (1,395) + MEL R1 2018 (1,395) + MEL R4 2018 (100) - Pick 35 (460) - ADEL R2 2018 (550) = 1,880 = Lever So I see this as being still a decent trade for Melbourne and probably around fair market value. For example, I would rather the proven Lever over Noah Balta, who is 5th on Knightmare’s Power Rankings. (Not that I have seen Balta play.) It is a bad trade if we finish in the bottom 4.

It sounds like he will leave for money not because he doesn't like living in Adelaide or has an issue with the Crows

Why would Adelaide let Lever go if salary didn't matter? Managing the cap well is one of the biggest keys to success in the AFL. That's also why Hawthorn let Lewis and Mitchell go. I'll be happy if we get him, but it is sensible enough to worry that we are overpaying a player based on potential and we then might lose other talent down the track.

Pretty fair assessment IMO. Although I thought his game against the Dogs was excellent and better than a 7. He was much better after the bye and should improve again with another preseason in the gym. Also, I think his kicking is much better than he gets credit for, probably due to his brother being an ordinary kick.

Good analysis, but it's too early to grade the last three. 4/13 still isn't a great strike rate.

I agree with the view that our midfield lacks balance and we need to inject some class. But I don't agree with your views on Brayshaw and ANB. ANB has improved significantly this year and his running ability helps enable our outnumbering game plan. And why can't Brayshaw play a high half back role? It is the easiest position in football. I see similarities with the moves of Toby Green forward and Corey Enright back.

^ Great post. I'm not as sold on OMac as you, but he has improved this year and shown enough to convince me he will come good in time.