Adam The God

Agree, 2024 felt very 2019 at times, but with more light at the end of the tunnel given where we've been (ie we know we can win the flag and finish top 4 multiple times). 2019 saw us try to shift things on the hop and play the 2018 style (and couldn't due to personnel/fitness) and try to tinker with our press and zone on the run. Then 2020, it was slow progress, but we started to hit our straps in the second half of that season with the zone, only to mentally switch off at crucial moments. But come 2025, many of the guys on our list (it's conceivable 16 premiership players will make up our best 22), with some promising young guns making up those remaining spots. So I hope we can make faster progress than 2020 with gun experienced players now. And with the mental side of the game nurtured by Crowe and Shand.

Anything about diversification of investments outside of football? Being tied to football outcomes is not very sensible, despite that being the core business of the organisation. We will have lean patches on the field, and having investments that are non-football tied would be a smart strategy. And no, I'm not talking about gambling revenue. We can still be a responsible corporate, but diversify our assets across different sectors, and not just rely on the share market or bond market. I hope we're thinking about ways to replace the pokies revenue without resorting to merely calling high net worth members to tip in each year. That's certainly one strategy, but it shouldn't be the top of list.

A lot of them seem to live in East Bentleigh, where we are. I always see Melbourne and Collingwood players at the local supermarket and on Mackie Road.

I hope we go the majority of the season with JVR, Turner, Fritta with support from AJ and Jefferson where needed injury and freshness wise. I'd much prefer we manage Max out of certain games with Campbell taking his place. And we go shorter but more mobile if JVR has to take second ruck duties. Kozzy and Trac should be other mainstays of the forwardline, with Langford in there too. For me it might come down to a Chandler vs Spargo for that 7th forward spot. Chandler hits the scoreboard slightly more, but if Spargo can have another 2018 (which I think the way we move the ball will suit him more), then he goes ahead of Chandler for mine. If we could get 15 goals out of him, we probably get another 15-20 assists out of him too. And that'd be my forwardline. With Melksham as the guy that can come in for Fritta or for a different look (see AJ and Jefferson too). Petty may swing, but I hope they just keep him back. But maybe when Lever is fit again, they push Petty forward. Wrong move for mine. TMac should just move back to deputy in the VFL. We'll see.

In 2018, we scored the most points by some margin with 2299 PF. That year, Hogan kicked 47, TMac 53, Melksham 32, Hannan 22, ANB 27, Fritta 17 (he played some minutes behind the ball from memory), Petracca 19, Garlett 18, Jones 15, Harmes 15, Spargo 14, Gus 14, Gawn 13, Oliver 12, Weideman 10. So 72 goals from midfield (Viney contributed 2 goals) that year, and all of our forwards got a "lick of the ice cream" as Goody used to say. This was off the back of hard running, fast ball movement, and extremely central ball movement that often saw a remarkable number of goals kicked by us from within 30m. This interestingly was a hallmark of Collingwood's premiership year too. The other thing worth noting from that spread of goalkickers in 2018 is that we tended to favour two talls (TMac and Hogan) with support from Melksham, Fritta, Hannan and a young Trac. We seem to love the two permanent talls now, supported by a ruck/forward as that's what worked so well in 2021. I hope we're a bit flexible and experimental with this like we were in early 2023. But a forwardline of JVR, Turner with Fritta, Trac, Kozzy and Chandler with support from Melksham, AJ and Jefferson, I'm confident we can generate some strong scoring power again with different ball movement. I also think it's likely our defensive prowess will suffer slightly in this renewed push to open up our play through the corridor, occasionally exposing us back the other way, but our defensive mix in 2025 will be lightyears ahead of 2018, with a bunch of premiership defenders in their prime. The one question mark is on Lever and what his interrupted pre season will mean for him and our defensive exploits. But it may mean Petty TMac and May are the three headed defensive triangle.

Yep, me too. I'm another with big wraps on Disco, and I think if he stays fit, he'll kick 35+ goals. Bookmark it.

Thanks for this mate. @old55 and I have been calling for Viney as a small forward since 2020. I'd love Jack play small forward and defensive mid rotation. Basically taking Sparrow's spot. Make Tom really warn his spot back. Hopefully with the inclusion of Langford and Lindsay, there's more competition for midfield spots.

Definitely our best small defender. I have hopes that AMW may get there too.

His old man is definitely a top 5 MFC GOAT for me.

The AGM is going to be spicey. I wonder if Pert will pull out now? This board 🤦

Start looking elsewhere, you reckon?

Last time Chaplin coached the forwards, we had consistently huge spreads of goalkickers, so it's not all on the forwards. We'll get plenty of goals from midfield if things go to plan.

I've said this before but Chaplin coached the highest scoring forwardline in the comp in 2018, last time he was a forwards coach...

And what are you suggesting they'll need to hold their nerve with specifically?

Righto mate haha it's not 1996. 🤣

Yeah, I think I can see where DS is coming from, but in games where JVR rucked, it was clear he could barely put his arms up post rucking to take contested marks forward, and often double grabbed after this. We may well switch to Turner, Jefferson and JVR as second ruck later in the year if it doesn't work with JVR is the main guy, but I reckon we've got to give it some time.

I reckon they don't expect Reid to stick around, so they're going early so as to convince Reid and others.

I'm glad he's moving back. As good as TMac was for most of the season, he was exposed 1v1 a number of times at the back end of the year. Petty is better 1v1 IMV. I think we're going to see JVR, Turner and Johnson/Jefferson. JVR, Turner and Johnson will be preferred in 2025, as it'll free up JVR from second ruck duties, and Jefferson won't be damaging enough this year (if he makes it at all).

TBF we've been pretty good at that the last decade...

Very good call this. We utilised Sam Frost in this way.

If you watch games or highlights from 2018 (when Chaplin was last forwards coach), you can see that we do this repeatedly, with an emphasis on fast ball movement to two talls, and crumbles at the feet. I think a player like Spargo will be much more suited to this style of play. He was in 2018. Chandler and Kozzy for that matter too. McAdam and Melksham will be more dangerous in this system too.

It depends what he gives you behind the ball, and playing at half back doesn't mean it takes away goalscoring power. Given his pace, it's likely he'd be granted licence to press up and cover back. But he may well simply play in midfield.

Really? His kicking looked pretty good to me.

Slightly unique ball drop, but love how strong he appears in the hips, and that explosive pace is 🤩

I think it's just as likely they're gonna try Sparrow at high half forward in that Nibbler role...