Adam The God

We rarely like bombing it long anymore, although yesterday we fell into the trap a few times. But Jeffo's shot at goal was from a perfect right footed pass from Chin, where Jeffo then proceeded to miss the entire goal face. It summed up the day. We had enough genuine regulation shots at goal to kick a winning score, but stuffed it.

Jeffo will play again, but both Kings were almost immediate guns. Ben kicked 17 in his first season, 25 in his second and 48 in his third, playing in very ordinary Suns' sides. Max missed the entirety of his first season with an ACL, but kicked 22 in his second season and 38 in his third. Again, playing in a ho hum St Kilda side. Jeffo has shown no such return. Until the second half of last year's VFL season, he looked in distinct trouble. But not all footballers have linear journeys. The Kings aren't a great example though. I also tend to concur with the view that Jeffo won't make it. Hope I'm wrong.

I know there's been discussion on Demonland about this, but I'd be intrigued to hear the team's thoughts on Selwyn and our fitness regime. I've had questions as early as 2022, and some during 2023, but after 2024 and now 9 rounds of 2025, to me it now seems undeniable. We need a new fitness boss. Our last quarter fade outs have cost us at least 3, possibly 4 wins, which would sit us in the 8 right now. Are we all in agreement on this? Is it time to go, Selwyn, or are there too many young bodies in the mix, which drag down our ability to play 4 quarters? That latter argument is a weak one IMO.

Or, it's about playing your role for the team every week. And that role might change depending on the opposition or our own available personnel. Had Viney been available, Clarry could have played a more attacking game. I like the defensive mid role we've added to the mix the last few weeks though. Many have been crying out for this sort of thing for years, and now we do it, the coaches are lambasted. Can't win. Clarry doesn't look anywhere near fit enough, so playing him as a defensive mid keeps it simple, and hopefully reduces the opposition's ability to exploit his transition game. I think it was @Lucifers Hero that argued strongly that we needed to send someone to Rowell in that Gold Coast game. Had we done that, that game may have looked a little different. Identifying a mid that keeps team's in games and sending someone to them with the ability to shut them down, is paramount in the modern game. Exhibit A, Lachie Neale. With no Viney next week either, get ready for another defensive role for Clarry. If he gets the job done and our forwards can hit the side of a barn, it'll go a long way towards making it a close game. Brisbane bat deep, but with little influence from Neale, you get out of the box results like the North draw.

Agree 💯.

I haven't heard the presser yet. That's interesting. We could well be 5-4 if it weren't for final quarter fade outs.

Great post mate. I've had genuine concern about Selwyn since 2023. There were injury concerns in 2023, which may have skewed the data, but we didn't seem anywhere near fit enough last year and this year is even worse. That's despite having more weeks off due to finishing outside the 8, and many of our guys completing pretty much full pre seasons. It's hard to know externally, but the eye test suggests we're hopeless in defensive transition and @Tim 's stats above are damning. I reckon it's time for a new fitness team.

I'm fine with the Jeffo selection, because we are going to have to take a few chances at selection this year that may cost us during games, in order to see who is going to make it. We need succession planning for May and TMac in particular, so Adams needs to play at some point too. I'd like to see Sestan play as well at half back, to see if he's got the chops at the level. Another good ball user, exactly what we need behind the ball. If we think Laurie can contribute pressure and ball use in our forward half (and kick a goal, only Langford, Sparrow, Turner and Kozzy sometimes look likely), then we should be pulling all these levers.

Which skills do you think he'll complement the current side with? I'm not being a smartarse, just interested.

Turner could be anything from the mid season draft and Petty from the second round. Otherwise, I'd agree.

I was saying yesterday Collingwood and Hawthorn are the two worst supporter groups to go to a game against. Collingwood, because they're feral and generally aggressive. Hawthorn, because they're the smarmiest supporters in the league. The past 7 years were glorious, and we should have continued the streak against those pretenders.

It was a Hawthorn member make up home game. So there were a lot there. There's probably not a more fair-weather supporter base than Hawthorn's. They're used to winning flags and don't turn up when they're losing. They don't even turn up when they're winning flags if it's a bit cold and a bad timeslot. In Round 11, 2014, on the way to a 3peat, they managed only 17,906 at the MCG against GWS.

Did he have a kid with him? I couldn't speak after the game. 🤣 Was sounding very Jake Levery post game / at half time. 🤦

And easily slotted that first goal calmly from 50. Beautiful kick. He's gonna be special.

Don't mind this mate. 👏

Views on Jeffo's game too, please, Picket?

Yep, I hope we add another 2 first rounders this year to go with Lindsay, Langford and Windsor.

It was a good balance of long down the line to Max and switching with a willingness for uncontested possession (to the chargin of some Hawthorn supporting nuffies), and cutting back into the corridor.

We are playing a completely different game style than 2021-2023 and most of 2024. Goalkicking accuracy is a completely different problem to game style.

You realise we led just before 3/4 time, plus had 4 more scoring shots than them to 3/4 time. We. Had. Them. On. Toast. if you're gonna have a pop at least show you have a feel for the game. We've completely changed the way we move the footy.

Yep, that's pretty apparent. 🤦

I dunno mate. It was a big moment in the game. And they took down the other end and kicked a goal. You need reward for effort and we were on too at the time.

What? We transitioned the ball beautifully many times and had them on toast for three quarters. Did you watch the game? Did you watch the game?

Agree with all of this except depth.

Oh, and I'd be trying JVR as a CHB, which will release Turner, who is going to be a very good player at either end of the ground, to play forward alongside Petty. I'd then play Petty as second ruck.