Adam The God

I think we've already been doing this soccer formation analogy with the Rivers/Gus position. They been given licence to float across in front of packs and roam free and someone has to push up to cover their man. It's likely a winger, or we use one less at the stoppage. But I do think it's a good way of thinking about the AFL game tactically.

Gonna stick this here for discussion on what needs to/could change tactically next year. I'd be looking to do something different with the 7th defender. So instead of playing B7-M8-F7, I'd be trying to play a third winger (B6-W1-M8-F7). So probably Hunter, Langdon and ANB from W1 and M8. Which means abandoning the loose intercepting / attacking half back that Gus played last year (less attacking) and Rivers played this year (more attacking). But instead, I'd be allowing two of our running backs more licence up the ground to run and carry (say Rivers and Bowey or maybe even McVee), use two of the wingers as defensive wing backs to slot in behind them and cover space or their men (and play as interceptors or 1v1s, ensuring the ball comes to ground), and give the attacking players more licence to try and hit central kicks through the corridor to higher mids or forwards in Trac, Fritta and McAdam pushing higher up the ground. This is with the knowledge we'd have extras behind the ball (at least two wingers) to repel a turnover attack. It's basically utilising a similar set up to Klopp at Liverpool, but with more players. It would take great coaching and discipline from our players, but I think so much football/soccer strategy has been adopted by the AFL in the last decade, that it's only going to continue. Goody has also been an innovator over the journey with the inside slider, the diamond defence, the extras at the stoppage, then the deficit at the stoppage, the focus on post stoppage pressure and so on. We have to find intricate ways to maintain our defensive positioning and impregnability, whilst being able to play fast and contested. This is one way.

Has anyone actually said top 10 pick for Lynch? I certainly wouldn't be giving up a top 10 pick for him...

Unless they see this as their Hawthorn end of 2022 moment or MFC 2010(?). A chance to improve their list with draft picks, so deliberately maim themselves to unearth players on their list and then finish so low, they'd be in line for top 5 picks before Tassie come in. Otherwise, they're in huge strife I reckon.

We're almost on the same page finally, but I'd prefer O'Sullivan as the second tall as opposed to an undesized Turner, who should be the understudy to Lever with his intercept play. Our forward half, which I believe needs the biggest improvement, we're pretty much in agreement on. I'd be looking to do something different with the 7th defender. So instead of playing B7-M8-F7, I'd be trying to play a third winger (B6-W1-M8-F7). So probably Hunter, Langdon and ANB from W1 and M8. Which means abandoning the loose intercepting / attacking half back that Gus played last year (less attacking) and Rivers played this year (more attacking). But instead, I'd be allowing two of our running backs more licence up the ground to run and carry (say Rivers and Bowey or maybe even McVee), use two of the wingers as defensive wing backs to slot in behind them and cover space or their men (and play as interceptors or 1v1s, ensuring the ball comes to ground), and give the attacking players more licence to try and hit central kicks through the corridor to higher mids or forwards in Trac, Fritta and McAdam pushing higher up the ground. This is with the knowledge we'd have extras behind the ball (at least two wingers) to repel a turnover attack. It's basically utilising a similar set up to Klopp at Liverpool, but with more players. It would take great coaching and discipline from our players, but I think so much football/soccer strategy has been adopted by the AFL in the last decade, that it's only going to continue. Goody has also been an innovator over the journey with the inside slider, the diamond defence, the extras at the stoppage, then the deficit at the stoppage, the focus on post stoppage pressure and so on. We have to find intricate ways to maintain our defensive positioning and impregnability, whilst being able to play fast and contested. This is one way.

We'd probably be fine with keeping him, but he was never going to break into our midfield permanently. An AFL level footballer no doubt, but not in a top 4 team. I've never seen an elite trait that would enable him to make a position in our starting 22 his own.

Thanks for the service, JJ. This is best for both parties.

He's a very solid ground ball player too.

We only need Lynch for two years. I've posited Lynch before, but would probably prefer a younger forward like JUH, Naughton, King ahead of him.

Yep, exactly. Agreed mate.

I'd take Watson and O'Sullivan, but Richmond will want picks this year, not futures. I'd also go Lynch and think they'll want a late first or early second for him, plus us taking the whole contract.

Me too. Gun already.

Yep, time to invest a bit more in the forward half for our list.

Gryan Miers is the guy he needs to try to emulate next year. Miers is 24, and statistically very similar. Spargo a better user, but Miers had more score assists (best ever in fact) and score involvements. Charlie needs to get his score involvements and assists up. Then he and Trac rolling through there with more dangerous ground level players like McAdam and hopefully a Watson to go with Kozzy, with Fritta's goal sense and Petty's contested marking, that's a dangerous forwardline that allows JVR to grow too.

The strangest thing for me is that we never tried Grundy in the ruck and Max behind the ball. Just like we never tried Gawn in the ruck and Jackson as a mid. I find it odd that we recruited a second ruck, saw that the forward / ruck thing wasn't working, but never tried the back / ruck alternative. Even just for one or two plays.

No doubt he's struggled over the past 24 months, but his performance against Carlton is where it needs to be. Still only 23. Charlie would be in my side.

Good decision for 2024. I hope by the back half of the season, May is playing the Tomlinson lockdown role and someone like O'Sullivan is playing the second tall (Petty role) that frees up Lever and May to intercept. It gives us options with Turner too, depending on who we're playing. We probably need a lock strong lockdown option for a player like Dusty (ie a Hibbo replacement), so it doesn't all fall on McVee.

This. ❤️

Your description of O'Sullivan sounds like Darcy Moore. 😉 Be interesting to see where JT rates he and Read

Rivers, Bowey and Salem moving through there?

And if it's kicked to a 1v1 where Kozzy is the small on a tall interceptor, he should just let them intercept it in the air, uncontested? Righto.

Moves like Harris Andrews IMV.

Adams is taller than Tomlinsom, just doesn't have his strength. Yet. But that's why I want O'Sullivan and then Watson, thank you very much.

His wiki page says he's contracted until 2024. Does this mean he's pushing for an exit?

The opposition constantly sharks his taps. Max is a brilliant mark around the ground, with an amazing tank, but he's often not on the same page as his mids (tapping to really dangerous areas or to outnumbers for us) and his taps are often sharked by the opposition.