Adam The God

I wouldn't be surprised if we asked for 3 ten day breaks, to best enable our fitness program. I'm not really concerned about the interstate players not being able to fly home for longer than 3 or 4 days. They're paid well, pursuing the profession they love and have plenty of time in the off season where they can get back home. If successful, I hope the club is pitching this sort of fixture structure again next year.

Give Clarry another week off if needed. As much as he's my favourite player and IMV, our best player, I don't think he'll be the difference between us winning or losing. I want him fit for our last 9 games + finals.

If you're going to lead the MRO, you'd want someome who's played the game at the elite level this century. Michael Christian retired in 1995. It's only 28 years ago...

This would be 1.5 wins more than 2021. Would be an incredible effort. Extra game played, I guess, but still.

Bowey is fit surely. He's had plenty of time to recover from the concussion. Going by Goody's presser today, I'd say he isn't in the frame this week.

The only union people in the Labor Party are union executives, who have not been voted by the membership, but placed there by the executive arm (think Bob Hawke as pres of ACTU). This is the modern world. Complete corporate capture. The corporatisation of sport, politics, arts etc. But provided my football club remains, it is what it is. In many ways, the modern AFL is a far superior product than say its 90s incarnation, because of the amount of resources poured into the sport. The strategy, mental health and overall professionalism of the game is incredible. The only gripe I have with the AFL, and this will be contentious with some, is the faux corporate centrism that pretends to care about minorities to cash grab. If the AFL was really an inclusive sport, you'd have openly gay players for one. It's this sort of staged liberalism that really annoys me. And the corporate sector has gone crazy for it, which flows into how you finance things.

Bit like the modern Labor Party. All a bunch of lawyers and corporate execs. 😉

He's dreadful on the deck, so he wouldn't be getting many games. Just like TMac and BB.

Prior to this year, Toby, but I'm happy with Chandler. I'd like both of them. Almost certainly, Bedford would have also been a regular this year.

Hibbo or May to Greene? Might explain a potential rest for Hibbo.

Bedford 7 tackles. Those tackles would be handy in our forward half. No wonder the club was [censored] off losing him.

Freo have scored just 3 points from stoppage, their lowest tally since 2018. 😳

You still need to be accountable to a 1v1 opponent in a zone, it's just it can change. Most full backs and CHBs play on the same player throughout. At least in our system.

No idea. I suppose there's an alternative world where May plays on Hawkins, Tomlinson on Cameron and Lever on Rohan, and we rest Hibbo for Oliver. That way we can keep another small in Spargo for our pressure game.

Here's a huge speculative jump... Going by @kev martin's training report, I'd say Hibbo is going to be managed again this week and Petty will replace him down back, which means we get another look at Smith forward to see how that goes. If it's successful, maybe Tomlinson loses his place to Petty the following week. So I'm going to adjust what I'd do given those players. I'd go really tall, despite the likely weather. Tomlinson to Hawkins, Petty to Cameron, May to Rohan, Lever to Henry, McVee to Stengle and Salem to Close. Hibbo doesn't provide a great deal of run anymore, although he had some impressive burst moments against Collingwood, so I don't think we'll sacrifice too much by playing the 4 talls. May to take a more offensive role this week, and Gus dropping back too. If the 4 talls aren't working, we could swing Petty forward and rest one of the rucks more, but who knows what Selwyn Griffith would think about that. He would be trying to manage loads, so that last move may not work.

I was at the game and watched the replay (with the sound down) and I have absolutely no idea what people are talking about RE Fritsch diving or what have you.

But this didn't prevent JHF from leaving after his first year either.

I got great friendships out of Caulfield, but it did nothing for my career (film producing) and in fact hampered it in some ways. IMO I think it's about your child's interest. I was so sick of sport after Caulfield, it took coaching to regain my love of it. I'd prefer to give my kids $30k x 6 for a housing deposit (if we can afford it), but I may change as my son grows up.

I finished in '05. My dad used to like to remind me that Caulfield Grammar fees were $30K+ in those days (at Year 11-12).

It's a complex one. On the one hand, our forward connection is strong as we're able to generate a strong about of scoring shots and marks inside 50. On the other hand, with a combination of fatigue and still learning the new turnover game, I think we're leaving 4 or 5 goals at least on the table each week, because every player is not quite instinctive or on the same wave length on our turnover game. As I say, part of this is still learning the new tweaks to the ball movement and system, as well as experimenting with our line up (so there's still not complete continuity with role playing), but also because we're clearly fatiguing, as evidenced by our sudden plummeting scoring accuracy. If we can hit our straps fitness wise, I think our forwards will be able to get back deeper earlier, which means when we do get those turnovers, we're not slowing our ball movement waiting for a forward to present or be free, and we're hitting targets closer to goal, which will improve accuracy.

$30-40k per year... depending on the year level. We're in the McKinnon zone, which is a very highly regarded public school, so I think we'll be going that route ultimately.

We'd love this if it came to fruition wouldn't we @Pennant St Dee? No way it does though... If Mitchell Edwards is that well rated, surely West Coast will split their first pick and go Curtin and Edwards, providing they can get Curtin before anyone else.

Just on this, I really respect Bowey for staying at Cheltenham. He had offers for private schools, but wanted to stick with his mates and come out of the public system. I wouldn't say it's harmed his football at all...

I wouldn't be managing Hibbo this week though.

Couple of things about this. 1) I'd be going to the AFL about treatment towards Max. All the other clubs complain, so we should too if it provides us with an advantage, or at least ensures the umpires are looking out for treatment towards Max. 2) we have a big, experienced body in Grundy, alongside Max this time. We just have to ensure we win ground ball if Max or Grundy don't mark it. 3) I'd be pushing a small forward up to the contest (potentially Kozzy who is better in traffic than ANB, but they might have to share the role), so we're -1 in front of the ball, but still try to generate that +1 behind the ball. 4) I'd try and drag Stewart back to the goalsquare with Fritta ala the Collingwood game with Moore, so you get their most dangerous interceptor deeper. Alternatively, I'd look at playing Smith on Stewart as a defensive forward, but Stewart is likely to drop off if Smith gets higher up the ground, so whoever is playing on Stewart, ideally takes him back to the square. Fritta is the biggest danger to Geelong, so I'd go with him first. I also think he's better closer to goal, than at half forward. 5) I'd actually give Gus a defensive role on Duncan at stoppages. So play Gus as a winger or a mid. Yes, I know his contest work against explosive players in defensive stoppages last week wasn't good, but Duncan isn't explosive and shouldn't expose him for pace. As they'll likely be without Dangerfield, if we can lock down on Duncan, that'll stop some of their ball movement. I'd roll Hunter back to half forward and play Gus as a ghost winger if need be, who is really a defensive mid. 6) I'd start Tomlinson on Hawkins with Hibberd on Cameron, and I'd play May on Rohan, but I suspect they'll go May to Hawkins. Tomlinson may not have a perfect match up this week, but if he can somehow hold down Hawkins, it allows May and Lever (on someone like the inexperienced Henry) to get dangerous. With McVee to Stengle and Salem on Close. See how many of those moves come to fruition. My strike rate as of late has been horrendous, so take with a huge bucket of salt.