Adam The God

We'll agree to disagree, @M_9 . I can't see AJ kicking 2 goals every 3 weeks.

Three of their first four goals...

So watching the build up to Liverpool v Spurs and they're tlaking about Liverpool's manager Arne Slot. He's about to win the Premier League in his first season. They said the sporting director chose Arne Slot to succeed Jurgen Klopp because they played a similar style, but Slot's injury record at his previous club was incredible and they said "that's why he's here [at Liverpool]". Just as it is in the AFL, being able to roll put your best players more often than not is a huge determinant of success. @binman and others have spoken about this for years, but the idea that a manager could have an amazing injury management record got me thinking about AFL and Goody. They talked about how Slot had Salah doing less defending (ie pressing) and being fresher when in attack. They also discussed the less ballistic style that Slot's team plays in comparison to Klopp's Liverpool, who were basically on all the time. Back to AFL and thinking of our brutal, contested stoppage and territory game that would grind sides down, this would have been a very taxing on the body, mentally and physically. With our shift to more uncontested possessions, less contact, we are protecting our bodies from that rigorous, combative football. I wonder if with this new game style, we'll eventually start to see less injuries and our team last longer than others, but also be more powerful when the time comes. They also mention the continuity in the team that Slot has played. There havenever been wholesale changes. So the players can build together. Interestingly though, they made the point that certain players would be allowed to play in a certain way that would protect them (Salah, Alexander-Arnold) because they offer something so good that their team mates would have to cover them/offset what Salah and Trent weren't offering the team. This has implications for me on players like Fritta, Kozzy and even Trac. Finally, they also said that Slot brought with him his sports scientist that would manage minutes, I really think this is where the AFL game is heading too, and probably already is with Burgo and now Selwyn. But science is now a huge factor in decision making. Liverpool have built this team based on player data points across all the top leagues in world football. They identify the right talent for them based on data and analytics. It's an incredible frontier for professional sports, and I hope we can start to tap into some of this stuff to get a competitive edge.

I've long been anti ruckmen. But I do think when the momentum is against you, having a ruckman that is competitive (and can take it out of the ruck) is gold.

Would this be a vote for playing Tom Campbell instead of Fullarton or JVR then?

I'm not sure this is really supported by stats... He's never been a big pressure player.

He just can't kick, so hopefully he'd play as a decoy.

Agreed, but each player offers the team something different. Dusty Martin was allowed to play his own game because he was so damaging. Fritta isn't Dusty, but he can be as damaging. It's a hard one to assess. We might be happy for the rest of the team to shoulder the defensive work if Fritta hits the scoreboard more.

My understanding is Crowe came in for the review and he's no longer around. Happy to he corrected on that point... And @Wells 11 , we won the first 9 in 2021 (we lost to Adelaide by a point in Round 10 from memory), but won the first 10 in 2022.

We've been here before though with Grundy. I was hoping we'd sit Max behind the ball when Grundy rucked. We could do that with Campbell too, but we've shown we didn't want to do that. But I guess we could try the Max forward again. Campbell is a much cheaper Grundy, that's for sure. It's JVR or TC for me now. I suspect we'll go for JVR this week.

Dogs got Cooper Hynes too. Would have loved him.

I understand his trading was cultural, but still...

I don't mind your 22 there, but I won't have Fritta and Melky in the same team. One or the other. 🤣

The guy I think we got wrong and I always had a lot of time for (and was one of our few goalkicking midfielders) is Harmes. We miss what he can provide, plus another around the ground mid rotation. I'd have him ahead of Sharp for example.

Geelong have ordinary rucks, we do not. There's no need for us to do this. However, what we could do is play Max and Campbell as I believe @Harvey Wallbanger and perhaps @Slartibartfast have suggested... There's a chance we could sit Campbell on the bench when Max is in the on the ground, and vice versa.

Happy with what you've seen though over the last fortnight, SWYL? At least in snippets...?

The major difference between Rounds 1, 6 and 7 as opposed to Rounds 2-5, is pressure. Look at the pressure ratings in those games. We didn't bring it and we didn't win contest, which is also a function of pressure. Also, not really sure what you mean by always playing on being something we've done for years. Statistically, we're playing on faster and moving the ball quicker than we have. We also generally lose inside 50s or are square with the opposition. That's not what we've done for years. It's what we started in the first half of last year. The trend for the entire Goody era has been high inside 50 differentials, until 2024 and 2025. There's a clear shift there. As for our handball game, it's far more aggressive than before, but we did try a bit of this during 2022. But we're also using totally different angles from back to front than 2021-2023 and even 2024. So it's not just uncontested play at the back.

Trac definitely went to Chandler afterwards.

Sounds like you should follow another sport.

Hang on, what? 🤣

The McDonalds seem to get better with age. Maybe we need an I Was Wrong thread? I've certainly been off the mark with TMac. After that GWS game last year I thought he was done... I'mnot watching the game, but I see that OMac has 2 goals, 7 score involvements and 3 goal assists playing as a 196cm ruckman...

We are. There were a few of those TBH last night. Trac did just suffer a life threatening condition to that part of his body though, and Nankervis got him with one in that exact area just before half time. Max got into Nankervis immediately afterwards. It was right in front of the MCC on the centre-wing boundary. If I were Trac I'm not sure I could ever go at a contest the same way again. So I get the human, mental element, of course I do. I purely frame my observations around what modern teams expect.

The eye test for me said he was influential in that quarter. Just shows we all see the game differently.

I said he needs to get it out of his game. I didn't say he wouldn't...

It was right in front me. He put a tentative hand out because he thought he wad going to be smashed. Instead, the chain broke down in a dangerous position. Not quite sure why you think it's outrageous to expect that sort of commitment in the modern game. Players are expected to go all the time. He didn't, hopefully next time he does.