Adam The God

And I'll throw in Carlton and Collingwood. And Richmond.

Haha, I like the way you've put this, although I'd argue something slightly different with Trac. The two aforementioned I feel safe watching, but with Trac I feel he tries to create even more than those guys, but now what he tries to create comes off. So I'd say I now trust Trac to pull off the outrageous that he so often tried and failed to do in the past. It's certainly a good feeling to have some genuinely elite players on your list, isn't it?

Fair enough. I'd really like to see Jackson retained and an unchanged line up, but each to their own, mate.

Collingwood surprised Richmond in the 2018 prelim by playing a style that was more readily happy to be tempo. Richmond changed it up over the 2018-2019 pre season and slowed their ball movement down last year and it won them a flag. It's taken us a year to change the system. Whether that's coaching, playing or fitness-based, it may well be all three, but now that we're starting to see that change and the ability to switch gears, we become a whole lot harder to coach against. I'd love to be playing Richmond next week for a good test, because whilst they're still probably too clever and crafty for us, our stoppage dominance and ability to change tempo was in line with Richmond yesterday. Our adjusted defensive set ups over the last fortnight would give Richmond a very good run for their money now. I'd argue that the chip game that is very basketball and particularly soccer, is merely a greater evolution of Clarkson's chip game. As I said in a post the other day, this kicking game is one that is very Pep Guardiola in the EPL. Its purpose is moving the ball across the zone at pace, but uncontested, and eventually picking gaps in the zone as a result. Once a team is able to pick gaps in the zone, they're able to go in quickly to the dangerous areas inside forward 50. I'd like to see us do it a lot longer than one game against Hawthorn. I don't think we're doing any of those dot points consistently as a whole. Our alleged increased fitness this year should enable us to play this way though. The way I see it is we saw some positive signs against the Suns in regards to ball use and setting up behind the ball, but yesterday, we saw some great signs and ability to play tempo. I think we need to temper this though as the Suns midfield without Rowell and the Hawthorn midfield without Cegler enabled us first use and when we didn't get first use, often gave our defenders an ability to set up well behind the ball. Brisbane's midfield is decent and Neale and Zorko are at the heart of what they do, so it's a completely different test this coming week.

To be fair, I said we could credit both Goodwin and maybe a newfound willingness to listen to his assistants as well. In terms of agenda, I want Goodwin to succeed, but I have no idea whether he will or not. Rarely are such matters ever one thing. From my perspective, I'm simply saying it's not all Goodwin's fault when we play poorly and not all Goodwin's great work when we play beautifully. I have certainly never placed all the blame for our previous woes at Goodwin's feet. I have previously stated I question those around him just as much as Goodwin. So when we've shown improvement, I think it's important that we acknowledge the work of everyone involved for precisely the reason you've outlined - to avoid the obvious double standard.

I'm only going on what I've been told.

He's having to play more minutes on the wing and with Petracca going into the midfield. The Fox stats showed yesterday that they've reversed Petracca's midfield/forward minutes and he's now playing above 70% midfield time, so this has a flow on effect to guys like Gus, when we've also got a fit Viney and a consistent ball-winner in Oliver to choose from. I'm not sure we can say for certain (without being in the inner circle and being privy to certain details) what his role is in-game, but positionally, he seems to be playing more wing minutes. Does anyone have access to info in terms of his time played in different positions? That could be more illuminating than merely what we observe.

In some respects the KPF role in modern footy is easier than perhaps it once was. As long as you're willing to work hard and bring physicality, you're often doing your job. If you recall Jack Riewoldt's year in 2017, he was all about simply creating a contest and bringing the ball to ground, whereas he'd previously been all about Jack. That's a lot of what Weideman and Jackson did yesterday and that's all they need to do when they're up the ground. Weideman is the guy that is probably going to play deeper more often, so as long as he's clunking marks and competing, our two young KPFs will hold down their spots IMO.

Yep, okay, Goody deserves a lot of credit, but just maybe, he's started to listen to the assistants around him too?

Agree with it all except this. I'm not Vanders' biggest fan, but the one thing he does bring that Tom doesn't is tackling pressure. I think we're a better, more balanced side without Tom. There, I said it.

Surely you don't think Richmond's only game is to lose contested ball and win it back with intercept/turnovers. Elements of our game style are very Richmond for the reasons I've mentioned, such as the way we're exiting defence and when we're held up, going to contests with crumbers and waves of runners in support. That's very Richmond. And the reason I've said our ceiling is higher than Richmond's is our ability to win contested ball and dominate possession if we don't turn it over.

Nice comparison that. Sidebottom is exactly that sort of player Gus can become. I think Sidebottom is a more reliable shorter kick, but Gus is just as effective as Sidebottom over 40m+. Sidebottom also started his career off half back and took a little while before he played big centre square midfield minutes.

I reckon this is spot on, but I reckon he's a great offensive spreader (one of our best), but a very poor defensive spreader, which is where he gets caught. He's probably not helped by the fact he's not fleet of foot.

It's funny, because I think he's actually keeping Tomlinson out of the team at the moment. Tomlinson is more aerobically helpful, but Gus gives us another solid midfield contributor to relieve the starting 3. I agree with so much of what you say here mate, but I hope Gus can play the rest of his career at Melbourne. But maybe I'm being too sentimental?

Absolutely. Good post. If Petracca, Oliver and Viney keep trending upwards and Gawn maintains his form, adding Gus into the mix will not only give our midfield an extra weapon, it'll make us less predictable and more flexible. Add Langdon's running power and even Tomlinson's in reserve, along with a more experienced Oscar McDonald supported by May and Lever, with kickers in Salem, May and Jetta behind the ball and Bennell and Kozzie across half forward and there really is a chance this year to have a more infallible version of our 2018. Still very early, but I hope Gus can find some form, because although he's struggled outside of 2018, that year shows what a talent he is.

I agree absolutely with the game style needing natural footballers, but I actually think Richmond's game style has become far less frenetic over the last 3 years. It was in 2017, but IMO they play a very predictable (in a good way) gut running style that sees lots of kicks to contests, but there are always crumbers at the foot of those packs, and waves of runners in support. I think this is what we replicated so well yesterday and was less evident against Gold Coast. Richmond also set their defensive zone back behind their wave like we did yesterday, so I think we are intent on replicating a mix of contested Richmond, Collingwood and uncontested Hawthorn/Geelong, but I would argue our midfield is stronger than all of those midfields, certainly playing at their peaks. As long as we don't get cruelled by injuries and don't tinker too much at the selection table, our team should get some continuity together now and with this, will come confidence and consistency, which IMV will have us top 2 or 3 in the competition. It's about focus and work rate from here on out.

I think Jack's decision making yesterday was probably the best it's been this year, but I thought he faded in the secobd half, but that was okay because Petracca and Oliver were dominating.

He definitely started on the wing yesterday. I don't remember him starting many if any centre bounces.

Reckon it's a mixture of confidence and being played out of position, but he simply has to add more versatility to his game. Oliver and Petracca are too good not to be starting mids now and if Viney finds his mojo, Gus is going to have reduced minutes in there.

It's essentially Richmond's game plan with a bit of 2018 Melbourne thrown in. We're finally seeing the plan A and B. The ability to play tempo when necessary. But the zone we played today was a high press, but then it had about a 20m gap again between the next reinforcement. We set up beautifully today. It's definitely built for finals, but unlike Richmond, if Gawn, Oliver, Petracca and Viney get going, it's too much for an opposition to counter and I think if they can find a level of consistency, in many ways we've got a greater ceiling than Richmond. What we have lacked that the great Hawthorn sides had and Richmond over the past 3 seasons, is that cleverness and creativeness around the stoppages and the forward half to create scoring chances and keep the ball moving forward. That ability to keep the pressure high on the opposition and capitalise when there's a chance to score. This is why I love the inclusion of Kozzie and Bennell, and even Jackson. They're clever, crafty, clean players that have great awareness and if they can stay fit, this will really give us another string to our bow.

I stand by those comments mate. He's an ordinary kick, I'm surprised that's up for debate, but each to their own. And I said he shouldn't play forward, but rest on the bench or across half back. Fortunately they didn't crowd our forwardline by playing him forward and instead crowded Hawthorn's by playing him as sweeper. That's absolutely his go.

Yep, I reckon having two presenting tall targets and Gawn roaming around as well enables us to go a lot slower. I was impressed by how we went quickly when it was on, but played tempo to contests and got the required runners to those contests where required. It really was the most full performance we've put together, potentially ever under Goodwin.

It's the sort of kick he's been trying his entire career and it has rarely come off. But everything's coming together for Trac now, which is great.

I'm pretty sure the only ground as big as the MCG is Optus Stadium.

Think playing on the smaller grounds is really going to suit our game style this year.