Adam The God

Yep, totally.

They're human beings, Cranky...

Bowey, AMW, Windsor, Kolt, Kozzy. If anything, we've net added pace.

It's a tough one, because if JT has access to a top 10 pick in a midfielders draft, you'd expect we'll nail a gun. Problem is would we prefer to guarantee a gun by trading in a Houston for that pick. Obviously get less years out of Houston, but if Clarry and Trac are themselves next year, we need someone that will immediately make us better.

Poor old Ooze too, but Richmond are in for some pain. They probably won't play finals again until he's closer to 30.

Bloody Tim Lamb, re-signing all our youngsters. What a disgrace.

Noah Balta is the one I'd be targeting to take over from May.

Lol, and I bet you spend half your time complaining we don't have enough good ball users. Houston is an elite kick that could not only play half back, but play through the middle, ie in our midfield, so addresses a direct need. Taranto, despite being a Melbourne supporter growing up, is a slow player who butchers the ball. I bet you'd be screaming for us to trade Taranto if he were at Melbourne...

I cannot believe Cornes hasn't suggested this yet.

Alternatively, it becomes a midfield mix of Oliver, Rivers, Houston and Viney, with Trac, Kozzy and 1 or 2 others through there. Cumming goes to half back with Salem, Bowey, McVee and AMW.

I'd actually argue Chris Scott started the focus on post clearance in 2011, were you meaning 2008 Clarkson? Goody has spoken at length about the importance of post clearance, but you're right, he didn't pioneer it. An inside slider is a player off the back of the stoppage, usually a centre clearance. We used these heaps before 6-6-6 came in. Super aggressive move, because you'd be adding numbers to flash through the stoppage and leave yourself open going the other way if you lost clearance. That was definitely a Goody / Melbourne invention. It's been a mainstay in the game for at least 5+ years now and you see it in every game now, but mostly at around the ground stoppages when teams add numbers to the stoppage, and it's nowhere near as aggressive as we played it with the likes of Jayden Hunt flashing through there. But you have reminded me of another, the way we've utilised our wingers between 2021-2024 is cutting edge.

You'd hope that a first round pick would net an A grader though, right? If that's all we gave up for Houston, and he filled, say, a midfield role, and we hit FA for Cumming, we could significantly improve our ball use again.

Houston is the same age as Shaun Burgoyne was when he was Port's vice captain and requested a trade to Hawthorn. We can go and get Butters next year. 😉

This is a very good point as to why the FA market in 2024 is not what it was when it was first introduced and clubs like Hawthorn won flags off the back of it (Brian Lake and then James Frawley). The talent pool will be spread even thinner with Tasmania coming into it.

I just wonder. They'd probably want a 1st rounder and another pick or player. I wonder if we lost the idea with Tom at least.

Would you have said this after the Essendon game? Our game is reliant on pressure and contest. We had nothing against Freo.

Very interesting @dazzledavey36 RE Sparrow...

Mentally choked. 😜

If we can get Houston for a first round pick (ideally next year's) and add Cumming via FA, and add a young mid from the draft, we could look a whole lot different next year. But, I think it will see us shift the game style again, probably double down on the transition game from the first half of the year. Hopefully a year of practicing the transition game in pressure games will hold us in good stead for 2025. Goody also has a history of being at the forefront of the shift in game styles and the general evolution of the game. The defensive diamond, the use of inside sliders, the emphasis on post clearance pressure etc, so I wonder if it'll have some new tweaks rather than an evolution of Collingwood's transition model.

What are you talking about? He's a gun. It's not like Max is an intellectual giant. If you're prepared to work hard and you have elite attributes, you'll be a star. (and your body doesn't let you down) Watching LJ pants us the other day was less painful because he helped us win a flag, and I don't believe Freo have a game style that will hold up in finals. They might be able to defend, but you can't rely on uncontested possessions to generate all your scores. Their midfield is quick, but small. If you bring pressure and physicality, you'll have a chance of beating them up around the ball. When you play like us the other day, listless, unaccountable, soft, you allow them to get out into space and carve you up, leaving your own defenders no chance. LJ will be a top 20 or 30 player IMO.

Yeah, I'm not convinced we [censored] the bed against either opponent, particularly Collingwood. Our goalkicking was terrible, but we were also down a rotation from very early in a huge final, which brought fatigue into the equation late. It was also raining, which reduced our skill execution. Fritta basically missed his boot from 30m out, you know, the guy that kicked 6 important goals in another Grand Final. Against Carlton, had Max kicked his 10m snap (Max is a horrible kick unless outside 50), we play in a prelim, and that's minus JVR who got suspended against Collingwood, but was an important part of our forwardline all year.

Thanks mate. Yep, if he has a goal sense and forward craft like his uncle he'll do alright.

I completely agree. We didn't lose our last four finals because we struggled with the pressure. We lost them because we failed to execute our goalkicking. I don't think there is a genuine monkey on the back, but when the media speak enough about it, it may start to influence the players.

@Pennant St Dee, is that Mark Lecras son?

Albo is a neolib, as is his Treasurer. They push this nonsense all the time. Neolibs on both sides of politics have spent years trashing our country. They can get in the bin. As you were...