Adam The God

Ground ball game is back in a big way the last two weeks @binman. Thanks @WheeloRatings as always.

Quicker than Wheels, I reckon.

AMW's ground ball game is how you beat that Essendon forward line though. Rely on May, TMac, Lever and a floating Max to get the job done in the air, and let the little guys who are good at ground level run hard off them. AMW and McVee are very good at that. Hoping Bowser can add to what they bring with his pace and his kicking. Needs some continuity though. Salem, the extra senior head behind the ball. You may well be right that we are worried about their aerial threats. I think we have to back our three key defenders to get the job done though.

I ironically called for deliberate and then he paid it! I shouted out that I was only joking. Terrible decision.

Agree completely. I love watching Judd play. He's so clean on the ground, always composed and a beautiful kick. Jason Taylor and co, take a bow.

I thought his offensive positioning was outstanding a number of times, particularly in the first half. A little fumbly at times, but game two, he's coming along really beautifully. Well done, AMW.

Hang on, who's the spider from the Pies?

Well done, FD and Jake. Melksham not only improved our ball movement, but made McGovern a non entity for much of the match. He also had the equal most marks on the ground (9). This is why I trust the FD. They get it right more often than not.

And Max was off the ground for most of it. We still won the quarter. Not ideal, but we did what we needed to. The quarter that cost us percentage was the third, not the last. JVR missing two absolute gimmies and Fritta missing from 25m as well.

Yep, two weeks ago in his presser Gpody discussed. That's what I mean by the FD discussing it publicly. Goody and now McQualter.

Indeed. I think there's too much noise from the FD. He'll play this year if his form continues IMO. We'll see.

McQualter was just interviewed and said he comes up in MC every week now and is really close. I believe his words were "really close".

Strange they named Taj on the ground and Kolt on the extended interchange. I wonder if there's been a change there or if that was always the plan.

It does depend on cost, and as long as we're not sacrificing development of genuine AFL mids by selecting someone like Shiel, I'd be for it. I wanted him when he originally went to Essendon.

If he was 28, absolutely. He's 31 with a significant history of injury.

I know.

So 24 goals for Jefferson this year. 9 less than JVR in his first VFL year. He should kick more than JVRs 33, injury permitting.

And talls like Jefferson and Adams usually take longer again.

I thought he looked good at half back against Brisbane at times, but didn't execute as well as he could have. I think it's a pace of the game thing that improves with more exposure. I'm not sold, but we'll see.

Cripps is 6 foot 4 though, so taller than JVR. None of our mids are in that height range and because we can lack speed from the stoppage, it probably is a little dangerous to play without someone who gives us a good contest. JVR does this. But I'd play Fullarton this week.

I agree, although he's listed on the ground, so he's playing in the 22. But to be fair to Woey, we have yo yo'd him in and out for 12 months. Hard to get continuity going with that.

I think Goody knows we need a seasoned body in the front half that is going to help bring the ball to ground and can stop their interceptors from cleaning up back there. Without Petty and given the opposition, I can see why the FD have gone with Melksham, but I think Jefferson is close and will play this year.

Some more midfield depth would be nice, but I'd much rather we target another star for our midfield. They don't have to be a superstar, but someone that can give us output that means we're not losing anything when Clarry, Viney or Trac aren't in the stoppages. Or simply someone that provides us with a point of difference in there like a Callaghan. Even when we added Langdon for a second rounder, he was probably in the top 10 wingers at the time, but there were questions over his disposal. When he came to us, he completely transformed our outside game and strengthened our midfield bulls as a result. Add another piece like that and keep the list healthy, and I think we're not far away.

Until the end of 2025. This would be the year to trade him for maximum comp. Not sure we can do a deal though capital wise.

I feel we would have played Petty in 2022 and probably 2023, likewise we'd have played Bowey last week too. I can't know for sure, but it does seem we won't expect guys to play through injury as they have done previously.