Adam The God

I feel flat but that was the best four quarter effort I've witnessed under Goodwin. The tackling pressure was incredible and St Kilda had no answers, in fact they continued to fumble under implied pressure. Beside that bizarre kick on the wing, Oliver was an absolute class act. Gus played a brilliant second half. Charlie was super impressive. Lewis was a steadying influence and really dominated on the outside. Gawn beat Hickey for once and our ball movement early on was the slickest I've seen it this year. Next week I'd bring in Viney for ANB and Hannan who looked flat, even in the warm up, should go out for Jeffy. I think long term Charlie will replace Jeffy, because he's so much harder at the contest, but I reckon they'll both play next week.

A real game of two halves. Was terrible in the first half, was excellent in the second half. He's another that likes playing St Kilda. Let's hope he can play most games like his second half. Viney, Oliver and Brayshaw could be deadly. Add Salem back into the team as well and we look very good.

It's also up to Jeffy to adapt to the game style. He was ordinary in those games because he didn't work hard enough to hunt the opposition.

I'd back most of our players in to win one on one's. That's why a guy like Jack Watts would not fit into our system. He rarely wins one on one's. Agree with your second paragraph though DJ, but it also goes to my point about team efficiency. We get back to scoring more efficiently and we become a top 6 team and we really trouble teams like Hawthorn and Richmond. Both of those games saw us with all the early momentum, but an inability to hit the scoreboard in any meaningful way by kicking straight. Tom McDonald's inclusion cannot be underestimated in this respect. He completely straightens us up. He provides structural balance and he rarely misses shots on goal.

It's all about game style though. Hawthorn still tries to control the game by kicking and maintaining posession that way, but we are more about winning the clearances and locking the ball inside our forward 50. Our game style takes a lot of the guess work out of our ball movement and pressure on the kicker isn't such a problem. Getting it out of defensive 50 is easier if we adjust our kicking game from the goal square. Use a combination of short kicks and then switching the ball (which we did a lot better in the dry conditions last week) to clear the defensive zone.

I was looking at some of the key league statistics on the AFL ap last night (yeah, I know a big Satty night) and I was surprised how well we were doing statistically. We struggle in rebound 50s but only because we're so on top for inside 50s. Our tackle stats are good and we average more inside 50 tackles than Richmond, which is surprising. But we're dead last for kicks, which could be a symptom of being excellent in contested possessions and tackles. The area for me that is telling is ironically a statistic that I usually completely disregard, however it is the only explanation here. Our team disposal efficiency is terrible. Use the ball better and we can convert our dominance into wins.

Max's record against St Kilda is pretty ordinary, so it'll be interesting to see how the ruck duel goes.

Shiel would be top of my list, even if it doesn't come out of contract until 2019. Would perfectly compliment our midfield and IMO os GWS' best and most important player.

Nah.

I just hope we're at the forefront of it...

I'd play Jeffy and Tyson in that team. I'd look at someone like Spargo or Baker instead of Vince. We will get exposed on the MCG playing Vince and Lewis every week.

No. As I said, Tim Smith is. I've got nothing against him. I think he was simply taken as an understudy to an aging back up KPF in Pedersen. He doesn't have the tricks to play KPF in the AFL and he won't get a go with Hogan, Weideman and McDonald, so they're trialling him this year as a mid. I reckon McDonald's emergence as a genuinely good KPF will seal Smith's fate, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a game if we've got some injuries.

I saw it too, but then saw him out on the ground 10 minutes later and immediately thought he must be alright, otherwise they wouldn't risk him. Probably had a jab and was fine to go.

He'll play. They wouldn't have brought him back on and risked him after all his time out if it wasn't something he could shake.

Hmmm. I'm quite conservative when it comes to AFL. I wouldn't implement netball-like zones. I reckon the game will sort itself out and evolve to something else, without the AFL's interference.

Tim Smith is incredibly vanilla. I don't care if he is playing midfield. Who does he replace in there from last week (remembering Salem played off half back)?

DJ, I'd ask you though. Have you disliked the press since 2000? It's been tweaked and evolved to an 18 man press in some forms. I think we'll see certain sides take different pathes this year as team's try to defeat the 18 man press.

Every couple years, there are people that complain about the current trends in the game. And then two years later, a new set of trends emerge and surpass the last one. The same will happen here. You have to keep on evolving, otherwise you become too easy to counter. I'm not concerned by the press. I find it exciting. I'm confident Goodwin and his team have a few more tricks up their sleeves for the coming years ahead.

Not sure I rate Gary's football intellect too highly though. I think it's a terrible idea as he's a turnover merchant back there, but a gun up the other end. I'm now at the stage of viewing it as akin to playing Hogan back. The guy is one of the straightest kicks for goal I can remember since moving forward. Why not play him there the whole time?

I reckon we might try and trade him to get cap room for Gaff. We'll see.

Jeffy for Harmes or ANB every day of the week.

Oscar was super impressive again today. I was also a fan of our press this week. Only our mids and forwards pressed and our defence sagged back to protect and sweep. We almost always had a sweeper or anchor too. We play Etihad so well.

It makes a huge difference when you're clean with the football and kick the goals you should. Our three most reliable set shots for goal (Fritsch, Hogan and Tom McDonald - apologies Melksham) all nailed goals in a short time and when Gawn finally kicked true, we were away. Can't wait to get Viney and Petracca back into this side. ANB and Harmes should make way.

Gawn's tap work has been excellent but his handballing and contesting around the ground has looked tired and half-arsed. For a guy who talks up his leadership, yet another example of our poor leadership. Jones has tried his heart out but panics in critical moments. That punch over the line is the perfect example and there were numerous last week. As for the rest of the team, they are so low on confidence that they fumble almost everything and our forward line continues not to function. I'd be trying to isolate Hogan or Tom McDonald one out. We're also far too predictable at stoppages. Viney and Petracca can't come back quick enough.

Impressive coaching staff, but we have assembled a reasonable team too. I'm more concerned by the on field, than the off field. We simply have no leadership on the field. I'll be interested to see how we go with Tom McDonald in the side.