Adam The God

His mark today reminded me of his contested mark on the wing in his first game. It was taken on the GWS captain, Ward. Very Michael Voss too.

Agreed, mate. I think often people feel like they have to point out an area of focus to work on, but I think this is misplaced.

I was born in 1987, so only saw videos of Robbie.

I think he had 28 touches to three quarter time, so had 4 touches for the last. Haven't been able to confirm that anywhere though. I don't. I yell it out and commentate his every disposal. He's a genius. The most exciting footballer I've ever watched in a Melbourne jumper. Ahead of Jesse, Hunt, the Wiz, Davey, Gaz, Schwarz and for a short time, Jackovich.

In Cripps' breakout season (2015), he had x4 30+ disposal games. x7 30+ disposal games in 2016. In Rockliff's breakout season (2010), he had x3 30+ disposal games. It's also worth noting Clarry's CPs are a lot higher than Rockliff's were at the same time. There is a similar correlation between Cripps' CPs and Clarry's though. I'd argue Oliver's breakout has been this season, rather than last, so he's taken slightly more games to hit 30+ disposals, but is now doing it with such regularity that he's having a steeper climb in form that than other two and being more consistent about it. But, we're only 5 games in. It'll be interesting to see how he tracks this year.

I know we keep going on about what a special talent we have, but statistically, he's currently tracking better than any other midfielder in the modern game (post 1990). He's on par with Greg Williams, regularly cited as one of the best midfielders of all time, and who started in the 1980's, so I won't count him. His hands are Williams-like and his kicking is strong. Just his ability to be so clean in the wet the other night, said so much about his talents.

Aliir Aliir, as has been mentioned, would suit our system to a tee. I reckon we could play Aliir Aliir, Tom McDonald and Sam Frost in the same backline, as long as a wise head like Lewis, backed by Jetta and Hibberd. A good mixture of experience, pace, height, good ball use and offensive-mindedness. Jones has improved, but would much prefer Aliir and he suits our needs a lot better.

Completely agree with this.

Yep, probably, but where does that put Kent? If he got the same attention as Dom, people would be saying he'd never play again. Despite his brainfades, even ANB has been improving. Harmes is a more solid player this year too. If we can convert some of these C graders into solid B graders, we'll be ready to challenge come 2018. Until then, we have to back in our FD and that goes for Tyson and Viney's development too.

He's had a history of slowly working into seasons off the back of reduced pre seasons, so I'd say there is a relevance. As much as we'd like our 70+ gamers to be hitting their straps right now, sometimes the reduced pre season does impact on their ability. His kicking the other night was probably the worst I'd seen for the season, but his hands were cleaner. Tyson is in exactly the same basket as Viney is. He needs to work on his disposal and his decision making. But both players are doing the team things and tackling. It doesn't bother me that you don't rate the tackle stat, but I can assure you the FD do. That's why turnover merchants like ANB keep getting games and why JKH is likely to get another game too.

He's coming off an injury interrupted pre-season and is getting involved despite really struggling. His ceiling is a lot higher than he's given credit for. It's tiresome reading the same posts over and over again, so that's me done for this thread. We'll agree to disagree. You've got your thread to talk about Tyson. Now it won't need to be brought up in every second thread.

Averages 24.8 disposals, 5 tackles and is going at 65% DE. His DE is the lowest of our mids and he's not scoring goals. They are the two things he needs to work on. The knocks on his defensive game are a myth. The only way he goes out this season is for his DE. I can't see it being this week.

This is a distinct possibility... Round 1 - C Oliver, 3 votes. Round 2 - C Oliver, 3 votes. Round 3 - C Oliver, 0 votes. Round 4 - C Oliver, 1 vote. Round 5 - C Oliver, 3 votes. 10 votes to Round 5 is gettable. Staggeringly good for a second year player. He's in the same basket as Hogan - a statistical anomaly.

I think when you really know your brand and every player understands what is expected of them and what they have to do to complete their role for the team, weaknesses are a lot easier to counter and work on. If a player like Harmes can improved his DE (a statistic that I'm not fond of, but I think says something in the case of Harmes and Tyson), he becomes an invaluable contributor and another Jason Taylor genius pluck from nowhere. If we can get our 'system' up and running, I'll back Taylor's ability to give us 4 or 5 plug and plays almost every year. With the coaching team we currently have, I'm confident our guys are receiving the right advice to continually improve on their game. Just back on Harmes too. I suspect his ability to know his body is what's holding him back just at the minute. When he turned it over at one stage against Freo, that was after he'd covered a lot of ground running hard to get involved. Get his fitness right and an ability to know when to steady and ensure he hits his target (ie. experience), will make him a much, much better player. We will see and it's one of the reasons I'm finding the 2017 season so exciting. We're seeing incremental development across our entire list. So much so that when a player seems to be struggling, they stick out like a sore thumb (Tyson's DE% and Brayshaw's inability to find the footy).

I think we judge young players incredibly harshly these days. Especially, when you think of some of the greats of the game. Blokes like Judd and Ablett weren't tearing it up in their first seasons. It took them 5 and 6 years respectively before they reached even a good, consistent player status. KPPs take even longer, as we've seen on countless occasions and yet people get frustrated that these young guys aren't immediately delivering. Jesse Hogan is not the norm. Clayton Oliver is not the norm. I understand it's frustrating when you see Sam running around and struggling to impact on the game and I share your sentiments, but it doesn't necessarily mean he's due time down at Casey or that he'll never make it. He needs time at AFL level and a base level for Weed should be his Round 1 performance. As PD has said a few times, he averaged acceptable numbers alongside Hogan in the first two weeks. This is the base level that Sam must achieve each week, but we've seen how much a talent like Darcy Moore has struggled without the foil of Cloke beside him. The same could be said of Weideman minus Hogan over the past fortnight. Let's keep things in perspective here. And that goes for the knocks on Brayshaw as well.

Far be it for me to be an apologist, but the corkie was clearly hampering him, Red.

I'd rather a decent KPF than a small forward. Sorry.

For me, our ideal future midfield is Oliver, Salem, Petracca, with Brayshaw on a half back flank and rotating into the middle, as Petracca goes forward. That is some serious talent, good ball use and x-factor. They could be our Mitchell, Lewis and Hodge. If we can get another A grade mid from elsewhere that takes the pressure of these guys as they develop, we are going to have a seriously A grade midfield in 2-3 seasons.

It's also the system the Bulldogs use, who had McCartney for a couple of years, as we have had AND Roos, and then implemented it in Beveridge's first season. I don't have a problem with the system. The groundwork has been laid correctly, I just wonder whether the younger players should be exempt from this until they find their feet. I think you have to be a little flexible with younger players, particularly, as you imply, before the system becomes wildly known and believed in as a 'Melbourne thing'. I think a lot of our players are trying to find their role and tellingly struggling. They're interestingly all midfielders too: Viney, Tyson and Brayshaw.

I think the 'system' is you come in and play your role and the FD and the MC's expectation is even if it's not your preferred or even best position, while others are ahead of you, you play your role. It's a good idea, but I'm not sure we should be doing it with our younger blokes. I know they have to learn the system, but they also need to find their feet at AFL level. If you're not playing to their strengths, they may never find their feet.

So you're suggesting, LH, that Roosy would be playing Brayshaw in the middle right now and would have played him there more, had it not been for Goody? Seems logical I suppose. What doesn't seem logical is why Goody would continue with this, despite Brayshaw clearly struggling, unless it goes back to that 'system' discussion again? Maybe Goody doesn't rate Brayshaw as highly as Viney, Petracca or Jones, who have all had more midfield minutes than Brayshaw.

My favourite one of those break aways was the intercept from the Selwood turn over down at Geelong. He burst through the middle and kicked it straight down Spencer's throat, who later goaled. One of the most exciting passages of play that year. Got a Gus and Jetta high five after that game too as one of the 12 Melbourne supporters at the ground. I'm not actually sure how far behind Jones or Viney he is as a mid. Jones has been playing large portions at half back and racking up possessions there. Viney has been down on clearances. Depending on how he goes over the next few weeks, I'd get him back in and rotating between the middle and half back. Perhaps, even against Richmond.

If that's the case, and I don't disagree, why was Gus played on flanks and pockets under Roos? Was it a case of protecting him from the crash and bash of the midfield after his injury interrupted start to 2016? If not, Gus should have been playing more midfield minutes last year. I know he had more midfield minutes towards the end of 2016, but he was still playing the majority of his footy outside of the centre square. Goody has also opted to play him off a forward flank. I don't understand it. Get him in the guts if that's where we think he'll play his best footy. Otherwise, stick him on the back flank, like his first year.

Well, this potentially answers my assumption.

There's certainly a similarity in form that cannot be denied, but personally, I think both will be very good players. As you say though, the diabetes condition would worry me as a Saints fan. This comes from a bit of an ignorant place though. I'd just assume diabetes and elite sportsperson wouldn't mix, but I could be entirely wrong.