Adam The God

Sure, but not really what I was saying. I was talking about those who come cheaply. But I love Butters. Absolute gun. Would love him. Particularly, if we trade Trac or Clarry.

The guy who oversaw the richest club wallow in mediocrity for 4 years? And yet you want to get rid of Goody? The grass is always greener apparently...

Absolutely. Unfortunately, far too many in the modern world like an immediate fix or they get frustrated and want to blow everything up. The immediate fix is rarely how life works.

I don't expect us to win tomorrow night, but I do expect Kozzy's inclusion to have a transformative impact on our ball movement and defence from stoppage. If we can get our ball movement going and aggressive forward handball ala Round 1, I think we could be a chance.

At this stage, perhaps you're right, but let's see how he goes with more pace around him that spreads the field and gives him options.

We just want guys that can kick, run and make good decisions. If they come cheaply, have leadership qualities, even better.

I think we'll move Windsor, Lindsay and Kolt into the midfield, so we're going to need wingers that have toe and can kick. He's shaping up nicely, and another left footer. Clarkson era Hawthorn-esque. We could have 9 left footers in the 22 by next year: Salem, Lindsay, Langford, Chandler, Adams, May, Viney and then the likes of Fritta if he stays and Sinemma. 6 of them (Salem, Lindsay, Langford, Sinemma and Adams) all good kicks. We are watching us transform our list on the run. Our 2026 midfield could well be led by Windsor, Lindsay, Langford, Kozzy and Kolt. with support from Oliver, Viney and Trac. We've gone from a brutal, power midfield that wins stoppage (Oliver, Trac, Viney and Sparrow), to a much greater balance between ball-winning bulls and good users.

Yes, but we also need to maintain possession. This is where modern chains start from. You want guys that hit all their kicks and maintain possession (Salem), and you want guys who run and carry, and can hit angled kicks or more aggressive kicks (Windsor, Bowey and Lindsay).

I'd hazard a guess he plays a different role. He used to play receiver at the back of stoppage to maintain possession in '21. Now he's more about maintaining possession in the back half. Could we get more out of him, totally, but I'd prefer he play a solid role and others are tasked with line breaking and hitting kicks. There are going to be role players on the defensive wing and in the back half that play a certain role to free up the likes of Lindsay, Windsor and McVee to attack. Without knowing Salem's role, it's hard to pin point whether he is achieving his KPIs.

They have started in blistering form. It's Round 4...

It makes them more impressive that they haven't achieved anything? Righto. Not what I'd go with, but sure.

Sometimes.

Are you taking the p? Kolt, Windsor, Lindsay and Langford. We've invested 4 first round picks in our midfield in two years...

I don't disagree that the make up of our midfield is too one paced. Goody says we're trying to change that, but for injuries...

We already tried to get Lewis, he said no. That was prior to knee injury. No thanks, we don't need another lumbering tall forward. We need agility forward of centre.

The game still relies on contests and stoppages. We just need to get way better at winning contest, see 2017-2024. Stoppage work against GWS is what needs to be replicated. Where we need to get better, obviously, is on turnover. Right now, we stuff up on turnover, mostly because we bomb it long to an outnumber, instead of using forward handball and run to open up the forwardline.

I think we could play: Howes May Petty Bowey/Salem Adams Windsor

It's a hybrid of scores from stoppage with aggressive forward handball (see Round 1) and the modern transition game that sweats turnovers (with less emphasis on territory), uses aggressive forward handball to move the ball quickly, utilising leg speed to break lines and kicking to keep chains going from turnover. It's also different with and without the ball, and matters whether it's a fast play versus a slow play. With the ball on slow plays, we look to possess the ball keepings off with shorter chips across half back to either open space up ahead or draw the zone out, so we can go over the top of it, or through it with an angled kick that allows us to bring the ball quickly through the corridor. For someone who has apparently coached the sport before, you seem to have a lack of interest on tactics, structures and ball movement, or you simply view the game through an outdated lens. I agree we were terrible against the Suns, and terrible in the last quarter against North, but since you were fishing or whatever you were doing when your boy Jeffo debuted, you missed a pretty clear example of what we're trying to do this year against GWS.

The Hawks haven't won anything though, have they? As for who they've picked up, a pretty motly crew too.

If Lever doesn't get up, I hope they play Adams.

Which history suggests takes time for things to click.

Possibly, although the EPL plays fast from the middle of the park. So defensive pass, pass, pass, angled pass into midfield or wide ball to play it in behind or cut inside and reverse pass to winger or striker making a diagonal run. So it's about being able to flip the switch with speed in certain parts of the ground. Again, as Hoyne said on SEN, Collingwood in 2022-2023 knew they didn't have enough elite kickers (N Daicos, J Daicos, Sidebottom and Pendlebury), so played a forward handball game. We're trying to do the same with Windsor, Lindsay, McVee, Bowey and Kozzy. With all of those guys in the team and the power from stoppage of say Oliver and Trac, combined with the pace of those aforementioned guys, you've got an ability to play that forward handball game. Particularly from stoppage, exhibit A, all those out the front stoppage scores against GWS, which came from aggressive forward handballing.

My memory of the way they played was not to get in behind the defence, but to kick through the zone. Whereas now it seems to be about getting easier chances over the back. That was certainly the Collingwood method, but you're probably right overall

This is where I sit.

Laurie played midfield back end of last year. He did okay, but I think his pace is an issue there. I'd be more up for him playing half forward though. I think AFL teams are using the EPL method more and more. If you think about the use of chipping at the back to shift the defence and open up pockets of space in the corridor or behind the defence, this is something I think we're attempting with our chip game, that hasn't clicked yet.