The Chazz

Big shoes to fill...

Wise, I think the other point is that while Harmes isn't super quick, he will push back quicker than what Jones does. I'm not 100% on board with this change of role, but I'm happy to watch the first month to see how it pans out.

We'll probably still lose to them. They had about 25 players out just a couple of years back and they still managed to roll us. Will go down as our most embarrassing loss for mine (even more embarrassing than 186).

Only need to ask the NRL if playing games in empty stadiums has controlled any potential outbreaks in their (ir)relevant states.

Interesting that Gawn refers to Nibbler as being a leader who can step up. If nothing else, it just shows how little we (the average punter) know about the players, and what gores on behind the scenes.

That is so far away from the point. Clean, fast clearances from a centre bounce almost always end up in a scoring opportunity. If we are setting up so that there is potentially one free opposition player coming in off the wing, and they get the clearance, it's vital that we stick that one tackle if the opportunity is there. I can remember that there was at least twice that the commentators mentioned that Jones missed that specific tackle. If the opposition breaks that tackle, we will be outnumbered, and they will score. It's that simple. This play is clearly backing our rucks/inside mids to dominate the centre bounce. Will happen often, but when it doesn't, we need to make sure we limit the damage that could occur.

I like the no leadership group model. Puts the spotlight very brightly on the captain and vice captain, and I think they are two players that are best to deal with it. I was hoping Jack would be captain and Max vice, but given this "new" model, I think Max leading is the right call. Top call by the club, and a well deserved honour for Max.

We will see, won't we? If all things are equal (ie no injury list), then for us to play deep finals, Jones just can't play every game. Have said it numerous times, for Jones to play every game, it means that certain players haven't come on. I'm talking players like Hore, Harmes (to not cement his place off that HBF, which could be the snowball effect of Trac playing more midfield minutes), Hibberd (would need a drop in form, rather than maintaining form), AvB (hopefully staying fit), ANB (Jones should have him covered), Baker/Sparrow/Dunkley/Rivers (most likely a bit early for these guys, but if they can come in and have an impact, again, it's putting pressure on Jones), and Hunt (if he doesn't overtake Jones this year then he never will). Interestingly, the commentators picked up a slight change to our centre bounce setup. We had one of our wings coming off the back corner of the square. High risk/high reward - if they opposition win the clearance, they have someone on true centre wing that will be unmanned. Two or three times on Saturday this happened, and because we missed the tackle on the way out, the ball got pushed deep forward for Adelaide. The missed tackles were by Jones.

I have taken note, Uncle, and still stand by my views regarding Jones. Let's look at the team list from Saturday, we named 25 players. When the season proper starts, we take 22 in to a game. I look at our outs and believe Gawn, Brayshaw, Fritsch and May automatically come in. That means we need to take 7 players out of that team list from Saturday. I think that would be Spargo, Wagner, Jordan, Lockhart and Sparrow. I'm still looking for 2 more - could be ANB, one of Brown or Jackson. Jones had a very good game on Saturday, but he will need to consistently produce strong performances, otherwise he's an easy "out" for mine, especially when looking at the other players on the park.

As long as he doesn't have to get from contest to contest fast, he'll be ok. That's where ANB will have it over him - Nibbler has more pace, and is happy to tackle. He will provide great defensive pressure as a HFF than what Jones will do. I just honestly don't see where Jones fits in as the "first choice" for that role. Bloody hell, I'm surprised by both of those stats! Would've sworn Eddie was Nev's pet, and Jenkins just kicked bags against us. Maybe Eddie's dominance was during that period where New was always injured, and that Jenkins' non-dominance was the Frost factor?!

Looking forward to Betts and Jenkins not tearing us a new one in this game.

Think Jones was in rehab for quite a while. Spargo definitely was. I have made the point before that if Jones manages to get to 300 games, it means the likes of Hore, Hunt, et al haven't gone past him, which will concern me (in terms of our chances in 2020). If Jones breaks the club record this year, we simply won't be playing finals.

My head-scratcher is Hunt and Hore out, but Wagner, Jones and Spargo are all named. I'll put it down to player management, but given both Jones and Spargo had a restricted preseason, and from my understanding Hunt and Hore got significantly more miles in the legs over the summer, I clearly have no idea about player load management. FWIW, for that role that Jones has been picked for off the HBF, I'd have Hore in that role well before him. At least Hore is accountable and has some pace. I'll go even further (now that I've seen what players look like they may be available for Round 1 at this stage), if Jones is named for our Eagles game, I'll be questioning why so.

Sometimes it doesn't hurt to look in your own backyard before making these comments. Not many training threads this preseason have had us starting on or after the advertised starting time, often up to an hour prior.

Best you don't pop over to the training threads and look at the Demonland version of the injury list. It's not a disaster, yet, but it's not ideal by any means.

Hagdorn - "Jesse Hogan won't play for Fremantle ever again" Demonland posters - "Hagdorn is a hack journalist, rarely gets anything right" Hagdorn - "McGovern and Barrass won't play early rounds of the AFL season" Demonland - "McGovern and Barrass are going to be huge outs for our first game"

Dismissing the point that he's as slow as a wet week, and would apply next to zero forward pressure. But, yeah, I'm sure he'd be a "real dangerous small forward"...

This is the sort of stuff that won this bloke an award? Must've been the Logies of the Journalism world.

A terrific individual honour for a bloke that hasn't had much to celebrate from a team perspective throughout his career. That said, a big part of me can't help but think that if he does crack the 300 games, it has more to do with other guys not taking the next step in their development. Jones' form in 2019 was embarrassing at times, and his pace was a liability. With a clean injury list (if there were such a thing), he's not in my starting 22, and is dropping down the depth list as well.

I feel that they already do, just not visually...

We put Petty up forward because we literally had no-one else. Mitch Brown was a delisted veteran who we've picked up as a rookie. And Jackson hasn't played a game yet. Presuming all is fair and equal, you've got these 3 ahead of Joel Smith. Think you've proven my point. As for shifting him back, I just don't know what role he fills. Is he our 2nd/3rd tall? Having him competing with Lever and Oscar? Is he that mid-sized defender, competing with Hibberd and Hore? He's not a small like Nev, and he's not a Salem-type. And given our tall forward stocks, if someone went down in the backline, Petty is a capable replacement. The initial point was that some think that having a fit Smith will make a significant difference to the team. I just can't see where he fits in, and at whose expense, and quite frankly, I just don't think he's good enough in the first place, with many players ahead of him in competing positions (as you've kindly pointed out above).

Hardtack, et al. I'll happily admit I was wrong about Smith, if it turns out he has proven me wrong. But I do question the follow up comments about him. Last preseason he was training with the forwards, and a few have said that he was progressing nicely before his injury. Fast forward 12 months and he's basically back to full fitness, but has spent the whole preseason with the defenders? We are crying out for solid targets up forward, yet we've moved him back where we seemingly have a few solid options already. I've seen very little in games that excites me about Smith. Might be harsh given he barely gets 5 minutes on the park before he gets injured. But maybe that's one of the issues - his body doesn't give him the opportunity to display it in game time. Clearly shows a bit on the training track, but wouldn't be the first one that can't transfer it to the main stage.

We are more rooted than I thought if we need Joel Smith back to make a difference...