DeeSpencer

What skillset? Which part of Wednesday’s game indicated we need a plodder who can’t kick anything but up and under floaters at half back? Hore has a far more useful skillset to free up Rivers, McVee and Howes if we are making changes.

We needed speed forward to get some space and we also need to try different wing options in preparation for the Cats. It’s also the first time we’ve seen Langdon move anywhere in 4 years. A miracle. Excited to see Windsor have a go forward or back some time in 2027 too.

Brayshaw: Moved out of necessity because we had Tracc, Viney, Oliver, Harmes, Sparrow. Not exactly a shock that one. Went to half back as emergency cover for backline injuries and given his marking and reading the play hardly a shock there. Petty a desperation move forward to fix a broken forward line. T Mc a desperation move to salvage his career. Howes a young player assigned a new role based on attributes, that happens at every club. Last time I saw Howes play wing it didn't go well, hardly a surprise you move the tall rangy kid with a nice kick (at times) to half back. Windsor playing after being drafted says what about his versatility or the coaches adaptability? He's a winger drafted to play wing? Who are the utilities on our list? I named about 7 for Geelong. Petty is a swing man, Disco might be too. Tracc obviously is a mid/forward. Pickett might be transitioning to a forward/mid. Billings is a wing/forward. Is there a single other player you feel comfortable with in more than their set role? How about any guys who can cover 3 or even 4 roles like a Mitch Duncan or a Max Holmes? Can ANB, Chandler, Billings play half back? Can Windsor or Langdon go forward or back? Can Rivers, McVee or Howes go forward? Are any of those outsider runners or flankers capable of playing on ball? Can Viney or Oliver play forward or back? I sense the answer to most of those questions is no, but we've never seen really any of them, so how would we know? To add versatility Scott shuffles a heap of his mids and flankers all the time. We don't, so when we get injuries or come up against teams that have guys who create mismatches like Blicavs and Cameron we don't have any experience with combating it.

But it has been desperation when we’ve done it? Our tall forwards have repeatedly hit rock bottom since 2021. Just about everyone tall has had a go up forward, of course Petty did. Plus his form down back wasn’t as great as it had been. Brown, McDonald, May, Gawn are all veterans in need of a rest at times, I can only recall May getting one at any stage. How many players have we tried on the wing since 2022? Langdon, Gus, Hunter, JJ, Windsor and a few fill ins (Billings, Woey, ANB). Rarely have we mixed and matched in that position. Same for half backs. Same for on ballers where the big 3, Sparrow and Pickett are just about the only ones to have a go.

Most of the talls have reached a point of desperation before being moved. Turner was a gamble but after seeing his vfl quarter it was an easy one to make. Rivers played a half on ball after Oliver played 1.5 games unable to mark, handball or even pick the ball up. Has barely had a rotation in there any other time. Salem was moved the first time we had a backline injury. Windsor was pick 7 and Hunter was out, of course he played. Scott proactively rests a number of his players (Stanley, Hawkins, Kolo have all had weeks off) and makes a lot of in game moves. So many Geelong players are genuine utilities who can play half forward, wing, on ball and back. Blicavs, Duncan, Holmes, Tuohy, O’Connor, Bowes and Atkins. And tall(ish) forwards in Henry and Cameron come on to the wing. If we have Langdon and Windsor going head to head with Cameron and/or Blicavs with no plan we’ll be in a world of trouble. We can’t just back our system, we need proactive options.

And I’d like to sleep with Margot Robbie but that’s not going to happen either

He wouldn’t, he always plays on grass/the worst flanker. They use SDK, Kolo and Henry on talls, they still would whether we go 2 or 3 talls, but at least we’d have some aerial support

Fullarton’s a decent leading forward who’s ordinary in the ruck! Tall mid/forward flanker is about his best position.

If he plays half back where does he get his touches out the back? Level 4 row DD?

What’s the answer for Blicavs and especially Cameron on the wings? Rivers and Howes following them and Windsor or Langdon to half back? I like Goody, but we’ve got a coach who tries about nothing against a coach who usually the 9 easy beat games they get at Goombha to flick around all his magnets. How about Petty and/or Disco - both good movers at ground level - doing stints on the wing when Cameron does?

Was more than one bad kick from Tom, he doesn’t put air under the ball so a lot of his under pressure exit kicks get picked off. Has to adapt that quickly, and he’s another non or poor handballer. Still playing ok though, but needs to keep improving. I liked Woey’s tackling and general effort. Especially his preparedness to quickly counter run, unlike some of our backline who stand like statues when they win the ball back. But he had moments caught in transition just watching his opponent rather than hitting top speed immediately and he’s not quick enough to make ground, especially as he tired. Skills/vision aren’t great either. I’d go with Hore next week who is a far more experienced defender. And get Taj back to full time mid at Casey. Two full games down back have been good for him adding strings as a utility, but mid/wing/forward is probably more his future.

Jenkins wouldn’t know what a key forward is if he tripped over one. The man loved a handball in to the open goal so much he makes Fritsch look honest.

Tom still can’t change directions or get off the ground. The moment you throw him forward he’ll turn back in to a witches hat. A few errant kicks aside he’s playing well down back. Why move a player in form who hasn’t been good forward since early 2021? Petty: Hawthorn: 9 marks, straightened us up Port: played a role forward in the second half Adel: 1.3 He looked every bit a forward until whatever happens when he plays Brisbane. And whatever happened to the rest of the side too. Even last night, took 3 marks, dropped at least 3 more simple ones. Confidence isn’t great but otherwise putting in the effort, his pressure and chasing makes a big difference and allows us to get the zone right. Everyone just needs to take a deep breath and back him in. I see nothing but a player who’s lost some touch and confidence. By the way, they same issues are hampering him when he’s been down back the last 2 years. A but of continuity, sports psychology and some better ball use and he’ll be back marking everything at CHF

But it’s realistic. We go with just 2 talls and Fritsch the Cats can play Henry, SDK and Kolo on them. Got to at least put out a line up that has a chance in the air.

Or shows we’re nursing a younger winger through the seasons and Laurie on, Billings wing is logical, when changing the back 7 mix 3/4’s through a game wouldn’t be

Hey Tom Stewart, want to play on Petty on Laurie? Come on now

Hore for Woey is the only possible change I’d be looking at making. Petty had 2.5 good games as a forward before losing himself against Brisbane. Whatever that trauma is it seems to muck him around and he’s clearly not over it. But he’s our best option to clunk marks and he draws defenders away from our other talls. No way I’m bringing in Fullarton or any other low ceiling option. McAdam, no tackles, possibly not a full game, no way he’s in after 1 vfl game after months injured. Billings, he’s so meh to watch, but he hit some targets tonight, not the worst. More wing time for him, loved the look at Lingers forward. Can we try some Windsor forward too please? The main things we need are Oliver to sort himself out, Tracc to give up the fumbles and prime Viney. Simply have to get value for getting hands on the ball. Then we need our backline to take a class on risk management and flow. Stop burning the ball chasing miracle kicks in the corridor (especially limited kicks in Lever and McDonald) and move the ball out to the fat side Actually the whole team needs a lesson on how to give and receive the ball with momentum. Mr Miyagi that stuff.

Haven't been since the season started but what I saw over summer was a player who was leaner, fitter, faster and more decisive with the ball with some real class at times. His practice game against Carlton was very strong, then he had a stinker against Sydney in round 1. I don't think he's all that far away from being a useful contributor but it's going to take a few small improvements (especially nailing tackles and not getting caught flat footed on transition) as well as the side either getting their ball movement game up to the level that utilises half forwards in space, or giving Laurie high half forward/on ball opportunities so he can offer something at stoppages.

Read the training thread, the 23 has been (unofficially) named

I wish we had proper journos covering this side because that rest needed to come against Adelaide rather than the short break. Still staggered it didn't happen. We don't seem to ever be proactive with resting players, instead we wait until BBB hits zero on the tank and now he has to get back in form at Casey, the tall forward graveyard.

Seems it will either be Laurie as sub for fresh midfield legs, Disco forward with the ability to swing if we need a change. Or, Tracc forward (post centre bounce) with Laurie forward/mid and Disco sub. Weather might play a role. Super warm the last 2 days so might be rain coming although forecast suggests not. It’s far from an ideal prep for Disco, one Casey game after a decent lay off. But before you knock it I’d ask, did you watch the VFL game?

Meh, was a one game replacement as the only guy with some pace for Pickett. He’ll get plenty more chances. I worry about continuity for guys in years 3-4 on the fringes, like Laurie and even Taj.

From what I’ve seen of Fullarton he isn’t any good in the ruck at all. In fact, I’d be fairly confident if they wanted the best result JVR would still be the second ruck. A position he does well in. He can get beaten by height and movement but he has no issues with weight/strength. Fullarton’s best attribute is he’s slippery on a lead. He’d give us another lead up option to go with Petty. Whether a 200cm lead up tall is worth picking I’m not so sure. That is kind of most of what BBB is, but BBB can occasionally reach the big mitts up and mark or bring it to ground. JVR hasn’t really worked out how to set up his leads at half forward. He gets stuck in between. He’s great on the charge out of the square but our coaches are reluctant to take Fritsch away from that role.

Take it to the Benkh?

100%? Great time to join the Gold Coast suns, that’s what I’d be doing