DeeSpencer

He was also captain the entire time we’ve been good, and I don’t think we have a slow start problem as much as a not very good problem. We get caught out early as times because we’re slow and unathletic, leadership can’t fix that

Viney being a difference maker when he’s all but shot as a player is an indictment on our midfield group. Especially Oliver. Same for Melk forward really. Although they’ve hardly had a chance.

He’s just a horrendous ball user, for someone so powerful he should be a weapon with baulks and changes of direction, not to mention taking tacklers on to release to free opponents. If he doesn’t have a straight line to goal he’s practically useless

Expecting to see a better Windsor after the break. He’s had some good games against good opposition this year. Excellent against Hawthorn. Very good fresh against GWS. Very good against Sydney. He’s just hit the wall the last few weeks as the interrupted preseason has impacted him. I think half back has been important in his development and he’s shown signs of learning how to defend and impact aerial. The biggest concern has been his kicking and lack of composure with the ball but that’s where a disrupted preseason can play a role. I also think he used to kick in a more natural across his body motion and now he’s quite stiff and too straight which is a common Choc Williams side effect but I might be wrong on that.

A good Howes game in the easiest position on the field is fine. A bad Howes game is a disaster that sees him throw the ball under pressure. He has 2 afl traits, he’s got good endurance and he’s tall for a flanker. The latter he doesn’t use right now, he might, but generally if you’ve got an overhead marking game you at least show glimpses of getting hands on the footy. The one thing he does do is mostly track opponents with reasonable discipline. Rarely wins contests with any conviction. Offers little in attack, if he could kick or break lines that would be nice but there’s no evidence of that. If this was year 1 or 2, maybe even 3 I’d be glad to have him. But it’s year 4 and there’s no significant progress. His contract extension is similar to Laurie’s on the back of some good preseason footy. It’s wishful thinking. He’s basically Cale Morton whilst being low enough of a draft pick not to get hate and high enough for people to think there’s upside.

When? Disco played one game in ‘22, looked ok, got knocked out at half time. He played 2 games in 23 and was fine. And whilst it was up and down he made an immediate impression last year in a foreign position. Repeated injuries are a concern and I’m a little iffy on his ceiling (is he good enough to be the main interceptor). But he’s always had AFL traits with his marking, the way he moves for his size and his ability to win the ball.

Viney, Oliver and Tracc have shared the ball more at stoppages but under pressure in general play they revert to bad habits. Our forwards lead until they see the ball fly over their head at which time they doubt themselves and stay under the high ball so they can compete. There’s a degree of coaching but more so we encouraged Viney, Oliver and Tracc for years to play a certain way, now they’re older, slower and stuck in their ways. And aside from first year kids - who are wisely being developed on the wings - we don’t have options.

Salem on his worse day at least looks like he’ll win a one on one on the deck and wants the ball. Had a poor game today but has looked better this year. Howes has Salem’s apathy but no class. He doesn’t have a strength to his game to hang his hat on.

Because the list is worse than the coaching. Name a coach that can summon a midfield from fresh air? It’s just not possible

I’m a Goody defender but he brings pressure on himself when he keeps going back to the well with guys who clearly aren’t getting any better. Lever was rushed back. Now he rushes Viney back. In fairness to the coach there’s almost nothing at Casey. Jeffo is building, the rest aren’t. And the kids in the side are fatiguing. Viney, Oliver, Tracc is now more stale than Brown and McDonald were yo forward. We never replaced those 2. Now we need to replace our midfielders Rivers having a stinker and Pickett going MIA doesn’t help. But we need trades, delisted pick ups whatever we can do to find mids who don’t just constantly butcher the footy.

Borderline insipid footballer, another Tim Lamb special Because McVee’s mostly been on him. 4 intercepts from Howes. 2 score involvements. 170m gained from 10 kicks so he’s pretty much only going sideways. Panics under pressure. Doesn’t impact in the air despite plenty of height. He’s pretty much just doing cardio out there.

Should be realistic that he’s old as hell, sub only on 6 day breaks.

Had an arm free, didn’t try. The mistake was running clear of traffic when you wanted a ball up. If he just moved in to the pack he’d have been fine. But Jack’s small brain tries to cash cheques his body can’t any more

Viney, Oliver and Tracc. Going nowhere whilst these 3 chew up most of our midfield minutes and a huge chunk of salary cap. Viney shouldn’t have played this week and the other 2 have done nothing to improve their horrendous decision making and skills in years.

Viney did a good job on Butters for a quarter but he’s upset the balance of the midfield and now we’ve got one pace lumps playing half forward and no pressure. Lever still not up to speed and Viney probably running out of puff. We have to stop picking players on name reputation. Personally didn’t mind giving Disco the go on Georgiades. Hasn’t worked. But McVee on JHF wouldn’t have been great either. As I’ve said for a while, we need a back pocket (and it sure ain’t Howes, he’s awful). Anyway, had our grand final last week, Port get an 8 day break. This result always likely

Borderline insipid footballer, another Tim Lamb special

I wouldn’t say great kick, and he’s not the smartest player. If we got him I think the aim would be to eventually have him replace Melk and have Jeffo take over from Fritsch. Kind of a swap of the current skillsets but you’ve got the athleticism of Brown and the class of Jeffo as your 3rd and 4th talls. Throw in a JVR/AJ or Petty type too. But still think we’re lacking the main man.

Midfield rivers is frustrating but there’s signs it might all click soon, I think it’s imperative not to change it. Similarly I’m a huge Howes skeptic but it seems like his manager is sniffing around for someone to give him a deal. If we have any desire to keep him he needs to play and earn a contract. If Lindsay needs a rest just flip him with to sub Caleb. Unless he’s in to tag Butters and Tracc, Koss and Langdon play forward more I just can’t see the need for an underdone Viney. That’s the kind of move that people hammer Goodwin for. In Jack’s prime - sure. But now - nah, let him go back to Casey.

It’s a free kick, even if Hill took a dive, but it’s not a dangerous tripping action worth even a minor fine.

Lindsay fine for a tackle that slipped down and a massive Dobby Hill dive is the icing on the officiating [censored] Storm. Nonsense

You don’t trade the only prime age key tall on your list for 2 late first round picks in a thin draft when you’re already taking a Windsor and Tholstrup with earlier picks. What were we going to do with those picks? We’ve had the picks and cash for a key forward and haven’t found one. Those crows picks have become Darcy Wilson who can’t get a game for St Kilda right now and Charlie Edwards who’s not doing a lot in the sanfl. Crows probably wanted a second rounder back too. So many bigger issues with our list management than hanging on to a tall who still helps us play a lot better as a forward (look at our scoring before and after he went forward this year) and is a decent defender too.

We were a goal away from being right in finals contention having beaten the top 2. It’s far too early to make selection calls on next year. Jeffo was likely covering someone sore like Melk. He’s had 5 and 4 touches, he can easily be worse than JVR, still 11 games to go, there’s heaps of time for him to get some experience

The issue with that backline is you’ve got 3 players who like to intercept more than they do really defend one on ones. And of the 3 only Disco is an above average kick or runs with the ball and even he probably needs to minimise aggressive kicks. I haven’t seen terrific defender in Petty since 21 or 22 maybe

When he first went forward he led at the ball, but eventually seeing the ball sail over his head or breaking his foot from a Sparrow hospital kick he’s now reluctant to lead. He puts in a decent aerial contest against lesser defenders but struggles to impact against good ones. Goal kicking is poor for a guy who kicked very straight when he first went forward too. Mentally doesn’t project any kind of confidence. His pressure and tackling are important tho, he genuinely puts in effort there. The real concern is he looked slow down back and is a reluctant rebounder and doesn’t like to stand under the footy as a defender either. Teams would’ve offered plenty for him as a defender in the past as we know when the crows did. Mind you I still think turning down those picks was the right call in that very shallow draft. A full preseason as a forward to see if he can get back to leading? Time in the vfl to really earn his position despite the replacements giving less than he does? Or we just go along knowing he does provide some contest but isn’t improving?

T Mc forward is a disaster, please, let it go. Jefferson will play when he demands a spot, we’ve seen him this year, he doesn’t offer more