DeeSpencer

It’s still a midfielders league though and how they cover Dunkley and Hunter will be interesting. In some ways makes it easier for Smith to get on ball minutes. Huge opportunity for Sauce Baker to take a wing spot.

Viney was already set to play slightly more forward in a midfield that featured more Pickett, Sparrow and the occasional Rivers rotation. If he does miss time then Harmes comes in and takes a chunk of Viney’s on ball minutes and probably a fraction Sparrow and Petracca more on ball covers the rest. That really shouldn’t be a significant change in results for home and away games. Winning without multiple parts our full quota of best 22 really should be part of the plan this year so we’re fresher for finals.

What’s the alternative? Club releases info every time a player has a scan? There’s club staff, other players, player managers, friends and family, the medical clinic, people walking down the street. A lot of potential leaks. That’s without the potential of the club throwing a leak around to various journos every now and then just to kept them fed. I’m not too worried about this leaking especially if he’s had a scan and it’s not major.

In 2021 v the Dogs we rested Oliver and Salem, Brayshaw was on limited minutes in the VFL match and BBB and Viney were injured. In 2022 v Carl we rested May and Hibberd, in addition to Petty, Rivers and Salem being out injured. I think BBB, Gawn, Lever, May, Oliver, Petracca are all good candidates to skip the Tigers game and given we are meaning to be more conservative this year I'd have no issues with all of them missing. But I'd be a little bit surprised if we went with more than that. Out: BBB, Gawn, Lever, May, Oliver, Petracca In: JVR, Schache, D. Turner, Hibberd, JJ, Woewodin FB: McVee Petty Hibberd HB: Bowey Turner Brayshaw C; Hunter Sparrow Langdon HF: ANB T Mc Harmes FF: Chandler JVR Spargo Foll: Grundy Viney Pickett Int: JJ Schache Rivers Woey

Jay Clark working harder for May to be suspended than he does on his fake trade rumours. May was millimetres from spoiling the ball and there was no wind up or aggression in it. Butler bounced up and took his kick and the Saints players really weren’t too fussed because they knew what it was.

If Tomlinson plays seniors again you won’t be hoping we get dominated. They are 2 good young key forwards. Better than the Schache and our young guys for now. Similarly the saints young key backs in Adams and Van Es looked good too. Whether Ross actually plays any of them or if he keeps going with Cordy and Doug at FF time will tell

I still don’t think we were a quick handball play on or corridor team in 2021. Outside of using Langdon we were still keen on our defenders finding a mark. And going back to the narrow side rather than sprinting out the fat side. The big thing we did in 2021 was quicker long kicks from half back to Tommy Mc or Gawn at half forward - and targeting the channel just outside the centre square, not the boundary. Then swoop forwards and mids through. A couple of Oliver or Tracc handballs and then hit an inside 50 forward. But it still started with a kick/mark game from Half back. Faster ball movement whilst bullying teams up and down the same channel of the ground was our plan. Creating a contest outside 50 that allowed Fritsch or BBB space inside 50. How much we sustain that style compared to go for a more full ground run and spread is the question for this year. 2020 we were too focussed on short kicks and trying to crack teams open. It worked great against the bottom 9 sides, couldn’t beat the top 8. Couldn’t beat Cairns weather. We upped our risk in 2021 with longer kicks to CHF, whilst drastically upping our defending by not risking anything corridor off half back or taking many inside 50 risks - hence the pocked bombs. Last year our risk dropped away by refusing targeted fast long kicks once the key forwards went down and then settling for slow long bombs in to packed 50’s.

See I’d strongly disagree with that. 2 of the pies talls in Moore and Howe play on and run, carry and take riskier kicks far more than May and Lever do. Less so May at his best but definitely the 2022 version of May who was playing fairly safe, and certainly the 2022 version of Lever who was crippled. Murphy/Petty is a more even match. And last year the pies flankers - Maynard, Quaynor, Noble and Daicos would all run and attack. Compared to our guys in whatever combination of Hibbo, Salem, Hunt, Riv, Gus, Bowey who apart from Hunt in combination with Langdon wouldn’t play that way as their default mode. When we won the ball back inside D50 we often find a mark, steady and go from there. McVee, Bowey and a fitter and healthier Rivers and in time Salem should give us more bounce. They’ll get the ball to Hunter and Pickett faster who will get it to a more open forward line. Of course there’s still forward/mid connection things to work on. And Hunter hit some targets on slower plays by weighting and syncing his kick with the talls. But attacking in to a set backline is really really hard for all afl sides. The counter attack off half back to catch a team before they are set is so vital. That’s why our coaches have been stressing all preseason for our players to move the ball as quick as possible. It’s been 3 seconds and move it on all summer

One thing I noticed yesterday was with McVee for Hibbo, Hunter for JJ and Chandler for Fritsch we’re actually fairly short through the wings and flanks now. Especially when big bodied mids and flankers has been a core part of our plan for the last few years. With Rivers and Gus down back we still have some size but we’ll have to get the match ups right to not expose Bowey and McVee. Fritsch will give us more height up forward and with 3 talls we aren’t exactly short but it helps if more forwards can halve or win one on ones. The wing is the position where we seem to have gone from big mids to smaller runners and we just have to be sure to have a plan to make sure teams can’t exploit that.

It’s Harmes v Chandler for the last spot in the 22 right now if everyone gets through healthy the next 2 weeks. Not sure most of the young guys are pressing for spots yet but I’d like to see Woey played forward/mid in the VFL so he can push more. And for AMW to build fitness and form and get his defensive pressure more consistent. Even if Harmesy stuffs up a lot he has versatility and height which is why I’d still have him right in the frame. I don’t think a wing rotation of Langdon, Hunter and ANB is sustainable once a team rolls out a 190cm+ winger. Unless the back up plan is something like Gus and Hunter swap but then we’re short down back. Similarly the 4 small forwards in the same line up can work if Kos goes on ball and ANB in spurts to the wing but it just leaves us light on for contesting longer kicks to half forward. It’s up to Chandler to really nail that spot next week to show his skill is more important than the size and versatility of Harmes.

I don’t think it’s entirely fair to compare with a side like the Pies who are an all out attacking force. They hit up quality inside 50’s because they stream from half back and through the corridor. Do that and you’ll get open spaces to lead in to. Whilst we are clearly encouraging more risk and speed of ball movement from half back it’s not entirely how we want to pay. We’re happy to have slower build ups, to use the boundary more and to then attack in to a more crowded 50 that allows us to lock it in. I thought we showed an appropriate level of rebound and run from half back for the first game out. If we keep building on that we’ll get attacking looks inside 50

Are you upset that footy isn’t played like it’s 1994 any more or did you miss the number of times BBB and Tommy were hit or attempted to be hit on the lead inside 50? Hunter had 3 or 4 himself. Teams defend with all 18 and can’t leave someone in the square. They lead back in to that space on quick transition. It’s still a lead to the hot spot it just comes in reverse. With Grundy’s first game and no Fritsch I thought the hit up leads were fine. The lack of pressure after long kicks concerned me more.

In the ruck - yes. Although it takes Max out of his best position for longer. The trade off being we hit teams 2 different ways and get variety in the middle. Up forward - not yet. Today was not a true test but there were moments it didn’t look good. Start of the 2nd particularly and the 3rd. Grundy has a mountain of work to do on his marking - right now it’s just bad. And whilst Jacko never quite put it together as a forward he has a better leap at the ball and better ground level pressure. Today was more of a tick for the midfield and flankers and more of an incomplete grade for the talls at either end given Lever’s injury

Looked like cramp to me, think I saw him keep jogging to the bench. Sat next to Goody who gave him a pat on the back that looked more like good effort than bad luck.

He was consistently the deepest of the small backs often playing on Higgins. Obviously there’s a gap between Higgins and Charlie Cameron, but I sense the coaches will be keen to give McVee first crack on dangerous smalls. He didn’t exactly have a stack of one on ones but there was some contested ability on display.

Woey - played on ball, bursts forward whenever he gets it and used it safely. Tough++ Hibbo - too strong and smart for this level, but the legs don’t drive on rebound like they used to JVR - kicked a couple, didn’t dominate but solid after playing a half for the senior side AMW - looks fitter, stronger and really dangerous in traffic. If he’s even remotely fit enough for afl he’s good enough JJ - prolific on ball but not overly dangerous Disco - took some good marks, but didn’t use it as well as he can. Had an ankle checked at one stage, not sure he’s playing entirely to his best Verrell and KFW - both very promising, Verrell more ready as he times his leaps and has more ground ball skill. But KFW follows up and isn’t afraid of getting involved. Schache - moments of class but outbodied too often by Highmore and others Jeffo - just getting started but be clunked a couple and had a couple of nearly moments, didn’t find any easy kicks Laurie and Howes - both good and bad. Nice to see Laurie on ball. A lot of almost moments from Howes D Smith - didn’t see him much and didn’t think he did much with it either Sestan and K Turner - just getting stated

And it didn’t take long. Woey with a nice clearance

JVR had chances. Hibbo, Woey, JJ found plenty of it. VFL side kicking against the wind vs a AFL midfield. Should get some more looks this period.

They didn’t pay the boundary umps for the second half

Howes at half back is interesting. Forwards can’t halve a contest

Good start from K Turner too.

Gresham lol what’s Ross doing

We aren’t going to play 8 defenders unless one of them dominates this game so Riv will just be a rotation. Sparrow will continue playing good minutes, he was better than people think

I don’t think Cal was right, was working on the theory Humphrey is a very Melbourne player (and he is)

Phillipou is showing why I heard we offered the farm to get him. Dees recruiters not showing much emotion