DeeSpencer

Yep 1 year would’ve been plenty, but we seem very keen to keep the same battlers on the list year after year rather than take chances with delisted or mature age guys. And when we do pick up delisted guys it’s the most one dimensional options available with absolutely no scope for improvement to become regulars. Great.

JVR has played one great game against the North witches hats and otherwise been a steady role player at Casey finding his feet. He needs to put a month of solid form together before even being considered. Mitch Brown, a smaller forward line and some left field options are better than Weid. But they’re all better options than going with a kid at this crucial stage of finding his confidence in the VFL.

Our defence is system and our attack needs a lot of talent, especially right now. A big issue is our depth players have very little talent nor can they play the system. Bedford flashes some ability to do both but he’s really only useful covering the small forwards.

One was a very good mark too. But when you constantly drop 30m behind your opponent you’re going to get intercepts. Freo’s half forwards had a field day and when the mids didn’t cover off it killed us. Good defending starts with stopping your opponent when required before looking for the easy kicks.

Surprised (but not really) that Hunt and Rivers are copping the criticism when they’re the ones so often chasing 2 opponents because Gus Brayshaw is playing Russian roulette all game. He looked a million bucks in the 2nd quarter when we were well on top, as soon as Freo got any ascendancy he was caught out time and time again miles from his opponent

Viney was excellent in the first half and the only mid still trying in the second. His work rate stood out as head and shoulders above our other mids. Decision making not always perfect but he got sold in to trouble a lot more than he sold others. Jordon had some good moments but his refusal to take any risk when kicking the ball on counter attacks is really hurting us. He turns every counter in to a slow play before hitting very safe short options or bombing it - and often bombing it poorly. If you’re the opposition you’re delighted the more the ball is in Jordon‘s hands on the wing.

Amazing the way he manages to clean lose one on ones from a strong position. Cox and the other Freo talls are handy but they aren’t that good. If he gets consistently beat he can’t hold his spot in the side. It’s a shame because he started well getting some touches up the ground but he just can’t do the main job of a key forward. Just isn’t a competitor

Very much doubt Harmes will be ready

Weid, Melk, May McDonald, Tomlinson, Langdon

Do you still rate Dunstan or Melksham? They stink. Roll the dice and bring in anyone else from the state leagues to have a go.

I don’t like 19 or 20 teams, and I don’t like state governments forking out 20 million a year to have one. A few games a year of AFL teams and a strong local comp is enough for the Nt/Darwin.

Correct, but I believe we could entice one of them to bring that decision forward by a few months

Hibberd is one of 4 players I believe will retire at the end of the year.

Howes isn't the only candidate. And I'm not keen on long term prospects unless JT has a hidden gem. We're 2 injuries to mids or flankers away from having to choose between Dunstan and Melksham. That's not ideal.

We’re in our flag window with limited depth players, I don’t see why we wouldn’t be doing all we can to get a ready made option. Some guys can come in to a system and just click right away. Shouldn’t we be having a go? Even if it’s a gamble

Let me put your arm in that position and see if you still agree with that view. 2 for the guilty plea was very fair.

I’ll take them on face value that their assistant was changing careers. And maybe even that they aren’t worried about Finnigan leaving, a chance to freshen up. The Hawks are still one of the best at recruiting though, so he must be respected. Luff cutting and running from the list management gig screams fall out with the coach, head of footy or CEO. Rawlings hired him I think. If it’s CEO or coach that’s a worry. Remember one of Roosy’s core lessons - you don’t get anywhere unless you’re united and stable.

The thing about the Jackson - Gawn combo is unless teams track and match our rotations (which would be very tricky) opponents won’t go against one of them individually. And by going against a combination they don’t get to settle. Ryder has to adapt his plan at centre bounces, and then even more so has to adapt his plan around the ground. Up against Gawn he has to constant position in better spots or play as a defender to avoid getting out marked. Up against Jackson he has to chase him around the ground. I can see why you’d rate Jackson very highly because every time Gawn comes out rather than getting relief you get a whole new challenge. The Saints know this as much as anyone because they do the same thing with Marshall!

For a long time being short has been seen as a disadvantage for afl footballers, and in many ways it is. But Spargo uses his status as being low to the ground to change direction quickly with quick steps and baulks and then to deliver short sharp kicks. Add in the free kicks he draws (at times cheekily) and he takes advantage of his lack of stature. He played a little on the wing on the weekend I think. I’d still love to see him get the occasional centre bounce, he might get pushed around but I think he’d be really creative in there.

I can’t recall seeing a player genuinely hemmed in on the boundary kicking it straight up the line towards team mates and get pinged. It’s usually a player running free at half back with plenty of room to go up the line of the square. Or a player towards the middle of the ground using the fact that the boundary narrows at half forward. The cost is a free kick, on the boundary, generally way away from goal. Worst case scenario isn’t usually that bad: We saw that with Brayshaw last year and the Cats coughing it right back! The way I see it is umps can pay it, get 80% or so of them right, and punish negative play. OR we can go to last touch. One or the other though. Really pessimistic defensive footy deserves punishment.

The umps will say ‘back 5’ if a player is 5m behind the mark, where they’re allowed to move sideways and not stand. A lot of teams are good at dropping more like 3m away from the mark and getting the same advantage of moving sideways.

If a players intent is to kick it to no one and gain ground then there’s insufficient intent to keep the ball in play. I loved those decisions in the eagles game. Dumping the ball down the line knowing the boundary will save a potential turnover absolutely should be punished. Id even expand it and punish any kids from outside 50 that trickle over the goal line and fail to score. Whether it’s a skill error or a kick for touch I don’t care, you don’t deserve a throw in for being that bad. And you absolutely don’t deserve one for kicking for touch.

Standing over the mark: a problem, I hate it. If a guy is over he still needs to be pulled back immediately. Players going off their line: umps have generally done a great job calling this play on once players wander sideways (hello C Petracca). Back 5: way too liberally allowed and officiated. If there’s nah doubt they should be made to stand. Dogs and cats kings of the back 3.

I think Harmes would've moved to full time wing and Melk would've been a really good chance to take Harmes' role. If both Harmes and Langdon were out pre-game....hmmm, tricky. I'm still not sure who'd they choose out of Melksham, Baker or moving Gus and bringing in a defender. Melk hasn't played a lot on the wing but Goodwin's track record is picking him and not picking Baker.

When Brayshaw and Jordon both started on the wing they had some low possession games too. I wasn’t at the game to see if Melk was positioning correctly but it didn’t appear like North were suddenly galavanting up his wing. But that defensive work is more important than disposals. If Langdon’s out he probably did well enough to keep the spot if they don’t want to move Gus now. If there’s other options for the wing and the competition for a half forward/on ball rotation is Melk v Dunstan v Bedford then I really can’t have a strong opinion either way on that.