DeeSpencer

Champion Data is the myth, not Gus' kicking. His left hasn't been much use since his first two seasons. You aren't really dual sided if you don't hit targets with it. His efficiency is mostly because CD grade any long kick that goes to a 50/50 as efficient and because Gus will kick it long or short and wide. He rarely uses the corridor or makes aggressive switches and he flat out can't kick on the run, his technique falls apart. He also doesn't provide line breaking or corridor run. Watch him receive the ball by dropping back or sweeping wide, that's useful at times, but doesn't result in quick counter attacking. Our game plan is to go wide and safe out of the back half, but there's still a way that Salem when at his best will demand or win the ball and move it on quickly enabling counter attack.

Franklin, Rance, Brandon Ellis, Gary Ablett Jnr. All of those left great sides that won premierships after they left.

If we do it all in one year or as a direct trade, then yes, I should've said that. If we use the pick this year and the cap space next year it can be a 2 for 1. I'd be very happy with McStay for Brayshaw straight up.

He’s been very good this year but a lot of that’s because Lever and Salem have been missing. When Lever’s intercepting and Salem is rebounding what role does Gus fill that isn’t somewhat redundant? And - just as JJ has filled Gus’ wing role I can see Rivers with another preseason slotting back in to his best and growing his game. Bowey obviously won’t be as good in the air but otherwise does everything else Gus does and more. The compensation is a pick and 600k? 700k? 750k? It’s means to bring in 2 good players (one pick, one free agent) or one very good one in more of a need. Or we could get creative, trade the pick backwards, split the salary and bring in 4 useful players and drastically improve our depth. We’ve apparently sniffed around key forwards this year. Until McStay is signed, sealed and delivered to Collingwood we’d be silly not to be involved. I’d also be willing to miss out for a year next year and land someone for 2024 Edit: I have no interest in off the field either. The players all know the realities of the business and that there’s a number at which it isn’t worth matching. If we’re relying on Gus to sell memberships then we’re in trouble.

I’m sure if we drafted one with some speed off the mark and accountability to complement Tracc and Oliver, like say a Sparrow or Harmes we probably would

If we can get an assurance from the AFL that the compo would be end of the first round then I’m more than happy to let Gus go. In fact I’d say it would be the prudent move. We’ve got 3 defenders on A grade coin, plus Petty. We’ve got a ruck and mids on top line money, plus Viney and Langdon. We have to use money and picks to lure key forwards/high impact forward half players. Jackson (staying or) going is part of that, but more can’t hurt. He’s doing a lot of good things this year but he’s still at best our 5th most important defender and there’s no point breaking the pay scale for that position. Not when Bowey and Rivers are premiership players, Hunt is capable and defensive depth can be found in the draft. He’s not going to get any faster or become a good kick. Those flaws aren’t going away. We should offer him a deal in line with his role in the side and be ok if other teams are willing to go way beyond that.

I agree. Sometimes the sub must rotate for match fitness but I’d much prefer Hunt or go with Chandler and actually brave some on ball minutes for him

Yep, we refused to cheat. Although I do wonder if it’s because there’s not really a clear option with the current side? We need Jackson to cover Gawn. We need Weid at least in part for a forward target. Taking Melk off removes a guy who used to have the ability to snag a goal late. Taking Tomlinson off would’ve left us short down back as our flankers aren’t really adept on covering talls as well as some are. JJ was hampered by his knee splitting in half last night. I would’ve pulled the pin on him at 3/4 time. But that would’ve meant some Spargo or Bedford wing minutes. Easier to justify the cheating if you’ve got more versatile players.

His pace and penetration are both down but I thought it was easily Salo’s best game since he came back. Won contests and was calm by hand. Kicking wasn’t bad just lacks punch. Possibly an argument for resting him from a Perth trip, getting some fitness in to him but that seems unlikely when he’s building week to week with match fitness.

Spargo would get more possessions - and hear my out on this, I know it’s an unusual ideal - his team mates actually kicked to him. The Harmes howler. Fritsch of half time. So many examples of Spargs making great position and being unsighted or skill errors not finding him.

He had a great first half but resorted to grabbing it from the ruck or whacking it forward to no one in the last quarter. It was hero ball kind of stuff when we needed composure and to stick to the basics. That said, he could probably read that Oliver was unable to handball on his right and most of the midfield were running on empty after last week.

Gawn 92% Weid 72% Jackson 69% Melk 80 Fritsch 87 That adds up to always having at least 1 tall forward and 2 mediums. Or 2 talls for 30%. Given the dogs don’t have dominant marking talls we could easily compete with mediums who provide better movement and defensive pressure. Big Harry chases, tackles and hits up on the lead as well as halving long contests. Keeping Weid’s game time low should’ve allowed him to give maximum effort per minute, and be fresh to be powerful in his attack on the ball. Sadly that wasn’t the case

Pretty sure Fritsch was better. Weid started well. But then for 3/4’s all he managed was one lead and goal. No competitiveness under a string of high balls. In fact barely got near most of them. Whether it’s athleticism, strength, courage or reading of the flight he just doesn’t have it and likely never will.

They need to get Brayshaw the heck out of the backline. He’s undone the balance of it. Completely unaccountable. Doesn’t provide genuine line breaking and can’t hit the side of a barn. Just zones off a mile and racks up chip kicks or long bombs. If JJ needs a rest he can go to the wing. Otherwise just drop him and bring in Bowey or Hunt and get back to the structure of last year. Otherwise it’s Brown for Weid and Lever for Tomlinson and that’s about it. Melksham for JVR, Chandler or Bedford? I doubt it.

In fairness, Selwood for most of his career has shrugged his shoulders to avoid tacklers and been happy to get free kicks along the way. He’s stayed upright and played through contact knowing that the free kick or broken tackle are both good results. The arm raise and leg drop technique was really bought in over the last few years. Toby McLean was the best at it. Dylan Grimes probably second. I understand why you could have some sympathy for Ginnivan but he and his coach have both been absolutely blatant. He’s thrown himself to the ground more than any player I’ve ever seen. And he even went as far as getting filmed at training practising his manoeuvre. His free kicks per game average is on par with Max Gawn who I think is the most infringed player in the league. I’m not surprised he’s forced the league to act.

Isn’t that exactly what Melksham did v Port? Apart from iffy contests and marking the main reason Weid doesn’t get an extended run is his lack of defensive pressure. Tomlinson can’t turn. I can’t see how he helps. It’s not Melksham’s strong suit either but he was very good defensively against Port. I see the competition for Tommy Macs spot coming down to Melksham, JVR, Hunt and Joel Smith. They’re the 4 guys who have the combination of height and mobility.

Sure. If given 6 months, not in 6 days.

Watch some tape of Bowey’s junior footy, there’s a lot of walking when the ball isn’t in his area and just hanging out around packs. Since then he’s played half back. Which isn’t to say he couldn’t be very useful at half forward in the future but I doubt he’d pick it up automatically.

I would’ve liked to have done better, but Port aren’t mugs. From a mids perspective Wines, Boak, Rozee, Gray, Drew, Butters, Amon is very solid and got them to back to back prelims. They were also 8-3 since their 0-5 start. I don’t think we took full advantage in the ruck but Dixon took a lot of centre bounces to nullify Max. They finished 13-11 but I’d imagine before the last 10 minutes that was probably even. Around the ground they seemed to push a lot of numbers up and at times I think the stoppage failures were on the forwards and backs as much as the mids.

Oliver back in and the temptation to pick JVR fresh off a bye against the Doggies are the 2 reasons I’m not sure Melk is safe. Otherwise I maintain he did his role and it was the right selection. We could’ve promoted Dunstan, but he can’t hit the side of the barn by foot and he’s seriously slow in transition. Harmes and Sparrow largely nullified Rozee and Boak’s running game. Boak got an early and a late goal but little in between. Rozee’s impact was far less than his stats, he had lots of nothing touches. If you offered me the choice of: A) Port winning around the ground stoppages and hacking it to our backline B) Boak, Rozee, Amon, Butters getting time and space in transition I’m taking A everyday of the week Individual brilliance went a long way to Pickett’s goals but he also got the ball with enough time and space to produce the brilliance. Whilst far from amazing the ball movement and forward line function after 1/4 time was solid.

Unless you count Chandler (and don’t count Bedford) it’s really only Laurie and JVR who are remotely close to a game. I think it’s clear why Laurie doesn’t fit just yet, and even if that’s not the case he’s only starting to play consistent strong VFL footy. I’m keen on JVR too, but he’s in the same boat of just starting to string together VFL games. Form which has coincided with a run in the ruck to get him involved in games. If he was a 3rd round pick would there be much interest in him getting a game? And if he does happen to be the messiah for our season maybe waiting until right before finals will prove to be an inspired move.

Our selfless culture has always involved 22 blokes pinging shots on goal. Go through the tapes since ‘21 and you’ll find so much T Mc, Brown, Harmes, Gawn, Pickett, Nibbler, having wild shots at goal. Fritsch adding a 3rd howler in 4 weeks isn’t good but I liked the general competitiveness of his game far better today. Think he saved himself by the way he bounced back after it. If they didn’t drop him last week why would they now?

Thought the same at half time but he rallied in the second half. It’s purely an issue of fitness and the tempo of the game, not convinced an easy kill at VFL will solve either of those if he’s recovering well between games

Agree on Bedford but he does have a great tank, his work rate looked good (from crappy tv angles) and Port’s dangerous back flankers never came in to the game. There’s not another alternative (Chandler, Dunstan, Laurie) that really demanded his spot. If you didn’t value Melksham’s game today despite all his usual Melkyness then you’re just being unfair to Melk and Goodwin. He was tasked with occupying Aliir and Clurey and he did what was required. Put in a solid stint defensively too. Not sure it was enough to keep the spot for next week but again, the alternatives aren’t inspiring. Melk did a successful job, a 51% pass maybe, but a pass none the less. No one can say Weid would’ve done the same.

I’d rehash my complaints about not turning over the list but that’s kind of useless now. The biggest thing we need to do is find the balance between plan A and the change ups. Short kicking, switching, getting the ball to the corridor and fat side, rolling half backs in behind the attack to lock the ball forward. All perfectly achievable things for us to do if we add just a touch more risk and flair to the side. Personell wise: Can potential shuffle some flankers and there’s a mix of options with talls. But not convinced the answer lies there