DeeSpencer

Same ump that paid the Greene dive and missed a lot of easy calls. The big name umps love getting their egos in the game but they usually pay the simple stuff correctly. This guy looked fresh out of VAFA c grade and needs to be send back there.

Way too many ‘contests’ like this. Is it physical or mental? Stance way too high, no power in the legs, on his wrong side to begin with too I guess (Viney would do better digging in to Green with his left but Oliver would then have to cover Bedford’s speed), then painfully slow to react to the hit out and beat out the front of the stoppage. Does a preseason fix this or is this an undisciplined player who abandons basic technique and stoppage responsibilities?

I’m nervous because our list management has been dreadful but I’m actually excited by the opportunity we have to drastically improve the list purely by bringing in fresh legs Gus, J Smith, BBB, Schache were all zeroes before the bounce of the ball and Melk was out for half a year, Spargo the full year apparently. Hunter the same. McAdam not afl fit. Oliver clearly no preseason and Fullarton and Verrell weren’t ready to ruck, so either one of them or someone else should be next year. Our talls are clearly in rebuild mode but Lever, Petty, JVR, Disco and hopefully Jeffo gives us a chance to keep things rolling. Midfield seems as bad as it should get right now. Oliver, Tracc, a preseason in to Rivers, adding some depth should all improve us. Just finding a few useful fit and energetic role players would do wonders for the state of the list.

I feel pretty confident saying it’s his fitness and his mindset not his hand. It’s been weeks since the hand surgery and there’s been plenty of good pick ups and handballs in those weeks and probably 100+ tackles. What there hasn’t been is clear decision making at times - although that’s never been his greatest strength. And more than anything there hasn’t been the usual and sustained explosive burst and repeated change of directions, nor is he linking up away from the contest. Not to mention being completely spent by 3/4 time.

Should we just give Gawn another week off? Honestly I’d be happy to use JVR and Petty against Tim English and go with either Disco or Jeffo forward. Max doesn’t need to keep playing with a literal broken leg.

Clarry was somewhat good for 3/4’s then totally spent in the last. Gawn barely lasted a half and we looked better with JVR in the middle who at least provided follow up. Max and the mids haven’t been on the same page all year.

They extended him right after preseason when he looked good over summer. Slimmed down, fitter, was darting around getting the ball in match sim training and using it well. Was dropped by round 2 and hasn’t had or really deserved much of a go since. Im happy to give him the rest of the year but I saw little last night to suggest he’s going to make it.

I'd go a double change down back with Hore and Howes in for AMW and Woey. Woey has a dip but he's just not very good. AMW is the most lost footballer I've seen wear red and blue for a long time and he's not getting any better. Zero defensive accountability. I know Bowser is struggling but he at least has some talent and awareness of how to position himself. Otherwise Billings for Kolt I guess. Probably stick with Disco as sub for another week. Very little of Jefferson's game screams ready to impact at AFL level. I don't think there's much to gain for getting AFL games in to his right now, not in this side anyway.

I think we need a proper review of the footy department and as members deserve to know what the budget has been spent on. Since the covid cuts we’ve gone from 2 head of footballs (Mahoney and Richardson) to 1, haven’t added any permanent coaching staff (teams used to have 4+ assistants and multiple development coaches, we have 3, Choco and I think Sam Radford) and there’s been no announcement on beefing up the recruiting or fitness teams. Pro Scout is still listed as Kelly O’Donnell despite the fact we haven’t added anyone decent from the state leagues since Mitch Hannan. And haven’t landed a good trade since Langdon in the ‘19 trade period. In 2021 we had a fitness edge, a game plan edge and a drafting and list management edge to build the list. Now I’d say we still have drafting edge. I still believe in Goody but there’s strong case to change the coaching panel. Fitness is lacking. List management is mess. Should Richo go? Should Lamb go? I don’t know, I don’t like calling for peoples jobs without all the facts. But I’d like to know what the club is investing in and how they expect better results.

Thought Fritsch was ok against Freo and not sure I’d debut Jeffo against GWS. Plus I’d like to keep Fritsch’s trade value as high as possible now.

Both are closer to 3rd rounders than 1st. Fritsch on the other hand…

Not sure his decision making or skills will make him our best player. They can both be improved, but he’s a little too hit and miss even for a first year kid in a tricky role. Of course he does have super classy moments too. I really hope Rivers and Kossie flourish in to genuine A graders. But Windsor might be next and he should be a genuine game breaker.

Might have to be, but even just pace and a good tank and try to get class out of Tracc, Rivers and Pickett. I’d be open for ANB, Windsor and Kolt to all have goes through their next year. But that means beefing up our wings and half forwards with genuine afl players asap.

Of course he helps us at his very best but there’s also an argument Rivers should be in the core midfield. With at least 1 clearance machine like Tracc, Viney or Oliver (but that’s 3 when 2 might do). With some damage in Kossie. But also with a speedy gut running mid for balance. If we move Oliver out we free cash to bring in Houston to free up Rivers. Then maybe we do the same with a classy quick mid to ease the load on Viney and Tracc.

I’d probably lower the eyes and aim for someone who wouldn’t be the best non Steven May recruit we’ve landed in decades. But the way I see it you can only carry maybe 3-5 mega deals at any time and if a player isn’t playing too it you’re better off moving on if you can. And these long free agency deals are meant to be bargains for 4-5 years when a guy is 30 or under and then a tax at the end. Like Lynch and Dusty at Richmond now. Anyone want to pay Oliver - even on his best behaviour - 900k at 32/33? That said, a lot depends on information we just don’t have as fans.

If you’ve missed a lot of the little things Petty has done with positive talk to his team mates, great forward pressure and routinely putting his body on the line then you’re letting your bias cloud your judgment. There’s a very good footballer - forward or back - in there. Don’t drop off now.

A coach can’t be positive in the lead up to a game? You really want him to say - we don’t have a ruck, we don’t have more than 1 semi fit midfielder? Freo should get on top at stoppages and then we’ll be needing a miracle?

Speed off half back and half forward, midfield gut run. Mobile tall forwards. Pressure. Its just about the perfect combination to mess with us. Now, if we control the middle we could deal with a lot of the rest but when our mids don’t run and don’t win the contest we are stuffed.

A 2nd round pick and we only have to pay 200k a year of the contract and I’m happy to move on. Just like Grundy at the pies, sometimes you have to pay to get away from a bad deal even if you know it will hurt you.

That Windsor speed up the middle with any kind of forward line and/or some better composure, let me dream

Brisbane are a one paced contested and outside kicking game side. You can muck it up against them. Plus they were all over us for the part quarter and a half. Without Gawn we couldn’t really control stoppages or down the line game. We’ve muck it up at times then they’ve just gone bang on the counter with speed.

Disco with an all time nearly day. Had first hands on over half a dozen contested marks and dropped them all!

It’s a little bit of effort but it’s a lot of them being just an awful match up for us. They’re better than us and at home too. It’s not all effort or coaching or some other conspiracy.

Yep and he’s done both and Salem’s been no different on ball whilst Viney and a little bit of Oliver have got more of it in the middle. Good move from Goody. Freshen’s Trent up for next week too.

They were smashed around the ground as much as stoppages