DeeSpencer

The only choice we made was a 2 year deal for Chandler and 1 year for Bedford at the end of 2021. At that stage Chandler was more advanced and had rival interest from the Crows pushing the extra year. All reports were we matched Bedford’s 3 year deal offer from GWS and were very keen for him to stay. He was never put on the trade block in preference for Chandler.

No, we didn’t

Howes played on Bolton for a fair chunk of the game and got beat up, clearly a harsh test that he wouldn’t get in a real game. McVee played on no one of note and up the ground more and whilst he had good moments I thought he was lost in transition at times. A simple change to help the backline defending is revert McVee to his job. Gus or Salo to half back where they have more experience. But the talls is still a worry. We need guys who can cover ground and variable match ups if we are playing more open at the back. And they need skills as well. May bombed every kick and spilled every chest mark. Lever was rusty with the ball. Tomlinson didn’t do enough on the counter.

I’d be tempted to go small. Lever takes a man. Gus plays as the interceptor, a role he excels at. McVee and Rivers take on some height. But we are hardly stacked for flankers. If Salo is moved to the midfield to finally attempt to fix the unbalance in the midfield we are looking at another medium tall in Hore playing out of position, Howes - who cant defend at all but has interesting flanker skills, or possibly mix it up with Woewodin? I’d even think of trying Sparrow on a back flank if he continues to be an almost player as a mid.

We dominated the middle early with Gawn, Tracc and Viney and even in the 2nd when we didn’t play well Kossie won a number of centre clearances with ease. We just didn’t turn them in to deep and retained forward entries. Then we butchered it on quick counters. It wasn’t so much bombing inside 50 or even aerial contests that were the problems, it was mids and half backs turning great run in to bad missed targets across half forward Petty draws the ball. Fritsch can be freed up by McAdam. But in the meantime and perhaps for longer we might have to play Tracc at CHF just to have someone demand the ball.

Possibly not on the Wednesday but I’d be surprised if they don’t have something organised for the vfl guys closer to the weekend. If nothing at all is available then maybe a half for Clarry in the side

FB: McDonald May McVee HB: Brayshaw Lever Bowey C; Windsor Petracca Langdon HF: Billings Fritsch ANB FF: Pickett JVR Spargo Foll: Gawn Salem Viney Int: Rivers Sparrow Laurie Verrall S: Schache E: Chandler, Woey, Tomlinson Out: Tomlinson, Howes, K. Brown, Chandler In: Brayshaw, Salem, Spargo, McDonald if fit Another week in the 2’s for Clarry. That would be my plan.

Not so sold on Clive Waterhouse but he has novelty value

I like the look of Bent/Benckt whoever the medium tall is for Casey, nice body work unfairly pinged Quality finish from Jeffo

pros: - first 20 minutes was champagne football - Laurie and Billings both had some really good moments, not sold on either but they can both contribute - Windsor was a mess with his kicks but he made position and surely had 15+ touches? - Kynan Brown looked comfortable - Max dominated and then Verrall injected something in the second half - Kossie (sadly just one of him when we need 2 or 3) Cons: - tugboat - run and carry being too condensed and so easy to defend, need width on the runners - still not going out the fat side enough - JVR and Fritsch both stationed too deep, get someone who can draw the ball at half forward - Schache - forward pressure was non existent when Kossie was on ball - midfield pressure poor all game - half backs gave a heap of room and didn’t show a lot of ability to close space and tackle

What?

Not sure what we’ve done to Windsor’s kicking but he’s now holding the ball funny and hitting the inside of the foot on half of them. He’s been nicely Melbourne’d

No he hasn’t, moments of class but he’s a few steps behind in pressure and contested work.

A comedy who just laced the ball to targets twice in a row only for them to drop it.

Lack of handball chains from the contest has been a huge concern. Tigers go bang, bang, out. Too often one handball has turned in to a player then under pressure trying to create.

More than happy to take some lumps playing attacking footy from half back. But geez we need more skill through the midfield and more pace at half forward to make this work. And we need a backline committed to covering off rather than sagging back after our slow movement has kept them in position. And of course, lower the eyes!!

The Sparrow charging up the middle and a kick goes to 2 players getting in each others way is the big thing to review in terms of structures. A mountain of fat side space and an open 50, short of a completely flubbed kick or simple dropped mark that has to end with a set shot.

Hore or Adams better play well in the seconds because you couldn’t pick Tomlinson for round 1 based on this effort

Things I’d like to see in the second half: - Billings on the wing to see if he can earn that spot - Fritsch up the ground involved in play - Laurie more midfield chances - switches and moving to the fat side with the run rather than charging head first in to the press

This is probably the closet Blake Howes gets to afl level any time soon

We are bursting from half back but then trying to pick out insane long options, the idea of moving it quicker from half back is you have more space and time when you do get in the front half. The number of times we’ve burnt free options at half forward that would’ve then wheeled in to open 50’s have been astronomical. First 20 minutes we hit up all the half forwards

I agree and there weren’t too many defensive errors, the problem was when they had the ball that still needs work

The tall defenders are going to be a worry with this run and gun system. Lever has brain farts, May gets nervous under pressure and the Tug Boat can’t move the feet quick enough to evade pressure, nor can he defend.

The people not understanding why Clarry is working his way back through the seconds are you living under the worlds biggest rock? For one it’s clear he hasn’t done too much main group training so whilst he’s fit to play it’s best to keep him from a max intensity game but otherwise refer to any number of club statements and media articles. I know we aren’t allowed to speculate on here but geez putting 2 and 2 together isn’t banned. The club has stressed slow and steady.

Huge opportunity for Howes, Laurie, Windsor and Billings. They are the 4 who we need to see do well and push genuine claims for round 1. Be nice to see Tommo and Schache looking somewhat competent too. Aside from that it's experimentation time, keep pace on the ball, don't be afraid to make mistakes and play with good spirit more so concerns for results.