DeeSpencer

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.

If the team above is correct we probably don't have enough defenders to push Riv in to the midfield in more than spurts unless they get really funky with Billings or K Brown. So I'd expect Riv to be mostly back, but with Salo and Gus hopefully not far off they'll have that option especially if Howes measures up. Brown over Tholstrup might be wanting a mid/winger to cover some minutes so the forward line gets some continuity - or as much as they can. I think it's the same for Verrell. Do 30% game time in the ruck so we don't overdo Max and that allows Schache to stay forward for more time and hopefully get some chemistry with JVR. Not that Verall isn't impressive, I just have my doubts that he's seriously in line to play any time soon.

Reid, Wardlaw, Sanders and McKercher will be hard to beat. Nick Watson is value at $18. For our guys its more about who can debut or who can be regular best 22 player and push for noms. Windsor, Laurie, Howes, Turner, Woey are all pushing the best 22 so would love to see a few noms. Tholstrup probably not far off either. The rest will do well to get debuts.

FB: McVee May Hore HB: Rivers Lever Bowey C; Windsor Petracca Langdon HF: Spargo Schache ANB FF: Fritsch JvR McAdam Foll: Gawn Brayshaw Viney Int: Salem Sparrow Chandler Laurie S: Billings E: Tomlinson, Howes, Woewodin Unavailable: Oliver, Hunter, Petty, Fullarton, Pickett (susp) Salo obviously has to prove his fitness and we’ll see how much they rotate him with Gus and Rivers on ball. Howes will have a chance to push his case which then frees another half back in to midfield but I don’t think he’s quite ready. Chandler, Laurie, Spargo, Billings are probably competing for 3 spots and the sub. Woey too. Billings will get his chance in the practice games but I wouldn’t be surprised if the coaches think his defensive and contested efforts need a bit more refinement. Plus he can be an important impact sub. Will Windsor be ready, we’ll know soon. I don’t think they rush Clarry back. I suspect they stick to the initial plan of a slow build for him.

I kind of think Hipwood is underrated now. He wasn't good for a long time despite the media pumping him up, then the media turned on him and since then he's kind of being pretty solid by upping his contested work. Maybe Oscar Allen of those 3 but Watts with more time to develop and also a more natural leap and overhead mark is probably realistic. I think he'll have to either pressure at ground level and/or find some easy footy up the ground and use his skills to really make an impact. He needs a few strings to his bow to cover for not being the tallest, quickest or most physical. Reports of him laying a few tackles at a recent training session are positive.

Mostly invisible when it’s hot but not a bad second ruck? No, I doubt that’s the aim. Specialist goal kicker in the Fritsch mold who hopefully adds a contested/structural tall role as he bulks up over time is surely the aim. Just might be a slow build