DeeSpencer

Don’t risk playing Petty in finals for what? To save him for future finals? He has to prove his fitness and we shouldn’t jeopardise his career if there’s a specific concern but otherwise if he’s available to play there’s no point holding him back

It also happened the last few weeks with Tomlinson, and happens when May is worried about McVee too. Really it’s happened at every team line up apart from prime 2021 backline where May had faith in Petty and Hibbo. At some stage May trying to do too much is the problem. Smith wasn’t perfect yesterday, he rushed up at one stage that wasn’t needed and had that dropped mark (that was clearly a mark) in the goal square but he also looked more reliable one on one than May and Lever who both were stuffing up. And that’s without mentioning the deer in the headlights routine that happens when May has the ball and his awful kick outs. Moving May forward would be absolute last resort, but we aren’t far off having to consider last resorts. There’s at least a chance Tom McDonald takes CHF and we have to swing May and McDonald in game to chase a lead.

He’s an ok role player who always has a dip but he’s up against it when he concedes 10cm+ in the ruck and he’s unremarkable as a forward, although he does compete well on the deck. He’d be replacing Melksham and could ruck if we had 2 key forwards who we want to keep away from the ruck. I’d probably try him filling in as a 3rd winger for back up minutes rather than as the back up ruck. I’d have him for cheap but the priority is surely for a genuine tall (at one end of the other), and if we move Grundy then we need a spare proper ruck as well.

The one thing we haven’t tried is splitting the game in half. Grundy takes the bulk of the ruck for first half where the game is often in tight and he’s useful as a clearance player. Gawn plays mostly forward in the give a contest role where he’s likely better than anyone we have. We then sub Grundy off after half time for an impact forward (not sure we have one but maybe J Smith, Schache or Melk once Fritsch is back). Someone with some forward craft who can find space as the game opens up. Gawn then rucks 80-90% of the second half. The big issue is an in game injury but it might be the best way to get value from Grundy, not completely mess with Gawn and have a functioning forward line.

6. Tracc 5. Viney 4. Pickett 3. ANB 2. Hunter 1. Gus

I’d have Fritsch as a finals inclusion.

Give it a half against a good side and you’ll change your mind. That said, not entirely convinced he isn’t the best option for next week if they really aren’t happy with Grundy

Amazing depth = bunch of VFL players. Tomlinson, Grundy (unless rucking), Ben Brown, Joel Smith, Tom McDonald…none of them are up to it

Goodwin’s already said it’s not short term. Petty is probably being a good team man, no point sooking and bringing down the mood for everyone else

We did the bare minimum against a side that hasn’t won since March and lost our centre half forward. Feel free to enjoy it with the other happy clappers but it wasn’t a good day.

Loading up on mids lets us run out games strongly, but it means we also start slowly because we’re slow.

JJ’s second half probably keeps him in but geez if Oliver is cherry ripe and can dominate the midfield with Viney and others then do we go a double change in the middle and take out a crash and bash mid and bring in Woey, Spargo, Laurie or even Moniz-Wakefield? All who would bring either speed or polish. We had 6 inside mids today: Viney, Gus, Tracc, Sparrow, Harmes, JJ. We really only need 5. I don’t think he’s quite ready but I’d love to see the Money man Wakefield

For anyone else you’d be suspicious of a syndesmosis so I’m not surprised job for life Gerard went with that. But with Petty only just recovering from the sprained ligament in his foot that has to be the suspicion too. Either way serious foot/ankle injuries rarely get back inside 6 weeks. Full fit inside 5 would be a good result.

Grundy, Tom McDonald, Schache, Joel Smith, Tomlinson in play May forward? We need 2 Petty’s and it looks like we’ll have none for the next 6 weeks

Petty 🏥 Smith down back 🤔 Clarity / form of the fringe mids ❌ Percentage ❌ Mental preparation 🤮 Speed and skill through the middle 👎 Take the 4 points but not a good day.

I agree, I think he’ll be one of the best in 3-5 years time. But if we got Mac we wouldn’t have JVR.

Such a strange interpretation of our list. There’s spots we’re scrambling or unable to fill: tall winger, classy mid, key forward/back. Grundy’s a great back up ruck but can’t seem to make us better alongside Max. Which forces us to use Petty forward. Chandler has the edge on Spargo right now and has threatened to make himself a lock as Spargo did in 2021, but both hover in the 19-25th on a good list range. I love the Pig but I doubt he has the tank for a flank these days, he’s fighting Tomlinson and Smith for the 3rd tall spot. Brown and T Mc are shot. If anything the list looks like it’s missing a quality top 5 pick (which it is), needs another ready to go tall so we can settle Petty and is missing some genuine pace. That’s just to get back to 2021. How far we go this year won’t be determined by amazing depth. We’ll need to make the right calls and for fringe guys to hold up but we need stars and hidden stars like Petty to really stand up to cover some cracks.

Plus ANB. The big question is do we have enough midfield rotations with only 7 on ballers. JVR will ruck, Tracc will spend a decent period of time on ball, but ideally we’d need a couple more rotations. It will probably be ANB on the wing. I’d like to see Pickett and Chandler both trialled on ball. And as I’ve said a million times I want to see Fritsch take some wing minutes to keep pressure with our smalls up forward and provide a different pathway for ball movement by having a winger who can take a contested mark and spear a kick in.

Defenders zone off and let a forward go up to the stoppage or out of play. Hard to get a forward that same freedom, a defender isn’t letting them loose. Melksham effectively tags intercept defenders which is a smart move. And you’re right, at times Petty probably used his marking and lack of forward experience to his advantage by not trying to do too much on a lead and staying deep for the long bomb in. I did love that he (and JVR) hit up on the lead well at times too.

We had centre bounces yesterday when Viney was resting and Tracc forward with Gus, JJ and Harmes. Arguably without our 4 first choice mids in Oliver, Tracc, Viney and Sparrow and with Max getting jumped over and in to by Soldo in the first half. And going against Taranto, Prestia, Hopper, Bolton, Cotchin and Dusty which might be the leagues most expensive midfield. I’d love to know if it was a coaches call or Max’s call to take it out of the ruck because it was the match winning move.

Tomlinson got dropped because he was incapable of playing on Jeremy Cameron and not trusted to play on Hawkins. He was good for a half against Adelaide before being smashed in the second half. He was terrible yesterday. He will now very likely be dropped again for Hibberd or Joel Smith.

We’re now opting for Tomlinson (the Ben Brown of the backline) and Joel Smith to play back. We’re short a quality tall at one end or the other and will be scrambling. Riding the results week to week will be bumpy and there’s absolutely every chance Petty goes back between now and the end of the year. It’s impossible to rule out Grundy, Brown, McDonald or even Schache up forward, and Hibberd or even Disco Turner down back. With Smith an option at either end.

Given he’s been that way for 2 years what makes you think a rest will help? He’s afraid to get tackled and caught holding the ball or illegal disposing it, it’s a mental problem not a physical one.

3 sub 20 touch games and a half step behind chasing quick opponents, particularly in the Brisbane game but at times today too. Just hasn’t looked like his best after a strong patch of form before then.

Clarko will be back and have something special, so we shouldn’t take anything for granted. But at the same time we do have to consider the work loads of Gawn, Viney, Melksham, if we should or shouldn’t play Clarry and probably the most vital - a possible rest for Salem who’s looked off the pace the last few weeks.