DeeSpencer

Haha such a load or trash. JVR himself has said multiple times how the year in the VFL was the best thing for his development. If some junior coach or distant cousin wanted him to debut despite inconsistent VFL form and being a young kid then good luck to them. He’s also playing now because he’s good and deserves games, without being a lock for selection. We aren’t gifting him games to keep him happy.

School was in Adelaide, but he's actually from Red Cliffs in Victoria. Not all that much difference between Melb or Adel in terms of being close to family if they are still from there. It's a long drive either way.

He looked to have really turned the corner late last year before having a nightmare grand final (like most Swans players). He's a good runner but he's not skilled enough to rely on his ball use, not quick enough to really break lines and run away from trouble and not strong enough at the contest to be a reliable role player on the wing. The upside is he's not far off in all 3 attributes and he only needs marginal improvement to suddenly be very useful. If he's not a wingman due to the above flaws could he be a good on baller or high half forward who rotates on ball. He'd add much needed run and a pure left foot if he was in our midfield mix, but he'd need to prove his worth with contested ball and tackling. Unless he's super cheap I doubt we can afford to take speculative risks, but if he's basically free to a new home then I'd be very keen.

Henry’s never been a small forward, he’s always been a wingman, his improved form this year has been because Freo have trusted him on the wing for a longer period. So I’m surprised Chandler has any bearing on a decision to target him. And whilst I’d be desperate to get anyone half decent in to replace Hunter (and potentially Langdon sooner than later) we do have Lachie for another year. As well as Woewodin, Howes and likely some early picks to slot in somewhere. Maybe the Dees only view him as a forward because they don’t trust his contested work and lack of size for the wing? And there’s no point recruiting someone to play out of position. I’m in on the need to roll the dice with some half forward/wing speed and skill but I can understand the reluctance to go after Henry.

Did Ashburton up and move to Perth?

Burst out of the blocks the first few weeks before some really grinding games, but I think he’s settled in the last month or so with some byes freshening the legs. His forward pressure on the weekend was a couple of levels above anything I’ve seen from him before that. If he can develop that aspect of his game as well as finding more of the ball he’ll be a lot closer to playing with the big boys.

I’m not dropping him because he’s been poor, I’m moving him to sub because he’s important and is 30+ with a history of injuries the last few years. And because Smith is equally important and can’t go another week just playing a quarter. Smith could go back to Casey but we need a mid sized tall as sub because BBB can’t go a full game.

Duursma seems strong in the air, took a ripping pack mark on the weekend. But there’s not a lot of contested ball on the deck. I’m trying to think of tall skinny kids who have been drafted high and gone on to success recently. Fyfe’s the ultimate example but that’s unrealistic. Ollie Henry took a couple of years to get up to speed but he’s been on the Geelong diet. If he didn’t settle well at half forward or on a wing I’d be tempted to have Duursma play back flank like we are doing with Howes. Will Day was able to get experience at half back before being released on ball.

Watson is excellent using his body and reading the drop of the ball but tiny. If he was 180cm he’d be a lock at pick 2/3/4. If he was 176cm like Bowey he’d probably be the same. Even Eddie Betts at 174 got it done. 170, shorter than Pickett, it’s a tough ask

I reckon the Crows up tempo play comes far more from their excellent half backs and how hard their mids run, not to mention Dawson being the best mark/kick on baller in the league. But Rankine certainly helps. And Rachele is classy too. The thing about those guys is they both had games that were going to translate to AFL level and will eventually lead to midfield minutes. With Watson I’m just worried he’s not tall, strong or quick enough to really become that level of player.

Is he having the quietest year for any consensus number 1 pick in a long time? Averaging 20 touches (but over 2 goals) at Coates league, one ok, one good VFL game, didn’t set them on fire in the champs. The talent is absolutely undeniable but the output is a little off. Is it because he’s the lock at 1 so has been managing his way through the season? Took his time getting over a head knock. Obviously not a huge deal, you’re drafting for AFL success not his junior results and it’s not like he’s been bad. But I’d kind of want to see him really rip a few games apart.

Should happen: Out: Melk In: Smith. Melk to sub. Purely a rest /workload issue, Smith will lose condition if he can’t play a full game and Melk’s done a power of work. Could happen: Out: Tomlinson In: Hibberd Hibbo wasn’t great at Casey but if there’s no Tomlinson match up we’re better off with the Pig Wont happen; Out: Hunter In: Spargo/Money Man Wakefield Taj to the wing, JJ back up wing. Would love a bit more speed and tackling at half forward against Rioli and the tiger runners. AMW isn’t as polished as Spargo but he’s building nicely and does some special stuff Back JJ and Juddy in. Petty a run in the 2’s for confidence and match fitness, Grundy one more week against better opposition.

Maybe my language was harsh but if you watched Gawn live today you’d see a guy who managed his way around the ground, often content to man O’Brien away from the play rather than sprinting back to plug the backline or making sure he’s the long down the line target. Can argue it’s smart as a veteran ruck doing it alone but do you want a captain having to manage his work load? Even playing with Grundy has been about managing him through the season. Viney is busting it for every minute he’s out there

Woey has good endurance and has played more wing than half forward at Casey and most likely in juniors too. I’m not suggesting he’s ready for 90% game time for weeks at a time but we could give him 75% as a one off to see where he’s at. Much like giving JVR the key forward job over the old boys even when he’s miles from his full physical development. Hunter has absolutely no speed left and refuses to kick or turn corridor or do anything to use speed or skill. Surely the coaches wanted more than just positioning?

Langdon manages to do it and still break lines going forward and whilst his kicking is hit and miss there’s at least some hits. Woey had one kick today that was better than any of Hunter kicks in the last two months. Give him a half as the main wingman and if he’s floundering with positioning or work rate then sub Hunter on or switch it up. JJ managed to do the Hunter role last year just as well too. It takes a big tank and discipline but shouldn’t we expect more? At a minimum we should be planning for Gus to take the job back once Oliver is up and running. Gus has the same flaws but the bonus of elite overhead marking.

I don’t mind it, but I think we’d almost have to bring Harmes in for JJ as well in that situation to make sure the midfield has enough speed. And handing over the reigns from Gus who despite his many faults is having a decent go to our VFL mids is a risk.

With the 4 smalls we don’t have a 3rd winger and it’s suboptimally small. Workable but not ideal. ANB has to rotate on the wing which takes away our best two way half forward. Collingwood have some big back flankers, Port too. Cats are monsters. I agree Taj is just finding his way at half forward but I think we need a bit more size. He took one great mark and dropped another, he’s solid overhead. Of course there’s ways to change the mix. If Fritsch can fill in on a wing for 20%. Or Kosi can genuinely play on ball for more than 1 minute a quarter we open up more ways to get smalls in the side without being too small.

The Crows were without Laird, Doedee, Rachele and we put a lead on them 3 different times on our home deck, with an 8 day break and 3 times let them come back in to it. We couldn’t consistently stop their run and we had large period making really dumb unforced mistakes. Thats not what good teams do. There’s less and less evidence that Fritsch - unless cherry ripe - actually makes us better than a Melk/Petracca combination. He can’t contest like Melk so would have to be added, which means Tracc on ball which is good, but not if it’s the turnover and lazy defensive running midfield Tracc. Oliver certainly does make us better but the contested ball and drive he gives the midfield has to come with at least not terrible kicking. Too many of his games this year were incredibly wasteful. There’s still no solution to: - Tall forwards - Half forwards with genuine pace, skill, ability to halve a contest - Midfield and wing run and skill - Getting consistent run and carry out of a backline that the default setting is slow and safe and the change up setting is whatever May did today. No team is ever perfect but this Melbourne side look short on polish and confidence to stick to the right tempo required.

Tomlinson was great for a half before reverting to being too slow and consistently losing contests to Fogarty when our defensive pressure dropped. May started panicking because he couldn’t trust Tomlinson (which is a May issue but not ideal). Petty needs to be healthy, might even need to play at Casey to prove himself but I still have no doubt he’s the best option to get our backline the best it can be. Up forward, who do we replace? Could only be BBB and the big fella was good for most of 3/4’s. Petty forward didn’t seem to be working

Like which part? Kicking? Goals? Overhead marking/spoiling? Defensive pressure as a stoppage sweeper? Attack on ground balls? Tackling? The one thing he does to an ok standard is positioning in transition but he can be exploited by teams when he’s dropped back too far too. He’s just completely meh.

It was good in preseason when he had time, space and no consequence. But any time he’s asked to do anything but 20m down the line he butchers it, and he’s rarely out and running to do that (or anything more).

We don’t have the backline or midfield either. I mean, we have the backline talent but they don’t play like it under pressure. We don’t have answers with the midfield. Clarry and Tracc back in will help but we at least one, maybe 2 skilled running players

What is the point of Lachie Hunter? He’s utterly ineffective. 176 metres gained. 5 pressure acts. 3 score involvements. Give Taj a proper crack on the wing. He might make some positional errors but he’s not afraid to run with the ball and he can compete in the air. I don’t really care who comes in. Harmes, Spargo, Hibbo and sliding Salem, Riv or Bowser up.

Playing like a captain whilst Max picks and chooses, should probably make it official

We just dropped away any time we had the lead consolidated, in the second, third and to start and end the last. As usual our mids were held like crazy out of stoppages when meant we got short entries, and their super dangerous half backs went to town on slow or inexperienced half forwards. Wingers got targeted all day and gave up 5000 marks, and the crows looped around to take advantage of those marks. Backline had a stinker to start the last and May needs to get his head out of backside and just play the game on merits. Tomlinson started like a house on fire then ended like a house burnt to the ground.